LOTS BETTER!

I praise the Lord that I am so much better each day. I am also very happy to be released to Sherman West facility. I will get Rehab and try to regain my strength, while getting the nursing care I need. All happy news. God has been so good and so close to me this whole time. Praise His Name!

UP AND DOWN

Early this morning before the change or shift, I walked with a nurses aide. I was feeling stronger. I had sat up in the evening holding my PEG in place so I wouldn't lose any liquid which was being fed from above. I think it worked. I had a good day writing, sitting up. I was holding on to the PEG to be sure the Chemo made--about half an hour. Fell asleep and discovered the PEG was leaking like a sieve. Transport was here and we had to frantically get me ready to go to radiation. This one was short. The first one was long with many light, and lightning bolts. I had to pack towels around me, so I wouldn't leak. Also, I hadn't been suctioned, so I prayed that I could stay still and not cough or something. God answered my prayer. What the answer to my dilemma is unknown as of today. Tomorrow, I'm sure the doctors will try something else. I feel confident that I should be able to walk and regain my strength and still be able to get my nutrition. Meantime, I'm trying to help keep this down by staying still. God is still on the throne. His ways are inscrutable. I am at peace. I'm where God wants me to be. That is enough. I pray God's blessings on all of you who read this. If you have a prayer concern, please let me know. I have plenty of time to pray.

Love to you all. Alice
Psalm 50.

Margaret Brady came. What a delight to be with her. She has been such a good friend and always will be. She is doing wonderful work at North Park University.

September 22 Update

As I sit here waiting for another IV to be put in my meandering veins, I think of how much I've been through these past weeks. I can say that I truly feel that "peace that passeth understanding-I know I'm in God's hands and that many people are praying for me. Things change from day to day here, but I believe that they will start chemo and radiation on Sunday and Monday. Whatever happens to me, it's OK. May God be very near to you today. Alice

Update- Doing a Bit Better...

First of all, many thanks to all of you for your prayers regarding our Mom's health situation. It is difficult to give updates lately because it seems like we are on "roller coaster"-- or like my sister has said, "It's feast or famine" with news about Mom. Lately it seems like our Mom is either having these critical care episodes or having good periods of recovery.

With this in mind, I can report that Mom (Alice, Grandma, Aunt) is doing somewhat better than the last update. Her blood pressure is stable and her white cells are coming up a bit (the last I heard they were at 4-- still dangerously low). After an afternoon visit today, Tom said that Mom remained very weak and sedentary in her bed, but was alert and conversational (although difficult through her trache). It was also nice that the Towners, from First Baptist of Elgin, were able to visit Mom today at the UC. As a caution, we still need to be careful that she has time to sleep and is free from exposure to germs and viruses.

This evening they moved Mom out of the ICU and back into her normal floor area. The UC Oncology department has indicated that they will give Mom an extra week to heal, and then, hopefully, continue her cancer treatments-- even working in the two lost days from last week. Certainly all of this is contingent upon her recovery. Please continue your steadfast prayers for our Mom. Even in her frail condition, I know that she can feel your love, concern, and prayer through Christ, our Lord.

Please feel free to post your thoughts on this blog site (the "comments" section). I know she will eventually read them. As a friend, former student, or relative, your posts really do encourage her. Thanks! JT:)

Update- Need for Even More Prayer

Mom (Alice, Grandma, Aunt) is in a serous situation at this time. Since the last update from Ruth on Thursday, our courageous mother has tried to overcome a series of infections. On Friday, when I saw her, she looked better and "out of the woods." Mark thought the same thing when he saw her on Saturday.

However, yesterday, Mom was extremely lethargic and experiencing the chills. Not able to get to her computer, I read to her some of your emails. I think that encouraged her a bit. Let's see, I read emails from Tom's family (Abby, Zach, Sam, Jen, and Tom), the Blatts, Aunt Ethel, and showed her Naomi's birthday picture. When I left her last night, her temperature was brought down from 102 to 100. She remained very, very weak.

I talked with the UC staff this morning and they said that early morning Mom needed to be moved into ICU because of low blood pressure. White cell blood count is still dangerously low. Doctors today will remove one of her mediports because they think it might be a contributing source to her infection. They will also monitor her very closely.

So, like Ru was saying in the last post, please continue your prayers for Mom during this critical time.

JT:)

Prayer Request

I just returned home to Milwaukee after spending time last evening and this morning with Mom in the hospital. Last night was fun; we watched a Hitchcock movie called "Mr. and Mrs. Smith", which, for those of you who aren't Hitchcock fanatics like Nick, Jack and I are, is funny instead of scary. I left Mom last night after praying with her and assuring her I'd be back in the morning.

I spent the night at my cousin Liz's house in Western Springs and had a delightful time with her and her family.

This morning when I got back to Mom's room, there were eight to ten people around her bedside. I wondered what in the world was going on! Here's what happened. Her white blood cell count has been low all week, but early this morning it dropped dangerously low. She also developed a fever. Right before I arrived, she tried to get up and fainted back onto the bed. The nurses were alarmed and called the team of people into the room.

Clearly, she has an infection, and because of this Dr. Cohen has put a hold on all her chemo and radiation treatments. Please pray that she recovers today. My sweet, courageous, persistent mother was so disappointed that she couldn't go to radiation today and keep on the schedule! I am just thankful that this scary episode happened while at the hospital rather than at home. She was able to get help (I.V. antibiotics and fluids) immediately.

Because she needs to minimize her chances of any more infections, they're moving her to a private room today.

Ruth

Reflect-It's always too soon to quit.

I have to be truthful, having to be suctioned every two hours didn't seem like a very great future. Today I am reading in my devotional books everything that seems to connect. Jeremiah 29:11- God has a plan--It's true. I felt absolute peace coming into this program. I knew about the dry mouth, enflamed mouth and throat, possibility of a carotid burst, and other risks--but I didn't know anything about having to have a trache and all the complications with that. Nor did I know about the blood transfusion. Would that have made any real difference? I doubt it, but it always takes me a while to assimilate new things, problems. Another devotional book urges not to fear witnessing for our Lord. He has given wonderful opportunities to far.

I must not weaken, because I think it is for this reason that I am here. The last devotional book shows me that the Lord has pushed me through my illness to THIS place. Here is where I want to be--the University of Chicago Hospitals. Here is where I am and will humbly, as did the Apostle Paul, seek to do His will.

There have been a few weak moments when I thought, "Is it worth it?" Those thoughts are gone. I await His will and leading. "For those who want to save their life will lose it (Chemo only with about a year to live), and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." (Possibility of a carotid burst) Matthew 16:25. I pray for His strength, which He has promised, and which I claim. Alice

I'm feeling lots better

I really feel stronger. I'm sure the blood transfusion helped. People say I have better color. I'm wearing a jaunty little hat that Dawn gave me and I put on make-up. My sister, Ethel, is coming today with her wonderful new husband, Lowell. That should be fun.

Back to UCH Treatment # 3

Mark and Sandy got me settled into my room and talked to the attending doctor. I did a lot of walking after they left--I'm determined to get these knees going. I think I will have some physical therapy instructions. My blood-work came back and showed that my hemoglobin was lower than needed for radiation. So, I had a blood transfusion. All was OK until I started to have multiple bouts with diarrhea, and I was so tired. Finally, I asked to be diapered and come what may--I HAD to sleep. I must have slept six or seven hours, and was dry as a bone when I awoke. I notice they gave me neurotin first thing this a.m., so maybe some of this is anxiety. A Christian isn't supposed to be anxious about anything, but maybe unknowingly, I am. There is so much I have to learn about myself. Anyway, my new nurse is Samuel. He looks like he's from somewhere in Africa and has been a nurse for seventeen years. He knew exactly how to suction me, as did Jack and Mark. He made me very comfortable. I am to go to radiation at 9 this a.m. Before I slept last night, I reminded the Lord that I was his little lamb and asked Him to hold me tight. I've been told this will be the hardest segment of the treatment, and I''m asking for His strength. I'm enjoying wearing the hats that have been given me, they give me a lift. I appreciate your prayers. Please pray that I complete peace, and that I will TRULY cast all my care upon Him. Alice

Update- Round Three...

Alice (Mom, Grandma), was admitted into the UC Hospital for her third round of cancer treatment from today (Sunday) to Saturday. As many of you know, these treatments are very intense-- they include both chemotherapy and re-irradiation of her neck and throat areas. The doctors have warned us that this round will be perhaps the most difficult for Alice. Their predictions were spot on during the last round when they said she would lose most of her hair. This time, they predict that Alice will have to endure and work through painful mouth sores and bleeding.

As a family, we seem to have every day covered for visitation this week. If you want to contact Alice, still the best way is via email or even posting comments on this website.

Despite some of the breathing and trache problems from last week, Alice's spirit seems to be very positive and upbeat. She always reminds us that we are in God's hand, just as she is right now. Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayer. Thanks JT:)

Update- The Trek of the Trache: A continuing Saga, I guess...

After all the lovely things that happened to me last night, as I was leaning over to uncover my bed, out slipped my trache tube. Horrors! Back to the Emergency Room! We had to park a block away. This place was BUSY! Several anxious looking parents to-to-be--just waiting for that first welcome cry of a new little life, beside the many sitting there with worried looks. We were prepared for a LONG wait, but that nice ER Doctor Peeters, just went ahead and put the trache back in. While he was doing it, Jack--who is the the best conversationalist--he asks questions and gets the OTHER person to talk--mentioned something about Dr. Peeters's twelve passenger boat out there on the lakefront of Chicago. It would be great sailng weather, but Dr. Peeters said when that Lake whips up, it's scary. What a nice man--a gentle giant. We had watched the Republican Candidates' debate--at least there are not hundreds of candidates as in some other countries! What I came away with after Family Values, is that the world is NOT FLAT--we cannot be isolationists, and that Teddy Roosevelt's statement is still viable: " Speak soft, but carry a big stick." I pray that our next president will also keep these things in mind and lean hard upon God for direction.

Reflect- The drab turns to COLOR

After the night/morning in the Emergency Room and realizing that I may have to have my throat suctioned about every two hours--Suddenly! The LIGHTS came on! Mark, Sandy and Drew came over. Sandy had researched wigs and one was ordered on the Internet. Then, dear friend Judy DeRolf came with a friend, whom I had never met, and a bag FULL of hats, scarfs--Oh, so much more color! And now, I just found that my first book, Do Not Go, My Love, is going to be on Amazon.com. So, I smile and thank God for being so good to me. It gives me more determination to finish this difficult Program of irradiation with strength. Jeremiah 32:17 NIV rings in my heart. Alice

Update- A Difficult Night

Wow…Alice (Mom, Grandma) had a tough night last night. Yesterday, at the Tuesday check-up, Alice had her vitals measured and looked at. The good news was that her white cell count remains good and she has very good blood-sugar levels. Hemoglobin was down a bit as well as her weight (about three pounds). This was expected, however, since Alice had fought off an infection two weeks prior. Her G-tube was also healing well, after having been reset (although it is still a bit irritating for her). So there were many good things happening with Alice’s health at this time as she continues the cancer treatments. But the one nagging problem Alice has had in the past few weeks are those episodes when she can’t breath. It has happened about four times now. I’ll give you a few details here.

Evidently, Alice has a very small airway to start with, and when you add the extra mucus secretions generated because of the cancer treatments, there can be these “mucus plugs” that block off her breathing. Those of you who received my email on Aug. 21, know that we almost lost her because of one of these episodes. Thank the Lord it happened while she was at the UC Hospital. They were able to perform an emergency intubation and put her on a respirator all day. She eventually came through that ordeal ok. It was decided after this to do a tracheotomy at the base of her neck to assure proper breathing. This would also allow for the ability to suction up excess secretions in her lower trachea area. Everything was working fine until the trache tube got unseated and was very uncomfortable for her. With this in mind, yesterday she brought this to the attention of Dr. Cohen, one of the UC Oncologist doctors, who saw the problem. He immediately sent her to the ENT floor to have it looked at. This ENT staff, that originally performed the tracheotomy, decided that Alice’s airway passages had healed to the point that she no longer needed the trache (we are still trying to figure this one out).

So she went home without the trache tube. Unfortunately, in the late evening before going to bed, Alice had another one of those breathing attacks. Without the trache, we could not use the suction catheter to unclog her airway. I had to call in the paramedics who subsequently stabilized her breathing and brought her to the Sherman Hospital ER. At the ER they put in a new trache and cleaned out the “plugs” that were inhibiting her breath. Freely breathing, Alice was brought back home where she finally got some good sleep. We want to thank Dr. Peeters and the ER staff for calmly taking care of the situation. This morning Alice is doing much better as she works on her “Teacup Tales" book. She is still on schedule for a third round of cancer treatments coming up this Sunday, Sept. 9^th. Visiting nurses are planning to work through a rotation at the house as they administer to Alice’s needs. Continue to pray for Alice. Pray for a stable time period now, with no more “breathing episodes.” In all, the UC Oncology staff is encouraged with her response to the treatments at this time. JT:)

Reflect- Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees...

Hebrews 12:12- "Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees." Knees. I never knew the importance of knees before. I am very weak after my second week of therapy. Just to get into a standing position, I had to strain to "pull" myself up. When it came time to go down stairs to get to the car on the parking deck, my knees suddenly buckled. If it weren't for Jack who reached out quickly, I would have fallen down four or five stairs. The same thing happened again as I was saying "Goodbye" to the family last night; I suddenly stepped down. This time, I don't know what saved the fall. Thus, today I will try to exercise my physical knees as we sit in the car and in the hospital waiting room--but more than that, I'll try to do some work on my spiritual knees. Have a Great Day.

Update- University of Chicago Tuesday Check-ups

Family and Friends,

Every other Tuesday Alice (Mom, Grandma) goes to the University of Chicago for a check-up. The hospital staff takes her vitals and looks closely at her white cell blood count. It is important that the UC doctors know how well Alice is responding to the intense chemotherapy and radiation of the the previous week. We pray that today will bring some good "ongoing" news.

As "Alice Thompson Update" gets started, we hope that this will be a better way for all of you to get quick up-to-date information about Alice's health. She and all of us as family members will do our best to keep this site current. Many thanks to Nick Carver for helping to get this site up and going. As always, we thank you all for your prayers and support. JT:)

Welcome!

Many of my friends and family have asked me to keep them up to date on what is happening in my life. Well, in short, so many exciting and challenging things!

My book, "Do Not Go, My Love" is scheduled for publication at the end of this month and tells the story (true!) of the last eight years of my husband, Ed's, life and his, and my, struggle with his declining health. I'm hoping to be able to sign copies at Judson College's Homecoming weekend.

Right now the big struggle is with the recurrence of my throat cancer. I'm undergoing a special course of treatment at the University of Chicago Hospital, designed for people who have already undergone radiation for cancer but have a relapse. It involves intensive radiation and chemotherapy. After 2 of 5 full weeks of treatment I've lost my hair but not my spirit!

I welcome your comments (post them below) and love your emails sent to me at edalthom@gmail.com. Bookmark this page so you can check back on my Journal regularly or, if you know what it means, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking on the RSS feed indicator. It's probably the best way to keep up to date!

Talk to you soon!