Visitors

Shawna is home and transitioning well.  Nausea, pain and fatigue are being fairly well managed.  Shawna has organized all her medications and has a schedule that is working well so far.  Alexis is thrilled to have her home and seems to be handling things well.

Shawna is starting to have visitors, but will need to have notice and scheduled visits.  And of course, all visits are dependent on how she's feeling.  Each day has its challenges, and how she feels changes from one day to the next.

Feel free to call for a visit.  Shawna will handle her own schedule and get back to everyone when she can.  Please be aware that there will be no visits in the morning, so plan to see her in the afternoon or evening.

Thanks,
Terri

Transitioning Home

It looks like Shawna will be discharged home tomorrow.  She is off intravenous fluids and has had some changes in medication in preparation for discharge.  She went home on a pass Sunday afternoon, which went well.  She is having one more change in medication today and if all goes well, she'll be home in her own bed tomorrow night.

We met with the palliative physician this morning, who answered all of her questions and will make the appropriate arrangements for discharge.  She will be supported at home by palliative home care team.  She has arranged for needed equipment, medications and all other necessities.  She is still very much in charge of her own care.

After she has transitioned home and is settled, I will post her progress and let everyone know when she can have visitors.  Pray for a comfortable trip home tomorrow.  I will update as news become available.

Thanks,
Terri

Our dear Shawna

An update for you...

This morning, the oncology team told Shawna that there are no further treatment options for her and they will be taking a palliative approach.  The dural biopsy showed that the cancer has metastasized to her brain.  Her goal is to be discharged home early next week, but for that to happen her pain has to be managed without intravenous support.  She is hoping to go home on a day pass this weekend to get a bit of a break from the hospital.  Shawna is at peace with the news.

Alexis knows some, but not all of the details.  She is aware that her Mom is hoping to come home next week.  Shawna will have palliative home care to support her, Will and Alexis.  Shawna's Mom will also stay on to help support them.

I have spent time with her lately, and she looks good.  Beautiful, as always.  She is feeling well enough to get up when she needs to, eat when she's hungry, tell stories and share a laugh.  I am so very proud of her and amazed at her ongoing strength.  Sharon has been an amazing support, getting medical details to help facilitate her care and keep Shawna aware of all that's going on outside her door.  Christine is flying in tonight, and we will all be with her to share all that's happening with her and to kiss her goodnight.

I will continue to keep you all posted.  Pray for her - comfort, peace, and time with her family.  Pray for Alexis and Will.  May they all feel our love and support.

Thanks.
Terri

Update - August 19th

Hi all.  Here is an update from Shawna and Will.

Earlier this month, Shawna was admitted to Foothills Hospital.  She had been to Emergency twice for pain control and because the doctors could not determine what was causing the pain in her head, she was be admitted for i.v. pain control and investigation.  It has been rough, but the physicians have been able to help manage her pain and nausea.  Her relief has been inconsistent however, and the team has been monitoring her closely.   She has had a lumbar puncture to test her cerebral spinal fluid for possible infection, the results of which were clear.  She had a dural biopsy on Saturday, the results of which won't be back for several days.

Shawna has, as always, been amazingly strong.  She is unable to have visitors due to her severe pain and nausea.  But she knows we are all thinking of her and is grateful for everyone's support and prayers.  Thankfully, her parents have arrived from Fort Frances to help them and Alexis through this admission to hospital and transition back home.

The blog will be updated as we have more information.
Thanks,
Terri

August update

It's been a month since my last note, and I'm starting to get curious and concerned emails and phone calls, so it is high time to fill y'all in on the latest.  (The "y'all" is just to make you smile...I may live in the west, but I haven't embraced it to that degree!)

So, to be honest, I've felt lousy much of this summer mostly due to fatigue and aching jaw pain and numbness.  My bood tests were initially fine, but towards the end of July my hemoglobin (red blood cells) dropped as low as 76 (normal is over 120), so I got a blood transfusion.  It helped a bit.  I've also seen a dentist and oral surgeon about my jaw, but they think it's cancer related rather than a dental issue.  One of the drugs I'm on has a rare risk of bone death of the jaw, so I have stopped that medication for now.  A CT scan has ruled out new cancer spots on my jaw, so that's a relief.  It doesn't seem to be worsening, so let's hope it gradually goes away.

As if that weren't enough, on Monday of this week I developed a severe headache with blurry vision and nausea.  We have been at family camp at Camp Caroline (aka "Camp Cadillac"...I'll explain later) since Sunday.  I felt so awful, I had Will drive me back to Calgary last night and take me to Emergency.  With how my scans have gone in the past year, I was utterly convinced they would find that the cancer had spread to my brain.  You can imagine my relief and absolute gratitude when they told me my brain is clear still!  It doesn't explain the headaches, but it does remove the fear.  I'll spend some time looking up my medications to see if any of them have headaches as a side effect.  In the meantime, I've agreed to take regular doses of pain meds until it subsides.

After all this complaining, I'd like to highlight some things I/we are grateful for this summer:
- My body is essentially pain-free from the neck down.
- Alexis loved her week away on her own at Pine Lake Camp
- We have enjoyed good family time at home and at Camp Caroline.  It is quite posh for a Christian camp, with an indoor pool, gym, private rooms, a counsellor dedicated to each family, archery, a "Goliath swing", high ropes course, zipline and horseback riding (all of which Alexis has gone on and loved).
- Will's and my mini-getaways to Banff and Waterton, where we celebrated our 13th anniversary.
- Our new used car (our Corolla was becoming a mechanical pain in the butt, so we traded it in for a 2003 VW Passat station wagon).
- The few times I've felt well enough to bike or hike in our neighbourhood.
- Will's antibiotics are done, his CT scan is booked and the plan is to have a synthetic bone put back in his head in September, and he's been given approval to return to work in October, Lord-willing.
- Stable finances, thanks to the online auction and generosity of family and friends (and strangers!).
- Lots of offers of help.
- A publicly-funded health care system (can you imagine if we lived elsewhere and had to go through both of our health problems?!)

I'm sure there are lots more, but that covers it for now.  Next week, Alexis and I are off to Ontario for an 11-day trip to see family and friends.  We'll be in Sarnia, Thunder Bay, Fort Frances and Winnipeg, so if you live in one of those places, we look forward to seeing you soon.

And for the rest of you, may God bless you and your families as you wind up your summer.

Love, Shawna for the Pyntens