Well, we're back in Virginia. Although the trip was absolutely worth it, we are glad to be back home to routine and familiarity. I thought those of you who hadn't seen John recently should be prepared for when you see him next. The timing of this photo was when John was experiencing some chest pain, so he's not smiling like he normally would. In fact, he smiles less often now, but his witt and grace are the same as ever.
The time spent with Priscilla & John was really good. Because the weather was so nice, we were able to return some curb appeal needed for today's real estate market (raking, mulching, etc). The next 2 months will probably be the "hot" time for their area, so we wanted the yard to be ready. It was also warm enough to enjoy some sunshine and warm breezes on the porch and in the yard with John. That day he was experiencing significant chest pain, so we returned to the local hospital ER in case the blood clot had moved itself into his lung.
The team of doctors & nurses determined that he was not having a heart attack, but could not perform a CAT Scan, because of the sensitivity of his kidneys to the contrast/dye. The ER team called in his primary doctor and we all had a good chat. Basically, John has cancer, but the type is still undetermined. Hopefully this will be resolved by Tuesday morning's meeting. He has fluid around his heart (most likely due to the cancer) and low blood pressure. His blood is thinned perfectly, so the likelihood of a clot at all is extremely low. His primary doctor couldn't perform any tests because it was Friday night/Saturday morning and the only hospitals that could were in Boston. The bigger hospitals would put him through every test he's already had again, trying to figure out where the cancer was stemming from and what to do next about chest pain and/or low blood pressure. So, the primary doctor gave some helpful advice and allowed John to return home until Tuesday's meeting with the oncologist. He did mention that he'd call the lab & pester them to be sure that John's case was prioritized. He's a great doctor and was very candid that because John was so young, any treatment would be worth a try.
The doctor also told us that the probability of John having Histiocytosis X was a likely misdiagnoses, because statistics show that the majority of complex diagnosis with strange names (ie: Histo X) are extremely rare and often a case of common oversight of a more "normal" problem. It is very likely that John has kidney (Renal) cancer. Renal cancer doesn't take normal chemo treatment and an operation wouldn't work, but chemicals similar to chemo are often used with varied results. Because his kidneys are already compromised with tumors, we do not know what can be done... we look forward to knowing some answers Tuesday.
Isaac returns home from Alaska this week, which will be a great comfort to us all. While Matt was there, the lawyer was contacted and trusts, POA, etc was settled and done. The taxes were also filed. Matt found an error in John's calculations, resulting in $1,000 less they owed Uncle Sam. Dinners have begun arriving daily and Priscilla is holding up pretty well. John is most often tired by 2 pm and dozes off throughout the day. He coughs regularly, a chest cough that starts like a tickle and takes the energy right out of him. But he still chuckles at my jokes!
Priscilla's parent hope to visit this week which should be a comfort to her. They recently retuned from their winter home in Virginia and are getting their lake house up to snuff after a long Adirondack winter. All prayer are going right to the source, thank you all for your cards and gifts of love and care. Matt & I are planning to return for a long weekend for Mother's Day, but are "on call" in the meantime. Wisdom will be needed as the time passes.
It occurs to me that the ones we love never get to hear it enough, so for all those of you that check this blog regularly, I LOVE YOU! I TRUST YOU! I MEAN IT!
