Hey everyone – good news! My mammogram today went really well. They looked at the tests right away and couldn’t find anything suspicious at all! They think the spot that was found on the ct scan was possibly a small pool of blood from the surgery I had earlier in the day. Thanks for the prayers – the prayer pager has been quite busy! I am feeling better today and have more energy. I am still having the stomach pains. I have an appointment with my oncologist on Wednesday afternoon as a follow-up for my stomach port surgery. I’m hoping he’ll be able to figure out my stomach pains and how I can make them stop or at least lessen them. My feet still have the neuropathy but not too bad. I am just grateful to have my spring back in my step today. It has been a long week and I hadn’t realized how down I was getting. Pain has a funny way of getting to you. Like Brian said, cancer sucks. I have to agree with him there. Fortunately the blessings have outweighed the burdens. I appreciate all your e-mails and calls and cards that let us know how our situation has impacted your life. What an honor to be used for God’s will. I hate to be short but it’s getting late and I need my beauty sleep!
Love & hugs,
Kristi
Monday, April 9, 2007
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Sunday, April 8, 2007: Easter
Hello all,
Well, today is Easter. Resurrection Sunday. Today is the day our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, rose from the dead so that we who believe in Him can have everlasting life. What a gift! I hope you all enjoyed your Easter celebrations!
Pastor Frank’s message this morning really hit close to home for our family. It’s a good thing I was working the video camera today because if I was sitting next to Kristi I probably would have started sobbing. The tears were on edge, but the job of running the camera and Jim Geertsma yelling in my headphones was a good distraction. The word picture Pastor Frank used today describing family members sitting around a bed watching a loved one suffer is not just a word picture in this house. I lay in bed every night and watch Kristi suffer. The pain. The nausea. The constant fatigue. "The bag". I save my tears for bed time so Kristi doesn’t have to see them…she has enough to deal with she doesn’t need to see that. We had a tough weekend. Kristi was very fatigued and sore all weekend. It was a miracle in itself that Kristi made it to church this morning. Yesterday she had to miss an Easter celebration and Emily’s birthday party with my family. Imagine as a mother not being able to celebrate your daughter’s 3rd birthday. It hurts. It sucks. Cancer sucks (sorry to be blunt). But rest assured, the tears aren’t tears of surrender. We’re not angry at God, and we’re certainly not giving up. We know that God is using us to spread a message…and we know it’s working. We know God is using Kristi to bring people either closer to God, or in some cases back to God. We know this first hand. We’ve received several e-mails from people from around the world that begin something like this: "You don’t know me, but…". It’s amazing. Incredible. And for that we are excited. But it’s tough. I cry because it’s tough to watch someone I’ve loved for 15+ years suffer from a cruel sickness. It’s easy to get down emotionally when you get fatigued. So I thank Pastor Frank for the reminder this morning…the reminder that Jesus Christ is alive!! Amen.
For those that didn’t know, Kristi’s last CT scan showed an "irregularity" in her right breast. They think the scan just picked up part of her chemo port, but she has to go in to Zeeland Hospital tomorrow for a mammogram to rule any more cancer out. With her already having cancer, of course we’re a little anxious about this. So…
Some specific prayer requests (772-0110):
· Monday’s mammogram is at 12:30. For those women who have had one you know what she is in for. Please pray that the discomfort is minimal and that the "irregularity" is just that, the chemo port, and nothing else. Nada. Zero. Zilch. She won’t get results until mid-end of the week (we think).
· Pray that we will be lifted back up emotionally.
· Kristi’s stomach has been hurting a lot lately. Not sure if it’s just the scar tissue or what. But Kristi is in a lot of discomfort. Pray that the pain gets better in the coming days.
· Kristi continues to struggle with her colostomy bag. It’s a huge hassle. Pray that the bag starts working soon, or better yet, they can reverse it soon.
· Ashley is opening up more and asking more questions. She has been crying a lot at night because she is "scared for mommy". Please pray for comfort and understanding for Ashley.
· Pray that the coming days/weeks give us good rest. We’ve both been struggling lately at getting a good night’s sleep…and for once it hasn’t been the kids keeping us awake – just our minds.
· The support continues to come in ways of not only prayer, but people cleaning our house, our yard, meals, etc. Prayer of thanks for all of this support!
Thanks for all the prayers – we love you all!
Brian
Well, today is Easter. Resurrection Sunday. Today is the day our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, rose from the dead so that we who believe in Him can have everlasting life. What a gift! I hope you all enjoyed your Easter celebrations!
Pastor Frank’s message this morning really hit close to home for our family. It’s a good thing I was working the video camera today because if I was sitting next to Kristi I probably would have started sobbing. The tears were on edge, but the job of running the camera and Jim Geertsma yelling in my headphones was a good distraction. The word picture Pastor Frank used today describing family members sitting around a bed watching a loved one suffer is not just a word picture in this house. I lay in bed every night and watch Kristi suffer. The pain. The nausea. The constant fatigue. "The bag". I save my tears for bed time so Kristi doesn’t have to see them…she has enough to deal with she doesn’t need to see that. We had a tough weekend. Kristi was very fatigued and sore all weekend. It was a miracle in itself that Kristi made it to church this morning. Yesterday she had to miss an Easter celebration and Emily’s birthday party with my family. Imagine as a mother not being able to celebrate your daughter’s 3rd birthday. It hurts. It sucks. Cancer sucks (sorry to be blunt). But rest assured, the tears aren’t tears of surrender. We’re not angry at God, and we’re certainly not giving up. We know that God is using us to spread a message…and we know it’s working. We know God is using Kristi to bring people either closer to God, or in some cases back to God. We know this first hand. We’ve received several e-mails from people from around the world that begin something like this: "You don’t know me, but…". It’s amazing. Incredible. And for that we are excited. But it’s tough. I cry because it’s tough to watch someone I’ve loved for 15+ years suffer from a cruel sickness. It’s easy to get down emotionally when you get fatigued. So I thank Pastor Frank for the reminder this morning…the reminder that Jesus Christ is alive!! Amen.
For those that didn’t know, Kristi’s last CT scan showed an "irregularity" in her right breast. They think the scan just picked up part of her chemo port, but she has to go in to Zeeland Hospital tomorrow for a mammogram to rule any more cancer out. With her already having cancer, of course we’re a little anxious about this. So…
Some specific prayer requests (772-0110):
· Monday’s mammogram is at 12:30. For those women who have had one you know what she is in for. Please pray that the discomfort is minimal and that the "irregularity" is just that, the chemo port, and nothing else. Nada. Zero. Zilch. She won’t get results until mid-end of the week (we think).
· Pray that we will be lifted back up emotionally.
· Kristi’s stomach has been hurting a lot lately. Not sure if it’s just the scar tissue or what. But Kristi is in a lot of discomfort. Pray that the pain gets better in the coming days.
· Kristi continues to struggle with her colostomy bag. It’s a huge hassle. Pray that the bag starts working soon, or better yet, they can reverse it soon.
· Ashley is opening up more and asking more questions. She has been crying a lot at night because she is "scared for mommy". Please pray for comfort and understanding for Ashley.
· Pray that the coming days/weeks give us good rest. We’ve both been struggling lately at getting a good night’s sleep…and for once it hasn’t been the kids keeping us awake – just our minds.
· The support continues to come in ways of not only prayer, but people cleaning our house, our yard, meals, etc. Prayer of thanks for all of this support!
Thanks for all the prayers – we love you all!
Brian
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Tuesday, April 3, 2007: We're Tired
Hi everyone,
Sorry for such a long delay! This last round of chemo knocked me down pretty hard. Because of the surgery I had a week before chemo, my blood counts were quite low. My body is taking extra long to fight back this time. I also came down with the flu bug on Sunday. Major bummer. After lots of resting Sunday and Monday I am feeling better today. I am still quite weak and tire easily which is very frustrating for me. I have also started having neuropathy in my feet. This is a side effect that typically comes more into the 3rd or 4th round of chemo. My feet are tingly and numb and now I have a pain in my right foot. My nurse said that this should fade. I am also starting to feel it in my hands as well. Right now it is tolerable but I am hoping it fades quickly!
The kids are all healthy and enjoying their spring break. Thanks to many of our friends and family, they have been going to fun places and having a great time! I am so grateful to everyone that has helped with the kids recently as I wasn’t even able to take care of myself. It’s really hard to sit still. God knew I was struggling with this because while I was reading a devotional last night He gave me this verse . . . . You, Lord, will fight for me; help me only to be still . . . which is from Exodus 14:13-14. I love God moments!
We have been so blessed with meals and child care and cards and so much more. I could never say thank you enough. It has been a long battle and we still have a long ways to go but we are still confident that we will defeat this cancer with God’s help. I have many specific prayer requests and am so grateful to all of you who lift them up.
*please pray that the neuropathy in my hands and feet will subside
*continued good health for our family
*I will continue to get stronger every day and my blood counts will rise back on their own
*continued focus on the here and now
* Brian’s getting worn down and tired. Pray for new strength and patience.
*That I will continue to grow in my relationship with God. It is so easy to try and take the wheel and pretend to take control. I miss the closeness that I had with God during my week in the hospital and want to have that back.
*the kids seem to be adjusting to my new "look" and are doing well. Pray that they will continue to grow with us and be open during this time
Thank you!!!!!!
Love,
Kristi
Sorry for such a long delay! This last round of chemo knocked me down pretty hard. Because of the surgery I had a week before chemo, my blood counts were quite low. My body is taking extra long to fight back this time. I also came down with the flu bug on Sunday. Major bummer. After lots of resting Sunday and Monday I am feeling better today. I am still quite weak and tire easily which is very frustrating for me. I have also started having neuropathy in my feet. This is a side effect that typically comes more into the 3rd or 4th round of chemo. My feet are tingly and numb and now I have a pain in my right foot. My nurse said that this should fade. I am also starting to feel it in my hands as well. Right now it is tolerable but I am hoping it fades quickly!
The kids are all healthy and enjoying their spring break. Thanks to many of our friends and family, they have been going to fun places and having a great time! I am so grateful to everyone that has helped with the kids recently as I wasn’t even able to take care of myself. It’s really hard to sit still. God knew I was struggling with this because while I was reading a devotional last night He gave me this verse . . . . You, Lord, will fight for me; help me only to be still . . . which is from Exodus 14:13-14. I love God moments!
We have been so blessed with meals and child care and cards and so much more. I could never say thank you enough. It has been a long battle and we still have a long ways to go but we are still confident that we will defeat this cancer with God’s help. I have many specific prayer requests and am so grateful to all of you who lift them up.
*please pray that the neuropathy in my hands and feet will subside
*continued good health for our family
*I will continue to get stronger every day and my blood counts will rise back on their own
*continued focus on the here and now
* Brian’s getting worn down and tired. Pray for new strength and patience.
*That I will continue to grow in my relationship with God. It is so easy to try and take the wheel and pretend to take control. I miss the closeness that I had with God during my week in the hospital and want to have that back.
*the kids seem to be adjusting to my new "look" and are doing well. Pray that they will continue to grow with us and be open during this time
Thank you!!!!!!
Love,
Kristi
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007: CA125 = 380!
Kristi's CA125 level is down to 380...right on track
2300 - 782 - 380 -??
2300 - 782 - 380 -??
Tuesday March 27, 2007: Chemo Round 2
Chemo days suck. I hate 'em I hate 'em I hate 'em. We tell our kids never to use the word 'hate'. Well, guess what... I HATE 'em...chemo days, not the kids...just to clarify. We arrived at the chemo clinic about 8:45AM. Then for the next 6 hours I just sit and watch as poison is poured into her veins. They say this is helping her. I'm sorry, this just seems like cruel and unusual punishment. Kristi sleeps most of the time. I wish I could say she sleeps 'restfully', but it usually isn't. Her body has a reaction for usually the first hour where she has convulsions and her whole body twitches. She doesn't seem to notice, but I do. Then she just makes a lot of different faces, like winces. I usually just work on my laptop. I switch between my journal and work. There's a TV in the room but it never gets turned on. I usually just play music for Kristi - well, more for me. :)
Tonight it’s parent-teacher conferences, led by the students. Ashley is very excited about this. Hopefully Kristi will be up to going. We got our new CA125 level…380!!!!! This makes it seem a little more tolerable knowing the chemo seems to be doing something.
Yup, Kristi was able to go to conferences tonight. She was tired, but she did great. Everyone was sooo excited to see her.
But wait, there's more!! Just when you didn't think it could get any better...we get to take the class gerbil home for Spring break!! Oh goodie!!!!! The rodent wasn't home for an hour and Rosie (our cat) pushed her cage off of the dresser and smashed it into a thousand pieces. Oh, such a joyful time. Time to go to Walmart and buy a new cage!!
In her words...
bkrogalske@sbcglobal.net
03/27/2007 10:08 PM
Hi everyone,
Round two went about the same as the first. After the pre-medications before chemo I fell asleep and stayed that way for most of the time. I am doing well, just a bit sleepy. I was excited that I could make it to parent/teacher conferences tonight and the kids are doing great.
We were able to get my CA125 level back (the level of cancer). Originally before surgery it was 2300. At my first chemo it was 780 and at today’s chemo it was 380. After one treatment the level was cut in half! This is a very encouraging sign and we were thrilled. Well, Brian was . . . . unfortunately I was heavily drugged and it took me a while to realize the importance of that number.
The kids will be doing a lot of coming and going to friends houses for play dates and sleepovers over spring break and are very excited. I am hoping that this beautiful weather sticks around for a while. Here’s some prayer requests to end with:
*able to tolerate side effects – extreme fatigue and aches – and that they will be minimal
*kids will do well and stay healthy – safe travel
*I have pain in my right knee that comes and goes (I’ve had it since way before all this). After the last chemo treatment I had a lot of pain especially when I am laying down and it keeps me awake. Please pray that pain will be less this time
*huge praise for the CA125 level!!!!!
*day to day focus – I have been struggling with this lately
Thank you for all your prayers. I don’t know what I would do with out them. I was thinking about all the people this goes out to and all the people they send it out to and so on. If we put all of you into a room it would be packed! That thought reminded me of the commercial for the cell phone company with the network all standing behind the person on the cell phone. You are all my network! That is a great word picture for me on the days I’m feeling all alone. Thanks for being my awesome prayer warrior network!
Kristi
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Wednesday, March 21, 2007: Update From Kristi
bkrogalske@sbcglobal.net
03/21/2007 12:02 PM
Hi Everyone,
Sorry for the delay with this update. Yesterday went much longer than expected. It looked like I was going to be spending the night but fortunately I was able to walk around a bit and ate some food so they felt comfortable letting me go home around 8:30. I shared a room with another patient who was rather chatty so I was thrilled to be going home and able to get a good nights sleep.
The surgery went well. The doctor was not happy with all the scar tissue that he found though from the previous surgery. The port was put in, however, I will only be receiving chemo in my chest port next week. The following week I need to go to the hospital and have dye put into the stomach port and then have a scan or ultrasound to find out how effective the port is with all the scar tissue that is in the way.
I am in quite a bit of pain today. They said it would feel like someone kicked me in my ribs but they forgot to mention that it would feel like that person kicked me repeatedly! Other than the pain though I am doing quite well. Just a bit sleepy. I am so grateful to all our friends and family who have taken the kids for us the past few days so that I can have recovery time.
Please pray that this pain will go away soon and I will recover so that I am ready for the round of chemo next week. The kids seem to be doing really well. We have even seen an improvement in Nathan’s attitude. Unfortunately Emily has come down with a cold. Usually that means some difficult nights for us. Please pray that she will kick it soon.
I am feeling quite sleepy and the Vicodin is still making me groggy so I’m going to grab a nap now. It’s a great dreary and rainy day for a nap! Thank you for keeping all of us in your prayers.
Love,
Kristi
03/21/2007 12:02 PM
Hi Everyone,
Sorry for the delay with this update. Yesterday went much longer than expected. It looked like I was going to be spending the night but fortunately I was able to walk around a bit and ate some food so they felt comfortable letting me go home around 8:30. I shared a room with another patient who was rather chatty so I was thrilled to be going home and able to get a good nights sleep.
The surgery went well. The doctor was not happy with all the scar tissue that he found though from the previous surgery. The port was put in, however, I will only be receiving chemo in my chest port next week. The following week I need to go to the hospital and have dye put into the stomach port and then have a scan or ultrasound to find out how effective the port is with all the scar tissue that is in the way.
I am in quite a bit of pain today. They said it would feel like someone kicked me in my ribs but they forgot to mention that it would feel like that person kicked me repeatedly! Other than the pain though I am doing quite well. Just a bit sleepy. I am so grateful to all our friends and family who have taken the kids for us the past few days so that I can have recovery time.
Please pray that this pain will go away soon and I will recover so that I am ready for the round of chemo next week. The kids seem to be doing really well. We have even seen an improvement in Nathan’s attitude. Unfortunately Emily has come down with a cold. Usually that means some difficult nights for us. Please pray that she will kick it soon.
I am feeling quite sleepy and the Vicodin is still making me groggy so I’m going to grab a nap now. It’s a great dreary and rainy day for a nap! Thank you for keeping all of us in your prayers.
Love,
Kristi
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Tuesday March 20, 2007: Port Number 2
Today Kristi gets her intra-peritoneal port (I/P port). We’re hopeful the doctors don’t find any tumors larger than 1cm. The I/P port chemo treatments don’t work on tumors larger than 1cm. They will also do exploratory surgery today to see if the cancer has spread. So a very anxious day for us. We had to be at Blodgett Hospital at 7:55AM! We checked in and everything went per schedule. We met with Dr. Downy before surgery and he reviewed what he was going to do. At about 8:30 the anesthesiologist gave Kristi her “happy medicine” and off she went. Denny waited with me in the waiting room the entire time. After about 2 hours I became very fidgity. Finally, after nearly 3 hours Dr. Downy came out after surgery and met with me and Denny. To say I was a wreck was an understatement. I was shaking and felt like I was going to throw up. Dr. Downy looked at me and asked “are you OK?” Dr. Downy’s demeanor was very downcast. I thought he was going to drop another bomb on me. Just the way he walked up and started talking I was waiting for the bomb to drop. The conversation was very unusual. He seemed very annoyed. Apparently there was a lot of scar tissue that may hamper the effectiveness of the I/P port. Was I supposed to be sorry for this?! The port went in, but we won’t know if it will work until they do a distribution test in 2 weeks. According to Dr. Downy, there was an “excessive” amount of scar tissue. It was so excessive it fused together some of her intestines. What may happen is that the chemo might “pool” up in some of these pockets. This stuff is so toxic that that would be a bad thing. So, they have to do this distribution test for a “trial run”. Dr. Downey also removed the nodule that formed in the spot of her laproscopic surgery port.
Kristi came out of the recovery room at about 1:00PM. Denny stuck around long enough to say ‘hi’ to Kristi, then he took off. It looked like we were going to spend the night. Because of the amount of scar tissue, Dr. Downy said Kristi would be quite sore and probably require and overnight stay. Unfortunately, they stuck us in a semi-private room. Yes, we had a roommate…and a very chatty one at that!! Kristi rested most of the afternoon, but by 5:00 she wanted to get up and walk around. Dr. Downy came in about 5:30 and met with us again. This time he was much more cordial. He didn’t really have any more news for us. He just elaborated again on how much scar tissue she had. Overall, he seemed happy with how the surgery went. He said if Kristi was up to it we could go home. Kristi didn’t even hesitate…”let’s go!” Here's a picture of Kristi waiting to get discharged...
Kristi came out of the recovery room at about 1:00PM. Denny stuck around long enough to say ‘hi’ to Kristi, then he took off. It looked like we were going to spend the night. Because of the amount of scar tissue, Dr. Downy said Kristi would be quite sore and probably require and overnight stay. Unfortunately, they stuck us in a semi-private room. Yes, we had a roommate…and a very chatty one at that!! Kristi rested most of the afternoon, but by 5:00 she wanted to get up and walk around. Dr. Downy came in about 5:30 and met with us again. This time he was much more cordial. He didn’t really have any more news for us. He just elaborated again on how much scar tissue she had. Overall, he seemed happy with how the surgery went. He said if Kristi was up to it we could go home. Kristi didn’t even hesitate…”let’s go!” Here's a picture of Kristi waiting to get discharged...
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Thursday, March 15, 2007: The Day After
So the kids saw mommy today without hair. They did OK. Ashley wanted to see her bald head. Nathan did not...so we didn't force the issue. Ashley did OK. It will take some getting used to. It doesn't bother me too much. I think she looks kinda cute!! I won't make any Demi Moore or Sinead O'Connor comparisons to avoid getting into trouble, but...
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Wednesday, March 14, 2007: She's Bald
Her last picture with hair
Well, tonight we waited until after we put the kids to bed, then I shaved my wife's head. Talk about depressing. Imagine grabbing a razor, put a no. 2 adapter on it, then shaving your wife's hair off. It didn't stop there. Next we walked over to the kitchen sink and as Kristi bent over the sink, I bic'ed the rest of her hair off...down to a shiny cue ball. Kristi's hair was hurting her. It was falling out in chunks at this point. It was only a matter of a week or so and the rest of it would have fallen out. So she asked me to shave it off hoping this would help with the pain. When we were done she went to the bathroom to dry off. Of course there were tears. Lots of them. Why wouldn't there be? This sucks.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007: Update
Hi everyone,
We had a doctors appointment this afternoon to find more out about my surgery next Tuesday where I am scheduled to have my stomach port put in. It will be done by laparoscopic surgery. They will also look around for any signs that the cancer has spread. We are hoping that they will find nothing. If they find small spots they will still go ahead as planned. If they find larger spots or any tumors, they will not put the stomach port in. The chemo they put through the stomach port will only work on spots that are one centimeter or smaller. As of my first surgery, all the spots that were bigger than that were removed and hopefully that is still the case.
On another note, my hair is falling out very quickly. It started a little bit Sunday night and has gotten worse. Simply running my hand through it pulls out clumps. I am going to have Brian buzz it off tonight. I hate to do it but it is driving me crazy and it is also painful at the roots right now. Ashley is having a very hard time with this. I told her tonight that when she sees me in the morning my hair will be gone but I will have a hat on. I am struggling with this as well. I’m sure in time me being bald will be normal but right now it is the next big change.
I have been feeling pretty good these days. I still get tired quicker than I used to and I have aches and pains occasionally. I am still enjoying my surgery free days though. Here’s a new list of prayer requests for you:
*that we will all adjust soon to my new appearance
*I am especially worried about Ashley lately. She is having a lot of tears with me and said she doesn’t want to talk to anyone else about it. Please pray that I will have the right words to comfort her.
*We have had a lot of germs through the house lately but they seem to be on the way out – yeah!! Pray that I will continue to stay healthy.
*my surgery is scheduled for 8:30 AM on Tuesday, the 20th. Pray that no more cancer will be found and that the procedure will go well and I will heal quickly.
*as always, continued focus on the day to day
Thank you so much for your continued prayers. The support we have still continues to amaze us. You are awesome friends and family!!
Love & Hugs,
Kristi
We had a doctors appointment this afternoon to find more out about my surgery next Tuesday where I am scheduled to have my stomach port put in. It will be done by laparoscopic surgery. They will also look around for any signs that the cancer has spread. We are hoping that they will find nothing. If they find small spots they will still go ahead as planned. If they find larger spots or any tumors, they will not put the stomach port in. The chemo they put through the stomach port will only work on spots that are one centimeter or smaller. As of my first surgery, all the spots that were bigger than that were removed and hopefully that is still the case.
On another note, my hair is falling out very quickly. It started a little bit Sunday night and has gotten worse. Simply running my hand through it pulls out clumps. I am going to have Brian buzz it off tonight. I hate to do it but it is driving me crazy and it is also painful at the roots right now. Ashley is having a very hard time with this. I told her tonight that when she sees me in the morning my hair will be gone but I will have a hat on. I am struggling with this as well. I’m sure in time me being bald will be normal but right now it is the next big change.
I have been feeling pretty good these days. I still get tired quicker than I used to and I have aches and pains occasionally. I am still enjoying my surgery free days though. Here’s a new list of prayer requests for you:
*that we will all adjust soon to my new appearance
*I am especially worried about Ashley lately. She is having a lot of tears with me and said she doesn’t want to talk to anyone else about it. Please pray that I will have the right words to comfort her.
*We have had a lot of germs through the house lately but they seem to be on the way out – yeah!! Pray that I will continue to stay healthy.
*my surgery is scheduled for 8:30 AM on Tuesday, the 20th. Pray that no more cancer will be found and that the procedure will go well and I will heal quickly.
*as always, continued focus on the day to day
Thank you so much for your continued prayers. The support we have still continues to amaze us. You are awesome friends and family!!
Love & Hugs,
Kristi
Friday, March 9, 2007
Friday, March 9, 2007: Stop Worrying!!
bkrogalske@sbcglobal.net
03/09/2007 03:03 PM
Hi everyone,
It’s been a while since my last update so I thought I’d better catch everyone up! This week has been a great one. I am able to do almost anything – even my lifting restrictions are done today. I still don’t have all my energy or stamina back but am pretty close. My next surgery (for my stomach port) is on 3/20 so that means I have ten more days of feeling normal! I have to go in for blood work every week but that’s no big deal now. I used to be afraid of needles! The thought of IV’s still horrifies me but blood draws are a piece of cake!
We are fairly germ free in our house right now. Ashley has a sinus infection but is finally starting to get over it. My immune system is very low right now because of the chemo so I have to be careful this weekend. Brian is sweet enough to be bringing the kids to the Fun Night at their school tonight. If you haven’t been to a Fun Night, they are anything but fun! Well, except for the kids. Emily and I are having a girls night at home. I am enjoying being able to do so much now with the kids. I felt so useless when the chemo knocked me down. I had about four days of extreme fatigue but couldn’t sleep, aches and pains and a heavy fog hanging over me. I can’t say I’m looking forward to that again but I’m glad that I’ve been through it once and know that the tired time will eventually end.
I am so thankful for all the help we have. I am especially thankful for Brian with all that he has taken on especially on my down days and he does it with a smile. Our friends and family have been amazing and jumping in to help whenever we need it. I still get cards in the mail every day (which are a wonderful offset to the bills!). I still continue to be amazed and humbled at the many people praying for me – people I haven’t even met before. I can honestly say that having cancer has had a very positive effect on my life. I know it sounds crazy but I have grown so much in the past six weeks and our family has too. We have grown so much closer.
I know there are a lot of you out there still worrying about me. Please don’t worry! I am in good hands and continue to believe completely that I will beat this illness. I have no doubts. It will be a long and bumpy road this year but I will come out of this a brand new shiny person. I know a lot of people have said that they feel helpless and don’t know what to do for us. Just know that the thing we need most is prayers and if you’re doing that for us – you are doing a lot! Speaking of prayers – I’ll end with the specifics.
*I will continue to enjoy this "normal" phase that I am in right now and appreciate every minute of every day.
*that we will continue to stay healthy
*I continue to have "sticking" issues with my bag but it is getting better
*my hair will be falling out within the next week or two - the kids are having a hard time thinking about this and the closer it gets, the more I struggle with it
*that I will continue to get stronger so I am ready for the next surgery
*that all the people that I care about will be able to feel the same peace about this cancer that I do
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!
Love & Hugs,
Kristi
03/09/2007 03:03 PM
Hi everyone,
It’s been a while since my last update so I thought I’d better catch everyone up! This week has been a great one. I am able to do almost anything – even my lifting restrictions are done today. I still don’t have all my energy or stamina back but am pretty close. My next surgery (for my stomach port) is on 3/20 so that means I have ten more days of feeling normal! I have to go in for blood work every week but that’s no big deal now. I used to be afraid of needles! The thought of IV’s still horrifies me but blood draws are a piece of cake!
We are fairly germ free in our house right now. Ashley has a sinus infection but is finally starting to get over it. My immune system is very low right now because of the chemo so I have to be careful this weekend. Brian is sweet enough to be bringing the kids to the Fun Night at their school tonight. If you haven’t been to a Fun Night, they are anything but fun! Well, except for the kids. Emily and I are having a girls night at home. I am enjoying being able to do so much now with the kids. I felt so useless when the chemo knocked me down. I had about four days of extreme fatigue but couldn’t sleep, aches and pains and a heavy fog hanging over me. I can’t say I’m looking forward to that again but I’m glad that I’ve been through it once and know that the tired time will eventually end.
I am so thankful for all the help we have. I am especially thankful for Brian with all that he has taken on especially on my down days and he does it with a smile. Our friends and family have been amazing and jumping in to help whenever we need it. I still get cards in the mail every day (which are a wonderful offset to the bills!). I still continue to be amazed and humbled at the many people praying for me – people I haven’t even met before. I can honestly say that having cancer has had a very positive effect on my life. I know it sounds crazy but I have grown so much in the past six weeks and our family has too. We have grown so much closer.
I know there are a lot of you out there still worrying about me. Please don’t worry! I am in good hands and continue to believe completely that I will beat this illness. I have no doubts. It will be a long and bumpy road this year but I will come out of this a brand new shiny person. I know a lot of people have said that they feel helpless and don’t know what to do for us. Just know that the thing we need most is prayers and if you’re doing that for us – you are doing a lot! Speaking of prayers – I’ll end with the specifics.
*I will continue to enjoy this "normal" phase that I am in right now and appreciate every minute of every day.
*that we will continue to stay healthy
*I continue to have "sticking" issues with my bag but it is getting better
*my hair will be falling out within the next week or two - the kids are having a hard time thinking about this and the closer it gets, the more I struggle with it
*that I will continue to get stronger so I am ready for the next surgery
*that all the people that I care about will be able to feel the same peace about this cancer that I do
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!
Love & Hugs,
Kristi
Friday, March 2, 2007
Friday, March 2, 2007: Zzzzzzzzz
bkrogalske@sbcglobal.net
03/02/2007 12:36 PM
Hi everyone,
Just a quick update to let you know I need some prayers. I am extremely tired today (and was yesterday as well). This is normal and is a crash from the steroids that they gave me. Hopefully it will be better tomorrow. It is very frustrating feeling so useless. So rather than continue my pity party, I am asking that you pray that my energy will come back and my appetite as well.
I would also like to share how wonderful my husband is. Not only did he get all three kids up and ready this morning, he even had time to sit on the couch with them and read a devotional! When I get the kids to the bus stop it’s absolute chaos! Also, he fed them supper last night and got them all showered and tucked into bed with out my help. He gets the super-dad award from me! Please also keep him in your prayers as even super-dad’s need God’s help!
Sorry to keep this short but I am just so sleepy and the letters are starting to blur.
Thank you for praying!
Love & Hugs,
Kristi
03/02/2007 12:36 PM
Hi everyone,
Just a quick update to let you know I need some prayers. I am extremely tired today (and was yesterday as well). This is normal and is a crash from the steroids that they gave me. Hopefully it will be better tomorrow. It is very frustrating feeling so useless. So rather than continue my pity party, I am asking that you pray that my energy will come back and my appetite as well.
I would also like to share how wonderful my husband is. Not only did he get all three kids up and ready this morning, he even had time to sit on the couch with them and read a devotional! When I get the kids to the bus stop it’s absolute chaos! Also, he fed them supper last night and got them all showered and tucked into bed with out my help. He gets the super-dad award from me! Please also keep him in your prayers as even super-dad’s need God’s help!
Sorry to keep this short but I am just so sleepy and the letters are starting to blur.
Thank you for praying!
Love & Hugs,
Kristi
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Tuesday February 27, 2007: Kristi Wins Round 1!
bkrogalske@sbcglobal.net
02/27/2007 11:04 PM
Hello all,
Kristi was too tired to send out an update so she asked me to do it for her. She is upstairs resting peacefully now. Well, round one is complete and it went well! Many prayers were answered today!! The worst part was the initial poke of the needle through her fresh scar from last week. That hurt for about an hour. After that, things went really well. First they pumped her full of steroids, antibiotics and fluids, then they started with the chemo. The first dose of chemo was Taxol; that took about 4 hours. The second dose was Carboplatin and that took about 45 minutes. Then they followed with another hour of just plain fluids. Overall, she was hooked up for about 6 or 7 hours, of which she slept most of it. Fortunately they have a lot of good medications to fight all of the side effects…so far other than being tired she has no immediate side effects. Some side effects she can expect in the next couple of weeks will be: achy joints and tired this weekend, then at days 10 and 11 she can expect a lowering of bone marrow which will make her tired and sore again, and also susceptible to catching a cold or flu…so she will need to be careful for a couple days. In fact, the nurse even told her on those days to avoid large crowds – not sure if she will be able to make Nicole’s shower…we’ll see how she feels. She will lose her hair starting in 2 weeks. Some upcoming milestones are:
March 20: she gets her stomach port put in. This will require outpatient surgery again.
March 27, 28: Round 2 starts. This will be the beginning of the day 1, day 2, and day 8 cycle. She will do 5 cycles of that. Day 1 will be in her shoulder port, day 2 and day 8 will be in her stomach port, then rest for 13 days and start over. All will be done downtown GR.
Some specific prayer requests are:
- Praise for a "good" first round of chemo and many answered prayers
- Praise for Kristi’s good spirits today. Last night she had another short break down…so we need to keep lifting her up in prayer. She feels guilty for being a "burden" on the family and the kids being shuffled around. Of course I told her that she wasn’t a burden; but she’s just tired and sore and gets down at times. Help her to remember to cast all her anxiety on God, because God cares for her. (1 Peter 5:7)
- Praise for the nurses today. We found out that Amber, our "main" nurse (I guess you could call her our case manager), is a Christian. She is a ‘Dutch CRC’ girl. Also, the nurse that stayed with us most of the day is a product of Rose Park Christian!! Her name is Greta (sorry, can’t remember her last name, but how many Greta’s could there have been?!). She mentioned she is ‘almost 50’. I think her maiden name was Ten Brink…part of the same Ten Brink clan that goes to Calvary!! Small world!
- Amber told us today that the results of the CAT scan did show a pocket of fluid again. This means that the cancer is still active and probably growing again. Pray that the chemo does its job and kills the cancer cells.
- Pray that the pain is tolerable for Kristi
- Pray that Kristi stays healthy during the times when her body’s immune system will be down
- Pray that Kristi will be able to handle the emotional side of losing her hair
- Pray that the kids also handle the changes to their "mommy" well
- Continued prayers for our friends and family supporting us through this time
- There will be a lot of travel back and forth to GR…please pray for safe traveling for us.
That’s all for today. Thanks for your continued support.
We love you all!
Brian
"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20. We felt His presence today!! Thanks for the prayers.
02/27/2007 11:04 PM
Hello all,
Kristi was too tired to send out an update so she asked me to do it for her. She is upstairs resting peacefully now. Well, round one is complete and it went well! Many prayers were answered today!! The worst part was the initial poke of the needle through her fresh scar from last week. That hurt for about an hour. After that, things went really well. First they pumped her full of steroids, antibiotics and fluids, then they started with the chemo. The first dose of chemo was Taxol; that took about 4 hours. The second dose was Carboplatin and that took about 45 minutes. Then they followed with another hour of just plain fluids. Overall, she was hooked up for about 6 or 7 hours, of which she slept most of it. Fortunately they have a lot of good medications to fight all of the side effects…so far other than being tired she has no immediate side effects. Some side effects she can expect in the next couple of weeks will be: achy joints and tired this weekend, then at days 10 and 11 she can expect a lowering of bone marrow which will make her tired and sore again, and also susceptible to catching a cold or flu…so she will need to be careful for a couple days. In fact, the nurse even told her on those days to avoid large crowds – not sure if she will be able to make Nicole’s shower…we’ll see how she feels. She will lose her hair starting in 2 weeks. Some upcoming milestones are:
March 20: she gets her stomach port put in. This will require outpatient surgery again.
March 27, 28: Round 2 starts. This will be the beginning of the day 1, day 2, and day 8 cycle. She will do 5 cycles of that. Day 1 will be in her shoulder port, day 2 and day 8 will be in her stomach port, then rest for 13 days and start over. All will be done downtown GR.
Some specific prayer requests are:
- Praise for a "good" first round of chemo and many answered prayers
- Praise for Kristi’s good spirits today. Last night she had another short break down…so we need to keep lifting her up in prayer. She feels guilty for being a "burden" on the family and the kids being shuffled around. Of course I told her that she wasn’t a burden; but she’s just tired and sore and gets down at times. Help her to remember to cast all her anxiety on God, because God cares for her. (1 Peter 5:7)
- Praise for the nurses today. We found out that Amber, our "main" nurse (I guess you could call her our case manager), is a Christian. She is a ‘Dutch CRC’ girl. Also, the nurse that stayed with us most of the day is a product of Rose Park Christian!! Her name is Greta (sorry, can’t remember her last name, but how many Greta’s could there have been?!). She mentioned she is ‘almost 50’. I think her maiden name was Ten Brink…part of the same Ten Brink clan that goes to Calvary!! Small world!
- Amber told us today that the results of the CAT scan did show a pocket of fluid again. This means that the cancer is still active and probably growing again. Pray that the chemo does its job and kills the cancer cells.
- Pray that the pain is tolerable for Kristi
- Pray that Kristi stays healthy during the times when her body’s immune system will be down
- Pray that Kristi will be able to handle the emotional side of losing her hair
- Pray that the kids also handle the changes to their "mommy" well
- Continued prayers for our friends and family supporting us through this time
- There will be a lot of travel back and forth to GR…please pray for safe traveling for us.
That’s all for today. Thanks for your continued support.
We love you all!
Brian
"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20. We felt His presence today!! Thanks for the prayers.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007: CA125 = 782
Kristi's CA125 level is at 782. This is what we will track throughout her chemo. "Normal" is about 35. With each round, it should be cut in half.
Monday, February 26, 2007: Chemo Round 1
bkrogalske@sbcglobal.net
02/26/2007 09:49 PM
Hi everyone,
I can’t believe it’s almost here. My first round of chemo. Brian and I are leaving right after we drop the kids off at the bus stop in the morning. They said the earlier we get there the earlier we finish. Most likely we will be there until 4 or 5 PM. Long day. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I wish I wasn’t nervous. I received an e-mail today from a friend of my sister and brother-in-law with the subject saying "prayers from a stranger". He wanted to let us know we are in his and his wife’s prayers. He also wrote a very comforting verse . . . "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love" . . . II Timothy 1:7. (Thank you Mitch!!!). Although we have never met, God used him to encourage me. How amazing. So although I am nervous because I am human, I know that God will remind me of that spirit of power and love that I have inside me.
I was thinking tonight and compared the past month of my life to a pan on the stove. During the initial time of finding the cancer, the surgery and the week in the hospital, that pan was on the highest burner! As I recovered, the heat went down and I even think I was to the point where the pan had moved to a burner that wasn’t even on. On Friday, the heat turned up again during the surgery for my port and again cooled down. Tomorrow I am back on the burner again. As much as I don’t like the "hot" times, those are the times that I feel God’s presence the most. Those are the times that I can shine brightest for Him to a lot of people that may not even know Him. So to be completely honest, I am not looking forward to that heat tomorrow but I am very much looking forward to feeling God’s comfort, from all of your prayers, during this time.
Some specifics to close with:
*Ashley is feeling better and was able to go to school today but she is still quite tired. I think all these doctors appointments are upsetting her. Pray that she will kick this cold and feel free to talk to us about anything at anytime.
*Nathan and Emily are doing great and are germ free – yea God!
*That Brian will remain strong for me tomorrow. I can’t imagine how hard it is to watch someone you love have to endure pain.
*For safe travel to Grand Rapids and back
*that I will have no side effects from chemo tomorrow . . . I know this is unrealistic in the world’s eye but not in God’s.
*That the needle that has to go into my port will not hurt (my skin is still tender and bruised)
*My CA125 level before surgery was 2300. (For those of you not familiar with this – the CA125 count is the protein level in the blood that can be an indicator of ovarian cancer - normal is 35). I found out today that it is still at 782. I was quite disappointed by this because in my mind I was hoping that it was all removed from the surgery. Most of it was removed and the level that is left is what the chemo can take care of. I just need to remember that these are the doctor’s numbers, not God’s.
I realize I am asking for some bold prayer requests here but nothing is impossible with God. We have seen so many prayers answered in so many different areas and look forward to many more to come. Thank you for praying boldly for me and my family.
Love & Hugs,
Kristi
02/26/2007 09:49 PM
Hi everyone,
I can’t believe it’s almost here. My first round of chemo. Brian and I are leaving right after we drop the kids off at the bus stop in the morning. They said the earlier we get there the earlier we finish. Most likely we will be there until 4 or 5 PM. Long day. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I wish I wasn’t nervous. I received an e-mail today from a friend of my sister and brother-in-law with the subject saying "prayers from a stranger". He wanted to let us know we are in his and his wife’s prayers. He also wrote a very comforting verse . . . "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love" . . . II Timothy 1:7. (Thank you Mitch!!!). Although we have never met, God used him to encourage me. How amazing. So although I am nervous because I am human, I know that God will remind me of that spirit of power and love that I have inside me.
I was thinking tonight and compared the past month of my life to a pan on the stove. During the initial time of finding the cancer, the surgery and the week in the hospital, that pan was on the highest burner! As I recovered, the heat went down and I even think I was to the point where the pan had moved to a burner that wasn’t even on. On Friday, the heat turned up again during the surgery for my port and again cooled down. Tomorrow I am back on the burner again. As much as I don’t like the "hot" times, those are the times that I feel God’s presence the most. Those are the times that I can shine brightest for Him to a lot of people that may not even know Him. So to be completely honest, I am not looking forward to that heat tomorrow but I am very much looking forward to feeling God’s comfort, from all of your prayers, during this time.
Some specifics to close with:
*Ashley is feeling better and was able to go to school today but she is still quite tired. I think all these doctors appointments are upsetting her. Pray that she will kick this cold and feel free to talk to us about anything at anytime.
*Nathan and Emily are doing great and are germ free – yea God!
*That Brian will remain strong for me tomorrow. I can’t imagine how hard it is to watch someone you love have to endure pain.
*For safe travel to Grand Rapids and back
*that I will have no side effects from chemo tomorrow . . . I know this is unrealistic in the world’s eye but not in God’s.
*That the needle that has to go into my port will not hurt (my skin is still tender and bruised)
*My CA125 level before surgery was 2300. (For those of you not familiar with this – the CA125 count is the protein level in the blood that can be an indicator of ovarian cancer - normal is 35). I found out today that it is still at 782. I was quite disappointed by this because in my mind I was hoping that it was all removed from the surgery. Most of it was removed and the level that is left is what the chemo can take care of. I just need to remember that these are the doctor’s numbers, not God’s.
I realize I am asking for some bold prayer requests here but nothing is impossible with God. We have seen so many prayers answered in so many different areas and look forward to many more to come. Thank you for praying boldly for me and my family.
Love & Hugs,
Kristi
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Saturday, February 24, 2007: Port Recovery
bkrogalske@sbcglobal.net
02/24/2007 08:37 AM
Hi everyone,
Yesterday was a little bit more than I anticipated. Things went well and the hospital and all the staff were wonderful. I wasn’t expecting as much pain as I am having though. They put the port in and also a catheter which goes up in my neck and then down to my chest. I am having a hard time getting used to the feeling. I went to bed as soon as I got home as I wasn’t feeling very well and was still a bit sedated. On top of this, Ashley came down with a fever and a headache on Thursday night. She is miserable and stuffed up and coughing now. Hopefully this will be the worst day and it will only get better from here. Nathan is feeling much better and only has the nagging cough now. Emily woke up during the night last night crying and we have a feeling she is next with the bug. We have not gotten much sleep over the past two nights with all these germs and are quite exhausted. We are extremely grateful to Brian’s parents who watched the kids all day yesterday and to my parents who are taking them today. I’m sure you’ve already figured out I’m not feeling very shiny today. I still believe in God’s plan for us and know He is taking good care of us. I just need your prayers to bring me back up again. On that note, here’s the specifics:
*Nathan will be able to kick his cough, Ashley will get better quickly and Emily will stay germ free. Also that Brian and I will not catch any of these germs.
*I begin chemo on Tuesday. After yesterdays pain and side effects, I am becoming a bit nervous about the chemo. Pray that I will tolerate the chemo and any side effects it sends my way.
*I can stay focused on the day to day.
*I will get used to the strange feeling in my neck and chest and that the pain will soon go away. Also that I will not get an infection from the surgery.
*Brian is exhausted from taking care of the sick kids. Pray that he will regain his strength and stay strong.
Thank you so much for all your prayers. Your cards and e-mails with encouragement have been wonderful. Many of you have been sharing stories and bible verses that fit with what I am going through and I can’t tell you how much they mean to me. They always lift my spirits. I wish I could call or e-mail all of you personally. Please know how much I appreciate everyone.
Love & hugs,
Kristi
Friday, February 23, 2007
Friday, February 23, 2007: New Port Day
Today we went to Blodgett Hospital to get the first port installed. This port will go in her upper chest on her right side. This will allow the chemo nurses to administer the chemotherapy directly into this port vs. having to go into a vein every time. The surgery itself was successful. We were home by 5:00. Kristi is doing well, tired and sore, but OK overall. She's getting quite used to all the poking and prodding, unfortunately.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007: Now We Have A Plan!
bkrogalske@sbcglobal.net
02/21/2007 09:35 PM
Hi everyone,
Our visit today went very good. We are very happy with the new doctor and the entire office. It is about 45 minutes away but worth the drive. The atmosphere was very relaxing and the doctor was very informational, realistic but positive and was very personable. The nurse that I will be working with during chemo was also great. My treatment plan isn’t completely figured out yet because it hinges on what my next CT scan and blood-work shows. For now, I am scheduled to have a chemo port put in my chest on Friday. My stomach port won’t be put in for another three weeks or so. My first chemo treatment will be next week Tuesday. The good news is that I will not have to be admitted overnight! I am not sure how long the first treatment will take. We meet with the nurse on Tuesday before the chemo and will learn then about how long treatments take each time and side effects and all sorts of fun information. They were really good today about not overloading us with information. We felt very relieved after leaving the office and I told Brian that this was the first appointment that I left without feeling like I had to cry.
I guess that is it in a nutshell but I leave you with some specific requests:
*Friday at 1:00 is when my port will be put in. I also have a CT scan at the same hospital at 6:00 PM. It will be a long day at the hospital. It’s only outpatient surgery and I’m not even going to be put completely under so it should be a piece of cake! The only concern I have is with the IV that they will put in. Please pray that it will go well. Also that the CT scan will show positive results.
*Prayers of praise for the peace and comfort that we have with this new office.
*Nathan has a terrible cold right now and he is miserable. Pray that not only will he recover quickly but that the rest of us will remain healthy.
*Ashley has been having a lot of tummy aches lately. I think she is having a hard time with everything going on and she isn’t talking to me as much as she did before. Please pray that she will be willing to talk to us about anything.
Thank you again for everything. My doctor was amazed when we told him about the awesome support team we have. Continue those bold prayers not only for us but in everything!
Love & hugs,
Kristi
02/21/2007 09:35 PM
Hi everyone,
Our visit today went very good. We are very happy with the new doctor and the entire office. It is about 45 minutes away but worth the drive. The atmosphere was very relaxing and the doctor was very informational, realistic but positive and was very personable. The nurse that I will be working with during chemo was also great. My treatment plan isn’t completely figured out yet because it hinges on what my next CT scan and blood-work shows. For now, I am scheduled to have a chemo port put in my chest on Friday. My stomach port won’t be put in for another three weeks or so. My first chemo treatment will be next week Tuesday. The good news is that I will not have to be admitted overnight! I am not sure how long the first treatment will take. We meet with the nurse on Tuesday before the chemo and will learn then about how long treatments take each time and side effects and all sorts of fun information. They were really good today about not overloading us with information. We felt very relieved after leaving the office and I told Brian that this was the first appointment that I left without feeling like I had to cry.
I guess that is it in a nutshell but I leave you with some specific requests:
*Friday at 1:00 is when my port will be put in. I also have a CT scan at the same hospital at 6:00 PM. It will be a long day at the hospital. It’s only outpatient surgery and I’m not even going to be put completely under so it should be a piece of cake! The only concern I have is with the IV that they will put in. Please pray that it will go well. Also that the CT scan will show positive results.
*Prayers of praise for the peace and comfort that we have with this new office.
*Nathan has a terrible cold right now and he is miserable. Pray that not only will he recover quickly but that the rest of us will remain healthy.
*Ashley has been having a lot of tummy aches lately. I think she is having a hard time with everything going on and she isn’t talking to me as much as she did before. Please pray that she will be willing to talk to us about anything.
Thank you again for everything. My doctor was amazed when we told him about the awesome support team we have. Continue those bold prayers not only for us but in everything!
Love & hugs,
Kristi
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Sunday, February 18, 2007: The Plan: Well, Sort Of
bkrogalske@sbcglobal.net
02/18/2007 03:43 PM
Hi everyone,
Sorry about the delay in updates. We have been enjoying a very peaceful weekend without our children. We love them very much but having some alone time this weekend was wonderful.
Unfortunately we still don’t have all the details. We met with the oncologist in Holland on Thursday. The tumor board that reviewed my case was unanimous in deciding that I should have two ports: one for my blood stream (in my chest above my heart) and the other directly in my abdominal cavity. It will be a very aggressive treatment but they believe I am young enough and healthy enough that I can handle it. The doctor in Holland does not do ports in the stomach so we needed to be referred to a specialist in Grand Rapids. This office specializes in women with cancer in any of the reproductive areas. Although we’re disappointed we can’t have treatment in Holland, it is comforting to know that we are dealing with people who are very familiar with my case. In fact, the doctor that I will be seeing was even a part of the tumor board and excited to take me on as a patient. (Everyone wants to be a part of this winning team!).
The treatment that was explained to us last week was this . . . . I will receive six treatments which are three weeks apart (in Grand Rapids). On day one of every treatment I will need to be hospitalized because the medication takes 24 hours to administer. After that one is done, they put the medicine in the abdominal port which will take an additional six hours. So on the first session of every cycle, I will be in the hospital for about 30 hours (or so) if things go well. After that, I need to return on day 8 (one week later) and have more of the abdominal chemo, again about six hours. This would just be in their office I believe (again, in GR). I will then have 13 days to rest and regain strength before I start the second round. Repeat that process 6 times. I hope that makes sense, it’s quite a confusing process.
If I am not able to handle both of the medications, I will just receive the one medication for my bloodstream which would be able to be done in Holland. They would like to try both first though for as much as I can tolerate.
I meet with the oncologist in Grand Rapids on Wednesday morning to review my records and develop the schedule. This was confusing to us because the doctor in Holland gave us the impression that I should start chemo this week. So, I have a call into the Holland office questioning that. So, plans may change again.
Obviously we would like prayer requests for patience as this is frustrating. I am glad not to start chemo yet so that I have more time to get stronger but am also nervous that they are waiting too long. I know God already has the plans and they are not to harm me but to prosper me so this is what I am clinging to.
Some other prayer requests . . .
*that my blood clot will continue to heal
*patience as we wait and that all the offices will work together for what is in my best interest
*continued good health
*continued focus on the day to day and staying positive
Finally, I wish there was something I could say more than just thank you. I am overwhelmed by all your generosity. The cards, meals, babysitting, prayers, e-mails, snow plowing and so much more. I wish I could individually thank you all. Please know how very much we appreciate all of you and couldn’t do this without you. I have no doubts that all your prayers are what keep us going. The stories that you share with me are so wonderful. Keep praying boldly in everything!
Love & hugs,
Kristi
02/18/2007 03:43 PM
Hi everyone,
Sorry about the delay in updates. We have been enjoying a very peaceful weekend without our children. We love them very much but having some alone time this weekend was wonderful.
Unfortunately we still don’t have all the details. We met with the oncologist in Holland on Thursday. The tumor board that reviewed my case was unanimous in deciding that I should have two ports: one for my blood stream (in my chest above my heart) and the other directly in my abdominal cavity. It will be a very aggressive treatment but they believe I am young enough and healthy enough that I can handle it. The doctor in Holland does not do ports in the stomach so we needed to be referred to a specialist in Grand Rapids. This office specializes in women with cancer in any of the reproductive areas. Although we’re disappointed we can’t have treatment in Holland, it is comforting to know that we are dealing with people who are very familiar with my case. In fact, the doctor that I will be seeing was even a part of the tumor board and excited to take me on as a patient. (Everyone wants to be a part of this winning team!).
The treatment that was explained to us last week was this . . . . I will receive six treatments which are three weeks apart (in Grand Rapids). On day one of every treatment I will need to be hospitalized because the medication takes 24 hours to administer. After that one is done, they put the medicine in the abdominal port which will take an additional six hours. So on the first session of every cycle, I will be in the hospital for about 30 hours (or so) if things go well. After that, I need to return on day 8 (one week later) and have more of the abdominal chemo, again about six hours. This would just be in their office I believe (again, in GR). I will then have 13 days to rest and regain strength before I start the second round. Repeat that process 6 times. I hope that makes sense, it’s quite a confusing process.
If I am not able to handle both of the medications, I will just receive the one medication for my bloodstream which would be able to be done in Holland. They would like to try both first though for as much as I can tolerate.
I meet with the oncologist in Grand Rapids on Wednesday morning to review my records and develop the schedule. This was confusing to us because the doctor in Holland gave us the impression that I should start chemo this week. So, I have a call into the Holland office questioning that. So, plans may change again.
Obviously we would like prayer requests for patience as this is frustrating. I am glad not to start chemo yet so that I have more time to get stronger but am also nervous that they are waiting too long. I know God already has the plans and they are not to harm me but to prosper me so this is what I am clinging to.
Some other prayer requests . . .
*that my blood clot will continue to heal
*patience as we wait and that all the offices will work together for what is in my best interest
*continued good health
*continued focus on the day to day and staying positive
Finally, I wish there was something I could say more than just thank you. I am overwhelmed by all your generosity. The cards, meals, babysitting, prayers, e-mails, snow plowing and so much more. I wish I could individually thank you all. Please know how very much we appreciate all of you and couldn’t do this without you. I have no doubts that all your prayers are what keep us going. The stories that you share with me are so wonderful. Keep praying boldly in everything!
Love & hugs,
Kristi
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Thursday, February 15, 2007: Still Waiting
bkrogalske@sbcglobal.net
02/15/2007 10:42 PM
Hello everyone,
Sorry to keep this short, but it’s late and we’re tired and we don’t have all the details yet. But, we did meet with the Oncologist today and got part of the story. It is much more involved than we anticipated and the treatment will be much more grueling than anticipated. We are waiting for a doctor in Grand Rapids to call us tomorrow with the dates…all of the treatments will be in GR rather than in Holland. We will send out an update tomorrow night once we hear from the GR doctor and he fills us in on the rest of the story. Until then, please pray for peace of mind as we got a lot of information today and it wasn’t what we were really expecting. Also, the blood clot in her hand continues to bother her…please also pray for that to heal. Sorry to leave you hanging, but it’s late and we don’t have the complete story yet.
Thanks for your continued prayers.
Brian & Kristi
02/15/2007 10:42 PM
Hello everyone,
Sorry to keep this short, but it’s late and we’re tired and we don’t have all the details yet. But, we did meet with the Oncologist today and got part of the story. It is much more involved than we anticipated and the treatment will be much more grueling than anticipated. We are waiting for a doctor in Grand Rapids to call us tomorrow with the dates…all of the treatments will be in GR rather than in Holland. We will send out an update tomorrow night once we hear from the GR doctor and he fills us in on the rest of the story. Until then, please pray for peace of mind as we got a lot of information today and it wasn’t what we were really expecting. Also, the blood clot in her hand continues to bother her…please also pray for that to heal. Sorry to leave you hanging, but it’s late and we don’t have the complete story yet.
Thanks for your continued prayers.
Brian & Kristi
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