It feels like forever since I last updated everyone with a
“real” update. So will do my
best. Audrey has turned one since
we last wrote a blog, and that was a celebration and an emotional one at that. She seemed to turn one overnight
because of how fast the last five months have gone by. If the situation were less overwhelming,
we think we may have been able to enjoy this irreplaceable time more.
Prior to William’s scan, Charlotte surprised us with the
chain links of positive encouraging words, scriptures, and quotes that so many
of you worked on and got to Charlotte to surprise us with by putting them on
our Christmas tree. As per below
in the picture you can see we were literally “wrapped” in your love and support
as we waited to have William’s scan. Thank you so much to all those who participated. We feel so honored to have each of you
in our lives, continuing to show us that the support still exists.
William and I were anxious about the scan we had Sunday,
December 22, 2013. Before
William’s scan he asked me to give him reassurance that the scan would be
“clean and okay?” “Of course!” I
replied. “It will be fine” and
prayed my game face was enough to keep him positive. Even though deep down you are always worried it may not be this time but I was pretty confident it
would be. So after a day spent
with the girls we went back to MD Anderson the next day and were thrilled to
hear the news on Monday, December 23, 2013 that the tumor was stable and thus
far the chemo and radiation were doing their job to keep it that way. The MD said, “William’s brain continues
to move and shift back into a better position since the surgery.” He felt that William was doing very
well and was impressed with how the two of us continue to handle all of
this. It was so nice to hear the
MD confirm this, because we really are trying. I mean it is tough, but we are doing the best we can to keep
moving forwards and staying as positive as possible, although we both will
admit it is not always the way we feel.
We are only human right?
Anyways, but the MD confirming and spending time with us on this made me
feel like he really cared about “us” and we were not just another patient. After waiting a little over 3.5 hours
for the pharmacy at MD Anderson to fill his chemo medications we were on our
way home to celebrate the news with the girls and try and enjoy some of our
Christmas holiday and that we did!
We had anticipated so much and knew that the scan would make our
Christmas what it would be – We are so blessed and thankful it was a wonderful
one! .
Dr. Gilbert, his neuro-oncologist said, “You know if you
look back about 6 months ago and thought you would be sitting here in my office
today dealing with a brain tumor diagnosis, you would have thought, ‘No way!’. This has really put a change in your
lives, and that isn’t easy.”
Everyone else’s life around you continues to move forwards and while ours
does as well, we continue to live this “nightmare” diagnosis. It doesn’t just go away; we just choose
most days to not allow it to invade our concerns.
Christmas was extra special this year. I really tried to enjoy and soak up
every minute of it. I took more
pictures and watched William interact so much with the girls, which wasn’t
anything new, but I just treasured the moments a little more.
Christmas passed faster this year and maybe because of the
scan it affected us, but the New Year fast approached. We were able to reflect on the
blessings that have been presented to us this year including having realized
how many people care about us and are here to support us while William
continues to beat this! We are so
appreciative and can’t ever put into words how much each of you no matter how
great or small has helped us in some way and gave us the encouragement to hold
our heads up and keep going. We
are grateful. We do not look back
on 2013 with sadness even though it was a rough year with Audrey being born
blind and not gaining any sight until she was 5 months old, or William’s brain
diagnosis, but one that has offered us insight and taught us how much we are
loved, cared about, and how we need to enjoy every minute instead of just going
through life as a routine and letting it fly by. I was specifically
blessed in 2013 with much strength from God to handle all of this and keep
‘trucking’ my way through as a wife, mother, physical therapist, and as a
caregiver. We have learned to
appreciate each other more and say, “thank you” to each other. Reflecting on 2013 has made me realize
quality time has never meant so much.
We are also so blessed by so many of you who have helped contribute
through food, gift cards, words of encouragement, donations both through the
website and the benefit. These
have all really helped us out so much along the way with medical expenses and
offsetting some of the burdens of cooking and financial stress as well as
keeping our spirits lifted.
William started his next round of chemo on Monday, December
30, 2013. So far he has been
fatigued and nauseous only. Please
keep him in your prayers that his nausea stays at bay and that his energy
levels don’t get knocked too low. Pray
too that he stays well as for 2.5 weeks he was sick with a hacking cough that
did not allow for much rest. We
don’t want him to catch anything else during this cold and flu season.
As I write this tonight, I want
you each to realize how much I appreciate you and am thankful to you all and to
God. I want to reiterate how proud
I am of my husband. I cannot tell
you how much I admire his stamina, his ability to stay headstrong and focused
on beating this, his energy to make time for each of us every day, his ability
to keep a smile on his face almost all the time despite not feeling well or being
worried about the next step, his ability to teach the girls and show them what
a father should be like. I am
proud of him and so fortunate to have him as my husband. I pray to God each night that he allows
me to continue sharing more special times with him and that I am blessed with
many minutes, days, hours, and years with the man I married. I am so lucky. Our anniversary is coming up on January
8, and I feel like I am so privileged to have known William since I was 15 and
honored to have been his wife for almost 9 (so far J). William is my hero, how he does it I don’t know. I know I couldn’t handle what he is,
being the caregiver is hard enough, and it isn’t anything compared to what he
has to do.
The Lewis Family hopes that you all had a wonderful
Christmas, Holiday Season, and a blessed New Year and that 2014 brings us all a
better year than the last!
Specific Prayer Requests:
- The rest of this round of chemotherapy is manageable with minimal side effects, and effective at destroying the cancer in William’s brain.
- We continue to focus on what’s truly important—the quality time we have with each other.
- Prayers for a GREAT 2014!
- Prayers that the scan in February will continue to be clean and stable!
- Prayers of thanksgiving for the good news in December and the
current state of William’s health.
Audrey 1 year old - compliments of Ashley Grimmer Photography
Audrey Checking out the moose!
Audrey at Nan's house
Having fun on the horse at her Nan's
Wrapped in the chain link - thank you!
Wrapped in your love!
Making Christmas Cookies with Aunt Bree and our neighbor Michelle in Team William shirt - day of his scan!
Yummy Cookies with Aunt Bree and Abigail
Christmas Eve dinner with Lewis family
Christmas Week at Michelle's house (neighbor)
Chairs they received for Xmas - Thank you!
Best family pic we could get 2013
Thanks for the pajamas - Ashley Grimmer!
These Superhero dolls came from my college roommate - Danielle Gain McCoy for the girls for Christmas! WE are all still fighting this one! Thanks for the spirit gifts and the love!
