Shoulder surgery

Well, we're rid of the cancer, and hopefully after today, we're on our way to "complete" good health. Darrell has been suffering for about 6 months now with a frozen shoulder. He's been to physical therapy and massage therapy, been put to sleep so that the doctor could "manipulate" it, and taken a thousand pain pills, but still has pain. Today, he had minor surgery (if there is such a thing as minor surgery) on his shoulder at the Surgery Center. They found a small spur and shaved it off. The doctor also "manipulated" the shoulder some more, and hopefully this time it worked. Tomorrow starts round two of his therapy. We're ready for good health!

The Report is In!

Cancer free! That's the report. Darrell went to the doctor last Thursday (March 26, 2009). He went to see Dr. Falkenberg. She excitedly clapped her hands and told him the good news. I'm not good at all the "medical" terms, but here's the results of all his recent bloodwork: his thyroid globin? count last year after the radiation treatment was a 5.0. What is normal is 2.0, so that's what the doctor was looking for. That count has something to do with possible tumors in the body. Darrell's count from the bloodwork was actually a 1.7--better than what it was supposed to be! Also, the full body scan that he had done last week showed no signs of cancer in his body. Ain't God good?

Darrell got the opportunity to testify in church on Sunday morning and tell his good news. It surprised me cause I didn't know he was going to do that. He got a standing ovation from the congregation. (and lots of tears).

God has been so very good to the Sullivan family throughout Darrell's sickness. We have truly been blessed by God and His goodness. We appreciate all the prayers of our family, friends, and others for all your prayers, inquiries, words of encouragement, and best wishes.

Whew! What a year! and what a testimony!

Still Waiting and Vickey's Day at the Hospital

We're still waiting on results from Darrell's body scan and blood work. They have not called with the scan results, so we're guessing he will find out about them tomorrow at his doctor's appointment with Dr. Falkenberg. We're still trusting God that it will be good news!

Vickey has had a couple of interesting days. I was scheduled for my first colonoscopy (yuck). I had heard from lots of people about their episodes but I was not at all prepared for what the "preparation" was going to be. Everyone had said how horrible the stuff that you have to drink to "clean you out" before the procedure, but I had never asked anyone what it tasted like. I cannot describe how horrible it tasted. Darrell says that it tastes like ocean water. Someone today at the hospital said it tasted like "alka seltzer slime". Not sure what I would call it, but it was so bad that even holding my nose, I still tasted it. YUCK! I finally drank it all on Tuesday night and endured the night visiting the bathroom dozens of times.

All went well with the procedure. A couple of pollops, but everything was good. "Come see me in another 10 years" was the doctor's response. I told Darrell that I hope they either have a better way of preparation before then or either I hoped the rapture takes place before then so that I don't ever have to do that again .

Awaiting Test Results

No news from the scan on Friday yet. The hospital folks told Darrell on Friday when the scan was over that the results would be ready either late that afternoon or on Monday. He had to get some bloodwork done, also, but those results won't be ready til Thursday, so he might not hear from any of the results til Thursday. So, we're waiting, again. .

A Week of Doctors and Hospitals

This is the week that we have been waiting for the last year. Darrell will have his final "full body" scan on Friday to show a "cancer-free and clear" body! He went to Clearview Cancer Institute here in Huntsville yesterday and this morning to get two shots (these shots in essence stop the effects of his thyroid medicine-Synthroid). Then on Wednesday he will go to the hospital and take the radiation pill which will help show on the scan on Friday if there is any lingering cancer cells from the thyroid cancer from last year. We're praying for a
no show" report! Darrell should know the results on late Friday or the following Monday. Just keep praying with us that everything will turn out A-OK!

A year later

A year has come and gone and we are continuing to thank God for bringing Darrell through the whole cancer episode. He is doing well - no complications with the medicine or anything dealing with the cancer. His medication took a little while to adjust to the correct level, but everything is fine now. He will be undergoing a "full body scan" pretty soon to look to make sure there are no "tags" of cancer left in his body. We are believing God that all is well. There's been a little glitch with what the insurance wants to do and what his doctor wants to do, so we're still waiting for that to get settled. If the insurance thing doesn't get worked out, he will have to wait til June to do the scan.

Back in the fall, Darrell's shoulder "froze" up on him and he couldn't lift his left arm very far. He took therapy and it didn't seem to change anything, so in December he went into the hospital for Dr. Jansen to put him to sleep and "break up" that frozen shoulder. He is still continuing to take therapy (for at least 5 or 6 more weeks) and is at about 75% back to normal, but his shoulder is not quite healed up yet. Pray that he regains full movement in that arm/shoulder so that he can get back to normal.

I told him he was just getting old and all his body parts are proving that to him. (but then again, I have to remember that I'm that age, too, so I better not talk too loud .

We'll update again after the "full body" scan. God has been so very good to the Sullivan family and we are very thankful for His many blessings. We are also extremely thankful to great friends and family who have been so faithful to pray for us and encourage us through all of the sickness we have endured this past year. You will never know what your encouraging words have meant to us. God bless you all!