Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Line Out, Graduated

Jovee graduated from her central line last Thursday, February 21st. I really hope that she never has to have another one put in. She's done with her Accutane. So now, the only thing she has is another scan in March. She's getting big, smart, chatty Kathy, and honory.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Results

From 2/8/08
MIBG Findings: There is persistent focal MIBG accumulation in the upper mediastinum, however the intensity is decreased compared to the most recent MIBG Study. The left supraclavicular focus has resolved. No other abnormal MIBG localization is seen.

Impression: 1. Overall improved MIBG Study 2. Persisistent foca upper mediastinal focus of MIBG accumulation which appears somewhat decreased in intensity.

From 2/7/08
CT of the neck: Stable appearance compared to 11/6/07
CT of Chest/Abdomen/Pelvis: A mildly enlarged left paratracheal lymph node is grossly stable since the comparison of 11/6/07. Otherwise negative contrast enhancd chest, abdomen, and pelvis CT Scan. There has been no change snce the comparison.

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Semi-Results

Saturday morning cartoons.



Getting her CT Scans. She's got her "A" game game-face on. Always gets the "best patient of the day" award because she's so cooperative.

Getting ready to get blood draws. It's easy process because of her Hickman line, no poking needed.
No questions about it, you know where she gets her good looks.

Happy little Jovee. Majority of the time she has sunshine in her soul.

Got a little treat from the hospital while waiting to get in to the CT Scans.


CT Scans showed no change in left tumor, still 11 mm x 8 mm. MIBG Scans looks fine. No signs of metastisis. That was verbal over the phone with Dr. F. I won't be completely satisfied until I actually read for myself the dictated results of the actual report, Monday.
She has a little sinus infection so is on Augmentin. Started her last course of Accutane today, 14 days of it and then Jovee actually "graduates" from treatment. We ask so what now, that she still has the neuroblastoma cancer? We're supposed to just wait is what the oncologist says. I'm not really pleased with that answer because she still has cancer.










Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Worried

It's that time again, to try not to worry but to worry because of the scans. It's been 2 months since the last scans, which were thankfully the good results that we wanted to see. 2 months is a long time. What Jeannine and I are worried most about is that Jovee has been letting us know that her left leg, around the knee area, is "owie". She rarely, rarely complains. Plus this morning, at 3:30 am, she whimpered a lot in her sleep. First time that she's ever done that. She's pretty smart...we take her seriously but sometimes I think she's playing us with the "owie" on her leg but there's no way that she's playing us when she whimpers in her sleep at 3:30 am. I don't like it at all and it does concern me a lot. We have to make sure that at the scans and visits that the doctors exam it, have the scans focus on it. I hope it's nothing with the spread of the cancer in that area and that it's hurting her. I remember in Seattle when Austin was being managed by the pain meds to try to control his leukemia...his mom said that he whimpered a lot because of the pain. Just breaks my heart to think of the possibility that the cancer is hurting her. "It's just growing pains, it's just growing pains, it's just growing pains" is what I think to band-aid the cancer thoughts.

My diabetes numbers are way out of whack. Yeah, partly because of what I eat but stress definitely has something to do with it. I mean, how much stress could I really have? My A1C is at 14. Very, very bad number. That was from the labs last Thursday, January 31st. So I walked 3 miles yesterday. I have to watch my carb and sugar intake and exercise a lot.

Was listening to a really good song by Sara Evans, Never Alone:

May the angels protect you
Trouble neglect you
And heaven accept you
When it's time to go home

May you always have plenty
Your glass never empty
And know in your belly
You're never alone

May your tears come from laughing
You find friends worth having
As every year passes
They mean more than gold

May you win but stay humble
Smile more than grumble
And know when you stumble
You're never alone

Chorus:Never alone
Never alone
I'll be in every beat of your heart
When you face the unknown
Wherever you fly
This isn't goodbye
My love will follow you stay with you
Baby you're never alone

Well I have to be honest
As much as I wanted
I'm not gonna promise that cold winds won't blow
So when hard times have found you
And your fears surround you
Wrap my love around you
You're never alone

Just a really sweet, makes you feel good song. We've used a lot of music for "therapy".

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Update




Yes, it's been a while. Besides the kajillion feet of snow, which will probably take until the summer,to melt away, these are some of the happenings in the Lim home:

Our neighbor had their son in law come over to shovel our roof. Two grown hardworking men spent 4 and ahalf hours on the roof and said, "Don't tell anyone we did it for $100.00". It was a lot harder than theythought. It was worth every penny of that because there's so much snow on our roof. I was so afraid of itcollapsing and crushing the kids in the middle of the night. I'm a worry wart when it comes to that so, because I didn't have the time, it was worth every penny.

Brooke slipped on the kitchen floor, broke her left elbow. Jeannine had mopped the floor and somehow Brookeslipped and broke it. First person in the Lim family to break a limb.

Jeannine and I will be married for 10 years this July. Man, how could she have put up and tolerated me forthis long. Ten years!!!

I was a Cub Master for the 8-10 year olds at the church for less than a month, did my one pack meeting andnow am the ward mission leader. We have 2 really good Elders so I look forward to working with them.

Jeannine and I started guitar lessons. In hopes of jamm'in around the camp fires and bringing more musicinto our home, this is a little adventure that we're taking on together. Plus, it's a great opportunity tospend time together. Husbands and wives need that alone time, ya know.

October will be 2 years for my braces. Dr. Smith said 24-28 months. Hopefully I'll have a movie star smilewhen all this is done.

Jovee has her CT Scan this Thursday and MIBG Scan on Friday. She's been complaining more that her leg hurts. I hope it's just growing pains. She did have the nueroblastoma all over her body, including the lower half.So I hope that the cancer hasn't spread. The last tests were the beginning of December. It's been 2 months.We've been praying that the last remaining tumor on the left side will have shrunk or disappeared. Please, please shrink or be gone. She deserves to have it gone. She's so good. Does anyone deserve to have a lifethreatening illness? Of course not. I'll post pictures tomorrow. She's got a lot more hair, growing like crazy.

I haven't prayed on my knees for a while until yesterday. Usually I pray on my drive into Spokane. I have atleast 45 minutes of good pray/talk time. But I really needed some help so I dropped on my knees and pleaded forsome divine intervention. I received the answers to 2 of the things that I prayed for that same afternoon. Thank you.

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of the benefit fundraiser for Jovee and our family. If anyone doubts that there is a God and that miracles have ceased, come talk to me and I'll tell you all about that miraculous night.