HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL

Irene was in the hospital from Monday night, December 26, until Thursday afternoon, December 29.  Her elevated temperature, it was determined, was a result of the chemotherapy killing both good and bad cells rather than an infection.  By Wednesday her white blood cell count was more normal, but her red blood cell count was very low, so they gave her two units of blood which took almost four hours.

As expected, she was hooked to an IV line with some type of fluids and medication dripping throughout her stay.  Even with the nausea medication, she threw up every day but is not feeling nauseated all the time for which she is most grateful.  The pain and swelling in her leg is about the same.

Her three days in the hospital felt like six due to the the loving interruptions of the nurses throughout the night.  One of the nurses would write on a white board what day it was, the names of all who would be attending her and would set some goals with her.  The main goals were to control the pain, control her temperature and control the nausea.  I am sure they all thought she was one of the nicest and best patients they had ever served.

She is very happy to be home and is looking forward to celebrating the New Year quietly at home.  She is feeling somewhat better, but still throws up occasionally.  We have her medications all listed on a chart, and it takes both of us to make sure she gets the right medications at the right time.

Some have asked if she is up to visitors.  We have been advised that she needs to be extremely careful about being exposed to an illness of any kind, and that should her temperature reach 100.5 we are to return to Emergency immediately.   We are so very appreciative of your desires to help and for your expressions of love and concern.  Being more connected with each of you is one of the positive things to come from this. 

WE WISH EACH OF YOU A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Posted by Daryl

ONE WEEK AFTER CHEMOTHERAPY

Irene’s nausea and pain in her leg has not changed much during the week.  On Christmas Eve we spent the evening with our family at Gayla and Chuck’s home.  Everyone of our family was there and we had a wonderful dinner, the grandchildren reenacted the birth of the Savior and the cousins exchanged gifts.  We are appreciative that our children did all the planning and the work associated with the evening and we just showed up and enjoyed being with everyone.  Irene even managed to sample the food rather than stick to the soup and crackers which is about the only thing she has wanted to eat.

Irene’s pain in her leg was the most severe it has been all through that night.  She was up and down about every hour and just could not find relief even with the pain medication she was on.  I have joked with her that her pain threshold on a scale of one to ten is about a six where it would be a ten for most of us.  She admitted that the pain that night was probably a ten.

The nausea the last two days has been worse in that she was throwing up several times during the day and has not really been able to keep much of anything down.  A call to the doctor resulted in a new medication for the nausea and an increase in the amount of pain medication.

Last night (Monday) when she was getting ready for bed, I noticed that she felt a little warm.  We have been instructed to take her temperature on a regular basis, and that if her temperature ever gets to 101.0 that we take her to the emergency room immediately.  Last night at 11:30 p.m. her temperature was 100.6.  She had taken all of her medication, so we waited 30 minutes and took her temperature again, and it was 101.6.  We left for the emergency room and checked her in shortly after midnight at the Banner Gateway Medical Center which is about ten minutes from our home.  Her temperature at the hospital was 99.1when they admitted her.  Her temperature on our thermometer was still 101.1.  I will get a new thermometer today.

She had blood drawn, a chest x-ray and was started on an IV.  The test revealed that her white blood cell count was very low, and the ER doctor determined to keep her in the hospital overnight until the medical oncologist could see her this morning.  I spoke with her this morning and she had not seen the doctor yet, but the nurse told her she may be staying another day until the white blood cell count improves, and they are certain that she does not have an infection.  I will spend the rest of the day with her.

Thanks again to everyone for your faith and prayers on her behalf and for your expressions of love and concern.

FIRST AND SECOND DAY AFTER CHEMOTHERAPY

Irene had a better than usual night after the chemotherapy in that she did not have to get up as often in the night due to the pain in her leg.  However, she was pretty wiped out most of Wednesday.  Even with all of the anti nausea medication, she was very nauseated (she only threw up once), but had the pan by her side most of the day.

Her description was that she felt like a “wet noodle” in that she felt that she had very little strength to move around and was a little shaky.  Mostly she was from the bed to the recliner and back to the bed.  She did feel good enough to keep an appointment at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center to receive an injection to assist the blood cells in their recovery from the chemotherapy.

She ate a small amount of Cream of Wheat a couple of times during the day.  Our neighbors, John and Verna Perkinson, called and offered to bring her anything that sounded good for her dinner.  They fulfilled her request for soda crackers and Sprite.  She managed to eat about three crackers and half a glass of Sprite.

Today has had us most concerned with the pain in her leg.  She was up several times with severe pain during the night which has persisted throughout the day.  The doctors have increased the dosage of one pain medication and a new prescription for another, but management of the pain is still a problem.  This has been a major concern for me because she usually tolerates pain much better than most.

The nausea has not been as bad today and we are hopeful that the worst nausea is behind us.  Her meals again today have consisted of Cream of Wheat, toast, crackers and Sprite.  Some of our family members and a few close friends have stopped by to drop off Christmas gifts and visit for a few minutes, and Irene has really enjoyed and appreciates the kindness of our family and good friends.

FIRST DAY OF CHEMOTHERAPY

I am going to begin with the long and short of it.  The short version (or maybe I should say long) is that we left our house at 7:15 a.m. and walked back in at 6:45 p.m. which included a couple of pharmacy stops.  For those of you who want more detail, read on.

The first 2 ½ hours were spent having some blood work, meeting with our physician, Dr. Homsi, and also meeting with the pharmacist.  There was quite a bit of waiting interspersed with those visits.

At around 10:00 a.m., a technician (Tyrone) began his preparations to insert a PICC line.  I just googled and learned a lot about PICC lines, what the acronym stands for (peripherally inserted central catheter), etc.  I had a PICC line earlier this year but didn’t think too much about the particulars.  Anyway, a catheter is inserted into a peripheral vein in the upper arm and is advanced up the arm through increasingly larger veins until the catheter tip terminates in a large vein in the chest near the heart where fluids can gain access to the body.  This simplified version is for people like me. 

Tyrone worked for almost three hours and was not able to get the catheter to turn down towards the chest as confirmed by an x-ray.  They determined, however, that the line could be used today for the chemotherapy, after which the nurse pulled it out.  I will go to the Banner Hospital on January 9, at which time a doctor will use fluoroscopy to aid in the insertion of a new PICC line and to confirm placement. 

Another miracle.  Whenever I lie flat on my back for a test, MRI, etc. I experience severe pain in my leg.  For a good part of those three hours I was lying flat, but my leg was quite fine.  I was so grateful for that tender mercy. 

After all that, the nurse ordered the prescribed meds -- three for nausea, etc,  two chemotherapy drugs, and a protectant for my heart totaling six infusions.  Daryl was back in the room during that time which is good, because I was pretty loopy.  I slept some, and the rest of the time I couldn’t keep my eyes open nor could I totally comprehend what was going on.  One thing that the nurse explained which we had not understood before was that this strong chemotherapy hits the system hard and by about 48 hours it is absorbed or out of the system.  During the remaining 18 days of the cycle, the body is in recovery mode. 

I am feeling okay right now – well enough to write this.  I never thought that I would be happy to be having chemotherapy, but truthfully – I am.  We love each day and look forward with hope, giving thanks again for the faith and prayers of so many good friends.

Posted by Irene

BANNER MD ANDERSON IN MESA

I had an appointment on Friday with Dr. Jade Homsi, the medical oncologist, who will be overseeing my chemotherapy treatments here in Mesa.  He was very nice, personable, and articulate.  We liked him a lot.  He confirmed everything that Dr. Ravi in Houston had outlined. 

My first infusion will be on Tuesday, December 20, using a pic line.  They have prescribed several medications to help control nausea and other possible side effects.  As the Banner MD Anderson is only 10 minutes from our home, it will be easy to be monitored closely.  After the first infusion, I will wait 20 days then have another infusion and wait another 20 days.  At the conclusion of those two 21 day cycles, we will fly back to Houston for more scans and evaluation to see what changes are needed.  The goal is to kill any cancer cells in my body which they also believe will help with the pain and swelling in my leg.

Thank you again for your faith and prayers.  We feel that the profound timing of these new findings was truly a miracle, and we are so grateful to have avoided a surgery that would have dramatically altered my life.  Again, we know that we are in the hands of the Lord, and that He is everpresent in the events of our lives.

Posted by Irene

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

“Encircled in Love” took on new meaning Thursday afternoon as we walked into our home filled with the enchantment of Christmas--sights, sounds, and smells.  Tears of gratitude and joy flowed easily.  This transformation had taken place on Monday evening as many of our children and grandchildren gathered to transform our home with the magic of their love and creativity. 

Our first clue came as the candle scents of evergreen and cinnamon greeted us when we opened the back door.  Sparkling lights of the Christmas tree and garlands as well as the warmth and light of the fireplace warmed our souls.  Perhaps most touching was seeing our nativity scenes displayed differently than they have ever been before.  This was the work of the grandchildren – older ones teaching and helping the younger ones understand the significance of each crafted figure.  Of particular interest to me as I have continued to enjoy these decorations is that all of the miniature nativities are more prominently displayed than the more dramatic large scenes.  Never again will I do the same thing from year to year.  What a touching gift this was from our family!

Posted by Irene

HOUSTON TEMPLE, DECEMBER 14, 2011

Our last day in Houston was very pleasant and relaxing with no appointments, so we took the opportunity to go to the Houston Temple to do a session.  It takes almost an hour from where we were staying at the La Quinta Inn.  I felt like I gave an early Birthday/Christmas gift to the sister that I served as proxy for, since her birth date was December 16, 1643.  It was more than an early Christmas gift to me, as this was just two days after I was scheduled for surgery.    It was a very small session – Daryl, myself and one other sister, but we especially enjoyed the spirit of peace and assurance that comes from being in the temple. 

Posted by Irene

LAST DAY AT MD ANDERSON

Today was my last day for appointments at MD Anderson.  If we have learned one thing it is that the wait is always going to be long.  The routine seems to be to fill out papers in each new department, (wait) have blood pressure, weight, vitals etc., (wait) visit with the nurse, (wait) visit with the PA, (wait) then see the physician.  The good news is that they are all very impressive and efficient, and once you get with the doctor, he gives you his undivided and unhurried attention to educate, evaluate, and meet your needs.  We appreciate the price that doctors have paid to gain their amazing knowledge and the desire they have to help those in need.  MD Anderson is literally a metropolis of activity with everything aimed at eliminating cancer.

Today’s tests were an EKG and other heart images needed prior to having chemotherapy.  That along with some new prescriptions took a good part of the day.

We have reservations to return home to Mesa on Thursday, leaving here at 1:30 p.m.  We could not get a flight tomorrow, so we will take that opportunity to go to the Houston Temple and enjoy our last day together in Houston.

Even though the future is uncertain, we will ”. . . live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon us.”   Alma 34:38   The dramatic turn of events is still almost incomprehensible to us.

I was pretty much prepared to spend Christmas in the hospital, but “I’ll be Home for Christmas,” has a great ring to me now.  Our love and appreciation for our Savior and the hope gained from His life and atonement will be present with us this Christmas perhaps more than ever before.

 Posted by Irene

IRENE'S NEW TREATMENT PLAN

We just returned from a six hour day at MD Anderson with what we think is good news.  We met with Dr. Vinod Ravi who is a medical oncologist and his associates who are responsible for Irene’s chemotherapy treatment.  He went into great detail regarding cancer treatment and the role of chemotherapy.  He confirmed that the cancer has metastasized to Irene’s lungs.  The chemotherapy treatment will consist of two drugs that will be administered one time intravenously on the first day of a 21 day cycle.  We will return to Mesa where a medical oncologist will administer the treatment. After two infusions and two 21 day cycles, we will return to MD Anderson for tests and evaluation. 

In Dr. Ravi’s experience, he expects the spots on the lungs to be reduced significantly and that the tumor in Irene’s leg will be changed enough to allow the swelling and pain to be reduced.  He wants us to be very much aware that each patient responds differently to chemotherapy treatment, and that there are no guarantees.  He believes, however, there is a possibility that the cancer can be managed without having an amputation.  There are several unanswered questions about the future that will be addressed as we see how Irene’s body responds to treatment.   We have more tests here tomorrow and hope to return to Mesa on Wednesday.  We also met with a pain management Dr. who has modified Irene’s prescriptions to help with pain control.  

Words cannot express how grateful we are that Irene still has her leg, and we are hopeful this treatment will be successful.  We are moving forward with faith and are eternally grateful for your faith and prayers in our behalf.

UPCOMING APPOINTMENTS

We received calls from MD Anderson today informing us of my appointments on Monday, December 12.  I have an appointment at 10:00 a.m. with Dr. Ravi who is a medical oncologist who will present the proposed chemotherapy treatment plan.  Dr. Lewis' nurse told us that it is a miracle from heaven to get into him so soon and that we would love him.  At 1:15 p.m. I have an appointment with Dr. Gebhardt to discuss pain management.  We are anxious to know the plan, so we can embrace it and move forward.  This is all we know for now.

Posted by Irene

THE LATEST FROM MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER IN HOUSTON

We just spoke with Dr. Lewis on the phone, and she presented the following plan after having a conference with other cancer specialists.  They are recommending a vigorous chemotherapy treatment for the metastasis to the lungs.  She will inform us tomorrow which specialist we will see here on Monday to outline the treatment plan and hopefully to begin the chemotherapy.  She is hopeful that a specialist in the Phoenix area can be identified to administer the treatment there.  She estimates about four months of treatment and  expects that this will not only kill the cancer cells in the lungs, but will also help relieve some of the pain and swelling in Irene's leg.  She expects that surgery on Irene's leg will still be necessary after the chemotherapy.  Our pre-op appointments for tomorrow have been cancelled.  We will hear from Dr. Lewis again tomorrow with more details regarding Monday's appointment.  We may be home by the middle of next week.

Posted by Daryl and Irene

TRIP TO HOUSTON

Our trip to Houston, Texas, on Monday, December 5, was uneventful. We rented a car and checked into the La Quinta Inn.  We spent most of Tuesday and Wednesday at the MD Anderson Cancer Center which is a huge facility here at the University of Texas.  Tuesday, Irene had a new MRI and a consultation with a plastic surgeon.  Wednesday, she had a CT scan, and then we met with Dr. Valerae Lewis, the orthopedic oncologist and her staff.  She had the current radiologist reports on both the MRI and the CT scan.

The good news is that the tumor in Irene’s leg has not changed much, however, Dr. Lewis informed us that we have come to a “bump in the road,“ and that the CT scan of Irene’s lungs reveals a small spot on each of her lungs which indicates that the sarcoma has metastasized.  Dr. Lewis told us that we are fortunate to discover this complication prior to her leg surgery, because the lung issue will need to be treated prior to surgery, possibly with chemotherapy.

Dr. Lewis will be meeting with a team of specialists who deal with these issues this afternoon and will call us with the recommended treatment plan so we can move forward.  It appears that Irene will not have surgery on Monday, December 12.  We are anxious to speak with Dr. Lewis this evening.  We are very confident that we are in good hands here at MD Anderson and are impressed with all those who are concerned with Irene’s health. 

Irene is in good spirits, and we feel blessed that this has been discovered in a timely manner.  We will most likely be home for Christmas.

Posted by Daryl

50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Chuck and Gayla hosted a "50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration" for Daryl and I in their new home on Saturday, December 3.  Our actual anniversary will be December 19.  All of our family was very involved in planning and carrying out this memorable evening.  Delicious food, spectacular decorations and displays, (banner by Cami Webb, our niece), fun games, wonderful entertainment and a unique heirloom gift made this the perfect party, memories of which we will carry in our hearts for many years to come.

Festive tables on the patio added greatly to the party atmosphere!

Beautiful table display with the Logan Temple, romantic red roses, wedding pictures, and old family pictures.

Our granddaughter, Jennie Garn, came up with the perfect family 50th anniversary heirloom gift -- a pen and ink sketch that she created.  The tree came to life as she directed each family member in the placement of their thumbprints as leaves on the tree

Placing thumbprint (leaves) in the exact position as directed by Jennie.  From right to left:  Byron, Cami Webb, Max & Jennie.  Cami was the calligrapher who labeled each leaf with each family member's name and the caption, GARN FAMILY, est.1961.  It was a perfect celebration that we will long remember and for which we will ever be grateful.  Many thanks to our dear family.  WE LOVE YOU!

Posted by Irene

Looking back on a great day on a beautiful golf course.  Thanks John.

We also have lakes in the deseret.

A view from above with Four Peaks in the distance.

Approaching a beautiful green.

A beautiful par four.

Pathway to the next tee.

One of the news reporters asked how large the helecopter was that was used to move the bolders into position.

John and Daryl on the tee.

Welcome to Whisper Rock

Our good friend, neighbor and scratch golfer, John Perkinson, invited me to play a round of golf at Whisper Rock which is a beautiful deseret golf course north of Scottadale, Arizona.  Irene would rather shop with her sister Norma, so she and John's wife Verna did not join us on course.  Posted by Daryl