Happy New Year!

Well, it's the last day of 2009. Hard to believe! It's been quite a year of ups and downs for us. We like to work on focusing on the ups. Steve's surgery went well today. The doctor says he was able to do what he intended. It took a little longer than we thought it would, but when I finally got to see Steve he was sitting up in a chair looking great! The pain started getting the best of him, but that tends to be the norm, unfortunately. I was able to bring Steve home today! He is taking it easy watching some tv and surfing the net as usual. Lots of sleep is definitely in the plans too.

The doctor released some of Steve's tongue so he has a bit more movement. This will help create a ridge for the implants in the future. He took a skin graft from Steve's left thigh again to use on the base of the mouth. They put a prosthetic piece down to help the tissue heal properly. Of course Steve is having trouble talking right now because of the swelling, but he seems to be handling this one very well. His color looks good and he is in good spirits despite his pain and weakness.

Once again, thank you for your prayers - they have been answered! Please add Steve's younger brother Ed to your prayer concerns. He had a stroke this week and spent some time in the hospital.

It is our prayer that you will each have a healthy and prosperous new year! May God bless you.

Season's Greetings!

Here we are in the time between Christmas and New Year's. Our pastor calls this the Season's Greetings time of the holidays. This is the best time of all for me. I'm not stressed and frazzled about getting ready for Christmas, and I am off of work so I'm able to relax, do a few things around the house, and spend time with the girls.

Today is our anniversary. We have been married 18 years! Time flies when you are having fun : ) We are so thankful to be celebrating another year together. Last year at this time I wasn't sure how things were going to turn out. God has been good to us - thanks for your love, support and prayers.

On Thursday of this week Steve will have another procedure at Emory Hospital. This time the oral surgeon will be cutting Steve's tongue to separate it from his gum line. We are praying that the doctor will not have to remove any tissue and that this will only need to be done one time. The doctor is hopeful that this will be an outpatient procedure. He is graciously doing this surgery on Thursday so we can get it in before the new year begins (for insurance purposes).

I will let you know how it goes. The good thing is that we are moving right along on the road to recovery! We have a special prayer request for you. Steve's oncologist asked him to meet with a young man who faces radical surgery for tongue cancer. The young man wanted to meet someone who had survived his cancer. I know that Steve was n inspiration for the man and his parents. Steve has not been able to stop thinking about him ever since. His name is Justin and he is 26 years old. He will have a total glossectomy (tongue removal) on January 20th. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

Kennestone Visit Successful

We had a good trip to Kennestone Hospital today. Though it did take a long time because they were backed up, all went well. The doctor did not find an ulcer or any other problems. He was able to remove Steve's feeding tube and replace it (using the same hole) with a new one. This one has a balloon on the inside so it is easily replaced in the office as needed. Steve feels a little tired and weak but is otherwise doing well!

Our next step is a pre-op appointment tomorrow at Emory for Steve's December 31st surgery. This one will be much more involved since they will be removing some of his tongue and using a graft. This is to prepare for the teeth implants. The doctor says this will be outpatient but I have my doubts. We'll see what happens.

Thanks for your prayers for today! They were answered and we appreciate it. Please keep Steve in your prayers for his next procedure. Merry Christmas to you all! Take time to remember the reason for the season - Jesus!

December 11th, 2009

I am so sorry for letting this blog go to the wayside! Life just gets so busy. In the case, the saying is true - No news is good news.

The last week of November Steve had another CT Scan and went to see his oncologist. He received a good report - no new spots on his scan. All looks good as far as the cancer is concerned. Steve will have 2 out-patient procedures this month. On December 21st he will be at Kennestone Hospital. He now has a gastroenterologist and a stoma nurse who will be helping him care for his feeding tube. The area around the tube has been infected several times and continues to give Steve problems. They will be removing that one (OUCH!), checking for ulcers, doing a colonoscopy and giving Steve a new tube. This new one will not have a tube coming out of his stomach but instead will be a sort of port. The whole will stay closed until he is ready to "eat" and then he can open it, insert a tube and get his nutrition/medicines. This will be painful, but will be a good thing since the tube constantly gets in the way and is painful.

The second procedure will be more involved. On December 31st Steve's oral surgeon will be operating on his tongue. The plan is to cut a piece out on the right side of his mouth "untether" it from the gum line. The purpose of this is to hopefully allow them to put in implants for his teeth. They say this will be out patient, but I have my doubts.

Steve has a prosthetic piece that he puts in the roof of his mouth to help improve his speech. It is a work in progress as they change it each visit to find the best fit. It seems to be helping a little. Steve is still not able to swallow. With a lot of effort and work he can swallow a little bit of water, but has not progressed past that point. He is in good spirits though and is handling all of this life changes extremely well.

Steve is currently trying to keep his roofing company up and running. The competition is fierce around here, but he has had a little success. He is a hard worker and is not one to give up!

The girls are doing well. They just keep growing up. Becca is busy with her singing - in Chorus and at church. She is working on getting the youth praise band started again at church. She has a new boyfriend who is a very nice young man. I just can't believe she is growing up so soon - she will be driving on her own in February!

Alli is very involved with the band and chorus at school. In fact, the band is performing at UGA tonight! She is playing volleyball to. She is getting that teenager attitude - UGH!

I will do my best to keep this blog updated again, especially during Steve's upcoming procedures. Please continue to keep Steve in your prayers and know that you are in ours. God bless you all. Enjoy this glorious holiday season with your family and friends.

Rain, Rain Go Away...

Wow! We sure have caught up on our rain deficit around here. As the saying goes, be careful what you pray for - you just might get it! Boy did we - and all in one week's time.

We survived just fine until the final blow of the storms came on Monday. That is when our creek overflowed into the house. We have been flood free for so many years now because of all the hard work Steve did to create a concrete wall to enforce and raise the creek bed in fron t of our house. On Monday the rain was so relentless and the water was so high and forceful that it tore down the concrete wall and the retaining wall on the other side of the driveway too. The water rose to about 3 feet up the house and came through the foundation, bringing with it all that lovely Georgia red clay!

As Steve was trying to deal with all of this, I was at school trying to keep my students' attention away from the turmoil going on outside in order to teach them about adding and subtracting square roots! Our county decided to dismiss the middle schools at 1:15 so we had quite a bit of excitement ourselves. Thankfully the teachers were allowed to leave also, so I went home to help.

We pulled out the carpet, sucked up the water, set up the dehumidifier and fans. Steve kept getting in the creek to clear the debri and try to move the concrete pieces back in place to no avail. He truly wore himself out trying to avoid the disaster. Bless his heart. His office/music room, tool room, and garage were the ones affected by the water and mud.

He spent Tuesday resting and trying to recover. Today he was up and busy again. It is hard to keep a good man down!

On to other news, Steve went to the dentist and started the process of having molds made for a prothesis in the roof of his mouth and eventually teeth. This will be slow, but we are on the road to getting all of this done. Becca is dealing with migraines - we think from stress (school work and life in general). Please keep them both in your prayers. Also, Steve would like to ask for prayers for a man in Florida (Larry) who is going through throat cancer also.

As always we are counting our blessings and trusting God to take care of everything. May he bless you too.

Dr Visit Results

We had good news today. Steve's CT Scan did not show anything out of the ordinary! Steve shared some concerns about pain he is having in his jaw bone area on the left hand side as well as pain on the underside of the left side of his tongue. However, Dr. Grist did not see or feel anything and the CT Scan showed nothing either. So, we will have another CT Scan in late November to keep an eye out on those areas. Otherwise, we are good to go for teeth implants!

We met with the oral surgeon (Dr. Roser) today and he will coordinate with the prosthetic dentist (with whom Steve will meet on Thursday) and with the speech pathologist to get everything started. Steve is looking forward to getting teeth put in. He even asked Dr. Roser if he was busy tomorrow!! He laughed and said "I'm won't be working on your implants if that's what you mean : )".

We are still a bit in shock because we have learned to brace ourselves before these appointments. In a way we make ourselves numb in order to prepare for the worst. So, when it is good news, we are leery to believe it and it takes awhile to accept it. We are still in a state of shock, but are gradually realizing that our prayers have been answered.

With cancer, especially the history of Steve's cancer, it is hard to feel total relief because you realize that it could come back at anytime. Steve and I struggle to keep his cancer from robbing us of the joy of living a "normal, carefree" life. We have to remind ourselves to be thankful for each and every blessing - both big and small! What are you thankful for today? Be sure to let God know. And if it is a special person in your life, why not let them know too? As Steve always says: Be blessed and receive according to your walk and witness to others.

Sunday, August 30th

(Here is a picture of us all at the beach. I finally figured out how to add it on!

Doesn't Steve look great??? Check out the picture at the bottom too!!)

Steve had an appointment with the speech therapist again this week. She has such high hopes, but some of them are not very realistic. Steve (being the humorous guy that he is) loves to give her a hard time. Evidently he had a lot of fun with her during this visit since I wasn't there to keep an eye on him :) !

While he was there she asked how he was doing. Steve told her about some pain he has been having in his jaw and mouth. She was concerned and said he needs to be seen as soon as possible. The problem is his doctor is out of town and our Sept 3rd appointment was rescheduled - to NOVEMBER! After about 8 phone calls I was able to get him a Sept 21st appointment. Can you believe that the speech pathologist talked to one person and Steve has an appointment on Sept 8th. Amazing! I'm thankful, but after all my hard work, why didn't they give ME that appointment????

So, Steve will go on Sept 3rd to have his CT Scan. Then on Sept 8th we will go to see Dr. Grist (the oncologist) and Dr. Roser (the oral surgeon). We are praying that the spot on the June CT Scan turns out to be nothing - maybe a shadow or something. Please pray with us that we will have good news to share!

In the meantime, Steve is doing pretty well. He has been able to do a little bit of work and has been completing some of his small projects around the house and in the yard. He cleaned out his closet (which had crept up to the attic too - he never gets rid of anything!). He had soooo many clothes to get rid of that don't fit anymore. Some of them he has owned since before we got married!!

Have a great week and find time to relax and enjoy life this Labor Day weekend! Remember: God is good ... all the time!

August 17th

Well, it has been awhile since I have written! I guess no news is good news. We have been just trucking along here. School started last week so we are all trying to get back into the swing of schedules, homework, bedtimes, etc. We sure did miss spending most of our days together!

Steve has been doing pretty well. He still gets the shakes as well as the dizzy spells. He has good days and bad. He had an appointment last week with the speech pathologist. She did a swallowing test on him. It seems he does have a few spots where things get stuck in his throat and need some extra help being pushed through. The main problem is Steve cannot manipulate anything to get it to the back of his throat. He will continue his exercises and go back to see her in 2 weeks.

Meanwhile, our appointment with Dr. Grist (the oncologist) has been put off. He is out of town the week we were scheduled to get the new CT Scan and see him. So I am working on rescheduling that.

Hard to believe it has been 6 months since Steve's surgery. Sometimes that feels like so long ago. Other times it feels like yesterday. When I look back at the pictures I realize how far he has come. When I look at Steve, I realize we still have a good way to go too. It's an odd feeling. We try not to dwell or even think about what could happen in the future. No one every really knows what the future holds - do they? We just work with the day we have been given, making a few plans here and there for the week and/or weekend ahead. It keeps us focused on each other more, and helps us take advantage of the time we have for now.

Well, I've got to get to work. Remember - God is good...All the time!

Nothing New

I apologize for not posting anything lately. We have not really had any news. Steve is recovering nicely - feeling a little better each day. He is back to pushing himself physically by working outside. He is really enjoying practicing his guitar. (Did I tell you he is the base guitar player in the praise band at church now - full time!) I have started back to work this week and the girls will start back to school on Monday. We are not really looking forward to the stringent schedules, stress and exhaustion, but time goes on. We will make the most of each day and try to see the glass as half full : )

I'm praying that Steve continues to feel better and that his upcoming CT-Scan will give us good news.

Feeling a little better

We heard from the doctor on Friday about the blood work they did on Steve. Everything looked good with the exception of his iron count. Steve is anemic so he is now on iron pills. He will go next week to do stool samples and then more blood work in 6 weeks. In the meantime, this virus seems to have run its course. Each day has brought a slight change in symptoms, aches and pains. We are hoping he is about done with the whole thing. He is feeling a little better this morning : )

Since school starts soon, I will feel much better if he is back to feeling better before I go back. Being the mother hen that I am, I have been hovering over him and won't be able to do that. For my piece of mind it helps to know that he is up to taking care of himself!

Thanks again for all your prayers and cards!

Virus?

Steve is still not feeling good at all. We went to see our family practitioner this afternoon since he has felt so bad for so long. Dr. Mills did a urine test, a chest xray, and blood work. The urine test was fine as was the chest xray (he was worried about pneumonia). So now, we are waiting on the blood test. The results should be back in about 2 days. Assuming that shows nothing wrong, then Steve just has a virus that has to run its course.

So, Steve just needs to wait it out - take it easy. He feels exhausted all the time. Today he was helping me put up mini blinds and could not lift his arms above his head for more than 15 seconds. His symptoms are all flu-like, but there is no fever.

Just wanted to keep you up to date. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers!

July 17th

WOW! Time flies before you even realize it. I apologize in taking so long to update you all. I don't have much new to say. Steve has been doing well - feeling pretty good, keeping himself going by working in the yard and going to the gym. This week has been tougher on him though. He is feeling very weak and run down. We are not sure why - maybe he is fighting something off. He has spent the week inside, resting and sleeping. He hates when that happens because he feels so useless. I try to encourage him to just relax and enjoy it. He doesn't like to talk about it, but I know he is concerned about the possibility of more surgery too.

We went to the speech therapist yesterday. She gave Steve another exercise to work on and told him he could try swallowing club soda also. She had hoped to be able to give him more to try, but he is still coughing quite a bit when he does try to swallow so she wants to be cautious. We scheduled a barium swallow study for the 2nd week of August. This will tell her more about how everything is working.

We met with the dentist who specializes in prothestetics last week. He seemed optomistic about being able to make Steve a piece to place in the roof of his mouth. He says it will help him speak, but is not sure if it will help with the swallowing or not.

So, we are really on hold for now. Steve will continue his swallowing exercises, then have that test in August. He has appointments the first week of September to have his CT Scan, see Dr. Grist (oncologist) and Dr. Roser (oral surgeon). We will know more then. Steve is more upset about his teeth implants being put on hold than he is about the spot(s) they found on the CT scan. He really wants to have some progress on the swallowing/eating end.

Meanwhile, we are all counting down the days we have left to spend relaxing together. Reality comes soon - schedules, homework, stress, life in general! How fortunate we are to have this time to recoup and regroup with each other. We are blessed in so many ways. Let's focus on that, huh???!!!

Happy 4th and prayer request

Hi everybody! We are home and had a wonderful trip! The weather was so perfect and the beach was beautiful. Every time I go to the beach I am reminded of God's amazing love! Steve had such a great time. He spent much of his time fishing and he has really gotten quite a tan. Such a handsome guy he is : ) The girls enjoyed playing in the surf, sand, and the pool. I loved getting away from my to do list and from all the animals!

Yesterday was Steve's birthday! He looks great - for a 52 year old - ha! He and Alli are fishing this morning to celebrate (you'd think he had gotten enough of that at the beach). We will be going bowling later today with my folks. The weather has been dry here, but the mornings are cool which is nice. Wednesday Steve and I will go to meet a dentist that specializes in prosthetics. While Steve was fishing on the pier in Panama City he met a man who had been through surgery with Dr. Grist (he had his nose removed) and the dentist we will see - Dr. Carpenter - is involved in his reconstruction too! What a small world we live in.

While we were at the beach we heard from Dr. Grist regarding the blood work and CT Scan. Steve's blood work looked fine (he has had thyroid issues ever since his radiation treatment), but his CT Scan showed a new area that was discolored. The base of his tongue was gray on the scan which could mean there is something to be concerned about there. Dr. Grist said we will do another scan in September and then decide how to proceed with that. Steve asked if it was okay to continue to see Dr. Roser for the teeth implants. Dr. Grist said to keep the August appointment to talk about it, but not to actually do anything yet.

Please pray that this new spot is not anything to worry about. Please continue to pray for Steve's healing. I ask that you pray for the girls, Rebecca and Allison. They have been holding up okay, but this new development is really bringing reality back again. Becca takes this all so hard - I guess because she is older. She tries to be brave for us and her sister. I know she really just wants to be a "normal teenager". We know that God is always with us, but I often wonder why we have so much to deal with. Thank you for your prayers and support! Happy 4th of July!

Speech Visit Results

Hi! We are packing and getting ready for our trip since we leave tomorrow. Before we go, I wanted to let you all know how it went at our visit with the Speech Pathologist today.

Dr. Kauffman was a very nice woman with a lot of positive news for us. She listened to Steve's medical history and asked questions to clarify everything. She remembers Dr. Grist speaking at the "tumor board" meetings about Steve. After examining Steve, she told us of the process she would like to take to help him.

She explained that some of the swallowing issues could be from delayed response to radiation therapy. She said she has known patients who have had problems with swallowing 10 years after radiation. That was interesting to know. Anyway, no matter what the reason, at this point Steve needs to start with swallowing exercises to strengthen his unused muscles. Dr. Kauffman was impressed with how much flexibility he has with his jaw and tongue already. Evidently he has been doing stretching exercises on his own and they have really helped!

She taught him several new exercises to do each day. She also taught Steve how to swallow some water. (Although he says he would not really call it swallowing.) So, before we left the office he was able to swallow small sips of water! She says its okay if the water gets in his lungs because they can absorb it and it is just water. These small sips will help his swallowing muscles get stronger.

We will go back to see her in about 2 weeks. She feels that eventually Steve will be able to swallow again. She also thinks a prosthetic for the roof of his mouth is a very good idea and would help Steve with his speech and maybe his swallowing. That is a ways down the road, but it is so nice to have reaffirmed hope! Thank you for your continued prayers! Patience is the key in all of this : )

Friday, June 19

Hey! I don't have a whole lot of new stuff to say. Steve is doing fairly well. The heat is really slowing him down, but that is normal for all of us. We have an appointment to see the speech pathologist on Tuesday, so we are interested to find out what she has to say.

We are gearing up for a much needed vacation. A good friend of Steve's has loaned us her condo at the beach! So, we are off for a week of recouping and reconnecting while we get away from reality. Boy are we looking forward to it! To me there is nothing like the beauty of the ocean or the mountains to remind me to "Be still and know that I am God (Psalms 46:10)".

Have a very happy Father's Day everyone!

Friday, June 12

Hope you have had a good week. The weather here has been pretty nice. Steve has kept busy with the yard and with some work. His roofing business has done fairly well this week. Some friends, neighbors, and church family have been kind enough to give him some jobs. This has really been good for him physically and mentally. (Although he has lost 4 pounds this week - he is pushing himself a little too hard I think.) Thank you and may God bless you for helping him out in this area!

Good news about our friends the Mikkelson's. Emily's surgery was not as serious as they originally thought it would be (she will need the more serious surgery in about 3 or 4 years). Her operation was successful and she has already been released from the hospital! Praise God. She is already feeling better than she has in quite awhile. Such a sweet, brave young girl (only 12 years old!). Continue to pray for her recovery.

Becca left today for a church beach retreat. She was soooo excited - her first time to get to go on this annual trip. Of course my last words to her were, "I love you! Make good choices." The mother in me comes out : ) She laughed and gave me a big hug! She is a good girl (and so patient with me - ha) I pray she will have a good time. She deserves some time away from this crazy household!

Steve and I hope to see the speech pathologist some time next week. She seemed very optimistic about being able to help Steve. She said she would start by doing a swallowing study. I have had a similar test before when dealing with my stomach issues. I reminded her that he cannot even swallow his saliva and she mentioned that she would need to meet and evaluate him first then and decide from there the next step. We are hopeful that she will have some good ideas and advice for us. We are just waiting for her assistant to call and give us an appointment right now.

I have decided that the insurance companies are out to test my patience! After sending in a second appeal (marked "urgent" as instructed by one of their agents) for Steve's formula, they still have not made a decision. They are also balking about paying for some of Steve's surgery. Both Dr. Grist and Dr. Roser are trying to help us with these issues. Then last week I started having to deal with my dental insurance about Alli's braces and my teeth cleaning! Ugh! If you don't laugh about it, you cry - right??

Each time we start to feel sorry for ourselves, we are reminded how fortunate we are. For example, at the dentist's office we met a 2 year old little girl who is blind and has cancer! Can you imagine? I was talking to a cashier at Wal-Mart who has a son with major medical needs and another child with downs syndrome. She was telling everyone "God is good!" My devotion today said to thank God for each problem you encounter in your day and watch to see how he transforms trials into blessings. Amen to that!

Busy week and weekend

I don't know about you, but we really enjoyed the beautiful weather this weekend. Steve was outside most of the time, working in the yard and the gardens. We pretty much finished his pond in the back yard. That was some hard work - carrying all the concrete pieces to him so he could arrange them around the pond. He mowed the yard, whacked weeds in the front yard, and used the blower to clean it all up. I mulched around his roses that he has planted so far. This morning we are sore and tired! Steve really overworked himself, but if I have learned anything in this 12 year battle it's that he heals by pushing himself. Today I will try to keep him inside, resting. Wish me luck!

We had a busy week with all the doctor's appointments for Steve, the girls and I. Dr. Grist, the oncologist says Steve's mouth is healing very nicely.  He is pleased that he can understand Steve's speech. He ordered a CT scan to have as a new baseline, so we took care of that on Friday. We will return to see him in 3 months.

Dr. Roser, the oral surgeon was also very pleased with the healing process of Steve's mouth and jaw. We discussed with him the implant procedure and also talked about the prosthetic for the roof of Steve's mouth. He thought that was a good idea. Both doctors suggested we speak with a certain speech therapist and see another doctor who will be more knowledgeable with the prosthetic and helps with the implants. I will work on setting those appointments. 

We will return in August to see Dr. Roser. He feels like he can begin the implants in August or September. That will be a longer process than I realized. They will put screws in Steve's bones inside his mouth. Then those will need to heal for 4 - 6 months. After that they can put the teeth in. So, it looks like this is going to take much longer than we anticipated. 

In the meantime, Steve continues to have the most pain from his leg. It is a constant source of swelling and throbbing. His jaw tingles, but the pain is minimal. Everyone says Steve looks great! He does. He has good color from working outside. On the outside you really would not know anything is wrong with the exception of his limp. He teases me for telling all the details of what he is going through, but I want to make sure everyone knows what he is struggling with each and every day. He is a strong man, but he continues to need your prayers for healing and strength. He still has a long road ahead. 

Many people want to know his prognosis. No one seems to have a magic answer to that question. We can only pray that the cancer will not return. I discovered this week that I have misunderstood some major details regarding the prognosis. I got it in my mind that the jaw cancer was causing the tongue cancer and since the removed it the cancer might be gone. However, I was wrong. According to the doctors, the tongue cancer caused the jaw bone cancer. They are two different types of cancer. The tongue cancer can come back. Only time will tell. Right now I am focusing on Steve's healing and on the hope that the chemo will hold off any new cancer cells. At least for now. My dentist of over 30 years meant well when he told me "you know the prognosis is not good for Steve's kind of cancer". Sometimes we do need to hear the reality, but we have to remember to hold on to our faith and hope, knowing God has the master plan and will be with us each step of the way! 

Wednesday, June 3rd

Good morning. Just wanted to give you a quick update for today. We are all settling in to our summer mode of relaxation and spending more time together. So far, we have not gotten on each other's nerves too much and the girls have only complained slightly of being bored - ha! We have lots of little projects to do around the house, if we get in the mood to complete them : )

We went to our dentist's office on Monday. He was very interested to see the results of Steve's surgery. They discussed things he might want to talk to Dr. Grist and Dr. Roser about regarding tongue movement and teeth implants. The dentist, Dr. Rose, was able to help Steve with one thing. You see, when they did Steve's surgery in January, they used the leg tissue in his mouth to replace the tissue they removed with his jaw. So, guess what? The leg tissue is growing hair in his mouth! The hairs have gotten so long that they tickle and irritate Steve's throat. So, Dr. Rose trimmed the hairs. Afterwards, he told Steve that in his 40 years of dentistry he had never done that before. Nothing like going to the dentist and ending up getting a "haircut" : )  (Steve says it really has made a difference!)

On Thursday we have a check-up appointment with Dr. Grist (Steve's oncologist). Then on Friday we will see Dr. Roser (the oral surgeon). I will let you know how it all goes.  

Have a great day! 

School's Out for Summer...

Hey isn't that a song? One of my favorites actually : ) We are all beginning to get in our summer mode. We are looking forward to relaxing and enjoying time together. 

Steve has had a pretty good week. He still struggles sometimes, mentally, with not being able to eat. He is very positive, but even the best of us get down in the dumps. We have 2 doctors appointments at the end of next week. We will see both the oncologist and the oral surgeon. We are also going to our dentist. Steve wants to talk to him about the possibility of getting some kind of prosthetic that would lower the roof of his mouth so his tongue can touch it and get some leverage. Good idea! We'll see what he says. I'll keep you posted later.

We have a special prayer request. One of my girl scouts and very close friend of Alli's is having surgery next week for a rare heart problem she has had since birth. She and her family will travel to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for this surgery. Please pray that all will go well for Emily and her family. Pray for the doctors and nurses, for her parents and sisters strength and for her courage and healing.  She will be in the hospital for 7 - 10 days and then will stay with relatives until she is able to fly back home. 

Many of you have asked if I will keep the blog up to date over the summer. The answer is yes! My goal is to write twice a week to let you know what is happening. I might not have much to say, but I will keep you up to date. Many mornings God puts things on my heart to share with you. I thank you for indulging me by reading my thoughts. I continue to keep you in my prayers and ask that you continue to pray for us too. This month will be a challenging one financially with all the summer activities for the girls and a possible vacation for us. My prayer is that Steve will find success in his roofing business. May God bless your summer with relaxation and time for friends and family.

Message from Lisa

I don't know how many of have the privilege of truly knowing Steve. If you do, you are one of the lucky ones. He is an amazing man. I for one feel that my life has been blessed and touched by his love, kindness, generosity, and of course his humor. I was in Steve's tool room/ office early this week and saw an old plaque he has posted in there. On it is STEVE: "Crowned One", "The LORD is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. Psalm 118:14". This pretty much describes Steve perfectly. He is so full of faith and trust. 

Did you realize that Steve has not been able to eat or drink anything since the day before his surgery (on Jan 30th)? He is still getting his nutrition through his feeding tube. Did you know that he has very little tongue left? ...cannot lick his lips? Cannot pucker up to kiss? Cannot wet his finger to separate papers? Did you realize that he cannot take Holy Communion? Did you know he has a huge scar on the side of his leg (someone asked him if he was in a motorcycle accident!)? Did you know that Steve drools constantly and has a really hard time talking clearly. He deals with so many things every day, and yet he still keeps his faith and hope. 

Although he gets down and out sometimes, like we all do, he still gets up each morning and faces the day with a positive attitude. Do you do that everyday? I know I don't. I work hard to keep upbeat. My smile helps me a lot. Steve is such an wonderful inspiration, although he would say differently. 

I don't know what you are struggling with in your life right now, but I do know that God is right there with you. Are you feeling like Job? We all have those times. As we struggle with the day to day stuff, worrying about lack of money, time, energy, health, and life in general, please remember that the one who created you is always there for you. Just reach out to Him and find some quiet time to spend with Him. Praise Him for everything in your life, the big and the small, the good and the bad. (You might want to read Psalm 103:1-5.) And say a special prayer for Steve today. Maybe send him an email to let him know how much you love him or how you are proud of him, or how you are praying for him. We all need to hear those good words - right?

(stevebowman@bellsouth.net) 

Sunday, May 18th

Steve had a pretty good week. He was fairly active in the yard. He dug holes and started planting his roses (remember all those roses I moved to the back yard - 87 of them I believe). The physical work helps him feel alive. However, his leg has been swelling up a lot lately. He has to put his leg up as much as possible and by morning it is usually back to "normal". His leg has been throbbing a lot too. The pain is a nuisance to him. He gets frustrated by it more than anything else. 

Steve thinks he is fighting something off these last few days. He has had some chills and been a bit more tired. We stayed busy with band and chorus concerts, so it could be he was around some germs. 

This week is the last week of school for the girls. They are excited, but weary from all the upcoming tests and activities. We are all looking forward to less structure and stress in our days. 

Have a great week!  

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope that each of you is enjoying this Mother's Day weekend. I know at my house we had a fabulous spa day with facial masks, foot baths, paraffin wax and make overs! Have you ever realized how messy oatmeal and honey really are? And those cucumber slices really do NOT stay in place - ha! 

Steve has had a busy day today. He was at church from 8:30am to 12:30pm. He spoke at both services to give our thanks to everyone for their love, prayers and support. He played the bass guitar at the second service!  He was very good, and looked so at ease and at home up there on the "stage". What a wonderful Mother's Day gift - Steve, Becca, and my dad all performing in the praise band!

This afternoon, Steve was able to speak with his mother. Many of you know that she is in a nursing home in Virginia. She has dementia and has a hard time putting complete thoughts together. It meant the world to Steve that he could talk to her, and that she could understand him. She sounded as if she were crying. I wonder if she realizes how long it has been since she has heard his voice, and what a blessing it is that he is able to speak after all he has been through.

Steve stayed fairly busy this week. He worked in the garden and in the yard. He worked in the house. He got this downstairs tool room/office  straightened up. The back porch is looking much less cluttered now. Despite a couple of setbacks this week, Steve is determined to keep his roofing company going. I am just praying that God will guide him and give him a way to support his family while he continues to heal. He needs (as we all do) to feel productive and have worth in this world. He needs to know that he is useful and needed and that his life has a purpose. I need him to get better and be around for a loooong time. I know God has a plan, if only we can be patient and keep to his path. 

I continue to struggle with the insurance red tape. I am continually amazed how God continues to provide for us through the generosity of all of you. God bless you for that. We are all looking forward to the end of this school year. I am hoping that with more time, I can find a good speech therapist for Steve so that he can work on his swallowing issues. 

There are so many people on our hearts right now. Our prayers are filled with the needs of so many. I ask that you add a few of these to your prayer list. I know that all of you prayer warriors have helped us through all of this and can help them too. Please pray for Kelly Tadeo and  her family (her cancer has returned after a year of remission), for Brad Reed and his family (he is undergoing chemotherapy for a brain tumor), and for my sweet Girl Scout, Emily Mikkelson and her family (Emily will have major heart surgery on June 5th - her family is an important part of our lives and she is such a brave young girl!)

On this Mother's Day, I pray that you are well and are aware of how much you mean to us. May God give you special blessings this week. 

Celebrate!

Steve has been feeling better this week. And the good news is that he has gained 5 pounds! His color looks better and he has even ridden with his roofing partners to look at some roof jobs and talk to people! He has felt much more productive! Steve has been working hard to keep his spirits up and not let the doldrums get to him. It seems to be helping a lot.

Earlier this week Steve went fishing with his brother. He caught several fish and enjoyed himself. We attended Becca's end of the year chorus concert. It was the best one yet. We truly enjoyed ourselves. Steve was very tired and weak by the end, but was glad he was able to go. Those kids are so talented. Of course, Becca had a small solo and did a fantastic job. Her friends were all cheering for her which made her feel more at ease. She is such a natural on the stage!

Only 15 more school days! I think we can do this if we just take it one step at a time : ) Becca has lots of final exams and projects so she is pretty stressed. Alli is just counting down the days. I am just trying to keep my students calm and under control : ) Steve is working on keeping his days productive so they go by quickly too. We are all looking forward to the summer more than we ever have before, and that is saying a lot. I for one live for summer!!!

I am still fighting with the insurance company to get them to approve Steve's formula. We've been fortunate to have some cans left over from his September surgery (when I had a different insurance company). That has helped get us through so far. But we are on the last case of that, so I am praying that insurance will finally see the error of their ways. God's timing is not always ours! I prefer to have a cushion to fall back on. I know God will provide. I am learning another side of what God means in Matthew 6:25-34, when he tells us not to worry about our life. It is just hard not to be in control! 

Great weekend!

We enjoyed our weekend together! We were able to spend lots of time with each other. Steve had a rough morning both Saturday and Sunday due to the mucus that built up overnight. He had to work hard to clear it all out and ended up vomiting too. He was left weak and weary. Once he got his second wind, he kept himself busy with little jobs (sweeping the porch, helping with laundry, he even helped mow the grass and bow the drive on Sunday!).  for the first time in 16 years I mowed the grass! Have I ever told you the story about the time I surprised Steve by mowing the grass?

Steve was working long hard hours managing a local fast food place. One Friday afternoon, I decided I would surprise Steve and mow the lawn. That way he could come home and relax - not having to worry about the yard work. We could go out to dinner and spend some time together on Saturday! Needless to say, it did not go over well. (The way Steve tells it, he had looked forward all day to coming home and working outside in the yard to relieve the stress of the week!) 

Steve came home, came in the house, and said "what idiotic teenager did you pay to massacre my lawn????? " Being the newlywed wife that I was, tears came to my eyes and between sobs I told Steve that I mowed it to surprise him. He said and I quote, "Don't ever touch my lawn again!" - HA! Boy did that one come back to bite him you know where : ) So, with his supervision, I helped mow the lawn yesterday!

I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Steve doing the mundane things of life. By Sunday night, he was looking chipper and had some nice color in his cheeks. Today seems to have been a good day for him too. He even cooked some chicken for us for dinner! We all enjoy sitting together in the living room watching some NCIS or Bones reruns each night. Life is great isn't it? It's the small things that count. 

Some of you have mentioned that you like to have specific things to pray for. Well, here are a couple: please pray for Steve to gain weight, for his leg to hurt less, and ultimately for him to be able to swallow. Also, please pray for the insurance to approve my appeal to pay for Steve's formula.  Thank you so much! 

Enjoy this beautiful weather. God bless you all.

Friday, Apr 24

Once again, we have had a busy week. We have had 2 very strong storms. The one yesterday really took a toll on our vegetable garden. Hopefully it will all perk back up. 

Alli had her 12th birthday on Wednesday. I took her and 3 friends out for an Italian dinner tonight. They are all downstairs singing and watching movies right now. She seems to have enjoyed her birthday! 

This week was CRCT State testing for us. It makes for a long and stress filled week for everyone involved. Thank goodness it will be over on Monday. 

Steve has had a rather long week too. His cough has continued all week long. He went to the doctor today to see what can be done for his cough and his sleep-ness nights. He is now on 2 new medicines. One of them (who knows which one!) is already making him dizzy to the point of fainting again so we will see how it goes. When he got on the scale today, he had lost more weight!!! It is just so frustrating. I'm looking forward to summer so I can be here to make sure he is getting enough calories during the day. The nighttime feedings won't help if he isn't getting enough during the day! 

Steve is feeling very down and out. He is at the stage of apologizing for being a burden to us all. He is very frustrated because he has not seen any marked improvement in quite a while. I am working on finding a speech pathologist who specializes in swallowing therapy. I am hopeful that this will be helpful to Steve. I figure this whole process is much like grieving. Steve will go through an entire gamut of thoughts, feelings and emotions. All we can do is love and support him along the way - and pray without ceasing of course. 

I have struggled with a couple of things the past few weeks. I am still working with the insurance company to try to get them to pay for Steve's formula. It is such a red tape process! Speaking of which, I finally finished and sent in a Social Security Disability form for Steve. Boy, was it long and tedious. Unfortunately, he really could not help me. His throat has been hurting so much that he hasn't been able to talk much, and his thoughts are not really focused either. Now, we wait. I sent in an application to get help paying the insurance deductibles, but have not heard anything yet. 

And lastly, I have been fretting about the need to teach summer school to make some extra money this summer. After praying about it  I really feel that this is something I cannot do. I need to spend my summer taking care of Steve. If any of you know of any work I can do over the summer from the house, please let me know. I am actually pretty computer savvy and can type well too. It's not that I don't want to work, I just feel the need to be home with Steve to oversee his food and medicine. 

Do you ever find it hard to not worry about the future? I am constantly thinking and planning ahead. Many times I forget to stop and smell the roses despite the message of God's word : ) Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Thank you for all your support!

Weekend

Well, we made it to the weekend!  Steve is doing a little better. On Thursday I left for work anticipating taking Steve to the emergency room that evening. But when I got home, he had been able to keep water down all day so we were able to start on food. We used the pump all night and were able to get 1000 calories in him. Steve still has a cold and is coughing and feeling weak, but at least we can get the calories in again.

Today we got out in the garden for a little bit and planted some veggies. What a beautiful day! We couldn't have asked for anything better. Afterwards, Steve took a nice long nap to re-coop. Now we are enjoying a nice evening watching some t.v. shows. One of them is a favorite of ours - a british sitcom called "Keeping Up Appearances". It is a hilarious show about a precocious woman that reminds us so much of someone we know! It was nice to sit and laugh together. 

Enjoy the beautiful weather and count all your blessings. God is so good!!

Mid-Week Update

Steve is not having a good week. He has caught a cold of some sort. He is coughing and has a raw sore throat. The pump arrived on Monday and we started feeding him at night, but now he is vomiting again. So, we are back to square one. We will let his stomach rest tonight and start over again tomorrow. We appreciate your prayers for his healing!

Happy Easter!!

Sorry for the delay in my posts. We were enjoying Spring Break so much! I stayed busy painting from sunrise to sunset for 7 days in a row. I'm afraid I was so tired that I did not find the energy to keep this updated : )

Steve had an up and down week. He was able to take Becca to the gym and get to a nursery to buy some blueberry plants. He did some planting too. We spent time watching movies, took Becca driving (or should I say went with Becca while she drove), and thanks to Bob, their pigeons won big in this weeks race! On the other hand, Steve was tired and weak and even had chills. Yesterday Steve was sick to his stomach and it is still upset today. His weight remains down. Each time the scale goes up a few pounds, it goes right back down. Partly because he is trying to be more active and is therefore using more calories than we can get in him. 

Steve and I went to see our general practitioner on Thursday. He suggested that we get a pump and give Steve continuous feeding all night in order to get more calories in. Our goal is 2500 calories. Hopefully we will get the pump on Monday so we can start that soon. I am praying that the insurance company will pay for the "formula" we need to use because it is quite expensive. We just have to get his weight up at least 20 pounds! He is soooo thin and weak. The good news is that his pain is pretty much contained to his leg now and we are weaning off the heavy pain meds soon! 

We had such an awesome Easter Sunday! Busy, filled with lots of friends, family, fellowship and worship. Christ has risen indeed! I just loved seeing the church so full of life and the Holy Spirit today. I know Steve enjoyed himself, and he is very tired. He even spoke to Alli's confirmation class about prayer this morning. (She said he did such a good job that she was close to tears!) I expect he will sleep most of tomorrow to make up for the excitement today. In the meantime, the girls and I will head back to school - ugh! Only 6 more weeks (that's 30 school days - not that I'm counting - ha!).

Please pray for Steve to gain weight and strength this week.  Pray that our insurance company will come through for us. I plan on focusing on the songs we sang at church today to carry my "Easter high" with me all week long. God bless you all. 

Visit to the Gym!

Many of you know that Steve and I meet at a gym. He was the manager and I was a customer. While we were dating, we spent many hours working out together with the weights and the stairclimbers. Boy, we were in the best shape of our lives... then we got married and comfortable and life happened. In December before he found out he would be taking chemo, Steve joined a gym down the street. Although I'm not sure I would call it a gym. It is more like a mall! It has an indoor and outdoor pool (with slides for the kids), a rock climbing wall, a cafe, a store, etc.  He did not have the opportunity to use the gym because of the chemotherapy.  

Since Steve has lost so much weight, he decided he wants to get "buff" while he is thin! So, he activated his membership again and went for his first trip on Friday morning. In his text message to me he stated "It was harder than I'd hoped". I can imagine that in his mind he would be able to do a lot more than he was able to. He tried the treadmill and the bicycle but they caused his leg and ankle to hurt too much. So, he used some light weights on his upper body instead. He will have to take it slow and work up to the things he wants to do. He would like for us all to join him this summer. We'll see how the cards play out with that. 

Today, Steve's leg is VERY sore all the way up into his thigh. Ahhh, the dangers of exercise - HA! Of course, that did not stop him. He went with a neighbor and rented a tiller to finish the garden and a few other beds in the yard (for the roses of course). Thank goodness Tom took over the tilling part. I tried that last week and thought my insides were going to come it from the earthquake it caused in my body! (Obviously I need to spend some time at the gym!)

And so, Spring Break begins. I have plans to paint all week. Steve is already talking about all the places we can go and the things we can do! Go to the guitar store, work in the garden, go for a drive in the country... I guess this might turn out to be a busy week  - but at least it is time I can spend with him. 

On a side note, we learned something new this morning. Steve left early to get the tiller and did not take any meds or food beforehand. He came in when they got back and asked me to help him get some food in his stomach. I guess we tried to put in too much too fast because it all came right back up. He says "Hey! Now you can tell everyone you make me throw up!" Is that supposed to be a compliment???? Somehow I don't think so. His odd sense of humor at work again : ) 

Doing Well

Steve is doing well this week. He was able to get out of the house and meet some friends for coffee. He walks out to the garden each day and piddles. He also spends time with his pigeons. At night, he is anxious to get out of the house, so I try to take him somewhere - even if it is just to the drug store to pick up a prescription. He says he feels very restless. With Spring Break next week, we will be able to spend more time with him, so hopefully that will help him feel less frustrated. We have joked about going out for drinks. Steve says, I wonder how much a scene it would cause for me to have a beer through my peg tube - HA! Since we've been to the bookstore, Home Depot 4 times (ugh!), the drug store, Wal-Mart, Target, Blockbuster and the grocery store, we are running out of "exciting" places to go : ). We watch a lot of movies together and have spent some time in the garden. I know he wants to do something productive. He is hoping to start going to the gym this week and work on his strength. That should help too. He's lost weight and now wants to get "buff". How in the world will the rest of us measure up after that??? No pressure!

Take care!

Drs. Visit

Steve had a good week overall. He has been able to keep all his medicine and food down. In fact, he is up 9 pounds on the scale since last week's visit to the hospital! He is getting little bits of his energy back here and there. His leg still hurts a whole lot - in fact it is the main source of his pain. He uses a cane to get around so that he is more stable. He looks quite dapper, if I do say so myself.

Steve went to see the oral surgeon on Friday. He got a good report. In fact, Dr. Roser said that Steve's healing in his mouth is about a month ahead of what he expected it to be based on the fact he has had radiation in that area. That was good news! He told Steve that when they put teeth in (probably in about 4 - 5 months) he can try to place them so that they will "shore up" his tongue so he can speak better and this could possibly help him swallow. This is the carrot of hope that Steve needs right now.  He has been very discouraged about not being able to swallow.  Despite the pain from his leg, the doctor said it is healing very nicely and the pain is to be expected. (I don't think it helped that Steve got ambitious and stubborn one day and started tilling the garden with a gas powered tiller - HA!) 

Steve and I were able to spend some time together on Friday night and Saturday going to a few stores to get my errands run. It was nice for me to slow down and not rush through grabbing what I needed and hurrying home. We took our time, even walking along and window shopping at a few of the stores in between! We had a nice visit to Home Depot to get paint so we can start painting the living room over Spring Break. It's the day to day moments that you make special that really count!

I am always amazed how God works with Steve and I. All our married lives we have taken turns encouraging one another. When one of us is down and out, the other one has just the right words to help. When I was out of sorts the other day, Steve reminded me not to give up my faith. He said, "It's easy to have faith when things are going well. It's when times get tough that your faith is tested and you get closer to God." That is so true, isn't it? My devotion this morning was from John 16:33. "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." So, keep your chin up and remember that God always uses the tough parts of life for good! 

Mondays update

We had a pretty good weekend. At least Steve is keeping food down now. He is still very weak because his body is recovering from a week without food. He is sleepy from getting used to his medicines again (since he was unable to keep those down last week either). His weight is down even more (I think he has lost about 45 pounds!) We were able to spend a little time outside both days. We moved all of Steve's roses out of the garden and into the back yard so he can keep them watered and plan his rose garden. 

Steve is frustrated that he is not feeling better. It is hard to take a step backwards when you are working so hard to recover from surgery. Reality is sinking in for him. He needs your prayers and encouragement. He is concerned about not eating again and about being able to get back to work to pay bills. Please continue to keep him in your prayers and drop him an email or note if you can. He loves to have visitors too. He is feeling pretty useless and lonely right now. I know it is all part of the healing process, but that doesn't make it any easier.

I am confident that his positive attitude and faith filled spirit will return when he feels better. He just needs some extra TLC right now : )  Have a blessed day!

Home Again

After spending the day in the ER at Emory, we are back home this evening. Steve was given 2 liters of fluids and some zofran (stomach medicine). He feels MUCH better this evening. It is amazing what liquids will do for your body! We came home with more nausea medicine to continue with. Steve has kept down some water and beef broth so far : )

Thanks for your prayers - they have helped us through today.

ER again

Just a quick note to let you know we are leaving to go to the emergency room at Emory. The doctor wants Steve to get some IV fluids. Not sure how long we will be there or if we will stay. Please pray for us.

Thanks!

Another bad stomach day...

It seems that there is a stomach bug going around. Alli came home from school in tears, complaining of a stomach ache. I guess that must be what Steve has too. My stomach has been upset, but I have so many stomach issues I never know if it is a bug or not. I suppose it is good news that Steve's stomach problems are caused by illness instead of medicine or food or whatever. 

It does not make it any better though. Yesterday, all I was able to get in him was water, broth and ginger ale. I tried to give him some Boost before bed, and he was not able to keep it down. Pepto-bismal helped soothe his stomach last night. Today he had ginger ale and water. He is feeling very weak, and rightfully so. Evidently the stomach bug lasts about 2 days. Hopefully Steve will feel better tomorrow so we can start getting him some food again. I'm worried about his weight and his energy level.

Upset Stomach Again

Well, Steve was doing pretty well until last night. We had a nice weekend, despite all the rain. Steve was able to go to the Band Festival and see Alli play with the 7th grade band Monday afternoon! (She was chosen along with about 6 other clarinets to play with the 7th graders because they did not have enough clarinet players - what an honor! They did a great job, earning all "Superiors", which is the best score you can get.)

Then before we went to bed, Steve was overcome with the nausea that had been bothering him since Sunday afternoon. It took so much out of him to get sick. He looked so weak and tired. I hate seeing him that way! He looks up at me and says, "Hey - at least I made it to the sink and didn't make a mess on the carpet!" with a big grin on his face. Can you believe his positive attitude and enthusiasm despite everything! He just never ceases to amaze me. He has been keeping us all laughing with his humor and his love. His one liners crack me up all the time.

Anyway, I am home from school today to help him get back on track. He thanked me for staying home with him - like it is a favor I am doing for him. When in truth, it is an honor and a privilege for me to be able to stay home and spend time with him. I find that I am homesick, missing him during the day while I am at work. Do you ever feel that way? I am such a homebody that I live for the times when we are all at home just hanging out together - watching TV, playing games, doing homework, or even going to the store together. While I was taking the girls to school this morning, Steve wanted to ride along - despite his raw stomach - just to be with us.

So, please pray that Steve's stomach will get better and that he will regain his strength, energy, and weight. He really is antsy and wants to be able to do something productive. What he really wants to do is get back to work and provide for his family : )  Always thinking of us! 

Treasure your family today. Tell them how much you love them and appreciate them. Tell them how proud you are of them. Give extra smiles, hugs, and cheers to people you meet. Together, we can make this day brighter for someone who needs it. Have a great day!

Saturday, Mar 14th

Time flies doesn't it? Hard to believe it's already the middle of March. And hard to believe I haven't gotten back to you since Tuesday! Everyday people I see ask how Steve is doing. It's hard to know what to say. I don't want to short change everything he is going through by saying he's doing fine, but I don't want to sound negative or take too long giving details either. 

Steve has had a pretty good week. He has been getting a little of his strength back - slowly. He has spent some time outside working with his roses. He counted about 75 of them! He repotted each one of them all by himself. He kept saying "I can't believe I repotted them all - all by myself!" He was so funny - so proud of himself.  Steve asked me to let you all know that he would love visitors - especially those that want to help him with his garden : ) He wants to rehab himself by having the best vegetable garden around and by finishing his pond! 

Steve took Becca out driving this morning in his truck. Evidently she did fairly well for her first time driving. This is a special honor for him to be able to teach her and have this experience. He considers it part of his privilege as a father! I am just thankful that I do not have to shoulder this task because I am not good with the whole loss of control thing! Becca is thrilled that Steve trusts her so much and believes in her abilities!

A lot of you have mentioned that you would like to chat with Steve on facebook. I've been trying to get Steve to let Becca or I set up a facebook account for him. He keeps putting us off. In fact, he told me tonight that he would rather do nothing and go to bed early than to set one up - HA! He says please feel free to email him at stevebowman@bellsouth.net. 

We are looking forward to getting back to church tomorrow. It's nice to have some sense of normalcy return to life. 

Steve has not been able to swallow anything yet. He has tried jello, baby food, coffee, and milkshakes. He just cannot move his tongue at all and therefore cannot get anything to the back of his mouth in order to swallow it. So, eating family dinners or going out to eat is not an option yet. We are hopeful that one day this will be part of our lives again. For now, we are thankful what we have! Praise God for his many blessings. 

New Update

Steve had a rough day on Monday. I guess he did too much on Sunday. He couldn't seem to keep himself awake and therefore he did not get the food and water he needed.  I guess I spoiled him over the weekend by doing too much for him : ) He mentioned that his throat feels sore. So, last night we tried to get all caught up on his liquids. He seemed to perk up a little last night. He was weak and a little shaky though. When he got up to open the locked door for Alli, his head started spinning and he fell on the floor and kind of fainted. I think that must be from a lack of nutrition. (I will call the doctor today if I can.) Since he was not having a good day, Steve decided not to try swallowing anything yet. 

This morning when I checked in with him, Steve said he was doing better. His voice is hoarse and harder to understand. I guess that is from his sore throat. Please pray that he is not getting sick and that his dizziness will go away! Thanks so much!

What a Beautiful Day!

Wow! We have had such a beautiful day here in Georgia. Sunny and 74 degrees. We had such a nice afternoon sitting on the porch visiting with friends. We did not want the day to end! 

Steve went to church this morning! He was so excited to see everyone at church. His face lit up with every new face he saw. He sat most of the time and was very tired, but he really enjoyed being at church again. He was even singing a little : ) 

Steve had a good week overall. We have been trying new foods by blending them and putting them through his tube. While it is a challenge to keep enough pureed and balance all the nutrition, it seems to be working. He has not thrown up at all this week!!! 

Swallowing has not been successful so far. Steve has tried to swallow some water, tea, broth, and coke but he just has no control over the liquid. He has no tongue movement at all right now. Not sure if that will change or not. I know Steve is worried about not being able to swallow again. He has no feeling in his lips and surrounding area. Since his saliva is not swallowed, he tends to drool. This really bothers him, but we are hoping this is temporary. 

On Friday we were on our way to the church to drop Becca off for a retreat when Steve suddenly realized the doctor took his teeth out on the bottom right back side of his mouth. He was pretty surprised and upset. He thought he was only missing the bottom front teeth. I think he has gotten used to the idea now. 

While Steve is very weak, he has been stir crazy too. So, he has made some small trips to the store with me. You would have enjoyed seeing him terrorizing people in the aisles at Walmart while driving the motorized wheelchair! He was outside yesterday and today repotting some plants. He even played with the neighbor kids next door for a little bit. 

We continue to be blessed by your prayers, cards, visits, meals and gifts. As I am constantly reminded, God is good...all the time. May you be blessed and receive this week! 

P.S. Sorry for such a long post. I had more to say than I thought : ) 

Doctor's Visit Results

We had our appointment on Monday with Steve's oncologist, Dr. Grist. Overall, it was a good report that we received. They removed all of Steve's stitches and staples. He does not have to have the bandage on his leg anymore. Dr. Grist told him to start using his leg more by walking around. Steve is able to put his weight on it now without pain, so he is not using the crutches in the house. Dr. Grist cleaned out the stitches and other surgery "leftovers" from Steve's mouth. (Last night Steve said his mouth felt so much better!)  He told Steve to start brushing his teeth and keeping his mouth clean. Steve was given permission to try to swallow when he is ready. The doctor said he really doesn't know if Steve will be able to swallow at all. He also mentioned that he might only be able to swallow liquids. 

I saw the twinkle in Steve's eyes. I know that now he feels he has permission to start pushing himself more. He seemed pleased and upbeat again. Dr. Grist told us that we should not think about this cancer as having reoccurred from September to December. Instead, he feels that it was the same cancer and that the surgery in September just was not complete enough (they had not discovered the cancer in the jaw at that point). That gives us some piece of mind. We are praying that the jaw bone had the cancer all this time and was feeding it to the mouth. This way, the source is gone. Dr. Grist feels that this could be the case. 

God answers prayers each and every day - little and big. Steve was up and about more today. He was a little bit talkative. He talked about business, our plans for the week and the weekend! While we still have a long way to go with the healing, feeding issues, teeth implants, pain control, etc, it sure is nice to have one good step of progress. Steve has lost about 35 pounds through all of this. Today he told me he has gained back 2 pounds in the past couple of days! Small steps forward. Thank you Lord! 

Monday, Mar 2

Let me apologize upfront if this sounds disjointed at all. I am trying to catch up so I am multi-tasking! 

After having a god day on Wednesday, Steve had a rough day on Thursday. He got sick to his stomach, fell asleep, and slept through the whole day without any water, food or medicine. After talking with the nurse, we decided to make some changes in his food on Friday. I gave him a different "formula" because Steve feels he is allergic to the stuff we have been using. He has not had trouble with it in the past, but you never know. So, we tried just regular ensure type stuff all weekend. We have also used soy protein powder, vegetable supplement, gatorade for the electrolytes. On Sunday I fed him some baby food carrots and we blended mandarin oranges in the Vita Mix we borrowed from Steve's brother. I am working on reading about diets for cancer patients and will work on giving Steve what he needs. 

On Friday evening, I spoke with the pain specialist about Steve  being groggy. We backed off on some of the pain medicine. Steve was more alert and aware of things yesterday. We watched a cute movie and enjoyed our Sunday afternoon while watching the snow outside.

This whole thing is such a learning process. It amazes me and confuses me everyday! I am reminded of my first few years of teaching - all the trial and error, but never giving up! 

We have a doctor's appointment today, so we look forward to seeing what Dr. Grist thinks about Steve's progress. I'll let you know what we find out. Have a great day.  

Wednesday's update

Steve has done well so far this week. He had a bit of trouble Monday morning with his stomach, but has been better since then. Today was his first day totally on his own : ) He texted me today and said that he was ok and everything was on good and right on track! It's funny how good that made me feel. He was able to handle his medicine and his feedings all by himself. His progress really is coming along nicely. He even went outside to enjoy watching his pigeons flying around today. He is tired now and is sleeping a lot but I think he enjoyed himself today.

Steve looks a little different than he did before surgery. I know that he is still healing and that a year from now he will look different still. But for now, I can't help but think how adorable he is. He is so sweet and loving, always worried about everyone else instead of himself.  

Steve is quite agile despite his leg. He is getting up and down the stairs very well. He wanders around the house trying to figure out what to do with himself. His attention span is not very long because of all the medicine he is on, but he is bored. He would love to have visitors, so stop by if you like. He is also using his computer a little bit more if you'd like to email him (stevebowman@bellsouth.net).

Lent starts tomorrow. Have you decided what you will add or take away to remind yourself of the sacrifice Christ made for us on the cross? Will you pray more, do charitable deeds, give up sugar, soda, or coffee? Whatever you decide, do it with grace, humility and love. Have a great evening!

Good day!

We had a good day. Today was all about Rebecca. She had a fabulous birthday. The youth group at church came over to do some mission work in the yard. They celebrated Becca's birthday with her! She was the star of the day. Just what she needed. 

Meanwhile, Steve did very well today. His pain was a bit hard to control. His jaw is pretty painful, but I think we got it under control. His migraine is gone, so that is good. He was on the couch all day. He took a bath and felt really good this evening. His leg is sore - throbbing a lot, but he is able to walk around without his crutches. We have been able to keep his food down and has not had the chills at all. Praise god for answering our prayers! I know it will still take time for him to heal, but he just looks so much better now that the infection is under control, it is hard to hold my excitement in check. 

Thank you so much to our church and all the girl scouts who have been providing for so many of our needs. I cannot begin to express our feelings of gratitude to you all. We are honored and humbled by your loving kindness! God bless you all.

Steve is home again

I brought Steve home today about noon. He is doing so much better! We will work on getting a routine and schedule down for his food and medicines. He will be resting too. He is determined not to get down and out again. He told me today that if he lays down he stays down and he is not going to let himself do that again. Yes, he is getting back to his old self now. It was so nice to have a real conversation with him today. I've missed him. 

Take care and thanks for all your prayers!

Doing better

Steve is doing much better today! It is amazing what a difference 24 hours makes. He looks and acts the best I've seen him since his surgery. He was sitting up a good part of the day. He was walking around the room more on his own. His trache hole is closed up so we do not have keep the gauze bandage on it anymore. All of his surgery spots are healing nicely. We were able to feed him full cans today with no problems. His left shoulder is sore, so we are wondering if he slept on it funny or something. 

The doctors think Steve's infection is from the IV site that gave him trouble on his right arm. He seems to be responding well to the antibiotics. I knew he was back to his old self today because he was bugging the nurse about pain medicine, not giving him enough of course : ) He might get to come home tomorrow.

We had a visit from one of the chaplains. Steve perked up right away and had a long, interesting conversation with him. It was hard to tell who was "preaching" to whom - ha! It turns out that the chaplain was just diagnosed in November with bone cancer and is undergoing radiation. He and Steve were able to relate so well to one another. I think it was a blessing for both of them.

We praise God for our many blessings!  He answers prayers so faithfully. Have a good evening.

In a room

Steve was admitted to the hospital this morning. We got to a room at about 5 am. He is doing better now that he has fluids in him. They put a new end piece on his feeding tube so we will not have any more problems with leakage. He has a migraine and is noticing his pain again so they are working on that. The main concern is his chills that cause him to shake so badly. They think there is an infection causing this so they are still running tests to see if they can find anything. In the meantime they are giving him a stronger antibiotic that should work on the infection no matter what type it is or where it is. So now we wait for the results. At least he is more like himself and I know he is being taken good care of. 

Hopefully Steve will come home sometime this weekend. Sunday is Becca's 15th birthday and he told her his goal was to get home to celebrate with her: ) 

Emergency Room

Sorry for the delay in my posts. I have been so busy I just have not had the time or energy to blog. Steve has been doing a whole lot of sleeping. I had gotten him settled in his feeding pattern over the weekend. He saw a nurse and physical therapist on Monday. That seemed to go pretty well. I could not get him to feed himself though. He did okay Monday night. He was very tired from all the activity on Monday. So on Tuesday I let him stay in bed and sleep. Monday night his feeding tube came open and the contents spilled out. We got everything cleaned up and started over with liquids, food and meds. The same thing happened again on Tuesday night. 

Today I worked hard on getting water and food in him. Evidently it was too little too late. After talking to the visiting nurse and the doctors office, we got Steve in the car (which was a very hard thing to do), and I drove him to Emory to the ER. I realized in the car on the way over here that I should have brought him yesterday. It is so hard to know. Hind sight is 20/20. Steve is very emotional and irrational. He is hooked up to an IV and is calming down a bit. He keeps crying over his dad. He has these vivid memories about his dad being here before he passed away. 

We are waiting for the doctor to come see us and I imagine that we will be admitted tonight. The girls are quite upset over this whole experience. Please keep them in your prayers tonight and tomorrow. I know that we will be fine. This is just another part of our journey to healing. 

The other day I found myself writing some verses down and putting them in my purse for later. I had no clue why I did that until now.  I pulled it out tonight and found Philippians 4:6 - 7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." I am the world's worst about memorizing verses. I guess I just I need to keep writing them down and keeping them in my purse: ) 

More later...

Weekend update

What a beautiful day it is outside! It is so nice to have the warmth of the sun shining in. Well, we have had a pretty good weekend. Saturday morning started off rough - Steve ended up vomiting the can of food I gave him. He was so weak after that (from exhaustion and not enough nutrition) that he slept all day on Saturday. I decided to try giving him the nausea medicines the doctor had prescribed for him to use during chemotherapy. I fed him a little bit of his food each half hour all afternoon and evening. By 11:00 pm I had managed to feed him 4 cans and he kept them down! That was progress! He asked me to cut his pain medication doses in half also. 

This morning he was more coherent when he woke up. He is still very weak and shaky on his feet. He has lots of chills, but no fever. I'm sure his body is working so hard on healing that it is taking all his energy and using all his white blood cells. Steve's leg is healing nicely and is not a big source of pain anymore. The swelling in his face has gone down a lot since he's been home. I keep telling him what wonderful progress he is making. I know it is hard for him to realize it because it is all so daunting and the path of recovery is so long this time. 

I will be returning to work tomorrow. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we are at the next step on this road - Steve doing a little more for himself. We are so fortunate to have friends and family who can help by stopping in to keep Steve company and remind him when to take his medicine and food. He can do it all himself, but when he falls asleep, he loses track of time and needs a gentle wake-up call! Have a great week. 

"Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." Ephesians 6:10 (NIV)

And enter the nurse (me?!?)

It's been a busy couple of days. Steve has been doing a whole lot of sleeping. I am working to keep up with his medicines, feedings, dressing changes, nurses, supplies... need I go on - ha! My main concern right now is his nausea. I am supposed to be feeding him 5 cans a day but his stomach isn't cooperating. We are slowing down on the food so that he doesn't get sick anymore (it's very painful and weakening when he vomits!), but I worry about keeping his strength up. 

Also, he acts very groggy and "drugged up". I hate to see him that way. I miss his personality. We had a visiting nurse today and she thinks that he just needs to catch up on all his sleep. The doctor told me to lower his pain medicine now so that should help. Steve has not needed as much since we got home, so that is a good thing! I know that I am expecting too much from Steve because he has always bounced back so quickly in the past. His mantra is "if you lay down you stay down". But, this one is going to take longer. He is not pushing himself like he usually does, so that has me a little concerned. Time is the healer - I just need to be patient. 

I'm becoming quite the nurse if I do say so myself! I think I'll add that to my resume - although Steve would beg to differ I'm sure!! 

Steve is home!!

Steve came home yesterday afternoon! I was able to get him settled, get all the medicines (with help from my dad!) and get him started on a routine. He seems to have slept fairly well. The pain medicine they have him on has him talking in his sleep and waving his hands in the air as he talks : ) It is actually quite entertaining - ha! It is so good to have him home again. We all feel so much better now. 

As Steve said in the car, this is the beginning of our next step in this journey and we should focus our prayers on the healing and adapting now. His speech can be understood if you really concentrate and he slows down and enunciates. The girls are having trouble understanding him still, but in time they will be able to follow what he is saying. When he is asleep, I can't understand anything because it is slurred. (And I was hoping to hear some good secrets too!) 

Steve cannot swallow yet of course, but he believes that will come in time. He is getting around the house fairly well on his crutches. His leg is healing and while it is still painful, it is not as painful as it was. His trache hole will slowly close up. Steve has a red spot on the inside of his right arm from an IV site. It has gotten infected so they gave him some antibiotic. I wonder if this was the cause of his fever? 

I woke up yesterday with a sore throat. I bought some of that zicam stuff while I was at the pharmacy. Hopefully this will keep an illness at bay. I cannot afford to get Steve sick, or to be sick myself for that matter. I am off of school until Monday so I can get him all settled. By then he will be able to do most of his feedings on his own. I can still handle the morning pills, and the dressing changes on his leg and neck. 

While I pray for Steve's recovery and for strength for us all, I continue to pray for blessings on all the nurses and doctors, as well as all of you who have been praying for us and supporting us in so many ways. 

Here is my email again just in case: lkb0282@bellsouth.net. Have a great day!

Only one more day...

Today when I went to see Steve, he was very sleepy and groggy. He said he hasn't been able to get any sleep : ) He had another fever this morning. They ran a few more tests but have not found anything. The nurse had Steve use the breathing machine to see if his lungs were okay. The funny thing is that he got the little blue thing all the way to the top! I don't think I can do that and I'm "healthy"!  

I realized on the way home how tired I am of driving to the hospital everyday. It's such along drive and I would rather spend my time with Steve instead of stuck in traffic. The gasoline and parking fees are really adding up too!  

I am so fortunate to have a wonderful administration at my school who understands that I need to leave to check on Steve everyday. I don't know what I would do without my parents! They are always here to do whatever I need. They have become taxi's for the girls, hostesses to the wonderful people preparing food for us, and shoulders to cry/complain on : ) We have so many friends who have been helping with rides for the girls too. We are trying to keep things as normal as possible. It's hard for me to be in 2 places at once - even though I really want to.

I think my quality of sleep has been pretty lacking because I am sleeping 7 or 8 hours each night, but I'm still tired. I had to laugh tonight, because I was talking to God and telling Him how tired I am and that I can't do this much longer. I left the hospital earlier tonight in order to go to an advisement meeting with Becca. While I was grabbing a quick bit to eat, Steve's doctor called and left a message saying, "When you come to see Steve tonight, you can take him home." UGH! What a sense of humor God must have!  So, long story short, I get to pick him up tomorrow morning. God is good...all the time! Only one more trip to the hospital for awhile. YES!

Another day

We thought Steve might be coming home today, but things did not work out that way. Maybe tomorrow. Today the doctors took out the drains in Steve's leg. He was able to walk around the entire 9th floor twice with the rehab person. But then Steve "lost his lunch", got a pretty high fever(103 degrees) and had a rapid heartbeat. They ran all kinds of tests to see if they could find what is causing this. 

They couldn't find anything wrong. The thought is that his body was reacting to the drains being pulled out. If all goes well tonight then they will let him come home tomorrow : ) He is so ready to get out of the hospital! 

Every day is a holds so much promise. We'll see what God has in store for us tomorrow: )

Steve really looked good today. He is obviously feeling better - seeing the light at the end of the hospital tunnel. He is getting pretty good at using his walker. We took a scroll around the nurses station today!  This afternoon, the nurse unhooked him from the IV. His feeding tube is not hooked up to a machine anymore either. This means he is free of that annoying pole that has to follow you everywhere. 

He was able to sit up in his bed and in his chair much longer today. It was so good to see him grinning and joking. 

Have a great evening! God bless.

Some bad...some good

Sorry for the delay in my posts. I ended up spending the night at the hospital with Steve unexpectedly and did not have my computer with me.  Steve had a hard day yesterday. He was left in a chair for an hour without his call button. He began having a hard time breathing and by the time a friend of ours got there, he was in a cold sweat. I think he had a panic attack. He was pretty nervous and upset when I got there. I know he feels more comfortable with me, so he kind of let out all of his frustration. I was just glad I could be there for him. 

We had a good night. He got some rest and was able to keep his ensure type food down. This morning Dr. Grist came in and they took out his trache! He said that Steve looks good. I got Steve to use his walker a little bit. They want him to be able to get around on it before he leaves the hospital. Of course, he is so ready to go. He offered to come home and get the dishes and laundry done for me! Then when my folks were leaving, he tried to hitch a ride with them :). 

The best part of the progress we saw today was that Steve is able to talk a little bit! It takes a lot out of him, and is hard to understand, but he is already working on it! You truly cannot keep a good man down. Steve was joking with the nurse today. He told her that he would let her put in the new IV if she paid him $5! She was great and joked right back.

Please pray that Steve will keep having good days and feeling better. His migraines are getting to him, but he is trying to stay positive. I'm praying we are over the hump and that things will continue to look up. Thanks for all your love and support.

No News Today

Steve had a fairly good day today. He did get nauseous and throw up some later this afternoon. He was weak and tired this evening. They have put his peg tube feedings on hold for a little while to let his stomach calm down. He still has some pain spikes now and then. Various parts are hurting as they are going through the healing process. Other than that, it was a quiet day. 

Well, enjoy your Friday. The weekend is almost here and the weather here is supposed to be nice and warmer too! Take care.

Wednesday's update

Today Steve progressed a little more. His catheter was removed as was the splint on his leg. He was sitting up in a chair for a few minutes this afternoon! Of course this tired him out immensely so he got back in bed quickly and fell asleep : ) Although he is getting a little nutrition now, he is still very weak and tired. His breathing gets pretty heavy when he moves around or has pain surges. 

Steve's leg looks really good. Originally they had the splint from his knee to the middle of his foot. Now that they unwrapped the bandages and replaced them with only what is needed, I realize how little of the lower leg was actually effected by the surgery. Medical science never ceases to amaze me. 

I look forward to seeing what good things tomorrow brings. Have a great evening and remember to count your blessings, hug your loved ones and make the most of each new day God gives you!!

We're in a room : )

Steve had a bit of a rough time last night for a couple of hours due to pain and discomfort. Thankfully, we had another dedicated nurse who got him over the hump and even helped him improve some. She was "johnny on the spot" with the pain medicine. She sat Steve up so his head was elevated. By morning, his swelling had gone down a noticeable amount, his color was better and he looked more comfortable. About 3pm this afternoon they moved Steve to a room. I was nervous about the transition because the ICU had really done such a good job. The ICU nurse took us up and explained everything to the floor nurses - even how much to raise Steve's head : ). The move took a lot out of him, but he is so glad to be in a room with windows. He feels he has made progress!

They started feeding Steve late this afternoon. This will help his energy and strength level. His stomach has felt nauseous today because it is so empty. Each day brings a little more progress. We are encouraged that the doctors keep saying everything looks great. They had to remove about a third of the tongue that he had left, but he was able to move it around a little today! He constantly amazes us all by his strong will to live and recover! 

In my devotional this morning, one of the verses from 2 Corinthians stood out to me. "Let light shine out of the darkness." I thought of this whole experience we have had, especially the last 16 months. Each and every time that we have darkness, God uses it to shine His light. I like to believe that he takes the bad and makes good out of it. I have faith he will do this for us once again. 

A little improvement today : )

Thanks to all our faithful prayer warriors out there, we had a better day today. Steve is now off of the ventilator! They should be moving us to a room either later tonight or tomorrow morning. Steve's nausea was not a problem today, and he seems more comfortable overall. His leg is not the focus of his pain now, which seems like progress. His jaw is what seems to be hurting him today. He is starting to move around a bit in the bed from restlessness. 

Even though he is terribly frustrated and is still in pain, his sense of caring for others and his humor shine through. Since this is a University hospital, we have interns visiting constantly. Steve's surgery is new to all of them. He continually asks me to volunteer for them to learn from him by examining his mouth. He is writing notes to everyone and gets frustrated when we can't read his writing or understand his hand signals. He actually told me that I "suck at charades"!! I told him he had detention for using that terrible word and being mean to me - ha (the teacher in me comes out all the time)!!! 

All in all, it has been a good day. The doctors are pleased with Steve's progress so far. Hopefully they will begin feeding him through his peg tube tomorrow. He keeps saying he's hungry, bless his heart. 

I am so thankful for all of you! Have a great evening. Rest in the Lord.

Sunday's update

Today has been a bit of a rough day for Steve. He was doing okay this morning, but then had a really tough time with nausea. This would cause a problem for anyone, but add the mouth and jaw surgery along with the trachea and it was pretty bad. After that a migraine started to come on strong. In the meantime, his leg is very painful. I've never had any broken bones myself, but the nurses tell me bone pain is the worst kind of pain. They are trying so hard to keep his pain level down, but he has so many different things causing him pain!

Another issue is the ventilator. They have tried twice to take him off of it, but the pain medicine is making his breathing so shallow, they are afraid to unhook it. If he stays on the ventilator for too long, then the risk of pneumonia soars higher and higher. Evidently, three days is about the most they like to have anyone on the machine. So we are kind of in a "catch 22". 

Steve is getting bed sores because he has not been able to move much due to his leg and all the machines he is still hooked up to. They will test him again in the morning to see if he can come off of the ventilator machine and hopefully he can move around a little bit more. In order to leave the ICU, Steve has to be breathing on his own. In order to breathe on his own, Steve has to tolerate the pain more than he wants to. (His nurse says his lungs are very strong and clear!)

Please pray that Steve will be able to handle the pain a little more while they work to get him off the ventilator machine. Also that his migraine will subside, his nausea will go away, and his breathing will regulate. Then, as the doctors and nurses say, we can begin getting his system on its way to a somewhat normal state.  God bless you!