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The last 2 1/2 weeks have been very busy for Meghan with lots of doctors appointments to get her ready to start treatment again. This involved fertility preservation, scans, blood tests, shots everyday at home, etc. Tomorrow Meghan will undergo a procedure to harvest her eggs so that when she beats Hodgkins and grows up she can haver her own babies. [...]
The last months have been very rough for Meghan and her family. As we posted back in February, Meghan underwent biopsy surgery which came back negative. The results from her last PET scan in May showed that the tumor in her chest has begun to grow. It increased in size by 40%. After her chemo treatments and radiation treatment in 2012 the tumor went from 10 cm to 2 cm. On June 19th Meghan had another biopsy surgery and bone marrow biopsys done again. The surgery was much more complicated this time than last and has taken Meghan longer to recover. The bone marrow came back negative but he tumor biopsy shows that the Hodgkins is active again. Meghan's doctor at UMMC has now referred her to be treated at Johns Hopkins as they have medication that is not available at UMMC and has been very successful in treating recurring Hodgkins Disease. We had our first meeting with her new Doctors on Friday and they are very confident that Meghan will beat this. Unfortunately the next several months are going to be very hard for her. The treatment plan (which I will provide additional information on later this week) will involve intense chemo and a stem cell/bone marrow transplant. Sadly, Meghan will not be able to join her friends for their first year of high school, she will be homeschooled again this year and will have to post pone her trip to Hawaii again. Meghan is so strong and has such a great attitude and will get through this a WINNER. Please continue to keep her in your prayers.[...]
Vacations are no fun unless you are 100% feeling great. For now Meghan has asked to reschedule her trip to Hawaii. Meghan's recovery from surgery is improving every day but it is not enough for her to really enjoy the trip she has planned out. So for now we'll stick it out with the rest of you snow covered crazies and hope the temps warm up. Meghan is also looking froward to getting back to school to her friends and teachers. Prayers needed to help Meghan's recovery. dad
Meghan is becoming a runner, logged lots of miles in 2013 looking forward to 2014
Burrrr it sure has been a cold winter and Meghan is on the mend. Keeping up with her school work has her so busy and to show for it she has made honor roll again....... Meghan and Tim are both acing their school year. Meghan has already selected her course for next year as she prepares to enter high school. I guess it's high school then driving then see ya later dad......lol. Christmas and New Years was fun for our family. We finally made a well needed trip to PA to see Grammy, aunts, uncles & cousins, friends. Meghan's last trip to PA was Nov 2012, time sure passes by. January was darn cold and boring, glad it's behind us, enough said. February however will go down as one to remember. For starters Meghan lost a super bowl beat to Tim, she has yet to pay up. Of course Tim's not letting her forget. Then 2/3 thru 2/11 we spent a total of 6 long nights back at UMMC. The first trip we discovered Meghan had to be treated for bronchitis and pneumonia. Which then was the lead for her next trip which turned out to be a painful ordeal for her, but the results received today were FANTASTIC. Meghan's doctors have been watching a mass in her chest and planned to do so thru continued scans. But after the way the week started the doctors determined they really needed to identify the mass now verses waiting. The initial plan was to do the biopsy after Meghan returns from her trip. But as un-luck has it Friday 2/7 doctors performed a biopsy on the mass. Doctors really worked her over, from prep to recovery room was 5 long hours. When she woke after surgery she found a tube sicking out of her. It was a drain tube, it was to be used to help her breath. Meghan said the tube was very painful, even up to it being removed. Meghan was finally released Tuesday 2/11 at 3:00PM. Also on this Tuesday 2/11 at 6 PM was a planned kick off party. OMG she almost missed it. Meghan's wish to travel to Hawaii is just a few short days away. Meghan, Tim, Michele and I leave Monday 2/17 for 7 nights. So Meghan will be recovering on the sandy beaches of Maui, that's kind off Rock Star stuff if you ask me, not your everyday norm. Checking the weather app current temps are in the 80's so let it snow. Pictures and details to follow. Back to the fantastic news we received today. The results from the biopsy were NEGATIVE, Meghan is now one giant step closer in her fight. Meghan is scheduled for another round of scans and tests end of this month, it's our hope the good news keeps on rolling in and testing shifts from every 3 months to 6 months, heck maybe once a year would be nice. To all, please know that Meghan, her doctors, her family and friends are all fighters and have no intention to allow her to be defeated. Thank you all for your prayers, emails, thoughts, cards and kind words of encouragement, it is uplifting to Meghan and us. God Bless dad
Meghan had her follow-up appointment today. Results were not what we were hoping for. So there has been no more shrinkage, and possibly a slight increase in size in the tumor in her chest of about 1mm. Doctors are not overly concerned right now, but Meghan will be going back again in three months for another PET scan. Thoughts are that if there continue to be no more shrinkage then Meghan may have to under go additional radiation treatments. In addition to this news, Meghan's thyroid level is slightly below where it should be. If it is still low after her appt. in three months she will then need to go see an endocrinologist. This is somewhat expected due to the areas that they treated with radiation.[...]
Just wanted to give a quick update about Meghan. She had scans done again last week and we will be going tomorrow for the results. Praying for happy news that they will officially say that she is Cancer free. Please send positive thoughts and prayers. [...]
Meghan is back to school, surrounded by friends and classmates. All is pretty much normal. The first day back for us was super exciting as both Meghan & Tim are now in the same school and riding the same bus. Mt. Airy Middle opened as a brand school, marking a new chapter for Meghan.[...]
