I'll do my best to give you a brief account of the last few months in the world of Sue and Roger, and the progress she's making.
In the first part of DECEMBER, Mom went for her regularly scheduled MRI and it was "stable." (Just a reminder- stable is exactly what we want; it means there is no tumor growth) The great significance of this scan is that it marked a year of stable scans since mom's (2nd) surgery in December of 2013. ONE WHOLE YEAR WITH NO GROWTH!!! AMAZING!
That same week, we had a fantastic opportunity for a fundraiser downtown Carlsbad at Seaworthy Surf Shop. The Hicks Family-an incredible group of 4 brothers, that own the shop, approached us about an art event at the shop, coined "Deck Cancer." Over 50 Local artists painted art on skateboard decks, and we were able to auction them off, all proceeds going to Mama Sue... The event was a huge success because many of you came out to support us. We are continuously so grateful for the support and love you give so freely. Thank you.
The next week was Christmas, and we were so looking forward to enjoying the day together as a family, with the knowledge that Mom's scan was good, and that we could be confident in her current condition... Unfortunately, that's not exactly how it all played out.
Mom woke up on Christmas morning with pain and a rash on her neck and shoulder, which was quickly confirmed to be shingles... not awesome. Luckily, the doctors at UCLA were super quick to respond and prescribe, but the pain is still an issue. It has now been over a month and while the rash is better and just about healed, the nerve pain remains, and has made it very difficult to get out of the house. She is frustrated that this has set her back, and made things more difficult. It is unknown what brought on the outbreak. Most likely, stress, but it's possible that it is a result of treatment. We've heard cases of people suffering from shingles for months, or even years, so we are praying that she's seen the worst of it, and she will continue to recover. Mom spent the better part of a month at home, in pain, so her recovery needs to include the rebuilding of her stamina, energy, and strength.
MOST RECENTLY, You may have heard that yesterday, when she went for her MRI, it was another stable scan! :) We couldn't be happier! The clinical trial medication seems to still be working so she will continue on it at this point. They still want her MRI's to continue every 8 weeks, rather than pushing them out a little longer. Unfortunately, this glioblastoma is known to be so aggressive that if it begins to grow, we would need to know right away. So for now, her next MRI will be in March, not long after the arrival of Sue and Roger's first Granddaughter!
Tyler and Ashley are expecting their second child, a baby girl in the beginning of March! Great things are happening to our family, and we are blessed to be able to share and celebrate these things together. We continue to pray that this new generation of kids will have many, many happy years with their Nonnie, because we all know she has so much love to give, and so much to teach them about what it means to live a meaningful life spent loving others.
That's why you read these posts, send her your letters and texts, and spend time praying for her- because she has loved you and made your life more meaningful. Thank you for spreading that love and giving it back to her. Your actions are appreciated more than you know.
Until next time,
Lizzy
