Update After Second Hip Replacement

Praise the Lord!!!! Colleen was able to go to high school orientation 2 days after her hip replacement and begin school 5 days postop. After her first hip surgery, it took 3 weeks for her to really feel comfortable enough to get in and out of the chair by herself etc. So we tried to change move the date of her surgery up based on her first recovery. We were a bit disappointed when there was no call from the hospital to move the date up. We were thrilled when Colleen was able to attend school 5 days postop. It was as though God was letting us know that He did not need those extra days to make her recover for school. We are so grateful for a God who hears and answers our prayers. She was also able to walk without a walker at home 1.5 weeks postop. She has healed well and is no longer having pain in her hips. Join us in praising God for his answer to prayer!!!!!!!!! She is doing well in school and has a group of girls who encourage her at school. Thank you!! You know who you are!!!!              I am really disappointed to inform you that she is now having difficulty with her shoulder. It is now moving well. We know she also has osteonecrosis in that area. She is scheduled for an MRI on the 30th and with a ortho Dr at U of M on Oct 23rd. Please pray for wisdom for the doctor's and us in determining the course of treatment. Thank you for your continued prayers and support of Colleen and our family. We know that God uses trials to draw us closer to Him and to teach us how to serve others. I am feeling led to do something big for these children with cancer. Not sure what that is now. Feeling the pull to do something but not sure what. Pray that God will make clear the path that he has for us as we continue to deal with these terrible side effects and what He will have us do to serve these families as Colleen starts to feel better.                                                                                                                                                Love in Christ, Tammy

Second Hip replacement

Colleen has healed completely from her first hip replacement. She was able to walk without any assistive devices in about 2 and a half weeks postop. Today she was able to attend a wedding at our church and told the pastor's wife that she is no longer having any pain on the operative side and is looking forward to getting this right hip replaced. She is supposed to return to school next week and is determined to try to attend with the other students. Please pray that she will do well after this surgery too! We are so thankful to each of you who follow her progress and pray regularly. We know that God is in control of our lives and He has a purpose in all of this suffering. We are looking forward to seeing Colleen feel better in the next few months. Please pray for pain control after surgery and another speedy recovery for her. Thanks again for praying. God is good. 

First Hip Replacement

Colleen is scheduled for a hip replacement on the left side tomorrow morning at around 7 am at University of Michigan Hospital. We appreciate each of you who pray for us regularly. Please pray specifically that God will guide the surgeon hands, prevent any complications, the pain will be minimal and that she can come home soon. We were really encouraged a few weeks ago when Colleen's bone marrow and spinal fluid test were free from cancer cells. Her chemotherapy is officially finished. Please also pray that she will stay in remission. She has an 85 percent chance of complete cure from this disease and we are encouraged by these numbers but God is ultimately in control and we accept his plan for us. Please pray that we will be an encouragement to others during this hospital stay and that God will provide opportunities to share His  word with others. Thanks again for all of your love and support over the last two and a half years. We love each of you and appreciate all of your love and support!!!!!!!!!!!! Tammy, Len, Colleen, Chelsea, and Cydnie 
I almost forgot to tell you about Colleen's trip to Camp make a dream. She came home last night just elated about her trip. She really enjoyed her time with the other kids and made some new friends. She seems to be looking forward to feeling better after her surgery. Thanks again for praying.

Hip replacements required in the near future

We have had a few months full of doctor's appointments. After the last post, Colleen developed a kidney stone and was hospitalized overnight and was in a lot of pain related to that stone. The stone eventually passed over about a weeks time but was very painful. We are very grateful that the stone is gone and all of the pain, nausea, and vomiting have subsided. 
     Colleen's has begun to have a significant amount of pain in her left hip. We saw 3 different orthopedic doctors to find out what the next step will be. She is having difficulty walking, dressing, reaching down to the floor.  The doctors which we consulted all agree that her hips have basically disintegrated. The next step will be a total hip replacement on the left side. This will probably be scheduled in July because Colleen wants to attend camp Mak-a-dream in Montana in July. She is unable to do anything without significant pain. She is not willing to take pain medications to alleviate that pain. She is really a tough young lady. The orthopedic doctor states that there is a 98 percent chance that the hip replacement will be successful and alleviate all the pain in her hip. There is however a 2 percent chance that this will not work. We would appreciate prayers for Colleen. She has a track record of falling into the minute minority when it comes to adverse side effects and this concerns us. We know that ultimately God is in control and He loves Colleen and whatever the outcome, we trust his plan for her life. 
     The doctors also informed us the bone graft on the right hip was not successful either. She does not have much range of motion or mobility in that leg either. We are thankful that she is not currently having pain in the hip but it will also need to be replaced in the near future.  The pain in her arms has subsided but she has developed pain in the lower leg where the blood vessel was taken to do the free fibular graft to the right hip. Apparently this occurs in only ten percent of people that have this surgery. I have contacted or left a message with the surgeon at Duke to see if anything can be done to alleviate this pain. 
     Thank you for taking the time to read this long post. We really covet and appreciate your prayers for Colleen. She has not been able to attend church or do much of anything except school this last few months. Please pray specifically for the following.
1. Relief for the pain that she has
2. Encouragement for Colleen and us
3. Successful hip replacement surgery
4. Safe travel to Montana for camp in July
5. That she will have the energy and stamina needed to catch up in school

     We know of other families that are struggling with seemingly insurmountable or unbearable circumstances and we are often asked how we can handle all of this adversity. I tell you in all honesty that I do not know how anyone could without God.  He is the one that comforts us and gives us the strength to go on. If you do not know Jesus as your personal savior then I would recommend that you give your life to him at once. When we ask Christ into our hearts, He comes into our lives to lead and direct our path. He gives us the strength that we need to continue on in a sin-cursed world. Once you have given your life to him, He gives you strength to endure this life's hardships and disappointments because we know that this life is temporary. You realize that God is in control, life is but a fleeting moment and living an eternity in heaven with Him will be worth it all. All you need to do is to pray and admit that you are a sinner. You must acknowledge that Jesus is the only way to heaven. He paid the price for our sins when he hung on the cross at calvary. Ask Jesus into your heart and give your life to him. Admit that you are a sinner and ask for forgiveness.  Once you ask Jesus into your heart you must seek to make him the center of your life. Attending a God-honoring and bible preaching church regularly is a must. Being a Christian does not make you perfect, it just means that you are forgiven. If anyone has further questions contact me on facebook or at home. I would love to share the joy that God has brought to our lives by simply trusting him. 

Catching Up

I had not realized how long it has been since I updated the blog. First, let me catch those of you up that are not on facebook. Colleen had her revascularization and bone graft at the end of August. She was on crutches for almost six months. About 6 weeks ago she began having severe pain in her arms near her shoulders. The right one was more severe than the left one. I called Duke and Colleen has been off of the crutches for about 3 weeks now. We are grateful that Colleen can walk without the aid of crutches at this time. Her pain has improved slightly in the arms but she is still requiring the use of morphine everyday. She has osteonecrosis of the shoulders which apparently has been there since last year but the use of the crutches has somehow made the pain worse. We have the option of doing a core decompression which is a surgical procedure where holes are drilled in the bone to alleviate the pressure and improve the pain but Colleen is not wanting to have the procedure.
      She has been really ill for the last week. Beginning last Saturday she was nauseated and just not feeling well. On Wednesday, we took her to see the oncologist. They believe that she has a virus that has caused her white count to fall as low as when she was diagnosed with cancer. Her white count is 0.7 which is dangerously low so she cannot attend school or go out into crowded areas without a mask on. She also required a blood transfusion that day.  She has missed an entire week of school and been too sick to move off the couch much. On Friday, she saw the oncologist again because they almost kept her in the hospital on Wednesday. Her baby white blood cells have improved so they are pretty confident that the cancer has not returned. Colleen threw up blood on Friday while she was at the doctors office. Friday night she vomited again and there was about 3 tablespoons of blood at the end. We called the hospital and they told us to continue monitoring her at home. Today she had nausea and vomiting again but no blood was seen this time. 
     Colleen is understandably frustrated a bit and tired of being sick. She also learned that a child that we shared a room with at the hospital died a few days ago. She was only 9 years old and was as sweet as she could be. Colleen is understandably sad. This world is so full of sadness and disappointments. Too much sadness for a 16 year old girl and a family with a precious nine year old that will sadly be missed. We barely knew this child but she had a large impact on our family. She was always bright and cheerful and never complained about her illness while she was at the hospital with us. She had a wonderful family who loved her dearly!! It makes you wonder why such a loving family has to lose such a beautiful child. I can only cry knowing that there is nothing that I can do or say to console her family. I keep thinking that this could have been us mourning the loss of our child. Life is so unfair. Children with cancer lose their friends because of the cancer and then begin to lose the new friends that they make at the clinic. We try everyday to count our blessings. We are thankful that God has allowed Colleen to live and that He is in control of our lives. He uses trials to test our faith, to wean us from the world, to call us to heavenly hope, to teach us obedience, to increase our spiritual strength, to demonstrate his mercy, and to enable us to help others through their trials, and to display his power. 
     We have learned so much this past few years. We have learned to lean on God, to allow Him to direct our lives, to value heavenly treasures more than earthly ones, and to remember to encourage others who are struggling. 

     Please pray that Colleen will feel better soon, that God will comfort this family who lost their child, that Colleen's pain will improve and that the doctors will have wisdom in treating her. Thank you so much for your prayers- we appreciate you taking the time to read this long post. 

Colleen and I just got home from our appointment at Duke. The doctor says that the right hip has collapsed considerably and a bone graft or another core decompression surgery are our choices. He said that usually only 2 hip replacements secure well to the bones and they only last around 15 years each- so he does not recommend that surgery at this time. A bone graft will only postpone the eventual hip replacement. She will always have what he called start up pain which means that she will hurt when standing or sitting or when she begins walking. Her hip bone is too flat now to hope for normal function of that area. When i asked him if she could participate in sports he stated that he felt that her knees will give her too much pain to participate. They are also very affected by the osteonecrosis. Her wrists are also causing her some pain at this time which concerns me. If we decided to have another core decompression, it would take her pain away but she would still need hip replacement on the right within 3 years. So our choices are limited and the outcome will not be great but I guess we have to hope for the best. Her bone graft to the right hip is on Wednesday. Please pray for wisdom for the doctor, steadiness of hand, and good pain relief after the surgery. We did get a bit of good news. The doctor feels that the left hip has collapsed but on the side of the hip not the weight bearing point and he feels that it will heal well without needing a bone graft or a replacement. We are saddened by the news but we know that God has the ability to alleviate her pain and controls the outcome of her surgery. We appreciate your prayers!!!!!!

Surgery at Duke University

I spoke with Dr Ruch at Duke University finally today. I have been waiting on his call for 2 weeks now. He said that the right hip bone has collapsed some but the left hip remains intact. Colleens MRI showed a natural progression of the osteonecrosis. We were hoping for healing but that does not appear to be in God's plan for her at this time. I requested that he add her for surgery as soon as possible so that she will not need to miss too much school in September. He told me that his staff will call me soon with a date. Colleen is understandably disappointed about needing more surgery. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors, for an uncomplicated and quick recovery for Colleen, for resources to assist with transportation to and from the hospital, and that Colleen will be encouraged despite the circumstances. Please pray often that the graft will heal and that this surgery will correct the defect so that Colleen will not need a hip replacement in the near future and continue to pray that the left hip will remain intact. Colleen will be on crutches for 5 months with the right hip and another 6 months with the left hip. This will be another long road to recovery but we know that God has a plan for Colleen and our family and he knows what is best for us. Thank you so much for your prayers and concern for our family. Tammy