What where your symptoms?

Looking back, by Halloween, I was starting feel really tired.  I was able to take the kids out for 2 hours trick-a-treating but afterwards, I was pretty exhausted.  I also started noticing some bloating in my stomach but I usually get bloating in my stomach during my cycle but this time, it just didn't seem to go away.  The GI doctor asked me after I had been diagnosed with colon cancer, if my stool had changed.  Looking back, I did notice my stool becoming more thinner and maybe more lighter in color, but other than that, I really didn't notice anything and I didn't have any pain.  Looking back, I did notice that I had less of an appetite but I thought, "Perfect!  I've been wanting loose a few pounds anyway."

Couple of weeks after, I started feeling something right below my rib cage that started bothering me and that caused me to go to care now.  I've had fibroids before, and I thought maybe I had another one growing but it was really high up in my stomach.

From there, I was sent to get to CT scan, where it was reveled that I had Stage 4 Colon cancer that had spread to my liver.  What I was feeling was my liver that was very swollen from the cancer.  Currently, most of my symptoms, extreme fatigue, loss of appetite and the swelling of my stomach stems from my liver.  Even though my colon is blocked (they couldn't get a scope through), I still don't feel much pain there.  So, for now, as long as I can still pass stool and gas, they will concentrate on my liver and see if the chemo can get my liver to function better.

I feel like this week my energy level has gradually started to increase and is very grateful for that.  When I first came back from the hospital, I didn't even have the energy to watch TV.  Compared to that, I feel so much better! 

First Round of Chemo

 I finished the first round of chemo on 12/5 and was discharged from the hospital on 12/6.  From there, my Dad picked me up and took me to College Station and stayed with my little sister, while Mike went back to Dallas and with lots of help from his Dad and friends, took care of the kids, moved back into our house after 10 months and started unpacking.

The first week of Chemo, I just laid on my sister's couch most of the day and just got up to eat and went back to the couch.  My stomach is still pretty swollen (I look like I'm 8 months pregnant) and my energy level was pretty low.  My appetite slowly became better as my little sister cooked some delicious Japanese comfort foods.

This week, I am back in Dallas.  I'm feeling better too.  I have more energy and more of an appetite.  However, just waddling around the house gets me out of breath.  My next chemo is on 12/17 in MDA and will be back in Dallas 12/21.

Please pray for:

• My liver function improves
• My Red Blood Cell Count improves
• My stomach swelling goes down

Thankful for:

• I really hadn't had nausea
• All my friends and family help, thoughts and prayers for me
• We were able to move back into the house
• All my kids and healthy and doing well.

I really appreciate all the thoughts and prayers for our family.  We feel all the love and care for us! Thank you!

It's been quite a week!

 We came down to MDA on 12/2 for a second opinion and ended up getting admitted into the ER.

We had already had one consultation with UT Southwestern already before Thanksgiving and had a bunch of tests run before our next appointment with UTS on 12/6.  We were delighted and thankful that Mike's sister was able to get us an appointment on 12/2 at MDA for a second opinion, so we came down 12/2 to Houston, planning to head back to Dallas the next day.

When we arrived for our appointment, they also drew blood.  The blood test showed a dramatic decline in my liver function, so much so, that the Doctor recommended that we admitted to ER to get chemo started ASAP.  That he wouldn't recommend waiting till even Monday.  We went directly to the ER and I was admitted.

When I arrived in the ER, the ER doctor noticed that my white blood cell count was high and was worried about an infection that I may have.  During the Ultrasound they noticed that my gallbladder had some crystallization but no inflammation.  The ER doctor was still worried, so she ordered a gallbladder test to see if there were any blockage.  As I laid there for a 2 hour tests, I thought, I need to get chemo started before I get into liver failure but I can't until this gallbladder thing is resolved.  If there is blockage, what are they going to do?  Am I going to make it out here alive? 

Thankfully, there were no blockage and I was able to start chemo on Friday night.  Totally unprepared to be admitted for 4 days and starting chemo, with all the help from friends and family, I am doing much better now!

I am still in College Station staying with my parents and sister and plan to head back to Dallas on Sunday.  We will be back in MDA on 12/17 for my second round of chemo.

It's been quite a week!  With God's Grace and lots of help from friends and family, I am doing much better!  We really appreciate all your thoughts and prayers!

Possible Blood Clots in the Leg

Update:  Thankfully, it wasn't a blood clot!  I'm back at my sister's house.  Thank you for all your prayers!

Kaori is being admitted to the ER for what we think is blood clots in the leg. Please pray for her and that the doctors can get a handle of this soon. 

Low RBC

 Urgent. Please pray that Kaori's red blood cell count and hemoglobin goes up. If it becomes too low, they may have to skip chemotherapy. 

Hi Family and Friends,

Kaori has been discharged from MD Anderson on Monday the 6th. She is currently recovering and resting in College Station from her chemotherapy. 

Hopefully she will be back in Dallas this week and be able to be back in our home. The contractor has sped up the process so that we were able to move our stuff back in. While the house is not completed, it's much more comfortable than the hotel. 

We will be going back MDA on Friday the 17th for her next round of chemotherapy.

Please pray that the chemotherapy will be effective and that Kaori will be able to sleep through the night. 

Mike and  Kaori

   

Nathan turned 1!

Hannah helped decorate the cake.

Happy Boy!

Hat was not a hit.

He is clapping at his own birthday song.

blowing out candles

mmm ... yum, cake!

I can't believe he turned 1!