Recovery Update

January 25, 2012

Madeleine continues to gain strength each day. It has been so good to be home and out of the hospital! We took a few short walks in the neighborhood yesterday, and the fresh air was wonderful.

She has been recovering well other than fighting a little nausea, and her appetite has been slow to return because of that  Her  pain is also  getting a little less each day.

We got a call from her doctor tonight. The initial reports are showing that there was only one lymph node with cancer - the swollen one on the left - and the rest so far look clear. We should get the final report in a few days. This is very good news and a real answer to prayer.

The doctor also said that there is some concern about the swollen cancerous node they removed. They are not sure if they took a wide enough margin, so there is a chance that they may have to go back in and do that. Again, this decision is waiting for the final results and consultation with the specialists.

Please pray for wisdom and clear direction as the doctors try to determine the best way to go. We are so grateful to God for covering us and for the encouraging news. 

Thank you again for your continued prayers for Madeleine. We sense your support and are so thankful for each of you.

Home from the hospital!

1/23/12
Madeleine went home from the hospital this afternoon! Her surgeon came and said she was healing very well, they ordered a hospital bed for home, and then sent us off. Here are some photos taken today....

 

Brushing up on those coloring skills...artwork done to help pass the time.
Thanks to friends for the coloring book and crayons!






  

 Some of the beautiful flower arrangements that arrived -
thank you!

Finally home!!!!!

At home with sign from school friends

The flowers made it home too!

Thanks everyone for all the prayers and expressions of concern and encouragement. Now, Madeleine will be home working on healing and getting better.

Out of the ICU

1/22/12

Today Madeleine graduated from the ICU to the regular hospital floor - hard to leave all the one-on-one nursing care and her favorite nurse at the ICU. She had several visitors today and then settled in to rest and watch the 49ers/Giants game.

She is doing quite well in her recovery, but she has been through a lot and is uncomfortable at times. Thank you for your continued prayers for her complete healing. She is scheduled to go home tomorrow (but we are hoping that she will be able to stay one more day in order to recover a little more first). Thanks again for your encouraging posts, texts, and emails!

ICU - afternoon

1/21/12
Here are some pictures from the ICU today that might amaze you - especially with how good Madeleine looks for all she has been through!

One of the ICU doctors (Deanne knew her from before) brought by her dogs for a "visit," and so Madeleine got to go outside the ICU for a few moments to see them and have these pictures taken.

After all the effort to get up and see the dogs, the doctor ordered both Madeleine and her mom to try to get some rest!

Madeleine & family at Kaiser

Even though the picture above makes it look like they are on a mountainside, she really is just next to a nice sign inside Kaiser!

Madeleine with her ICU nurse & little friend

ICU - 1/21/12

Madeleine told me to tell you thanks so much for all the prayers and encouragement!

She is actually doing so much better than last night already - is getting up and walking around, has progressed from clear fluids to cream of wheat (thrilling!), and is enjoying playing "words from friends" on her phone with some of you. The docs are happy with her progress, but want her in the ICU one more night, and then they believe she'll be ready to come home from the hospital on Monday.

We haven't taken any pictures this morning (still a lot of tubes and what-not attached), but hopefully tomorrow. For now, Madeleine suggested that maybe we could just put up one of the pictures from our consultation appointment down at UCSF on Thursday.

The story behind this picture is that we had to wait three hours to see the melanoma  specialist... and while we were waiting, Madeleine was entertaining us by taking and texting pictures like this from where she was in the exam room, to those of us who were waiting out in the main waiting room.

Exam room antics while waiting at USCF!

Surgery Day - continued

1/20/12
5:45 pm - Madeleine is finally out of surgery - it has been a long day for everyone! She came through the surgery great, and is now spending time in the recovery room for a few hours. She will be in the ICU tonight so that she gets lots of TLC - and her mom is going to be by her side as much as possible.

The doctors said that they took out 2 nodes on the opposite side from the major surgery (there were indications that these nodes could also be cancerous) and both lymph nodes came back NOT cancer. We are so grateful to God for this!

The longest part of the surgery was taking out all the lymph nodes on her left side. The doctors said that in addition to the enlarged lymph node, a few other nodes on that side appeared to be cancerous. They will do thorough testing of all the nodes that were removed. Then they will make recommendations for what to do from here on out.

For tonight, though, we just want to say thank you to all of you for your prayers for Madeleine and our family. We have been strengthened and encouraged by the stories of your prayers, as well as your notes of encouragement.

Surgery Day

January 20, 2012

Madeleine started her day bright and early and checked in at the hospital at 7 am. First, she had a procedure where they used a CT scan to help mark one of her lymph nodes (on the opposite side from the main surgery). Here's Madeleine enjoying the fact that step #1 is done.



By 9:30 am, they had finished all the prep for her main surgery. She was pretty brave through it all - and then the IV med's kicked in and she was feeling really good. We prayed for her, gave hugs, and off she went. Here's a few pictures taken just before she went in for surgery.
There are two surgeons working together on her procedure. The doctors told us that the surgery could take up to 8 hours. (We haven't heard anything yet.)

Thanks everyone for praying!

UCSF

January 19, 2012

We spent the afternoon down at UCSF consulting with Dr. Adil Daud -  a very knowledgeable doctor who specializes in treating melanoma and co-directs UCSF's Melanoma Center. He talked with us about some of the different treatments that are currently available. Dr. Daud also recommended some other tests that will help us determine the best way to proceed after the surgery. It is really great to have his expertise available to us.

Tomorrow morning, Madeline will be admitted to Kaiser hospital at 7:00 am. First they plan to do a test on the possible spot on the right side of her neck, and then they will do the long surgery where they take out all the lymph nodes on the left side of her neck.

Thank you again for your prayers and for all the encouragement. We're hoping Madeleine gets a good night sleep tonight!

Welcome!

So do not fear, for I am with you

Do not be dismayed, for I am your God

I will strengthen you and help you

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand

Isaiah 41:10

Madeleine’s Blog

January 16, 2012

Welcome!

We are setting up this blog for all of you who want to keep updated with what is happening with Madeleine. We appreciate your prayers and encouragement. Feel free to write some words of encouragement to Madeleine in the comment area below, and she will read them while she recuperates. Thanks everyone!

As many of you already know, Madeleine has been diagnosed with melanoma. She had a mole taken off last year, and tests revealed that there was melanoma present. The doctors did tests on the surrounding lymph nodes (which came back negative) and took off more from where the mole had been, just to be on the safe side. In the months that followed, however, a lymph node on the same side of her neck began to swell. That lymph node has now been shown to have melanoma as well, and they are now testing to see if it has spread further.

She has an appointment this Thursday (1/19) with a melanoma specialist down at UCSF in order to get his recommendations. On Friday, she is scheduled for a major surgery to have all the lymph nodes taken from the left side of her neck. At this point, the doctors expect that she will be in the hospital for a few days, and then home for further recovery. As soon as she is able to have visitors, we will let you know, but cards, texts, and emails would be great for wishing her well.