The Perfect Storm

Have you seen the movie, "The Perfect Storm", with George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg? Clooney is a fishing boat Captain and Wahlberg is his hired hand.  They take off in search of fish and end up in the storm of the Century.  A hurricane of epic proportions develops because all the ingredients are there.

TheWoodruff4 are in the middle of our own "Perfect Storm".  All the ingredients for disaster are here: chemo quit working, tumor is growing, pain is escalating.  However, even though our ship is being tossed on the stormy seas, we are still united and holding strong.

Yesterday, I had to work.  When I said, "goodbye" to Denny in the morning, I noticed his cheek was getting red and his left eye was watering profusely.  These are the symptoms that signal the return of the tumor.  By the time I got home last night at 10 p.m., his face was drastically swollen. He was in pain and it wasn't controlled. I called the on-call oncology service and they said to bring him in.  He was admitted to Vanderbilt and is in 11 North, Room 11029.

He was supposed to be going in for another round of chemo tomorrow.  With the terrible reaction and hospital stay he had last week combined with the uncontrolled tumor growth, we are afraid the situation is getting away from us.  It may be past the point that chemo will be effective.  Tomorrow, his oncologist is going to see him so we will have her opinion.  We don't know if he will be getting chemo or if they will be possibly calling in hospice.

With that in mind, I called the kids to tell them what was happening.  Dan got in his SUV drove to pick Dana up and they were home by 4:00 pm today.  The three of us went to the hospital today; totally surprising Denny.  He had tears of joy in his eyes; seeing Dana and Dan in the doorway to his room.  There were lots of hugs and kisses.  Each kid had a chance to be alone with their Dad for some one-on-one time to just say what was in their hearts.

Denny was so happy to see the kids.  I was happy to have our family together in one place again;even if it had to be a hospital room.  It was bittersweet but also a relief because it is time.  Time is precious.  We don't want to waste even a minute together to say the things we need and want to say. Tonight, we felt the comfort of love surrounding us.

Thanks for checking in.  I'll update with information as it becomes available.  Please continue to pray.  God is with us.