Prom Tonight , Radiation Next Week
PROM
Prom is tonight!! Kate is excited and I think the momentum and excitement will carry her through the day and much of the night. She has gained strength since her virus, but is still weak and a bit wobbly. We are still doing IV fluids at night. Yesterday's counts showed a drop in hemoglobin, but Kate is not symptomatic and said she doesn't feel like she needs a transfusion before tonight. I don't know that she will last through the entire after prom until 5:00 am, but she will give it her best. She reads her own body well and will know when it's time to call it a night. She was thrilled to pick up her dress - and says she feels beautiful in it! It is so good to see her just so happy and excited about every aspect of the prom experience. The girls had their nails done together yesterday and Kate felt good enough to help out at the school with some prom decorating last night.
~Please pray for Kate to feel well and strong and be able to enjoy this special night to the fullest.
~Please pray for the safety of all those students at the prom.
RADIATION
On Monday of this week we received a call from Kate's neuro-oncologist scheduling us for a consult with her radiation oncologist on Tuesday. In our conversation with the radiation oncologist, he, like the neuro oncologist said all on tumor board agreed that radiation is the next step. He told us that now is the time to do it, while the scans are clear and looking good. That way if there is a bad cell lurking somewhere that can't be seen on a scan, we are being proactive in attacking it. Radiation therapy is not a means of cure, but a measure taken to improve the chances of tumors not returning to the spine and brain. There are no guarantees with brain tumors, you just do everything possible to block the chances of growth of bad cells. We will go on Monday morning for a CT planning session in the radiation/oncology department. Kate's doctor must calculate how much radiation her brain and spine can receive based on what she had in 2004 and again in 2006. We are tentatively scheduled to begin radiation on Wednesday. Kate's doctor is estimating that her course of RT will take roughly three weeks of daily treatments. Treatments are short, in and out, but it will mean daily one hour drives to the hospital. He is hoping that she will not be as sick as she was in 2004, because it will be lower doses and she will not be battling many post surgical issues that she was at that time. Hearing loss is an issue with radiation, but he feels that may not be an immediate issue, but seen later in life.
~Please pray for maximum results and minimal side effects from RT. Kate will no doubt be fatigued and her counts will drop, requiring transfusions, but we are asking for minimal nausea.
~Please pray for protection of Kate's already compromised hearing.
Again thank you for standing with us in the tough times and rejoicing with us in the special times of joy and celebration.
Surrounded by grace,
Elaine
Prom is tonight!! Kate is excited and I think the momentum and excitement will carry her through the day and much of the night. She has gained strength since her virus, but is still weak and a bit wobbly. We are still doing IV fluids at night. Yesterday's counts showed a drop in hemoglobin, but Kate is not symptomatic and said she doesn't feel like she needs a transfusion before tonight. I don't know that she will last through the entire after prom until 5:00 am, but she will give it her best. She reads her own body well and will know when it's time to call it a night. She was thrilled to pick up her dress - and says she feels beautiful in it! It is so good to see her just so happy and excited about every aspect of the prom experience. The girls had their nails done together yesterday and Kate felt good enough to help out at the school with some prom decorating last night.
~Please pray for Kate to feel well and strong and be able to enjoy this special night to the fullest.
~Please pray for the safety of all those students at the prom.
RADIATION
On Monday of this week we received a call from Kate's neuro-oncologist scheduling us for a consult with her radiation oncologist on Tuesday. In our conversation with the radiation oncologist, he, like the neuro oncologist said all on tumor board agreed that radiation is the next step. He told us that now is the time to do it, while the scans are clear and looking good. That way if there is a bad cell lurking somewhere that can't be seen on a scan, we are being proactive in attacking it. Radiation therapy is not a means of cure, but a measure taken to improve the chances of tumors not returning to the spine and brain. There are no guarantees with brain tumors, you just do everything possible to block the chances of growth of bad cells. We will go on Monday morning for a CT planning session in the radiation/oncology department. Kate's doctor must calculate how much radiation her brain and spine can receive based on what she had in 2004 and again in 2006. We are tentatively scheduled to begin radiation on Wednesday. Kate's doctor is estimating that her course of RT will take roughly three weeks of daily treatments. Treatments are short, in and out, but it will mean daily one hour drives to the hospital. He is hoping that she will not be as sick as she was in 2004, because it will be lower doses and she will not be battling many post surgical issues that she was at that time. Hearing loss is an issue with radiation, but he feels that may not be an immediate issue, but seen later in life.
~Please pray for maximum results and minimal side effects from RT. Kate will no doubt be fatigued and her counts will drop, requiring transfusions, but we are asking for minimal nausea.
~Please pray for protection of Kate's already compromised hearing.
Again thank you for standing with us in the tough times and rejoicing with us in the special times of joy and celebration.
Surrounded by grace,
Elaine
posted by Tracy @ 7:59 AM
7 Comments:
At 8:49 AM,
Anonymous said…
Oh I can't wait to see pictures of you Kate! I know you will look gorgeous!
We will be praying for you the next 3 weeks as you go through radiation again.
Love,
Erica
At 8:57 AM,
Anonymous said…
Kate I can not wait to see pictures of you from the prom. Im sure you will have a great time. Maggie I also hope there are some pictures of you also. May God bless you all and keep the faith it can get you through anything.
At 10:13 PM,
Anonymous said…
We're thankful that Kate is enjoying the pleasure of prom night. We're praying that all goes well at the prom & days to follow.
At 5:41 PM,
Anonymous said…
Hey ya'll! WE have been praying all weekend for you Kate! We prayed you would have a weekend filled with joy and laughter, strength and that you would feel as beautiful as you are! Can't wait to see the pictures! We will continue to pray for you on Wednesday next week as you start the radiation again. I know that must be scary, but we are praying for no side effects!!! WE love you very much. Sandy & Duane
At 1:59 PM,
Anonymous said…
To witness Kate in her Prom gown was as though you were watching a princess from the royal family. You were "A Vision in Blue" Kate! I hope you had a wonderful time.
Love,
PB
At 9:00 PM,
Anonymous said…
Kate--I was up till 2 in the morning on your prom night at a Beth Moore conference with my family. I kept finding my thoughts turning to you, wondering if you were still up, how you were feeling, how GORGEOUS you looked, ... Know that you are one LOVED gal! Can't wait to see pics. Mags and Elaine--I miss you, and Grace, too! I keep telling people about how I now love a dog for the first time in my life!
Gail
At 5:29 PM,
Anonymous said…
Kate, I look forward to pictures of you at the prom. We here in Mission Texas still have you on our prayer list and pray for you faithfully.We thank our heavenly Father for the grace bestowed on all of you. Our prayers continue for all of you.
Love,
Shirley C.
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