MEDICAL TESTS & MORE CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENTS

We arrived home on Monday, October 1, and I had tests on Wednesday, October 3, – blood tests, a CT scan and an MRI.  They all went well with the MRI being easier than usual.  Two days later on Friday, October 5, we met with Dr. Homsi to get the results.  He prefaced his findings with the fact that he had both good and bad news.  The good news is that my lungs are clear, and the bad news is that the tumor in my leg has grown since the last MRI. He presented three options and wanted to know my feelings.  They were to resume the chemotherapy with one chemo drug, to resume with the two chemo drugs or to have the tumor removed surgically.  I told him that I had no interest in surgery, as I had gone through that three times only to have the tumor return each time.  His recommendation is to have a couple of treatments with the one chemo drug then have tests again to see if it is working.  I will begin this Wednesday then have another treatment in four weeks.  We trust Dr. Homsi’s judgment and were reassured with all of the wonderful conference messages that Heavenly Father is aware of any trials that we may be experiencing.  Sometimes I get tired of the rigmarole, but for the most part I am very grateful that I can enjoy life and function as well as I do. 

 We were thrilled with General Conference and with the announcement of the age change for missionaries.  We have a grandson, Josh Peterson (BYU), and a granddaughter, Kylee Garn (BYUI), who both became instantly eligible to serve missions.  They were both planning on missions, so it will just change the timing, especially for Kylee who turned 19 in September.  

 

UTAH VACATION -- NEW BRIGHAM CITY TEMPLE, ETC.

 

We spent the month of September (my least favorite month in Arizona) in Utah this year. The weather was perfect, and we were doted on by family and friends. We love and appreciate them so very much. I was a little worried about being gone that long, but it was delightful. As part of that, Daryl had his 55^th high school class reunion of which he was the chairman. It was very casual, and everyone seemed to enjoy time to visit and reconnect. He also got in some good rounds of golf and participated in a golf tournament.

A highlight was the opportunity to attend the Brigham City Temple Open House, the dedication and then a session on the second day it was open. It is absolutely beautiful in every detail. I will have to admit that like Elder Christensen talked about in his conference address, I was noticing all of the moldings, peach blossom motifs, beveled glass windows, marble floors, etc. I didn’t want to miss anything. We felt very blessed to be a part of all of those events.  We were also able to attend the Rexburg, Logan and Bountiful Temples.

Brigham City Utah Temple -- Dedicated September 23, 2012

Notice the peach blossom motif in the circles.

Brigham City Tabernacle -- across from the new temple

 

Taken from the window of Scott & Sydne Parker's home in Bountiful, Utah.

At home in the yard

We enjoyed peaches, corn and tomatoes practically every day.  Daryl and my sister, Norma.

The charm of Tremonton, Utah!

 

 

Our plants and flowers flourished while we were gone.  Below are a few pictures.  I will have to admit that I got carried away!

 

 

 

The sweet potato plant is taking over the furniture! 



Tenth and Hopefully Last Chemo Treatment for a While

Irene had her tenth chemo treatment on Tuesday, August 21^st with a follow up visit the next day for the anti nausea medication and the Nulasta shot to protect her heart.  As usual, a blood draw, meeting with the doctor and the chemo treatment through an IV takes most of the day. In the meeting with Dr. Homsi prior to the chemo infusion, he suggested that she schedule the next MRI and CT scans in six weeks which will be ten weeks since the last scans.  If everything looks about the same as the last scans, he is going to let her go without chemo infusions for a couple of months.  We are so hopeful for good reports following the next scans.

 She tolerated the chemo treatment well with no nausea and very little weakness.  We continue to wrap her leg each night and she wears the constriction stocking during the day.  Even with that, occasionally the swelling in her leg appears greater for a few days, and we worry that something may be going wrong. 

She was able to enjoy a trip to the Washington DC area with two of her sisters and their husbands to visit her 90 year old brother, Byron, and his wife Hazel.  We enjoyed a wonderful week visiting with the family and seeing some of the sights in that beautiful part of our country.

 

 L to R, Norma Coombs & Nadine Woodhead, (my sisters), Irene, Byron (my 90 year old brother and his wife Hazel



 Norma & Theo Coombs, Bob & Nadine Woodhead, Hazel & Byron Hall and Irene
 

 

 Back:  Daryl, Bob Woodhead, Hazel & Byron Hall, Irene   Front:  Norma Coombs & Nadine Woodhead (my sisters)

Byron was a bombardier in a B-24 Bomber during World War II and flew 30 missions over Germany. He kept a wonderful journal of that experience, and Irene has recently put that journal into a book with a number of accompanying pictures and documents. We were able to meet Jack Umphrey, the pilot, and only other surviving member on the crew at Byron and Hazel’s home. It was very educational to hear more of those WW II experiences. Jack wanted Irene to autograph his book to which he had contributed some of the information and is delighted to have.

 

 Byron Hall & Jack Umphrey -- Bombadier & Pilot in WW II -- the last of their crew.

 

Jack & Rusti Umphrey with Irene & Byron's book

The link for Byron's book is: http://www.blurb.com/books/3365346   Byron was a very good writer if you are interested in history or just in looking at the pictures.  View full screen!

I understand that this will mainly be interesting for my family.  Thanks to each of you for your continued love and support. 

GOLD MEDAL SLEEPOVER

Not to be outdone by the grandsons, and in keeping with the Olympics, I had a "Gold Medal Sleepover" with our granddaughters ages 5 to 12 -- (six in all) before school started. It all began with timed races in the pool, dinner, making lollipops and watching the Olympics. The next morning after a Gold Medal Breakfast (fixed by grandpa), we had "Gold Medal Makeovers," complete with makeup, hairdos, jewelry and fancy dresses of their choice & a photo shoot.  Following that, each girl took the podium and was presented with a Gold Medal for her outstanding qualities. It was a great way to end the summer.

Posing for Grandma

 

 



 Gold Medal Girls

 

 

Lucy Garn (Byron & MIchelle's)

 

Addie Garn (Greg & Rebecca's)

Nicole Garn (Kevin & Tara's)

Ashley Garn (Kevin & Tara's)

Emily Garry (Steve & Dana's)

Saydie Garn, (Greg & Rebecca's)

 

NEW  CT SCAN & MRI – MORE CHEMOTHERAPY

On Monday, July 21^st Irene had a new MRI and CT scan.  We met with Dr. Homsi on Tuesday, and he informed us that the results of the scans indicate no discernible change and no definite evidence of local recurrence of the cancer.  The good news is the one chemo drug she is taking appears to be working.  Therefore, Dr. Homsi recommended that we continue the chemotherapy for at least two more sessions.  He sent her upstairs to the infusion center, and she spent the rest of the day receiving the chemo through an IV.  She spent three hours the next day receiving anti nausea drugs and IV fluids.  We know the routine pretty well, and the people who are caring for her are wonderful.  It appears to me from what I hear that she is their favorite patient.

Irene has been feeling good, and we are able to control the swelling in her leg with the wrapping at night and the constriction stocking during the day.  We spent two weeks in Utah, which was almost as hot at Arizona on a few days.  We enjoyed visiting with our family and friends and appreciate their hospitality.  Highlights were visiting with the Bob and Nadine Woodhead family and the Scott and Sydne Parker family.  We also joined a few of our old Bear River High School classmates and played golf in the 50^th Annual Fielding Open at Wolf Creek in Eden, Utah.  We enjoyed the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Katherine Jenkins at the Pioneer Concert in the Conference Center.  We also enjoyed a session in the Draper Temple.

On the way home we stopped at Cove Fort and had a great visit with Merle and Carol Allen who are serving as missionaries at the Fort.  The Allens served with us in Hong Kong, and we loved hearing their experiences and testimonies.

We are so grateful for your faith and prayers and feel that Irene’s continued progress is a direct result of those petitions and Heavenly Father’s blessings.  We offer our prayers for many who suffer from cancer and from other health and difficult situations.  We continue to move forward knowing that we are in the Lord’s hands.

EIGHTH CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENT

More than a week has passed since my last treatment, so I must give a little report.  I went into Banner MD Anderson here in Mesa on Wednesday, June 27 to have blood work, meet with Dr. Homsi and to have chemotherapy.  

My treatment was the longest I have ever had – beginning  at 11:30 a.m. and ending at 7:00 p.m.  It is given through an IV now that I no longer have a PIC line.  The chemo drug administered through an IV can burn the tissue which is very painful, so they have to dilute the drug with saline solution which results in a much longer session.  The pain was doable, and I got a lot of reading done.

I went back the next day for hydration and anti nausea drugs again through the IV.  That was only three hours and did its job.  I am grateful not to be nauseated and even more grateful that Daryl is willing to sit with me for all of those hours.    

Right now, I don’t have any more treatments scheduled, but I am scheduled on July 23 to have a CT Scan and an MRI.  Dr. Homsi will see the results, and we will go from there.  He did not rule out more treatments, depending on what he finds.

I have felt good enough lately to enjoy a sleepover at our place with 11 grandsons, age twelve to age four.  They swam, ate pizza, made lollipops, and watched a movie.  The next morning grandpa fixed his delicious sour pancakes and they swam some more.  I was so pleased with how well they all got along and treated each other.

Mikey, top right is a friend of the Peterson's.

Jolly Rancher candy on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  The kids are very creative.

Melt at 350 degrees for 6 minutes.  Watch.  Remove from paper when cool.

Fun for all ages!   Max, Dax & Andrew.

The next morning.


On July 1, Kevin and Tara’s baby (Allison Irene) was blessed by Kevin.  It was a wonderful occasion with most of our family present and Tara’s parents, Craig and Mary Lynn Wilson here from Santa Rosa, California. 

Kevin, Tara & family

Teenage grandchildren fascinated by baby Allison

Arizona sunset

We also had a very nice 4^th of July celebration/barbecue/swim at Chuck and Gayla’s.  We feel so very blessed to live in America where we enjoy so many freedoms.  We are off to Utah in the morning.   Hope you are all having a wonderful summer!

Grandson, Josh Peterson, with granddaughter, Amy Garry before their Prom dates arrived

Amy Garry

I know that the pictures look funny off the edges, but the smaller images are hard to see.  I got a little carried away once I started. 

CHEMOTHERAPY CONTINUED BUT MODIFIED

Dr. Homsi was pleased to report today that the CT scan and MRI reviews were essentially unchanged from those taken eight weeks ago which is good news.  The plan is to continue chemotherapy, but reduce the chemo drugs from two to one. 

One complication is that the PICC line is not functional (it was impossible to get a blood draw through the line), so it was removed today.  The one chemo drug, dacarbazine, was administered today through an IV.  A saline solution was also administered through the IV with the chemo drug to prevent the chemo drug from burning the local tissue.  Irene could feel the burning in her arm, and they would vary the mix entering the IV to keep her comfortable and prevent the tissue damage.  I was surprised to hear Irene say that the burning was really hurting her.  She almost never admits to pain above a three on a scale of 1 – 10.  This process extends the time of the infusion for the one drug to four hours. 

She will have the Nulasta shot to protect her heart, anti-nausea and IV fluids tomorrow and Friday.  The next chemo infusion is scheduled for June 27^th and new CT scans and MRI’s at the end of July.  The blood draws and how Irene feels will determine any additional treatment along the way.  With the PICC line removed and the Inferior Vena Cava filter in place, we no longer need to flush the PICC line each night, and Irene does not have to administer the Lovenox shots each night in her tummy.  Life is good.

DHG