Updates
Learning to Live - If I’m being very honest (which I usually try to be), this second year after losing David has, in many ways, been more difficult than the first. Last year we were in survival mode. We focused on grieving, breathing and anything else was a bonus. This year we are learning how to live. Many days… (more...)
HelpDavid.org is now RememberDavid.org - It's a little late to post a "New Year" message, but we've been working on some changes behind the scenes. It's a new year, and it's time to begin moving forward, even with tiny baby steps. In light of that, HelpDavid.org is now RememberDavid.org. Amy and her family continue to struggle at times, with lonely… (more...)
Heart of Thanksgiving - I haven’t written in awhile. I think a huge part of that is because I really don’t know what to write. The complexity of my emotions is indescribable. There have been many difficulties, emotions, decisions and even many good moments over the last few months. Overall, I can say that the kids and myself are… (more...)
I Am Loved - As I’m sitting here, trying to process all these emotions that come along with the grief process, one thing has really been pressing on me. Love. I was so loved by David. I don’t doubt his love for me, even for a second. Not everyone gets to experience this kind of love in their lifetime.… (more...)
Give a Hug - I’ve always been very open with you all about my feelings and faith. I haven’t written a whole lot lately. Not because I’m trying to keep my feelings to myself or because I’m struggling with my faith… no, it’s because nothing that I could write could possibly come close to how I’m feeling right now.… (more...)
Hope - I continue to be humbled by the amount of encouragement and support all of you have shown me. These past couple of weeks have been tough. Really tough. David’s service was beautiful. I loved hearing how much David impacted others and that others saw in him the same things I did. He was such… (more...)
The New Fight - David is home. However, not under the circumstances that we would have wished for him. Sunday afternoon, he stopped eating. He was no longer responding to questions and he went from needing some help to sit, stand, etc, to needing total help to even move his head. Monday morning, therapy video called me so I… (more...)
Fireworks - Last time there were fireworks, it was New Year’s Eve. I was sitting in the ICU with David and his sister. I was desperately missing our kids, but knew I was where I needed to be. Last night, as I sat and watched the kids playing with sparklers, while fireworks lit up the night sky… (more...)
Anger, Praise, Comfort - 7/3/2020 Update Y’all have been so supportive and patient while waiting on news of David. I know no one expects me to be updating constantly, but to be honest, writing updates helps me process everything that is going on and it’s almost therapeutic for me. And boy do I need to process things tonight: On… (more...)
Stop, Breathe, Pray - 6/29 Update:It’s hard to collect my thoughts and write out a summary of what is going on, when everything I know is pretty much second hand information. I can’t see David, I’ve only spoken with him a couple of times, and the majority of information I’ve gotten is from his nurse, over the phone. This… (more...)
Prayer’s Update - I’ve gotten a couple calls updating me on David. He’s stable and for the most part, accurately answering questions. He’s very slow to process what they are asking him, and sometimes is unable to remember the question right after they ask. They did see something on his lungs, that’s probably pneumonia but they have to… (more...)
Prayers, Please - 6/28/2020 Hi everyone. I have been working on a post to update you on how David’s chemo went this past week, however, right now I am just reaching out for prayers. This afternoon was truly orchestrated by God and I am so thankful for that. Yesterday my sister in-law insisted that she take our kids… (more...)
Hope and Houston - 6/18/20 update: We had the opportunity to travel to Houston to meet with a melanoma oncologist (Dr Glitza) that specializes in leptomeningeal disease (LMD). It was a wonderful time for just David and myself to be together and to also get a new game plan in place for David. While discussing treatment options, it was… (more...)
Some Bad and Some Good News - Just a quick update for today (6/13). David has had some coughing lately that produces a lot of mucus. The Dr wanted to get it checked out, so David had a CT scan Thursday of his chest. As weird as it sounds, we were actually kind of hoping it was pneumonia, or something like that.… (more...)
Wrapping Up Radiation - Well, tomorrow (6/9) will be David’s last day of whole brain radiation, and can I just share with you how much your prayers have meant to us during the last couple weeks?? God answered those prayers by giving us a mostly side effect-free experience. PRAISE THE LORD. David was a little more tired, but not… (more...)
Weary Day - My heart is weary tonight (5/27) as I think through what to write in this post. Every single prayer and word of encouragement was needed today and we thank you for your outpouring of support! David’s scan results were not good. When the cancer center has a policy of no additional people in the building… (more...)
Prayer Time - Tomorrow (5/27) is kind of a big day. David has his PET scan (which shows where the cancer is in his body) in the morning, then in the afternoon, he has his appointment to review the results and then he has his first session of whole brain radiation. We could use all the prayer you… (more...)
From Where Does My Help Come? - Thank you for continuing to pray for us as we’ve been trying to see what kind of treatments are available for David. I’m going to be real honest here. This really stinks. This is HARD. I’m sure that’s a given, but sometimes the weight of it all is so heavy. Especially when our kids are… (more...)
Finding Refuge - I have to give a warning to this post: Typically when I post things, I have a clear vision of what I want to share. I try to summarize how David is doing and our plan of action. However, this time I don’t really have that. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around some… (more...)
Day by Day, Feeling Loved - I just want to say how much I love you guys. As you can imagine, the last couple of weeks have been intense. There have been a lot of emotions, a lot of pain, a lot of stress, a lot of planning, a lot of talking to doctors, it’s all been… (more...)
An Exhausting Week - Thank you all SO much for your encouraging words and prayers!!This week wasn’t easy. David is still feeling the effects of the radiation, which he finished early in the week, so he’s still very tired. Due to the problems he was having last weekend, with the vomiting, he became dehydrated and so some of his… (more...)
Having Faith - Thank you for your continued prayers for us. Friday didn’t go as planned. David woke up with a fever, so all his appointments got cancelled. Also, as a side effect of his brain radiation, he has been vomiting a lot. Needless to say, he’s been pretty miserable. 😞 We were able to do a phone… (more...)
Covid-19 Results and Other Updates - Hi Friends and Family!I’m sorry I haven’t updated, but things have been a little bit busy, as you can imagine.David’s Covid-19 test came back negative on Monday (Praise the Lord!!), so he started his radiation back up on Monday afternoon. He will continue radiation until next Tuesday. Radiation really exhausts David, so it’s been a… (more...)
Lepto-what?? - Praying that this finds you all doing well and staying healthy. This sure is a difficult time for all of us. We are definitely feeling the difficulties that come with socially distancing ourselves. We depend on the support of our family and friends so much, and to now have to navigate things without that help… (more...)
Home… it’s the Best Place to Be - I wanted to write a longer post tonight, but I’ve been too busy and now I’m too tired. But I want you guys to know that David is HOME! Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement! Prayer requests: -For complete healing of David’s body -For a refreshing night’s sleep -For peace and patience while settling… (more...)
Deja vu - Well, this is FOR SURE my last update from the hospital. David was not discharged today (3/18), because he started running a fever again. However, tomorrow morning, the hospital is no longer allowing visitors. So at 7:00 am tomorrow, I am taking my bags and heading out. I’m PRAYING that David won’t be too far… (more...)
ALMOST - Just a real quick update for you guys…. from the hospital…. still. I told you guys yesterday that we wouldn't believe David would get discharged until we had the papers in our hands. So good thing we weren't believing it. Even though we had assurance from everyone today (3/17) that we were going home, at… (more...)
Let’s Get Outta’ Here! - I'm sorry I haven't updated. I feel very awkward sitting here and talking about our current situation, while there's so much else going on in the world right now. However, I also realize that there are a lot of you who are so faithful in praying for us, that I don't want to abandon you… (more...)
Immu-no-fun - Well, we are still in the hospital and we are expected to stay at least until Sunday. To catch you all up, here's a rundown of what's been going on: So Wednesday David was admitted and we got into a room late Wednesday night. They were still running cultures and they had done some CT… (more...)
Another Day, Another Stay - A real quick update on this week: David started running a fever again early this week, so his oncologist took him off his oral cancer meds because he believes it’s a reaction to those. They have others that they can put him on, so that’s good 🙂 David started brain radiation on Monday and it… (more...)
Let’s Get Back to It! - I don't really know what to say about last week. It was supposed to be a little bit more relaxing…. and I guess it was, physically. However, I think that when we aren't as busy, we have more time to focus on the things that discourage us. We long for David to start feeling better.… (more...)
No Rest for the Weary - As usual, a week that was supposed to be slower, is picking up speed. On Monday David was feeling really tired and weak, so he spent all day in bed. He’s also developed some other symptoms, like a cough and tightness of breath, so his doctor is sending him for a CT scan of his… (more...)
Busy Week - This week was super tiring, but also filled with a lot of progress, so that's good! On Monday David met with the pain management doctor. He assessed David and decided to up the dosage of one of his medicines, he put an order in for physical and occupational therapy and he also suggested acupuncture for… (more...)
Caution: Busy Week Ahead - Not much of an update today, but here’s a rundown of next week and a reminder of our event tomorrow! Next week David will be meeting with the pain management team, then he will be having an MRI of the brain to prepare and plan for the radiation. He will be getting his staples removed,… (more...)
Y’all Ready for This? - Today (2/19) didn't go quite as expected, but that's ok. 🙂 David had his PET/CT scan this morning. We were told that they would have the report written up and given to his doctor before his appointment, which was scheduled for a few hours after the scan. We had a chance to eat breakfast and… (more...)
Long Day Ahead - David has been feeling a little better, so we are very pleased with that. Because of the fevers he has been running, he is stopping one of his cancer meds, to see if that's the culprit. We will monitor to see how he's feeling and if he should stay off the med, or continue back… (more...)
New Experiences Help Us Grow - Whoo, that was a crazy evening yesterday (2/16)!! Yesterday was a pretty relaxing day. We picked up the Littles and brought them home for the afternoon. David seemed a little off most of the morning, but I chalked it up to tiredness. Late in the afternoon, he said he felt like he hit a wall… (more...)
Another Good Day - Another good day today! David got his last round of radiation for this session. No more radiation for at least two weeks, now! 🙂 Everyone was impressed with how well David was doing, so he got discharged from the hospital! What a wonderful end to our Valentine's Day: being able to relax at home with… (more...)
It’s a Good Day to Have a Good Day - Today was a good day! David is recovering very nicely. He got cleared by the therapists to go home whenever the doctors sign off on him. He was even able to walk around the floor a bit. This is SO different than our last surgery and I’m so happy that he’s doing so well! He… (more...)
Surgery Day - Early this morning we headed to Phoenix to check in for David's surgery. Great news, his CT scan came back clean so he went in for surgery at 8 am. He got to recovery around noon and the surgery went well! Praise the Lord! His bone flap is back in and he is in recovery.… (more...)
Prayer Request Before Surgery - If you all could take a moment to say a prayer for us tonight (2/11), it would be greatly appreciated! David has to be at the hospital tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 5 am to check in for his surgery to put his bone flap back on. The actual surgery is scheduled for 8 am. He… (more...)
The Plan - Days are busy right now and sometimes it's hard to find the time to write updates… or I will try, but David will have to wake me up because I've fallen asleep in the middle of typing. Lol. I'm sure you all understand, though! Yesterday (2/6) we met with the neurosurgeon. We decided to go… (more...)
The New Game Plan - This morning started with a call from David's radiation oncologist. She spoke with David's neurosurgeon and they came up with a game plan. The best course of action for these new growths is radiation. So we headed out to Phoenix so he could have his imaging done for the planning of the radiation. He will… (more...)
Time to [keep on] Fighting - So we are back to this mantra: We got not so great news... it's not the worst news, though... so we are thankful for that. David had his MRI done on his cervical spine today. There is some new growth on the C5 and C6 vertebrae. It's possibly growing into the vertebrae and also touching… (more...)
In True David Fashion - This morning (2/3) started out really relaxed. The Littles have been home with us and they all loved cuddling with David. It was a really nice morning... except David's pain. David's right side of his body has been in a lot of pain, as I've shared before and he is also losing strength in that… (more...)
Good News and Prayer Requests - Just a quick update and prayer requests: David’s brain MRI came back and there’s no regrowth of the tumor and everything is healing nicely!! Praise the Lord!!! David’s right side of his body still has a lot of pain and is still weak. This is concerning to us and so we are a little anxious… (more...)
Progress - Monday we saw David's radiation oncologist. They did a CT scan of David's head, so they can start mapping out how to go about the radiation on his brain. She has to wait to get the brain MRI done to be able to finish doing the work up, so he won't start radiation until probably… (more...)
Looking forward to scans, praying for good news - Last week wasn't as eventful as weeks past, so that was a relief. We were able to rest a little more, which is good seeing that this week is looking very busy. David had his blood work done a couple of times and his sodium is finally evening out, with the help of his meds.… (more...)
Hope - This week has been SUPER busy with doctor appointments, radiation, more imaging tests, and blood work... As wonderful as it is to be home, at least in the hospital, everyone comes to you. Lol. Tuesday morning, David was able to meet with the oncologist that specializes in melanoma. It was the first, real optimistic conversation… (more...)
Matthew 9:7 - These past two days have been busy beyond our imaginations, so this post is a couple days late, but... From Amy: We are home!! I had a long update written out, but lucky me, somehow erased it... So my exhausted body is refusing to write it all out again, so just know that we are… (more...)
Hurry up and wait - Well, we were hoping all day that things would all come together so we could go home and it just didn't happen today. We were SO CLOSE, but David's sodium just wouldn't behave today, so one more night we stay! They do believe that they know what kind of medication he has to take, but… (more...)
B Cool; B Kind; B Raf - So yesterday I had a really long update typed up, going through a couple of options we had sitting in front of us. However, I fell asleep before I could actually post it and then this morning was super busy, between radiation, OT, PT, and speech therapy coming in to assess David. And when it… (more...)
Exhaustion Setting In - Growing up with Amy, I can personally attest to her strength, determination, and ability to stay focused and keep her eye on the prize. Even though she's younger than I am, and about 4 feet shorter, I really look up to her spiritually and lean on her (sometimes physically) for her strength. It has been… (more...)
Homeward Bound, Maybe - Well, today was a little bit of a roller coaster again. This morning they were going to push for David to get discharged. It was a fun thought.... for awhile. Lol. We discovered that when our insurance switched at the beginning of the year, there was an error and they put the wrong effective date.… (more...)
School Daze - After a couple of weeks off from school, the kids are ready to go back. Well, "ready" might be the wrong word - they're being forced back to school, kicking and screaming 🙂 With David still in the hospital, we've had to make some adjustments so the kids can resume their lives as normally as… (more...)
Baby Steps to Getting Home - Today was a very quiet day. Perfect for David to rest. We did get a few visitors. That was so nice! It's uplifting to our spirits to be able to just sit and chat with friends. David was able to walk around a little today, and then sit in a chair for a good part… (more...)
Charlie and the Patient Factory - Saturday was pretty laid back. They got David over for radiation first thing in the morning (6:30). Now let me ask you this: How many doctors AND medical teams do you know, that are willing to come into work at 6 am on a Saturday morning, just for one patient? Seriously. I'm blown away by… (more...)
Re-learning to walk before he can run - Today was pretty quiet, until it was crazy. Lol. That's how it works a lot of days around here. First, we both had a good night's sleep, praise God for that! Then, this morning we met with a Dr to talk about David's sodium. His levels are low and they are concerned that after the… (more...)
A Tough Road Ahead - David did his first round of radiation this afternoon. He will do another round tomorrow and possibly one on Saturday. He will have a total of 10, initially. We do not need to stay in the hospital to do all 10 rounds. If all the other doctors feel as though he's ready to go home,… (more...)
Starting to Fight - Sorry I didn't update last night. It's like we got dropped into this cancer 101 class and we are cramming for the "finals". There's so much information and it's just a roller coaster ride. So we decided to pursue radiation therapy first. This gives us the opportunity to start treatment even while David is in… (more...)
A bit of peace - This morning was rough. David was still intubated until around 2:30. He was sedated, which is tough to see, but he was responsive. He would squeeze hands, open his eyes and tried to communicate via sign language. Once the tube was out, it was a huge relief to see him fully waking up from sedation.… (more...)
The best of two bad options - (Monday, 12/30): I knew today was going to be hard, and it didn't disappoint. This morning our neurosurgeon came in and had a lot of information for us. To be honest, my head is still spinning from it. He's a phenomenal neurosurgeon... Just a very fast talker and very blunt. David loves him. The surgery… (more...)
The Kiddos - Even through all of this difficulty, there are so many things for which to be thankful. I am ridiculously happy that we have the opportunity to watch my nieces and nephews so Amy can focus all of her energy in supporting David in any way he needs. Unfortunately, that does mean their brood doesn't have… (more...)
The Treasure of Prayer - Another crazy day. It started off slow, but turned into a whirlwind. This morning we got the results from David's MRI scan of his head. Not the best news, but again, not the worst news. He has two hematomas on the layer above his brain. So they aren't actually on his brain, which is good.… (more...)
Hanging with the Fam - I got to spend several hours with David yesterday while Amy ran home to spend some time with the family and get some rest. It's a strange thing, spending time in a hospital with someone you care about; I don't know if it's the sterile environment or that David wasn't in his signature camo hat,… (more...)
Waiting Game - David saw the oncologist Saturday morning. No pathology report yet from his biopsy. The earliest we will get that will be Monday. He had an in-depth conversation about David's health history, but of course can't speculate on anything. It's just a waiting game on that pathology report! It's hard to see someone you love be… (more...)
Busy Day - From Friday, 12/27 update made on Facebook: It was a whirlwind afternoon. David's procedure took a lot longer than expected. As soon as he was done, they brought him up to his room, but the cancer center needed him transferred asap, so before he even made it to his room, they got him on a… (more...)
Learning to Live - If I’m being very honest (which I usually try to be), this second year after losing David has, in many ways, been more difficult than the first. Last year we were in survival mode. We focused on grieving, breathing and anything else was a bonus. This year we are learning how to live. Many days… (more...) HelpDavid.org is now RememberDavid.org - It's a little late to post a "New Year" message, but we've been working on some changes behind the scenes. It's a new year, and it's time to begin moving forward, even with tiny baby steps. In light of that, HelpDavid.org is now RememberDavid.org. Amy and her family continue to struggle at times, with lonely… (more...) Heart of Thanksgiving - I haven’t written in awhile. I think a huge part of that is because I really don’t know what to write. The complexity of my emotions is indescribable. There have been many difficulties, emotions, decisions and even many good moments over the last few months. Overall, I can say that the kids and myself are… (more...) I Am Loved - As I’m sitting here, trying to process all these emotions that come along with the grief process, one thing has really been pressing on me. Love. I was so loved by David. I don’t doubt his love for me, even for a second. Not everyone gets to experience this kind of love in their lifetime.… (more...) Give a Hug - I’ve always been very open with you all about my feelings and faith. I haven’t written a whole lot lately. Not because I’m trying to keep my feelings to myself or because I’m struggling with my faith… no, it’s because nothing that I could write could possibly come close to how I’m feeling right now.… (more...) Hope - I continue to be humbled by the amount of encouragement and support all of you have shown me. These past couple of weeks have been tough. Really tough. David’s service was beautiful. I loved hearing how much David impacted others and that others saw in him the same things I did. He was such… (more...)Friday Night Thank You - I am struggling to find the right words to express my gratitude tonight. I am sitting back in my house, which is now cooled thanks to my new ac unit. The reason this is possible, without me stressing about what it means financially, is all because of many generous, selfless givers. By the time the… (more...)
Live Stream Information - For those of you who would like to attend David's Celebration of Life via live streaming, here is the link you need. We would love it if you filled out the guest book while you attend online on Monday with us. Please feel free to share the link. https://live.eventlive.pro/markandress/david-cesolini-celebration-of-life (more...)
Thank You and Flower/Donation information - I just wanted to post a quick "thank you" to everyone who has shown an outpouring of love and support. I feel surrounded by love and encouragement constantly throughout the day. As they say, "When it rains, it pours," and that has been true for the last couple days, as our AC went out yesterday… (more...)
Service Information - There will be a service for David on: Monday, July 13, 2020 at 9:00 am Redemption Church Gateway 8635 E Pecos Rd, Mesa, AZ 85212. For those wishing to practice social distancing, or who are unable to attend in person, there will be a live stream available of the service. The church has asked that… (more...)
Healing - In every post, I’ve always requested for complete healing of David’s body. This afternoon that prayer was answered as David found healing in the arms of Jesus in heaven. We are rejoicing that he is no longer in pain and that he is with the savior that he adores so much.Thank you all for your… (more...)
The New Fight - David is home. However, not under the circumstances that we would have wished for him. Sunday afternoon, he stopped eating. He was no longer responding to questions and he went from needing some help to sit, stand, etc, to needing total help to even move his head. Monday morning, therapy video called me so I… (more...) Fireworks - Last time there were fireworks, it was New Year’s Eve. I was sitting in the ICU with David and his sister. I was desperately missing our kids, but knew I was where I needed to be. Last night, as I sat and watched the kids playing with sparklers, while fireworks lit up the night sky… (more...) Anger, Praise, Comfort - 7/3/2020 Update Y’all have been so supportive and patient while waiting on news of David. I know no one expects me to be updating constantly, but to be honest, writing updates helps me process everything that is going on and it’s almost therapeutic for me. And boy do I need to process things tonight: On… (more...) Stop, Breathe, Pray - 6/29 Update:It’s hard to collect my thoughts and write out a summary of what is going on, when everything I know is pretty much second hand information. I can’t see David, I’ve only spoken with him a couple of times, and the majority of information I’ve gotten is from his nurse, over the phone. This… (more...) Prayer’s Update - I’ve gotten a couple calls updating me on David. He’s stable and for the most part, accurately answering questions. He’s very slow to process what they are asking him, and sometimes is unable to remember the question right after they ask. They did see something on his lungs, that’s probably pneumonia but they have to… (more...) Prayers, Please - 6/28/2020 Hi everyone. I have been working on a post to update you on how David’s chemo went this past week, however, right now I am just reaching out for prayers. This afternoon was truly orchestrated by God and I am so thankful for that. Yesterday my sister in-law insisted that she take our kids… (more...) Hope and Houston - 6/18/20 update: We had the opportunity to travel to Houston to meet with a melanoma oncologist (Dr Glitza) that specializes in leptomeningeal disease (LMD). It was a wonderful time for just David and myself to be together and to also get a new game plan in place for David. While discussing treatment options, it was… (more...) Some Bad and Some Good News - Just a quick update for today (6/13). David has had some coughing lately that produces a lot of mucus. The Dr wanted to get it checked out, so David had a CT scan Thursday of his chest. As weird as it sounds, we were actually kind of hoping it was pneumonia, or something like that.… (more...) Wrapping Up Radiation - Well, tomorrow (6/9) will be David’s last day of whole brain radiation, and can I just share with you how much your prayers have meant to us during the last couple weeks?? God answered those prayers by giving us a mostly side effect-free experience. PRAISE THE LORD. David was a little more tired, but not… (more...) Weary Day - My heart is weary tonight (5/27) as I think through what to write in this post. Every single prayer and word of encouragement was needed today and we thank you for your outpouring of support! David’s scan results were not good. When the cancer center has a policy of no additional people in the building… (more...) Prayer Time - Tomorrow (5/27) is kind of a big day. David has his PET scan (which shows where the cancer is in his body) in the morning, then in the afternoon, he has his appointment to review the results and then he has his first session of whole brain radiation. We could use all the prayer you… (more...) From Where Does My Help Come? - Thank you for continuing to pray for us as we’ve been trying to see what kind of treatments are available for David. I’m going to be real honest here. This really stinks. This is HARD. I’m sure that’s a given, but sometimes the weight of it all is so heavy. Especially when our kids are… (more...) Finding Refuge - I have to give a warning to this post: Typically when I post things, I have a clear vision of what I want to share. I try to summarize how David is doing and our plan of action. However, this time I don’t really have that. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around some… (more...) Day by Day, Feeling Loved - I just want to say how much I love you guys. As you can imagine, the last couple of weeks have been intense. There have been a lot of emotions, a lot of pain, a lot of stress, a lot of planning, a lot of talking to doctors, it’s all been… (more...)Prayer needed - We spoke with David’s oncologist this morning (4/15) about his scans. Unfortunately his scans showed that the disease is coming back. He has some small lesions on his brain, lung, and rib. There is more evidence of the leptomeningeal disease, so that is a very real possibility. Again, we could test for it, but it… (more...)
An Exhausting Week - Thank you all SO much for your encouraging words and prayers!!This week wasn’t easy. David is still feeling the effects of the radiation, which he finished early in the week, so he’s still very tired. Due to the problems he was having last weekend, with the vomiting, he became dehydrated and so some of his… (more...) Having Faith - Thank you for your continued prayers for us. Friday didn’t go as planned. David woke up with a fever, so all his appointments got cancelled. Also, as a side effect of his brain radiation, he has been vomiting a lot. Needless to say, he’s been pretty miserable. 😞 We were able to do a phone… (more...) Covid-19 Results and Other Updates - Hi Friends and Family!I’m sorry I haven’t updated, but things have been a little bit busy, as you can imagine.David’s Covid-19 test came back negative on Monday (Praise the Lord!!), so he started his radiation back up on Monday afternoon. He will continue radiation until next Tuesday. Radiation really exhausts David, so it’s been a… (more...) Lepto-what?? - Praying that this finds you all doing well and staying healthy. This sure is a difficult time for all of us. We are definitely feeling the difficulties that come with socially distancing ourselves. We depend on the support of our family and friends so much, and to now have to navigate things without that help… (more...) Home… it’s the Best Place to Be - I wanted to write a longer post tonight, but I’ve been too busy and now I’m too tired. But I want you guys to know that David is HOME! Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement! Prayer requests: -For complete healing of David’s body -For a refreshing night’s sleep -For peace and patience while settling… (more...) Deja vu - Well, this is FOR SURE my last update from the hospital. David was not discharged today (3/18), because he started running a fever again. However, tomorrow morning, the hospital is no longer allowing visitors. So at 7:00 am tomorrow, I am taking my bags and heading out. I’m PRAYING that David won’t be too far… (more...)A Note to Anyone Who is Signed Up for Bringing Us Meals - Dear Freinds, We want to thank you SO much for all the support you have shown us during this very difficult time. In light of the current situation our world is facing, we are no longer in need of dinners. We don’t want to add any additional stress into any of your lives as you… (more...)
ALMOST - Just a real quick update for you guys…. from the hospital…. still. I told you guys yesterday that we wouldn't believe David would get discharged until we had the papers in our hands. So good thing we weren't believing it. Even though we had assurance from everyone today (3/17) that we were going home, at… (more...) Let’s Get Outta’ Here! - I'm sorry I haven't updated. I feel very awkward sitting here and talking about our current situation, while there's so much else going on in the world right now. However, I also realize that there are a lot of you who are so faithful in praying for us, that I don't want to abandon you… (more...) Immu-no-fun - Well, we are still in the hospital and we are expected to stay at least until Sunday. To catch you all up, here's a rundown of what's been going on: So Wednesday David was admitted and we got into a room late Wednesday night. They were still running cultures and they had done some CT… (more...) Another Day, Another Stay - A real quick update on this week: David started running a fever again early this week, so his oncologist took him off his oral cancer meds because he believes it’s a reaction to those. They have others that they can put him on, so that’s good 🙂 David started brain radiation on Monday and it… (more...) Let’s Get Back to It! - I don't really know what to say about last week. It was supposed to be a little bit more relaxing…. and I guess it was, physically. However, I think that when we aren't as busy, we have more time to focus on the things that discourage us. We long for David to start feeling better.… (more...) No Rest for the Weary - As usual, a week that was supposed to be slower, is picking up speed. On Monday David was feeling really tired and weak, so he spent all day in bed. He’s also developed some other symptoms, like a cough and tightness of breath, so his doctor is sending him for a CT scan of his… (more...) Busy Week - This week was super tiring, but also filled with a lot of progress, so that's good! On Monday David met with the pain management doctor. He assessed David and decided to up the dosage of one of his medicines, he put an order in for physical and occupational therapy and he also suggested acupuncture for… (more...) Caution: Busy Week Ahead - Not much of an update today, but here’s a rundown of next week and a reminder of our event tomorrow! Next week David will be meeting with the pain management team, then he will be having an MRI of the brain to prepare and plan for the radiation. He will be getting his staples removed,… (more...) Y’all Ready for This? - Today (2/19) didn't go quite as expected, but that's ok. 🙂 David had his PET/CT scan this morning. We were told that they would have the report written up and given to his doctor before his appointment, which was scheduled for a few hours after the scan. We had a chance to eat breakfast and… (more...) Long Day Ahead - David has been feeling a little better, so we are very pleased with that. Because of the fevers he has been running, he is stopping one of his cancer meds, to see if that's the culprit. We will monitor to see how he's feeling and if he should stay off the med, or continue back… (more...) New Experiences Help Us Grow - Whoo, that was a crazy evening yesterday (2/16)!! Yesterday was a pretty relaxing day. We picked up the Littles and brought them home for the afternoon. David seemed a little off most of the morning, but I chalked it up to tiredness. Late in the afternoon, he said he felt like he hit a wall… (more...) Another Good Day - Another good day today! David got his last round of radiation for this session. No more radiation for at least two weeks, now! 🙂 Everyone was impressed with how well David was doing, so he got discharged from the hospital! What a wonderful end to our Valentine's Day: being able to relax at home with… (more...) It’s a Good Day to Have a Good Day - Today was a good day! David is recovering very nicely. He got cleared by the therapists to go home whenever the doctors sign off on him. He was even able to walk around the floor a bit. This is SO different than our last surgery and I’m so happy that he’s doing so well! He… (more...) Surgery Day - Early this morning we headed to Phoenix to check in for David's surgery. Great news, his CT scan came back clean so he went in for surgery at 8 am. He got to recovery around noon and the surgery went well! Praise the Lord! His bone flap is back in and he is in recovery.… (more...) Prayer Request Before Surgery - If you all could take a moment to say a prayer for us tonight (2/11), it would be greatly appreciated! David has to be at the hospital tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 5 am to check in for his surgery to put his bone flap back on. The actual surgery is scheduled for 8 am. He… (more...) The Plan - Days are busy right now and sometimes it's hard to find the time to write updates… or I will try, but David will have to wake me up because I've fallen asleep in the middle of typing. Lol. I'm sure you all understand, though! Yesterday (2/6) we met with the neurosurgeon. We decided to go… (more...) The New Game Plan - This morning started with a call from David's radiation oncologist. She spoke with David's neurosurgeon and they came up with a game plan. The best course of action for these new growths is radiation. So we headed out to Phoenix so he could have his imaging done for the planning of the radiation. He will… (more...) Time to [keep on] Fighting - So we are back to this mantra: We got not so great news... it's not the worst news, though... so we are thankful for that. David had his MRI done on his cervical spine today. There is some new growth on the C5 and C6 vertebrae. It's possibly growing into the vertebrae and also touching… (more...) In True David Fashion - This morning (2/3) started out really relaxed. The Littles have been home with us and they all loved cuddling with David. It was a really nice morning... except David's pain. David's right side of his body has been in a lot of pain, as I've shared before and he is also losing strength in that… (more...) Good News and Prayer Requests - Just a quick update and prayer requests: David’s brain MRI came back and there’s no regrowth of the tumor and everything is healing nicely!! Praise the Lord!!! David’s right side of his body still has a lot of pain and is still weak. This is concerning to us and so we are a little anxious… (more...) Progress - Monday we saw David's radiation oncologist. They did a CT scan of David's head, so they can start mapping out how to go about the radiation on his brain. She has to wait to get the brain MRI done to be able to finish doing the work up, so he won't start radiation until probably… (more...) Looking forward to scans, praying for good news - Last week wasn't as eventful as weeks past, so that was a relief. We were able to rest a little more, which is good seeing that this week is looking very busy. David had his blood work done a couple of times and his sodium is finally evening out, with the help of his meds.… (more...) Hope - This week has been SUPER busy with doctor appointments, radiation, more imaging tests, and blood work... As wonderful as it is to be home, at least in the hospital, everyone comes to you. Lol. Tuesday morning, David was able to meet with the oncologist that specializes in melanoma. It was the first, real optimistic conversation… (more...) Matthew 9:7 - These past two days have been busy beyond our imaginations, so this post is a couple days late, but... From Amy: We are home!! I had a long update written out, but lucky me, somehow erased it... So my exhausted body is refusing to write it all out again, so just know that we are… (more...) Hurry up and wait - Well, we were hoping all day that things would all come together so we could go home and it just didn't happen today. We were SO CLOSE, but David's sodium just wouldn't behave today, so one more night we stay! They do believe that they know what kind of medication he has to take, but… (more...) B Cool; B Kind; B Raf - So yesterday I had a really long update typed up, going through a couple of options we had sitting in front of us. However, I fell asleep before I could actually post it and then this morning was super busy, between radiation, OT, PT, and speech therapy coming in to assess David. And when it… (more...) Exhaustion Setting In - Growing up with Amy, I can personally attest to her strength, determination, and ability to stay focused and keep her eye on the prize. Even though she's younger than I am, and about 4 feet shorter, I really look up to her spiritually and lean on her (sometimes physically) for her strength. It has been… (more...) Homeward Bound, Maybe - Well, today was a little bit of a roller coaster again. This morning they were going to push for David to get discharged. It was a fun thought.... for awhile. Lol. We discovered that when our insurance switched at the beginning of the year, there was an error and they put the wrong effective date.… (more...) School Daze - After a couple of weeks off from school, the kids are ready to go back. Well, "ready" might be the wrong word - they're being forced back to school, kicking and screaming 🙂 With David still in the hospital, we've had to make some adjustments so the kids can resume their lives as normally as… (more...) Baby Steps to Getting Home - Today was a very quiet day. Perfect for David to rest. We did get a few visitors. That was so nice! It's uplifting to our spirits to be able to just sit and chat with friends. David was able to walk around a little today, and then sit in a chair for a good part… (more...) Charlie and the Patient Factory - Saturday was pretty laid back. They got David over for radiation first thing in the morning (6:30). Now let me ask you this: How many doctors AND medical teams do you know, that are willing to come into work at 6 am on a Saturday morning, just for one patient? Seriously. I'm blown away by… (more...) Re-learning to walk before he can run - Today was pretty quiet, until it was crazy. Lol. That's how it works a lot of days around here. First, we both had a good night's sleep, praise God for that! Then, this morning we met with a Dr to talk about David's sodium. His levels are low and they are concerned that after the… (more...) A Tough Road Ahead - David did his first round of radiation this afternoon. He will do another round tomorrow and possibly one on Saturday. He will have a total of 10, initially. We do not need to stay in the hospital to do all 10 rounds. If all the other doctors feel as though he's ready to go home,… (more...) Starting to Fight - Sorry I didn't update last night. It's like we got dropped into this cancer 101 class and we are cramming for the "finals". There's so much information and it's just a roller coaster ride. So we decided to pursue radiation therapy first. This gives us the opportunity to start treatment even while David is in… (more...) A bit of peace - This morning was rough. David was still intubated until around 2:30. He was sedated, which is tough to see, but he was responsive. He would squeeze hands, open his eyes and tried to communicate via sign language. Once the tube was out, it was a huge relief to see him fully waking up from sedation.… (more...) The best of two bad options - (Monday, 12/30): I knew today was going to be hard, and it didn't disappoint. This morning our neurosurgeon came in and had a lot of information for us. To be honest, my head is still spinning from it. He's a phenomenal neurosurgeon... Just a very fast talker and very blunt. David loves him. The surgery… (more...) The Kiddos - Even through all of this difficulty, there are so many things for which to be thankful. I am ridiculously happy that we have the opportunity to watch my nieces and nephews so Amy can focus all of her energy in supporting David in any way he needs. Unfortunately, that does mean their brood doesn't have… (more...) The Treasure of Prayer - Another crazy day. It started off slow, but turned into a whirlwind. This morning we got the results from David's MRI scan of his head. Not the best news, but again, not the worst news. He has two hematomas on the layer above his brain. So they aren't actually on his brain, which is good.… (more...) Hanging with the Fam - I got to spend several hours with David yesterday while Amy ran home to spend some time with the family and get some rest. It's a strange thing, spending time in a hospital with someone you care about; I don't know if it's the sterile environment or that David wasn't in his signature camo hat,… (more...) Waiting Game - David saw the oncologist Saturday morning. No pathology report yet from his biopsy. The earliest we will get that will be Monday. He had an in-depth conversation about David's health history, but of course can't speculate on anything. It's just a waiting game on that pathology report! It's hard to see someone you love be… (more...) Busy Day - From Friday, 12/27 update made on Facebook: It was a whirlwind afternoon. David's procedure took a lot longer than expected. As soon as he was done, they brought him up to his room, but the cancer center needed him transferred asap, so before he even made it to his room, they got him on a… (more...)