Hi Mom, I remember as a kid every July 24th you would wake us up really earlier (4:00-5:00 am) and drive us down to Liberty Park so we could stake out a prime parade route viewing spot for the Days of 47 Parade. I remember one time after we had gotten there and laid out our blank some one tried to get in front of us...... and that's when Mama bear sprang into action to shew them away.
Thanks for take us to the Parade and share these memories with us when we were kids!
About a month ago Tamra had a recurrence of some back pain which she has had on and off for years. She had some physical therapy done but it had little effect. Over the following weeks she was very tired and sleepy. The pain had progressed over time and so she had Misty take her into the St George hospital on December 31 to get at CT scan to see if the liver was the issue of her pain. The nurses at the hospital sent her home and said they would send the scans to the doctors for review.
The doctors called on the January 5th to check on here pain and suggested that she come in for a biopsy her liver on the January 6th. She had this done and had to wait until January 8th for the results. Upon receiving the results of the biopsy the family doctor suggested we meet a hospital oncologist because he had concerns about what he was seeing on the CT scan and what showed up in the biopsy results.
An appointment was set up with the Oncologist today at the Huntsman Cancer wing here in St George. Without knowing fully all the medical lingo here is what we learned today. Apparently as some point (nobody knows exactly when) a cancer started at the bottom head of her pancreas. It has traveled from it starting point to just outside the pancreas and has since spread to the liver. Unfortunately there is not a specific treatment for where this cancer started. This is not to say that there are not treatments that can be done because there are but there is no chance of a complete cure.
Tamra has decided on a course of treatment as suggested by the oncologist. Her pain is being managed at the moment and will be modified as needed. It is her and our wish that she be kept pain free even at the cost maybe losing a few months of her life. We will be exploring all treatments as some may work and others may not. We all have agreed on this course and just want what is best for Tamra.
As her treatments and her condition changes I hope either myself, Bart, Misty or Shane will update you all with any new information. Jack is obviously very distressed by this news and I would hope you would all keep him in your prayers as well as he loves Tamra dearly!
On a personal note I would like to ask one favor of all of you. We are creating this blog mainly for Tamra to be able to log in and read messages from her loved ones and be able to send her feelings back to them when she is feeling up to it. So if you could, please do not use this board to leave messages for other family members. Misty and I have found many of our relatives on Face book and love catching up with them there. And just so you know this is also one of Tamra’s biggest wishes as she expressed to us today. She has always wanted the family to stay together and to keep in touch!
Finally, my thanks to all my family for making a bad situation bearable. To my older brother Bart and his wife Pennie. Thank you for being the strong ones and helping organize all that you have. To my little brother Shane and his wife Jamie. Thank you for taking such good care of both Tamra and Jack now and for being there for them over the years while Bart and I have been in Salt Lake. Also thank you to my little sister Misty and her husband Doug for always doing what you can to do help and helping Tamra and Jack whenever they needed you. I love you all!
Chet
1 comment:
Yes... Mom, this Parade thing has always been a big deal for Bart. Because he remembered doing it as a kid, with you, he wanted our kids to have the same fond memories. So most years while I stayed home-(I went a couple of times, it was... too messy or too crowded or just too random for me,I hated it). Bart took all the kids- AND some neighbor kids- and off they went to sleep out on main street- (see, just writing about sleepy on/or doing anything on main street gives me the willies).
He was, and is, such a good parent because of your great example. The kids will always remember the parade with their dad: bringing Adam's old sofa to state street, Austin almost getting arrested, leaving the sofa in liberty park while avoiding the police, sleeping... or not sleeping in tents,football in the middle of main street, and 4:00am gas station burrito runs.(no pun intended).
Anyway, thank you for bringing up such a wonderful son...(now I'm getting mushy) he is so incredible, and that is not by chance. You have been a super- duper mom, and will FOREVER be a huge part of who he is. Thanks again. I love you. pennie:) Now... Have a GOOD day and SMILE all the way! MTSBWY!-'may the sparkle be with you!'
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