Friday, February 18, 2011

Update: Feb 18

Today Alexis spent the morning at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Most of the time she was inside a tube having a head to toe PET scan. She couldn't listen to music or have any medications and had to spend her hours napping off and on and entertaining herself. She also received a few CT scans on specific areas. Dr. Glenn continues to thoroughly look and evaluate the tumors and the cancer before beginning chemotherapy. At this point she anticipates treatments to begin by the beginning of March.

On Tuesday Alexis will again visit Huntsman (and the UofU) for surgery. During the surgery they will remove another lymph node from her neck. A doctor specializing in Lymphoma Cancer will assist with this and evaluate the lymph node after its removal. Also, at the same time, they will put in a port in the area of her clavicle (just below shoulder). This port is to give the doctors and nurses access to Alexis veins throughout her treatments. They anticipate this port to allow them to draw blood, give medicines, and administer chemotherapy. Hopefully the port will remain in place and not get infected allowing them to use it for approximately 6 months.

Some days (in the life of disease) are full of waiting and anticipation. Some days are full of news and change. At the end of any of these medically taxing days it is easy to feel so many things that you feel nothing. Other times you feel so much that tears escape and you have no certain reason why. Whatever the end of the day brings, we rally around Alexis and her family and hope that during some hour they will feel some peace and find a few reasons to smile.

2 comments:

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Blogger Vicki said...

Alexis,
We are so amazed at your strength and courage and are grateful for your example to and friendship with Kim. You and your family have always been there for her and we hope that we can be there for you in some small way. Please know that our love and prayers are being sent your way on a regular basis. You are one great girl and we love you! Hope you are getting psyched up for another fishing trip this spring. We know what fun you had last go around! Ha, ha!
Love you, Lindsay and Vicki

Sat Feb 19, 09:14:00 AM MST