Hard Week

Well, this has been one heck of a hard week. I think I mentioned in the last post about Carrie having a difficult labor. In the days leading up to Rooney's birthday, Carrie had started to get really bad headaches. So bad that she was hospitalized, couldn't keep anything down, and just felt all out miserable. Her doctor kept attributing it to the pregnancy. Finally, she went to the doctor the day after her due date and her doctor decided to go ahead and induce. The headaches seemed to get a little better right after she born, but by the end of the weekend, they were really bad again. She finally went to the ER Monday night. I'm sure I'm not filling in all the details right here...being so far away is the worst thing in the world...but last Monday night, around this time, we got some really bad news. Our sweet Carrie had a lesion in her brain. Try going to bed after hearing that news. After frantically trying to get my mom's flight switched to the very next morning (she could not function that night), we all prayed and prayed that this "lesion" was not what we were all thinking it was in the back of our minds. Most people know we lost my brother almost 7 years ago to a brain tumor. So this news to us was all too familiar.

 

 The next morning, the doctor confirmed our fears, that it was indeed a brain tumor. However, they pretty much ruled out immediately that it was the same kind of tumor my brother had. First sigh of relief. We were told that it was probably one of two things, a reoccurrence of melanoma (she has had bouts with melanoma a couple of times previously), or a meningioma tumor, which is typically benign and often times grows aggressively with pregnancy. We had all of our prayer warriors praying that it was benign. Surgery was on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, this sweet pea wasn't skipping a beat and was being a miracle child with her grandparents! Look at her sucking her thumb! Ahhh, so precious!!!

Surgery was on Wednesday to remove the tumor, which was the size of a lime--huge to me. It was the longest day! What we thought was going to be a 3 hour surgery ended up being longer, and I didn't hear a word until 5 pm that afternoon. It was tough! We got good news though, the doctor was able to remove most of the tumor (not all), and he thought that it was the benign tumor. He had been doing this for 25 years, so obviously we were all feeling a little better with this news.

On Thursday, Carrie had an MRI and the tumor was GONE. All of it. GONE. We were rejoicing at this news! We were getting a little more confident that it had to be the benign tumor...it came on all of a sudden at the end of her pregnancy, they were able to get it all out, the doctor thought that's what it was, etc. We just knew.

Carrie finally got to see her sweet baby girl on Thursday! One day after brain surgery! Doesn't she look so happy?!?! This picture made me cry. And to make it even better, she got to go home on Friday! (one of the bright spots through all of this was that Carrie did not have to lose any of her beautiful long hair!)

So, the pathology report was due back on Friday and obviously we were on pins and needles all day awaiting the news. When I saw my Dad's number pop up on my phone, I knew it wasn't going to be good. My mom always calls with the good news. My dad always calls with the news mom just can't tell. It was melanoma. CANCER. I hate cancer. Hate it, hate it, hate it. We were all so shocked.

So, while they did remove the entire tumor, there are still cancerous cells, and because she has battled melanoma previously, this time they are going to war against it. And I know she will win! She has to for her sweet Rooney Mae! Updates to come....we ask for continued prayers though!

Just to end on a happy note...this is Carrie on Saturday...3 days after brain surgery! Out for a STROLL! (and I think she may have make up on). She is my hero!!!

 

I will be in California on Wednesday and I cannot wait. Talk about feeling helpless here! I'm ready to be out there and help with night duty, changing dirty diapers, and just spending time with my amazing sister and mom!