June 4, 2008

Here is the address and phone number at the hospital for Garrett:

Moffitt Cancer Center
12902 Magnolia Drive
Tampa, Florida 33612
Room 502
Room Phone: 813-745-2502

You can call his room telephone number anytime. Please call Mom's cell phone only after 7 pm to save her cell phone minutes.

Garrett has been sleeping most of the day. They sat him up in the chair this afternoon and also had him go in to the bathroom. He felt quite nauseous though. He is comfortable due to the anesthesia and morphine pump. I am sure he will be quite sore tomorrow.

June 4, 2008

Mom just called me a little while ago. Garrett's procedure is done. Everything went well as far as they know right now. The procedure took 1.5 hours instead of 2.5-3. They were able to emoblize the whole right side of his liver because he handled it so well. He is now on a pain pump and resting comfortably. There are no complications at this point. In a month, he will have the left side of his liver embolized. I will update as I get more information from Mom.

Please continue to pray for him that the pain isn't too bad and that he doesn't get an infection or fever.

May 31, 2008

Tomorrow morning, Sunday, June 1st, Mom and Garrett will be leaving for Florida via The Villages for one day and then on to Tampa on Tuesday. Garrett will be admitted on Tuesday at Moffit Cancer Center for pre-op testing. He will be operated on, on Wednesday morning, June 4th, at 10:00 am for the hepatic arterial embolization which will take approximately 2 1/2 - 3 hours if everything goes as planned. He will be in the hospital for 4 - 5 days following the procedure to monitor pain control, infection, and fever. He will have a morphine pump for pain and an IV for antibiotic and fever medication. I will keep everyone posted as information becomes available to me. Please say lots of prayers that the procedure is successful in reducing the size of the liver tumors and that he doesn't suffer too much pain. This is a very painful procedure because it cuts off the circulation to the liver. He will have to have this procedure repeated to do the other half of the liver in 4 - 6 weeks. The commuting makes it difficult for them with how he feels traveling in the car and of course the cost of gas these days! Also, if you will be calling them to check in on his progress, please make as many calls after 7 pm as possible due to cell phone minutes. Thank you all so much for your prayers, love, and support. We ALL appreciate it!

April 23, 2008

I know it has been a while since I have updated the blog. Unfortunately, there haven't been any changes to report. Mom and Garrett have been trying to make some decisions on how they should proceed to get him the treatment he needs. There have suddenly been a couple of other options brought to their attention as well. With that being said, they have decided to give up on Kaiser Permanente because they aren't getting anywhere as far as treatment is concerned. They have decided to go to the Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa where they have several different options for treatment with the doctors he saw in January that specialize in his type of cancer. For now, they will commute to Tampa until their house in Georgia sells. Garrett has tests scheduled for May 5, 6, and 7. As soon as they receive any results, I will update the blog.

Please know that I send out an email to everyone once I have updated the blog. If you don't receive an email, it means nothing has changed and there isn't anything new to report.

February 15, 2008

Garrett's Oncologist called this morning to give him the results of his Cat Scan. There has been growth in two of the lesions in his liver and there are more lymph nodes clustered in his lung that are now involved. Again, the Georgia Oncologist does not have any suggestions at this time for treating the cancer growth. The Oncologist would like to wait three more months and send him for another Cat Scan. Garrett's 24 hour urine analysis, blood work and Cat Scan all confirmed cancer growth. The Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa does have several treatment options for him. Garrett now has some decisions to make as to which route he wants to go....Georgia or Tampa.

February 10, 2008

First of all, on behalf of Garrett....Way to Go, Giants!!

Since Garrett's trip to the Moffitt Cancer Center, he has had many things to consider. He was told that he is definitely not a candidate for a liver transplant. They will not do a liver transplant on a patient that has cancer in other organs. He was given several different treatment options specifically hepatic embollization which they will probably do in the future. Hepatic embollization is a nuclear chemo that goes directly to the tumor to dissolve it. Garrett is continuing with sandostatin injections monthly. He is now going through his second round of complete testing including another full Cat Scan with contrast. This will give them something to compare from the tests in September. The results of his 24 hour urine analysis has come back abnormal. We are waiting on the blood work results now. This week, he will have an echocardiogram and the Cat Scan. After that, we will know where he stands.

Garrett continues to have night sweats, fatigue, back pain and stomach bloating.

Mom and Garrett felt that Moffitt Cancer Center was very competent and they were comfortable with the way they handled Garrett. They wish that they were able to use Moffitt Cancer Center for his care.

Please continue to keep Garrett in your thoughts and prayers.

January 14, 2008

Happy New Year Everyone!

Garrett and Mom are headed to the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida this afternoon for an appointment with Dr. Kvols. Dr. Kvols specializes in Neuroendocrine cancer. They are hoping to leave there with a treatment plan as well as a prognosis on the stage of the cancer as well as his longevity. Garrett's primary care doctor found out that his liver is extremely enlarged. Hopefully Dr. Kvols can give them an idea of his liver function in the future.

Please keep Garrett and Mom in your thoughts and prayers for a safe and beneficial trip. Garrett's appointment is on Wednesday at 2:00 pm.

I am sure Garrett would also like us to root for the Giants next week against the Packers. Go Giants! (Don't tell my husband I said that!)