Day One Recheck Update

Hi VP's...well day one is behind us. Here's the scoop. We had to get up way, way too early. The alarm went off at 5:30 am and we got over to the clinic by 7:00 to start the day of tests and appointments. Now remember that Phoneix is 2 hours BEHIND Houston so we really got up at 3:30...UGH!! All the paperwork that we read on what to eat befor a PET scan told us that Bren could take her meds...so she did. We watched what we ate the night before when we went with Paula to Joe's Crab Shack. We thought all was well until the folks in diagnostic imaging told us that Bren should NOT have taken her liquid Vicodin this morning... well we thought that would really mess things up, but we got rescheduled at 11:00 so all was still on track.

We used the time to get Brenda's feeding tube OUT!!! YEA!! Bren is so happy that thing is gone...she said that it just makes her feel a little less like a cancer patient. HECK! We all know that she isn't...TOTAL WELLNESS!!! We also got her blood work done and made it back to the PET scan place for the tests...that one takes 2 hours!

We had enough time when Brenda got out of the test at 1:00 to go grab some lunch in the cafeteria and then head for Dr. Hong's office. I was now getting nervous so I popped some Ativan so I could actually be present to hear the news...good news!

Doc Hong came in and said that althought the scans had not been read by the specialist that does that, he looked at them and saw NO ACTIVITY IN THE SINUSES OR BRAIN. (Yes! Brenda still has a fantastic brain that works!!!...you know what I mean!) He did say that there was some small activity on both sides of her neck but no one is completely sure of this right now. It could be continued healing from all the radiation she received there, it could be residual disease. He wants Bren to continue with the rest of our appointments tomorrow and all the docs would confer. He mentioned that he thought we should come back in a month to get another PET done. It's still relatively soon after radiation stopped and they gave her so much. If she does have to have these areas removed it shouldn't be a huge process...everyone says that it's relatively simple and definitely not the MAJOR reconstruction that the folks back in Phoenix wanted to do originally...YIKES! We should have more info on this from the surgeon tomorrow.

So we really do have great news that there appears to be no disease in Bren's head...we were really worried about that. Thanks to all of you for the positive energy toward TOTAL HEALING...we are definitely on our way.

Tomorrow is the dentist, our new radiation oncologist, and the surgeon...then it's off to the plane and homeward bound with smiles on our faces. We'll have more news to report tomorrow.

We have felt your strength coming at us for all directions and can't thank you enough for being such a strong part of our healing circle. We've spent a lot of time with Paula and Jason in between all our appointments. J and P...We sure thank you guys for all the info you shared and the good times building our friendship. You both are so special and it sure helped having you touch bases with us and help us through this first visit. Hey Amanda...Dr. Hong asked how you were doing...you sure made an impression...he asks about you all the time. I told him about your new venture...he was impressed!

So I am totally pooped and whipped out so it's PJ time and I'm hitting the sack. I'm reading Dan Brown's new book "The Lost Symbol" and I'm in a good section so I want to get back to that as we keep one eye on the football game.

Love to you all...your energy is so powerful...remember the mantra for tomorrow:
We're happy and grateful for Brenda's total wellness.
Dee and a well Bren...

More tomorrow so tune in...