Resting

Our sweet mom can now rest in the loving arms of our Heavenly Father. Her Funeral will be held in Vernal Utah on August 1 at the LDS Ward house located at 200 E 600 S. There will be a viewing at 11am followed by the service at 12pm. She will then be buried Tues. Aug 2nd in Fillmore UT.

Cherishing The Moments

We have decided we can't ask our mom to endure any more. Yesterday morning she removed her breathing tube. We were faced with the decision of whether or not to have it put back in. The doctors believe the trouble with her breathing is caused by cancer either in the spinal fluid or her brain. They explained that putting the tube back in would only prolong her life. We had some good talks with her. She is ready to return to Heavenly Father. She has fought so hard and we know she did it all for us. Right now she is on oxygen through her nose only. Everything else has been stopped. We are cherishing the moments we have left.

Heart Breaking

Today was the hardest day we have had so far. Mom has had a pneumonia in her lungs that just hasn't cleared up with the antibiotics. They are concerned that it my be a fungal infection. The plan was to do a scope of her lungs today determine what was going on. But last night Dad got a call to come to the hospital because she was having a hard time breathing. They moved her to the ICU department at the Huntsman Cancer Institute because of her breathing and she had very low blood pressure. From there things went down hill quickly. It got harder for her to breathe and CO2 was building up in her blood. They started her on a CPAP breathing machine. They then transferred her over to the ICU at the UofU. There the doctors decided she needed to have a breathing tube put in. She is now on a respirator. It was very traumatic for all of us because she was so afraid to have this done to her. She has endured so much. We just don't know how much more we can ask her go through. We're just heart broken.

It Did My Heart Good

Last Thursday I had a great visit with mom. She was able to sit up in the chair and visit with me for over an hour. It has seemed like such along time since she was able to that. It made my heart happy. I don't recall what we chatted about and I don't think it mattered, because today my spirits were lifted, that she was going to make it and win this battle. As compared to yesterday when I was mad and angry, wondering why she had to through so much. It is such an emotional roller coaster.

Her Sisters Christy and Julie also came for a visit that day. I was glad they got to see her doing better. When Julie arrived, mom was just getting ready to get into the shower, so we told her would we wait in the lobby and come back in a while, after she was finished. A little while later, from the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of my mom as she walked down the hall to greet us. I was so surprised, as the last few days I have only seen her laying in bed, looking so weak and defeated. She was so happy to see her sisters and I'm so glad she was feeling well enough to visit with them. It did everyone's heart well. I left the hospital that night wondering if this was the turn around we've been waiting for.

Some Bright Notes

Just wanted to give some good news for a change. I visited my mom for awhile tonight and she has improved quite a bit. The doctor is very happy and surprised with her blood values. Her kidneys are functioning well. She has no pain. And best of all she was happy and smiling. Dad is back home in Vernal getting the break he needs. I feel like good things are on the way.

More Tough Days

After returning home from the Huntsman Cancer Institute last week, mom had a couple of decent days but then became very sick. She started becoming a bit confused. The doctor had her get a MRI there at the hospital in Vernal. We were very relieved that it came back normal. Around the third day home she became very nauseated and could not keep any food or liquid down. After a couple of days of this it was apparent that she was becoming dehydrated.

Yesterday we brought her out to the ER at the Uof U. There we found out she was very dehydrated and had pneumonia. After 7 long hours in the ER she was admitted to the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Today we learned that because of the dehydration, her kidneys have begun to shut down. The doctor thinks they will regenerate as she becomes more hydrated. They determined that one of the drugs in her chemo regimen was responsible for making her so sick. Luckily she will not need that particular drug this time around.

They have decided they can not put off her scheduled chemo for today despite everything going on. So she has begun another round of chemo tonight. She is very sick and has slept most of the day. The doctors have said that she will need to be in the hospital for about three weeks to receive platelets and to monitor her kidneys.

I am amazed at her strength and courage. Through all of this she still has her sense of humor and will give us funny looks or say funny things. The doctors and nurses all love her. To end on a good note the severe pain in her arm has gotten much better. She has been able to back way off on her pain medication. We are hoping this is a sign that the chemo is destroying that dang cancer.

Hoping to Keep Everyone Updated

We have decided to create a blog to keep you all updated on our mom's battle with lymphoma. Here is a little back ground information. Becky was diagnosed with stage four Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma Not Otherwise Specified (PTCLNOS) in April 2011. This is a very rare and aggressive cancer that travels through the lymphatic system. Because it is so rare there is not a lot of research or successful treatment options. We were all devastated with her diagnosis. It has been a roller coaster ride of hope and despair.

The first treatment plan consisted of a chemotherapy called CHOP. After two rounds it was determined that although it had killed off some cancer cells it was no longer working. The next treatment was a different chemotherapy called ICE. After receiving her first round she returned home and developed a severe pain in her right arm. A MRI showed that the cancer had spread to the bones in her arm and shoulder blade. This was a huge blow. So it was determined that the ICE was having no effect on the cancer. The doctor has explained that with each failed treatment the cancer gets harder to fight. The treatment we are now working with is an agent called Gemcitobine. This is a treatment that doesn't have a lot of scientific support behind it but we are taking whatever we can get. She has had her first dose and will return for a second on July 18th. We think they will then do test to see if the cancer is responding.

Mom has been so strong. She has not had very many days without severe pain or weakness. Still she continues to fight. Dad has been amazing at taking care of her. He is very protective of her. All of your prayers and support are greatly appreciated. It is very difficult for her to visit or talk on the phone for long periods. We know she still appreciates all who reach out to her and Dad.