http://scan0001[1].jpg NewhouseNewz: 01.08

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Today is Kendall's Birthday

Well, today is Kendall's 11th birthday and I am in Corpus with my daddy. I have a special prayer request for you. We ask that you stand beside us as we pray for my daddy to be healed. He had a colonectomy yesterday. The doctor found a tumor the size of a small fist and removed 24 inches. He is in ICU and we hope to make great progress tomorrow. We are expecting to receive the initial pathology tomorrow or Thursday. He is in great pain and we are praying he can get that under control. We are asking that you stand beside us as we face these trials. We trully believe that we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. (and that goes for all of us!)

Kendall had a great day even after giving me much grief about missing her birthday, yet again this year. I missed it 2 years ago for Shelby's surgery. I made her a cake on Saturday night, Mike took her to breakfast this morning (and she got to school just at the end of PE-which she is excused from because of her wrist surgery), and Jennifer made her another cake today. Shelby gave her the gift from her and her Dad let her stay up a little late to read a new book. Doesn't sound to bad, huh?

Taylor is coming down with something and she is losing her voice. She has been practicing for her choir's "Showtime - A Tribute to the 70's". That is before my time, heehee! This Friday she has 3 performances and Saturday she has 2 shows. The nighttime shows include dinner.

As you can see, there is always much to update. Oh, I almost forgot, a dear friend and sister in Christ, lost her middle son in a car wreck last week. Our sweet friend, Brandon (17) will be so greatly missed. Our church family at Westbury has faced so many trials in the recent years and we care for them deeply. Keep Beatrice, Charles, and Bradley in your prayers.

Peaceful nights rest to you all,

In Him,

Kim

posted by Kim Newhouse @ 11:24 PM   0 comments

Saturday, January 12, 2008

I Can Only Imagine - MercyMe

posted by Kim Newhouse @ 1:04 PM   0 comments

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

The Morning after Surgery

Good Morning,

Kendall is still asleep and it is 11:00 a.m. Whoop!! She is taking her pain meds every 4-5 hours. She has feeling in her fingers but can not move them. Her doctor said to add an anti-imflamitory today (he wouldn't let me add it yesterday). She has been a real trooper about the whole thing. We have scheduled her follow-up for Monday, January 14. She will go back to school at least by Tuesday.

My father-in-law, Tom, spent the day at MDAnderson yesterday. His appointment was scheduled for 1:00 p.m. They didn't start the biopsy until very late in the afternoon. They discussed the protocol for the chemo at length. They decided to go with the study. His plan is oral chemo daily with interferon injections once a week. I told him I would have to come and give him the shots because I can not see him or Beverly giving the shots. The interferon injections are to build his immune system and help him feel better. Anyway, the pharmacy at MDAnderson took over two hours to deliver the meds to the clinic, by this time it was around 6 p.m.. Tom and Beverly decided not to stay because they were exhausted and would have to remain there for another 2 hours for observation. They agreed to return to the clinic this morning and start the treatment and then start the 2 hour clock. Sounds like a plan, right.

I spoke to my dad, Lonnie, last night when we got home with Kendall. He spoke with his doctor yesterday and discussed the events of Sunday and how he felt. His doctor decided to move up the colonoscopy to tomorrow. He made the appointment with a doctor that is a colon surgeon as well, and he will do the procedure. The doctor has prepared my dad for the possibility that this could be colon cancer. We are sad by that news but will not know for sure until the biopsy is done and the results are back. I told daddy that we will seek out a second opinion here in Houston. If the doctors in Corpus can follow or implement that plan, then he could do treatment at home, if not, he would be coming to here. My sister, Melinda, is here too, so she can help.

We know that God has a plan, and that we must endure our trials. Paul prayed not that the early Christians trials would be removed but that they would endure their trials. He knew they would emerge stronger on the other side of the trial. Mike and I were discussing that last night. So as you can see where I'm headed with this, our year looks like it will be one we must continue to remain focused and keep our eyes on Him. To remain positive and strong in knowing that He is the prize and this life is no cake walk.

Thank you to all of you for praying with and for us as we work everyday. Your love is what helps us with these trials.

All our love,

Kim and Crew

posted by Kim Newhouse @ 11:02 AM   1 comments

Monday, January 07, 2008

Tomorrow is a Big Day!!

Tomorrow is a big day for all of us. Kendall will have her wrist surgery at Methodist hospital. We found a ganglion cyst in her wrist that was causing great pain. She was having trouble writing and flexing her wrist. If the cyst was not painful, we could have left it. But as it turns out, when in pain, take it out. She will have her wrist in a splint. The problem is that she is left handed and the cyst is in her left hand.

Tom will start his chemotherapy tomorrow. Tom went to MDAnderson on Friday, Dec 21, 2007. They were not pleased that the tests were over 6 weeks old and the study protocol called for his lision to be a minimun of 10 mm, therefore, he was asked to re-do all the scans. On December 27 and 28, he did as asked and the results were called out last Thursday, January 3, 2008. The results were good in that there were no signs of the melonoma spreading at all. The spots on his lung, liver, and kidney were found to be nothing. The spots on his face are called melonoma clusters. The protocol for the study is oral chemo daily or IV chemo with Interferon. We will know which one tomorrow. His appointment is at 1:00 p.m. Dr. Ross will once again do a needle biopsy then start the study. It is his preference to keep Tom for sereral hours to observe his reaction to the chemo. Mom and Dad are both very weary of what is ahead and we as a family solicit all the prayers you could possibly muster up.

At the same time we were preparing to tomorrow, my sister, Dawn, called from Corpus yesterday and told me that she had taken my dad to the ER. He became very weak suddenly and his bloodpressure dropped to a very dangerous level. All tests were run and Dawn, Randy, and Daddy were pleased with his care. Nothing was discovered from those tests except that Daddy is a very healthly man and we are blessed. He will be following up with his personal doctor to try to discover the cause and some other diagnostic tests will be run next week on the 15th to hopefully help.

As you can see, we have started this year off with a bang. We had a wonderful Christmas with lots of love and food to go around. We ate ourselves silly at Matt and Amy's. Carter and Dana came with their family but we missed David and Joyce and their crew. David started a new job and had to work on the 26th. We started school today and are almost halfway through the year. Whoop!!! I just found out today that my nephew, Corey, graduates from Clements High School on June 6. That is so hard to believe. My nephew, Matt, graduates from Abilene Christian University in May. I am expecting Magna or Suma for sure. He has been on the Dean's List (I think) every semester. He will start Graduate School at Hardin Simmons next semester.

Please be in prayer for Kendall tomorrow. I wish they did not have to put her completely under but they always do for children. I will keep you posted (heehee)

Love to all, and peaceful rest!!

Kim

posted by Kim Newhouse @ 8:42 PM   1 comments