Glen Update - June 25

Sorry, it has been a couple of weeks since my last update. It has been a VERY busy last couple of weeks. Thank you for the kind words and gestures following the passing of Glen's mother - Memo. Immediately following our days in Winchester for Memo's funeral, we came home and packed to go back to Franklin County for our annual family week at Tim's Ford Lake. Our families inhabited five of the cabins in the park spending our days swimming in the pool and lake, fishing, skiing, being pulled on any floatable device that can be pulled behind a boat, riding jet skis [Kelsey's favorite activity], eating, playing board games, card games, outside games, golf, catching a drive-in movie and a matinee in Winchester, tossing water balloons, and lots of teasing and laughing - and lots of sun. It was the first year that all the family branches from the tree of Clarence [Jake] Jacobs were present. Grandpa would have been happy that all of his 14 great-grandkids [5 of which were born after his passing] were there. The only thing that would have made it better was if Glen was up to his normal activities and antics.

Back to Glen. During our week at Tims Ford, Glen started throwing up again. He had started eating small amounts of regular food periodically throughout the day. On his scheduled visit to his doc last Thursday, it was determined not to take out his feeding tube and that he needs a temporary stent placed in whats left of his esophagus and the opening into his stomach to keep it open and to take another look at whats going on. He goes back into surgery at Sarah Cannon tomorrow morning for the stent. Hopefully the throwing up will be taken care of.

Now to the lymphoma. The final report of the type and agressiveness of the lymphoma may not be good but at least now there is a plan of action. As it has gone unchecked while treating the esophagus cancer, it has definitely grown and spread aggressively - not only can you feel it now, you can see the growth in his neck [you couldn't even feel it when it was discovered]. The lymphoma is Diffuse Large B-cell lymphoma on top of lowgrade lymphoma. Next Monday [July 2], Glen goes to get a port inserted into his body [the place where they will administer all treatments]. The next Monday [July 9], he will start his chemo treatments which will be a combo of about 5 or so types of medicines every 3 weeks for about 8 treatments.   He will lose his hair during the second week after chemo starts [which is hard to imagine since he still has a thick head of hair]. After the treatments, they will determine how successful the treatments are working and re-evaluate to discuss other options [ie. bone marrow transplants, etc].

We are REALLY hoping and praying that the initial treatments are enough to manage his lymphoma. We are also praying that the side effects [ie. nausea...and others] will be manageable. Thanks for all the prayers and kind deeds. It is really appreciated.