CarrieN~Here's my "personal" reply 2 your 8-19-17 ltr re EC recurrence now U R Stage IV!

LorettaMarshall

Oh my dear Carrie ~ Your letter brings sighs of sorrow to my heart.   We’ve talked in the past.  However, I missed reading your post on June 2, this year, but I see that Ed and Paul both wrote to you.   Although quite a few read that post but I had to go back and find when you had the esophagectomy.  I knew that you wrote in March 2017 that you would be having the surgery.  Frankly this “CSN” search isn’t as “user friendly” as I would wish.    That is why I wish that each person would continue to go back to their original post and put subsequent questions there.  It makes it easier for me.  And most often, people only “sign” in and don’t post anything on their “about me” page that gives me a better understanding of their plight.  I say that for anyone who might write here in the future.  “Would you be so kind as to answer a few questions on the “about me” page that would give us a clue as to how long you’ve been wrestling with this demon, be it Barrett’s Esophagus, Hiatal hernia, acid reflux, persistent Heartburn, Esophageal Cancer or whatever?  

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            So this what you wrote about on June 2^nd, 2017.  https://csn.cancer.org/node/309998

 “Hi, I just had my first follow-up pet-ct scan post my esophagectomy. They found several new and and enlarging pulmonary nodules. All are small right now. My Dr. is presenting it to the board for a decision on whether to do a biopsy or just keep and eye on it. He said it is very possible that it is not metastases and not too loose sleep over it (yeah right). Has anyone ever experienced this and if so, what was your outcome? 

I'm also having problems recovering from the esophagectomy.  I have already had two dilations and am now starting to have problems swallowing again.  Any idea how long this will continue?  Life feels like a roller coaster right now. I'm trying to get back to work, back to being a mom and wife, but I feel like I keep getting knocked down.”

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Before commenting on this letter, I will say that am I ever sorry I missed reading your June 2^nd post.  I would have never settled for “just watching it.”  I would have insisted on a “biopsy” especially since there were “several nodules”.  Sometimes something will show up on a scan that is “small”, but “several new and enlarging pulmonary nodules” would have kept me up all night.  Yes, you bet I would have “lost some sleep”! 

I would have said, “Can we do a biopsy?  What if they are cancerous?”  But Carrie, all of us start out as “newbies” and know little about our cancers.  We “rely” on the doctors to “know more than we do.”  But I quickly learned that if I didn’t do my own research, the doctors were not going to “spoon feed” me.  As newbies, we didn’t even know how to spell “Esophageal”, much less know what questions to ask.  But since the day I asked the Gastroenterologist “How do you spell Esophageal?” it has been my desire to know more and to share with others just coming on board, the things that we have learned along the way.  These are “lessons” in a “school of hurt” that I never dreamed I would be enrolled in!

Now Carrie, I’m dismayed that the doctors did NOT act aggressively and try to determine what the presence of these pulmonary nodules could mean.  Obviously, they were just “guessing” but with their experience, they no doubt knew that “metastasis” was a possibility.  Now I must say that this gives more credence to the USNews&World Health report that at MDA in Houston, Gastric cancers were not one of their major specialties.   And now that I read what they told you, I am angry that this is what you were told.  You mustn’t blame yourself, but then we’re often prone to do that.  What do we say, “Hindsight is always 20/20!”  What’s done is done, but now you’ve gotten smart enough to not “just take the word of MDA”.  That brings up to the post you wrote today about the “cancers.” 

(A note here about my own Stage IV diagnosis.  I first went to my GP in November of 2012, thinking I had a hernia.  He examined me by “touch” and said, “I think it probably IS a hernia.  Do you just want to “watch it?”  And before I said a word, he said, “I can tell by the look on your face that you don’t want to watch it.”  (No not after having a husband diagnosed with EC—I’m not in favor of “watching” something!”  And so he set me up an appointment for a 2^nd opinion.  But before my appointment, I had some unusual groin pain and nausea, one weekend.  I had gone to the ER for the “small knot” I could feel right below my waistline.   The ER folks asked, “Why are you here?”  I said, “I think I have a hernia.”  Two hours later a CT scan revealed something quite different.  It said, “Peritoneal Carcinomatosis!” WHAT???  This was a stage IV diagnosis before I went to UPMC for my 2^nd opinion, exploratory surgery, and a PET scan. So within a 3-week span, I had had two opinions, and the second one revealed even more than the first one.  That gives credence to what Mayo Clinic said about only 12% of First opinions were completely correct.

Now I know that Ed who writes here as “DeathorGlory” has had a long run since his recurrence years ago now.  He is faithful to answer and encourage others to not give up when they hear the word “recurrence.” I know we have another EC patient, “JoelC” which has had a recurrence.  As far as I know, Joel is still with us.  He posts occasionally.   Now I know that you did have an Esophagectomy at the end of March of this year.  As a Stage III EC, 38-year old mom, naturally that is what you should do.  By the way, did you have a MIE?  It’s only been 5 months since your surgery, and dealing with adjusting to a “new normal” is difficult in itself.  But now we “fast forward” to an even bigger adjustment.  A Stage IV diagnosis! 

Now I know we can be honest with one another Carrie.  I like your attitude.  You will deal with it because you have too much to lose if you drown yourself in self-pity.  I see that you’re determined to find the best answer possible to this dilemma.  Even though these lung nodules have tested positive, there is the possibility that further spread might be “warded off –knocked back for quite a long time” with some strong adjuvant (post-op) chemo treatments. We all groan when even thinking of the possibility of “more chemo!” Uuuggghhhh!  There are worse things “waiting in the wings for me as well, but I’m putting them off presently.  Anything I agree to do in the future will not be as effective as my past treatments.  Right now my quality of life is too good to interrupt it and start down another route with no “road signs” along the way.

My oncologist sometimes uses only a CT scan, but sometimes he orders a PET/CT scan.  A combination scan was performed back in June of this year for my husband who was diagnosed with EC, Stage III (T3N1M0) back in 2002.  He had a successful MIE surgery.  Since then he has had numerous follow-ups and scans.  So far the results have been “no evidence of disease (NED).”

So let’s keep hope alive from that standpoint.  Look at how long Ed has lived even after his recurrence, even though it has not been trouble free.   Perhaps some aggressive chemo or clinical trial could provide a longer period of “progression-free survival” (PFS).  That is the name of the game for Stage IVs short of a miraculous healing.  Now our omnipotent God could direct all of us down a path to being cancer free, but that is known only to Him.  A “roller-coaster” ride as a child was thrilling, but as an adult the EC roller coaster isn’t a “thrill a minute!”  There really aren’t any guarantees in a cancer treatment that I can think of.  However we Stage IVs hope to experience a long period of “Progression Free Survival (PFS). 

As evidenced by MDA’s reputation for accuracy in your case thus far, they would not be MY first choice for a clinical trial.  Numerous hospitals are conducting clinical trials.  The purpose of a clinical trial is to see if there are less toxic chemo combos that will have as good, or better, results than the traditional treatments that have already been approved by the FDA. 

By now most people that read what I have to say know that I speak from the heart, but also very plainly.  We have to face life in the moment, even when things seem dark, dreary and hopeless.  At the same time, we have to explore all possibilities and “keep our heads about us at the same time.”  As for me, I’m not counting on a “cure”.  My oncologist told me only a couple of weeks ago, we NEVER use the word “cure” for our EC patients.   I remember my husband asking years ago now, “Should I be saying I’m cured?”  He said, “I’d prefer you say that you are in REMISSION.”  We say that because there is always a possibility of recurrence.  Meanwhile, we aren’t letting that possibility crowd out enjoying the quality of life we enjoy today.  It may recur, but then again my husband may die of some other cause, and never have a recurrence.  

            For starters, you are very smart to seek other opinions.  And if you notice, in my long letter to Bill, who says he is going to “kick cancer’s you know what”, his wife thought MDAnderson in Houston was the best place to go.  And I notice by some of the TV ads from MDA and Cancer Treatment Centers of America, one would think they are the very best, but that’s a bit misleading.  The ads would lead one to think, “My, if I could only go there, I could be cured!”  But in fact, according to USNews&World Health Report, MDA in Houston, Texas isn’t ranked as one of the top hospitals to go to for Gastric surgeries.  Esophageal cancer falls in the category of Gastroenterology and GI Series.  Hospitals are ranked according to their expertise in specialties.  It takes into account the number of patients treated, their diagnosis, the severity, their morbidity, length of hospital stay, etc.  I share that link with you below my name.

 As a matter of fact, another hospital in Houston ranks higher than MDA.  HOUSTON METHODIST is ranked #12 in the GI series category, along with being ranked the best hospital in TEXAS.  So when we think of a cancer hospital, they are not all the same.  Some hospitals are better at treating one type of cancer (in this instance Esophageal cancer) than another.  So I would certainly want to make my own choice as to which medical facility to go to next.  If I were you, I would not just take the recommendation of the medical team that has been “treating” (watching) you presently.  They might just refer you to yet another one of their cohorts.  It seems more likely that you could receive a completely unbiased opinion about further treatment from a new set of physicians not affiliated with the first group.  That is why I have sent you via private e-mail specific references for one Dr. Edward Y. Chan, who is highly qualified in the field of Esophageal and Lung cancer.  He is a thoracic surgeon, and though very young, has already written several medical articles and research papers accepted for publication in leading medical journals.  This is a starting point for you.  There may be another one that you prefer to consult with somewhere else, so what I’ve sent to you is my best effort to help in some way.

             Also, it didn’t help to read the report that came out from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota this April 2017 that stated that only 12% of first opinions remained the same, when patients came to their facility for a SECOND opinion.  Mayo in Rochester, MN, ranks #1 in the Gastroenterology/GI series of treatments.  If that alarming report about 1^st opinions, doesn’t cause us to get a 2^nd opinion, what will?  Sometimes we are just too “intimidated” to talk with our medical team about having a consultation with another group.  Actually, insurance companies most often will pay for a 2^nd opinion.  Perhaps the procedures recommended by the first medical team may not even be required.  But we have to “get past the “Will-I-hurt-my-doctor’s-feelings” stage.  WHAT ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS?  He/she has many patients and they are not all facing life-threatening illnesses!  Ed (DeathorGlory) and I first replied when you wrote here http://csn.cancer.org/node/308188.  You asked if surgery were necessary if your chemo/radiation treatments wiped out all the tumor.  We both answered in the affirmative.  YES, surgery is necessary. 

 Then “Colleni2” expressed doubts about her husband having surgery because he was 75.  Seventy-five years of age is not an “elimination” factor.  It all depends on the total health of the EC patient.  We’ve conversed with more than one person over 75 who has had a successful esophagectomy.  So I would NEVER forego the “privilege” of having surgery because there was a possibility that it “could or would return.”  The sequence of events is to “try to get rid of the cancer first, and then cross the “recurrence” bridge if and when one gets there.  Yes, recurrence is always possible, but here we have Paul now into his 7^th year of remission with no recurrence.  We have “ED” still alive over 5 years after his recurrence, and my own husband, now into his 15^th year of remission after his MIE.  So miracles do happen.   We can’t let the “what-ifs” paralyze us.

 Yes, in all honesty, many do have a recurrence.  But I sincerely believe that if a person has been properly diagnosed as a Stage III, or a lower stage, the best chance for longevity is to have the surgery.  Clinical trials have proven that the tri-modal approach that includes chemo/radiation/surgery offers the best outcome.  The least invasive of all esophagectomies is the “Ivor Lewis Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy” (MIE).  I would only want to go for a 2^nd opinion to one of the major medical facilities that are known for their successes in this particular type of surgery.  Houston Methodist performs MIEs.  Even then some hospitals are better than others, so a larger hospital will have more patients, and more experience in dealing with difficult cases.

In that regard in past conversations, I remember talking with Dr. Luketich and discussing some of the cases we had read about here on line.  We asked why one might have so many dilations, and have difficulty swallowing even after the surgery.  You mention you are having a problem.

In one case, a person was having difficulty in swallowing and was having “repeated-repeated-repeated” dilitations.  I remember Dr. Luketich saying that it is critical that when performing an esophagectomy, that the “new gastric conduit” NOT BE TWISTED” at the point of anastomosis.  (The point at which the two organs are rejoined.)  That is sometimes a problem.  He said that he often has patients come to him for “repairs” because of this problem.)

Now a “twisted conduit” isn’t the same as a tiny ridge of scar tissue that sometimes builds up around the anastomosis.  A dilatation (aka dilation) helps with that.  The two conditions are entirely separate entities.  My husband had two dilations, the first one about 3 weeks after his surgery, and then one more during the first 6 months.  Since then there has never been a problem.  He didn’t have trouble swallowing, he just kept clearing his throat and had a cough.  As soon as he explained that to Dr. Luketich, we were told that this is not uncommon soon after surgery because of the scar tissue factor. 

As I say, there’s no way to tell whether or not the cancer will return, but no one should forego an esophagectomy if they qualify for one, just because there is a possibility that it might come back.  I’ll take the gamble any day!

And in my own case, having presented with a Stage IV diagnosis (Peritoneal Carcinomatosis/Ovarian Cancer Stage IV) right out of the gate back in November of 2012, had I not been aggressive and taken a chance on life, I would not be writing here today. So even though the Stage IV road is a treacherous one, if there are measures that can be taken that hold a good possibility of having some quality of life afterward, then I will take that chance.  And it is a “CHANCE”.  There are no guarantees.  And I will tell you that I almost died with my very first chemo treatment because I had a severe reaction two minutes after the first infusion began.  But it was not my time to leave this earth.  And during the first week after my Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) I said to myself, “Am I going to live or die?”  I knew this surgery to remove all “non-essential” organs was my best chance at longevity, yet I wondered if I were going to “make it” out of the hospital.  In fact I was there for 42 days because of an infection and my incision from between my breast to the pubic area breaking open!  What a nightmare?   

Speaking of a nightmare, at the first I was only allowed ice cubes till my bowels “woke up”.  It was difficult for me to even get out of the bed to go to the bathroom.  But what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a middle-aged man walking into my room in only his underwear!  He was sleepwalking.  He came through the door and started putting his hands on the wall as he walked further and further into my room.  He didn’t make it all the way around to my bed before the nurses rushed into the room and grabbed him.  Fortunately, the nurses’ station was right outside my room!  But I lay there helpless and in shock thinking, “What am I going to do?  Yes, pushing my “help button” should have been my first thought, but I was so distracted by his entry that I sorta’ froze for a moment.  Now I do have a loud voice, and I’m sure I would have “screamed” had he actually came farther, but there was a table, and a TV that he would have to pass by before he could get to my bed.  So far he was using the “hands-on-the wall navigational system.”  He was also “feeling along the wall and looking at the wall. Just thought I would throw that in here for a bit of humor. 

There were some pleasurable experiences along the way.  For one, there was a caring respiratory nurse, who came in on her day off, and visited rooms and sang to the patients.  She asked what I would like to hear.  I told her, “A Bridge Over Troubled Waters.”  She didn’t have that piece of music with her but came back on a different day and sang it just for me.  Reliance on the Lord coupled with some good doctors, and caring and praying family and friends have been a dependable “bridge” for me.  Now I must admit I have memories of a “swinging bridge” in a little town of Bassett, VA where I used to live as a child.  So along the way, for me and my husband as well, there have been times when we felt like we were on a “swinging bridge” that spanned a rushing river below.  Yes, I had to hold onto both sides to get across to go to the school that was on the other side.  So no matter where you are on the bridge, grasp tightly to both sides as your weave your way across!

One of those times I found myself on the bridge, and wasn’t sure I could make it across.  I remember calling a nurse into my room at 2:00 A.M. in the morning, and asking her to look in my bedside table, and read some Bible verses to me that I had brought with me.  I won’t put them all here but they were special verses that spoke to me deep in my soul.  I had read them often at home during my chemotherapy treatment.  They were promises that I clung to, and still do, knowing that actually I wasn’t in control of this situation, but my Lord was.  The nurse spent at least half an hour with me.  We discussed my condition and she shared some times in her life when she put her trust in the Lord when things seemed hopeless.  Thank God that she was a caring and understanding nurse.  I needed to renew my faith and trust that God had not “forgotten” me.  And I say, even to this day, that God expects me to avail myself of all the things he has “gifted” doctors with down here on earth.  He doesn’t expect me to try to figure out the future.  He’s the only one that knows what “tomorrow” holds.   (I had only one that was not.  I asked that she no longer come into my room!  And when writing evaluations of the service there, I wrote quite a write-up that I hope went into her record.)

And Carrie—one other thought—yes do keep in your feeding tube (J-tube) obviously.  I trust you still have your port in, if not you certainly should.  Repeated “sticks” looking for a good vein can be a problem.

            Note:  I’m just finalizing my letter I first started to write you a week ago.  We here always like to know if the EC patient has been tested for the HER2 plus factor. Actually at first it was thought that only Breast Cancer (BC) patients had this “over-expressive” gene that possessed more receptors than other cells, thereby causing the cancer to multiply much more rapidly.  But then it was discovered that EC patients were being found to possess the same type of overactive “oncogene”.  And so back in 2011, the FDA also approved the use of HERCEPTIN for EC patients.  So I’m glad to know that you were tested for that, and found to be negative.  For those who test positive, there is a drug that is administered along with other chemo drugs and has been highly successful in curtailing the cancer’s spread.  “ED” can attest to that.  Herceptin can also be used as a maintenance drug even after chemo treatments are completed.

 Lastly, sad to say, there is no “pill or injection” for your aching heart.  And your 8-year old daughter will not be able to “accept” this at her tender age.  So if for no other reason, I would search for some possible series of treatments—to try to assure you of more time to be with her.  Now I’m not discounting your husband and his thoughts of “How am I going to raise our daughter without my lovely wife Carrie?”  Of course that has entered his mind as it does for everyone who has a spouse diagnosed with cancer.  Yes, he is hurting but in a different way.  There’s no way that he can know the pain and anxiety that you’ve been through already, even though he is as supportive and loving as he can be.  All of you are hurting.  But he is “as lost as you are” as to where to find the most help.  Your disappointment with MDA is understandable.  This is a terrible predicament to be in.  But given that, I remember that we were raising 4 grandchildren at the time my husband was diagnosed.  Our youngest grandson was 7 at the time.  Another granddaughter was 9, and another grandson was 12—the oldest of course was in his “early teens” but in his mind a grown man!  You’re not there yet, but I know you want the pleasure of “wrestling with those teen-age years.”  Allow me a bit of humor here.  We still have a sign in our computer room that reads: 

 

“TEENAGERS!  Tired of being hassled by Your Stupid Parents?

Act Now

Move out, Get a Job, Pay your Own Bills…

While You Still Know EVERYTHING.”

 

Initially, my husband said, “We can’t go anywhere because we have to stay here for the grandkids. The Lord worked things out. I credit it to “divine providence” rather than “it just happened”.   There was a lovely lady who volunteered to keep all 4 of our grandchildren while we were away in Pittsburgh.  She had only one son, but he and one of our grandsons were close friends.  We stayed gone for 3 months during the summer, and got back home in time for the start of a new school year.  We had put all our children in a Christian school.  That helped in so many ways.  All the teachers understood, and showed special attention to our grandchildren.  They were praying for all of us.  In my situation, we only explained to the youngest one that Granddaddy was sick, but that we were going to the doctor to see if they could “fix it.”  What else do you tell a 7-year old?  They can’t fathom the meaning of the word cancer.  We are their “Linus blanket” in this world. 

 Well, Carrie, I’ve gone on long enough.  You know those of us who monitor this site care deeply about all who write here.  I’m sorry we’ve met under these circumstances, but I’m glad you found us.  I hope we’ve been of some help and comfort.  Please let us know, if and when you feel like it, how things are progressing. 

 Love & prayers,

Loretta (William’s wife)

 P.S.  Reference my private e-mail to you and my other post on a separate topic line (https://csn.cancer.org/node/311577)

for other references. 

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 1.      http://www.gomn.com/news/mayo-clinic-says-get-a-second-opinion-first-ones-are-frequently-wrong/

“Mayo Clinic says get a second opinion – first ones are frequently wrong

by Melissa Turtinen ---April 4, 2017 12:17 pm

 If you’re diagnosed with an illness, you might want to get a second opinion.

The Mayo Clinic in Rochester did a study (published in a medical journal Tuesday) and found as many as 88 percent of patients who came to the clinic for a second opinion for a complex condition left with a new or more refined diagnosis, a news release says.

The Mayo Clinic says a different or more detailed diagnosis can change someone’s care plan “and potentially their lives.”

The study looked at 286 patients who were referred from primary care providers to Mayo Clinic’s General Internal Medicine Division in Rochester between Jan. 1, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2010. Here’s how the types of diagnostic errors breaks down:

• Only 12 percent of patients left the Mayo Clinic with the same diagnosis.
• In 21 percent of cases, the diagnosis was changed completely.
• In 66 percent of patients, their diagnosis was refined or redefined.

“Effective and efficient treatment depends on the right diagnosis,” Dr.  James Naessens said in the release. “Knowing that more than 1 out of every 5 referral patients may be completely [and] incorrectly diagnosed is troubling – not only because of the safety risks for these patients prior to correct diagnosis, but also because of the patients we assume are not being referred at all.”

A lot of people don’t consider getting a second opinion because they either don’t know that’s something you can do, or because it can be expensive for people to see another doctor who may not be in their health insurance’s network, the Mayo Clinic says.

“Total diagnostic costs for cases resulting in a different final diagnosis were significantly higher than those for confirmed or refined diagnoses, but the alternative could be deadly,” Naessens said.

How to ask for a second opinion

It may seem a little awkward to ask your doctor for a referral to get a second opinion, but don’t worry – asking for a second opinion is pretty normal, U.S. News and World Report says, noting any doctor who is good at what they do will welcome a second opinion.

Here are some tips about seeking a second opinion:

– Don’t worry about asking for a second opinion for the minor things. Instead, seek a second opinion for serious or chronic issues, especially if you’re unsure about your doctor’s diagnosis or if the treatment for the issue is experimental or risky, U.S. News and World Report notes. But it’s important not to wait too long to get a second opinion, because you don’t want to delay treatment for too long, the Patient Advocate Foundation says.

– When asking for the second opinion, tell your doctor you just want to be fully informed about your diagnosis, prognosis and treatment, Compass Healthcare Solutions suggests. You can ask your doctor for a referral to see a specific doctor you have in mind, but WebMD says don’t see a doctor that is affiliated with your initial doctor – they probably won’t contradict them.

– Before you go see the new doctor, make sure you get a copy of your medical records and test results, the Patient Advocate Foundation says. Sometimes tests can be wrong, though so WebMD says you can ask for a second medical opinion and for the lab or pathologist to do the tests again.

– When you go in for your second opinion, remember you’re looking to confirm your current diagnosis – the second opinion isn’t always right, U.S. News and World Report says. Doctors may differ on your diagnosis or a treatment plan, and ultimately it’s your choice to decide what’s best for you, the Patient Advocate Foundation says.

For more information on when and how to get a second opinion, click here.”

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2.      http://www.learnaboutclinicaltrials.org/#ACT

 Helpful info re clinical trials.

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LorettaMarshall

Carrie~Ongoing prayers 4 U & all your family N Houston,TX:(

Dearest Carrie:

If you don’t mind, I’m going to put this reply underneath our “personal letter.”  I must tell you that not since the 9-11 bombing of the Twin Towers have I been so moved.  I’ve watched as one of the FOX TV cameramen went with a young man who agreed to go back to his flooded home and let the camera people film the "ruins."  I turned my camera on and taped it from the TV.  The young man’s home was completely ruined.  His family left abruptly on Saturday night, when the water was only in his garage.  He put as many things as he could up high, and put things on the kitchen counter and upper shelves.  When he returned, the water was now up to about 6 inches from the kitchen countertop and the water was still rising.  It was still raining. 

            Another tragic scene was the one with all the senior citizens in the nursing home with water “up to their waist.”  Many were in wheelchairs and unable to help themselves.  We later learned that all those people were rescued.  My own sister was an invalid and wheelchair bound for 52 years.  My mother kept her at home and cared for her all those years.  I know how helpless they are.  And that leads me to wonder, are the hospitals out of danger?  I think Governor Abbot is doing a good job of coordinating efforts to help as many as possible. 

            Carrie, you especially have been on my mind.  God knows you have enough to cope with without going back home to find the same kind of disaster.  Wanting to help and not sure about what to do, my husband and I made a donation to “Samaritan’s Purse” headed up by Reverend Franklin Graham. (https://www.samaritanspurse.org) They sent out a plea for funds to help provide relief to people in Houston.  I know that his group was one of the first to arrive with help when Louisiana suffered a flood recently.  And sad to say, sometimes there are people low enough to “prey” on people who are suffering.  I want to know absolutely that money donated for relief of Texas flood families will get where it is supposed to go.  The money will be spent wisely of that I am certain.

            I’m glad to know that you managed to leave your house this morning.  Living near a lake is always a nice place to live…except in times like this.   All I can say is I’m praying that your house is not also under water when you return.  I know that is your hope as well.  Just know that our prayers are with you.  You already have enough stress being a Stage IV Esophageal Cancer patient, and I’m so sorry that now Harvey has barged his way into Texas, and seemingly, he’s still a force to deal with. 

Just praying that you and your family will continue to be safe.  Our hearts break at listening to the stories and the pictures we are seeing are tragic.  The people in Texas are a good example of “Love Thy Neighbor”—a sentiment that certainly is in short supply in today’s chaotic world.  I, for one, am proud of the spirit I am seeing exhibited in all the volunteers and neighbors helping one another.  However, this is one time we didn’t want to hear, “Everything is bigger in Texas!” 

Please check back in whenever you can.  I know you need to get to Houston Methodist for that SECOND opinion.  Again, I’m so sorry.  The whole country is grieving with Texas.   And I’m especially concerned about you and your family’s safety.  None of us are ever “prepared” to cope with this kind of disaster.      

Love & prayers,

Loretta

P.S.  I posted your reply to me from another topic line below. 

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I'm okay!

Hi Loretta, we are okay. We just made it to my mother in laws, which is only a few miles away, but a lot better option for us right now. We live next to a lake which has risen several feet since this morning. We literally had no water in our cul-de-sac at 8:00 this a.m., and then by 10:00 a.m. the lake had overflowed into our culdesac, and into our neighbors house. It is supposed to rise several more feet overnight. Our house is up higher than our neighbor's, so hopefully we will be okay, but we couldn't risk staying there with an 8 year old. I have lived in Houston area my entire life and I have never seen it this bad. We are very thankful for all of the volunteers that have come from so many places to help out. They are truly a blessing from God.

Thank you so much for thinking of us,

Carrie