Happy Thanksgiving and do we have alot to be thankful for. (Today, the part of Regan the super writer, will be played by Metisha. Sorry, she is the brains of our family and I am the brawn but I gave Regan the day off. I couldn't afford to pay her holiday pay. She should be featured on the credit card commercials because she is "Priceless." )
Psalm 116:1-8 says:
I love the Lord, because he listens to my (and all of your) prayers for help. He paid attention to me, so I will call to him for help as long as I live. The ropes of death bound me, and the fear of the grave took hold of me. I was troubled and sad and I called out the name of the Lord. I said "Please save me!"
The Lord is kind and does what is right; our God is merciful. The Lord watches over the foolish; when I was helpless, he saved me. I said to myself "Relax, because the Lord takes care of you." Lord, you saved me from death. You stopped my eyes from crying; you kept me from being defeated.
God did all of these things for me, but I wanted all of you to know that all of your prayers gave me courage, strength, and peace beyond all measure. I could not have traveled this road without each and every one of you. For every chemo, scan, and doctors appointment, I took you with me. I am so thankful and blessed to have the support of such wonderful family and friends. God has healed me and he heard your prayers. So, thank you and thank Him. Your prayers helped to save me.
I also wanted to loudly sing the praises of my beautiful sister, Regan. She is so talented and I have loved reading this sight as much as you. She is such a gifted writer and story teller (to which I have to give some credit to my wonderful mother-in-law and high school English teacher, Ann.) Her writings have been a blessing and witness to many.
Thank you Regan. I love you very much!
...and my final thoughts for the day...
I am so thankful to be alive today, even though I am beginning to look like a cocker spaniel with whoopie cushions on my chest.
I am so thankful for you.
I am so thankful for a God who hears us when we cry for help and blesses us beyond all measure.
Happy Thanksgiving to each of you and I am truly blessed to have you as loving friends.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Friday, November 9, 2007
The “R” Word!
Tisha saw her oncologist today and he used the “R” word for the first time: REMISSION!
REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! Ok, one more: REMISSION! :)
We have known there was no active cancer left since her PET scan in July, but this is the first time the doctor has said remission and it feels unbelievable! And she doesn’t have to go back to the oncologist until January!
The last nine months have been a blurry rollercoaster. We’ve cried a lot of tears and then laughed until it hurt. We’ve been weighed down by despair and then stood strong in faith. We’ve felt hopeless and then hopeful. But through it all, there has been one constant: we have been held tight in your constant love, constant support, and most importantly constant prayers. Metisha and her family know that it is by prayer that Metisha is healed. God answered our prayers with a miracle!
So the blogging will continue to slow down, but I will keep updating through the reconstruction process. I know some of you will experience Ta Ta blog withdrawal, but we are so thankful to have no news to report!
Please don’t stop praying. Praise God for His healing and His miracle! Pray that Metisha will remain in remission. And continue to pray for her friends John and Jeff as they fight the cancer battle.
Luke 8:48
Jesus said, "Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed!"
Psalm 30:2
O LORD my God,I cried to You for help, and You healed me.
REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! REMISSION! Ok, one more: REMISSION! :)
We have known there was no active cancer left since her PET scan in July, but this is the first time the doctor has said remission and it feels unbelievable! And she doesn’t have to go back to the oncologist until January!
The last nine months have been a blurry rollercoaster. We’ve cried a lot of tears and then laughed until it hurt. We’ve been weighed down by despair and then stood strong in faith. We’ve felt hopeless and then hopeful. But through it all, there has been one constant: we have been held tight in your constant love, constant support, and most importantly constant prayers. Metisha and her family know that it is by prayer that Metisha is healed. God answered our prayers with a miracle!
So the blogging will continue to slow down, but I will keep updating through the reconstruction process. I know some of you will experience Ta Ta blog withdrawal, but we are so thankful to have no news to report!
Please don’t stop praying. Praise God for His healing and His miracle! Pray that Metisha will remain in remission. And continue to pray for her friends John and Jeff as they fight the cancer battle.
Luke 8:48
Jesus said, "Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed!"
Psalm 30:2
O LORD my God,I cried to You for help, and You healed me.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
No More Spot!
Tisha had the procedure today to burn off the remaining spot on her liver. The spot was far enough away from her colon and the doctor was able to burn a 1 cm diameter around the spot. Everything went well, and she was released from the hospital mid afternoon!
Her expansion on Tuesday also went well. She is now an A cup! Her next expansion is in three weeks. Grow ta ta’s, grow!
Her expansion on Tuesday also went well. She is now an A cup! Her next expansion is in three weeks. Grow ta ta’s, grow!
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Go Live Life …
Metisha has been making her doctor rounds. I’m calling her the ATM machine because she sees at least one doctor a week and every time she sees one, it's a co-pay.
She saw her breast surgeon, Dr. Bussey, this week. She said she is doing great and she doesn’t have to see Dr. Bussey for an entire year! Dr. Bussey told Metisha to “Go Live Life”. What awesome words!
Metisha was supposed to have her first expansion of her spacers in her chest tomorrow, but it got pushed to Tuesday. Continue to pray that this will be a pain free process.
Metisha also saw a doctor this week about the remaining liver spot. She will have outpatient surgery on the 25th to burn the spot off. Pray for this procedure. The spot is very close to her colon. If they decide it is too close, they will not be able to burn the spot. So pray specifically that the spot is far enough away from the colon.
Her last appointment with the ENT showed that there is still some fungus remaining. Pray that the remaining fungus will be removed so that she does not have to have another scraping surgery.
Also continue to pray for her sick leave. A committee met yesterday to determine if she will be accepted to the sick bank.
I got to spend last weekend with Mark and Metisha. Tisha and I heard a great sermon on Sunday about the spiritual battles that occur. We started talking about how we have been afraid to celebrate that she is cancer free because it seems like every time we have gotten good news, something bad is around the corner. And that’s when we realized that this is Satan’s attack. God gave us a promise that Metisha is cancer free and Satan does not want us to believe in it or proclaim it. Satan already tried to rob us of our truth once, but God said it was fungus, not cancer. So it is time for us to start celebrating and proclaiming that God performed a miracle and healed Metisha of stage four cancer. She is HIS miracle!
She saw her breast surgeon, Dr. Bussey, this week. She said she is doing great and she doesn’t have to see Dr. Bussey for an entire year! Dr. Bussey told Metisha to “Go Live Life”. What awesome words!
Metisha was supposed to have her first expansion of her spacers in her chest tomorrow, but it got pushed to Tuesday. Continue to pray that this will be a pain free process.
Metisha also saw a doctor this week about the remaining liver spot. She will have outpatient surgery on the 25th to burn the spot off. Pray for this procedure. The spot is very close to her colon. If they decide it is too close, they will not be able to burn the spot. So pray specifically that the spot is far enough away from the colon.
Her last appointment with the ENT showed that there is still some fungus remaining. Pray that the remaining fungus will be removed so that she does not have to have another scraping surgery.
Also continue to pray for her sick leave. A committee met yesterday to determine if she will be accepted to the sick bank.
I got to spend last weekend with Mark and Metisha. Tisha and I heard a great sermon on Sunday about the spiritual battles that occur. We started talking about how we have been afraid to celebrate that she is cancer free because it seems like every time we have gotten good news, something bad is around the corner. And that’s when we realized that this is Satan’s attack. God gave us a promise that Metisha is cancer free and Satan does not want us to believe in it or proclaim it. Satan already tried to rob us of our truth once, but God said it was fungus, not cancer. So it is time for us to start celebrating and proclaiming that God performed a miracle and healed Metisha of stage four cancer. She is HIS miracle!
Monday, October 8, 2007
Back at Work
Metisha went back to work last Tuesday (yes, I know I’m late on this breaking news, sorry!). She is VERY happy to be back at work. She is feeling good, but still has to be careful about lifting too much weight.
For now, everything is quiet and status quo. Metisha will continue to check-in with her doctors, especially her oncologist. She has a follow-up appointment with the ENT doctor this week and the plastic surgeon will begin expanding her spacers in her chest next Friday. The expansion process will be her main activity for the next several months. This can be a very uncomfortable process so you can pray for God’s protection from pain.
Metisha found the first shirt she is going to buy once reconstruction is complete. It says, “Yeah they’re fake. The real ones almost killed me!”
For now, everything is quiet and status quo. Metisha will continue to check-in with her doctors, especially her oncologist. She has a follow-up appointment with the ENT doctor this week and the plastic surgeon will begin expanding her spacers in her chest next Friday. The expansion process will be her main activity for the next several months. This can be a very uncomfortable process so you can pray for God’s protection from pain.
Metisha found the first shirt she is going to buy once reconstruction is complete. It says, “Yeah they’re fake. The real ones almost killed me!”
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
No Radiation!
Metisha met with the radiologist today to learn about the radiation process. The radiologist decides whether or not radiation is required based on a list of approximately twelve criteria. Metisha only met one of the criteria so the radiologist does not want to do radiation! Yeah!!! This will shorten the reconstruction process! Praise God for his continual protection!
Tisha’s hair is continuing to grow! It is getting thicker and is very soft. Every time I see her I’m blown away by how much more hair she has. There are even a few pieces around her ear that are almost long enough to touch her ear! And parts of her eyebrows are growing in also!
So here’s the funny story of the week. Actually this one is a bit creepy. Metisha was at the grocery store the other day when a man walked up to her and said, “don’t I know you?” Tisha politely said no but that didn’t stop him. He continued to follow her through the store and said he was a football coach in Dallas and maybe he had subbed for her. He asked for her name and offered up his and checked her hand for a wedding band! So even with a lack of hair and ta tas, Metisha was hit on. Of course he left the store the same time as she did, so she had to take a winding 30 minute drive home to make sure he wasn’t following her. She said he must be weird but I say her beauty far exceeds hair and ta tas!
Tisha’s hair is continuing to grow! It is getting thicker and is very soft. Every time I see her I’m blown away by how much more hair she has. There are even a few pieces around her ear that are almost long enough to touch her ear! And parts of her eyebrows are growing in also!
So here’s the funny story of the week. Actually this one is a bit creepy. Metisha was at the grocery store the other day when a man walked up to her and said, “don’t I know you?” Tisha politely said no but that didn’t stop him. He continued to follow her through the store and said he was a football coach in Dallas and maybe he had subbed for her. He asked for her name and offered up his and checked her hand for a wedding band! So even with a lack of hair and ta tas, Metisha was hit on. Of course he left the store the same time as she did, so she had to take a winding 30 minute drive home to make sure he wasn’t following her. She said he must be weird but I say her beauty far exceeds hair and ta tas!
Metisha also had a scan yesterday of her sinus, sees the plastic surgeon on Friday and the ENT doctor next week. So the doctor appointments continue!
Continue to pray that:
- Metisha will remain cancer free
- The plastic surgeon will release her for work at her appointment on Friday
- She will have all of her sick leave from surgery reimbursed from a sick bank. She has to apply to the sick bank. If she is not approved, she will be docked pay for every day she misses in the future and she still has a lot of doctor appointments and procedures between now and June!
- God will heal Metisha’s friends Jeff and John who are also battling cancer
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Rebuilding the Ta Ta’s
Metisha had her last drain and stitches removed on Friday. She is doing well, but would like to ask the owner of the gorilla that is sitting on her chest to come claim it! She is definitely having some tightness and discomfort in her chest, but she’s still not complaining (I would be)!
The doctors have decided to do radiation. While Metisha isn’t looking forward to any more types of treatment, she is willing to do anything to continue beating cancer. They also got the biopsy back from the breast tissue. There was some residual tumor left which means that some cancer tumor remained, but the cancer cells were not active so that’s excellent news!
The focus for the next six months is to rebuild the ta ta’s. She will remain home for two more weeks to heal and then in three weeks will begin filling the spacers in her chest with saline. It will take about six months to fully expand the spacers. After that, she will do the radiation. The radiation will damage the skin tissue in her chest, so when they put in her permanent implants, they will transplant skin from her lower back. The ta ta rebuilding process will be long, but she is “perky” about the expected results! :)
Metisha will see all of her doctors again in the next few weeks and will have another head scan to checkup on her sinuses. We will keep you updated on what the doctors have to say. In the mean time, keep praying for Metisha’s physical and emotional health as she goes through the rebuilding processes. And always pray for her to remain free from cancer!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
“I’m Fab-boob-less”
Metisha says she is “Fab-boob-less”, pun intended. She also says cancer recovery is like puberty: she is growing hair and a chest! Yeah, that crossed a line, but you have to admit it IS funny!
I was able to spend last weekend with Tisha helping Mark and Mom keep her in line. As usual, we spent a lot of the weekend laughing. Shortly after she got home, the flower deliveries began. So many people brightened her day with beautiful flowers that she had her own flower shop. When Tisha would get bored, she would entertain herself by making Mom move the various flower arrangements around the house, and then move them again, and then move them again. Since her sinus surgery Metisha has had to clean out her sinuses twice a day with a squirt bottle. So part of our entertainment last weekend was to see what nasty things would come out of her sinuses. Have I mentioned that we are an odd family? Metisha has not been able to raise her arms or take a shower since surgery so Mom and I used baby wipes to wipe off her legs, arms back and head for her. She said she felt like a car getting shammied at the car wash. Did I mention we are close family?
God continues to bless Metisha with healing. They removed two of her drains today and they hope to remove the last drain and stitches on Friday. She also got the lymph node biopsy back this week and it was clear! Continue to pray for Metisha as she heals from surgery. She wants to return to school as soon as possible. Also continue to pray that God will keep her cancer free. Metisha is proof that prayer works!
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Already Home!
The first surgeon came in this morning and told Tisha she was doing so well that she thought she could go home but that she would have to convince the second surgeon. So Tisha bargained and pleaded with the plastic surgeon this morning until he let her out of the hospital so she is already home! She is doing very well and continues to be 1000 times tougher than any cancer (she disagrees but I get to write the blog).
Visiting hours are currently 4:31 am to 4:32 am, but will be expanded soon. Metisha said except for Sharon McKinnie, she is not allowed to visit. :) She is ready for brief visits, but please call before you stop by; she needs time to fix her hair. :)
Continue to praise God with us for his constant healing in Metisha. Pray that the pain will remain manageable, that she will heal quickly and for strength as she faces the reconstruction process.
And while you are praying, pray for:
Jeff –Tisha’s friend from high school who is battling cancer
John – Tisha’s co-worker who has just been diagnosed with cancer
Visiting hours are currently 4:31 am to 4:32 am, but will be expanded soon. Metisha said except for Sharon McKinnie, she is not allowed to visit. :) She is ready for brief visits, but please call before you stop by; she needs time to fix her hair. :)
Continue to praise God with us for his constant healing in Metisha. Pray that the pain will remain manageable, that she will heal quickly and for strength as she faces the reconstruction process.
And while you are praying, pray for:
Jeff –Tisha’s friend from high school who is battling cancer
John – Tisha’s co-worker who has just been diagnosed with cancer
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Out Of Surgery
Tish was out of surgery around 10:45 am. Everything went great! They only had to remove two lymph nodes! The doctor's said it went by the text book and were very pleased with how the surgery went. Praise God!!!
I will keep you updated, but continue to pray for her healing. For now, Tish has requested no visitors but is very thankful for all your prayers. I will let you know here as soon as she feels well enough for company.
Send me an e-mail at reganunruh@hotmail.com if you would like her address to send a card :)
I will keep you updated, but continue to pray for her healing. For now, Tish has requested no visitors but is very thankful for all your prayers. I will let you know here as soon as she feels well enough for company.
Send me an e-mail at reganunruh@hotmail.com if you would like her address to send a card :)
In Surgery
Tisha went into surgery at 7:40 a.m. and it is expected to be a long surgery. Pray:
- For wisdom for the doctors to remove the right amount of tissues and lymph nodes.
- That surgery will be quick and problem free.
- That Metisha will not have any permanent swelling from the lymph node removal.
- For Metisha’s mental and emotional strength as she deals with the physical results of the surgery.
- Strength for Metisha’s family as we support her through this.
- For continued healing and a continued cancer free status.
Keep checking the blog throughout the day; I will keep providing updates.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Six Days and Counting
Tisha is still scheduled for double mastectomy surgery Wednesday, September 5th. She is facing this with an amazing amount of bravery but understandably has fear and dread. I wish more than anything that she didn’t have to do this.
In true Metisha style though, she continues to laugh. After her sinus surgery her joke has been, “I’m not a fungi, but I’m a fungirl!” For some reason that joke makes me want Laffy Taffy. We were talking the other night about her upcoming recovery and discussing the irony of her cancer treatment: When she was in chemo, she physically could shave her legs, but had no hair to shave. After mastectomy surgery, she will have hair to shave but won’t be able to move her arms!
Speaking of hair, IT IS GROWING!!! Yeah!!! Tish says there are a few hairs on her head that are almost long enough to lie over! This is very exciting!
Keep up with that strong prayer support as Tisha faces this step. Pray for the skills of the surgeons and for minimal scarring. Pray for Mark and Metisha’s mom Barbara as they help Metisha during recovery. Pray for no side affects from the surgery. They will be removing some of her sentinel lymph nodes and this could cause permanent swelling in her arm. Pray hard that this does not occur. Pray that her recovery will be quick and easy. Pray for her emotional strength and peace as she faces the physical result of the mastectomy.
Continue to know how thankful Metisha and her family are for all of your support, care and prayers!
In true Metisha style though, she continues to laugh. After her sinus surgery her joke has been, “I’m not a fungi, but I’m a fungirl!” For some reason that joke makes me want Laffy Taffy. We were talking the other night about her upcoming recovery and discussing the irony of her cancer treatment: When she was in chemo, she physically could shave her legs, but had no hair to shave. After mastectomy surgery, she will have hair to shave but won’t be able to move her arms!
Speaking of hair, IT IS GROWING!!! Yeah!!! Tish says there are a few hairs on her head that are almost long enough to lie over! This is very exciting!
Keep up with that strong prayer support as Tisha faces this step. Pray for the skills of the surgeons and for minimal scarring. Pray for Mark and Metisha’s mom Barbara as they help Metisha during recovery. Pray for no side affects from the surgery. They will be removing some of her sentinel lymph nodes and this could cause permanent swelling in her arm. Pray hard that this does not occur. Pray that her recovery will be quick and easy. Pray for her emotional strength and peace as she faces the physical result of the mastectomy.
Continue to know how thankful Metisha and her family are for all of your support, care and prayers!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Doctor Appointment After Doctor Appointment
Things have calmed down and Tish has been enjoying a week of “normalcy”. Of course normal for Metisha now means doctor appointments and her list of doctors is growing! Last week she saw her ENT doctor who did her surgery. He was very happy with her progress and said she was the worst case he has seen in years! He also told her it’s time to stop being so tuff and to see a doctor when things are hurting. Good luck with that doc, she comes from a long line of stubbornness! The ENT warned her that she will have to monitor her sinus health closely and sent her home with a regiment of treatments. This week she sees the infectious disease doctor and the ophthalmologist. The infectious disease doctor will determine if she is ready for surgery and the ophthalmologist will take a closer look at her eyes. Her vision is still great, but she will have to her eyes closely monitored along with her bone structure around her eyes and sinuses because those bones were damaged by the fungus. After that, she will see an allergist to help manage her allergies. So, that brings her doctor count up to 7!
Tish and I were laughing about the infectious disease doctor. I told her to make sure she doesn’t touch anything and to wash her hands so she doesn’t catch anything else. Then we decided she should cough A LOT while she is in the waiting room so no one will get close to her! Maybe they have everyone wait in an isolation pod at that doctor’s office!
The biggest news is Tisha has a surgery date for her double mastectomy: September 5th! She is definitely not looking forward to this surgery and I can’t imagine what she must feel facing this step in the battle. It was such a great accomplishment to complete chemo and getting through the mastectomy is the next big step. If I know my sister, she will tough it through recovery as quickly as possible and will be arguing with the doctors to release her for work too quickly!
Praise God that our prayer has changed from heal her of cancer to keep her cancer free! Pray for the upcoming double mastectomy. Pray that the surgery that will problem free, for a quick and easy recovery, quick reconstruction, and for Tisha spirits as she faces this step. Also pray that her hair will grow back quickly! Thank God for the miracles he has performed in Tisha and for all of you who lifted her up through the last 6 months.
Tish and I were laughing about the infectious disease doctor. I told her to make sure she doesn’t touch anything and to wash her hands so she doesn’t catch anything else. Then we decided she should cough A LOT while she is in the waiting room so no one will get close to her! Maybe they have everyone wait in an isolation pod at that doctor’s office!
The biggest news is Tisha has a surgery date for her double mastectomy: September 5th! She is definitely not looking forward to this surgery and I can’t imagine what she must feel facing this step in the battle. It was such a great accomplishment to complete chemo and getting through the mastectomy is the next big step. If I know my sister, she will tough it through recovery as quickly as possible and will be arguing with the doctors to release her for work too quickly!
Praise God that our prayer has changed from heal her of cancer to keep her cancer free! Pray for the upcoming double mastectomy. Pray that the surgery that will problem free, for a quick and easy recovery, quick reconstruction, and for Tisha spirits as she faces this step. Also pray that her hair will grow back quickly! Thank God for the miracles he has performed in Tisha and for all of you who lifted her up through the last 6 months.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Back Home
Dr. Smith, the ENT, released Tisha from the hospital yesterday with strict instructions of no heavy lifting and no bending over. But she feels great and is glad to be out of the hospital. She says she is going to go to school today to work on her classroom so Mom stayed to help her out.
The more doctors that see Metisha, the more we know she is a miracle. The doctors have said that a lot of people do not regain their vision after this type of an infection. Metisha’s vision is great! The ENT was impressed by how quickly Metisha is recovering.
The next step is to meet with an infectious disease doctor. This doctor will determine what type of fungus Metisha has and will decide when she can have her surgeries. They are trying to get her in next week to see this doctor. This is a new area for prayer. We are praying that they can quickly schedule this appointment, that the process to determine the fungus type will happen quickly (doctors have implied this may take weeks) and that the infectious disease doctor will quickly release Metisha for surgery.
After she is cleared by the infectious disease doctor, she will have one surgery to burn off the spot on her liver that they don’t think is cancer and then the double mastectomy surgery. The oncologist is also keeping her on shots to keep her ovaries shut down. Since Metisha’s cancer was driven by hormones, this is important for keeping her in her current cancer free state.
So Metisha is doing VERY well. Her spirits are high and she is healing very well. The last week has been such a rollercoaster, but all of the prayers and support are what have carried us through and brought us peace. Continue to pray. Metisha still has several surgeries ahead of her and we continue to pray daily that God will keep her cancer free. And all of you teachers in Fort Worth, keep an eye on her and send her to Principal Mark Welsh when she doesn’t follow the doctor’s order! :) And don’t call her fungus face; she didn’t think it was funny when I said it.
The more doctors that see Metisha, the more we know she is a miracle. The doctors have said that a lot of people do not regain their vision after this type of an infection. Metisha’s vision is great! The ENT was impressed by how quickly Metisha is recovering.
The next step is to meet with an infectious disease doctor. This doctor will determine what type of fungus Metisha has and will decide when she can have her surgeries. They are trying to get her in next week to see this doctor. This is a new area for prayer. We are praying that they can quickly schedule this appointment, that the process to determine the fungus type will happen quickly (doctors have implied this may take weeks) and that the infectious disease doctor will quickly release Metisha for surgery.
After she is cleared by the infectious disease doctor, she will have one surgery to burn off the spot on her liver that they don’t think is cancer and then the double mastectomy surgery. The oncologist is also keeping her on shots to keep her ovaries shut down. Since Metisha’s cancer was driven by hormones, this is important for keeping her in her current cancer free state.
So Metisha is doing VERY well. Her spirits are high and she is healing very well. The last week has been such a rollercoaster, but all of the prayers and support are what have carried us through and brought us peace. Continue to pray. Metisha still has several surgeries ahead of her and we continue to pray daily that God will keep her cancer free. And all of you teachers in Fort Worth, keep an eye on her and send her to Principal Mark Welsh when she doesn’t follow the doctor’s order! :) And don’t call her fungus face; she didn’t think it was funny when I said it.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Huge Progress
Metisha is doing great and is feeling so well, she thinks she is ready to go home (but the doctor’s haven’t agreed with her yet)! She was moved from ICU to a room this evening and an ophthalmologist examined her eyes and said they look great! Actually, she almost got kicked out of ICU for using her cell phone! :) She is very ready to go home so she can rest and is hopeful they will release her tomorrow morning.
Metisha wants everyone to know how much she appreciates all of the prayers and that she is overwhelmed by everyone’s late night prayer and love. She says she felt the power of your prayers yesterday and was “as cool as a cucumber” going into surgery last night.
Tonight, we are just praising God! We are praising him for the doctors, praising him for her vision that continues to get better and better, and praising God for all of the love and support that has surround and uplifted Metisha!
Metisha wants everyone to know how much she appreciates all of the prayers and that she is overwhelmed by everyone’s late night prayer and love. She says she felt the power of your prayers yesterday and was “as cool as a cucumber” going into surgery last night.
Tonight, we are just praising God! We are praising him for the doctors, praising him for her vision that continues to get better and better, and praising God for all of the love and support that has surround and uplifted Metisha!
It’s Fungus!
God is good and it is not cancer!!! Metisha just got out of surgery and the pathology report says it’s a fungus! The ENT doctor said it was extremely thick and had spread all the way to the base of her brain, so he had to do a lot of scraping to get it cleaned out. Since they had to scrape around her brain, she will be in ICU for a few hours so they can more closely monitor her and on IV drips for 48 hours. Praise God that this is not cancer and thank you for all of the late night/early morning prayers!
Pray that Tisha will not have any complications from the surgery and that her vision will be restored to 20/20. Pray for a quick and easy recovery. Also pray for Mark and my mom Barbara as they care for Tisha after surgery.
Pray that Tisha will not have any complications from the surgery and that her vision will be restored to 20/20. Pray for a quick and easy recovery. Also pray for Mark and my mom Barbara as they care for Tisha after surgery.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Going Into Surgery
Metisha’s oncologist figured out that the ENT he wanted her to see was on call at the ER today. So the oncologist sent her to the ER so that the ENT doctor would see her tonight. She is now checked in to the hospital, has been seen by the ENT doctor and is going into surgery tonight! The ENT doctor is going to go in through her nose with a probe to clean out her sinuses, fix her deviated septum if necessary and take a biopsy of the bone if he cannot determine the cause of the deterioration through the probe. The only thing she isn’t going to get is her nose job ;)
I talked to Tisha and she is in good spirits. The room she is in at the ER is decorated in Sponge Bob and the ENT likes to mountain bike – two of her favorite things!
We are praising God that the ENT whom her doctor wanted her to see was on call today. We are praising God for her oncologist’s nurse Marie who not only worked all day to track down the ENT but met Mark and Tish at the emergency room and stayed with them until the ENT arrived. We are praising God for Mark and his constant support for Tisha. We are praising God for all of you who are upholding her in prayer.
Continue to pray that God will work through the doctor to heal her tonight. Pray that tonight’s procedure proves there is no cancer. Pray that her vision will be restored to 20/20.
I talked to Tisha and she is in good spirits. The room she is in at the ER is decorated in Sponge Bob and the ENT likes to mountain bike – two of her favorite things!
We are praising God that the ENT whom her doctor wanted her to see was on call today. We are praising God for her oncologist’s nurse Marie who not only worked all day to track down the ENT but met Mark and Tish at the emergency room and stayed with them until the ENT arrived. We are praising God for Mark and his constant support for Tisha. We are praising God for all of you who are upholding her in prayer.
Continue to pray that God will work through the doctor to heal her tonight. Pray that tonight’s procedure proves there is no cancer. Pray that her vision will be restored to 20/20.
Prayer Update
Metisha woke up this morning with worsen double vision. Please pray today that:
- Doctors will be quick to act today and get Metisha relief
- Whatever this is, her vision will be spared and quickly return to 20/20 vision
Doctors will be able to quickly and accurately diagnose the cause of the bone deterioration in her sinuses and eye socket - That this latest development is not cancer
- For strength and peace from Metisha and her family
Friday, August 10, 2007
We Just Don’t Know …
Normally you don’t want to hear your doctor say “we just don’t know”, but it this case it’s refreshing. The MRI showed bone deterioration of the sinus cavities and the left orbit (eye socket). So the MRI did not show that this is a tumor! The doctor just does not know what this is. The oncologist is going to send her to an ENT who is highly specialized and deals with cancer. So for now, we are praising God that the MRI shows it is not a tumor. Metisha has had sever sinus problems for most of her life so we are hopeful that is the cause.
Continue to pray with us. Pray that this is not cancer related. Pray for protection of her vision; she is having double vision. Pray that whatever this is, it is quickly and easily treatable. And since we’re praying, Metisha that a nose job will be part of the treatment!
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Update
Thanks to everyone for your immediate prayer yesterday. We definitely had a melt down when we received the news but because of prayer, Metisha quickly regained her strength and fight.
Tish has an MRI tomorrow at 6:00 am to determine the size and impact of the tumor. The doctors will then determine the next battle move.
Metisha believes that this is an attack from Satan on our faith and belief in God’s healing and knows this is the time to profess our faith and beliefs even louder. We are praying that God will perform a miracle and completely remove the tumor before the MRI. We are praying that the tumor will be completely destroyed and that Tisha’s sight will be 100% unaffected.
Yesterday morning, we had one of our prayer warriors join the heavenly prayer team. Grandpa Karber saw the glory of heaven yesterday morning around 5:45 am. Metisha, Mom, Grandma, Aunt Susan, cousin J.D. and I were blessed to see the smile and tears on his face as he saw a sight more beautiful than we can imagine. God gave us a miracle yesterday morning by allowing us to see a glimpse of heaven through Grandpa and we believe he will give us another miracle tomorrow morning when Tisha has her MRI scan.
We love you all. Keep praying.
Tish has an MRI tomorrow at 6:00 am to determine the size and impact of the tumor. The doctors will then determine the next battle move.
Metisha believes that this is an attack from Satan on our faith and belief in God’s healing and knows this is the time to profess our faith and beliefs even louder. We are praying that God will perform a miracle and completely remove the tumor before the MRI. We are praying that the tumor will be completely destroyed and that Tisha’s sight will be 100% unaffected.
Yesterday morning, we had one of our prayer warriors join the heavenly prayer team. Grandpa Karber saw the glory of heaven yesterday morning around 5:45 am. Metisha, Mom, Grandma, Aunt Susan, cousin J.D. and I were blessed to see the smile and tears on his face as he saw a sight more beautiful than we can imagine. God gave us a miracle yesterday morning by allowing us to see a glimpse of heaven through Grandpa and we believe he will give us another miracle tomorrow morning when Tisha has her MRI scan.
We love you all. Keep praying.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
URGENT PRAYER
Prayer warriors, hit your knees. The good news we received last Friday was premature. Tisha was having severe headaches and blurred vision so they did a brain CAT scan yesterday and found a tumor. The doctors are very certain that it is cancer.
PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. We need a miracle and we need it now. The doctor’s are formulating a game plan now, but the next step will be an MRI to get more detailed pictures. WE ARE PRAYING FOR A MIRACLE THAT GOD WILL REMOVE THE TUMOR AND RESTORE METISHA BACK TO 100% PERFECT HEALTH BEFORE THE MRI.
We know that this is Satan’s attack and we know that God is the all mighty and WE WILL DEFEAT SATAN! Pray for strength, pray for peace and pray for a miracle.
PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. We need a miracle and we need it now. The doctor’s are formulating a game plan now, but the next step will be an MRI to get more detailed pictures. WE ARE PRAYING FOR A MIRACLE THAT GOD WILL REMOVE THE TUMOR AND RESTORE METISHA BACK TO 100% PERFECT HEALTH BEFORE THE MRI.
We know that this is Satan’s attack and we know that God is the all mighty and WE WILL DEFEAT SATAN! Pray for strength, pray for peace and pray for a miracle.
Friday, August 3, 2007
Exercised the Demons!!!
He answered, "There is no way to get rid of this kind of demon except by prayer."Mark 9:28-30 – The Message
Metisha met with the oncologist this morning and the results of the photo shoot are extremely positive! The PET scan showed no traces of cancer! CANCER FREE!!! It feels so unbelievable to type those words. There is no cancer in the liver and no cancer in her breast. We are praising God that He did heal her by her birthday (the scans were done the day before) and praising Him for all of you who have stood by Metisha in prayer. We know that Metisha is a walking miracle and that it is by answered prayer that she has beat stage four breast cancer!
So as we celebrate, Tish is preparing for the next steps. The CAT scan did show a small spot on her liver but they do not believe this is cancer. The spot has shown on every CAT scan but not a PET scan and has not changed through chemo. But the doctors want to be cautious so they are going to obliterate the spot by burning it. We don’t know when that procedure will be done. The next big step is the double mastectomy. Tisha meets with the surgeon on Monday to begin the mastectomy surgery process. The mastectomy and reconstruction process will be a long process, but Metisha definitely has a renewed strength and spirit knowing that the cancer demons are gone!
Long term, we know that she will take a pill form of chemo (tamaxifin) but that will not stop her hair from growing back. They will also keep “the girls” (her ovaries) shut down because her cancer is a hormone driven cancer. For now they will leave in her chemo port and will do new scans every 3 months.
I know I speak for Metisha and Mark, Danny and Barbara, Lyle and Ann, myself and Jeremy and Kaley when I say thank you for your prayers. And please keep praying. Keep praying for wisdom for the doctors, an easy mastectomy surgery, quick reconstruction, rapid hair growth, and for a continuing cancer free state. And keep checking the blog. I will update again Monday after her appointment with the surgeon.
I know I speak for all of you when I say, we love you Metisha!
Metisha met with the oncologist this morning and the results of the photo shoot are extremely positive! The PET scan showed no traces of cancer! CANCER FREE!!! It feels so unbelievable to type those words. There is no cancer in the liver and no cancer in her breast. We are praising God that He did heal her by her birthday (the scans were done the day before) and praising Him for all of you who have stood by Metisha in prayer. We know that Metisha is a walking miracle and that it is by answered prayer that she has beat stage four breast cancer!
So as we celebrate, Tish is preparing for the next steps. The CAT scan did show a small spot on her liver but they do not believe this is cancer. The spot has shown on every CAT scan but not a PET scan and has not changed through chemo. But the doctors want to be cautious so they are going to obliterate the spot by burning it. We don’t know when that procedure will be done. The next big step is the double mastectomy. Tisha meets with the surgeon on Monday to begin the mastectomy surgery process. The mastectomy and reconstruction process will be a long process, but Metisha definitely has a renewed strength and spirit knowing that the cancer demons are gone!
Long term, we know that she will take a pill form of chemo (tamaxifin) but that will not stop her hair from growing back. They will also keep “the girls” (her ovaries) shut down because her cancer is a hormone driven cancer. For now they will leave in her chemo port and will do new scans every 3 months.
I know I speak for Metisha and Mark, Danny and Barbara, Lyle and Ann, myself and Jeremy and Kaley when I say thank you for your prayers. And please keep praying. Keep praying for wisdom for the doctors, an easy mastectomy surgery, quick reconstruction, rapid hair growth, and for a continuing cancer free state. And keep checking the blog. I will update again Monday after her appointment with the surgeon.
I know I speak for all of you when I say, we love you Metisha!
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Happy Birthday!
Happy 30th, excuse me, 29th Birthday Tisha! I know I already got you that rockin’ pool basketball set for your birthday, but I have one last gift. I have composed a beautiful touching poem to honor you on this special day.
Happy Birthday Tisha
This Birthday Wish I Send Ya
That Your 30th Year Will Be
A Year of Prosperity
A Hallmark Card This is Not
But I love You a Whole Darn Lot
So Happy Birthday to You
And Happy Independence Day to Peru!
So not only is this a birthday blog, but a world history lesson! Ok, so that was a sad attempt at humor, but Mom and I do have one last gift for you: OUR SMILING FACES! (Insert cheers and loud applause). That’s right, Mom and I are in a hotel less than 10 miles from you house and will shortly be on your doorstep to surprise you! We love you!!!
Happy Birthday Tisha
This Birthday Wish I Send Ya
That Your 30th Year Will Be
A Year of Prosperity
A Hallmark Card This is Not
But I love You a Whole Darn Lot
So Happy Birthday to You
And Happy Independence Day to Peru!
So not only is this a birthday blog, but a world history lesson! Ok, so that was a sad attempt at humor, but Mom and I do have one last gift for you: OUR SMILING FACES! (Insert cheers and loud applause). That’s right, Mom and I are in a hotel less than 10 miles from you house and will shortly be on your doorstep to surprise you! We love you!!!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Keeping Young
Our family spent this past weekend together celebrating Metisha’s birthday a week early. Birthday celebrations are low key in our family, but we always seem to add our own odd activities. So this year’s celebration started out with a cake decorating contest. My husband’s (Jeremy) birthday is two weeks after Metisha’s, so Mom decorated Metisha a cake and Tisha decorated Jeremy a cookie cake. Each chef picked a theme and was responsible for providing their decorating materials. Mom picked Little Mermaid for Tisha’s cake while Metisha picked Cars for Jeremy’s cookie. Mark made voting ballots and 1st and 2nd place ribbons. It was a heated battle but Metisha won the blue ribbon and she didn’t “play the cancer card” to win! That story brings a few points to mind. First, our family really likes to eat. Second, our family really likes Disney. Third, we are a competitive family. Fourth, the entertainment options are few in the small town of Fairview.
We continued with the “young” atmosphere and moved from the Disney themed cakes to presents which included a pool basketball set. The next day Tisha and I and decided to re-live high school and “drag main”. Stop laughing; again, there are not many entertainment options in Fairview. Apparently 8 pm is a little early for the Fairview night life because Main Street was quiet so we just cruised around town. We ended up at our old elementary school that appeared to be a safe haven for all of God’s little creatures. First, we saw a pretty little white bunny rabbit setting in the grass. Then we saw a speedy green turtle climbing off the sidewalk onto the grass. Metisha thought we would see a rainbow next, but it never appeared. So after we laughed about the perfect little elementary school moment, we decided to take advantage of the play ground equipment. We spent about 30 minutes on the twisting slides, wave teeter-totter, wooden bridge, scooters and monkey bars. We had a great time but did realize that even though we are young in spirit, the bodies are too out of shape for the monkey bars!
Our small hometown of Fairview has been hit hard by cancer. Metisha is the third person from her high school class to develop breast cancer and this week we learned that another of her high school friends, Jeff, has been dealt the cancer card. They do not yet know the source of his cancer but they have begun the exhaustive tests this week. So we want to extend the prayer request and join Jeff’s family in the prayer battle.
Continue to pray for total healing as Metisha has a mammo on Thursday and a PET scan on Friday. We also praise God for two women that have given Metisha a legacy of beating breast cancer. Grandma Karber’s cancer has been in remission for over a decade and Tisha’s high school classmate Amber is also a breast cancer survivor. We praise God as we believe Metisha will soon join the legacy of women who viciously beat cancer!
We continued with the “young” atmosphere and moved from the Disney themed cakes to presents which included a pool basketball set. The next day Tisha and I and decided to re-live high school and “drag main”. Stop laughing; again, there are not many entertainment options in Fairview. Apparently 8 pm is a little early for the Fairview night life because Main Street was quiet so we just cruised around town. We ended up at our old elementary school that appeared to be a safe haven for all of God’s little creatures. First, we saw a pretty little white bunny rabbit setting in the grass. Then we saw a speedy green turtle climbing off the sidewalk onto the grass. Metisha thought we would see a rainbow next, but it never appeared. So after we laughed about the perfect little elementary school moment, we decided to take advantage of the play ground equipment. We spent about 30 minutes on the twisting slides, wave teeter-totter, wooden bridge, scooters and monkey bars. We had a great time but did realize that even though we are young in spirit, the bodies are too out of shape for the monkey bars!
Our small hometown of Fairview has been hit hard by cancer. Metisha is the third person from her high school class to develop breast cancer and this week we learned that another of her high school friends, Jeff, has been dealt the cancer card. They do not yet know the source of his cancer but they have begun the exhaustive tests this week. So we want to extend the prayer request and join Jeff’s family in the prayer battle.
Continue to pray for total healing as Metisha has a mammo on Thursday and a PET scan on Friday. We also praise God for two women that have given Metisha a legacy of beating breast cancer. Grandma Karber’s cancer has been in remission for over a decade and Tisha’s high school classmate Amber is also a breast cancer survivor. We praise God as we believe Metisha will soon join the legacy of women who viciously beat cancer!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Last Round, Hopefully ….
Tisha had her 6th round of chemo yesterday. She’s feeling ok so far; just tired. We are praying this is her last round of Pac-Mans. She is definitely had her fill of the Pac-Mans, a bald head, and eating ice during the treatments. But she continues to keep her strength and a positive attitude.
She will have a new mammo and PET scan on the 26th and 27th and then the oncologist and surgeon will decide on the next steps. We are praying the liver spot is completely gone so that liver surgery is not necessary. Pray for wisdom for the doctors.
Tisha’s birthday is on July 28th and it is one of the milestone birthdays. I won’t say the exact number but it begins with a 3 and ends with a 0. Some women would probably want to spend this momentous day being pampered at a spa or having a nice dinner party, but that doesn’t really fit Tisha’s spirit. She has instead requested a themed birthday party like Strawberry Shortcake or Care Bears. That’s one of my favorite characteristics of my big sister – she always care free and lighted hearted!
Continue to pray with us. Pray for total healing, that she can be done with chemo, that no liver surgery will be needed, and for peace and continued faith in healing as we wait for the upcoming scans.
She will have a new mammo and PET scan on the 26th and 27th and then the oncologist and surgeon will decide on the next steps. We are praying the liver spot is completely gone so that liver surgery is not necessary. Pray for wisdom for the doctors.
Tisha’s birthday is on July 28th and it is one of the milestone birthdays. I won’t say the exact number but it begins with a 3 and ends with a 0. Some women would probably want to spend this momentous day being pampered at a spa or having a nice dinner party, but that doesn’t really fit Tisha’s spirit. She has instead requested a themed birthday party like Strawberry Shortcake or Care Bears. That’s one of my favorite characteristics of my big sister – she always care free and lighted hearted!
Continue to pray with us. Pray for total healing, that she can be done with chemo, that no liver surgery will be needed, and for peace and continued faith in healing as we wait for the upcoming scans.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Nice Pac-Mans
Round five of the Pac-Mans went pretty well. They gave her flu like symptoms and made her tired, but no porcelain hugging was required! We continue to be thankful that the Pac-Mans are doing their job but not making Metisha too sick.
Tisha was able to talk to her oncologist at her chemo appointment. He was very positive about her progress. We’ve already figured out that all plans are tentative in the cancer battle, but he said they will do the final round of chemo on July 13th and then do a new round of photo shoots two weeks after that. If the scans show there is any cancer remaining on the liver, they will remove it surgically. They will also do a double mastectomy, regardless of whether there are any remaining traces of the breast tumor. Continue to pray that Metisha will be healed by her birthday on July 28th.
After 5 months of this battle, Tisha is getting sick of hearing about cancer. When a cancer commercial comes on TV, she sticks her fingers in her ears and hums so she doesn’t have to listen to it! She must have learned that coping technique from her 5th grade students …
If you live in Oklahoma or Texas, you may have noticed that we are having a very raining spring and summer. As much as I miss dry ground, I’m thankful for the rain. Now before I’m stoned by the wheat farmers of NW Oklahoma or the mountain bike riders of Texas, let me explain. Rain for me has always been a God thing. God has given me rain as a sign of healing many times in the past. Yes I miss the sunshine but I also believe that God is giving us a constant sign that he is healing Metisha. So I say, let it rain.
Tisha was able to talk to her oncologist at her chemo appointment. He was very positive about her progress. We’ve already figured out that all plans are tentative in the cancer battle, but he said they will do the final round of chemo on July 13th and then do a new round of photo shoots two weeks after that. If the scans show there is any cancer remaining on the liver, they will remove it surgically. They will also do a double mastectomy, regardless of whether there are any remaining traces of the breast tumor. Continue to pray that Metisha will be healed by her birthday on July 28th.
After 5 months of this battle, Tisha is getting sick of hearing about cancer. When a cancer commercial comes on TV, she sticks her fingers in her ears and hums so she doesn’t have to listen to it! She must have learned that coping technique from her 5th grade students …
If you live in Oklahoma or Texas, you may have noticed that we are having a very raining spring and summer. As much as I miss dry ground, I’m thankful for the rain. Now before I’m stoned by the wheat farmers of NW Oklahoma or the mountain bike riders of Texas, let me explain. Rain for me has always been a God thing. God has given me rain as a sign of healing many times in the past. Yes I miss the sunshine but I also believe that God is giving us a constant sign that he is healing Metisha. So I say, let it rain.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Round Five
Metisha gets round five of the Pac-Mans this Friday. It is amazing how much the breast tumor has been reduced since round four and we are continually encouraged that the Pac-Mans are doing their job.
The PA at the oncologist office says there’s a good chance that Tisha will be done with chemo after the six rounds which means she will be finished with chemo before her birthday. Metisha’s prayer has been to be cancer free by her birthday, so continue to pray that God will use round five and six to completely destroy all remaining cancer! Also pray for wisdom for the oncologist as he decides the next step to take after the sixth round of Pac-Mans.
Metisha came to Tulsa last weekend and we had a great weekend. We did some shopping, ate too much, spent time with great friends and as always had some funny cancer moments. Every once in a while Metisha will “play the cancer card” to get something she wants but it’s always done in jest and we always laugh. We asked her how long after she’s cancer free did she think she could play the cancer card. Her response was, “until my hair grows back long enough for a pony tail.” So now we’re praying that her hair grows back quickly :) Saturday night we took a drive around the lake. It was a beautiful evening in with perfect temperatures so Tisha wanted to drive with the windows down but the wind kept tangling her wig. She finally had enough of it and took her wig off, stuck her bald head out the window and let the air blow over her scalp! She had the biggest smile on her face!
Pray for Metisha and her fifth round of Pac-Mans. Pray that Friday will go quickly and that she will experience no side effects. And continue to pray for total healing by her birthday – July 28th.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
So Full of Answered Prayers
I’ve thrown myself headlong into your arms –
I’m celebrating your rescue.
I’m singing at the top of my lungs,
I’m so full of answered prayers.
Psalm 13: 5-6
Yes, answered prayers! God is faithful and is answering our prayers! The MRI results are very positive: one liver spot is completely, totally, one hundred percent gone and the other spot is much smaller! Praise God! I just can’t seem to find the right words tonight to express the happiness of this day. We know the Pac-Mans are working and we know God’s army of Pac-Mans is going to completely heal Metisha of cancer!
God continues to answer our prayers for protection also. Tisha’s fourth round of chemo went well last Friday and she was less affected by the side affects than previous rounds.
We can’t thank everyone enough for the constant prayers and support. Know today that your prayers are making a difference. Know today that God is healing Metisha. And continue to pray that God will use the Pac-Mans to heal Metisha of all remaining cancer by her birthday on July 28th . Go Pac-Mans, go!
I’m celebrating your rescue.
I’m singing at the top of my lungs,
I’m so full of answered prayers.
Psalm 13: 5-6
Yes, answered prayers! God is faithful and is answering our prayers! The MRI results are very positive: one liver spot is completely, totally, one hundred percent gone and the other spot is much smaller! Praise God! I just can’t seem to find the right words tonight to express the happiness of this day. We know the Pac-Mans are working and we know God’s army of Pac-Mans is going to completely heal Metisha of cancer!
God continues to answer our prayers for protection also. Tisha’s fourth round of chemo went well last Friday and she was less affected by the side affects than previous rounds.
We can’t thank everyone enough for the constant prayers and support. Know today that your prayers are making a difference. Know today that God is healing Metisha. And continue to pray that God will use the Pac-Mans to heal Metisha of all remaining cancer by her birthday on July 28th . Go Pac-Mans, go!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Cancer Should be Called Waiting
Metisha’s liver MRI was rescheduled from last Friday to June 4th. The oncologist said they would continue with three more rounds of chemo regardless of the outcome of the MRI scan, so she will get her 4th round of Pack-Mans this Friday.
Tisha’s decided that cancer should really be called waiting because it seems like the majority of her treatment time is spent waiting. Get a scan, wait for the results. Get a diagnosis, wait to get into a doctor. Have a Pack-Man treatment, wait three weeks for the next treatment. Chemo days have the most waiting; they go something like this:
Check in at the front desk
Sit and wait
Get blood work done
Sit and wait
Meet with the PA
Sit and wait
Get chemo port prepped
Sit and wait
Get Pack-Mans
Not exactly a fun day. Tisha says the chemo facility is just a sad place because so many people are so sick from the chemo. Pray for her spirits as she faces three more trips to the chemo facility.
Everyone is always so surprised by how well Tisha looks in the middle of chemo and she proved her strength again this weekend. We spent the long weekend camping. She rode bike, hiked, helped build walking trails and rode ATVs. She continues to amaze me with her constant physical and emotional strength.
Losing her hair has still be the worse part of the treatment for Tish but she continues to find humor in her new aerodynamic look. We were visiting with family this weekend and a few of the men were comparing who has lost the most hair over the years. One of them piped up and said, “Hair loss shows wisdom.” Metisha immediately responded, “Well that makes me the wisest person here!”
Tisha’s cancer has created a new and odd ritual for Tisha, my mom and I. Every time we get together mom and I use our advanced medical skills to evaluate the change in her tumor since we last saw her. This time, neither mom nor I could find the tumor without Metisha pointing it out! And yes, we are a close family!
Continue to pray with us.
Pray for protection from all side effects of the Pack-Mans this Friday
Pray that the Pack-Mans on Friday will eliminate any remaining cancer spots on her liver
Pray that the liver photo shoot on June 4th will come back cancer free
Pray that her spirits will remain high and that she will continue to have faith in total healing
Pray that Tisha will be cancer free by her birthday on July 28th
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
No Porcelain Hugging!
Tisha has made it through her 3rd round of chemo. The Pac-Mans were more angry this time and had her down longer than normal. But praise God that her side effects did not have her hugging any porcelain!
On Friday, May 25th, she goes back for another photo shoot. The oncologist is most focused on how the chemo has attacked the cancer spots on her liver and the next steps will be based on the results of theses scans.
Metisha is getting more and more comfortable with her new, low maintenance, hair style. We were talking last night about new movies we want to see. She said, “Maybe I’ll paint my head green and go see the new Shrek movie!” I would proudly sit next to her at the movie theater!
Continue to pray with us. Tisha has been so strong but continues to need the strength of prayer. God is the ultimate healer and He can and will restore her body and spirit. Please pray specifically for:
Good sleep – Tisha has trouble sleeping after chemo
Tisha’s faith for total healing to be strengthened – this has been a struggle lately, pray hard for this
All cancer in her liver to be gone by the May 25th scan – the liver spots are the doctor’s main concern
A quick healing process – Metisha is very active and wants to finish her treatment and surgeries as quickly as possible
Mark as he continues to be Metisha’s wing man
The Welsh and Ewbank families – that we will know how to best support Metisha and Mark
On Friday, May 25th, she goes back for another photo shoot. The oncologist is most focused on how the chemo has attacked the cancer spots on her liver and the next steps will be based on the results of theses scans.
Metisha is getting more and more comfortable with her new, low maintenance, hair style. We were talking last night about new movies we want to see. She said, “Maybe I’ll paint my head green and go see the new Shrek movie!” I would proudly sit next to her at the movie theater!
Continue to pray with us. Tisha has been so strong but continues to need the strength of prayer. God is the ultimate healer and He can and will restore her body and spirit. Please pray specifically for:
Monday, May 7, 2007
Supporters
Metisha teaches 5th grade in the Fort Worth school district. She is an excellent teacher! She has a knack for being a fun teacher while maintaining a high level of respect from her students. Her students have been very uplifting through her cancer war. They celebrated with her when the brain scan came back clean. They were intrigued and excited to learn about and see her chemo port. And when her hair fell out, three of her girls cut off their pony tails and brought them to Tisha so she could make a wig! The kids have been great and definitely keep her spirits up!
The hardest part of the war for Metisha has been losing her hair. She has beautiful blonde and it would be hard for any woman to give up her hair. Thankfully she found a great wig. We’ve had people ask us when her hair will fall out and some people have even made bald jokes in front of her not realizing she has a wig on! Everyday Metisha is more comfortable with her new look and continues to heal with laughter.
Metisha has received so much support from family, friends, co-workers and neighbors. But I wanted to brag on her #1 supporter – Mark. He has been absolutely amazing through this journey. He has been at every doctor’s appointment, every scan, every round of chemo. He is strong. He makes her follow the rules. He loves her every moment of every day. This little sister could not ask for a better supporter for her big sis!
Metisha will get her 3rd round of Pac-Mans (chemo) on Friday. Three weeks after that she will have a new round of photo shoots (scans) to see how much progress the Pac-Mans have made on destroying the cancer on her liver and the breast tumor. Metisha knows that God is taking care of her through her cancer war and that he is using the Pac-Mans to heal her.
Continue to fight Metisha’s cancer with the most powerful weapon we have – prayer. Pray that God will again protect Tisha from the side effects of chemo and that she will experience no pain from the white blood cell booster shot. Pray that the scans will show God has removed all the cancer from her liver and that the breast tumor is gone. Pray that God will guide the doctors in the next step of the war. Praise God for Mark and the unbelievable support he gives Tisha. Praise God for the wisdom he gives the doctors. And praise God for Metisha and the beauty she brings to all our lives. She’s going to kick me for that last but I’m typing it anyway!
The hardest part of the war for Metisha has been losing her hair. She has beautiful blonde and it would be hard for any woman to give up her hair. Thankfully she found a great wig. We’ve had people ask us when her hair will fall out and some people have even made bald jokes in front of her not realizing she has a wig on! Everyday Metisha is more comfortable with her new look and continues to heal with laughter.
Metisha has received so much support from family, friends, co-workers and neighbors. But I wanted to brag on her #1 supporter – Mark. He has been absolutely amazing through this journey. He has been at every doctor’s appointment, every scan, every round of chemo. He is strong. He makes her follow the rules. He loves her every moment of every day. This little sister could not ask for a better supporter for her big sis!
Metisha will get her 3rd round of Pac-Mans (chemo) on Friday. Three weeks after that she will have a new round of photo shoots (scans) to see how much progress the Pac-Mans have made on destroying the cancer on her liver and the breast tumor. Metisha knows that God is taking care of her through her cancer war and that he is using the Pac-Mans to heal her.
Continue to fight Metisha’s cancer with the most powerful weapon we have – prayer. Pray that God will again protect Tisha from the side effects of chemo and that she will experience no pain from the white blood cell booster shot. Pray that the scans will show God has removed all the cancer from her liver and that the breast tumor is gone. Pray that God will guide the doctors in the next step of the war. Praise God for Mark and the unbelievable support he gives Tisha. Praise God for the wisdom he gives the doctors. And praise God for Metisha and the beauty she brings to all our lives. She’s going to kick me for that last but I’m typing it anyway!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
The Power of Prayer
God is faithful and continues to answer prayers! Metisha did not get sick from her chemo treatment last Friday. She was definitely tired but no sickness! Praise God! And the doctor said the breast tumor is shrinking! There is no denying the power of prayer!
She got her white blood cell booster shot yesterday and that shot caused her a lot of pain last time. She described it as growing pains and since she’s already 6 foot, she definitely doesn’t want to grow any taller! So pray that God will protect her from the side effects of the white blood cell shot and that He will continue to use the Pac-Mans to eat up all the cancer cells! And praise God for His protection from the chemo side effects, for His healing and for all of you who stand by Metisha in prayer.
She got her white blood cell booster shot yesterday and that shot caused her a lot of pain last time. She described it as growing pains and since she’s already 6 foot, she definitely doesn’t want to grow any taller! So pray that God will protect her from the side effects of the white blood cell shot and that He will continue to use the Pac-Mans to eat up all the cancer cells! And praise God for His protection from the chemo side effects, for His healing and for all of you who stand by Metisha in prayer.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The Attack of Pac-Man
Ding, ding, ding! Round Two! Metisha has her second round of chemo on Friday. She likes to think of chemo as Pac-Man; its racing around her body gobbling up all the cancer cells as fast as it can! On Friday they will give her even meaner Pac-Mans to specifically attack the liver cancer cells. Because these Pac-Mans are so mean, they can make her very sick and create mouth sores so she has to keep ice chips in her mouth while they inject the new Pac-Mans. Burr!
Her hair started to fall out last Wednesday which has definitely been tough. I can’t imagine any woman would handle baldness well, but Tish is already starting to smile again! She says she looks like Uncle Fester but she does have three different hair styles to pick from every morning which is kind of fun. I did think of three positives to losing your hair to chemo:
3. Chick fight advantage – no hair to be pulled.
2. More aerodynamic when running.
1. Small chance of a friend copying your new look!
I do have to say I feel a little stupid now that her hair feel out; I got her a fancy blow dryer for Christmas!
All in all, Tisha is still doing very well and continues to keep amazingly high spirits! We still laugh more than we cry and believe daily in God’s total and complete healing! We did receive good news. The high Hillbilly count that showed up during her first round of chemo is the result of a common liver disorder. The disorder is not serious and will not cause any problems with chemo. Praise God! Pray for Metisha as she goes for her second chemo treatment. Pray that God will protect her from all the side effects and that the chemo will completely remove all cancer cells from her body. Go Pac-Man!
Her hair started to fall out last Wednesday which has definitely been tough. I can’t imagine any woman would handle baldness well, but Tish is already starting to smile again! She says she looks like Uncle Fester but she does have three different hair styles to pick from every morning which is kind of fun. I did think of three positives to losing your hair to chemo:
3. Chick fight advantage – no hair to be pulled.
2. More aerodynamic when running.
1. Small chance of a friend copying your new look!
I do have to say I feel a little stupid now that her hair feel out; I got her a fancy blow dryer for Christmas!
All in all, Tisha is still doing very well and continues to keep amazingly high spirits! We still laugh more than we cry and believe daily in God’s total and complete healing! We did receive good news. The high Hillbilly count that showed up during her first round of chemo is the result of a common liver disorder. The disorder is not serious and will not cause any problems with chemo. Praise God! Pray for Metisha as she goes for her second chemo treatment. Pray that God will protect her from all the side effects and that the chemo will completely remove all cancer cells from her body. Go Pac-Man!
Monday, April 9, 2007
And the Winner Is …
We survived the grueling Susan Komen Race for the Cure. We got up early, put on our game faces, covered up our team t-shirts with 12 additional layers of clothing and headed to the race shortly after 6 am Saturday morning. The temperature was a frigid 37 and only the fiercest competitors would brave these conditions. When we arrived at the race, we were greeted with the other enthusiastic Welsh Warriors with their winter clothes and pink bunny ears. Our first task was a team photo but I’m fairly certain no one was recognizable under all the layers of clothing! Now in most races you cool down after the race but we had our cool down before with about an hour of free time between the team photo and the beginning of the race. So we “chilled out” and picked up some free loot. Metisha visited the survivor’s tent and was interviewed by a TV crew from the Komen foundation. We could feel the anticipation of the race building as the competitors began to line up. Soon we heard the gun fire and the race started. The starting pace was so fast that at one point I almost passed a snail on the side walk! But the race quickly spread out and the pace picked up to a nice walk. It was an amazing site to see over 17,000 people consuming entire city blocks. At one point, we were two blocks away from a left hand turn and when I looked two blocks down to my left, I could see other competitors who had already made the turn. We were a heard on the move! It took us about an hour to finish the race and we never broke a sweat! When Metisha crossed the finish line her team was there cheering her on as it started to snow. Yes, snow. It was a beautiful snow and definitely created a memory we will never forget!
Of course the day included a lot of laughter: · A friend called Tish to ask her where the team was meeting. Metisha told him, “Just look for me, I’m wearing a pink cap.” Yeah, because she was the only one in a pink cap that day! · One team’s t-shirt said “Support the Boobs”. · There were pink tags you could wear during the race to show who you were supporting. Metisha picked one up and filled it with names of family and friends who have survived breast cancer. After her tag was prominently displayed on her back, I noticed it said, “In Memory Of Me”. She had picked up the “In Memory Of” tag instead of the “In Celebration Of” tag and put “Me” at the top of her list!
So who won the race? Mom raised the most money but all together the Welsh Warriors raised $4,170 and had a great race! Thanks so much Dana for organizing the team and thank you to everyone who supported us in the walk!
Of course the day included a lot of laughter: · A friend called Tish to ask her where the team was meeting. Metisha told him, “Just look for me, I’m wearing a pink cap.” Yeah, because she was the only one in a pink cap that day! · One team’s t-shirt said “Support the Boobs”. · There were pink tags you could wear during the race to show who you were supporting. Metisha picked one up and filled it with names of family and friends who have survived breast cancer. After her tag was prominently displayed on her back, I noticed it said, “In Memory Of Me”. She had picked up the “In Memory Of” tag instead of the “In Celebration Of” tag and put “Me” at the top of her list!
So who won the race? Mom raised the most money but all together the Welsh Warriors raised $4,170 and had a great race! Thanks so much Dana for organizing the team and thank you to everyone who supported us in the walk!
Monday, April 2, 2007
Countdown to the Race
We are less than 5 days away from the big Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and the nerves are kicking in. I find myself wrestling with pre-race doubt. Did I train enough? What is the optimum pre-race meal that will contain the perfect balance of sustaining proteins and energy packed carbohydrates? Will my tennis shoes match the t-shirt? But on Saturday, when 28 Welsh Warriors walk among 25,000 competitors, I know all the hard work will be rewarded!
I’m very proud of my fellow Welsh Warriors. We have raised over $2800 for the fight against cancer! However there is suspicion regarding the intentions of some participants. I won’t mention any names (Bryce Overstreet) but some did not join the team until they learned there would be 25,000 competitors, most of whom will be female. Others of us (Mom) seem to be hoarding pledges (even if it means raising more than their daughter with cancer) because they think they will get a prize for raising the most money. And then there are the other 24 of us who just wanted a free t-shirt!
Of course I’m kidding! 26 people consisting of family, friends, co-workers and students will walk beside Metisha and Mark on Saturday simply because we love them, we support them, and we want to fight with them through this battle. But the free t-shirt is a nice bonus! :)
Metisha has continued to be amazed at the circle of support that is building around her. It has been so much fun to see posts on this blog from old basketball teammates and former rivals that Tish thinks we need to have a Frontier Basketball Camp reunion! Anyone for some cut throat, 10:00 pm games and bad cafeteria food? I’m putting Metisha’s e-mail below her picture so you can send her e-mail. She would love to catch up with everyone! But don’t stop posting to the blog – we want to keep laughing together and encouraging each other here at Metisha’s Ta Ta blog!
As always, continue to pray with us. We are praying specifically that the high hillbilly count is resolved quickly and is not an issue, the chemo will completely destroy every cancer cell in these first three rounds and that Metisha will continue to not get sick from the chemo. And we thank God every day that he is the ultimate physician and for each of you who is praying with us.
I’m very proud of my fellow Welsh Warriors. We have raised over $2800 for the fight against cancer! However there is suspicion regarding the intentions of some participants. I won’t mention any names (Bryce Overstreet) but some did not join the team until they learned there would be 25,000 competitors, most of whom will be female. Others of us (Mom) seem to be hoarding pledges (even if it means raising more than their daughter with cancer) because they think they will get a prize for raising the most money. And then there are the other 24 of us who just wanted a free t-shirt!
Of course I’m kidding! 26 people consisting of family, friends, co-workers and students will walk beside Metisha and Mark on Saturday simply because we love them, we support them, and we want to fight with them through this battle. But the free t-shirt is a nice bonus! :)
Metisha has continued to be amazed at the circle of support that is building around her. It has been so much fun to see posts on this blog from old basketball teammates and former rivals that Tish thinks we need to have a Frontier Basketball Camp reunion! Anyone for some cut throat, 10:00 pm games and bad cafeteria food? I’m putting Metisha’s e-mail below her picture so you can send her e-mail. She would love to catch up with everyone! But don’t stop posting to the blog – we want to keep laughing together and encouraging each other here at Metisha’s Ta Ta blog!
As always, continue to pray with us. We are praying specifically that the high hillbilly count is resolved quickly and is not an issue, the chemo will completely destroy every cancer cell in these first three rounds and that Metisha will continue to not get sick from the chemo. And we thank God every day that he is the ultimate physician and for each of you who is praying with us.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
“The Hillbillies” Are Up, But “The Girls” Are Going Down
Tisha made it through her first round of chemo. She spent most of the day at the chemo center doing blood work, meeting with the oncologist, waiting, and getting chemo. And so far she feels fine – no sickness. She met a nurse who was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 28 and is cancer free at 34.
They found another surprise today. Her “Hillbillies” are up. They aren’t really called hillbillies but the scientific name is too hard to remember and it sounds like hillbilly, so in true Metisha spirit, we are calling them hillbillies. The hillbillies are some count in her blood that indicates her liver is not filtering properly. The nurse said it can be related to a liver disorder. So now she has another “photo shoot” (ultra sound) scheduled for Friday to determine why the hillbillies are up. Yes, we are now referring to cat scans, MRIs, ultrasounds, etc, as photo shoots. Metisha has been scheduled for a lot of photo shoots so we decided her organs must photograph beautifully!
Tisha was supposed to receive three different types of chemo; two to attack the breast cancer and one specifically for the liver cancer spot. But the oncologist decided to not give her the liver chemo because of the hillbillies. If the high hillbillies are due to a liver disorder, the third type of could be more dangerous to her liver so the oncologist may have to choose a different type of chemo. He also decided to wait three weeks between chemo treatments.
The oncologist told Metisha it is time for “the girls” to go down for a while. The girls are her ovaries. Her cancer is strongly feed by hormones, so they will give her a shot tomorrow and then every three months to shut down her ovaries. In other words, the shot will put her in a temporary state of menopause. When I talked with Tisha today, she just laughed and said, “so now I’ll be bald and growing a beard!”
Once again we’ve been assured that God led Metisha to the right doctors. She had more people tell her today that her surgeon is the best breast cancer surgeon and her oncologist was nothing but upbeat and positive. He also told her he has been in contact with leading liver cancer doctors and they have discussed her case and agreed on the chemo plan. And all the nurses today were upbeat and positive and tried to make the chemo process as comfortable as possible. They even told her she can order in pizza during her treatments! We know God has put Metisha in His best healing hands and we know God will heal her!
They found another surprise today. Her “Hillbillies” are up. They aren’t really called hillbillies but the scientific name is too hard to remember and it sounds like hillbilly, so in true Metisha spirit, we are calling them hillbillies. The hillbillies are some count in her blood that indicates her liver is not filtering properly. The nurse said it can be related to a liver disorder. So now she has another “photo shoot” (ultra sound) scheduled for Friday to determine why the hillbillies are up. Yes, we are now referring to cat scans, MRIs, ultrasounds, etc, as photo shoots. Metisha has been scheduled for a lot of photo shoots so we decided her organs must photograph beautifully!
Tisha was supposed to receive three different types of chemo; two to attack the breast cancer and one specifically for the liver cancer spot. But the oncologist decided to not give her the liver chemo because of the hillbillies. If the high hillbillies are due to a liver disorder, the third type of could be more dangerous to her liver so the oncologist may have to choose a different type of chemo. He also decided to wait three weeks between chemo treatments.
The oncologist told Metisha it is time for “the girls” to go down for a while. The girls are her ovaries. Her cancer is strongly feed by hormones, so they will give her a shot tomorrow and then every three months to shut down her ovaries. In other words, the shot will put her in a temporary state of menopause. When I talked with Tisha today, she just laughed and said, “so now I’ll be bald and growing a beard!”
Once again we’ve been assured that God led Metisha to the right doctors. She had more people tell her today that her surgeon is the best breast cancer surgeon and her oncologist was nothing but upbeat and positive. He also told her he has been in contact with leading liver cancer doctors and they have discussed her case and agreed on the chemo plan. And all the nurses today were upbeat and positive and tried to make the chemo process as comfortable as possible. They even told her she can order in pizza during her treatments! We know God has put Metisha in His best healing hands and we know God will heal her!
Friday, March 23, 2007
Adding to the List
It’s been another interesting week for Tish. She had an MRI on Monday and met with the surgeon who for her chemo port. Then she had an echo gram on Wednesday and the chemo port was inserted this morning. Two more items were added to the list through the week: a second liver spot and a protruding disk in her back. The oncologist said the second spot on the liver is not necessarily cancer but could be scar tissue or a cyst. And between years of basketball and some ugly mountain bike wrecks, the protruding disk is likely from an old injury. So the complete diagnosis list now includes breast cancer, sinusitis, metastasized cancer spot on the liver, protruding disk and cancer spot. I guess you could say she’s getting her money’s worth out of all these tests!
The port insertion surgery went very well this morning. They did not completely sedate her but gave her enough drugs that she slept through the procedure. She is sore, but is already at home resting. The port was inserted into her chest and connects into a main artery. This allows the chemo to be quickly distributed throughout her entire body. Her first round of chemo will be Wednesday.
Every time I talk to Tish she has a funny story that adds comedy to cancer. The oncologist’s nurse called to tell her the MRI showed a different liver spot and a protruding disk. Tisha’s told her that was great, but she wasn’t allowed to call anymore with bad news and that in the future, she should only call with good news. The nurse whole-heartedly agreed to that plan. And then she shared a good laugh with the nurse. Yesterday she had a pre-op appointment for her chemo port. The surgeon was drawing a very helpful diagram of her heart and the main artery and where the port would be inserted. Metisha asked why he was drawing her a map of the 820 loop in Forth Worth. Tish thought that was a pretty hilarious joke but she didn’t even get a courtesy laugh from Mark or the surgeon! Keep on laughing Tish!
Please continue to pray for Tish as she starts chemo on Wednesday. We know God will use the chemo to completely heal her!
The port insertion surgery went very well this morning. They did not completely sedate her but gave her enough drugs that she slept through the procedure. She is sore, but is already at home resting. The port was inserted into her chest and connects into a main artery. This allows the chemo to be quickly distributed throughout her entire body. Her first round of chemo will be Wednesday.
Every time I talk to Tish she has a funny story that adds comedy to cancer. The oncologist’s nurse called to tell her the MRI showed a different liver spot and a protruding disk. Tisha’s told her that was great, but she wasn’t allowed to call anymore with bad news and that in the future, she should only call with good news. The nurse whole-heartedly agreed to that plan. And then she shared a good laugh with the nurse. Yesterday she had a pre-op appointment for her chemo port. The surgeon was drawing a very helpful diagram of her heart and the main artery and where the port would be inserted. Metisha asked why he was drawing her a map of the 820 loop in Forth Worth. Tish thought that was a pretty hilarious joke but she didn’t even get a courtesy laugh from Mark or the surgeon! Keep on laughing Tish!
Please continue to pray for Tish as she starts chemo on Wednesday. We know God will use the chemo to completely heal her!
Monday, March 19, 2007
Bionic Woman
She is tougher than titanium; stronger than super man; fiercer than fire. On Friday our super hero will receive her bionic chemo port that she will use to quickly and aggressively attack and destroy those nasty cancer cells. Cancer, be very afraid!
Ok, I’ll remove my pocket protector now; and yes, I am a computer nerd.
Tish had two appointments today. First she had an MRI of her liver. She has already had a PET scan and CAT scan of her liver but the MRI will provide the oncologist with more detailed images. After the MRI she met with the surgeon who will insert the chemo port. She is scheduled to have the port inserted on Friday. And the great news is the surgeon said she could begin chemo as early as next week! She still has an echo gram scheduled for Wednesday and is waiting for the oncologist to schedule the first round of chemo.
We are praying that God will use the chemo to completely destroy all the cancer in her body with these first three chemo treatments. And please know that Mark, Tish and their families thank God daily for all of you and your constant prayers, encouragement and support. We are continually uplifted by your love and kindness.
I can’t end this post without bragging on Mark. Yesterday was Mark’s birthday. Some people might spend their birthday stuffing themselves at Texas Roadhouse, playing Nintendo Wii and eating birthday cake (not that I know anyone like that), but not Mark. Mark spent his birthday competing in his first mountain bike race. He did awesome! He finished 9th out of almost 40 competitors, in less than one hour and only 5 minutes behind the winner! Very impressive!
Ok, I’ll remove my pocket protector now; and yes, I am a computer nerd.
Tish had two appointments today. First she had an MRI of her liver. She has already had a PET scan and CAT scan of her liver but the MRI will provide the oncologist with more detailed images. After the MRI she met with the surgeon who will insert the chemo port. She is scheduled to have the port inserted on Friday. And the great news is the surgeon said she could begin chemo as early as next week! She still has an echo gram scheduled for Wednesday and is waiting for the oncologist to schedule the first round of chemo.
We are praying that God will use the chemo to completely destroy all the cancer in her body with these first three chemo treatments. And please know that Mark, Tish and their families thank God daily for all of you and your constant prayers, encouragement and support. We are continually uplifted by your love and kindness.
I can’t end this post without bragging on Mark. Yesterday was Mark’s birthday. Some people might spend their birthday stuffing themselves at Texas Roadhouse, playing Nintendo Wii and eating birthday cake (not that I know anyone like that), but not Mark. Mark spent his birthday competing in his first mountain bike race. He did awesome! He finished 9th out of almost 40 competitors, in less than one hour and only 5 minutes behind the winner! Very impressive!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
On to Chemo (Almost)
It was another fun-filled day for Tish. She got to meet the oncologist, have more blood work done and attend a chemo class. The oncologist mapped out the first phase of the attack: 3 rounds of chemotherapy with two weeks between each round. After completing those chemo treatments, she will have a new round of PET scans and CAT scans to see how well the chemo is attacking the cancer. The next phase will be determined based on the results of those scans.
But two things have to happen before she can begin chemo. First she has to have the port inserted which will be used to administer the chemo. She has a consultation with another doctor on Monday who will insert this port. Then on Wednesday she will have an echogram done to ensure her heart is strong enough for the chemo. There is nothing suspicious about her heart; this is routine. So, it’s off for more testing and to meet another new doctor.
But two things have to happen before she can begin chemo. First she has to have the port inserted which will be used to administer the chemo. She has a consultation with another doctor on Monday who will insert this port. Then on Wednesday she will have an echogram done to ensure her heart is strong enough for the chemo. There is nothing suspicious about her heart; this is routine. So, it’s off for more testing and to meet another new doctor.
Tisha asked the nurses if chemo will cure her cellulite also since it eliminates masses. The nurses just laughed and said if it did, they would all be on chemo!
We are praying that:
The chemo will blast all the cancer out of her body (both the liver and the ta ta) in these first 3 treatments.
The port can be inserted quickly so she can begin chemo quickly.
God will totally and completely heal her of her cancer.
Speaking from almost 27 years of experience with Tisha, this cancer doesn’t stand a chance! Between her Karber strong body and bull headedness and her Ewbank temper and fight, this cancer is a goner!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Metastasized
Metisha received the results of her liver biopsy today. The breast cancer has metastasized to the liver. She has an appointment with the oncologist tomorrow. Please pray specifically:
For complete and total healing from God, the ultimate healer
For wisdom for the doctors
That the treatment plan will be decided tomorrow
That the treatment process will begin quickly
Metisha wants everyone to know how much your prayers and kind words mean to her. She is overwhelmed daily by all the support she has received and loves reading your comments to this blog.
Metisha has faith and knows that God has a plan of healing for her. She feels safe and protected and feels your support in this fight. So Metisha says, “Cancer, prepare for an @@@ whoopin’!” Ding! Ding!
For complete and total healing from God, the ultimate healer
For wisdom for the doctors
That the treatment plan will be decided tomorrow
That the treatment process will begin quickly
Metisha wants everyone to know how much your prayers and kind words mean to her. She is overwhelmed daily by all the support she has received and loves reading your comments to this blog.
Metisha has faith and knows that God has a plan of healing for her. She feels safe and protected and feels your support in this fight. So Metisha says, “Cancer, prepare for an @@@ whoopin’!” Ding! Ding!
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Race for the Cure
The team has been formed; the event date is confirmed; the uniforms are being made; training has begun. It will be a grueling 5K walk. It’s the Welsh Warriors in a crowd of 18,500 competitors. It is the Race for the Cure. Do you feel the suspense; feel the drama; smell the stench of competition?
Tish, Mark, Barbara (Tisha’s mom) and Regan (Tisha’s sister) are on the team and need your support. The race is April 7th. Click on the links below to donate:
Metisha: http://race.komentarrant.org/site/TR?px=1201064&pg=personal&fr_id=1030
Mark: http://race.komentarrant.org/site/TR?px=1201062&pg=personal&fr_id=1030
Barbara: http://race.komentarrant.org/site/TR?px=1180862&pg=personal&fr_id=1030
Regan: http://race.komentarrant.org/site/TR?px=1182501&pg=personal&fr_id=1030
Tish, Mark, Barbara (Tisha’s mom) and Regan (Tisha’s sister) are on the team and need your support. The race is April 7th. Click on the links below to donate:
Metisha: http://race.komentarrant.org/site/TR?px=1201064&pg=personal&fr_id=1030
Mark: http://race.komentarrant.org/site/TR?px=1201062&pg=personal&fr_id=1030
Barbara: http://race.komentarrant.org/site/TR?px=1180862&pg=personal&fr_id=1030
Regan: http://race.komentarrant.org/site/TR?px=1182501&pg=personal&fr_id=1030
Funny Stories
The last month and half have been filled with tears, but also with laughter.
Tish and Mark have been to 14 doctor appointments, some of which have been amusing. Obviously, Tish is VERY young for breast cancer and is always the youngest person in the waiting room at Dr. Bussey’s office. During their first visit there, Mark and Tish were sitting in the quiet waiting room abiding to all unwritten doctor office waiting room rules: don’t make eye contact with anyone, don’t speak too loud and try to blend into the chair. Mark had his PSP (video game) and Tish was grading papers from school. Well, a very friendly older woman decided to strike up a conversation and offer her support. We all know Tish can talk to a wall so all was well. She encouraged Tish by saying, "Honey, you are going to have such pretty boobs when this is all over." That was helpful enough but then the friendly older women decided to display her support in the form of a hug. Yes, a hug. And not just for Tish but for Mark to! Mark just loves hugging, so hugging a total stranger was definitely high on his comfort list!
They had a meeting with the plastic surgeon who will do reconstruction. The highlight of the visit for Mark was comparing the implant to the real deal. The implant passed Mark’s quality control test!
Tish is very upbeat and positive and there are moments that definitely make her laugh. One person asked Tish when she was having an autopsy. She was talking to another person about the liver biopsy. Tish told her they would insert a needle into her liver. The lady said, “isn’t that how they take your temperature when you’re dead?”
Tish and Mark have been to 14 doctor appointments, some of which have been amusing. Obviously, Tish is VERY young for breast cancer and is always the youngest person in the waiting room at Dr. Bussey’s office. During their first visit there, Mark and Tish were sitting in the quiet waiting room abiding to all unwritten doctor office waiting room rules: don’t make eye contact with anyone, don’t speak too loud and try to blend into the chair. Mark had his PSP (video game) and Tish was grading papers from school. Well, a very friendly older woman decided to strike up a conversation and offer her support. We all know Tish can talk to a wall so all was well. She encouraged Tish by saying, "Honey, you are going to have such pretty boobs when this is all over." That was helpful enough but then the friendly older women decided to display her support in the form of a hug. Yes, a hug. And not just for Tish but for Mark to! Mark just loves hugging, so hugging a total stranger was definitely high on his comfort list!
They had a meeting with the plastic surgeon who will do reconstruction. The highlight of the visit for Mark was comparing the implant to the real deal. The implant passed Mark’s quality control test!
Tish is very upbeat and positive and there are moments that definitely make her laugh. One person asked Tish when she was having an autopsy. She was talking to another person about the liver biopsy. Tish told her they would insert a needle into her liver. The lady said, “isn’t that how they take your temperature when you’re dead?”
Metastasis: yes, no, maybe?
Out of all the scans Metisha has completed, two spots were detected. One spot on her brain that was detected by the CAT scan and one spot on her liver that was detected by the CAT and PET scans. She had a MRI done last Monday for the brain spot which gave excellent news. The brain spot is sever sinusitis, not cancer! We are so happy for sinusitis :) She had a liver biopsy done last Friday. She should find the results from that biopsy this week. So pray specifically that the liver spot is not cancer or anything serious. And as always, pray for total cancer healing.
The Prologue
The story began about 11 months ago. Metisha first discovered the lump in April but her doctor believed it was muscle tissue and suggested a wait and watch approach. But Metisha became concerned at a follow-up visit on February 21st . The doctor immediately referred her to a surgeon. Metisha’s first appointment with the surgeon was on the 22nd where the surgeon did an ultrasound and too became concerned. The surgeon then scheduled her for a mammogram and a biopsy. It was at the biopsy appointment on February 1st when it was confirmed as breast cancer. Since the initial diagnosis, it has been a month and a half of second opinions, a change in surgeons, MRI scans, CAT scans, PET scans, bone scans, blood work, poking and prodding, etc.
As of today, the facts are:
Cancer Type - Infiltrating Ductile Carcinoma
Stage - To Be Determined
Metastasis - Unknown
Treatment Plan - Double Mastectomy, Chemotherapy
Breast Surgeon - Dr. Bussey
Plastic Surgeon - Dr. Strock
As of today, the facts are:
Cancer Type - Infiltrating Ductile Carcinoma
Stage - To Be Determined
Metastasis - Unknown
Treatment Plan - Double Mastectomy, Chemotherapy
Breast Surgeon - Dr. Bussey
Plastic Surgeon - Dr. Strock
Metisha's Cancer Blog
This is Metisha’s breast cancer story, written by her little sister Regan. The intent is to provide weekly updates on Metisha’s fight. Check-in often and leave comments for Metisha and Mark. And as always, keep praying!
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