Mostly Just the Facts

This blog will be dedicated to catching everyone up on what we've been doing this summer, especially concerning cancer treatment. The next blog will focus more on the personal struggles I've been dealing with and how God has answered my questions by putting messages on my heart and by using others to answer my questions.

The summer started off with a big bang! I went to Houston for tests to see how well the cancer was responding to the second round of 12 weeks of chemo. My doctor was out of town the following week, so we didn't get results until after our trip to Disney World. Mom, Connor, Connor's friend from Houston (Hunter) and I went to Orlando for a week and stayed on a Disney property. We did absolutely everything we wanted to do - and many things multiple times. The biggest hit with the boys was the space simulation at Epcot (we did that one every day) and the Rock and Roll rollercoaster at Disney MGM (I don't know how many times we did that one!) Gram was an absolute trooper because she really doesn't like amusement park rides and she did EVERYTHING. The picture I have included was taken at Disney MGM during the end of the Star Wars weekends and Connor is such a BIG Star Wars fan, we just couldn't miss it.
The night before our last day at Disney, we found out that I qualified for a pass (literally a "cancer card") that allowed our entire party to go to the fast pass line...very fun! We went park hopping and rode all the favorites again and again. It was a fabulous trip!
Upon our return, we went back to Houston for some good news...the chemo had continued to shrink my tumors and they couldn't really see the tumors in my lungs and the big one on my liver was in small pieces. My doctor, however, wanted me to do six more weeks of chemo just to be sure we blasted the tumors as much as possible before moving on the next phase - I was pretty bummed out about spending the rest of my summer doing chemo...but we got through it!


The rest of the summer was mostly spent with relatives...my precious nieces and nephews. My brother, Kyle, and his family moved from Fort Irwin (California) to Lawton, Oklahoma (don't remember the name of the fort). They spent a week here on their way (huge detour). We cherished the time spent with Kyle, Angie, Taylor Renee, and Tyler.
We spent a major part of our summer with Taylor Jordan and Jacey, who belong to Faron's youngest brother, Scooter, and his wife, Kristi (who you will recall has a great gift for ministering to people in crisis). The picture you see is Connor with cousin/sister Taylor Jordan.
About two weeks ago I had another series of tests and doctor visits. The new game plan is to quit chemo and move on to endocrine therapy...basically, we are going to shut down ALL estrogen production to prevent the cancer from growing back. I have to take a shot (bad stuff...needle has to be large enough to inject a small pellet into my abdomen) to shut down my ovaries. After a month of this (to be sure ovaries are not working), I start daily pills to ensure NO estrogen is being produced. it will be interesting to see how well Connor and Faron deal with all the side effects.
School starts tomorrow for me. Connor has another week before he starts. I am really looking forward to this year. I will be teaching AP Calculus, regular geometry and coaching JV soccer again. We should have a great team this year!
Connor is not nearly excited about school starting because he has had a great summer. He just got back from a trip to "The Valley" with Papa. He and Papa have been fishing and making trips down to the "Lagoon" (Baffin Bay, where Papa has a cabin). He has been playing with friends from Houston, cousins from Houston, and California cousins all summer. We all want to be Connor!
Faron, on the other hand, is excited about school starting. He is tired of being the only one getting up in the mornings and working. He can't wait for everyone to share the "misery".
Most importantly, I have been praying this summer. For Gabriel (about 2 yrs old), whose parents I met at Disney. Gabriel has cancer. For Connor (about 3 yrs. old), who I also met at Disney and has leukemia. Praise to God for Melissa (one of my former students - twenties) who went to MD Anderson to have a big, bad tumor removed (and they left her kidney!) that was not cancerous! ..... For Dustin (former student, twenties) who definitely has cancer..... For Brenda, with whom I taught for several years, who has brain cancer..... For Brenda's son, who had surgery recently..... For Sally, (former student, twenties) who has medical challenges. If Sally's mom sees this, I lost the paper you gave me with her e-mail and would like to have it (if you post a comment to this blog with her e-mail, I won't publish it).
If you all would pray for these kids, I am confident God will answer those prayers.
Thanks to all of you have been praying for me, and God bless you. Until next time (soon, I promise), much love! Kelli