Revisit to Dr. John LaFrentz - ENT

Friday, February 15th
Darrell went back to see Dr. John LaFrentz, an ENT here in Huntsville. He is one of the nicest doctors you'll ever meet. He spends so much time with you, explaining every detail of what's going on, answers "every" question that you have, etc. He's kinda like Dr. Marcus Welby, if you remember anthing about the 1970's, except that he's really young (and not bald).

He re-examined Darrell's throat again (ran that tube down his nose-yuk) and said that he thought he saw some "slight" activity in that nerve. He said it still looked extremely weak, but that there might be a little movement. That was great encouragement to us.

He will continue to monitor Darrell's nerve to his vocal chords through the next few months. He talked about what Darrell would be going through with the radioactive iodine treatment and what to expect during and after the treatment. He also checked on his calcium test from earlier this week and said that it was "perfect". He said that Darrell could adjust the amount of Tums he was taking since this was a good score and that his "numbness" was lessening. Darrell was excited abut this since the Tums are beginning to affect his stomach and his eating.

He said that we might not want to go to an endocrinologist, that he and Darrell's regular family doctor could work with him on the administering of the Synthroid(or however you spell it) and not involve another set of doctors. He says it's pretty hard to get in to see an endocrinologst since there are only a couple here in Huntsville.

So, we're just waiting now on the last stages of this whole process--the radiation treatment.

Continue to pray for Darrell. It's still a "roller coaster" ride--emotions up and down, still some pain and "weird feelings", incision that still needs to heal, etc. But we thank God for everything--knowing that He has a purpose in all this.

We're awaiting the day of "normalcy", if there ever is such a thing.

We've decided that maybe we don't won't to grow old and retire if this is what we have to look forward to--lots of doctor's visits and medicines .

Throughout all of this, Darrell has constantly said to me, "just be patient with me, Vickey". I told him that wasn't what he married me for, that patience wasn't one of my "virtures" . I have never wanted to pray for patience, cause I know what the Bible says about patience and trials and tribulations. I have learned so much through all this--Darrell, too. Psalms 27, which the Lord showed to Darrell early one morning, says it best in its last verse - "wait for the Lord". That's what we're standing on now.

Psalms 27
The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, [a] when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.
7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, "Seek his [b] face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.
13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Darrell's visit to the Radiation Oncologist

Thursday, February 14th
Darrell had his first appointment today with Dr. Elizabeth Falkenberg, who is a radiation oncologist with Clearview Cancer Institute in Huntsville. It was a good visit. All these visits to cancer clinics have made us appreciate Darrell's condition. There are so many others out there who are in really bad health and their cancer is causing such pain to them. God has been so good to Darrell.

Darrell had to tell the story a couple of times today about all the surgeries and other doctor visits, how they found the cancer, how he lost his voice, etc. Each time that he tells the story about how they found the cancer, the doctors and nurses seem amazed at how they found the cancer, since thyroid cancer is so hard to detect and there are not really any symptoms associated with it. We know that God allowed the doctors to find it in this early stage.

Dr. Falkenberg scheduled Darrell's radioactove iodine (RAI) treatment for Monday, March 17th. He'll have to check into Huntsville Hospital and stay there for about 48 hours. They'll give him an "internal" treatment rather than external treatment. He'll swallow a pill and then he will be considered radioactive for awhile and will have to be in the hospital room by himself. We've teased him about being one of those "glow worm" dolls that were popular when Amy was a child and that he'll be like a "glow in the dark" figure. .

He'll be able to go home after 48 hours, but will need to be at home for about a week after that, but kinda hang out by himself (sleep in a room by himself, eat out of paper products, etc.). The next week, he can hang out with folks, but not for more than 8 hours at a time. The state of Alabama still requires that he do this. The doctors say that most of the other states don't have as stringent standards as Alabama still has on the effects of this radiactive iodine on the others around whoever has taken the RAI.

After about 10 days, Darrell will have to go back to the hospital and they will do a full body scan to see that all the cancer is gone (or if any had made its way to other parts of his body). This will determine if he will have to have another RAI treatment. If all goes as expected, ALL cancer will be gone from his body and they will continue to just do checkups every few months to see how he's doing.

He will have to take Synthrol (not sure of the spelling--have ya'll noticed I'm not the best speller in the world--especially medical terms?), which is a thyroid hormone--it will make Darrell's body think it still has a thyroid.

Darrell's doing pretty good. Today was a really good day. His medication is not making him feel so "funny" anymore and he didn't have as many "numb" feelings today. One good thing from today was the nurse that checked him in at the cancer institute had similar surgery, lost her voice, was a singer at church, and now her voice is back, good as new. She was able to share things with Darrell that he had wondered about, and that no one else could really understand (one of those "had to be there" situations).

We just thank the Lord that he's doing so well.

We found out tonight that one of our very dear friends found out she had a "mass" in her brain and will need to see a neurosurgeon about what's going on. Please pray for Annalie. She's a "very" special person in our lives--more on that later. Also, remember her husband, Gordon, who will be having some neck surgery very soon. They both need our prayers!

Followup Appointment with the First Surgeon

Darrell went to see Dr. Fernandez today (Monday). He was the first surgeon (from January 17). He was impressed with how good Darrell's voice was sounding compared to a couple of weeks ago. He referred him to Dr. Elizabeth Falkenberg, who is a radiation oncologist. She will be in charge of Darrell's radioactive iodine treatment. Dr. Fernandez said that she will probably put him on a low iodine diet for a little while before the radiation treatment for better success. Darrell has an appointment on Thursday with her. Also, Darrell will revisit Dr. Fernandez in about a month. He just wants to make sure that all the "pieces" are coming together for Darrell's complete recovery, from the cancer to the vocal chords.

Also, Dr. Peters, the surgeon from UAB, wants Darrell to stay in touch with Dr. LaFrentz, the ENT that he saw right after the first surgery and who referred Darrell to Dr. Peters at UAB. He wants Dr. LaFrentz to keep a check on the vocal chords. Darrell has an appointment with him on Friday. We will eventually get in touch with the endicronologists that Dr. Peters referred Darrell to, but that will be after the meeting with the oncologist.

Darrell also had additional bloodwork done today at Crestwood Hospital to check status of his calcium level. He keeps having "numb" experiences, and that is partly due to low calcium. He'll find out those results in a couple of days.

Darrell is not working this week, and we hope this break from work will allow his body to heal up even more from both of the surgeries and get adjusted to the new medicines. It will also allow him to have some down time to "slow" down life just a little and allow for some mental healing and some spiritual reflections. Everything has happened so fast. We're just so grateful to God for being right there with Darrell every step of the way. God has sent the right person at the right time with the right word to encourage Darrell throughout this whole ordeal.

One last note. Several folks have been concerned about how Darrell should be saving his voice, and not whispering. Darrell wants everyone to know that he is NOT whispering, that what you hear is the actual volume of his voice. His left nerve is what is damaged, not his vocal chords, so there is no damage being done to his vocal chords when he talks. That beautiful tenor voice will return again some day. That part is more discouraging than the cancer part, simply because it's more noticable, but we know that the vocal chord left nerve will begin functioning again--we're praying for SOON.

Followup Appointment @ Kirklin Clinic

Darrell had a followup appointment today with Dr. Peters at the Kirklin Clinic. Everything is looking good. The pathology report from the 2nd surgery showed no cancer on the right side. It did report that there was scarring and the Hishimoto disease, but NO cancer! (Thank the Lord!)The incision is healing well.

The numbness that Darrell has been feeling since the 2nd surgery is only temporary and he needs to keep eating "Tums" to get the extra calcium in his body and the numbness will then go away. He was a little worried about eating the extra calcium since he has had kidney stones related to too much calcium in his body in the past.

Dr. Peters recommended an endocrinologist here in Huntsville to do the next phase, which will be radioactive iodine treatment (this will be taken orally). Darrell will have one of these treatments to destroy any lingering thyroid cells. This is normally done at a one or two day hospital stay, but we won't know all the details til Darrell meets with the new doctor.

Dr. Peters asked Darrell to keep seeing Dr. LaFrentz and Dr. Fernandez to keep an eye on the "numb nerve" in the vocal chords. He said that if his vocal chords had not begun working within 6 months, that he wanted to see him again and see what could be done surgically. We're praying that they will begin working again soon. His voice is stronger, but not back to normal yet. The left side is the only damaged side.

We certainly appreciate all the prayers so far and ask that you keep Darrell in your prayers throughout the remainder of this process. It's been a scary process but God has been so good! We love all you guys!

~Vickey

Learning to live with the medication

Today started kinda "tense", but got better as the day went on. Darrell was experiencing "numbing" around his mouth, in his hands, feet, legs, arms, and stomach. They had said at the hospital if he felt any numbness to call the doctor for further instructions. They suggested that he wasn't getting enough calcium (he was supposed to be eating 9 Tums tablets a day and he had not done that). He added more Tums today and it seems to be better. I think this will be a "process" that will be ongoing for awhile til he learns how to take the medication.

Other than that, it was a pretty easy day. I stayed at home with Darrell today, but plan to go back to work on Friday. I might have to fill out a job application to get back into my office.

Rene Cole brought over lunch today (roast and all the goodies and one of her great pecan pies). We sure did enjoy it!

Tomorrow, Darrell goes back to Birmingham for a followup appointment and hopefully we'll get some more details on the next phase of this process--the radioactive iodine pill.
~Vickey

What is your thyroid?

Many people have been asking questions about the thyroid. I've rounded up some resources that explain some things. Some of these things Darrell has done, and some he didn't.

The thyroid gland (the only gland in the body that does this) absorbs iodine from foods and converts it so that it can control your body's metabolism. Every cell in the body depends upon thyroid hormones for regulation of their metabolism. I know that's a whole lot more complicated than that, so read some of the entries below.

Thyroid 101
What is your thyroid gland?
How Your thyroid operates
Your thyroid well being

Quick Update on Darrell

Darrell rested pretty well last night and the incision looked good this morning. His throat is still extremely sore, but that will work itself out later. Today was the first day that he took the thyroid medicine. It's having some of the weird side effects they told us about, so we're watching very closely to see how he will do. Hopefully when we go to the doctor on Thursday, they will begin the adjustments that will not make him feel these side effects. I told him he was going to have to get a 2nd job to support his new "drug habit" (grin) . Thank God for insurance!

We were blessed with a great meal tonight from some of the ladies of the church (Zelda, Tammy, Carolyn & Sharon--these are some of the ladies that I work with on the Ladies Board). It was delicious! Also, God has blessed us financially in some special ways during all the surgeries and expenses. That is something that we had prayed about. God is so faithful!

Matt was the "primary caregiver" today for Darrell--he ran the errands, got lunch, answered the phone, did the "little" things for his Dad. I went to work for a little while to try to get caught up on some things and then had a doctor's appointment (determined to be bronchitis), so I got a shot again and maybe I can get to feeling better and be better able to help Darrell more, since I've felt so rotten for about a week now.

Just continue praying for Darrell to have a complete recovery, all over his body!
~Vickey

The Second Surgery

We stayed at a hotel that was just 2 blocks away from the hospital so that it would be easy to get to the hospital on time and not worry about traffic, weather, etc. We obviously left our brains at home, cause we had to keep calling the front desk to let them know about things that we had left at home--hairbrush, deodorant, razor, etc. We finally got it together enough to get to the hospital.

We arrived at the hospital at about 6:30 a.m. and Darrell got admitted. Darrell's brother Glenn and wife Dale, and his sister Sherry met us in Admitting. Later, Darrell's mom and new "hubby" Dan met us in the waiting area. We had so many folks who came and sat with us during the surgery--Bro. & Sis. Wesson and James Duckworth from church, along with Julie Pierce and Chuck Kennedy from the Birmingham area. Angie & Neal came, too. Some of Dale's family (her brother Jim and his wife Sue) were at the hospital, too, along with Sherry and Darrell's Mom's pastor, Rick Bradley. (I hope I didn't leave out anybody).

The pre-op area was so small so just a couple of folks could come in to see Darrell before surgery. Pastor Wesson and James came back and prayed with Darrell, then some of his family came and visited for a short time. Darrell was so relaxed, compared to the previous surgery. He said God had given him such peace about everything.

Darrell's surgeon, Glenn Peters came in and reassured us that everything was going to go well and when Darrell asked him if the surgery was going to take about the 2 hours that we had been told, he laughed and said that he didn't have enough to take out to take that amount of time. He said it would be much less than that.

He told us that Dr. Boyce (not sure if that's the correct spelling) would be the Anesthesiologist (I'm sure that's not even close to how to spell that word--but I hope you'll know what I'm talking about). He is the person that we had heard about the week before that is the "king of airways", just like we had heard that Dr. Peters was the "king of thyroids.

Dr. Boyce also asked Darrell to tell him about his voice and why it was so quiet and he said that it was just a "numb nerve" and called it something (I'll try to remember the exact medical term) and that he thought it would come back within 6 to 8 weeks. We were ecstatic (what's wrong with my spelling tonight?--not sure if I spelled that word right or not, either)!!!!! Finally someone had told exactly what it was and gave us a "firm" answer when to expect his voice back.

The nurse came in and told Darrell that he had the "dream team" working for him today in surgery, so we knew that we "favor" going into this surgery.

They took him back to surgery at about 8:55 a.m. and before 10:00 a.m. the front desk said that I had a phone call. It was the doctor and he said that the surgery was over (in less than an hour) and that everything had gone really well--no trach was needed--the right nerve "behaved" itself, he didn't need a drain tube, and that things had gone exactly as planned, actually a little better. He said that he would be in recovery up to 2 hours. Within an hour, the nurse from recovery called and said that he was improving so fast, that they would call soon and that I could go back to see him and that if all went well, he could go home pretty soon. We were thinking about mid afternoon, but they let him go home a little after noon! Can you believe that? God just worked everything out today "perfectly".

I can't believe how fast it all happened today, but we just got home from Darrell's surgery (2:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon). Everything went so well and so ahead of schedule, that they sent us home right after noon (which was a couple of hours ahead of when we thought he would come home). Renae Stephenson cooked him some soft food for supper and he ate very well, despite the extremely sore throat.

God has been so good to Darrell during these surgeries. Everything went well--no complications, no drainage tube, no trach, just a miracle and excellence on the part of the "Master Physician" as he used two "dream team" surgeons.

Thank you guys so much for praying. He'll be home this week recuperating. His incision is sore as well as his throat where they had the intubation tube and the ride home wasn't exactly comfortable, but thank the Lord we're home so that he can rest and life can start resembling some side of normalcy again for us.

He goes back to the doctor on Thursday of this week and we'll get report on the right side of the thyroid (which is going to be positive remarks, we are believing) and also instructions on future radiation treatments to destroy the remaining cancer cells on the left side.

Thanks again for your prayers. God is good!

Keep his "spot" warm in the choir!

~Vickey

On to Birmingham

(Written Sunday night, February 3rd)

We had a great day at church today. Darrell and I dropped in at the end of the Sunday School hour and updated our class on Darrell’s situation and they had prayer for us. We are such a “unique” group, none of us having been good friends or acquaintances before going to this class, yet we have “melded” (is that such a word?) together. Darrell and I both felt such love and support from that class. Mike Cole is doing such a good job of obeying God’s leading in that class. We’ve been doing a John Bevere Bible study and can’t wait to get back to our Sunday School class when this is all over.

The choir did an awesome job once again this morning, and we REALLY miss not singing. But SOON, we will BOTH return.

Pastor asked Darrell to come to the front of the church for prayer at the close of service. We received so many hugs, prayers, and encouraging words. Life Church is the most loving congregation! I guess you just don’t realize it til you’re in the situation where you NEED the support of your church, how much love one group of people can show.

Darrell and I drove to Birmingham on Sunday afternoon (in the pouring rain) so that we would already be in the hospital district and not have to drive so far on Monday morning. The boys have decided to stay in Huntsville and go to school on Monday rather than miss school (Matt has an exam and the boys’ friend, Shaston, will take Jacob to school). We’ll be in touch by phone and text with them all day.

We’re anxious, and ready to get this over, but we have great peace in knowing that God is in control. To God be the glory!
~Vickey

The Social Event of the Season

Well, today was the BIG day. Darrell's Mom (Ruth) got married today to Dan Quinn. The wedding was held at Angie & Neal's church in Moulton. Darrell was not scheduled to be in the wedding, but Dan's son came down with double pneumonia, and so Darrell stood in at the last minute as a groomsman. He was a little concerned about wearing a tie over his incision/scar, but it worked out good. All the kids and grandkids were there (with the exception of Logan, who had bronchitis, and Jason's fiancee', Bethany, who had the flu). Several of us have been sick on and off all week, but we mostly recovered for the wedding. It was a beautiful wedding. Angie and Aunt Barbara and all those others who helped did a great job in decorating and food, etc. I'm not sure who all was involved, but they all did a great job.

The bride and groom walked out of the church at the end of the wedding to the music of "Hey, hey, good looking"! Aunt Barbara and Uncle Don "boogied" down the aisle. I've included some photos of the wedding.

Lots of folks were telling Darrell that had been praying and were continuing to pray for him during his surgery on Monday and for his recovery.

Darrell's surgery time for Monday

We talked to the surgery scheduler today from University Hospital in Birmingham. Darrell's surgery will be at 8:30 a.m. on Monday morning, February 4th. If all goes as planned, hopefully he'll get to go home later that day or at the most stay only one night.

His voice was much stronger this morning, but has tired as the day went by. Although, his voice is much stronger than mine right now. This sinus infection is messing with my voice and hopefully the meds will kick in soon.

Keep us in your prayers!
~Vickey