Hello Everyone!  This is Melissa updating! 

Things are still going really well.  I am getting stronger each and everyday!  I am scheduled to start back to work Wednesday October 14 and I am looking forward to seeing all my friends and coworkers.  I will start out only working 8 hours shifts rather than 12 for a while just to get use to being up and going. 

The kids are doing pretty good.  We had a rough week last week…Hestan had the flu and missed a couple days of school but is doing much better now…Brynlee was also sick with fever and a cough but she is also back to her normal wild drama queen self.  They both go back to Fort Worth for an appointment with their cardiologist at the end of November.  This is kinda a big appointment for Hestan…he has the valve that is leaking and the doctors will decide if he needs surgery for repair over Christmas or if we can hold off for his surgery til next summer.  Please keep your prayers up for both kids.

I go back to Houston to MD Anderson for my follow up appt October 26-28.  I will be having a cat scan and find out then if all the cancer is gone.  Please pray that we get good news and can put this chapter of our lives far behind us!

We just want to thank you all for the prayers and support!  We still have a very long road ahead of us…especially with both children needing heart surgery in the near future.  We just ask that you continue all the prayers…we always need them!  Love you all!

Hello Everyone.  This is Melissa updating.  Sorry its been a while but I have been in recovery mode.  Im doing much better.  I was released from the hospital Saturday September 12th.  I was sent home on IV antibiotics for 8 days that was given continuously through my Picc Line.  That following Monday after coming home I made a decision that I was going to get up and feel better…partly because of my precious little boy Hestan.  My mother in law was getting him dressed for school that morning and his shirt had a saying on it and she was telling him what his shirt said and he said “No Mamie…it says my Mommy is going to feel better today”.  At that minute…I made a mental decision to feel better no matter what it took.  I decided that I was going to try and start eating by mouth so that I could get the feeding tube removed and that I was going to get up and enjoy my kids.  I started on a real soft food diet…mainly soups pudding and applesauce and quit the tube feedings and by that Friday I had convinced the doctor to remove my feeding tube.  Then that Sunday I finished my IV antibiotics and got my Picc Line removed…and for the first time in nearly 2 months…I WAS TUBE FREE…NO FEEDING TUBE..NO IV..NO PICC LINE…and it feels sooooo good!

I am getting up each day and taking Hestan to school and doing more around the house.  I still get pretty weak and tired so I have to take it easy but I am slowly starting to feel like my old self. I am going to Wichita Falls a couple times a week to get blood work done because of the blood clot I developed while in the hospital.  They now have me on Coumaden and are having a little trouble getting my levels right…one time my blood is too thick and the next time its too thin..but hopefully this will get sorted out soon.

It is so good to be home with my sweet loving husband and my adorable children.  My mother in law is still here helping us out…Thank God…I dont know what we would have done without her these past 4 months…and of course my Mom has been coming and helping  on her days off and Brent and Judy were down 2 weekends in a row to help…we are so blessed to have such great family and friends that care so much!

Thank you all for your continued prayers support and concern.  We love you all! 

A big thanks to everyone involved with the Hogan Family Benefit Dinner and Auction held in Cache Sunday September 27th…it raised almost $40,000 for our family.  AMAZING!  We would like to thank everyone who attended…donated and helped put it all together.  We are truly blessed and hope someway someday we can show how much we appreciate everything.  Also a big thanks to Diana and Forrest Wood who raffled off a motorized scooter and raised over $6,000 for our family.  And another thanks…to my favorite elementary teacher…Mr Ken Cunningham for making the beautiful spurs and raffling them off…that brought in $3400 .  It was great to see him at the benefit yesterday and know that after all the years he still has a special place in his heart for me…what an awesome person!

 

Much Love to you all!

Jeremy Melissa Hestan and Brynlee Hogan

Hey guys, this is Bev updating.  After Melissa was home for a few days, she could not hold down her tube feedings and was very ill.  After seeing her oncologist, she was diagnosed with radiation poisioning.  She began home health at her mom, Pam’s house, but her condition worsened.   She spiked a temp, continued vomiting and had several sores on her upper body that resembled the spider bite she had while in Houston.  She was admitted to the hospital (United Regional) on Sunday.  The sores were diagnosed as staph and she also has several blood clots in her left arm.  She is receiving several antibiotics, blood thinners (to help disolve the clots), CPN (feedings through a PICC line), her tube feedings and she has a PCA for pain. She was having a very hard time keeping her pain under control but rested a little better Tuesday night.  As a lot of you guys know, getting rest in a hospital is hard to do.  She is very uncomfortable physicially and is emotionally drained.  She is so ready to feel better, she thought after radiation, she would start to get back to normal.  She is missing her children desparately.  Please continue praying for her…

Sorry blog has not been updated since Melissa got home. She has been really sick since she got here. She rang that bell on Friday in style with all her family by her side. The kids were so excited, that thought it was all about them as usual! It was very emotional for everyone, Darrin Yu, a man that started the same week as Melissa rang the bell also and we had all gotten to be such good friends in the waiting room that everyone, even the people who were finished for the day hung around for the big event. This time at MD Anderson is something that we will never forget. The wonderful families we met, The expertise of the Dr’s and nurses and above all the compassion we were shown. When Melissa would leave the waiting room if there was someone new in the room they would ask, “how old is she?” She is the youngest pt they have treated with this particular kind of cancer. The road is still long for her but she has climbed a mountain and shown amazing strentgh throughout it all. Since home, we had a little surprise get together for her that Pam, Jeremy’s mom planned and she did come, not feeling real well but all in all was great. Thank you Pam! Since Sunday shes been vomiting again and says her throat hurts so bad she cant hardly talk. She still hasn’t tolerated anything by mouth yet. The Dr’s say she should start to get better and her mouth start healing in a few weeks. Jeremy and the children are so glad shes home and Pam will stay and help them. I went back to work on Monday and have a full schedule. We will never be able to thank you all or repay you for your kindness, whether it was a prayer, a kind encouraging word, money or time you have given our family. Some of you we’ve never even met, but you are all so special and will be rewarded in heaven for all you’ve done!!!!  Will continue to post as we can . Love you all !!! Pam Woods (Melissa mom)

We are on the downhill slide!! Melissa is doing well with her tube feedings now, just takes nausea medicine with them. Her neck is really burned bad and started sloughing off so they gave us a dressing called cool pack that has made a big difference in one day. Our computer in the room still not working so I came down to the office and they are letting me use theirs. Her spirits continue to be good and she rests alot. She actually hasn’t put any food in her mouth since about a week ago, her throat hurts really bad and the blisters are still in her mouth. We go back at 5 pm today for another treatment so she doesn’t have to stay until Monday for her last treatment. We have met so many wonderful families here, after treatment this morning we all sit in the waiting room and visited. everyone has their own story and it makes you realize that you are not the only person in the world that is battling cancer and its course of treatments and side effects, and it bonds you and these people in a different way. We still don’t understand why, or what Gods plan is but we know there is a plan and we will just wait patiently and endure his plan. Jeremy, his mom and the kids are coming Thursday night and will be here when Melissa rings the bell on Friday, everyone we’ve met can’t wait to meet the kids, probably because thats all we talk about! LOL!! They say it will be about 6-8 weeks before Melissa feels alot better, we are hoping for a little quicker than that, she will keep her feeding tube until she can tolerate taking food orally, probably at least 6 weeks. God bless you all!! For we walk by faith not by sight !!

This is Pam  posting today. I’m waiting on Melissa and Jeremy to get to Wichita Falls so we can head back for the last week of treatment. Melissa had an ok weekend but started vomiting again. She only tolerated about every other feed through her feeding tube. She takes all kinds of medicine for nausea and vomiting but I think its the thick mucous that makes her so sick. The kids were wonderful, although Brynlee did pull al little hard on Melissa’s tube the first night home and made Melissa cry, and of course Brynlee had to go to time out, but I’m sure she was just curious about why that tube was coming out of her mommies tummy. Melissa’s neck and chest are really burned now and I’m sure that will be even worse this week. She will have tx every day and 2 on Tuesday to make up for the one that she was suppose to have on next Monday and that wait she wont have to stay all weekend. Please pray we have a safe trip and that the week will go fast. On Friday she gets to ring the bell, everyone that has radiation does that. Three people rang it last Friday while we were there it was very emotional. We have met so many people and listened to their stories and them ares that you get very attached to them. Jeremy got good news Friday , He passed his superintendent test !!! Yeah!!! I extend a special thank you to EVERYONE who has prayed, help raise money or donated money, you are all so wonderful and we will never be able to thank you enough!! GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

Hey guys, this is Beverly Long, giving an update.  Melissa’s is having trouble accessing her blog from her computer so she asked me to give an update.  So here goes…

The last week has been rough.  Melissa was heartbroken over Hestan starting school and not being able to see him on his first day.  In her head she knew that getting treatment and missing his first day of school was for the greater good, but in her heart, she just wanted to participate in this huge milestone.  I think every mother can relate.  The day was even more special because of Hestan’s heart history, and another reminder of how far this little guy has come.  Melissa begged and pleaded with her doctor’s and prayed fervently that she would be allowed to go.  The initial response was no, but her dr’s finally conceded and allowed her to double up treatments and get a long weekend at home.  She got to see Hestan attend school the first day.  She said he was so excited and she cherished every second.  While Melissa was home, she became very ill.  She vomited non stop.  She was so weak that Jeremy would have to pick her up and carry from the bathroom to her bed.  By Monday, she had lost another 6 pounds, bringing the weight loss to 21 pounds total.  That is 6 % of her body weight, the dr’s only wanted her to lose 1%.  Melissa has never liked the idea of a feeding tube, but now that she was so sick she was beyond ready.  They returned to Houston and were at the hospital all day Monday with radiation treatments, appointments with the GI dr and finally IV fluids to try to replace what she had lost.  They left the hospital at 10 pm that night after the IV fluids and immediately after pulling out of the parking lot, Melissa began vomiting.  She had to hang her head out the window and she said several cars were honking and yelling.  Pam said her response was somewhat similar to the scene in “Terms of Endearment” when Shirley McClain loses it on the nursing staff!

Melissa had a feeding tube placed Monday.  She has no veins now and she had to be stuck 6 times for her IV and the successful start was in her foot.  Initially, she was tolerating her feeds well, but she had begun to throw them up.  She will now be placed on a pump for her feeds.  Right now, she will have continuous feeds for 13 hours but the goal is to get them to around 6-8 hours.  She is still trying to eat small bites of food also.

Melissa’s neck is very burned now.  The last time I saw her (almost 2 weeks ago) she looked like she had a mild sunburn.  Pam says that now it is very red with some patches of gray. She has blisters all in her mouth and down her esophagus. She also has lost all of her taste buds.  She says food smells really good but tastes horrible. She says this is a very frustrating side effect.   She hopes that once radiation is over that she will get some of her sense of taste back.  The hope is for at least 50-80% to come back.  Melissa said “I really love to eat, so I really want things to taste good again!”.

Please continue to pray for Melissa and her family.  She is at the hardest part of this treatment.  The part where all of the side effects that they warned about are coming true.  She knew they were coming but now she is living them and they are as bad as they said.  Each day is difficult and she is so ready to be done.  This is like running a marathon, she knows that the finish line is just over the hill, but her body and mind are tired, she wants to give up, instead, she keeps putting one foot in front of the other and is straining to the finish line.  Let’s all cheer her on.

Hello Everyone!  This is Melissa updating!  Sorry I have not updated in a few days!  You know what they say…No News Is Good News!

I started my 4th Week of Radiation yesterday!  Woo Hoo!  I am more than halfway done and have only 14 treatments left.  This has been the hardest week for me…emotionally and physically.  I had to leave my babies behind this week.  Its just my mom and me in Houston from here on out.  I am really starting to feel the effects of oral radiation.  I have blisters and ulcers on my lips, tongue, and gums.  I have lost 16 pounds and I see the doctor tomorrow but its looking like I am more than likely going to have to have a feeding tube.  Its not really how I planned on this to go but I need my vitamins and nutrients and I’m not able to eat enough to keep myself healthy right now so maybe its the best way to go. 

I was able to travel home last weekend.  I spent the weekend in Cache with my babies and husband and it was so nice.  I slept in my own bed and got in my own bathtub and watered my flowers and it was all in all a pretty good weekend.  well…I may have just fibbed a little bit…Jeremy watered the flowers and I watched…but its almost like watering them myself being outside in the heat.  Haha…I just had to correct that cause I can see Jeremy giving me a hard time about it.  Lol!  Anyway…I hate being away from them this week but I will see them again Friday and I am counting down the hours.  I have never been away from the kids for more than 1 night…I’m sure they are not missing me as much as I miss them but I am pretending like they do.  Jeremy is such a strong and great husband and dad and is taking great care of them while I’m gone and he has his mom there helping him which is a blessing so all will be well at the Hogan House without momma for a few days.

I got to see my Mimi this week who has been very sick and in the hospital for almost a month.  Jeremy and I went to see her Saturday.  She was not doing too well…it just broke my heart seeing her that way.  Jeremy said the most beautiful prayer with her and we all held hands and visited and laughed and cried.  I have prayed so hard for her and I know alot of you have been praying for her too….and I got the best news today…God answered our prayers and Mimi got to go home today.  Yay!  Please continue to pray for her and Papa Lee…they could always use the prayers!

Now…for a real tear jerker…HESTAN BRENT STARTS KINDERGARTEN THURSDAY :’-(  I just cant believe my handsome baby boy is all grown up.  Where has the time gone.  It is absolutely killing me that I am going to miss his first day of school this year.  I have begged the doctors to let me come home and miss a few days of treatment so that I could take him to school Thursday but they just will not let me.  They keep reminding me how important it is for me to be there for his first day of 1st Grade through his Senior year…and I know that but its still hard for me.  I talked to him and promised him that in a few weeks I will be home and take him to everyday of school for the rest of the whole year of kindergarten.  Please pray for Hestan though that he has a great first day of school and things go well for him.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support and I love you all and will be home in less that 3 weeks!  YAY!Keep the prayers up!

He will have no fear of bad news; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.  His heart is secure, he will have no fear; In the end he will look in triumph on his foes.  Psalm 112:7-8

We are almost halfway done. Melissa will receive 35 tx in total. Each day gets a little more challenging. We saw the Dr today and he said she couldn’t lose any more weight or will have to have a feeding tube. She still eats pretty good ,but its getting more difficult to swallow. She has blisters on her throat and inside her mouth really bad which they say will only get worse. They have given her different rinses to help but they only numb the area for about 15 minutes, which is better than nothing at all. She is eating alot of thin oatmeal for the protein, to try to keep her immune system good and promote healing. We are adding protein to her drinks now also. She really cant taste them so she doesn’t complain. Her spirits stay good and every morning when we check in they comment on her always smiling. We have decided to come home for the weekend. I feel like it will be easier for her to leave the kids there at home then for Jeremy to leave Houston with them. This is going to be very difficult for her. Hestan will start school next Thursday and she has already shed many tears due to not being able to be there. She has really amazed me how well she tries to act like shes fine in front of the kids and continues to do all she can with them. Brynlee will say mommy are you sick and she says no honey Im fine. The Dr told us this would probably be a good weekend to go because she probably wont feel like going again. At the desk where we check in every morning there is a sign that says”If God leads you to it, God will get you through it” Amen to that!! We love you all and sorry we haven’t updated in a few days!! Keep sending those prayers up!!! Thank you all for your support. Pam

Good morning, this is Pam updating. Melissa, Jeremy and Hestan went to the Texas Highway Patrol station after her appointment on Friday where her aunt Georgetta’s husband is a major here in Houston. She really wanted to do something fun with Hestan and he loved it. She did to if you saw the pics, although she ended up getting sick and Georgetta had to bring her home early. She basically didn’t keep anything down Thursday or Friday.The zofran they gave her didn’t help. Saturday she decided to take her fentanyl patch off and see if she felt better. She didn’t vomit any Saturday, YEAH!!!  She does have blisters in her mouth now and her mucosa is very bright red and painful . They gave her an rx for some lidicaine rinse but we haven’t filled it yet. She doesn’t have any tastes buds left now and says everything taste the same. She saw a nutritionist on Friday and she told her to eat alot of oatmeal, so we will try that. She layed in bed with me last night and she’s really trying to be strong but is really scared about the weeks ahead. We talked and I tried to encourage hear that she CAN make it through this. Today will be hard for her when Jeremy leaves. Hestan keeps saying he wants to go home and that breaks her heart. Pam.Jeremy’s mom and I will stay and Jeremy will come back Friday, then they will all go home except for Melissa and I since school will start. Hestan will start kindergarten.  She has lost 11 lbs now and the nutritionist told her she could only lose 1.5 lbs a week or will have to have feeding tube, but alot of that was from the vomiting after the spider bite so I hope they take that in consideration. Our prayer is that she can just get through one day at a time and keep her attitude good. She smiled very big last night , I taught Brynlee to sing “You are my Sunshine” she sang every word ,an octive higher but was so cute!!! May God bless you all and we love you. Pray Jeremy will  have a safe trip home.