No evidence of Disease!!!!!!!!!!!

Well..................... yeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hallelujah

Chris is cancer free. All his scans came back perfect :D   Thank you God!  Thank you Thank you THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

I cannot express the happiness in my heart, I just feel like God just keeps answering all my prayers and its such an Amazing feeling.

We go back next month again for brain scans and then in 3 months he will go back again for Full scans.
I am so excited to be able to move on to a new chapter in our lives. One where Chris continues to grow strong and one where he stays cancer free.

Love you all
xo
Kendra

Appointments Rescheduled

In case you were looking for an update we rescheduled Chris's appointments due to all the bad weather. Its flooding galore everywhere it seems. So looks like we will be there Friday morning! In other news I heard from the Cosmetology Board today and I am finally going to be able to test and get my license transferred over from Texas. I just keep getting all my prayers answered and I just am so grateful. I can't wait to start working and being able to give my husband the peace of mind that he doesn't have to work until he is completely healed up. We are so blessed. Well just wanted to give that quick little update. I will let you know the results when we get them. Until then, all my love.
xo
k

Cancer Restaging starts Tomorrow

Well we leave early tomorrow for another fun filled trip to MD Anderson. ha! Chris has appointments starting at 12:45 for a full body PET scan. They will be scanning everything to make sure nothing new is growing. So say a big prayer for him tomorrow!!! Then Wednesday we will meet with his main Doctor, Dr. Patel for all the results. I am nervous but I know God has been healing Chris and he's not going to stop now! I still just can't believe the magnitude of this past year, how utterly life changing it has been. Just when you think you  know where your going in life, think again!  Things can change so suddenly and rapidly it will make your head spin! I will keep you all updated on the results.
All my love
xoxo
k

Bye Bye Sinus Tumor, you will not be missed.

First and foremost let me apologize for taking a week to update our blog! And I am proud to say its the happiest blog yet. Well Chris's sinus surgery was a complete success!  He went in early that day and the surgery was only suppose to be an 1 hour long but after almost 3 hours, I began to worry a bit after not hearing anything, but sure enough his nurse called down to the waiting area and told me he just got out of surgery and was doing well. A few minutes later Dr. Hana came down and talked with me he said he extensively cleaned the sinus and nothing came out but complete black tumor crud. He said although they will be sending in for testing he did not see any active melanoma. Needless to say I was COMPLETELY ectastic!  The filthy tumor that had been invading my darlings head  is gone! GONE!!!  8 months ago, so big they told us it was inoperable!  GONE! God has  truely answered our prayers. I never told Chris or showed  him but on the MD Anderson Website this is what it says about Mucosal Melanoma

Outlook is POOR!?!! And this is  coming from the Greatest Cancer hospital in the World! Well in Chris case outlook is Freakin AWESOME! Chris has come so far and although he still has lots to go, I know by the time March rolls around and he goes for his scans he will disease free. :D

In the meantime.... Chris has been in alot of pain he couldn't blow his nose for a week and although he can now, its extremely painful. He is having really bad head pains and most of time you can find him with an icepack on his face in the bed. There is packing in the sinus cavity but its of the dissolving sorts so I am not sure if it is still there or not.   Now that they cleaned it out there is lots of exposed bone and scar tissue, plus all the extensive cleaning  making it tender and swollen, so this all leads up to alot of pain but I say its a good pain! ha   Anyways we will be headed back on the 10th for a followup on his surgery and hopefully everything is looking great. Also they will probably let us know then the results of the "black tumor crud" they removed. I feel happy for the first time in a long time and I hope I don't lose that feeling anytime soon.
xo
k
"He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted."
Job 5:9 NIV

---

Meeting with the Anesthesiologist today

Well we are back in Houston and Chris has an appointment with the anesthesiologist this morning. He should have surgery tomorrow sometime as long as everything looks good to go!  He has been feeling good but still tires very easy. I know its discouraging for him not to have his strength back but as I remind him everyday just 3 months ago you could hardly make it out of the bed. It will take time! Chris is so excited about being able to have this tumor removed and I am too. Anyways wish us luck and keep Chris in your prayers.
Love you all!
xo
k

Endoscopic Surgery

Sorry I haven't updated this sooner but on our last visit to Houston, Chris ended up with another appointment before we left with the head and neck surgeon, Dr. Hanna.
They discussed removing his sinus tumor and decided on Endoscopic Surgery for the 26th of this month. My birthday is on the 25th so I am considering this a birthday present for my soul and mind. I am so ecstatic that the tumor is now small enough to for them to be able to operate. The Doctor said there were no hot spots on Chris's MRI and the tumor appears to be dead but we are going back to Houston tomorrow for a new catscan and another Brain MRI. This new MRI will show sections spliced in the opposite way to give the Doctor a clear view of the bones and nerves near Chris's tumor. He said it was good the tumor had receded upwards towards the front of his head because before it much to close to some arteries and inoperable. He told Chris the reason for his headaches is probably because of exposed bone in the sinus cavity. Normally the bones would be covered with tissue and mucous but the Chemo probably killed that tissue as Chemo not only kills cancer cells but normal cells as well. We failed to ask if it would grow back. I will be sure to remember to ask that on the next trip to the head and neck center. Chris is so happy to be able to get this out of his head!  Dr. Hanna assured Chris though if he saw anything that might be a risk he wouldn't chance it and won't do the surgery. The tumor is very close to the optic nerve but as of now he does not see a problem I guess we will know after he looks at the scans that they will be doing tomorrow. I can't believe its been almost 8 months since this began. Its been one heck of roller coaster ride but things just seem to be looking up now and I pray that they continue that way. Life and my perspective on things have changed so dramatically. I hate that it took my husband having Cancer for me to appreciate life and my love ones in a way I can't explain. It took my husband having Cancer for me to experience a closer relationship with God than I have ever had before and for me to truly never ever take anything for granted. I have found that I had more friends than I ever thought I had and I have experienced  complete true kindness from friends and strangers alike. I have said it a million times but I feel so blessed beyond words for all of you. Thank you for that.
xo
k

Gamma Ray Knife

Well today started early, we got to the hospital at 6:30am.  Chris was first taken in and fitted with a Halo, they don't screw this into the skull but into the skin. It looked like it hurt but Chris assured me it didn't he just felt alot of pressure and while he was being pushed around  in a wheelchair he thought he looked like Magneto from X-men LOL. I was thinking more along the lines of Hannibal Lector...

Next he was given another brain MRI that took smaller splices in case any other tumors were present. No new tumors! Yay!  Chris then finally went in and received his treatment.

 He told me he didn't even know it had started until a voice across the microphone said 4 minutes remaining. I am so happy that  this was an easy treatment for him. When he was finished they observed him for a little while and gave him some steroids to prevent swelling in the brain.  We have to stick around Houston for the next 24 hours to make sure everything is OK and then we will be able to get back home to our kitties and doggies :D Next thing we need to find out about is what in the heck are they going to do with this tumor in his sinus. Its still there and it gives Chris bad headaches. It hasn't appeared to grown and has shrunk ALOT, enough they should be able to get it out. So that's where Chris stands right now. Thank you everyone for the prayers and for keeping up with our blog!
xo
Kendra

Visit with the Neurosurgeon, Christmas, and all that good stuff

So we just got back again from Md Anderson yesterday Evening. On the 27th Chris met with Dr. Amy Heimberger where she went over the MRI scans of his brain. She explained his 3 options for the removal of his brain mets. Option one: Surgery, she explained alot of people just want it out ASAP but there ran some small risks of infection. Option 2: Full Brain radiation. I don't even know why this was an option honestly but she didn't push it. Option 3: Gamma Ray Knife which is a pinpointed laser of radiation that destroys tumors within approx 3 months time.

This is the plan Chris is going with. Since his tumor is small there is a 95% success rate for this procedure to eradicate his tumor. And I don't know about you, but I like those kind of odds!! We go back to the Hospital Sunday for them to put an IV in for Chris then on Monday (Jan 2) he will have the procedure. Then we have to stick around Houston another 24 hours before being able to go home. I can't tell you how thankful I am for my cousins who always graciously take us in, they are Awesome. As soon as we got out of the neurosurgeons office we ran into Stacey and her sister Robin who is also going through this Melanoma roller coaster. I was happy for Chris to meet Robin and it felt good to give Stacey a hug. They have been through so much and I ask everyone to continue to pray for them as they pray for us.

The next day Chris went to his audiologist appointment, no change in his hearing loss, but I do believe the ringing in his ears hasn't been as bad then we took a trip to the MOHS  dermatology clinic where they took more samples of moles that proved atypical a couple of months ago. So I really hope they come back OK this go around. We really want to go visit the Melanoma floor to see all our nurses from Chemo but I think Chris wants his scans to be completely clean so he show off, at least that's what I say. I miss those ladies, especially our Nurse practitioner, Jessie. She was the best. Anyways that was our hospital news! We had such a wonderful Christmas and I can truly say that I have been calm and not" freaking out" like I usually am, and I know its because of prayers. Thank you! In between our hospital appointments we got in some good visits with all my cousins. We drove down with my Aunt Lorna and I enjoyed her company so much during our stay and on the drive Its nice to change things up  every once in a while! Well I just wanted to update everyone on whats going on. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and will have a very Happy New Year. I am ready to put this past year behind us look forward to a new year of Chris healing and getting better!

Love you all

xo

k

Dear God..

Dear God.
First and foremost I want to thank you for all the wonderful blessings you have bestowed upon me throughout my life. Thank you for giving me parents who cared for me and thank you for rest of my family and friends who mean so much to me. I  truly don't deserve all that I have. Forgive me for the wrongs I have done throughout my life and all the mistakes that I will make in the future.  Right now I am coming to you on my knees and asking you that you take care of my husband. I am a complete wreck and am so scared about his upcoming hospital trip. Please God if it's  in your will please lay your hands on Chris and heal him of this horrible disease. Please take away our fear and be with us as you have been during this dark period of our lives. God thank you for sending Chris to me.  He is truly my best friend and love of my life. Through prayer and love we have overcome so many obstacles throughout our marriage. Please let me be able to keep Chris here on this Earth. I just can't imagine not growing old with him and not having a family with him. My heart aches so bad when I think about him not being here. I just don't know if I will be able to make it without him, I love him so much. Dear God just please be with us and take all theses negative thoughts out of my head I ask for greater Faith and the ability to see the positives in life right now. I need you more than ever and I know you hear me. Please answer my prayers with good results next Wednesday. Thank you for listening  God . I Love you
Amen
k

Restaging and Headaches

Well Chris has been having a 5 day headache that wont seem to go away. It's making me really bad nervous. He called MD Anderson yesterday but his Dr and nurse were both off. I got an automated call later that day that said he now had an appointment on the 20th and 21st for his complete PET scan and also Dr. Patel is suppose to re- stage his cancer. Then we will go back on the 27th for a brain MRI. So looks like we will be doing alot of traveling to Houston in the next two weeks. Chris didn't even tell me about the headaches until yesterday, I guess he didn't want to scare me but it's too late. He says it feels weird and it won't go away.  Last Friday I had to go to the ER because my left side was hurting so bad they took Xrays and  nothing seemed wrong so they think I just pulled a muscle real bad around my lung area. So the Dr. prescribed me some Lortabs and Muscle relaxers.  Chris took some of my pain medication and its the only thing that seems to help his headache. He still has some pain meds from his last visit to the hospital but they are a little too strong and makes him dizzy and sick. Needless to say I don't mind sharing. I am so scared that the tumor in his sinus is continuing to grow and that is what is causing the pain or there is something new inside growing. I pray pray pray pray that its just a sinus headache. The weather here has been so crazy and we live in a drafty old house. So hopefully that's all it is. I just feel so helpless when it comes to Chris. I just wish I could fix everything but I can't. In better news we had a lovely Thanksgiving and we also had a great time at the Christmas Festival in Natchitoches a couple weekends ago. Got to see all my wonderful cousins and catch up with old friends. I only can wish for more good times like this with Chris in the future. I pray that this PET scan will tell us only good things. I am praying hard for a Christmas Miracle and hope you are too. Sorry I  haven't written in a while but there hasn't been much to update other than Chris's headache he has been doing really well and building back up his strength and putting weight on. He looks so great. Anyways love you all and thank you keeping up and reading the blog.
All my love
Kendra

Chris feeling and looking good at the Christmas Festival

A mole? no no no no no no

Uhggg so today Chris says to me.. is this a mole? I really don't know.. they are small but it looks like some a few moles coming up on his arm and one his head. Now I am freaking out honestly. Tomorrow morning I have my follow up  for some biopsies with our Dermatologist so I am going to have her look at  Chris for a minute. Also his itching seems to be getting worse and worse, although oatmeal baths and Cocoa butter seemed to help for a little bit.

 I am dreading Dec 27th. I just keep praying so hard. I just don't know what I would do if they tell us it's still growing... to imagine Chris went through almost 6 months of torment is unimaginable. I need your prayers more than ever. I hate when the doubt sets in, its gets me so down. I just love Chris so much I can't imagine a life without him. Also everyone please continue to pray for my friend Stacey and her family, her sister is also Battling Stage 4 Melanoma. Please help spread the word about the importance of getting your skin examined yearly, it could save more lives then you would ever know.
Love all of you so much.
xo
k

All my love.

Well Chris is continually feeling better and that is such a wonderful thing!  Everyday he grows a little bit stronger. Last week I went the dermatologist for a check up,she said everything looked OK but she wanted to take a couple of biopsy's on a couple of less than normal looking moles. Since this whole ordeal every time I see a new mole pop up on myself or anyone I have melanoma paranoia. I encourage everyone to get check up especially if you have a fair complexion and have more than 20 moles. Just to be on the safe side!
I just keep on praying that everything will work out in Chris's favor. I am feeling better about things and haven't been so down in the dumps. I just couldn't have made it this far without every ones love and support. I would like to give a special thanks to The Nakatosh Priesthood, MPH, The Cancer League of Northeast Louisiana for all the prayers and financial help. Also my friends and family,, I feel so much gratitude for the phone calls, the weekly visits , cards, flowers..donations... Just EVERYTHING! All the love we have received from everyone is overwhelming and I just want to let you know I won't ever forget it. Your all pretty darn Awesome and don't you forget it.

Time sure does fly! 11 years married today!

Awwww we had a very nice today. Our day started off with a phone call from MD Anderson, they said that everything looked pretty normal on his blood test results, although his white blood count seemed to be elevated but it's still OK. We went out for lunch, I won 60.00 at bingo paradise off ten, went for ice cream then we went to the movies and saw Tower Heist (which wasn't as funny as I hoped but still good). We had a very nice anniversary and  had alot of fun. No moping around today and Chris was in good spirits. I hope to have at least 50 more!
xo
k

Think happy thoughts.. Think Happy Thoughts..

Geez I wish I could fall asleep. Every night it seems I get to bed between 2-3 am. I try to make myself wake up early to get things on track but it doesn't seem to work. Maybe I can blog myself to sleep?!
Anyways Chris is feeling better, his stomach finally started acting right. We finally talked to his nurse and she said if he continued to have this pain for the next 24 hours that he would have to immediately go to the ER, needless to say I went to Wallyworld and bought heating pads, an array of gas medications, antacids... well something seemed to work because by the next morning he felt better. Today Chris went and gave blood hopefully everything will turn out to be ok. This past weekend I had a fun Halloween I even won a costume contest! I won a mini Heinekin fridge, it's so cute! It could not have came at a better time I gave it to Chris for an anniversary gift seeing that we decided not to get each other anything this was quite a  surprise for him. I wanted to wait until Friday but I couldn't keep it a secret I won, I was too excited.
Well aside from my happy win  I have still been down in the dumps. I just can't get into a normal routine, I feel so unmotivated and depressed. Sometimes when I am by myself I have these morbid thoughts like, this is what its going to be like if something happens to Chris, just no one here to talk, no one to snuggle to, no one to laugh with. Its sick, I know this. I have been trying so hard to think positive but horrible thoughts cross my mind on the daily. I just wish I could know what was going on in his body. I promise after this post no more being sad posts I will try and create some happy days that will make for happy blogs. Love you all.
xoxo
k

Sad and Feeling Bad

Well we have been home for a couple of days now and although I feel relieved not having to go to the hospital for a while I feel so incredibly sad. Chris is feeling miserable his stomach is in severe pain and I don't know what to do about it. I called his doctor and left a message. We have tried everything. He is having a feeling of just like a rock on his stomach and has been dry heaving. He is suppose to go do blood work today but he doesn't think he can make the 30 minute drive. I guess we will try tomorrow. I feel so bad I cannot help him feel better. I just don't know what to do. I don't know how I am going to make it the next 2 months, I keep worrying about ,what if the cancer  continues to grow.. Why oh why do I continually think the worst? Why couldn't we just know tomorrow? To make matters worse I had a lady tell me recently she went through biochemo successfully only for her Melanoma to come back full force a few months later. Thanks lady  I hate this so much.

All Finished!

Well they are letting Chris go home today yay!!! We are now just waiting for the IV therapy team to come and remove Chri's PIC line out of his arm. I know that will be a relief for him!!  Please pray for patience for me as the next 8 weeks are just gonna be tough. It seems all I do is wait. I hate cancer so much!!! Thank you for going through all of this with me! I will keep you updated periodically the next few months until we go back for testing. I am scared and excited and relieved feeling all at once.

Love you all!

xoxoxoxox

Kendra

Last Treatment Days 3 and 4

Well not too much is going on. Chris has been sleeping pretty hard the last few days. I don't blame him. He has gained about 10 pounds in fluid and is pretty red. Also he has thrush but they have been giving him something that melts on his tongue to get rid of it. I am so excited that this is the last treatment. I will definitely not miss spending every 2 weeks here. Although I must admit I have grown fond of several staff members and I will miss them. The nurses here are the best ever. Chris has one more full night of Biochemo tonight minus the Cisblastin and tomorrow he will only have the Interferon. I can't believe the whole summer passed away so fast and November will be upon us in no time. November 4 is our Anniversary! 11 years. Wow! It wasn't easy and we certainly have had our share of struggles not including our current one but I am so proud we have stuck with it. I am more in love with Chris than the day I married him. I think we make an awesome team! :D 
I keep thinking about having to wait for 8 weeks to know what's going on with Chris. I just have to give it all to God and know he will take care of us.  I am happy that at least the wait will be going on during Nov and Dec, I will have lots of Holiday things to do to distract me.
   Anyways in other news I have smoked only One cigarette today  and yesterday I smoked only One and 1/2. I really don't want one until after I eat. Hopefully by the time we leave (hopefully Tuesday) I will be smoke free and stay that way! Oh and guess who won Bingo 4 times today!!!!!! Me!!!!!!!!!  I was so excited!! I won a Scrabble board game, a pretty scarf, one of those hard plastic drinking cups with straw, and a 5.00 gift certificate. That made my day!! :D  Anyways well let me stop because I think I might be rambling.
All my love
xo
k

Day 2 of last treatment

Well not much going on today, Chris has mainly been sleeping in between visits from the nurse to give him medicine and blood pressure checks from the CNA's. This week Dr. Kim is Chris's rounding doctor and he came in and told Chris that his blood work from yesterday was fine and he shouldn't have to have a blood transfusion this round. So that's good.  I haven't been feeling very good I think the chantix is making me sick. I have only smoked 2 cigarettes today though so that's wonderful. Its been so embarrassing to me that here I am with a husband fighting for life against cancer and I have been choking down smokes. I actually have taken Chantix before and it worked well but I ended up back smoking. Ugh. The first time I took it, it took about 10 days for me to quit but I see this time it will alot sooner,cigarettes are already starting to taste really really bad!  Oh last night I got up to use the bathroom and discovered our bathroom was starting to flood! Omg! Luckily maintenance came right up and fixed it. I would have hated to wake up this morning in a foot of water. Anyways that whats going on! Please keep praying for Chris.
xo
k

Day one of Last Treatment

Well today has been quite a day. We left this morning at around 8 and arrived at the hospital at around 12:30. We had to ride a shuttle to Chris's first appointment at the Mohs Clinic and by 1:45  (his appointment was at 2:00)I was a tad worried when we arrived back to where we were picked up, I asked if we missed our stop but apparently the shuttle driver forgot to go there on his round... humph. Anyways we finally get there and if you remember from my previous post I wasn't sure what we were doing there except to meet with a surgeon. Well apparently they didn't know why we were there either. So after an hour and a half of trying to figure things we were told that Chris was there to get another better and deeper biopsy of a mole on his ear.. but he should wait until after Chemo to have it done.. So that appointment was kind of a waste of time and also made us late for the next two appointments!  We got back to the Main hospital and Chris gave up a little blood and had his chest X-rayed. We finally met with Dr. Patel and she told us that is was Amazing Chris was on his sixth treatment.  They are going to lower his dose of cisplatin because of  hearing loss and also lower the vinblastine due to the start of nerve damage in his fingers and toes. Dr. Patel said after the end of his treatment they wouldn't schedule him back for tests for another 2 months.  They said there was no point in doing anything any sooner because even if the treatment does not kill the cancer or it continues to grow, Chris will be too weak to handle any other kind of treatment at that time. So we will have to wait 8 weeks after this last treatment to find out anything. Its going to be so nervewracking and I don't know if I will have the patience to wait that long!
Anyways  I am trying to make this short I have an awful headache and need some sleep. Oh! I am on day 2 of chantix!!  Go me! :D I hope your all doing well continue to pray and I will continue to update. All my love.
xo
k

Chris's Fundraiser.. I am still in Awe.

Well the fundraiser has come and gone and I am still feeling the love and kindness resonating through me as if we were still there. I just can't thank everyone enough. God just keeps on answering our prayers over and over again. Its just so overwhelming. The Nakatosh Priesthood REALLY out did themselves and they cooked some of the best jambalaya that I ever had. Chris was nervous about going as he doesn't really like being the center of attention but when he got there and saw everything and everyone his anxiousness disappeared. From our dear friends and family who stopped by and passersby's who donated  to the cause, we are just so thankful. You have no idea how much this has helped us not only financially but spiritually. I still get happy tears every time I think about the kindness of the whole event. It was Awesome. We couldn't have asked for a better day. The sun was shining and this was the BEST Chris has looked or felt in months!

My beautiful friend Mandi and her way Awesome shirt!

Oh the food was so GOOD!

Chris was all smiles! He looked so good!

My lovely friends Vanessa and Mandi

I was so thrilled to see my cousin Karen and Aunt BooBoo! That's my daddy on the right!

Chris and I with the Nakatosh Priesthood, they are AWESOME!

Chris with my cousin's Adrian and Carolina

Serving up food

Chris Visiting with Family and Friends

Ragan and Mandi posing with Chris and I

Chris watcha looking at!? With the Nakatosh priesthood and our mommies!

Working hard!

Chris and his Sister Susan

Chris our nephew Phillip, Sister Susan, Nephew Matt, and Susan's Bf Matt

Ok he is looking in the right direction now!

Chris and his Mom

Me and my love :D

Aunt BooBoo, Karen, Me, and Chris

Suzy, Susan and Stacy lookin pretty

I just want to thank everyone again we are beyond grateful. We love all of you so much.
xo
k