December Updates

I met with the radiologist about a week ago. He said my radiation he did while I was in the hospital couldn't have gone any better. The 5 specific tumors he did the radioembolization on in my right lobe of my liver were killed and there was no damage to my liver. This was great news to hear. A small victory in this battle I'm fighting and I'll take it!
 
I plan to treat my left side of my liver at the beginning of January. A date has not been set for this. I still have not decided on a plan of action but if this works as well as my right side. I see it as a preventative of the tumors spreading while I decide.
 
We received a phone call from the nurse practitioner at the radiologist office shortly after we left. She said they were talking and they think I'm so young to do a transplant because there's no way of knowing how long the organs will last and I may have to get them replaced again after so many years. They want me to meet with another Dr. to discuss the possibility of just removing my pancreas and becoming insulin dependent and just doing radiation on my liver. However the body and liver can only handle so much radiation and I may still need to do a transplant on my liver at some point.
 
I also am hoping to get my pre-transplant appointments and testing all done before January that way if I decide to go this route all I'll have to do is ask to be put on the list. All the pre-transplant appointments and testing are good for up to a year, not that I should take that long to decide.
 
With all this being said, I'm collecting my thoughts and compiling questions. I need to call a few offices and make a few appointments before anything can be decided.
 
Thank you to all who continue to pray for my family and me. We can feel it! I continue to receive thoughtful cards, gifts and meals. I thank you and appreciate the outpouring of love on my family.
 
I'm looking forward to this Christmas season with my family and friends and an upcoming vacation with Josh and the girls. We have so much going on but we continue to look to the One who is in control and trust in Him.
 
I came across this scripture today and it speaks volumes to me. I love it!
 
Psalm 63:2-4 (NIV)

I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.

 

Jessie

 

This is Real

Yesterday I went for my follow up visit and met with the transplant team at IU Hospital in Indy.  They informed me that I have two options (neither seem to be great choices).

Option 1: Do the transplant of the pancreas, liver and have my spleen removed. With this option I run the risk of complications of a transplant, the cancer could come back or spread. I will take an immunosuppressant so that my body does not attack my new organs. However taking an immunosuppressant could also cause cancer to spread. The Dr.s informed me that I could take my time in deciding, but if I wait too long I run the risk of it spreading. If it spreads I was told I could no longer have a transplant. Another possibility is they get in me and have to also transplant my stomach and part of my small intestine. All these organs are connected and depending what they see or find when they get in there this could happen. They will have all these organs on hand when they do the transplant just in case. With this option they can't tell me how long I'll live because they've only done 15 of these transplants. All have had complications from the transplant and the only one they told us about that was still living has been alive for 7 years.

Option 2: Do not have the transplant and just have more radiation to my liver. With this option I could have additional damage done to my liver which could cause problems or death. Inevitably I've been told the cancer will eventually spread and I would eventually succumb to the cancer and pass away.

We asked the Dr.s which is the better option, which could I live the longest with and they couldn't tell me. They can't say I'll live longer with one over the other. This is all so rare they have no statistics to go on. Making a decision that affects my mortality is a hard choice to swallow. I think about my
Husband, my kids, my family and friends. There's just no great choice if one won't necessarily let me live longer than the other. The Dr.s can't tell me if I'll live 5 years, 10 years or longer. They just don't know. I could do the transplant and hope and pray everything goes perfect, but there's just no way of knowing how long the organs will even last if I do it. I could do the radiation and hope for the best, but eventually this will spread.


Were just praying for wisdom and discernment. God already knows what choice we'll make and what my ultimate outcome will be. As much as this all hurts (emotionally) I'll know he has a plan for my life.
Jessie


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How I'm feeling:
Emotionally: I'm hurting. Some days the fear feels crippling, but other times I'm okay. Sometimes I'm mentally exhausted from it all and I just don't want to deal with it.

Physically: I have good days and bad days. Mainly its just nausea that I'm still dealing with. Its really hit or miss when I feel this way. It comes in waves. I have some days where I'm tired, but I'm starting to feel like myself again. My sugars are staying up which is great.

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Clarification in case this helps some of you understand: I do not have pancreatic cancer or liver cancer, but I  do have cancer in my pancreas and liver. When most people hear of pancreatic cancer they are thinking of pancreatic adenocarcinoma a fast moving cancer that spreads quickly. I have a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor that has spread to my liver. This is a slow moving cancer. It is not curable.

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PET scan: apparently the PET scan I had WAS to check for more cancer. The scan showed no cancer anywhere other than my pancreas, liver and a few nearby lymph nodes. Praise God it hasn't gone anywhere else.

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My next appointment is this coming Wednesday. I'll meet with my radiation Dr. to discuss if I'll have to do more radiation or not. I'm hoping not, because my sugars are up, but I'll find out at this appointment.

Its good to be home

Home:
These last few days at home have been amazing. I've spent my time between resting and spending it with family and friends. I've visited my friends at work, had dinner with my mom and dad in law, did a little shopping with my mom (my Dr. said I should walk the mall to build my strength back up, I think walking Target counts), taking three hour naps each day. I've spent my days with family visiting me and my evenings relaxing with my amazing husband and sweet girls. Sleeping in my own bed at night has been wonderful. Its amazing how much sleep you can get when someone isn't waking you up throughout the night to check your vitals or draw some lab work. Last night the girls and I decorated a tiny Christmas tree for their room, Frozen themed of course, complete with purple lights. They loved it, and so did I!

Thank you to all the family and friends who've been helping us out and bringing us meals. I can't express how much we appreciate it all!

Health:
I've been feeling a little stronger each day. Being home helps :) I had a follow up Drs. appointment in town yesterday with my Lafayette Endocrinologist just to make sure my Lafayette Drs. and Indy Drs. are all on the same page. I go back to Indy next week, Wednesday, to discuss my "Plan" with my Drs. and to discuss more on the transplant.

Prayer Request:
Fear- I have a lot of fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of what may or may not happen, fear of what I might miss out on if something does happen. My kids are sharing their fears too, as to be expected. Every morning when they leave for school they make sure I'll still be here when they get home and I have to promise them I will be here waiting for them. If I have a Drs. appointment they want to know if its just for a few minutes or if I'll be staying overnight. They want mommy home and I want to be home! Strength for my husband. I know all this weighs on him and he has a lot on his shoulders. He still manages our day to day life, goes to work each day, takes care of me and our girls,  and not to forget all the healthcare items he's staying on top of.

I'm asking (begging) God for complete healing in my body, to sustain my health, life and my family.

Lots of Love - Jessie

Monday Blues to Joy Bubbling Over!

HOME, SWEET HOME!
Hello!  Just a quick update on behalf of Jessie.  After 4 weeks and 5 days, on Monday, Jessie was finally able to come home from the hospital!  She is overjoyed to be home and to spend time with her family.  Although there are sure to be many upcoming appointments and potential treatment options to discuss, at this moment, she is just soaking in the loveliness and comfort that is found only at home!  Jessie's main focus is gaining strength and getting her body, mind and spirit ready for whatever steps come next.  Please continue to pray for her and Josh as they begin a new normal at home and for direction as many decisions will need to be made in the near future.

IT'S MEAL TIME!
Many (MANY!) have asked to make meals and now is your opportunity to bless Josh, Jessie and girls with your home-cooked love!  Please see the link below to be directed to MealTrain.  You will be asked to complete a profile before logging into Jessie's page.  This should only take a minute of your time and is fairly easy to complete.  Simply pick the date, what meal you wish to bring (check out their suggestions to the right of the page!) and put your contact information in the "Notes" section.

Click HERE to bring a MEAL!

For more information on how to help, please click here!

On behalf of Jessie, Josh, Peyton and Parker, THANK YOU!

Monday blues

Our hopes of leaving the hospital on Monday may not come true.  Jessie was taking off her IV last night and her sugar levels dropped in the 70 range, so she was put back on her IV.  70  isn't a bad range just not what they are wanting her to be at, the doctors would prefer her to be up around 100. So when the doctor stopped in this morning to check on Jessie he said that if her levels aren't back up by Monday they might want her to do another round of radiation before she can go home. She is very upset with this news and cant handle the thought of having to stay longer especially now that she finally was given an actual day to go home. Please pray for her levels to go up so that we can go home on Monday.
Josh

PET scans

Hello all,
Yesterday I mentioned on Facebook that I would be going for a PET scan to look for more cancer. I had the scan but turns out it was just to check the radiation went where it was supposed to go. It did! I still have to have another scan at some point to check for more cancer, but apparently I was miss informed or misunderstood yesterday, and this other scan is yet to come. I'm still hoping to go home soon. Someone actually used the word Monday with me today, so that gave me a small glint of hope it will actually happen.
Today has been a good day spent with my husband. The nausea, from the radiation,  has started to subside, which makes being here so much more bearable. I'm grateful for all the friends and family who are staying overnight with me, visiting me, sending me cards and gifts, and taking care of my kids and husband! Lots of love to you all!

I'll leave you with one of my favorites. Its was my scripture I held strong on to when we were trying to have kids. Its still my favorite and God is using it in whole new way to touch me in his journey.

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see.

Jessie

Update

Thanks to everyone who have visited our blog!
Update: I had my first round of radiation this past Wednesday. I've been battling nausea ever since. Each day gets a little better but it still seems to linger. The doctors are watching my blood sugars closely in hopes I can go home within the week. They are slowly weaning me off some of my meds in hopes that I can take a once a month shot to keep my sugars up until the final plan for me is in place. At this time we have no definite plans but it seems the Doctors are leaning towards a liver transplant if not a liver and pancreas transplant. A lot more testing will be done along with more radiation on my liver before anything is decided. Your continued prayers are appreciated for my nausea to subside along with asking for wisdom for the doctors as they decide the best plan of action for me and for our wisdom to make the best decision in the end.
Jessie & Josh

Welcome!

Hello and thank you for visiting!  This blog has been established for the family and friends of Jessie Thayer.  We hope this website will allow Jessie's loved ones to remain updated on her progress and journey.  We also pray this blog will be a source of encouragement and connection for Jessie during this time.  Please visit the "Guestbook" page and feel free to leave comments and prayers for her throughout this blog.  Josh and Jessie are incredibly humbled and grateful for all of the prayers, support and encouragement.  They are overwhelmed by the love and generosity from their family, friends and even strangers offering their help and services.  If interested, please visit the "How to Help" tab for more information on what services would bless them at this time.  Josh and Jessie want to thank everyone for their well wishes and prayers as they embark on this new faith-filled journey discovering what it means to be living as the "rarest of the rare."