Breakfast

So apparently we've been sleeping for a month and a half and we're just now waking up. Ok, that's not really true. But there hasn't been a lot going on. Well there has. But we just haven't blogged about it. I will try and catch everyone up.

Ashley passed her boards and got a job at Whittier Presbyterian. She is now working 12 hour shifts after going through orientation, which was arduous. The 12 hour shifts are long, but it's nice to work only 3 days a week. She will soon be switching to night shifts, which will be interesting. We'll see how it goes. The extra $8 an hour will be nice.

We celebrated 2 years of marriage by going out to some nice restaurants and Ashley going to work. 2 down, 58 to go.

I had a CT to see how well the embolization worked (and if the liver was big enough to handle surgery). Long story short, the liver did not grow as much as expected. I still have pretty good liver function, but it would not be good at this time to further insult it with a surgery. So the plan as of a few days ago is to do Radio Frequency Ablation, which is colloquially called 'Microwave on a Stick'. The radiologist will insert probes into my liver with the tips in the middle of the tumors. The tips will get really hot and melt/burn the tumors. It's a lot less invasive than surgery and still holds a good success rate. The procedure will happen in two parts a month apart (hospital stay is likely minimal- just overnight for observation). I'll let you all know when it is scheduled. Hopefully I can also get my hip done before UCI starts in January.

We got a kitten from Ashley's friend Katie. He is gray, tiny, precocious, ferocious, and his name is Toulouse. He likes naps, meowing when we're not around, going into the refrigerator, and climbing.

While Ashley is at work, I watch movies on Netflix Instant Watch, do chores and errands, read the Bible, read the Book of Mormon (I am almost finished!), keep an eye on Toulouse, eat, and play PS3.

Football is coming up. I am very excited. Predictions are in: I think the 49ers will win the division, but the Super Bowl will be San Diego over New Orleans. Disclaimer: it is very very difficult to predict the Super Bowl before the season starts.

Our new apartment is awesome. If you google IL Pompeii La Habra, you can take a look around.

This last one is not new: God is good. Also, I am hungry.

Double Take II

I'm getting more and more into puns these days. So this title is a pun on the last title (Take II) but now it's Double Take, meaning a second look. So my radiologist (who performed SIRSpheres back in 08 and the embolization back in early June) was looking at my recent CT to check the liver volume, just to be sure that this surgery is a good idea. Well, he thinks the liver is actually a little smaller than it was (which makes sense, since the embolized side was supposed to shrink), so the idea of cutting off more of it didn't seem like a good idea right now, especially since my tumors are slow-growing, if growing at all. So tonight, like 45 minutes ago, the Greek called to tell me that

the surgery is postponed until further noticed.

Basically, since this surgery isn't exactly chopped liver (pun!), it would be safer and smarter to wait a while for further hypertrophy (growing) of the liver. So in early August/late September, I'll get another scan and see how it's going. Another option that we'd discussed in the past was to burn the tumors instead of cutting them out (which was the idea for the 4th tumor of the now-postponed surgery). Theoretically, if September's scan looks the same as this one, the burning option could be the #1 option. I mean, you can't really not use your liver. That's why it's a 'live'-r. I can here your groaning from hear. OK, I'll stop.

I think we're both ok with this. Now I can be in our awesome new apartment for more than a week to start with. Now I can be here as Ashley starts her new work. Now I can definitely be here for our anniversary. I can still recover in time for school, which won't start up until January. My hip surgery will be a little further away, but again, that's not the highest priority right now. So... I'm excited.

Please continue to pray for liver growth. And praise God for a wise choice by the doctors to not rush into a serious surgery without a definitely safe amount of healthy liver.

Surgery: Part II

Nearly six months later, the second half of Dan's cancer resection has been scheduled and set in stone for this Friday, July 16th. The CT Dan had last week showed that his liver grew back some, but not the extend the surgeon had hoped/expected. Accordingly, the surgery plan has been modified to leave Dan with more healthy liver tissue. We have a meeting with the surgeon on Wednesday at which time we can explain the details.

This week will obviously be a busy one: we leave on Tuesday for Lodi, meeting with the surgeon and pre-anesthesia appointment on Wednesday, and then surgery on Friday. It will be nice to see our families before spending more time in the hospital.

As I am starting my new job on the 26th, I have to be back to SoCal the Wednesday following the surgery for a couple days of pre-hire appointments. I'll drive back up to Stanford with a friend for the weekend, and then start orientation on Monday. All that to say, I won't be able to stay with Dan throughout the recovery. I'll try to drive or fly when I can on the weekends, but it will be rough.

God-willing, this recovery will be much faster and smoother than Dan's previous surgeries. The liver is prone to bleeding and becoming quite angry when "attacked". Thus, there are quite a few complications that can arise after surgery. Yes, it is true that this surgery could leave Dan cancer-free. Yet, we are focusing on Dan's recovery before we glory in the possibility of remission.

Dan is doing fine: not worried, confident and encouraging. I am fine for now, though I'll get more nervous by the day. To be frank, I'd rather have a healthy/happy husband with a small of tumor than a sick/suffering husband without cancer. I do understand that it is possible to have a health AND cancer-free Dan. It's just the surgeries and hospitalizations and complications that keep me from believing it's possible any time soon.

Anyway, time for prayer requests. People often ask what they can do for us in times like this. Eventually, there may be material needs, but for now, our needs are spiritual. Please go before God on our behalf in preparation for Friday.

* Ask God to guide the surgeons' hands and minds, giving them wisdom and assurance.

* A safe and successful surgery

* No complications, especially bleeding and infection

* Pain management (it's going to be tricky with Dan's modified liver)

* Quick recovery

* Cooperative digestive system: no bowel obstructions!

* Peace for me and the rest of the family

* Endurance for me

Transition. No fade, more like a wipe.

In case you don't understand the title, it's in reference to film transitions. A fade is, as it sounds, a slow mixing of two shots that's nice and smooth. A wipe is what you see in Star Wars a lot where the new shot sort of rolls abruptly across the screen.

There, I used my degree.

So in the last 3 weeks, much has happened. The bowel obstruction scare came and went, though Ashley is still concerned I might wake up one morning with that same intense pain. God willing, I never will again. Ashley took the NCLEX (the national certification process for RNs) on June 21st. It is said that the devil works at the NCLEX. It's true, or at least it feels like it. It is by far the most intense, draining, ulcer-inducing test I have ever heard of, and that's just studying for it. Taking the actual test must be like facing a firing squad. But the absolute worst part is after you take the test. Everyone leaves the testing center feeling like they failed, and California is one of the states that does NOT participate in a 48-hours-later-pay-10-bucks-and-find-out-if-you-passed program (and they need the money, why not?). So you're left waiting and agonizing for 1-4 weeks, praying to have passed but dreading that you failed.

Anyway, we found out on Wednesday that Ashley PASSED! (thanks Monique for waking us up at 5am) It was an answer to fervent prayer and a huge relief. Once the official license comes in the mail, she'll be all set. Also, Ashley got a job at Whittier PIH on an observation floor (where you end up if you go to the ER and the doctor doesn't quite want you to go home yet, but you can't stay in the ER). Hopefully, after some time on that floor she can transfer to the adjacent oncology floor (which is Ashley's desired specialty). So... that's AWESOME.

That also means that we are sure (for the first time) where we will live this coming year(s). We found a nice apartment to move into, and we're moving from Biola housing to.......morrow. Yeah. It's been crazy packing up our lives. I wish I had two good hips instead of one, because it has relegated me to non-heavy lifting only, which doesn't sit well with my exceeding manliness. (Ashley laughs... but she knows it's true) However, we have some awesome friends helping us out. We're both excited for our new place.

So, up next is this: I have a CT on July 6th to see how much my liver has grown after the portal vein embolization. If it has grown a sufficient amount to sustain liver function, then Surgery: The Sequel will be premiering on July 16th to lop off the bad section of liver. Hopefully, there will be a quick recovery, because Ashley has orientation at the hospital starting July 26th. I can resume my schooling at UCI in January (where I left off last year), so until then I will apply to sub and/or seek a short-term job to keep myself occupied and start attacking student loans. Also, there will soon be an addition to the Howen family....

No, not a baby. A kitten! It is yet to be named. But you can bet there will be pictures eventually.

Anyway, this is getting really long, especially for me. Keep praying for us, especially for no more obstructions, good liver growth and a complication-free surgery. And make sure to praise and thank God profusely for the blessings we have received.

Dan

Praying to stay put

So, since last week, Dan has recovered well from his liver procedure. No complications, not much pain. We went to a wedding on Sunday and drove home on Monday morning. I've been finishing my NCLEX review to prepare for later in the month and applying to jobs. Dan's been playing lots of Madden football and eating :) Accordingly, I'd say things have been going well.

Until this morning.

Now, we aren't in any emergency or crisis as of yet, just preparing for one. Dan woke up with a bit of belly pain on his left side. Though it isn't nearly as bad as in March, the symptoms are pointing toward a possible bowel obstruction. Thankfully, he isn't feeling really sick, just a little pain and crampy. Rather than freak out, we talked to his surgeon who agreed that the symptoms sound like a very early, mild obstruction. So, Dan will be on clears at home today and tomorrow to see if it can resolve on its own. If it doesn't get completely better, we have an appointment on Monday at Stanford. If it gets worse, Dan needs to be admitted again.

Our biggest concern now is determining where to do the waiting. If it resolves, it'd be nice not to drive all the way back up. Yet, if Dan needs to be admitted, we want him to be at Stanford. So, by tomorrow, we'll decided whether or not to drive up north again. I don't want to wait too long and have Dan feeling miserable all the way up, but Dan doesn't want to jump the gun.

The timing of another bowel obstruction is not great. This is crunch time for me to study for NCLEX (nursing boards), so I can pass the first time. (Yes, I got great grades in college and am a good test taker. That does not imply that I will pass the boards. It is a different beast. Please, do not comment on my odds of "doing fine" right now). Having Dan in the hospital would be a rather large distraction from my focus. Additionally, we need to be preparing to move into another apartment. Once I know where I'm working, we can put a lease on an apartment and move. Yet, with Dan admitted, I'd be doing the looking, leasing and moving without a hubby.

All this to say, Dan needs prayer--a lot of it. God has been with us throughout Dan's suffering and trials. Our prayer is that God would intercede before everything turns bad this time. Pray that whatever obstruction there is would be able to clear on its own. Pray that Dan would be able to recover completely at home. Pray that there would be no need for another trip to Stanford. Pray that if (IF) Dan gets admitted, this hospital stay would be very very short. Better yet, pray that Dan doesn't even have an obstruction at all!
A prayer or two for me to be able to study intently and pass the boards the first time would also be appreciated.

I will obviously keep you all updated, though there may not be any news for a while.

Pray pray pray.

Rough day? A bit.

So, Dan's procedure went well and ended at about 7pm. He had to stay in recovery for a while to wake up, and the doctor decided to keep him overnight to watch for possible complications. Dan's still really tired, though he woke up long enough to eat some jello and crackers. He's not in a lot of pain, but his stomach is wobbly. He won't go so far as to say it's sick feeling, but he's not feeling great. Stupid anesthesia.
Tonight we watch for his ability to keep fluids and food down and make sure his liver isn't bleeding through the wound it got today. As long as Dan can eat breakfast well and isn't actively bleeding tonight, he'll be discharged in the morning.

Amazingly, Dan was given a private room AND I got a cot! What? The first day? Awesome.
I've been sitting here applying for nursing jobs, while he's asleep. The nursing job market is horrible to say the least. Several polite rejections after making it through the last interview process is getting old. You'd think graduating top of the class, having CNA experience and good communication skills would get you somewhere...not quite.

Dan and I are really beginning to feel the strain of the unknown. We need to know where I'm working before we can move, and we have to be out of our apt on June 19th. Prayers for guidance and a job are coveted. I know that God is guiding me to where He wants me, but this time period kinda sucks.

Prayer Requests:
* No bleeding or complications
* Dan's ability to eat and a hearty appetite
* Safe discharge tomorrow
* Continued health of bowels (no obstructions ever)
* Great re-growth of liver tissue
* A job for me...soon!
* Peace in yet another period of unknown

Another Procedure

I have to type this very quickly because the hospital has decided that they don't like people blogging on their wireless...thus, I am only allotted 10 minutes on our blog. Weird? Yes.
Anyway, we're back in Palo Alto (SHC) for Dan's embolization procedure. Things are running late, so Dan just got taken back to the preop phase. We have even spoken to the doctor yet. They will blocking off the right portal vein (blood supply to the right lobe of the liver) to allow for quicker regrowth of his liver. We have been told that this should be just an overnight stay, so we're really hoping and praying for no complications and a fast recovery.
I'll keep you posted when I can, but just be in prayer as the procedure should be starting in about an hour.

Prayer Requests:
* Successful procedure
* No complication
* Open and happy bowels without obstructions
* Safe discharge tomorrow as planned
* NO SURPRISES!!!
* Keeping Dan at home with me in SoCal for a lot longer :)