Addendum

God is watching me today. Since the time of Mark's appointment with the heart surgeon, we have had a lot of unanswered questions. I have really tried to just "let it go", but I haven't been real easy about our plan or semi-plan. I just prayed about it that God would just lead me to know what my role should be in all of it.

Sooooo, today, I picked up the phone to call Houston. Imagine this, I got directly to Dr. Cooley's office and to his nurse, the very person who typed the letter for Dr. Cooley when we consulted him back in November of 2008! She was so wonderful. She took all of Mark's info and is going to call me back. She reminded me that Dr. Cooley is now 89 (had a birthday in August!). He sees patients in the clinic but does not operate anymore!

Truly amazing that his health has allowed him so many years of sharing his expertise.

Anyway, we don't know what will happen tomorrow, but I feel really good about today!

Love to all, Missy.

Patiently Waiting.

Riiggghhht. Okay, maybe I am waiting - not by choice. There has been no post because there has been very little to post. Just a lot of frustration. After we were informed of the delay in the heart surgery and got the go ahead to do the bowel surgery, we got stalled again. The colorectal surgeon wanted a study of all of the reconstruction that he did in January to make sure it was all working. Easy enough. We had that done today in Wichita Falls. Preliminary reports looked good with no evidence of any complications with the reconstruction. We will sent those results to him. He also wants a release from the cardiac surgeon before he will do the surgery. Communicating with these guys is no easy task. Of course they are not local, and you never actually get to speak to the doctor, then you throw in a Friday and a holiday, and things move at turtle pace!

Sooooo. We are still really in limbo and have had some uncertainties over the last week or so. We need lots of prayers for guidance for his physicians to set a plan and have confidence in it. This would help us to feel a little more settled.

Thanks for checking up on Mark.

Missy

Monday/Tuesday Dr. visits

We saw Dr. Crim yesterday evening. He examined Mark and was very pleased with how everything was going. He even talked about scheduling the surgery to reverse his ileostomy. He was reminded of the heart surgery however and told us to call him following recovery from heart surgery. All was good otherwise.

That being said, we can preface the appointment today by saying that the best laid plans are meant to be changed ---right? Today's appointment with Dr. Kourlis brought a new agenda. He reviewed all of the records and the procedure with us. The procedure to fix the aneurysm is huge. Consequently, the risk is great. He really wants Mark to be at "the top of his game" before he will do the surgery. He would like him to be further out from chemo and to have the follow up scan that was recommended by the radiologist following the PET. He would also like to figure in the statistics related to recurrence for Mark's type of cancer. In a nutshell, Mark's health must be optimal in order for him to believe he has the best chance of surviving the surgery.

We have questioned ourselves if the surgery is an absolute. If the risk is so great, is this really what is best. He did confirm that it needs to be done, but the conditions need to be the best they can be. He also feels like that includes reversing the ileostomy. Due to the difficulty of fluid regulation with the ileostomy, he feels it would be best if that were reversed prior to the heart surgery.

Sooooooo, it appears that surgery is likely within a couple of weeks, but not heart surgery. Dr. Crim is out of the office today, but tomorrow we will attempt to get back in touch with him to discuss scheduling the reversal operation.

We haven't eaten yet today, so that is where we are headed and will be on the road again. Hope I have answered many questions. I am sure we will be talking soon.

Much love, Missy

Tomorrow

We head to the metroplex tomorrow afternoon. Mark sees the colorectal surgeon late tomorrow afternoon and the heart surgeon early on Tuesday morning. We have lots of questions and are hoping for all the right answers. Thanks so much for your continued prayers.

Sean and Kristi met Sena yesterday in Ethiopia. Please keep them in your prayers as they work through getting to know her and bringing her back to her new home in the states.

We have made a huge breakthrough at the Brown house!! One of the kids actually wants to learn something from a parent. WOOOHOOOO!!!! Austin was behind the wheel (of a car) for the first time yesterday on the streets of Scotland. He did great and even said he might get up and wash the car today!! Landon thinks he should get a turn next. I am sure that surprises no one. And, Abby thinks she gets the mule now. Let's just slooooowwwwww down everybody!

Love to all, Missy

Good News!!!!!!!!

Preliminary scans are clear. I got a call yesterday evening with the report of Mark's PET scan. There was no evidence of metastasis, no lymph nodes visible, and clear liver and lungs. WoooHooo!!!! While we don't have a written report, that pretty much confirms our trip next week to see the surgeons and move on with the rest of the agenda. We are so blessed by all of the good outcomes we have seen. We are always realistic and yet still have high expectations. While we understand the worst of it, we focus on the best and we know that God will provide whatever is best for us.

So we begin a whole new journey! While our specific intentions may change slightly, ultimately our prayer is for God to carry Mark through each day closer to optimal health. Only He knows the way. We allow Him take the lead and what an awesome job he has done thus far!. (Whew, that control thing can be so hard to give up!!!!!)

Mark has appointments in metroplex on Monday and Tuesday. We are expecting to have a date for heart surgery when we return. Everything is subject to change, however.

Thank you so much for the constant prayers that continue to carry us through all of this. That is quite a heavy load to carry and we love you all for being there for us.

Missy.

It's Friday!!

Not sure why that is so exciting when we are working tomorrow, but I still love Fridays.
I think I can gather my thoughts to rewrite that last post that disappeared into space - AAGGHH!!

It was originally titled still waiting because that is pretty much what we are doing. Mark saw the oncologist on Wednesday, and as expected, we had to wait that "magical two weeks to go in and get the script for the scan he will have next week. We had many questions, and he basically had one general answer. He expects everything to get better without the chemo. IT is very difficult for us and I am sure for them as well to have several different systems involved in this process. The oncologist can't really answer the GI questions and the GI guy doesn't have all the heart answers, and so on and so on, so there is a lot of going in between which leads to a little bit of frustration. I know you would never guess that! Aaaaannnnyway. PET scan is next Tuesday in Wichita Falls. There is a lot riding on good results from this test. We really need only positive results so that we can move forward with his heart surgery. The oncologist will write some sort of release from the cancer standpoint that we are supposed to deliver to the heart surgeon on September. We actually see the colorectal surgeon and the heart surgeon on the 31st and 1st. Also on one of the burners is the possibility of getting Mark's port removed prior to the 31st. But, first things first, scan on tuesday and we will have a few more definites.

Just FYI, it seems that Landon has somehow obtained a facebook. The way I hear it, his yahoo information was used to create a facebook??? I wasn't sure I believed him, but I have since heard of others who have reportedly had a facebook when they never knew they did. Anyway, not my intent for my 10 year old. Thanks to Heather for the great idea of limiting his friends. He is allowed to have family and classmates for friends. I am sure many have already heard from him. What is this world coming to????

I am requesting lots of prayers for our new great niece and her wonderful parents Sean and Kristi. They will be traveling to and from Africa over the next couple of weeks. Sena Anne was abandoned in Ethiopia Sean and Kristi will be adopting her out of an orphanage and bringing her home to join their wonderful family. There couldn't be a family better suited for bringing lots of love to a special little girl. I am so proud of them for their commitment to provide a loving home and wonderful opportunity to a beautiful little girl in need of special attention. I know they will all be blessed by the company of each other. Sean and Kristi have also just moved and made a new home in New Mexico. They are needing to sell their home in Arlington as well. They have a lot on their plate and God on their side, but I know they would welcome many prayers of support for them.

Love to all, Missy

Still Waiting

I cannot believe this. 1 AM, a huge post, click the post button and it is all gone. I could scream at this thing sometimes. Sorry, I am tired and I will try to remember it all again tomorrow. Love to all, Missy.