April 10th, 2014 was the day our lives were flipped upside down. I can still remember that morning so clearly when we were told that Rob had cancer and then the fog that followed as we adjusted to our new situation. Sometimes if feels like it was just yesterday and not a year ago and other days it feels like it was much longer then just a year ago. As I think through the year I have a hard time comprehending how we got through it. When you are in the midst of something you just deal with it because you have to, but imagining the past year we experienced is hard to fathom. As hard as it has been and even as it continues to be tough, God's hand is so evident and we would not be where we are if we did not have Him. The name of the blog is from Psalm 16:9-10 which says "Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body will rest secure, because you will not abandon me." We know that God will never abandon us so we can rest secure. We may still have fears and moments of weakness and doubt but we know deep in our souls that God is there for us. We are also beyond grateful to our family, friends, prayer warriors, and those that have blessed us immensely. Thank you for supporting us in all the ways you did and for continuing to walk with us.
Since my last update Rob's neck pain has gotten much worse. He is now on constant pain killers and is not able to sleep through the night. Tiredness and pain is hard to deal with and we needed to get something done to help so I called Cancer care and got an appointment with Dr. Nason. I had been asked when I called how much physio Rob had done since treatment and my answer was none. This is not something that was missed it was more that in January he didn't need it and now he does. A few days later we saw Dr. Nason and got what we needed. He said the pain could be caused from the 2 extensive surgeries Rob had and/or the radiation. Everyone is affected differently by this so they are not able to predict what will need done. Dr. Nason agreed with us that the pain killers were good to use to help now but something needed to be done to help long term. He checked Rob's neck and mouth and felt that he was doing well. We left with a referral to physio as well as for a special massage called Lymphedema massage.
The next day I started to call a few physio clinics and found one that had some experience with Rob's history and could see him right away. He has since been twice and while he is there feels that it is helping but the problem is that feeling of relief does not last long. The physiotherapist said that Rob has very tight muscles in his neck and shoulders and they needed to get them loosened up to get relief. The exercises they told him to do at home are the same ones he has been doing for awhile now so we are praying that the work they do in the clinic will start to have longer results. Up to this point most treatments and medications have been covered by Cancer Care but we learned very quickly this is not the case with physio (or massage therapy). We had 2 options to choose from. The first option was to go to the hospital for physio and it is covered however the wait is often long to even get in to see someone and booking regular appointments are very difficult because they are so busy. The second option was to go to a private clinic and be seen almost immediately. The issue with the private clinic is that there is no coverage. We do have some benefits that will cover a few sessions but with only $300 coverage and $50 a visit it isn't going to last long. Due to the pain and how it is affecting Rob's quality of life we decided the quickest root was the best option. Please pray that both the physio and massage therapy are able to help quickly and that our coverage is not used up too quickly.
Dr Nason also referred Rob to a Lymphedema Massage Therapist and he went to see her for the first time this morning. When you have had lymph nodes removed and/or surgery in the area the lymph nodes do not do their job of draining fluid properly which can cause pain, swelling and stiffness. She was able to do some gentle massage (as it is very painful for Rob) to encourage the fluid to drain and loosed things up. She also gave us some instruction on how to do it ourselves at home. Rob was feeling a little better as we left but she said it would make him quite tired so to make sure he had some rest. It still feels like complete relief is awhile away but we are thankful for some help and praying that Rob will be able to take less pain killers in the near future.
This coming Tuesday (April 14th) Rob is scheduled to have his debulking surgery. I know that Rob is not looking forward to the surgery but he is looking forward to having it completed. Because of the excess flap in his mouth his tongue that he has left gets pushed back and lately has been irritating the side of his tongue by rubbing on his back teeth. Our hope is that by getting the debulking done it will give him more room and relieve that irritation. Please pray that the surgery happens as scheduled, that it goes smoothly, and that Rob recovers quickly.
The week after the surgery Rob will have another CT Scan to check and make sure there is no cancer growing. I think each time he has a scan we will feel a little anxious and will feel a huge relief when we get good results. Pray that the scan is all clear and that there is no evidence of cancer. We pray every day for complete healing and leave the rest in God's hands.
One year ago it felt like our world was falling apart and today feels much different. The thing with cancer is that you can't just treat it and forget about it. Cancer is such a terrible disease that drastic measures must be taken to get rid of it and those leave lasting side effects. That being said we know that Rob has had excellent doctors who have done the best they can for him, we have an incredible support group of family and friends, and most importantly we have a God who loves us and can heal Rob completely. Thank you for journeying with us and for continuing to walk along side us...we are forever grateful.
Love Karen
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