Maggie is still at Batson tonight. We chose not to discharge once her chemo treatment finished to give her some rest time. We were concerned that a dose of Lasix given for abdominal fluid retention would make the 1.5 hour drive home much longer and frustrating. It turns out that the trip would have been uninterrupted because the diuretic offered little relief. We also learned today, she has a growing pleural effusion (fluid around lungs), as well. Her breathing is affected some but not enough to require oxygen. If we reach that point, we’ll have options to have chest and abdominal fluid drained. At this point, draining will provide temporary relief at best. The only solution to the fluid issue is arresting growth and shrinking liver and chest area tumors.

Maggie feels uncomfortable from the bloating and strain on her breathing. Her resting heart rate remains elevated. She is sleeping most of the time – with or without pain medication. We know she is tired, so the rest is a blessing. Her pain is responding well to medication when she requests it. Her spirits remain positive despite the challenges. I asked her what she wanted prayers for most and she said relief from the discomfort resulting from the fluids. Phil is relieving me for the night while I stay close by. We’ll re-evaluate her condition in the morning during rounds to help her decide if she is ready for discharge.

I’ll say it again, we know we are staring at a huge mountain to climb right now, and, in some ways, it feels like unfamiliar and daunting terrain. Except for several things. One, we never walk through any valley or climb any mountain alone. And two, we were in a situation almost as dire last year when we returned to Batson for chemo after the clinical trial and disease progression at UAB. Complications plagued her and she had fluid beginning to accumulate around her lungs. Chemo worked and we enjoyed another amazing year with priceless memory-making and almost 365 new mornings of God’s mercies. We could see a repeat. Chemo may kick in and kick cancer to extend this beautiful life. We have no idea what tomorrow holds. Do any of us? We’re praying for rest, comfort and peace for Maggie. We are praying for God to hold her in a special place with no fear or worry. And we’re praying for His will to be done. Thank you for praying with us. We’ll keep you updated.