Here is an email that Annie sent Jim and Winnie. It has some good information.
Hi Winnie,
This is Annie. Thanks for your mail and all your love and support. Sorry that I have not been able to get back to you sooner as I was running around. I am doing better now and so does Steve. The treatment plan he received from Dr. Fan has help bring down the severe of his headache. We will have body scan at 12.30 today. It will finish around 3 pm. Dr. Fan will have meeting with us about how to move forward after he know the scan result, may be Monday night or Tuesday morning. We have to wait for about a week to have operation as Steve took lots of aspirin to deal with his head ache and it caused problem with bleeding. Doctor need to wait for about a week for aspirin to get out of body system. We just hope that the tumor won't grow any much bigger during this week. Let's pray for it too.
We cried a lot last and felt so bad last weekend but we are feeling much much better today after receiving support and kind words from our friends. Ralph showed up on Sat night and Judith paid a surprised visit. Yesterday, Judith & her family, Mandarin & Paul, Cathy Thong, Mark Hayes (who never show up in x-mas party for three years) came to visit Steve at the hospital. It was a great visit. Steve enjoy talking with them. At first, we thought that it will be hard to talk to visitor but the vist help generate the positive thoughts to us, esp Steve. Kudy, Sally, Bank, Bell, Ryu, Dad & mom all called and send their prayer to Steve too.
Kudy will be in HK this afternoon and she will stay until 25th May. I am so glad that you and Jim and Kudy are able to be with us during this difficult time. I know we will walk out of this in good shape.
I am stronger and not crying when I speak or type email anymore. Vanida & Sally reminded to be composed and be strong for Steve and generate positive thoughts to him as the body will produce some hormone and it help deal with the sickness. Your email and your kind words help me a lot too.
Steve might be able to rest at home before the operation if he don't suffer with head ache. Anyway, it's good to be near doctor if we can't go back home.
I will have meeting with Abby and the insurance people to discuss about Steve's benefits and to know which cost is not covered etc. Also I will see Anita (the wife of Steve friend who gone through the chemo), Steve want me to find out how they handle the situation once the insurance premium finished etc. So I plan to meet her on Tuesday afternoon, since Kudy is here so I don't have to worry about Steve and can do other errands. We will need to move to smaller apartment too, so there's a lot to do.
Pls send me your flight number, so that Kudy or Mandarin will pick you up at the airport express station (HK station). I will prepare some light meal for you. I'm so glad that you will be here soon. Let's talk more later. Gotta run to hospital now. See you soon.
Love,
Annie and Steve
6 comments:
Its Tuesday, 19 May. I am resting comfortably. Things continue to move in the right direction, but such a long way to go.
Everyone's comments have been helpful and inspiring. Thanks so much and please keep them coming even if we cannot respond right away. We will do our best as we now you are all anxious ot know the latest
We just met our Oncologist. The clean Petscan is a good sign so we focus on two tumors in the brain. First Operation will be early next week and most likely will be followed by chemo and radiation depnding on the results of the biopsy. The doctors are keen to get the big tumor extracted soon.
Kudy arrived yesterday and has been a big help for Annie. Jim and Winnie arrive on Thursday. I may be lucky enough to get some "home leave" over the weekend so that we can visit at home rather than he hospital before the operation next week.
All things considered, the news continues to be positive. We are fighting the good fight. We are Manny Pacqiao
Go Manny !! We're all in your corner for this fight.
My friend Chris Coooney and his wife Anita have given us lots of support. Chris survived cancer two years ago and his advise is "Denial and Beer". Make yourself strong by staying positive and giving yourself rewards to get through the bad days. They recommended the Lance Armstrong bookd called "Its Not about the Bike". Judith and Doug brought a copy to the hospital. I've started reading and I am living that book. If youw want to know what this is all about and how the brain surgery will go this book will tell you.
Its a long haul fight with many good days and many uncertain days ahead. Annie and I are positive. Given that we did not have any hope last Friday. Now we have "hope"
HOPE is synonymous with LOVE and we are sending you a lot of both! We believe in the awesome power of prayer, as we have seen many blessings that God has sent to our church members as a result of prayer.
Steve, you have been receiving prayers first thing in the morning from our group of dedicated prayer circle. Then again they pray for you at the end of their day.
We will keep this prayer chain going as long as you need it.
May God add his blessings to our prayers!
You got to believe
----- Original Message -----
From: Cooney III, James P.
To: 'Christopher Cooney'
Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 6:52 AM
Subject: RE: Feel good story
This must be the story about my former law partner, Nancy Norelli. In 1992 she was diagnosed with invasive breast carcinoma and positive lymph nodes (meaning that the cancer had spread into her lymphatics). She tried to get into an experimental stem cell program at Duke, but was simply too sick - - they will not take patients who do not have a reasonable chance of survival. Nancy underwent the standard treatments and survived. Then, a few years later, she was discovered to have a bony met to her skull; during that treatment she suffered a stroke. She not only survived that, but later ran for and was twice elected as a district court judge. She called me last week so that we could get together for dinner. She has seen her children graduate from college and get married, and will probably outlive all of us. While statistics are important, in any person it is either 0% or 100%. Every time I see her, I shake my head and say a prayer.
Jim
Steve,
Don't tell Anita,
I never read the Armstrong books. I heard the synopsis'. I couldn't take charge of my care, I had no choice nor time. After that, it was a matter of belief and faith in myself and Anita that it was not my time.
Lance, I hear is a good read but I had some moral problems with his recovery.
When you have been discharged from the hospital to begin chemo and radiation.
Anita & I will certainly be around to guide you through the use of public and private care. As I am sure you have discovered that catastrophic care is not covered under your policy.
Be glad you live in HK with the public health.
I'm not sure how aware Anita is of that aspect, I'd be happy to talk to whoever, to explain the ins and outs of melding the two systems.
God bless
See you this weekend.
Concentrate and believe
Chris
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