Update on Pop

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Nana and Pop are still in Texas - tomorrow (Monday, the 20th of April) will be the start of their 4th week there. Pop spent several days in the Emergency Room at MD Anderson this past week. He had been discharged to the Rotary House but then he developed a fever, so they had to go through the emergency room in order to get admitted; however, there were no rooms available. I think it was Thursday night (or maybe Friday night) when they finally got re-admitted to a "real" room at MD Anderson. He still has a fever - but today it was right around 100.5 - which is better than it has been at 102.5! It is my understanding that once the fever breaks - they can go ahead and start with Round 2 of Chemo!

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Also in the past week - they've had to give him a couple units of blood because his hemoglobin was low and he shaved his beard and mustache (I've been with Brannon for 12 1/2 years and I have never seen Pop without his beard). The last I heard - they were pleased with his platelet counts and that they were coming up.

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Hopefully, the fever will break so that he can get onto Round 2!

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My understanding of his treatment plan is 6 rounds of chemo; 5 weeks of radiation (at 5 days a week) and then surgery. I don't know this for sure - and as everyone knows - things can change.

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Update on Pop

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We talked to Nana and Pop last night and Pop sounded much better than when we talked to him on Wednesday. He said he was feeling better too - still a bit weak, but good. He was not discharged to the extended stay facility yesterday - but is looking to be today. I'm think they just wanted to monitor him for another night inpatient. The doctor that visited him yesterday was pleased with how he was doing. While at the extended stay facility - they will be monitoring him and his bloodwork. His second round of chemo is scheduled to begin on or around April 23rd. --

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Today, I will leave you with some pictures of the girls and Nana.

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Update on Pop

Updated 4/9/2009: Pop did not get discharged yesterday. He is hoping to be discharged today to the extended stay facility and then to the Rotary House. He is doing ok - a few effects from the chemo - vomitting and he has fainted twice now. All in all - they are saying he is handling it fine.

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We talked to Nana and Pop last night. Pop sounded tired and weak - but he is still doing well (given the circumstances). He finished his first round of chemo yesterday (Tuesday, 4/7) and was expecting to be discharged today. They will stay in Texas so that his bloodwork can be monitored. He begins his second round of chemo on 4/23. In between now and then - he is hoping to come home even if for just a few days. But that will depend on how his bloodwork looks!

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I've included some pictures of Pop and his girls - these are from late last year...

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Update on Pop

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We are calling Nana and Pop most every night - if nothing else so the girls can talk to Nana and Pop! You must remember Nana had been at home with the kids full-time since the end of January when I returned to work after being out with Brady! So the girls are missing seeing their Nana every day!

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We called tonight and Pop answered and sounded great! I honestly didn't expect him to answer tonight given they were starting the chemo last night (I wasn't sure if the side effects would happen immediately or what). He said they did start the chemo finally around midnight last night and that he slept pretty well and that today had been a quiet day and they had enjoyed that!

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I asked Nana about the MRI results - I've hesistated to ask too many questions when I talk to them because I know it can be exhausting rehashing everything over and over - but at the same time we really want to know! From what I understand - the cancer could be from his knee to his pelvic area but they aren't sure because they feel there is adema in his leg which might be what they are seeing. She also mentioned that it could be in his lungs and the cells are just too small to detect. Either way - they are optimistic the chemo will do the trick and hopefully be the only course of treatment!

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We are so thankful for everyone's prayers and sooo very thankful that things are going as well as can be expected - we can't change that the cancer is there, but it doesn't seem to be a "worst case" situation!

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Update on Pop

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They have (finally) given a name for Pop's cancer - it is High Grade Pleomorphic Sarcoma. He has had a chest x-ray, CAT Scan and MRI. The chest x-ray and the CAT Scan came back with nothing out of the ordinary. I'm not sure of the MRI results.

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As of now - Pop will have 2 rounds of chemo and depending upon how the tumor responds to the chemo - that may be all that has to be done. There will likely be a third round of chemo - but he can likely do that closer to home. The doctor is very optimistic.

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As of tonight- they had put the central line in and were planning to begin the chemo tonight. He sounded good and upbeat - so...

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Given that we cannot change the fact that he has cancer - we are very thankful of the prognosis right now and are praying that the tumor responds to the chemo as they expect and that he will be home soon!

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Pop

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Pop (Brannon's mom's husband) has recently been diagnosed with Sarcoma, a rare cancer. Sarcoma accounts for approximately 1% of all new adult cancer cases per year. We do not know a lot other than it has been classified as late-stage sarcoma. Nana and Pop are in Texas at MD Anderson to finalize the diagnosis and to (hopefully) begin the treatment phase. Hopefully we will have more information today after their appointment in Texas.

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Please keep them in your prayers!!!

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