Nice to see you go 2011

Dear Lord,
It is me again, I know, I know, I ask for a lot but it is New Years Eve and today is the biggest wishing day of them all… and believe it or not I only have one request…
Please grant all my friends wishes for the coming year.
Amen

So many people look at a new year as a good thing, they have hopes that it will be better than the last one and look at the year gone by as a bad thing.  Do you realize that the fact that you can say good bye to a year and hello to a new one it itself is a good thing?

YOU ARE ALIVE

Not all made it, I lost some very special friends this year and although I miss them, the fact that they are now my angels in heaven makes it a bit better for me.

Now, I can’t count the year because that is 365 days too long, so I count the days and thank God for a new one, even if the weather is not nice.

Do you have a new years’ resolution?  Will you keep it?  Why bother?  If it is something important to you, it should be a new day resolution and do it every day…  How about if instead of giving something up, you do something nice?  Every day…  Think of someone, give them a call.  Your child has a nice hairdo, say it.  Your friend lost some weight, mention it.  Someone dropped something, pick it up.  It does not have to be something big like, paying someone’s rent for January, although it wouldn’t be bad, but any little bit helps to put a smile on people’s faces.

I smile just by knowing how my friends are doing.  Who got a new cat or puppy or car?  Or who won $10 Pearl dollars playing poker.  Just love it and makes me happy.

Today I say with a smile on my face ‘Good Bye 2011, it is my pleasure to see you go’ and ‘Hello to day 1 of 2012, hope to see lots more of you’.

Love yah,

ME

PS.  Now this coming year we will need to get serious about our health… expect some good stuff

Merry Christmas

… to all and to all a good night.  Wait, the day is just starting.  So still wishing you a Merry Christmas but adding a few things for the day.

First remember the reason for the season ‘CHRISTmas’ and do what HE would do.

Second, Love your family, kiss them, hug them….  Love them lots

Third, be happy, most people like happy people so smile a lot today.

Fourth, take time to remember and honor those that have gone before us.

Fifth, time is up, no need to be sad… rejoice and celebrate their life.

Sixth, count your blessing, keep in mind that if you can count, that is a blessing

Seventh, call your love ones that are far away.

Eighth, don’t drink and drive.

Ninth, eat, sing, dance and laugh tons

Tenth…  Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night

From my heart to yours, Love yah,

ME

Second Opinion - Number ONE priority

You owe it to yourself to have a second opinion and from the right institution.  It does not matter how much you love your doctor, how pretty she is this is about you and not the doctor.

When I first got breast cancer, I had a second opinion but for the breast cancer.  I never had anyone advice me on what to do about the spots on the lung.  So we did chemo for breast cancer.  We know now that the spots were a separate primary Lung Cancer.  If we had known then what we know now, would I have had chemo for breast?  Or would I have had the mastectomy and chemo for lung?  Would the outcome be different?

No one can answer this questions, if the milk had not spilled would you have drank all of it?

Once MD Anderson biopsied the lung and determined that it was Lung Cancer, they conferred with my oncologist and determined the chemo treatment needed.  The report indicating that my cancer had mutated already and it was a KRAS mutation did not come out until later but NO ONE mentioned it, at least not to me.  If I had gone elsewhere for a ‘third’ opinion or if they had known then what they know now would I have received the same treatment?  How about the surgery or even worst the radiation?  I read an article in the internet that it clearly says that mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) should not undergo radiation.  URRGGGG.  Even worst, if I had gone to a ‘fourth’ opinion once we realized that after radiation my cancer had spread, would I have started on a clinical trial earlier?

None of these questions will ever be answered, what I can tell you is: at the time, I did my homework (as limited as my knowledge was) and the decisions made were right.  I got a second opinion every time, but we were a step behind… no matter. I hope that you are reading this and keep it on the back of your mind in case that you know someone in a similar situation so that you can advice/guide them so that they do not have to second guess their decisions.

I am now a week into the trial and what I have not explained to you (all of you) yet is that on my scan last week, my brain still shows clear of cancer but my body lights up like a Christmas Tree.  At least I am in tune with the holiday.  But seriously, the cancer has spread to my good lung and my good adrenal gland.  At the request of the doctor, I have stopped all the alternative medicine until we see the effects of the new treatment.  It will not cure me but the success will be measured after 8 weeks to see if it has stopped the cancer from spreading and growing.

So we pray for that, yes 'you and me' pray because it is the one thing that no one can tell me to stop. 

The other night I went to a service at Michelle’s (my daughter) church where the speaker was a very interesting man.  He told us how he came about knowing Jesus… anyway, during the service the pastor’s wife wrapped her arms around me and prayed, then at the end of the service we went up to the speaker who is also known for healing and told him that I had cancer and was terminal and would like for him and his wife to pray for me.  The wife looked me in the eye and said ‘you are not terminal, your cancer is’ and they prayed.  It was amazing.  It reminded me of Randy when he tells me ‘don’t let your body participate with the cancer’. 

So the lesson for the day, ALWAYS have a second opinion, if it does not sound right is because it isn’t so find the right answer.  And believe, believe in God, Jesus and yourself because is the one thing that no one can take away and it sure feel good.

Love yah,

ME

Merry Christmas and wishing US all a much better year in 2012

This is the time of the year when most people send out Christmas cards wishing family and friends ‘Good Tidings and a Happy New Year’. Some people (like me) usually even write a bit or a lot about the events of the past year.  We believe that Luisa’s (my) blog has done that so we will not bore you any further but would like to highlight the blessings that we received in 2011.

Michael graduated from College with a degree in Japanese and he is now allowed to come to Oklahoma and be with us until the court case is settled. (Next Court date is January 13^th).

Michelle gave birth to an Angel named Magnolia Love (Maggie).  This little bundle of joy had a successful open heart surgery and has brought so much joy to us and everyone who sees her.
Michelle and Kevin are of course doing okay but now they play second fiddle to Maggie so all I can say is that Michelle is taking a sabbatical from teaching to care for Maggie and Kevin is rocking in college.
Luisa (me) started a clinical trial at MD Anderson for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).  This trial offers the opportunity to have a bit more time with y’all.
Patrick is the pillar of the family, we are blessed that he is still standing strong supporting and loving all of us through our ups and downs.
Other honorable mentions are my Mom (Betty) who has cancer but is still living life and loving Maggie and my mother-in-law (Louise) who is still with us and continues to laugh and smile.
And last but not least for the dog lover… Cosmo is doing fine and loving Maggie too.

There is more, some good and some not so good which you can read up on the blog http://luisajones-parrakeating.blogspot.com/ but for now that was a highlight of the most important events of the year, what I call my miracles.

So with that, from our family to yours, we want to wish you a Merry Christmas and that next year brings you lots and lots of blessings.

XOXOXOX

La familia Keating

Quick Note

Just wanted to send out a quick note to let you know that I still have no answers in regards to my clinical trial…  Frustrating yes, Pat says I should get in my car and drive 7 hours to Houston and show them how to get the job done.  I unfortunately no longer have the strength and energy to do that so for now, will continue on the phone and hoping that someone will help me.

I also wanted to let you know that although we do not have a lot of detail, Michael’s lawyer called to say that the DA will be requesting postponement on Friday, December 2^nd so no real hearing will take place.  Basically, do not stop praying but nothing will happen this Friday.

Please make sure you tell your love ones ‘I Love You’ every day, if possible give them a hug.  This week I have received noticed of one friends step Mom passing away, another friends mother going into hospice and another friend sister-in-law going through double mastectomy…

Fuck Cancer

ME

I have faith that in the end it will all work out…

Did you all have a Happy Thanksgiving?  I did, we had 14 people and the food and company were excellent.  Once you have a holiday when someone is missing then you appreciate and treasure that much more every time you can all get together.

I know that some of my friends and even family members do not believe in the power of God and some even get chills when I talk about my faith but please know that without it, I have nothing.

I have faith that in the end it will all work out, my insurance website clearly says that they do support clinical trials as long as it is approved by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).  The NCI website clearly reports my trial as approved… so in the end, once the right person from MD Anderson calls the right person from Tricare/Humana and the paper work is submitted it will be approved and I will start the trial… but what about the time lapsed, that is my concern now.  Since I have stopped taking the alternative medicine I have greater back pain and less energy, and as I said before my next concern is the cancer spreading.

I was told a few months back that if the chemo worked, I could have 18 months to 3 years of life and if the treatment did not work, the statistics were 6 months.  As we know the chemo did not work.  My greater concern is that while undergoing chemo, the tumor in the adrenal gland doubled in size and it went from one tumor to three.  This clinical trial is not a cure for cancer but the hope is that it slows down the process and gives me a few more years.  You know what that means right?  If it works you will have to put up with this blog for a bit longer…  I pray.

Anyway, since my last blog I have to tell you what my amazing friends have done.  One sent a message to Anderson Cooper who is a daytime show host.  Another friend got on the phone and contacted the National Cancer Institute then sent me the emergency number to call for patient advocate for both the NCI and MD Anderson.  Another even sent a message to Ellen DeGeneres asking for help.  And of course the many of you who send me uplifting and supporting messages plus the ones that continue to pray.

I am glad that this time of the year is not called ‘Giftgiving’ or ‘favorgiving’ or ‘moneygiving’ because I could not afford that kind of giving but since it is the season for ‘Thanksgiving’ I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support and prayers. 

And one more thing, we (I) can’t let the ‘evil one’ distract us from the events of the coming week as Friday, December 2^nd  is a big court day for Michael and this is so much more important to me then my own health.  This hearing will show us which way the court system is leaning in regards to Michael’s fate.  The lawyers tell me that it will take a miracle, but since I believe in miracle I will continue to ask till the end: first, that Michael does NOT go to jail and second, that he is not charged with a felony.  Thanks for praying with me.

Love y’all,

ME

Clinical Trial denied

I should not complain and just count my blessing having Michael here but I just received a huge blow.  MD Anderson informed me that my insurance ‘Tricare Standard/Humana’ denied my participation on Clinical Trials.  This leaves me with nothing and it is a death sentence.

I have spent many hours on the phone, talked to almost a dozen people and what I have is Tricare DOES approve of clinical trials if they are approved by the National Cancer Institute (which this one is).  The proper paperwork is necessary including a medical necessity.  MD Anderson says that there approach is to first get a verbal approval that clinical trials are covered before they go through submitting all that paperwork.  So in the end they both say ‘my hands are tied’, well guess what ‘MY LIFE IS IN YOUR HANDS’ witch….

So MD Anderson will call again today and if Tricare says yes, will then submit the paperwork but I was warned that ‘It will be a MIRACLE if they approve within 30 days’. S H I double hockey stick.  As of today, I have been without treatment for 7 weeks; I need God’s help for the cancer not to spread too much in the upcoming days.

Just to let you know, I am sad and upset and wishes that the old Luisa could take over and ring their necks, but I know better and getting angry will not solve my problem…  So I wait and cry.

Since Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I do not believe in leaving my readers with sadness I want to let you all know that MICHAEL IS HERE.  As indicated in my last blog, the court allowed him to leave rehab and will return to California for the December 2^nd hearing.  We will pray a lot next week but for today, tomorrow and the rest of this week, we say thanks. 

I thank God and Jesus and all of my family and friends for your fantastic support.  My sadness will go away soon and the happiness of having Michael will take over.

Happy Turkey day,

ME