Monday Momentum - Moving Forward

Physical therapy went very well again today - Angela and David wish to express their tremendous appreciation to Mike and Chad at Morgan Physical Therapy for seeing to it that she gets the most out of her therapy sessions. Chad has diligently worked with Angela day after day to see that she maximizes the benefit of her time there. Angela is working hard and getting the job done !!!

Today was a record also for minimizing time under the "mask". Her radiation treatment was completed in a record 20 minutes. Still no fun, but Angela's learning how to manage it. Four down and 26 to go !!!

Angela had some pretty serious problems with nausea over the weekend - got pretty bad on Sunday - she asked David not to come straight home after he brought the kids to church - he brought them out to lunch and to play at the park for a couple hours - that gave Angela a little window to get some much-needed rest. Hoping this nausea may subside after a few days of her system adjusting to the chemo meds.

Visits are a little dicey right now - safer to call ahead - she loves to have people around when she can enjoy them, but that is not always possible. David said he hated the thought of eating out for lunch with all the home-cooked food at his house, but it was necessary in order for Angela to get some quiet and rest.

You will notice that a food/meal calendar has been added to this site. David requested this so that nobody's food preparation efforts will be wasted. They have cleared some freezer space to store extra food, but capacity is limited, so the calendar will help to eliminate duplication of efforts. David and Angela said the food has been spectacular, and I can verify that fact for you, because I have "participated" in several of the meals.

Angela went to Aunt Lucy's house Monday afternoon to take a nap and David took the kids home to play.

Thanks for the outpouring of love and support during the past few weeks. It has truly been overwhelming in the best possible way.

END OF WEEK UPDATE!

Angela has completed her first week of treatment. I am happy to report that she has ended her week on a positive note. She is becoming more comfortable with the radiation treatments or should I say, she is becoming more comfortable with the mask. The first day her treatment took a little over an hour and the second about 45 minutes. Today her treatment only took 25 minutes and she was very excited. She and I celebrated this accomplishment over the phone and you could hear the excitement in her voice!!!!! What a beautiful sound! She has also completed her first week of chemotherapy and so far so good. She was a little queasy this morning but she thinks it was from eating breakfast too early.
Physically she continues to get stronger. She is still showing signs of movement in the left foot and toes. Today she was able to do circular movement with her left shoulder. She was able to dry her hair and put on her shoes. Just to let you know this is a major improvement. When I stayed with her at the rehab hospital she could not do any of this. She is also walking better everyday. She is becoming stronger physically which in turn is making her stronger mentally.
David and Angela would like to again thank all of you for your prayers, words of encouragement, gifts, food and visits. They would like to send a special thank you to their Aunt Lucy Priddy. Lucy has been spending the nights with them and helping Angela tremendously. She is God sent and truly a blessing for the entire family.
Please continue to pray for Angela, David and the kids as it is evident everyday that our prayers are being answered.

The first day of treatment

Angela had a busy day today. It began this morning at 8:30 with physical therapy at Morgan’s Physical Therapy that lasted until 10 a.m. Angela says the physical therapy went well and her therapist stimulated her muscles with electrodes. There isn’t a lot of movement in her left foot but there was some movement, and that is encouraging. Though she won’t be going to physical therapy tomorrow due to a scheduling conflict with her radiation treatments, she will be going through outpatient physical therapy Monday through Friday as she continues to work on regaining full use of her left arm and leg. Her movement and use of her left arm continues to show noticeable improvement and small signs that she is gaining use of her left leg and foot continues.

Today was also the day in which she began both her chemotherapy and radiation treatments. She is taking her chemotherapy orally seven days a week and her radiation treatments are taking place at Mary Bird Cancer Center in Baton Rouge daily from Monday through Friday. Angela’s radiation and chemo are following the protocol that was mapped out for her at Duke University last week. The treatments are scheduled to last six weeks with a total of approximately 30 radiation treatments during that time period, adjusting for holidays. Angela says the entire staff at Mary Bird has been incredible to work with and she is very pleased with the care she is receiving there.

The radiation got off to a rough start because she was nervous and scared but she made it through it. Though she took a Valium to calm her nerves, she says it didn’t kick in while she was there. However, this blogger can tell you that the Valium finally did kick in a few minutes after 5 p.m. as she was dictating her experiences today to me.

With Angela now sleeping, I don’t have a lot of first-hand information to add. However, she did tell me that the medical professionals say the first day is the longest and the hardest and Angela was wearing her radiation mask for 42 minutes today. In the future she says she’s told she’ll be wearing the mask about half that amount of time and though she was very anxious going into Mary Bird today, she now knows what to expect and is much more comfortable with the procedure.

“They say that about half the people freak out over the mask and one person refused to wear the mask and left without taking radiation,” Angela told me, adding, “I told them I have three small children to raise and there is no way I’m not going through these treatments.”

Angela wants to again thank everyone who is keeping up with her through this blog and she appreciates everyone who has taken the time to offer his or her messages of hope and prayer. She reads them daily, often re-reading old ones and she gains strength from them.

GREAT NEWS!!!!

Today Angela completed her 2nd day of physical therapy. It must be working because today she was able to move her left foot and toes. Although it was a slight movement, this is a big improvement. She has been unable to move her left foot and leg below the knee since before surgery. This is awesome!!!! In addition, her left arm is getting much stronger. Yesterday she was able to put on Alex's shoes as well as her own. She even changed diapers.

Since surgery her mode of transportation has been a wheelchair. Well, today she left therapy using a cane!!!! She is now able to transfer herself in and out of the vehicle and bed with little assistance.

As you can see our prayers are being answered. Keep up the great work.

Please say a special prayer for Angela as she begins her radiation and chemo treatments tomorrow.

Thanks for your prayers and please don't stop!

MOVING FORWARD

Joey and I visited with Angela and David last night and we were amazed at how much stronger physically she has gotten. She has more strength and mobility in her left arm which has her feeling very positive. Last night, she was able to put Katherine's socks on which she was unable to do a week ago. As you can all understand, this is a big deal!!!!
The kids are very happy to have Angela and David home. David's Aunt Lucy has been staying with them and has been a big help. They appreciate her being there and helping them with the kids and the everyday operations of the house.
Now regarding Angela's cancer treatment plan. The next 6 weeks are mapped out and it all begins this coming Wednesday. She will have 7 days a week of chemotherapy treatment. This will be an oral medication which she will take in pill form. What a blessing!!!! She will have radiation treatment 5 days a week which will be done at Mary Bird Perkins. The treatments will last for 6 weeks. At the ends of the 6 weeks, the medical team will redo all of her tests and scans to check the progress and then move forward from that point. She reports back to Duke in 3 months for her follow up visit with the medical team there.
As far as her physical rehabilitation, she begins out patient physical therapy this coming Monday at Morgan Physical Therapy. They have an office in Port Allen which will be very convenient for her. She is very anxious to begin physical therapy in order to achieve the goals that she has set for herself. Walking soon is a major goal for her and with her determination, I know that she will achieve that goal very soon.
We will keep all of you updated on her progress. Thanks for all of the prayers and words of encouragement that you have posted on this blog. She reads all of them and sends many thanks for thinking of her.
Please continue to pray for Angela, David, Alex, Christian and Katherine.

Happy With Their Decision

Angela and David have returned home and are very happy that they went to Duke. I talked to David tonight and he stated that he and Angela definitely made the right choice. He said that Duke is the place to be when it comes to treating brain cancer. All or most of their questions were answered and they left their appointment feeling very positive. The treatment plan is in place and they are ready to begin the journey.
They also wanted me to thank Gretchen for opening their home to them. David said that he felt Angela was more comfortable being at her house as opposed to being in a hotel. So, thanks Gretchen for all that you did for Angela, David and Theresa.
Angela has an appointment tomorrow morning at 7:45 with her radiologist.
I will post more information as soon as it is available.
Please continue to pray for Angela, David, Alex, Christian & Katherine.

Duke offers hope

On Tuesday evening, Angela, David and Teresa had a great flight to Raleigh. While in North Carolina they are staying with one of Angela's high school classmates, Gretchen Nadler Clifton, and her family.

The muscle spasms which have given Angela fits since last Friday are better now, I'm told, but she still had some difficulty sleeping Tuesday night.

This morning they met with the medical team at Duke, who explained their process and gave them a lot of reasons to be hopeful. A treatment plan is now in place and she will be treated primarily in Baton Rouge though some of the medicines she will require are not available here and she will return to Duke as needed. Though no huge promises were made, Angela is finding comfort that there is a plan in place and enough success stories out there to make her feel optimistic.

David and Angela were able to get a good nap this afternoon and tomorrow they will be back at Duke again to meet with a social worker. Then it's back to Baton Rouge tomorrow evening and an appointment with a radiologist is already scheduled for Friday.

Angela's Super Heroes: Christian, Alex and Katherine

SAFE AND SOUND IN NORTH CAROLINA

Just a quick note to let everyone know that Angela, David and Theresa have arrived safely in North Carolina. I spoke with Theresa last night and she said that Angela had a good flight. They were greeted at the airport by Gretchen Nadler Clifton. Angela graduated from high school with Gretchen and she has been kind enough to open her home to them. God Bless her for that!
Angela's appointment is Wednesday morning at 9am. She is going to call me later this afternoon so I'll give you an update as soon as I can.
Please continue to pray for her!!!!
tammy

The last morning at the Rehab Hospital

It's 8:30a.m. Tuesday morning and Angela is sleeping comfortably in the easy chair that's she's been finding comfort in for the past few days. Since Friday night, Angela has been dealing with a tremendous amount of pain from muscle spasms we believe were brought on by an overly-rigorous physical therapy routine. She’s described the pain as being “100 times worse than childbirth” and on a 1-10 scale, where a 10 is the worst, she’s given her pain level as a 15.
The pain has been so intense that we worried she may have kidney stones but yesterday’s x-rays showed no kidney stones and the medical staff believes that it’s just intense muscle spasms. The spasms have kept Angela from getting physical therapy for the past several days.
Angela’s friend of 40 years, Tammy Sharon Culmone, came in with food from Brewbacker’s last night and we chowed down on hamburgers, fries and greasy onion rings. Tammy spent the night with Angela last night, allowing David to spend a night with their three children before today’s trip to North Carolina. When I arrived this morning, Tammy told me Angela sleep well last night and she’s been sleeping peacefully since I arrived.
Today’s schedule includes Angela checking out the rehab hospital this afternoon and then taking a private flight to Raleigh at 4 p.m. She will be joined by David and her sister, Teresa Lawhon.
For those of you who are relying on this site to stay posted on Angela’s progress, please know that Tammy, Steele and I are going to work to keep everyone informed on a more regular basis.
And once again, Angela and David want to thank everyone who has sent cards, flowers, gifts, food and those who have given their time to stay with Angela and with the children.
John Michael

UPDATE ON ANGELA

I have visited with Angela several times over the past few weeks. She has become stronger both mentally and physically. Angela has a very positive attitude and is ready for the fight ~ which she plans on winning!

She has been in physical therapy 3 hours a day 6 days a week and has been working very hard. Angela had a little set back a few days ago when she pulled a muscle in her lower back while in therapy. This has caused her to have muscle spasms in her lower right back which has been very painful. But you know Angela, she is dealing with it and only looking to the future.

David and Angela leave on Tuesday for Duke University as she has an appointment Wednesday morning with Dr. Henry Friedman. David and Angela are both excited and anxious as they prepare for their trip. Please continue to pray that God will guide Dr. Friedman, Angela and David through this process. For we know that through Him ALL things are possible.

Angela and David have asked that I thank all of you for your flowers, visits, phone calls, food, but most importantly your prayers. She asked that you continue to pray for her to have the strength to continue her fight.

I ask that you continue to pray and ask God to please bless Angela with the recovery that she so deserves. I also ask that you continue to ask God to give Angela and David the strength to continue the fight and remain strong and positive through this journey. Also, please pray for their 3 beautiful children who love their Mommy more than anything ~ Alex (age 3), Christian (age 2) and Katherine (10 months).

New Scenery

On Wednesday evening, they moved Angela to the NeuroMedical Center Rehabilitation Hospital to begin rebuilding her strength and mobility. Since the surgery, Angela has had some paralysis on the left side of her body. This was expected since her first warning signs came from a loss of feeling in her left leg and her doctor had cautioned her that the paralysis would get worse before it got better.
Angela has a beautiful, spacious corner room on the top floor of the Rehab Hospital with floor to ceiling windows on two sides that give her an incredible bird’s eye view of Perkins Rowe. The change of scenery suits her well and the staff here has been very positive and responsive.
Angela’s current routine includes three hours a day of occupational therapy and physical therapy. Current plans are to have her at the Rehab Hospital for a week to help her build her strength back and regain use of her left side.
Last night the kids came for a visit. I slipped out the room to enjoy some of Tammy Sharon Culmone's meatballs and spaghetti by myself in the common dining area. Through three walls I could hear our middle son Christian scream "Spiderman, Batman". Fortunately the staff here appreciates our circumstances and never even gave us a frown.
All of Angela’s medical records were sent to Duke University this week and we are waiting for them to schedule her visit there. Dr. Henry S. Friedman is well-respected in his field and has given us encouraging words, which have been very comforting at such a difficult time. Below is a link that illustrates the success of his program:
http://www.dukemednews.org/news/article.php?id=5429

Thank you for respecting our privacy while we were coming to terms with our situation. She is now up for having visits from family and friends. We're in room 602 at the NeuroMedical Center on Blue Bonnet (Perkins Rowe).

Thanks again for all your prayers, support and words of encouragement.

Friends and Family of Angela Carville Fluker

This past Labor Day weekend Angela began loosing control of her left foot. After a couple of weeks worth of doctor's visits and several MRIs later she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She had the tumor removed at the Lady of the Lake hospital this Friday. The surgery went well and all of the visible tumor was removed. Unfortunately the tumor was malignant (Glioblastoma Multiforme). Considering the circumstances she is holding up well as anyone could. There have been lots of valleys and very few peaks during this past week. When she is able to travel we plan to treat the tumor at Duke University with Dr. Henry S. Friedman. This world renown brain tumor specialist personally called us back at 9:00 pm on the same day we requested a consult. Incredible! We're hoping this is the miracle we were praying for. The support from our family and friends has been overwhelming, it has given us hope in a very bleak situation. I want to thank everyone who has called, visited, emailed, cooked or shown us love and support in anyway. However right now we need a little time by ourselves to regroup and mentally come to terms with our situation. I'm sure we'll be in a better place mentally to visit and talk with our friends and family in a few days. Your prayers and support have really meant a lot. We are still in the tower at the Lake room 426. I'm not sure when we'll go home, but it will be soon.


We'll do our best to keep this updated. Please feel free to post your comments of love and support. I promise Angela and I will read them.

A Sincere Thanks to Everyone,

David, Angela, Alex, Christian & Katherine