Oops... I was misinformed!

So.... the 'test' that she's getting this week is not on Friday, it's on Thursday and it's only an X-ray to see if the fluid and air pockets in the lung are gone.

She won't get a scan for cancer for another few months. I guess they need to give the cancer cells a time to grow (if there are any). If they test too soon, nothing will show up because the cells haven't had enough time to multiply to the point that they would develop a tumor that we can actually detect. I hope that makes sense! You would think a Science teacher could explain this a little better... sorry! ;)

Keep Mom in your thoughts, please. The recovery is taking a lot longer than she thought - she is in a lot of pain still and some days can't even get dressed because of it. Even a shirt touching her back or chest is very painful. She is discouraged that she is still in this much pain.

That's all for now... I'll keep you posted!

Stay Tuned!

Stay tuned.... Mom gets tested on Friday to see if she can be declared "Cancer Free." Fingers crossed and hands folded in prayer! I'll post as soon as I know more...

How does that saying go? ...

One step forward, two steps back!

Talked to Mama today... she had a rough night of pain. She was vomiting because of the intensity of it. It turns out that the lung that was operated on isn't inflating and has water in it - double whammy :( Aside from the pain, it's hard for her to breathe. They are monitoring it and if it doesn't improve tomorrow, she needs to go in for a procedure to fix it. I'm not sure of all the details, she may have been sparing me some information so I don't get too worried. I just may call the nurse again tomorrow and see what he/she has to say...

*Sigh* I'm sure my Mom is frustrated, but I asked her if she regretted getting the surgery and she said no - that's good at least!

If you'd like to visit her, I'm sure she'd love the company! She is in room 373 in the East Wing. If you'd like to give her a call, just text me and I'll text you the direct line.

Keeping the faith...

Better News!

After my brief conversation with Mom last night, I woke up this morning a little worried. I called the nurse's station and used my "special access code" to get an update, since it was too early to call her room. The nurse said that she was on her way right then to remove her chest tube. She also commented that she was doing much better as far as pain. It was such a relief because I hated hearing her sound so weak, tired, and in pain. That helped ease my mind a bit before starting my day.

After school I gave Mom's room a call. She sounded SO much better! She said all the tubes (including the epidural) had been removed and they are projecting that she be released to come home TOMORROW! :) My dad was there and they were getting ready to watch Glee (which was another re-run... grrrr!!!)

Thanks everyone for keeping up to date and praying for my mom.

Update

Mom is still in the hospital. I called her today to see how she was doing and she said, "Not so good... I'm having a bad day."

She is still in a ton of pain and the tubes that were supposed to be removed today weren't. She said it is excruciating to take deep breaths and she doesn't feel like she can eat anything without throwing it up. Soon after we started talking the nurse came in for her breathing treatment so I didn't get very many details.

It seems that the surgery was the easy part. The recovery, on the other hand, is going to take a lot of strength. Keep prayin'.

Thanks. -Nurmi & DeMatteo families

Surgery Update...

I talked to Dad yesterday and Mom's surgery went very well :) He hadn't seen her yet at that point, but the doctors said all was good! I am going to pop in there today and see how she is doing. Hopefully I can get some more details, too.

SURGERY IS A GO!

Surgery is scheduled for Friday, October 29th. They will be going in to remove the lung tumor, possibly a sizable portion of her lung and maybe a small piece of rib. The surgery is 5 hrs long and Mom will have to remain in the hospital for at least one week following the procedure. She thinks she will be in intensive care for 24-48 hrs, so no visitors for the first couple of days.

Lots of prayer, please... this is a huge turning point for her and it can go really well or really wrong - we obviously hope it will be a cure!!

There isn't much more to say except to please keep her in your thoughts and most definitely in your prayers.

I will be sure to keep you all updated following the surgery. Lots of love!

The Latest...

"He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust."

He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge"

Mom has been going in for a series of tests to determine her candidacy for surgery. The only test she has left is a stress test and all the other test results indicate she should have a successful surgery! The doctors were concerned that the tumor had wrapped itself around her ribs, but now they believe they can remove it safely without having to take out any ribs :)

The way things are going, it looks like surgery might be scheduled in the near future. Please pray for skillful doctors, a smooth operation, and a fast and effective recovery. I am so looking forward to her prognosis going from six months to six years (or MORE!)!!

Thanks again to everyone who supported, and will continue to support, my mom in prayer, with meals, gas money, gifts, and keeping her company during her treatments. It all is so overwhelming (in a good way!) to know that she isn't battling this alone!

Here is a picture of (left to right) Amanda, Mom and me at the pumpkin patch last weekend

HOPE FOR A CURE!!!!!

WOW

You know, if you turn WOW upside down, it spells MOM! The two words are synonymous with each other right now because the results from the Oncologist are nothing short of amazing...

Mom's brain tumor: GONE!

Mom's tumors on her windpipe: UNDETECTABLE

Mom's lung tumor: IS DOWN 50% IN SIZE

Mom's hair: STILL THERE!

God, You are so faithful! They said my Mom falls in the 1% of patients that haven't lost their hair. Of course, it is still early in the course of treatments but they were baffled that she hadn't lost it yet. The doctor also said that surgery could be a hope for a CURE! Now, we understand that there is no "true cure" for Stage IV cancer (there is a guarantee it will come back) BUT, the chances of catching it early the next time around are so much greater and it should be much easier to maintain and get under control. Now, the next step is to get song lung tests done, then hopefully schedule a surgery! Keep your fingers crossed and hands folded in prayer! (although, maybe not at the same time because that might be uncomfortable) ;) hehe

That's all for now...

Results, Results, Results... then what?

September is a big month for my Mom!

Here is a breakdown:

September 1-30: Continued radiation treatments daily

September 7-13th: She has round 2 of chemotherapy. Monday the 13th is her 6 hour day so if you'd like to stop by and keep her company, please do! It is at Northwest Community Hospital in the North pavilion in the basement.

September 15th: An MRI of the brain is taken to determine whether or not the Gamma Knife Surgery (done on July 1st) successfully removed the brain tumor. Please pray it is GONE!

September 16th: A CAT scan will be done to check out an abnormality found on her pelvis, as well as to see if the lung tumor has decreased in size.

September 17th: Mom will meet with the oncologist to go over the test results from the week and decide whether to proceed with surgery or not. This will be a pivotal time for all of us. It will also be another decision my Mom will have to make. Surgery is optional (of course) and the outcome could be miraculous or very grim. Please pray for guidance, hope and wisdom for both the doctors and my parents!

Well, that's all I have for now! Hopefully I can come back and post some very good news with results that read she is responding well to the treatments. Until then, keep praying and thank you again for your continued support!

Still Her Same-Old-Self!

I've been talking to Mom over the phone in the past week and she still sounds the same and says she is "doing all right, I guess." The doctors keep asking her if she is having trouble eating, swallowing, etc and she isn't :) It seems as though they suspected she would by now, but so far, so good! Also, she thinks the MRI on her brain will be scheduled sometime toward the end of September (to determine whether the gamma knife procedure worked on the brain tumor or not).

I want to say with overwhelming gratitude THANK YOU to the STANTON MIDDLE SCHOOL STAFF for providing my Mom (and family) with 12 meals from Dinner by Design, as well as a $100 gas gift card to help Mom get to and from treatments every day. I have the best co-workers!!! =)

I just wanted to post a quick update since some people have been asking. Stay tuned!

Survived Week One!

Well, Mom survived week 1 of chemo/radiation with flying colors :) Everyone that saw her this last weekend was floored by how "normal" she looked and acted. It was good to see her feeling well, aside from some fatigue and her knees/ankles still bothering her. The nausea is minimal (so far) and she seems to be in good spirits.

This week she continues cycle one. Monday will be her long day (6hrs) and that will conclude her chemo for this cycle. Radiation will continue to be everyday.

I'll post more when I know more, but until then, keep those prayers coming!

Grandpa's Info...

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicagotribune/obituary.aspx?n=frank-b-mallek&pid=144637287&fhid=2087

Sad? News

This song is so fitting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EThmOXku6Nc

I got some news this morning - first from my sister via text and then my Dad called shortly after. My grandpa (my Mom's dad) died last night in the hospital. It's such a strange feeling for me - I feel like he is right where he belongs in Heaven with his wife & daughter. I have heard him say more than once that he was ready to die and be with his family in Heaven. A few things that trouble me a bit, though, is that he's been so ill these last few days that I'm not sure if he went peacefully or not. He had stomach cancer and he'd been in the hospital because he couldn't keep any food down because the masses in his stomach were too large. Also, it makes me sad to know that my family is hurting - I just pray they find the peace the Lord has given me. Yes, I feel this loss, but I know it's what he wanted and that helps put my mind at ease. Finally, I hope this doesn't deter my Mom from her path to healing. Other than that, I think he was ready, and I guess God was ready for him, too.

With Mom's treatments starting and the loss of her Dad, I'm sure this week will be extra, extra tough for her. Please pray for healing, strength and comfort for her and the family. She just lost her sister to colon cancer not even a year ago, so I can see how she hates this disease, as it is trying to take her life, too.

On another note, if you'd like to sit in with my Mom during any of her treatments, here is the information: Northwest Community Hospital @ the North Pavilion in the basement (stop at the service desk for specifics).

Monday 8/9: 9am (6 hrs)

Tuesday 8/10: 11:00am (2 hrs)

Wednesday 8/11: 10:30am (2 hrs)

Thursday 8/12: 10:30am (2 hrs) Virginia Nurmi will be visiting.

Friday 8/13: 10:30am (2 hrs)

Monday 8/16: 9am (6 hrs)

**No flowers, please. Chemo patients cannot have live flowers around them.

I will post my grandpa's memorial information as soon as it becomes available.

Cycle One Begins...

Chemotherapy starts Monday 8/9

Radiation starts Tuesday 8/10

Here is the breakdown:

Chemo will start on the Monday, and that is the longest treatment at about 6 hrs. The subsequent treatments will be 2 hours for Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, and Mon.

Radiation is every weekday (Mon-Fri... this week starting on Tues) for about and hour.

Both chemo and radiation will be done at Northwest Community Hospital. Mom can have visitors during her chemotherapy sessions, but not during radiation. I'll see what I can do about posting a schedule on the blog if you'd like to see her and keep her company.

Keep Mom in your thoughts as she begins this new journey.

The Coming Weeks...

Tonight my mom, sister and I sorted through tons of medical bills and got everything organized. When we were finished Amanda sat back, looked at it, and commented, "So, this is what cancer looks like in an accordian folder." Hmm.

Mom is going for treatment! She still has quite a road ahead... her ankles and knees are still doubled in size and very painful - doctors still aren't sure what the cause is. Also, she's worried about the side effects of the treatments: losing hair, skin burns, difficulty swallowing, nausea and fatigue just to name a few. Mom should start treatments before the end of this month. She also needs her follow up CAT scan to see if the Gamma Knife procedure got rid of her brain tumor(s) or not.

I understand that there is no "cure" for Stage IV cancer and that medically, treatment is only to maintain or slow the cancer as well as relieve symptoms. But, we can always pray for a miracle!

Prayer Requests: Pray for strength, healing and peace. Pray that the treatments shrink the tumors and stop the cancer from spreading. Also, pray that the next CAT scan shows NO brain tumors.

As always, thank you for your love and support!!

Moving Forward

My mom went in yesterday (Friday) to get "mapped" for radiation. This is when they mark the points on your body that will receive the radiation. She also needs to set up an appointment with the oncologist to get her chemotherapy treatments scheduled. So, it looks like things are moving forward!

My mom did say that she would only get the treatments if they can find out what is wrong with her knees and ankles. They have been very swollen, red and painful. It is hard for her to walk and she hasn't been able to drive because of the pain. She doesn't want to add any more stress to her body unless they figure out how to "fix" this problem first.

She will go in on Monday to get ultrasounds of her knees and ankles. Then, hopefully, they can determine what's wrong and get moving on a solution so she can finally start shrinking those darn tumors!!

That's all for now - I'll post with more info as it becomes available. Thanks!

Hope & Encouragement

I found these stories on the web and I had to share!

"Because you believed, it has happened." Matthew 8:13

Praise God!

Mari's story: Hello! My mother has stage 4 lung cancer and is not operable. She had a few brain mets and one lymph node on her neck affected.She was diagnosed mid January and has had 2 chemo cycles and has some incredible results. The lung tumor has reduced over 60% and the brain mets are evidently gone. We all pray alot and hope for the best....maybe even a miracle!

Julie's story: How long can you survive stage 4 lung cancer without treatment? Depends on the person and the extent of the stage iv. I was told I had 2-4 months without treatment, perhaps a year with chemo.. I've so far survived 3 years with stage iv, with the help of two cycles of chemo.

Joe's story: My dad was just diagnosed in July with Stage IV adenocarcinoma in both his lungs. He is just 53 yrs old. Well from oodles of test we found that he was stage IV, in both lungs, and in his lymph nodes. He too is considered terminal. The doctor said he had until about October of '06. He still opted for chemo. He's been on cisplatin and navelbine. He started chemo Aug 5. The end of October he had his scans repeated and the only cancer detected was the large tumor in the right upper lung (and it had shrunk 1/2 the size!) The doc said this is just remarkable. I know everybody handles the treatments differently, but I hope this gives you some encouragement. He has been eating healthy and following his docs orders exactly and most of all staying positive. It has been through alot of faith and prayer that my two brothers and I are getting through this. We too still have our ups and downs, but all in all it is rough for me too. Medically, my dad should not have survived the fall, but he did and he's healed from it. He had absolutely no symptoms either. I feel that our good Lord "helped" him out of that tree so he could get this taken care of too. Good Luck and God Bless!

Ann's story: to be continued...

Yard Sale, Cont.!

Thad and I will be running the yard sale tomorrow 8am-5pm (SUNDAY 7/25) so you best be stoppin' by... even if it's just to say hey! =D

(see previous post for location)

Come on Down!

My parents are having a

Garage Sale THURSDAY 7/22, FRIDAY 7/23 & SATURDAY 7/24.

All proceeds will go toward medical bills for my Mom.

Stop by and see if anything tickles your fancy, or just stop by and say hello! There will be TONS of tools, so bring the brothers, husbands, dads and boyfriends!!

914 E. Zinnia Lane

Palatine, IL 60074

Update:

Mom saw the radiologist today. She said the radiation therapy sounds pretty awful, including burns on her skin and throat (they said she may not be able to swallow). She doesn't feel strong enough at this point to begin the treatments - it is painful for her to walk and she is convinced that if she starts treatment now, it will kill her sooner than if she chose not to do it. She has until July 30th (next Friday) to choose whether she will go forward with the chemo/radiation, or to just let the cancer take its course.

Prayer Request: Please pray that my Mom makes the "right" decision on whether to get treatment or not. Also, pray for peace in whatever she decides to do.

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Jeremiah 29:11

more thanks!!

A special thanks to John Green for making a batch of amazing chili and the Swierczeks for bringing over a Mexican dinner!

Oncologist Appointment

We met with the Oncologist today to go over what to expect during the chemotherapy and radiation treatments. I learned a lot today - especially how time consuming these treatments are!!

There is a 28 day cycle and Mom is going to go through 2 cycles to begin with. After the 2nd cycle, we should get the results back from the Gamma Knife to see if the brain tumor was eradicated. If it was, they may proceed with more treatments with the option of surgery. If the MRI shows the tumor is still present, I don't think my Mom will be receiving any more treatments (which would result in a 3-6 month prognosis).

The first 8 days of the cycle are the most intense. During this time, Mom will get both chemo AND radiation. Days 1 & 8 are six hour treatments and days 2-5 are two hour treatments (days 6 & 7 she gets a break). Then every weekday after that she will get short (5-10 minute) radiation treatments until day 28, then they start the cycle over again.

One of the side effects of these treatments is hair loss. This is almost indefinite because of how aggressive they are in treating my Mom's cancer. Since it is Stage IV, many would argue that these treatments are solely to prolong life (maybe to 1-2 yrs). I, on the other hand, would argue that a cure could come of it!

Again, thank you for the overwhelming response to providing meals for my family!

Please keep visiting the blog for updates and ways to help. As always, keep praying! :)

YAY!

MOM IS HOME! :)

Thanks a million for all the prayers! Next appointment is scheduled for this Wednesday so I will update shortly thereafter.

Hospital = New Home??

Well, Mom is STILL in the hospital. It looks like they have the bacterial infection under control, but they found pneumonia in her right lung. So that, coupled with the continued fevers, is keeping her in the hospital a lot longer than anyone anticipated.

I am overwhelmed by the response of help from our friends! Thank you so much for providing meals for my family - they all look amazing and I wish I could enjoy them! haha Just as Paul said to the Philippians, "...you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty" (Phil 4:13)

"You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35) but I have to say, I feel pretty blessed to have received these meals so my Mom has one less thing to worry about!!

Thanks again - in particular Jamie, Barclay, Somer and my Stanton family for putting things together so quickly. Also, thank you to the many others who offered to help in a variety of other ways - every act is sooooo appreciated!

Prayer Request: Please pray for a quick return home for Mom, and strength and peace for my

Dad.

If you would like to visit my Mom, she is at Northwest Community Hospital room S909 (take South elevators to 9th floor)

Still in the Hospital...

Mom is still in the hospital and can't be released until she is fever-free for 24 hrs. She has been ducking and dodging nurses who will take her temperature because she wants to go home so badly! She's been in since Monday night, so she is more than ready to just be home!

The infectious disease specialist did say it was not MRSA (staph) after all, so it must be a form of strep cellulitis.

Thank you Jamie, Barclay and Somer for preparing food for my family! You ladies are the best! And Jamie... I must confess that Thad and I had a spoonful each of your macaroni salad and is was DELICIOUS! :)

As far as I know, my Mom still has her appointment with the Oncologist on Wednesday to determine a course of action for a treatment plan (starting chemo/radiation). We will know more then.

An Opportunity to Help

Hey all!

I talked to my Mom this morning and she sounded a lot better. She said her temperature has been a steady 99.0. They are keeping her another night to make sure she continues to respond to the antibiotics.

If you would like to help, prepared dinners would be greatly appreciated! I already have a baked penne pasta casserole waiting for them when they get home, but would anyone be able to make a meal for 7/8 (Thursday), 7/9 (Friday) or 7/10 (Saturday)?

If you can and would like to drop it off yourself in Palatine, I can give you the address. Or, you can drop it off at my house in Grayslake and I will deliver it personally :)

Please e-mail me at smnurmi05@yahoo.com if you would like to make a meal for a family of four (my mom, dad, brother and sister) for one of the above dates!

Hospital Update

Mom is still in the hospital - at least for one more night. They said she has cellulitis ( http://www.medicinenet.com/cellulitis/article.htm ) and are trying to treat it with some antibiotics through her IV. Her fevers are still spiking though - one got to 105.5 this evening, so it seems like we are back at square one.

I went and saw her today. The swelling in her face has gone down, but she doesn't look quite like herself yet. She stayed under the covers the whole time and didn't move much. She seemed pretty tired - even in her voice.

Hopefully the doctors can figure things out quickly. I know all my mom wants right now is to be home!

Keep those prayers coming, please!

An Unscheduled Hospital Visit

Mom knew there was going to be swelling in the face due to the Gamme Knife procedure. Today, though, I guess the swelling got worse and she started running a fever of about 102.0. My Dad wanted to be safe and took her to the Immediate Care Center in Lake Zurich. The doctors then sent my parents over to Northwest Community Hospital where they are now.

They are admitting Mom tonight. They want her to be seen by an Infectious Disease Specialist and will be calling her Oncologist in, too. She is on an IV and oxygen and has undergone numerous tests including two bouts of bloodwork, x-rays, and a CAT scan. She had an incredible pain on her right side when she inhaled - so bad it made her cry (her tumor is on her right side, too). She said she is getting new symptoms as the day/night goes on and it is just making her more paranoid since they don't know what is wrong. Afterall, if you don't know the problem, how can you work toward a solution??

We'll just have to wait for another update from Dad. Amanda and I are going to visit her tomorrow morning. Until then, please pray for some answers!

Gamma Knife Procedure

Mom underwent her gamma knife surgery July 1st. Basically, it was an outpatient radiation treatment that directly targets the tumor in the brain. She went in at 5:30am where they ran some tests then did 35 minutes of radiation. She was home by 9:30am. She has been feeling okay aside from some localized pain and swelling where they had to insert the pins.

You can read more about the gamma knife procedure here:

http://www.gamma-knife-surgery.com/

The results of this test are imperative. If the next MRI (about 2.5 months from now) shows that the gamma knife eliminated the cancer in the brain, then she can be considered for surgery to remove the mass in her lung and surrounding lymph nodes. If the MRI shows there is still abnormal tissue in the brain, then Mom will no longer be a candidate for surgery.

In the meantime, she will be receiving chemo/radiation treatments for 6 weeks starting mid-month to target the lung tumor and cancerous cells in the lymph nodes. The doctor said not all patients lose their hair with chemo, but due to the types of medicine they will be using, her hairwill fall out. The treatments are five days a week with a longer session on Monday, then shorter sessions the other days of the week.

That's all the information we have right now. I'll be sure to update the blog as soon as any news becomes available.