A little of this and a whole lot of that.

Hello blog family! 

We start this blog on Saturday January 11th. 

Today, Kent is doing fairly well.  He woke up and started his day looking at emails and doing some nornal routine things he would do if his life would not been overtaken by cancer.  I was amazed.  It was shortly into his morning routine I saw him hit a wall and get a bit sad, he couldn't continue.  I reminded him to look at the progress thus far and let's focus on that. He, stated I just want to do things I used to do. We conversed.... we have to start from somewhere and he is doing great!

Kent continues to manage pain or anxiety with meds but he really tries to manage with the minimum.  He is gaining strength every day.  He has gone from me walking with him through house to walking independently with stability of a wall from time to time.  We are encouraged that even though he is on a soft diet indefinitely he tries to expand things that sound good.  Now Kent was already a picky eater so finding things gets difficult.

We are grateful, each day Kent adds more he can do by himself.  I am very proud of him.  

I just wanted to let you know of some apointments and things coming up, So that  you can be in prayer for Kent as we go through this week.  

Monday, Kent will be seen by his Chemo nurse after a visit with labs and we will see if Kent needs a white blood count booster.  

Tuesday, I can't leave out.  In the middle of all the medical things going on our washer stopped working.  So after roughly 2 weeks and both moms doing endless loads of laundry I will be getting my new washer.  We are thankful for the many people who made that possible. 

Wednesday, We will be meeting with the START program which is a program that tests Clinical trials in a dosing Phase of the trial  We will just be learning if there are any advancements that could protentially be a benefit to Kent. As we are unsure what is involved in this meeting we are looking forward to it as one of Kent's old oncoligists will be sitting down with us in this meeting.  

Thursday, brings treatment yet again.  This day brings up many feelings with Kent. We will have labs, meet with Kent's current oncoligist and have treatment.  Kent tolerated treatment well last time but as Chemo becomes more cumalitive we pray he still tolerates every ounce of the drugs that take away his cancer. 

Friday, This day I think Kent will look forward to.  Kent will just focus on sleep and lettting the chemo do its work. He gets a much needed day to let his body absorb chemo and rest. This is easier said than done, but we pray for a good day.

Saturday, Kent will get his pump off and have an opportunity if his White blood count is low to boost that through a shot. So the next treatment will stay on track.  

Sunday, we will hopefully get a breather! We look forward to watching our Church online.  I am so thankful that we have a church that allows for online church.  I love doing church with Kent in person, but I too enjoy sitting in our living room watching with him when treatment and low energy only allows it to be at home! Thank You Beechwood Church!

So as I finish this post, I just want to thank you for praying, sending cards, being a driver for us,  visiting, thank you to those who have done our driveway, or any way you have helped us or are still continuing to do this in some sort of way, thank you! You have touched our entire family grately!

I also just want to add one other quick prayer request. Please pray for Lydia as she continues in her education at Hope College and pray as she navigates coming home in incliment weather from time to time just to spend time with her dad that she does so safely.  We are thankful for the time she sets aside and ask for her safety in traveling.

Kent or myself will blog again soon! We will update you all what has happened, until then we hope you can pray for a little of this and a whole lot of that! 

Leah

Through his strength

 How can one person handle so many medical things to their body? How do they still do amazing well?   My only answer is through God's strength and power! Kent has had many medical procedures including two stents, in recent hospital stays. One in his bile duct and one in his Doudendum. In addition, many adjustments to his diet. He is very weak from all that he has gone through.  I also stand amazed to whom God places in our paths to help us though these valley's. So many people have prayed and helped in so many ways that I can not even begin to say thank you indivdually.  Thank You, from the bottom of our hearts!  

 To start this blog post I have to refer back a bit to December 29th. This is the day we welcomed Kent Home!  Kent came home weak and tired, but he navigated each step with our help as best he could.  Kent was experiencing pain with no pain meds. He also had not a single full nights sleep to this point, but he never complained!  I think the last blog left us at our Anniversary.  (which wasn't what we hoped for but we were together.)  So I'll start chatting from that point. 

Sunday, December 29th, Kent had to master two things before he could leave the hospital. He had to keep two Pureed items down!  He had mashed potatoes at noon and that was a sucsess, and a little later on he had a nurse tell us he had orders that the Doctor wanted one more thing to stay down.  Kent had unsweetened applesause and even though his taste buds didn't like unsweetened flavord applesause, he did it!  So the nurse said, at that point he was working on discharge papers from the doctor! We were excited after 8 unconsecutive days Kent would be back together with us!  The excitement of having him home was wonderful, but I would not tell the whole truth if I didn't share these thoughts. It was a huge responsibility I was feeling.  I was in charge of managing pain managment, making sure meds were properly spaced out, getting up in the middle of the night to walk him to the bathroom and helping him manage food when not everything agrees with him all the time. Now I mention this..... I am not complaining, but I sure was feeling the weight of all this. It was a bit overwhelming.  Kent is one amazing man and I would do it everyday if I needed to.  I just wanted the reassurance that I was doing it ok and keeping ucomfortable and not miserable.

He now has had several days home and we are getting used to our "new" routine.  Many new wrinkles to think about we never had before.  Together we will conquer. We pray Kent again will regain strength and will gain independance again soon! 

This brings me to today. January 2, 2025.  A day Kent has not been looking forward to for a long time.  Chemo day!   You see the reasons for the stents I mention ealier is because cancer has pushed its way back into the bile duct area and doudendum area of Kent's body. Earlier this summer we tried oral Chemo and Radiation which resulted in the news we didnt want.  So here we are in January working hard with the help of an amazing Chemo nurse to shrink and hopefully say good bye to the cancer that invades Kent!   This is where you all come in.  We ask all our prayer warriors to bang on God's door to take this cancer away!   Cancer is ugly and robs so much from those we love!   

Today Kent had a very long day.  I just want to share a day in the life of Kent on Chemo days... This may help you all understand it a bit more.  We entered the chemo clinic, Kent recieved labs and they tested his protein levels, we then wait to either talk to a PA or Doctor depending on the week.  They review labs to see if it is "safe" to press on with treatment.  If it is "safe" then we proceed to the treatment area to start the day.

To start the Chemo Process there are many meds and there is a clear order. They are in order getting the best results to achieve the most benifits from Chemo meds that hopefully take away the cancer. 

  Kent first get 2 meds to help with nausea. He also gets saline at rougly the same time.  One drug is called Amend and the other is Aloxi.  These meds run for 30 minutes.

 Next a drug called Dexemethadrone which helps treat cancer and decrease inflimation and can be used for nausea in Chemotherapy regimines and runs for a 30 min time. 

 Next a drug called Ivastin this runs for a little over a hour.  This drug helps reduce the growth of blood vessels. 

  The next and final in clinic drug is called Irinatican.  It runs 90 minutes and is the main Chemo Kent gets.  This hopefully attacks the cancer.   When this is done he gets a pump that he wears home in a pouch over the weekend.  In this pump  the drug, also  is Chemo and is called 5 FU. Kent wears this home from the clinic and has it removed in clinic on a Sat Morning.  

The last step before leaving the clinic on Saturday is he gets a shot to help with boosting while blood count in order to stay on track every other week in Chemo Cycle. 

Before I sign off I want to recognize one person who very rarely gets mentioned in this blog.  

Lydia.   Lydia has been amazing.  I just want to tell you, she has drove her mom to the Hospital, stayed long days with me when medical things involving cancer is not easy for her, she has ran to the store numerous times for things that Kent needs, she stayed with me at the house, she has hugged and loved on us both more times than I can count and the last thing I will share is her heart for her dad is huge  and caring for him is something I have never seen a 20 year old do.  We love you Lydia! We are so thankful for you! 

As we enter into this new year with many unknowns for Kent's medical path. We ask for your prayer! Please pray that Kent can move past pureed food and start tolorating a soft food. pray for calories and nurishment! Please  pray that Kent can get through every Chemo Cycle he is asked, please pray for his pain that it now will be manged with meds will be minimal and pray for him overall.  This is not an easy road.

Thank you all for your continued love and care and support.  Each day is a gift. Love those around you. 

Leah

PS.  I appoligize for typos! My proof reader is back at college and Kent is resting!