Approaching next hurdle?

Before I give you an update of this past week and let you know what's coming up this week, let me pontificate a bit. Looking back through this blOog I have noticed a trend. Perhaps you have noticed it as well. When things are rolling along smoothly, there is barely any activity here and sometimes no activity. No alphabet is needed, the punctuation marks go on vacation, and grammatical rules are but a distant memory. The trend I have noticed is that I have been blogging pretty often these past few months. I guess that means that the smooth seas are no more and hurricane Goliath is making his presence known.
As I read back over what I have just written I am wondering if I have just freaked some of you out with what I'm going to write next! Your concern is valid but I'm not sure to what extent right now. Do you want good news first? Of course you do!
We haven't visited Dr. Sharma in a week and a half but Gavin's mouth is feeling really good. He just feels a little bit of tingliness (sp?) but I do believe he is definitely over the hump with this. We have an appointment next Tuesday with Dr. Sharma and I have this feeling that it might be the last one. On one hand, I am very glad to have the mouth issue behind us, but on the other hand, I will definitely miss seeing Dr. Sharma. He is an awesome doc whose care and concern for his patients goes above and beyond expectations.
More good news and this is thanks to Dana Sanford. I have blogged about how unhappy we are at Southeast Pain. I truly feel like our doc can't see beyond the symptoms to treat the person as a whole. I don't think he understands that one pain is connected to the other pains and he has to treat Gavin comprehensively. So...we got the go ahead today to switch to Dr. Barkley and his team at Charlotte Hospice and Palliative Care. I have heard from many people that hospice isn't just an end of life program but also is a quality of life promoter. The people there seem to have a lot of experience treating people with cancer and other life threatening, long term ailments so I am confident that this is a better fit for Gavin.
Now for the not so good news. Gavin has been having some major indigestion issues. He actually got dehydrated last week and had to go in for IV fluids. While we were there, Dr. Pal ordered some labs done. His liver counts are elevated and they aren't sure why. Doc ordered an ultrasound to make sure there wasn't any blockage anywhere and that came back clean. Gavin has also been experiencing some back pain again, this time more in his posterior rib area (as opposed to spine). Dr. Pal has ordered a CT/PET scan for Monday to get a better look as to what is going on. Obviously he doesn't want things to be getting too out-of-control especially since we all know that the tumors have grown over the summer. There are a few options he told us about depending on how the scans turn out. Gavin could possibly do a short course of radiation to the rib area, 2 - 3 treatments. Another possibility is that he would discontinue the octreotide therapy and place Gavin back into heavy chemo. Dr. Pal did take Gavin off of the blood pressure med and the potassium as well to see if that will help with the indigestion. Now we play the wait and see game.
My friend Dorianne always asks me how I am doing when something in Gavin's status and treatment changes. She knows I hate this question and will avoid answering her most of the time. Let me tell you she can be very diligent in her questioning. So I am trying to sit here and reflect on how I feel about this. At the moment, I am really not upset or worried. I think it is because I have had all summer to prepare myself for this eventuality. I think maybe I feel relief that chemo can begin again to knock down the tumors that have had the nerve to rear their ugly faces. It won't be an easy time for Gavin or me or the kids. I am slightly concerned as to how I will manage all of the kids activities and my obligations and take care of Gavin if this chemo hits him hard. I am very concerned about how he will be able to handle the new chemo. I am sure that I will be a little squirrely next week waiting for the results of the scans. The not knowing is so difficult.
Well I better wrap this blog up or it will take on the appearance of a book! Specific things to pray for:
-no outrageous tumor growth and that the scans don't show anything else unusual
-that Dr. Sharma gives Gavin the all clear (he has already cleared him to restart chemo)
-that the intercostal block that Gavin will get on Friday (9/5) will help with his back pain
-for wisdom for Dr. Pal that he will be able to discern what the next best step is
-minimal stress for me, Gavin, and the rest of the family
-that Gavin's digestive problems just disappear or that the docs can pinpoint the problem and that it is not major

I would also like to ask for a special prayer for my friend Kathy and her family. Many of you ladies have met her at St. Andrew's women's retreat. Their beloved dog, Tyler, was hit by a car and killed last weekend. He was Kathy's constant companion, a loving dog (sometimes too loving, right Kathy!), and an integral member of their family. I know I would be broken-hearted if something happened to Dakota and my heart goes out to her and the family.

I think it's time for me to head to bed. As soon as I know anything, I will post an update.

Thanks to Lisa Kohler and Patty Breneman for the wonderful meals. Thanks to everyone at Tekoa for being there for Gavin and I and taking care of our kids. Thanks to those of you who have offered to help get things done around the house. I promise we will take you up on it.

Mostly just thank you for your love and your support. We are truly blessed to know each and every one of you.

Blessings,
Maria