07.20.2017 update

Some of you know most of the following from our Facebook update but I will repeat for those who aren’t on FB and add new information (I temporarily lost use of this website yesterday. Thus, the delay in a full update): Maggie was admitted through the ER...

07.16.2017 update

Quick update from Sandstone: Maggie and I will make the trip to the clinic in the morning for blood counts. She has been resting, eating a fair amount, and working word search puzzles. Her pain is completely controlled – we may try cutting back a bit on the the...

07.11.2017 update

Maggie finished chemo this afternoon but was too nauseated at the time to think about a 90 mile drive. She’s staying another night at Batson. I returned to Hattiesburg early today for a dentist appointment (to get that chipped tooth fixed). Phil is with Maggie...

07.10.2017 update

Quick update from Batson: Maggie was able to start chemo yesterday morning, so it appears we are in the home stretch of this admission. Her chemo infusion will be finished tomorrow afternoon, and we anticipate immediate discharge barring any changes. Infection seems...

07.08.2017 update

The annoying fever edition: So, despite coverage for three full days of IV antibiotics (four if you count ER meds), Maggie spiked the 6 o’clock fever again last night. Vancomycin has been added to the IV pole and we’re going to delay starting chemo until...

07.06.2017

Another day at Batson: Maggie continues to fight off the UTI – slowly. With fever spikes last night and this evening, her team decided to switch to a different antibiotic – from Rocephin to Levaquin. We’re hoping this one does the trick. It’s...

07.05.2017 update

From Batson: Yesterday (Tuesday) evening, Maggie started spiking a higher fever (she seems to have a low grade most of the time) of 102. We decided at 10:30 last night to make the trip to the UMMC ER. Her heart rate was 160. IV fluids helped to bring that down fairly...

07.03.2017 update

We had a productive time at the clinic today. Maggie had all standard blood work and her counts are solid. Her liver function panel is normal. Because Dr. Collier is still on vacation – we’ll see him next Monday prior to our chemo admission for a complete...

07.02.2017 update

Maggie has been spending a good portion of each day resting in bed. She was able to discontinue all pain medicine and has little to no back pain/discomfort. She still has little appetite and low energy, and she has upset stomach with most things she eats. These...

06.27.2017 update

Discharge day is always an excuse for celebration. We’re going home this afternoon. Maggie’s chemo infusion was completed yesterday around noon. Her team decided she needed to be changed from PCA to oral pain meds and monitored overnight to ensure no...

06.25.2017 update

Quick update from Batson: Maggie is currently receiving the third drug (of three) of her chemo regimen – 5FU. This is the 48 hour infusion that will conclude tomorrow (Monday) around noon. For the most part, she has tolerated these infusions extremely well. In...

06.23.2017 update

Friday afternoon from Batson: Maggie had her clinic visit with Dr. Collier this morning (more on that in a minute), and we came prepared for admission. Her pain and discomfort have steadily worsened requiring more strong pain meds to keep her comfortable. Through many...

06.21.2017 update

We have made the decision to withdraw from the MDA clinical trial. The protocol for the study requires a 15 day waiting period before starting/resuming the trial after a minor surgery/procedure. Maggie’s stent placement was classified as a minor surgery. We are...

06.17.2017 update

We’re updating from the Residence Inn where we’ll be staying the night before rolling out early for home. Maggie was discharged around 5:00 pm after eating and tolerating breakfast and lunch. She’s taking it easy in bed – catching up on social...

06.16.2017 update

We’re writing from MDAnderson Endoscopy. Maggie has specifically requested this update to ask for prayers. She will undergoing a procedure to replace her stent. At UAB this proved to be impossible without the help of Interventional Radiology and was not without...

06.15.2017 update

We’ve hit a snag in starting treatment. In lab work today, Maggie’s urine showed signs of a UTI (which we suspected starting yesterday), but, more seriously, it showed signs that the biliary stent is not working (several components that should NOT be in...

06.12.2017 update

We have a date for the official start of the clinical trial. Day 1, cycle 1 will be this Thursday. It took a little adjusting and explaining, but we were able to get the date moved from Tuesday. Now going forward, Thursdays will be the key days for treatments and the...

05.08.2017 update

Maggie is feeling well and enjoying some relaxing time at home. We’re not at MD Anderson yet, but we did hear from the trial coordinator early in the week to find out when we might be going. It seems there are delays because necessary test kits had not made it...

06.05.2017 update

During rounds this morning with the oncology team, we were given a surprise: Discharge. We are now home. Maggie’s liver enzymes continue their descent. The last hurdle was crossed when Maggie ate lunch and tolerated it well. So, around 2:00 pm we returned home....

05.04.2017 update

Maggie was admitted to Batson through the (adult) ER here at UMMC last night. She had no complications from the needle biopsy, and we made it home early Friday afternoon. However, she awoke yesterday to serious nausea. After throwing up once she began to run a fever...