We've started this blog to keep family and friends updated on Carolyn's progress in her recent diagnosis of cancer. Below is an update to all of the news and information in which we have so far, but if you'd like to receive updates as they come, please subscribe to this blog via the sign up form on the side column of this page. Please feel free to share the link to this blog with whomever is willing to pray!
How it Started ...
6 months ago Carolyn started experiencing pain in her side and she thought she had pulled a muscle. After persistent pain for 2 weeks she made a visit to the doctor where they told her that there wasn't much they could do for pulled muscles but to just take it easy. 2 months ago my mom started to lose her appetite, felt nauseous, lost weight quickly, felt weak, and the pain in her side deepened.
She visited the doctor again a couple weeks ago and this time they ordered a CT scan and found significant lesions on her liver covering almost the entire organ. She was immediately set up with another doctor who confirmed that it was most likely cancer at stage 4 (for those that are not familiar with cancer that is the furthest and most advanced stage). Liver is usually not the primary source for cancer - so she does not have liver cancer but instead usually cancer originates from another organ and metastasizes (or spreads) to the liver. The weird thing is that no other spots showed up on the CT scan except for the liver so the doctor's theory was that she must have colon or stomach cancer that has metastasized to the liver.
After another appointment that showed the colon and GI tract as negative for cancer (which greatly surprised the doctor), he ordered a biopsy that will 1) confirm it is cancer and 2) reveal where the origin of cancer is. The biopsy came back today and 1) yes, it is cancer and 2) it oddly enough did not reveal the cancer origin. Because of this, Carolyn is being referred over to more doctors who are more specialized in cancer and could help find the origin. Until we find it, we dont know for sure what stage the cancer is in and how treatable it is or really the best course for treatment at all.
A Note from Kristen (her oldest daughter) ...
I ask that you please pray with us that the doctors will find the origin of cancer as quickly as possible and that God will keep my mom and our family strong throughout this process. Mom has a very strong Christian faith and sees whatever outcome as a win-win for her whether it be to stay longer with her family or to go home to Jesus. If you don't know my mom, I wish you could - she is seriously such a wonderful wonderful person and is one of my very very best friends. She has been my biggest fan throughout my life and I dont know where I would be without her today if it weren't for her unwavering support, Christian faith, and guidance. As such, I (and many others) selfishly want Mom to stay around as long as possible (please, Jesus, can we have her a little longer?) so we are doing whatever we can to find the best doctors and treatments to help cure her. Mom has 4 brothers and 1 sister that are rallying around her to make sure she is getting the best medical treatments which I couldn't be more thankful for.
I am going to go ahead and apologize if I might not be around much for the unforeseeable future as I will be going to as many dr visits and chemo appointments that I can. I couldn't be MORE grateful that I work at an organization that allows me to work flexibly whether it be at mom's bedside for her chemo recoveries or at the hospital in the waiting room. I have an incredible boss and team that has been supporting me the past couple weeks as I've been scatter brained and out of the office for random periods of time. Wes and I are setting up our Guest Bedroom for mom as an Oasis during her recovery times from chemo and any weekends that she just wants to get away and be waited on. The verse that I've been clinging to and have never fully grasped until just recently is Philippians 4:7 "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
A Note from Melissa (her youngest daughter)
