A Really Great Week!

Mom had such a great week. After school she shopped and baked almost everyday. What a relief to have a few weeks off of school and a time to prepare for Christmas and a wedding! We hope that this week you are able to enjoy some moments of peace and reflect on the birth of Christ and the miracle that his life truly was. Through all of the chaos of the season we pray for joy and love for you and your families.
Merry Christmas!
Val

Pull out the blow-dryer!

Mom was quite thrilled to tell me tonight that she actually dried her hair with a blow-dryer after her shower this morning! Her hair is growing in quite well, but Joel told her he couldn't really see a difference in the style after all of her hard work! She said it felt so warm though...that's what really matters!

Don't forget to keep voting for mom up until Friday the 18th.

She has been feeling really well the last two days. No naps either! She is really looking forward to her few weeks off from school.

Mom had a surprise visit on Sunday evening from her Bishop and Stake President. It was a wonderful visit and President Gubler gave a comforting prayer. It really uplifted mom's spirit to know that they cared enough to visit.

Hope your holidays are full of love, family and friends!
Val

Extreme Makeover!

If you click on http://star98online.com/page.php?page_id=12583 you will be able to read a wonderful letter that our friend Ricki wrote when she nominated mom for an extreme makeover. You can vote as many times as you would like! She is #3!

Thanks Ricki for loving mom so much. Everything you said was right on!
Val

Avastin

Mom got a call from Dr. Manalo today to come and see her asap. Since she is leaving early tomorrow morning for San Francisco we headed into the office together late this afternoon. The PET scan did not have good news. The cancer has returned to areas in her back, has grown on her liver, and the tumor in her lung has also grown. With that said, the Dr has ordered a new line of treatment. One we had originally wanted, but couldn't because it was in her brain, but as a second line treatment it is available if the insurance approves it.

We have heard wonderful things about Avastin. It isn't chemo, but is an inhibitor and will stop the blood supply to the cancerous areas. She will take this along with carboplatin that she was using two months ago.

Mom was emotional after she heard the news. It is frustrating when things don't go the way you want them to. But she is willing and hoping that the new drug will work.

We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember to give thanks to all those around you. Thanks for your continued support.
Val

Anybody still out there?

I cannot believe how much time has passed since the last entry. Well, let's fill you in on the latest. Mom went down to the one chemo drug and unfortunately it has created a variety of not-so-fun side effects. I will name a few that I can remember...her feet hurt, her body aches, her back is sore, she pulled a muscle in her neck, she felt nauseous...you get the idea. Characteristic of mom though, she hasn't let it stop her.

She hasn't missed a day of work except for the Dr. appointments, helped with the school carnival, she attended Time Out for Women, went up north to watch a soccer game and visit with family, had parent/teacher conferences, and frankly, too many other things to mention.

She did have an especially emotional week last week as we remembered my dad's passing six years ago. I know that she still misses him greatly.

At her appointment today she found out that she isn't anemic anymore and is grateful not to have to get the red blood cell shot. She will have a PET scan on Friday to check to make sure that all of the ache in her back isn't the cancer growing again. I will let you know the results when I get them.

As we head into the holiday season I hope that we can all remember our many blessings and show an increase of gratitude to those people in our lives who mean so much to us. I include all of you who love mom as people I am so grateful for. We are blessed to call you friends.

The news.

Mom got a call from Dr. Richards (her radiologist) today with the results of the brain MRI she had yesterday. He said all but one of the eight tumors is gone. The one still there is 1.1cm and is smaller than previously. That was great news. She isn't scheduled to see him again until January. I asked her how much hair she might have by Christmas now that she won't need any radiation on her brain...her response, "more than I have now." with a smile!

Her appointment with Dr. Manalo went well also. Her large mass in her lung is still there as is the tumor (or tumors? I don't know) on her liver, but they haven't grown since the last scan. So she is now just on alimta every three weeks indefinitely. The doctor told us that her longest success story on alimta was over two years...and they had to stop it because the almost 80 year old woman started suffering from dementia. The doctor assured us that dementia isn't a side effect of alimta.

Overall, mom felt positive about the results and has made a goal to eat better than she has previously. She is thrilled not to have to get the bone shot, but will remain on iron, potassium, folic acid, b12 and a few other things to keep her body strong.

She stopped off at the store on her way home from treatment to purchase some things to make muffins for the staff at school tomorrow to celebrate the good news. She is such a giver.

I personally have felt so much peace through all of this and am so grateful for the ongoing prayers and support of our family. We are so blessed to have so many incredible family members and friends whom we rely on. Please celebrate with us by expressing gratitude to our Father in Heaven for all of His tender mercies that we are a part of.
val

Time to pray and fast!

What a wonderful and uplifting weekend it was listening to the Prophet and Apostles and other church leaders during general conference. It has turned chilly around here and the wind has started to blow...a sign that fall has arrived.

This is a big week for mom. She has her brain MRI tomorrow (Monday) at 4:00 and on Tuesday at 1:20 we will hear the results from her PET Scan that she had last Wednesday. G.G. suggested that we fast on Tuesday if you are able. I will update everyone as soon as I can.

Thanks for your prayers. Love to all.
Val

Sharing My Blessings

This is Jill (mom) posting my own message today because I want to share my blessings, literally! First off, YOU are all blessings to me and I am so thankful to each of you for your friendship, your constant support through kind and encouraging words, prayer, and faith. Because I love and appreciate you so much, I want to share an experience I had this past weekend. I share it because I learned from it and know that its lessons are not just for me. We had a change in our Stake Presidency this weekend. Our Stake President, Danny Campbell, lost his wife just a few weeks ago, also to lung cancer. She had different complications than I did, but only lived 3 months after her diagnosis. Elder Snow and Elder Mundy (sp?) came to release Pres. Campbell and call a new presidency. Elder Snow happens to be the brother to a dear friend of my mom's, Carol Hatch, and she spoke to him about giving me a blessing. I received a phone call during the week to have me meet with him on Saturday at 1:00p.m. Even as I walked through the door of the church I felt the spirit so strongly that it was difficult to hold my tears. On the way to the church, my son-in-law, John Scott (Val's husband) asked what I was hoping to get from the blessing. I had already given it quite a bit of thought, and what I wanted was to know the Lord's will for me. How did he want me to be spending my time? Elder Snow asked me the same question in addition to what I have learned through this experience. I told him I have learned that we are instruments in Heavenly Father's hands. The acts of kindness and true compassion and care I have been the recipient of have been rendered by You...my friends and family. I know if Heavenly Father were here on earth, He would do these things, but he counts on us to be His hands. Elder Snow then annointed my head with consecrated oil and explained that the annointing was the most important part of the blessing. It was healing oil and the blessing given afterwards was sort of "icing on the cake." He then gave me my blessing which helped me know that Heavenly Father does know me and what I am going through and I what I need. I learned that I must be faithful and charitable toward others. He encouraged me to keep teaching as a valuable and charitable service to my students. He told me to share my faith and be a light on a hill that could not be looked away from. This is why I wanted to write today. I want all of you to know that I know God lives and loves each one of us in a personal way. Whether you are a believer in Him or not, he loves us and we are His children. I have no doubt about this fact. I was not promised a certain amount of time to live in my blessing, but I was promised I would be healed unless it was the Lord's will that I return to Him having finished my work on this earth. I can live with that. Thank you all for your continued love and support. It means everything to me. I am feeling so much better than anyone should in my position. I am having chemo tomorrow...my platelets were back up. I'll have my scans on Sept. 30th and we'll take things from there. My love to all of you! Jill

No go on #6

Mom wasn't able to complete her last round of chemo today because her platelets were too low. She got a shot to boost the numbers, a B12 shot, and a flu shot instead. I guess we wore her out this last weekend! All of the family was in town to celebrate Sarah getting baptized. We had a nice time together, but of course it went too quickly.

She is scheduled for her last round of chemo next Tuesday and has a date of Sept 30th to do some more scans. Thanks for checking in and supporting mom. Love to all.
Val

Back to School!

The past few weeks have been full. Mom spent her last few days of summer vacation in California with family and old college friends. It was a great trip for her. She came back and went back to work full force. The teachers started Monday and the kids started Thursday. She was tired, but most of the teachers were tired after the first week. She has a nice class and a lot of support from her team and others at the school.
Her 5th chemo treatment is Tuesday afternoon. We are hoping that she continues to feel well so that she doesn't miss any school. Thanks to all who visited and sent their love to her over the summer months. We know that all those positive prayers and thoughts have encouraged her in the quiet, more difficult times. Now we ask for patience as we finish out chemo and await results after the 6th treatment that is due on September 8th. We love you.
Val

"I have good news for you."

The doctor's first words were just what we wanted/needed to hear today. Dr. Manalo explained that all the tumors have shrunk 30-35%. Mom is still anemic and may begin getting a shot to help with that. She had her 4th chemo treatment today and is scheduled for two more. Then we will have scans again. If the tumors have shrunk to at least 50% she will be considered in partial remission.

We still have the brain MRI scheduled in September and will hope for the same good news then.
She got the official okay to get back to work and is looking and feeling good right now. It is truly a great relief and we cried happy tears.

We went to the temple yesterday morning and mom said that when she is there she feels almost perfect. Even the metallic taste that she is usually experiencing is gone. We know that our Father in Heaven is watching over us and is aware of our every need. Thank you so much for the prayers and good thoughts you are sending her way.
Val

Scans

Mom had her scans today to see how everything is working. We most likely will not hear the results until next Tuesday when she has another round of chemo scheduled. Mom decided that she wanted to enjoy the Pioneer Day Holiday and weekend. Jenn and boys are here and we will head up to Panguitch for some cooler weather and fun with Brian. She really enjoyed her birthday and all of the lovely greetings that were sent her way. Love to all.
Val

Happy, Happy Birthday!

Another year older and wiser too!

Mom, hope you have wonderful day full of birthday wishes. I am in awe of the woman you are. Even in major trials you have shown strenth and determination, wisdom and grace. I am grateful and humbled to be your daughter and hope to emulate just some of your incredible qualities. You are so loved by everyone who knows you. I hope you feel that today especially!

Val

So far, so good.

The third round of chemo was Tuesday. Mom has felt all right. Last night would have been the horrible night she experienced the round before. I think she has been a little more diligent about keeping up on the anti-nausea meds this time. She has been doing a little work on a quilt, watching movies, sitting at the pool with us (until the heat is too much!), and generally just taking it easy. Except the other day when I talked to her and she said she had washed the outside windows and was about to vacuum! You can't keep her down too long.

The doctor told her that she would get new scans in a couple weeks to see what the chemo and radiation have done to the cancer. It's almost harder waiting for these tests than the original tests that determined the diagnosis. She has been an amazing fighter and we are so proud of the way she has dealt with her trials.

Hope everyone is enjoying summertime. There is such a relaxing and lazy feel to the season that helps me to appreciate the little things more than usual. It's been great to see old friends and family. Hope you take advantage of catching up on things that usually get put to the side.
Val

Dancing Shoes

Mom had her dancing shoes on this weekend. We spent Saturday involved in the wedding and celebration of my cousin...Draper temple, lunch at the North Hampton House, and a reception that was a blast. Mom really got down on the dance floor and that was so fun to see.

The next few days at Yuba for the Porter reunion were relaxing. Mom took time to rest and visit. When she returned home she decided to shave her head. It took her a long time to accept the fact that it was all falling out. Here's to a fresh start.

Mom's third round of chemo is this Tuesday. After this one she will have tests to determine the effects it is having on killing the cancer.

Mom is relaxing in Panguitch for the 4th. It is a lot cooler there and she will enjoy eating at Foy's Country Corner with Brian.

July 5th is fast Sunday. We appreciate all of those able and willing to keep mom in mind during your fasting and praying. Love to all.
Val

The Today Show

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp=31532986&#31166521

Saw this on-line today and thought it was really good. So many of you have already followed the great advice given. Thank you so much.

Mom got cheesecake today!

Mom finished her last brain radiation this morning and was treated to a piece of cheesecake and a certificate signed by all those amazing employees she's been going to visit for the last month or so. She thanked them with a fruit bowl.

I must admit that I wasn't able to write this last weekend because there wasn't good news to share. Mom had a horrible night Friday night and did not sleep a wink. I showed up at the house on Saturday afternoon and, for the first time, I saw a cancer patient. I peeked into her bedroom while she was taking a nap and she did not look good. She was wearing a bandana to catch all of the hair that's falling out and her face was pale and tired looking. Sorry mom, but it's the truth! I just sat with her for a couple hours and it was a very quiet time.

Sunday she had perked up a bit and we had a nice Father's Day dinner for Brian and John. Mom visited with Adrienne and Cherrie from Danville. They kept her busy yesterday too. This morning I thought mom looked well again. She is looking forward to a visit from Marybeth and Robyn from San Leandro tonight.

Thank you again for all of your love and prayers at this time. Mom is an amazing fighter, but knows she cannot do this alone. We appreciate all of you.
Val

2nd Round of Chemo

Yesterday was the second round of chemo. Mom felt pretty well today. She took some tums tonight to help with that "indigestion" feeling. She had her 11th brain radiation today and still has all of her hair.

She had a really wonderful time in Park City for Nikki's wedding. Flying there and back really helped her energy levels stay up. She returned to spend some time with Chris and Gail. It was great to visit with both of them.

We are now looking forward to a few more visits from friends, another wedding and Porter Family Reunion... which if you are a member of that family you should visit the blog to find out the details... porterreunion2009.blogspot.com
Love to all.
Val

Just another day.

It's been awhile since the last post. Not a lot of new information. Mom had her 7th of 15 brain radiations today. Yesterday she had a really horrible headache. Today she looks like herself again. Her hair is still in...they say it will go fast when it does go.

She will fly up north tomorrow to make it to Park City for Brian's daughter's wedding. We are also looking forward to a visit from Chris and Gail (dad's brother and sister) this weekend.

I saw a stack of cards and letters that mom has received over the past weeks. I am humbled and appreciative of the love she has gathered around her. Near and far your support is felt and we are so grateful for it.

Our visiting-teaching message this month at church is about prayer. I am comforted knowing that we do have a merciful Father in Heaven that is aware of us and who continually sends blessings to us. It is through you that prayers are answered. Please continue to listen to the promptings and may you be blessed for your actions.
Val

It's party time.

Today was the last day of back radiation. Yipee. Dr. Richards said that the treatment has been successful and that the cancer is dead in those areas that were treated. Now let's keep it that way and hope that the chemo and brain radiation is getting all the other areas.

We picked out a few wigs, bandanas, and scarves yesterday. It was an emotional thing for mom. I was amazed at how the different styles changed the way she looked. Thanks Deb, our cancer care specialist! We aren't sure exactly when she will lose her hair, but it could be soon. Her second of 15 brain treatments was today.

Mom is being a good patient and is resting up and trying to eat well. The fridge is just packed! She has joined netflix so if you have any good movie recommendations send them her way.

Mom mentioned that she got a wonderful email from an old friend in Piedmont that has been through some of what she is going through. She was so appreciative of this woman's story and advice. We don't all walk in the same shoes, but it is very helpful not to feel so alone.

Becky, Jenn, Joel and I are so grateful for all of you and your support and prayers. Don't stop!
Val

Mom's comment.

Mom (Jill) here...I have cried a little, maybe a lot...and can only tell you my tears are those of gratitude for all of you and your encouragement and love. It REALLY does help me emotionally and spiritually which can only help me physically too! So thank you so very much and please continue to pray for me.

Change of plans.

Today mom had an appointment with Dr.  Hazard.  She explained the procedure that was going to take place tomorrow to kill off the three tumors in mom's brain.  Unfortunately the MRI mom had this afternoon showed 8 tumors.  They are very small and so it was decided that she will return to St. George and do a low dose of radiation over her whole brain through the course of 15 treatments.  

Initially mom was mad.  When are we going to hear some good news?  But we have come to the conclusion that this is the best course of action at this time.  She has her preliminary appointment tomorrow afternoon.  She will finish out the week getting the last of her back and hips radiated and the beginning of her brain radiation.  Side effects include hair loss, short term memory loss, and tiredness.  

We continue to be so grateful for the love and support of so many people.  Please know how much this means to mom and our entire family.  We love you.

First day of Chemo

Mom had her first chemo treatment today. She said it took longer than expected, but was feeling just fine right after. They gave her some anti-nausea meds through the IV first, and then she got the chemo. She's prepared for feeling a little extra tired and possibly nauseous as well. We will just have to see how her body reacts. Friday was her last day of school though. She got her classroom all cleaned up and turned in her key so she won't have worry about that until July.

We had a wonderful weekend in Hurricane. Val surprised her girls with a trip to Seattle to see their old friends since they hadn't been back since they moved almost two years ago. I got to go down all by myself Friday and stayed until Monday. We ate breakfast on the back porch every morning, watched a lot of movies, took mom to get some glitter toes, took a nice walk, and got some projects done around the house. It was just what the doctor ordered...for me, and I think my mom enjoyed it as well. Jenn joined us Sunday and we took a trip to the cemetery with Joel Sunday afternoon. We cleaned up dad's headstone and talked about some nice memories. We had a nice BBQ Monday for Memorial Day.

The schedule for the rest of the week includes radiation on her back every day and then Sunday mom drives up to Salt Lake to get ready for her halo fitting Monday at Huntsman and then the brain radiation Tuesday. Mom got a packet of info on that procedure this past weekend and we are now mentally preparing for it. It is a bigger procedure than we had originally anticipated. They are actually going to attach the halo to mom's head with pins and then attach the halo to the table. She will be put out completely and get some local anesthetic for the pin placement as well. Those will be bandaged up after the halo is removed and we learned that mom may experience such extreme swelling that her eyes may be swollen shut for 7-10 days. Please pray that won't be the case with her!!!

All is well though. Mom is staying on top of her pain which helps a lot. She is getting enough rest and eating very well.

We can't thank you all enough for the prayers, cards, flowers, etc. We are truly blessed. Thank you! Thank you!


Becky

It's been a tough day.

Mom has been experiencing a lot of pain from radiation. Apparently the bones can swell and it is causing her a lot of discomfort.

We have dates for her first three rounds of chemo:
May 26th, June 16th, and July 7th.
She will receive the drugs through an I.V.
That treatment will take place at the Snow Canyon Clinic.

Her one high dose of brain radiation is scheduled at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. She will go in June 1st for her fitting and then have the treatment on June 2nd.

Keep her in your prayers please!

First Radiation Treatment

Mom walked out of her first round of radiation and said, "Is it just me or do I feel better already?" She is getting hit in four spots and will do this for 15 days. The doctor said that she may feel tired through this, but really not experience any other side effects.

We go see Dr. Manalo tomorrow to discuss when to start the chemo. They can overlap so she may be getting that started soon. We also received a call from Dr. Jensen to tell us that his office would be calling soon to set up the appointment for the high dose brain zap.

Thanks again to all of you for your continued love and support. We are so blessed.

Mom got tattoos!

I know what you are thinking. "But she has been such a straight-arrow."

They are just four little dots that the radiologist will line up with the zapper when she starts radiation on her back and sides tomorrow!

We met with Dr. Richards today in St. George.

He informed us that there are actually three little spots in the brain 1.6 cm, 1.2 cm, and 1.1 cm. He agreed that the stereotactic radio treatment is an excellent idea.

Mom's favorite part of the appointment was when he was checking the reflexes of her legs and she had a pretty big kick when he hit her knee. He then said, "Let me guess. You were a cheerleader!"
We can't wait to see her doing toe-touches again.

Today rocked!

We are back from Huntsman again. We drove up and back today to meet with Dr. Jensen who is an incredible brain doctor! He sat us down and in a matter of a few minutes had our spirits high and our future looking brighter!

Here is the gist: Mom's two small tumors in her brain can be zapped with stereotactic radiation. 90% of tumors are killed off with this amazing procedure. Or she can do a low dose of radiation over the entire brain. Without being able to see the pictures of mom's brain MRI (because of some technical difficulties), but after looking at the report from Dr. Akerley the doctor recommended the stereotactic procedure. They aren't fast growing tumors and time is not of the essence. We are waiting to hear back about when this procedure will be, but it will not be until school is out.

The next steps: She meets with the radiologist down here tomorrow to talk about radiation on her back which is really giving her the most pain. She also has an appointment with her oncologist on Thursday to talk about starting chemo. We love having a plan.

Yesterday, Mother's Day, we enjoyed having all of the siblings together. We got mom an ipod so she can download some music and books. If you have any great recommendations we would love to hear them.

We are truly grateful for all of the support we have had from all around us. We know that your uplifting smiles and positive comments are medicine for the soul. Please continue to send them our way!

back from Huntsman...

We are done with our appointment at Huntsman. We really liked Dr. Haslem and Dr. Akerley. They both confirmed what we had already heard from the previous two oncologists, but they had the unfortunate responsibility of letting us know that the cancer had already spread to the brain in two spots. There are 2 dime-sized tumors; one is the the frontal lobe and the other is on the occipital parietal lobe, both on the right side of the brain. Basically, picture the right side of the hairline and a little above the right ear. Fortunately, they are not on spots that affect brain function or mobility right now. That is a blessing. But because it is in the brain, mom is not eligible for the clinical trial that looked so promising.

Mom, Brian, Val, and Joel are driving back down to Hurricane now. Jenn and I will go down for the weekend.

So, what now? Radiation on her brain is the first step. She's back up to Huntsman in Salt Lake Tuesday to work out details with the radiologist there. There are a few possibilities. They may even radiate her lower back at the same time to help reduce the pain and discomfort she has. Mom wants to finish out the last 2 weeks of school though first. After radiation she can start chemo and possibly after a few rounds of chemo she can start tarsiva and avastin, the two drugs she would be getting first if in the clinical study.

This isn't over yet. At least now there is a plan and we are moving forward with a fight. Miracles happen every day and we plan on mom being one of them that people talk about for inspiration. Thank you for all of your prayers. We know they are heard and we sincerely appreciate them.

Until Tuesday...

Becky

We're up north!

We made the drive up to Lehi this evening so that we are ready for the 11:00 appointment at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in the morning. We are gearing up for the news about the cancer going to the brain. We are all praying for the best, but preparing for the worst. Mom is ready to fight. She's taken her B12 shot, started on folic acid, and has cut out sugar from her diet. (That last one has not been easy on me!)

On a fun note, this week at school is teacher appreciation week. We had a pizza party with her 1st grade class today. I asked the kids to tell her what they appreciated most about her before they got their pizza. I heard lots of "I appreciate you teaching me everything I know." Of course one student stood out..."I appreciate that you are my grandma!" Sarah is the luckiest kid in the universe to have her grandma has her teacher! Brooklyn went to bed after getting her three stories read by grandma tonight. What a treat!

I know that everyone is anxious to hear the details of tomorrow's appointment so I will try and get to the computer as soon as I can. Until then...keep praying.
Love to all.

Deep thought from St Jack to Mom

(Disclaimer: Do not read on Sunday!)
"I prefer to call it 'kickitsassinoma". It's more appropriate considering your approach to life in general, and more importantly, it rolls off the tongue better wouldn't you say?"
Thank you Uncle Jack!

Fast Sunday

Today was fast Sunday. We broke the fast at G.G.'s house. It is wonderful to have the gospel perspective when dealing with a trial. We can just feel all of the prayers being offered on behalf of mom and the family. We are definitely so blessed to have such loving family and friends.

We do have to put the situation into the Lord's hands. We make our desires known and do all that we can, but ultimately it is not up to us. I am grateful for this scripture shared during our meeting today:

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." St John 14:27

Mom is a trooper. After church she made a casserole for a friend who had just had foot surgery. She is an amazing example of unselfish service. When I grow up I want to be just like her.

Can it really be?

Adenocarcinoma. a.k.a. Lung Cancer
It's a mystery as to how a young(ish), healthy, non-smoking woman could go in for a check of a sore back and come out of it three (or has it been four?) weeks later with a tumor in her lungs that is approximately 10 centimeters long that has metastisized to her hips and back bones.

The news is fresh. We think we have a plan, but the upcoming week will be time to process what we now know and get second and third opinions about the future. She will have a brain MRI on Tuesday to check to see if the cancer has spread there and she returns north on Thursday to meet with an oncologist at Huntsman.

We know that many of you will have questions and we hope that you will use this blog as a way to keep up on the day to day happenings. Mom is so appreciative of everyone's love and support.