Entry 20: Halfway Milestone!

Aaron has crossed the halfway mark for treatment!  This week he completed the fourth of seven chemotherapy treatments and 18th of 35 radiation treatments!

He's doing really well all things considered. Of course some days are better than others. Some days are brighter than others. But in his mind he knows he can do anything for three more weeks! Yeah!

Also, as a bit of clarification from the last post: Aaron is not defying his doctor's orders on nutrition:) The doctor (PA) told him that he is going to need to start thinking about letting them do the feeding tube if he does keep losing weight. But she was not saying "you need a feeding tube now" and he was not saying "no way" to that. If and when the doctor tells him he needs a feeding tube, Aaron will comply readily. He went up to the University of Michigan to get the outstanding medical care they provide at their Cancer Center, and will follow their orders. At the time she was saying "this might happen" and Aaron, being the jokester that he is, was a bit jovial and defiant about it. He likes to make people laugh, ya know? Often at the expense of himself "I'm a 300 lb man!" :) But he will get a feeding tube when they tell him he needs one. Promise:) Also he is taking his pain killers! No need to worry about that:) He just doesn't want to be in a state where he falls asleep mid-conversation due to the drugs (which he has done), and he is concerned about becoming addicted (as we know that happens all too often), so he was/ is requesting our prayers for that. :)

Entry 19: Aaron Hasn't "Eaten" in 10 Days

My poor brother. Aaron hasn't been able to eat/ chew food for ten days.  When he goes in for radiation, they are essentially burning his throat. Beth said he's getting third degree burns on his throat everyday, and then going in again the next day to get it burned all over again. Oh, Aaron. This is hard to think about, to type. :( This burning makes it not only excruciating to eat, but also to swallow, even to breathe. I never think about how many times I swallow over the course of a minute until I have some sort of sore throat. ("You don't know what you got" --health-- "'til it's gone.") But if you stop and think, we swallow all the time. And each time Aaron does, it hurts immensely...exponentially worse than any sore throat I've ever had.

For the last few years, Aaron and Beth have been so good about making whole foods for themselves and their kids.  I have visited their home often and watched as Beth makes her own coconut milk. I have watched her grind wheat to make protein pancakes. I have seen her juice lots and lots of vegetables. Maybe all of that was solid practice for what she is doing now for my brother.  Since Aaron can't chew, Beth is making him healthy foods he can drink. She is making him super creamy almond milk, not like what you get at the grocery store. She says each cup probably has about 150 calories in it. With all of Beth's wonderful concoctions, Aaron is getting about 2500 calories a day, which is good, but according to the doctors, still not enough.  Yesterday one of his doctors told him he really needs to think about letting them do a feeding tube for him. Aaron's response? "Absolutely not." She persisted in trying to get him to entertain the idea. He replied "maybe if I'm wasting away. But I am a 300-pound man. I do not need a feeding tube." Ha! This made me laugh. I can totally see this conversation taking place in my mind, complete with Aaron's facial expressions and tone of voice, and it makes me smile to myself:)

Aaron checked his fourth round of chemo off the list yesterday, and continues to do radiation everyday, Monday through Friday.

The pain, as mentioned earlier, is unbearable. But perhaps the hardest part is that it gets worse each day. So Aaron and his doctors are always trying to find the right balance/dosages of painkillers, where he can be somewhere in the middle of completely doped up and knocked out, and still feeling miserable. He wants to be able to function and be present with his family, but he doesn't want to take too much. Honestly right now he's afraid and concerned about becoming addicted to the painkillers, and for that he really would love and appreciate our prayers. 

Aaron and Beth cannot thank family and friends enough who have sent them their well-wishes. They have received cards, grocery store gift cards, and care packages, as well as the heartfelt messages received via text, email and facebook.  I could hear in Beth's voice how much your prayers and little acts of love  mean to them-- that they help keep them going.  This is definitely a hard trial, but your concern for their well-being and Aaron's health gives them strength to draw upon when they run out of it in their own wells. I was so touched when I found out that my Bishop and his wife were fasting for my brother a couple weeks ago. They have never met him, but they care for him. I love them so much.  I know so many of you have done so much. Beth said the people at church up there have been so incredibly good and charitable towards their family. Many people have watched the children. My aunt has made dinner. My cousin Adam just allowing them to stay in his home while he's away! Beth's dad has spent a lot of time with them helping them. He left last Tuesday for work after being there for a couple weeks, and flew back into Michigan yesterday. My Uncle Jeff picked him up while Beth and Aaron were at the hospital. So many blessings have come through the goodness of people. It means so much to them. People are so good.

Beth believes angels are with the her children, too. The kids go from one person's house they've never met to the next, and they are really doing well with it all.  

(Ahna loves Princess Anna from Frozen!) 

Beth was relieved to hear Benjamin say one day "Mom, when are we going home? I want to go home?" By "home" he meant my cousin's house. She was relieved in that she knows he feels like he has a "home" and a safe-place with his family.

Typing this post has made me cry.  I miss my brother and I hate that he's having to endure this pain. I want to go be with him. I don't know if I can. But I can't thank you all enough for all the love you have shown him and Beth. You are all so greatly appreciated!

Entry 18: Side Effects

We've got good news and great news and bad news. Good news is that the biopsy results came in from the polyp the doctor removed from Aaron's colon and he officially does not have colon cancer. (This is actually OUTSTANDING news!) The great news is that Aaron's doctor measured his tumor before treatments began two Mondays ago and again this past Monday (after one week of treatments) and the tumor has already shrunk a centimeter and a half! (From 7.5 cm to 6 cm.) Aaron said that's pretty incredible! 

So after the doc measured his tumor the second time he had his second round of chemo. Here is the bad news...what we knew would be coming has arrived: the onset of side effects. He woke up Tuesday morning vomiting- a side effect from the chemo:( then Wednesday morning he woke up with an extremely dry mouth and sore throat-- side effects from the radiation treatments to his neck area. Aaron is constantly drinking water, but he can't keep hydrated so he now is going in three times a week for the nurses to fill him up with two bags of IV fluids-- after which, he says he feels "like a million bucks." :) 

Aaron has lost about 25 pounds already since finding out about his cancer from changing his diet to entirely whole foods, no meat, and no soda. Also, he's been going to the gym every day.  (In fact, they all go together as a family!) He suspects that when all of this is said and done up in Michigan, he'll have lost 30 more, putting him at a weight he hasn't been at since before his mission. 

Aaron is also taking this time to really get medically checked out in every area of his health-- eye doctor, dermatologist, you name it. ("All the things I always put off" he said.) Today he went to see an acupuncturist, saying he's willing to try anything to benefit his health. 

Aaron really likes the radiation staff, and says they're super fun and cool. The radiation, on the other hand, he says is the worst-- in that it's pretty scary to be strapped to a table by your head in a Nacho Libre mask. (See previous post for pic.) 

Beth's back is doing ok-- she's not kealing over in pain and she continues to go to the chiropractor each week. The kids seem to be contracting sicknesses one rigt after the other:( but they're hanging in there and they have been having a blast with Beth's dad and stepmom. Beth's dad is still there and has been so helpful, and the kids look like they love his company! 

I'm so proud of you, Aaron and Beth. I know I speak in behalf of countless friends and family when I say we love you and you're in our prayers every single day. May The Lord continue to bless and sustain you throughout this journey!  

Thank you everyone for your love and prayers!