Beaten and bruised, but not broken

It's been a rough week having dad back in the hospital (MD Anderson).  Steve is back to using the whiteboard to communicate, he is in a tremendous amount of pain, he has been unable to eat much of anything since April 12, and the current cocktail of medications leaves almost unconscious most of the time.  So let me explain how we got to this point.......

Dad elected to start the new clinical trial at MD Anderson with the understanding the drug could have an adverse effect on vision.  Often chemotherapy can cause mouth and throat sores and for whatever reason this particular chemo hit dad hard with this side-effect.  There are a number of mouth washes that clean and numb the mouth/throat to counteract the "mucusitis".   This helped a little, but not enough.  Last Friday, April 13 was the 6th dose of this chemotherapy and the continued inflammation and ulceration as a result became too much on Sunday.  After several days of being unable to speak and eat plus an unbearable pain resulted in a trip to the ER for immediate help.  I want to also mention that over the span of the 6 weeks of chemo a suspicious spot showed up on dad's chin.  At first it was believed to be some sort of blemish or irritation probably from the various medications and chemo.  After the spot did not improve and continued to grow they performed a biopsy.  Turns out this spot is a new tumor.  The new chin tumor has continued to grow despite the current chemotherapy and this almost caused him to pull out from the trial.  After a repeat of chest CT Scans (around week 3) it turned out that there had been almost no change in the lung tumors during this time.  And in this case, no change is good!  So dad continued with the trial and would get more scans after week 6.  Dad has been on a constant drip of strong pain killers since Monday to gain some control of the pain and allow for some rest and healing.  Today the pain is almost tolerable at steady state, but the severe ulceration in the mouth and throat hasn't allowed him to eat.  The plan at this point is to control the pain, allow for him to heal, regain his strength and then return home.

Through all of this dad has been very strong and in good spirits.  The Hansen grandkids have visited him everyday in the hospital a couple hours at a time.  I know he enjoys this time with them even if he does not open his eyes as he gives the approving "thumbs up" sign and head nod of approval when asked questions.  As always he has had a very friendly staff working with him and dad tends to joke around with them often.

Tomorrow dad will have head/neck/chest CT scans to see the current status of the lung tumors.  Obviously you don't want any progression or growth in the lungs, but at the same time you question whether the level of misery right now is worth the benefit.  For now we wait for the scans to be performed tomorrow and then will consult with the physician team......  please continue to send your prayers and healing thoughts.  It's certainly a tough time for Superman Steve right now.

I would be seriously remiss of me not to mention two blessings during this time!  First, dad has a brand NEW grandchild that was welcomed this week!  My sister Monica (and Mike!) had a beautiful little girl on Monday morning.  The new grandbaby is named Calla Lee McTeague and both mom and baby are at home now and doing very well.  Dad has seen pictures and Skyped with Monica....  Second, Echo (the eldest sister) is traveling to Houston from Michigan as I type this with her two little girls.  This was a previously planned trip and it is great timing as dad certainly can use Echo's presence.

Thank you so much for the prayers all of you so diligently pray and thank you for all the positive energy you send to Steve.

March Update

I'm so thankful to provide an update to you all that is full of hope.  I wish I could say the two most recent CT Scans at MD Anderson showed some regression in the lung tumors.  Unfortunately the tumors grew enough to where continuing with this treatment did not make sense and, as I mentioned before, another trial(s) may be the best option.  Although the tumors growing are bad news, the good news is their are other options AND there have been no other signs of metastatic disease in other organs or within the lungs.

Allow me to back up for just a moment....  My last update was January and we are now in March, so there is a lot of ground to cover.  In January Mom (Cindy) started up at SMU again in Dallas.  She has been on a very long journey to finish her Master's in Divinity - a world-wide scholastic journey!  She now travels to Dallas every week on Tuesdays to study at the Perkins School of Theology and returns on Fridays - 9-10 hours of driving per week.  It's not an easy task, but she has love and support from Dad.  I think Dad is happy to be in the role of supporting her after it being the other way around for many months.

I am also happy to report that overall health for Dad has been relatively good this winter.  He goes walking regularly at the bayous and parks.  He does a lot of cooking and barbecuing.  And of course lots of work around the house and playing with the grand kids.  Despite the limiting factors that an aggressive cancer places on your body he manages to stay so darn active!  It really has been fun having mom and dad here for all of our weekend events, Valentine's day, and pretty soon the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

So, back to present time and back to options on future treatments for dad.  After the last scans dad needed to make a decision on how to proceed.  Really the best options were two clinical trials where he could join the next waive of participants.  One trial was in Maryland and the other at MD Anderson.  Ultimately he chose to try the MD Anderson trial, but it was a tough decision especially because of significant risks with the MDA trial.  For instance, the chemo does have a potential side effect of retinal detachment.  In order to get accepted to the trial, dad had to have 4 hours of eye exams and will continue self checking his eyes to ensure he is okay.  Additionally he had more scans and blood work to kick off the trial and he officially started last Friday with his first chemo infusion therapy.

From here on it's weekly blood draws and doctor visits along with the chemo every two weeks.  As I said before I am delivering this update with a lot of hope as we move forward.  We are all grateful for the overall good health and helpful medicine that has allowed us to have a happy winter.  Please continue to pray for good health and strength for Steve.  But most of all (as our friend Hugh would say) keep hope alive with this battle.  Pray for the doctors, the researchers, and all the patients who are battling this disease.  I know we face an uphill battle but I am so filled with hope I can't help but stay positive.  Thank you to everyone for your prayers and positive thoughts.  You play a large role!

Happy New Year

I wanted to provide an update for everyone on Superman Steve's progress.  Mom and dad returned from their Christmas/New Year's trip to Tucson, AZ last week.  I know they were not all that excited to return to Houston as it means returning to treatment - the constant poking and prodding and all day trips to the hospital.  The sacrifice and hard work put in by Superman Steve has paid off though as his health is as good as anyone could hope for right now.  The latest visits to MD Anderson have all been positive and dad will have repeat CT scans later this month.  We also await to see if dad will be enrolled in a clinical trial to test a new drug.  I will have much more to post on these two upcoming events in the near future!

For now I want to say the Christmas and New Year's break from Houston and Hospitals was a well timed and well deserved hiatus.  We look forward to starting off 2012 on the right path toward healing.......

Thanks again for everyone's warm blessings.  Happy New Year!

-Ryan

Happy Thanksgiving

First I want to say the birthday celebration for Dad on November 19th was great - good food and good company.  Both sisters (Echo and Monica) made the trip to celebrate with Monica and her family staying in Houston through Thanksgiving.  This was the first Thanksgiving Pam and I hosted in our house.  With lots of helping hands in the kitchen it turned out perfect.  There is much to be Thankful for.....

As mentioned in the last update, we were to receive news from MD Anderson regarding dad's progress with the clinical trial he is participating in.  After numerous CT scans the physicians concluded that a new therapy would be best for dad.  The scans showed some new (albeit small) tumors in the lungs and 23% growth by the largest tumor in the lungs.  The scans also showed stability and what appears to be an improvement in the throat.  Unfortunately, the new tumors and growth of the largest tumor is something we cannot have and thus the recommendation to stop the trial and try again.  There is another clinical trial beginning late January and the physician team believes this is a good one for dad to join.  In the mean time, there is a PO (by mouth) Chemotherapy drug which has shown to be effective in some cases.  Dad has agreed (and has already started) to try this drug to bridge the gap between the two trials.  This drug is taken twice a day on an empty stomach and is well known among the Anaplastic Thyroid "community".  One of the nice things about not participating in a trial is you are not required to have as many appointments and blood draws.  This allows a little flexibility for dad to do things.....like travel!  At the end of this week both mom and dad will take a much deserved trip to Tucson.  If there is anywhere in the world dad would like to be most, it's probably Arizona!  I know they will have a great time tending to their house, visiting friends and family, and reacquainting themselves with the mountains and cacti (not too much of that here in Pearland, TX).

So what's next?  Dad will have repeat tests and scans after starting this new drug.  If this proves to be an effective treatment (pray, pray, pray!) then continue the course.  If not, we have the other trial to hopefully join.  Unfortunately you are not always guaranteed the trial will be available to you.  The trial could be postponed due to unanticipated side-effects or even stopped by the FDA if they feel warranted.  Even if the trial is open, you have to pass a screening and meet their requirements to participate.  So, there is a lot more to come soon!  Keep up the prayers and support for Superman Steve.  His strength and energy is at a level that is still hard for us to keep up with - an amazing feat if you think about what he has been through the last 182 days..........

We have more Superman Steve bands if anyone needs more.  Thanks!

Update

Last Monday (about 10 days ago), Steve had his 3rd clinical trial chemo infusion. This chemo does not kill all new cells; it only targets the fast dividing cells.  Steve now has his hair growing back and his skin tone looks healthier.  This chemo does make Steve very very tired and weak on days 8-11 post infusion.  So yesterday and today were both very tough days.  This morning Steve and Cindy went to MD Anderson for scans and Steve will have more scans tomorrow.  The Drs are testing to see if the tumors are responding to the chemo.  I think results of the scans will be shared with Steve on Friday.  Our hope is that the medications are working to stop the cancer growth. 

Please pray for positive news.  Please pray for peace in our hearts as we wait for the results.  Please pray for strength for Steve and please pray that Steve feels better soon! 

This Saturday is Steve's 58th birthday.  We will be celebrating with a family BBQ at our house.  We are hoping for good weather and that Steve feels well enough for celebrating. Each day is truly a gift for each of us.  We do not know what tomorrow will bring, so we embrace today and all the blessings there in. 

Many Hugs,
Pam

Puja: By Cindy Hansen

Prayers for my husband come from all sorts of people and a myriad of faith traditions from every corner of the world.  Maybe some readers of this blog would like to send in a short prayer in their own language, plus a translation.  Undoubtedly these heartfelt pleas have made a difference- the typical anaplastic patient only lives a couple of months past diagnosis, but my husband is mowing the lawn 4 1/2 months later-a little baldish, with a feeding tube and a trache, but very much alive.    

Maybe I was thinking ecumenically, or maybe I was thinking of the fun I had in Paris attending an Indian festival conducted by women who were praying for the long life of their husbands.  At any rate, I decided to go to another puja.  This isn’t something you commit to lightly because it means a dawn to moonrise fast from food or drink. 

This is how I found myself obsessed with the idea of drinking water as I sluggishly dragged through a neighborhood lined with two stored houses and tall trees.  I had henna drying on the palm of my hand, and was trying to glimpse the harvest moon.   Sighting the moon would signal it was time to break the fast.  I saw golden light in-between some tree branches, and it lured me further and further on a walk to see if could get a clear look at what was causing the glow on the horizon. 

 It was nine thirty and all the women of the household celebrating the festival were tired and listless.  I wanted to be the heroine who could run to the house saying she was the first to spy the moon…  But Wrong!  Alas, all that glitters isn’t the moon.  Sometimes it’s just a street light doing an impersonation. 

Next, I trudged upstairs to look out the window- zippo again! The view was blocked by the house next door. 

The moon had to be up; we just couldn’t verify that fact.  So we sent two guys out in the car to scout out a clearing; Mission Possible!  They spotted the moon near an elementary. 

 Two grandparents, two children, two parents, and me all piled into the car and drove to a school parking lot.  We disembarked but still couldn’t see the moon!  So, we walked along the road to the bayou, the women dressed in bright Indian clothes, modestly covering our heads, caring platters with small oil lamps, cups tied with red yarn, almonds, and bananas. 

Finally, Eureka!  We saw the moon hovering in space!  What happened next was speedy because we were all so thirsty and famished.  One by one we stood on a cricket stake, threw our clay lamps over our shoulders, poured out the cups of water and quietly said prayers.

 I don’t know what the others said, but I whispered to God to watch over Steve, and asked Christ to hold him in his arms and bless him physically, mentally and spiritually.   He has been a good husband to me for thirtyseven years, and I hope we can have several more happy years.

Send in your prayers.  Steve’s prayer cards remind people to pray.  To reiterate: “It is never too late.  God is listening.”

Cindy's henna on her hand

THANK YOU MOM!

Wrist Bands

I wanted to let everyone know that we have more Superman Steve wristbands available if you need any.  You can email Pam at sweetp711@hotmail.com to request them.  Thanks!!

SMH our Superman Band