Now it's our turn to speak

The fact that Sue is the eldest of 5 McCormick children, (and is always the first to speak) it is our turn to write on the blog and let you know how much we care.

We will start with the youngest and move up in age. :-)

Sue,
Words can't even describe how much you amaze me. You have so much courage and optimism every day even with all you have been through. You are such a light to everyone around you, and even to people that don't know you but have heard about you. My friends, church, and I continue to pray for your healing every day. This is one of my favorite quotes: "God understands that we are not strong all the time. Sometimes all we can do is rest on His arms as He takes us through the journey of life. With Him we are safe." It is so true! I am so lucky to have you as a big sister. I love you so much Sue!

Love Always,
Tara

Hey Sue! Just want you to know how much I enjoy checking this blog. While we've had our share of news we didn't want to read, it's the anticipation of seeing fun pictures of you and reading your inspiring words that I look forward to. For example your latest entry...I wasn't expecting to see you front & center with boxing gloves on--staring right back at me on the computer screen! Instant smiles for the kids and I...thank you!

I'm reading "Heroes Among Us" by Jim Ryun & sons. I am reminded so often of you Sue as I read about these phenomenal, every day people. As the front jacket states--it's about the lives of men and women who inspire us. Their lives show us what it is to be good, to be brave, to be guided by conscience and character. They are an inspiration, whose courage shows us the way in which we should go.

I love you big sister! Hope this picture brings a smile to you...as we had so much fun in that Shakespeare Theatre shop, remember?! I'm surprised we didn't get asked to leave after trying on all of those goofy hats!

XXOO
Stacy

Sue,
You were, are and continue to be my inspiration. Thank you for reminding me how blessed we are each day. Thank you for being an example of someone who walks the talk. Thank you for reminding me that what we have is too much and giving back brings greater joy to our souls. Thank you for never taking the easy way out and addressing life head on..... Thank you for always lifting my spirits when I should be lifting you up and thank you for being my big sister.
I love you more than words can describe.

Matt


It's the small things in life that tend to make a big difference. Take for example our waking up everyday to be able to go out and do the things we would normally do in our routine lives. We don't always give thanks, or give much thought that just being able to do small things can mean so much. The past year has been difficult for Sue to say the least, for Sue just waking up knowing that this is another day, that she has defeated cancer, is a small victory. Just being able to teach, to be able to spend time with her children in the classroom is a victory. We were fortunate
this summer to have been able to spend time with Sue as we toured the Mediterranean Sea, it was a special time and a special trip to be able to see the expressions of love for family and her joys of travel. My sister Sue is a special person, she has a glow that attracts people to her, she has a zest for life and is determined to become a cancer survivor. Sue never asks for anything, always looks at the bright side, and is an inspiration to the rest of us. It's the small things that we can do to continue to help Sue fight this disease, it's the small things that add up
in the end, you're my hero Sue.


We love you,


Mike, Judith, Kelli & Michael

"Chocolate, the dog and a messenger bag"

It seems I'm always starting blog updates recently with not so great news so this time, I'm switching gears. The best part is I really don't have any bad or sad news to report and that's even better! As you can see with the pictures, I'm ready for the TKO with this cancer stuff :)

Chocolate...ladies and gentlemen, there are signs that my enjoyment of chocolate is returning. Over the past week or so, it has smelled good and I figured that was a good first step. The other night I was offered a dark chocolate covered caramel and it looked good so I decided to try it. Tasted yummy going down so I waited the usual few minutes for the taste to turn sour in my mouth as it has in past months. Nothing happened! After several minutes, I tried another and it was good too. Feeling bold, I ate a third and praises! They all tasted just fine and I enjoyed every gooey bite. I decided not to push things and kept it at three, but maybe, just maybe my road to recovery is going to be paved with dark chocolate caramels! Coffee is still off the table, but hey, I can be patient. :)

The dog....back in February Corbett was diagnosed with a level 3 (terminal) disease called mastitis, a type of internal cancer animals get. At the time, she was given roughly three months to live. Devastating news, to be sure. Well, she's outlived that original diagnosis by almost 6 months, looks fine and is acting every bit the queen of the house. A little over a week ago, she had dental surgery to remove an abcessed molar and Lynn, her vet, took chest x-rays as a precautionary measure first to be sure there wasn't something else going on in her body. No signs of tumors or the slightest indication of anything wrong. Praises! She (Lynn) thinks Corbett may have licked the original tumor into such a highly inflammatory state that there was a misread of the original biopsy. She said that if Corbett really does have level 3 mastitis it has done such a good job of hiding itself, it's virtually undetectable. So it turns out that Corbett probably isn't anywhere near as sick as we once thought and she continues to rule the roost as only a diva dog of her caliber can do.

The messenger bag....last Thursday at the start of my last social studies class of the day, a student came up to me, Connor, and said he had something for me. With kids, this could be anything from a piece of candy to a flower to a note from a parent. He then handed me a little neoprene messenger bag with a front zip and said it was for my oxygen bottle so I wouldn't have to carry it around in my hand (the carry bag provided has just a short hand strap). Clearly, this was probably his bag that he was giving to me and it touched me beyond words. This little guy is quiet and doesn't say a whole lot in class, but to realize he had been thinking about me and saw a way to make my day easier with a bag to carry the tank in has moved me more than I could ever say. I tried not to cry too much when I smiled and hugged him and thanked him and it brings tears to my eyes even as I write this. I don't know if Connor will ever realize how much his gift means to me.

The blessings in my life are so many and even as the battle continues with this cancer in my body, my spirit is alive and joyful and so grateful for what God has given, and continues to give me. This last round of chemo has been fairly mild with the side effects and I start the second round next Weds., the 14th - IV for two of the chemicals and a 48 hr. infusion pump for the third chemical. Then two weeks off (no chemo) and a scan to follow shortly after that. I still feel good - fatigue is always present but that's normal these days and I have enough energy to teach and do most anything I want to. I use the oxygen as needed, some days more than others and it's not such a big deal, just annoying to carry around. I'm experiencing a merciful reprieve from what could be very unpleasant symptoms and side effects and that is a huge praise.

Fall has come to Portland full force and the colors are gorgeous. We've had a string of sunny days that really illuminate the brilliant palette of the trees and I love it. Breezes are turning a little chillier than I like, but I have a lovely collection of hats and scarves to use.

Love and hugs to all of you,

Susan

"I'm home, healing, and there is hair in the drain!"

I should probably explain the last part of that comment first....my hair is growing back slowly but there is now enough for me to "shampoo" and there was hair in the drain after my shower this morning. A small thing, true, but a little plus none-the-less. This time around, it is coming in curly and absolutely snow white, not a hint of gray. I hope this next round of chemo doesn't take it again, as we're starting something new, but it's nice to have a little somethin' there, at least for now.

Came home from Good Sam hospital late yesterday afternoon and am glad to be home and healing here. Everyone at the hospital was wonderful and very kind, but there's nothing like being in your own space. I'm grateful for the excellent care I received, but honestly, you really can't expect too much rest during the night with all the different interruptions for vitals, blood draws, administering shots and/or medication, breakfast delivered before a rooster even crows....

Turns out the blood clot was a little more serious than originally thought. The difficulty breathing (and I must admit, that is a scary feeling) was because a portion of the clot had broken off and gone into my lungs - I have a clot in each one. This is called a pulmonary embolism and is very serious. If it had continued to move through the lungs, it could have gone to the brain (a stroke) or the heart (heart attack). Not such good things. I was immediately put on blood thinners again and the biopsy is off the table for an indefinite period of time.

A whole battery of cardiac exams were done on Friday because my cardiac enzymes were elevated and continuing to rise. I learned this means there could be strain/damage to the heart or a precursor to a heart attack. All sorts of fun tests were done (not) and praise God, the cardiologist said the tests showed no damage to to the heart. Enzymes returned to normal by Friday evening and Dr. Karamlou said the rise in levels was likely due to the difficulty breathing.

I am on oxygen and will likely be on it for awhile, until blood oxygen levels return to normal. Think of your heart trying to pump blood around a blockage - that's what's happening with the clots in the lung. At rest, my levels are fine, but when I'm moving around, the levels drop lower than all would like. I'm not too far off of the acceptable range, but until I'm back to normal (does that word really apply to me?), I have to carry around an oxygen tank. Must admit, I do not like this little "leash" one bit and am praying for a quick return to normal. Not only is it a pain to carry around (not literally, just having tank with a tube up my nose is annoying), it is a very tangible reminder for me of what's happening with my health and I'll be honest. I don't like it one bit. It's not that big a deal when you consider the bigger picture, but I'll be glad when I can detach. There was a sad moment for me this morning, with this tank. I was sorting laundry, absorbed in my own thoughts, and looked up to see my three Portland Marathon medals hanging on the necklace rack. It struck me that 10 years ago, this month, I walked my first marathon. I looked at those medals, remembering how hard my friend Annie and I had trained for the event, walking up and down steep hills for hours at a time and realized, again, how much my life has changed in this past year. I cried for awhile, with a sense of loss, and after a bit, was reminded of two things. One, I am still walking and getting around just fine. Yes, slower than before and it's likely a marathon isn't in any near future, but I am still walking and fighting this cancer with everything I have. And two, when you cry a lot wearing a nasal cannula for oxygen, it gets clogged up with snot and then you can't breathe well again, so don't cry while wearing the darn thing.

Next step now is to begin chemo again and I'll start that this Wednesday. This particular chemo cocktail is delivered through an automatic pump device, similar in ways to an insulin pump. I'll "wear" the pump for 48 hours and then be off of it for two weeks before another 48 hour session. It will attach to a PICC line (intravenous catheter) that was put in my upper arm on Friday afternoon. This is similar to the port I had months ago in that there is a small tube in the vein of my arm that goes to the superior vena cava (major blood vessel by heart). The difference between the port and the PICC line is the port was under the skin and the PICC line has "attachment ends" that stick out of my arm. A little weird at first, but manageable. The blessing is now all blood draws and IVs and all that sort of stuff can go directly through the PICC line and I don't feel it. That in itself is a huge gift as we've had trouble recently easily finding veins and my poor arms are black and blue from elbow to wrist.

I've missed a lot of work these last days and am looking forward to getting back to my kiddos. I can go back on Weds. afternoon, after we hook up the pump, and am excited about that. The kids made get well posters for me while I was in the hospital and I just loved reading their comments and get well wishes. Linda (my sub) had them write an interesting fact they found in their Atlas with the comments and some were just hilarious. I guess they don't quite get ratios yet - one wrote "Did you know that in China 719 people fit in one car?" Isn't quite grasping that it's one car for every 719 people, but we'll work on that. They are my blessings, my medicine and such a joy.

As for my Giants, well, they gave it a good run. Now I'll have to root for whoever can beat those pesky Dodgers!

Thanks again for all your love and support and prayers, I cherish them and you,

Susan

Sue is doing well (of course we all knew she would rebound)

Sue is recovering well at Good Samaritan in Portland. She had a number of tests today and it looks like things have stabilized. Dr. Karamlou is not going to biopsy the liver for quite some time (too much risk for additional blood clots) and they start the 4th "chemo cocktail" this week.
Sue should be arriving home on Sunday and teaching again next Wednesday. She feels bad she had to miss her kids back to school night, but understands she is in good hands and healing well.
She wanted me to let everyone know that she is grateful for all the support and continued prayers.

Have a great weekend and know she will be back on her feet and going her usual pace on Monday.

Thank you all for the wonderful support.

Sincerely,

Matt

Update on Sue: 9-24-09 (blood clot scare)

I would like to update everyone on Sue. I just spent the past 4 days in Portland with her doctors and even though the scans were not favorable her attitude and outward appearance is as positive as ever. As you read from the prior blog update, she was unable to have the liver biopsy Tuesday as her blood was not "thick enough" after taking blood thinners from the prior chemo treatments. The doctors felt she needed three more days for the blood to thicken so the liver would not bleed excessively during the biopsy. The one risk in waiting was the possibility of blood clots forming. Well, today we had a little scare. This morning Sue had a twitch in her leg that would not go away and as the morning progressed, she had trouble breathing knowing something wasn't right. She was smart enough to recognize things weren't right and made the necessary calls to the hospital. It was blood clot in her calf area. Sheila and Annie were notified asap, but the hospital sensed urgency and had an ambulance take her to Good Samaritan hospital.

The doctors decided not to wait for a liver biopsy and elected to get her back on blood thinners and stay a few days under nurses care. I spoke with her this afternoon and she sounds great, just disappointed about missing back to school night. She should be heading back home Saturday and knowing Sue, back to school Monday with the kids.

Your prayer support is greatly appreciated.

Matt

No biopsy today

Another twist today....I was prepped and ready to go for the biopsy, but my blood work showed that my blood is too thin and surgery is unsafe. I've been on Coumadin to keep the blood thin because of clotting problems and levels hadn't dropped enough to do the biopsy today.

Disappointing, especially since I had to take a day off from teaching, but I'd rather be safe than sorry! The biopsy has been rescheduled for Friday afternoon and I was given a dose of Vitamin K today to help counteract the Coumadin.

Turned out to be a hidden blessing as my brother, Matt, is here for a few days and the "reprieve" allowed me to spend a gorgeous, sunny afternoon with him. A very nice treat!

I'll keep you posted, but as it stands now, we're scheduled for Friday and will go from there. Still feeling good and loving a Portland Indian summer.

Love and hugs to all, Susan