06.01.2017 update

Maggie is recovering from her needle biopsy at our hotel. The procedure went off without apparent complications. We’ll continue to take it easy here tonight and return to Hattiesburg tomorrow. This was her first of three biopsies this month, and she found it to...

05.27.2017 update

Maggie finished her screening tests Friday morning, and we drove home to Hattiesburg for a long weekend. As I mentioned in the last post, the trial team was unable to schedule the initial biopsy until she passes all screening. Interventional radiology staff called...

05.23.2017 update

Maggie, Phil and I are in Houston. We drove over yesterday in time for a 7:10 pm CT scan. We closed the Mays Clinic down – last patient to leave. Today we were able to relax for the morning and only had a 3:00 pm consult in the GI Center with Maggie’s...

05.17.2017 update

We finally have some real news regarding our plans for a clinical trial. Before that, I’ll share several test results from MDA. Maggie’s bilirubin was 1.7 – we’re getting close to normal. They also checked her CEA – the tumor marker...

Thursday 05.11.2017 update

Hello from Houston. I first want to clear up confusion caused by my sharing of a year old Facebook post. The post showed up as a memory last night and I shared it with an explanation that is was a post from a year ago. Somehow it is “showing up” without my...

Tuesday 05.09.2017 update

It’s probably past time for an update, but we’ve been enjoying our home time and haven’t stopped to take a serious look behind or ahead. You know that’s not entirely the case, but we have been focusing most of our attention on the present....

Tuesday 05.02.2017 update

She’s out – discharged around 2:00 after having her targeted therapy infusion. We’re settled in – FOR THE NIGHT – at the Residence Inn. No visit to the ER planned (or unplanned) tonight. We’re traveling home tomorrow morning. Maggie...

Monday night 05.01.2017 update

The short news was shared this morning on FaceBook. Here’s the full story: Maggie was taken to Interventional Radiology early this morning. The actual procedure was quick – less than an hour total although while waiting it seemed longer for two reasons: 1)...

Sunday 04.30.2017

What a difference a day makes… Maggie is feeling much better today. The blood cultures (24 hours out) are negative for infection, and she is pain/fever free. Cultures will be checked again at 48 hours, but it looks like the gall bladder was inflamed from the...

Saturday 04.29.2017 update

Maggie was admitted to the Oncology floor at UAB this afternoon after a 19 hour wait in the ER. This is what happened and what we know now. After the half-successful procedure yesterday, we returned to the Residence Inn for a night of rest before returning home. After...

Friday 04.28.2017 update

Maggie was discharged after having her outpatient procedure, and we are resting at our hotel near the hospital. She is feeling ok and is ready for sleep. The procedure did not go quite as planned. We understood the priority to be internalization of the drain (with...

Monday 04.24.2017 update

We’re home and loving it! Maggie is resting much better in her own bed. Her discomfort is low – mostly when she moves around – and she is handling drain maintenance like a pro without help. She’s a champ. We originally thought we would be...

Friday 04.21.2017 update

We wanted to offer an update before things get hectic and we scatter for a day – Maggie’s liver continues to respond well. Her total Bilirubin is 4.9 – the direct part of that is 2.1. Her doctors are pleased with this marked improvement. Her normal...

Wednesday 04.19.2017 update

Many of you know the procedure this morning in IR was successfully completed. Maggie was given an exterior drain that empties bile into a small bag on her right side. It almost looks like the colostomy she had temporarily in the summer of 2014. Our family has a...

Tuesday 04.18.2017 update

Phil posted an update directly to Facebook earlier, but we wanted to give a few more details and make sure our nonFB-ers were in on the news. The stent procedure this morning was unsuccessful. Prior to starting, the GI doc told us the second attempt is generally...

Monday 04.17.2017 update

Hello from UAB. Maggie remains in the hospital and will have the second attempt at endoscopic placement of a stent in her bile duct in the morning (or early afternoon). Interventional Radiology will be on standby to take over and place it if it appears to be too...

04.16.2017 update

Happy Easter to all and Happy Birthday to the love of my life, Phil. Quick update: Maggie is still in-patient at UAB. She has a super nice room in the Gyn-Oncology unit (the regular oncology unit is full). she is resting much better, her appetite has returned...

04.14.2017 update #2

It’s hard to find adequate words to thank you all for your overwhelming support. We feel your prayers and the love they carry. Quick update: Maggie is still resting in ICU – at this point only for lack of a bed in the oncology unit (or any other unit, for...

04.14.2017 update

We’re at UAB. It’s hard to stop an unfolding story long enough to get word out, and, because much has happened, this update may be long and disjointed (not helped by my lack of sleep). I’ll start with Maggie’s condition right now: she’s...

04.11.2017 update

Tomorrow we will be at UAB for a CT scan to confirm the results from the last scan showing disease progression in the liver. We’ll hear results Thursday morning in her clinic visit. We do not anticipate a treatment this week. Dr. Saleh and the radiologist were...