So, yesterday was suppose to be Ryan's first treatment...due to the doctor being unable to make it from one hospital to another...the treatment was put off until this morning. The treatment only lasted maybe 10 minutes total. Ryan said it was painless and the only thing he noticed was seeing blue beams from under his eye lids (kept his eyes closed)!! So now we will be going Monday - Friday for 6wks. to receive his treatment. His standing appt. time is 9:00am each day. All is well with Ryan and we are currently cleaning on the house...something we haven't done much of lately. Ryan is also waiting for his Chemo pills to arrive by mail (thanks to insurance). Just wanted to let everyone know where we are at with his medical condition.
Hope all is well with each of you and your families!!
Love,
Brenna
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Radiation Oncologist
Today we met with the Radiation Oncologist for the first consultation. Basically, the doctor just went over all the side effects that Ryan might experience. Tomorrow we go back to have a CT Scan done as well as have Ryan fitted for his MASK (to keep his head still during each treatment) fitted. The doctors will work on deciding where the beams of radiation need to be situated for the best results to be obtained...treatment should begin sometime around the middle of the week.
Ryan is doing well with everything and is focused on getting thru the treatment. He did ask the doctor if he would be able to go back to work after he is finished with the radiation, the doctor's reply "If you are feeling up to it!" So that definitely has given Ryan some encouragement and he is ready to get it over with. He is very bored being at home...and I think we are both adjusting to spending so much time together....although....I wouldn't have it any other way!!
Thank you to those of you who continue to offer support to our family.
Brenna
Ryan is doing well with everything and is focused on getting thru the treatment. He did ask the doctor if he would be able to go back to work after he is finished with the radiation, the doctor's reply "If you are feeling up to it!" So that definitely has given Ryan some encouragement and he is ready to get it over with. He is very bored being at home...and I think we are both adjusting to spending so much time together....although....I wouldn't have it any other way!!
Thank you to those of you who continue to offer support to our family.
Brenna
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Letter from a friend...
The following is from a close friend...who has just been awesome in helping us to deal with all we have ahead of us. I wanted everyone to read...because it tells just a bit of how Ryan is getting through all of this!!
Thought I'd share...in as few words as possible with select few -- if nothing else...to substantiate your support of Ryan and his family during this "challenge".
As per stories Brenna told me about Ryan insisting he visit with everyone in the "lobby" versus his room [with or without permission], to his desire to get back to work and continue to be a volunteer fireman 9 days after a craniotomy and coma, 2 days at SeaWorld with his family 2 wks after brain surgery, to enduring pain to eat a cheeseburger at the Rainforest Cafe in Galveston yesterday [seems to refuse to take the easy choice] which tugs on his ? mark or could cause lock jaw or refusing to use an accessible/convenient elevator versus climbing two flights of steep stairs [that leaves me winded]...enduring excrutiating pain due to 2 blood clots in leg [evident by oohs and aahs as he climbs], to BBQing our shish-ka-bobs...the man's too stubborn and competitive for his own good sometimes. Nor can the man sit still for 5 minutes -- always teasing, smiling and making jokes, i.e., "pulling the -- craniotomy excuse card". He even "swiftered" the beach house this afternoon.
I don't know about you ... but ... I just gotta say: "What a Man!" "How many people (especially men), 18 - 20 days after a craniotomy and coma, diagnosed with "brain invasion", with radiation and chemo treatments starting sooner than he'd like, share his fortitude? It was my fortune to only have known one other in my lifetime.
Over the past two days, in Galveston, "upfront and personal", I was "thunderstruck"...reeling with thoughts of "personal strength, valor, courage & patience". Admittedly, also wondering how I would respond if I were Ryan and/or Brenna.
The support Ryan and Brenna have received renews my faith in mankind. I've seen more goodness in so many people.
As Randy Pausch, Author of "The Last Lecture" [See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo] -- This book is a gift to all -- at whatever plight.] writes, "No matter how bad things are, you can always make them worse. At the same time, it is often within your power to make them better." Ryan and Brenna are a shining example of the later!
Together, we have the power to make a difference!
Thought I'd share...in as few words as possible with select few -- if nothing else...to substantiate your support of Ryan and his family during this "challenge".
As per stories Brenna told me about Ryan insisting he visit with everyone in the "lobby" versus his room [with or without permission], to his desire to get back to work and continue to be a volunteer fireman 9 days after a craniotomy and coma, 2 days at SeaWorld with his family 2 wks after brain surgery, to enduring pain to eat a cheeseburger at the Rainforest Cafe in Galveston yesterday [seems to refuse to take the easy choice] which tugs on his ? mark or could cause lock jaw or refusing to use an accessible/convenient elevator versus climbing two flights of steep stairs [that leaves me winded]...enduring excrutiating pain due to 2 blood clots in leg [evident by oohs and aahs as he climbs], to BBQing our shish-ka-bobs...the man's too stubborn and competitive for his own good sometimes. Nor can the man sit still for 5 minutes -- always teasing, smiling and making jokes, i.e., "pulling the -- craniotomy excuse card". He even "swiftered" the beach house this afternoon.
I don't know about you ... but ... I just gotta say: "What a Man!" "How many people (especially men), 18 - 20 days after a craniotomy and coma, diagnosed with "brain invasion", with radiation and chemo treatments starting sooner than he'd like, share his fortitude? It was my fortune to only have known one other in my lifetime.
Over the past two days, in Galveston, "upfront and personal", I was "thunderstruck"...reeling with thoughts of "personal strength, valor, courage & patience". Admittedly, also wondering how I would respond if I were Ryan and/or Brenna.
The support Ryan and Brenna have received renews my faith in mankind. I've seen more goodness in so many people.
As Randy Pausch, Author of "The Last Lecture" [See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo] -- This book is a gift to all -- at whatever plight.] writes, "No matter how bad things are, you can always make them worse. At the same time, it is often within your power to make them better." Ryan and Brenna are a shining example of the later!
Together, we have the power to make a difference!
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