Lessons in Kindness

Ann will have her last radiation treatment tomorrow. I can't believe that I just typed that. Time seems to have gone very quickly the past 6 weeks. Thankfully, Ann has felt very good throughout all of it. Aside from a nasty scar and no hair, most people would have no idea the extent of all she's just been through. As our favorite singer TA says, it's the fiercest calm we've been in.

We have been amazingly blessed by all of your kindness over the past few months. When my parents and I learned we were unexpectedly going to Japan in 12 hours, you all stepped into pivotal roles that kept things going in our homes, at our jobs, and paved the way logistically for us to get Ann home safely. From cleaning our homes, to calling cell phone companies to give us international access, to spending hours on the phone with Delta to get us tickets, to instant messaging with me in the middle of the night from a hotel room in Tokyo, to offering your cars, your homes, your vacation homes, large sums of money, to drive Ann to radiation, to fly across the country to hang out, to arranging a caravan of cars to pick us up from the airport stocked with sandwiches and toothbrushes, to welcoming Ann into your dance classes and supporting her as she re-learned, to sending cards, flowers, fruit baskets, and many other gifts, to praying for her, forming prayer groups to pray for her, thinking of her, willing for her, WE COULDN'T BE MORE GRATEFUL! And, to our God, who has shown the greatest kindness of all, WE PRAISE YOU AND GIVE YOU GLORY!

Because Ann is about to finish up her radiation and she is feeling so good, this will probably be our last blog. Thanks for joining us on this journey! Thanks for your kindness!


With love, Meagan

Wigged Out

Hello friends and family. We just wanted to check in with an update. Ann has been doing so well with her continuing recovery from surgery and radiation treatments! Every day we're so thankful for how well she is progressing and are aware that things could easily not be going this well. The only real side effect Ann's experiencing, that can't be controlled by meds, has been hair loss. Last week, I did some trimming with kitchen scissors to make her remaining hair pretty short. Throughout the week, she lost the bulk of her hair, so I shaved the rest today. (Yes, I did read all the directions that came with the razor pictured above. Thankfully, we had an entire semester on hair styling in dental school. Unfortunately, I'm not currently accepting new customers.) When Ann saw her doctor on Thursday, he wrote orders for a wig. If the doctor ordered it, we figured it was time to go for it. So, today we went wig shopping. Ann was hoping to channel her inner rockstar and find a lovely neon pink bob, but ended up with a nice, less neon, natural look.

In international news, Doug made it to Tokyo and is doing well getting back into his work routine there. With Doug on another continent, Mom has been chauffeuring Ann to radiation. I've noted a few fingernail imprints on the steering wheel. We are certain that her experience in navigating Red Oak's rush hour has been invaluable in navigating the traffic here.

I was looking through some emails this week from when we were trying to get Ann home from Tokyo. In some ways that seems like so long ago, especially when I see how far Ann has come. I was reminded again how incredibly lucky we are to have such a wonderful support network. Thank you for continuing to be a part of it all. Love, Meagan

Halfway There

Hello Everyone! I am just about to finish up week 3 of radiation, which means after today, I will only have 17 sessions left! YAY! The only real side effect I am experiencing is the hair loss, but I knew that was coming, and I would much rather lose my hair than my energy!
Doug has arrived safely back to Tokyo to continue where he left off at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and then he will finish up July and August at JETRO, the Japan External Trade Organization. He was able to attend my follow-up Brain Clinic in Rochester on Tuesday, and thankfully everything seems good to go for me, so hopefully I won't be too far behind in returning as well.
Since I am still unable to drive, Hoolia, one of my closest friends, left her 11 month old twins in Denver with Gma and Gpa and came to take care of me instead this week. We had a blast together! On Wednesday we hiked about 4 miles through a preserve near our house and enjoyed a sushi dinner with Macey and her friend Bethany. Yesterday, we spent the day at the Science Museum and Como Zoo. This weekend, my mom is graciously moving up to the big city to help me get to my remaining appointments. I am so lucky to have such a strong support system around me! Thank you always for all of the well wishes and happy thoughts being sent my way!!!!

Look How Far She's Come

This is the week Ann was supposed to get out of the hospital. Instead, Ann is walking around like a miracle on legs. She had a 7 hour surgery on her brain that left her paralyzed, and now she has been going to dance class, pilates, long walks/jogs, and bungee jumping (OK, not that last one). {A special thanks to Ann's good friends Ray, Paulette, and Colleen for making the transition back to classes so easy.} We are so incredibly thankful for this gift. Ann is motivated mentally and seems to be having fewer and fewer 'bad brain days'. I know that God would have provided the manna to get by if Ann were still in the hospital or doing poorly, but we are SO INCREDIBLY thankful that she is not. I think the skies must have been filled with prayer for Ann. Thank you all for being such an important part of that.

Ann and Doug are still making the daily treks to radiation. So far, everything is going just fine. We are hoping that this continues. Ann told me she's not going to 'play into that side effects of radiation stuff- NO SETBACKS!' Her attitude is amazing right now.

We definitely appreciate the continued prayer, cards, flowers, phone calls, emails. They mean so much to all of us. With love, Meagan

A Normal Day

(From Ann)
Today was about as close to normal as I can get. Doug and I started out the day hitting golf balls with Doug's parents. My swing definitely isn't what it used to be, but I had a good time! Then my boss and friend at DanceWorks, Ann Proudfoot, invited me down to the studio to do some busy work, which was great! It felt like home to be at the studio again!

I wanted to share a list I've been compiling of things it never occurred to me to be thankful for, until now.

-Not having to be escorted to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
-Going to the bathroom without pressure from nurses to perform.
-Sleeping in a bed without a bed alarm.
-Standing up while taking a shower.
-Not getting frustrated while getting dressed.
-Not needing help to get dressed.
-Being able to sing along with the radio.
-Being able to stay on the beat of the music while dancing.
-Being able to squeeze toothpaste out of the tube.
-Being able to comb and curl my hair.
-Being able to swing my arms while I walk.
-Being able to chop vegetables.
-Being able to blow my nose with both hands.
-Being able to butter toast.
-Being able to make normal conversation with friends and family.
-Being able to fall asleep AND stay asleep.

Tomorrow, I have a mock run through of radiation. And, on Monday radiation begins. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support. Love, Ann

The Perks of Having a Brain Tumor

I have just returned from a weekend up north. (That makes me sound very Minnesotan, doesn't it?) The Iverson Family, from Red Oak, graciously offered us their northern Minnesota cabin for a little getaway. Ann and I used to go there throughout junior high and high school with Christa and Jenn Iverson. It was so great for Ann and I to remember some of those truly fun times. I think that being away for a few days is a nice distraction for Ann before radiation starts. Thanks Iversons!

Several times this weekend I forgot that Ann's left side is weak, until she'd say something like, "Doug, will you move my arm for me?" Ann was even trying to dance a little yesterday. She says that she has no rhythm or coordination since the surgery. It looked to me like she had more than Doug and I combined. She'll be hip-hopping, square dancing, ballet-ing, break dancing, modern-ing, tapping, and jazz-ing in no time. Well, maybe not the square part. Mentally, I think it's still overwhelming for Ann to use so much brainpower to move and talk, but I see glimpses of it getting easier for her.

On behalf of Ann and Doug, still lounging at the cabin, and me, thanks for your continued support!

Phase II

Ann continues to do well here at home. Since coming home, she's especially enjoyed going to the bathroom without an escort and wearing clothing that closes all the way in the back. However, today was not Ann's favorite day. While some of us are afraid of snakes, going over Niagara Falls in a barrel, clowns, or the Jonas Brothers, Ann is afraid of IVs and blood draws. Ann had the pleasure of having both today at an appointment with her radiation oncologist.

Beginning on May 10th, Ann will have radiation treatments Monday through Friday for 6 weeks. This will cut into her mani/pedi schedule. So, don't ask her about it :). The clinic where Ann will have her treatments is about an hour drive from Bloomington. Ann and Doug have been thinking of different topics to discuss to pass the time in the car. Some of these topics include, but are not limited to: Where did God come from? Why are cats so much better than dogs? Why is going to the dentist so awesome?.

All kidding aside, Ann has her good days and bad, just like we would expect. We are hoping for an uneventful course of radiation treatment, so that Ann continues to heal well. Thanks for all of your continued love and support. Love, M

Independence Day!

(Meagan typing. Ann dictating.)

Hello Everyone,
I am home! It is my Independence Day! Thank you so much for all of your thoughts and prayers over the past few weeks. Mentally and physically, I am feeling better every day. Your support through prayers, cards, gifts (a special thanks to whomever anonymously sent the cherry blossom CD we're listening to right now), and get-well wishes have been overwhelming. Thank you so much!
I love you all,
Ann


PS (from Meagan) Ann will begin radiation treatment on Tuesday, and will continue speech and cognitive therapy during the next several weeks. We're all anxious to begin this leg of recovery and move one step closer to the finish line.

Rehab

Ann was admitted to the inpatient rehab program at Mayo yesterday. Our hope is that she will continue to make great strides to move forward with the physical and mental part of her healing. We expect that she will be there through the week. From there, she'll sleep in her own bed and continue with therapy on an outpatient basis.

She continues to do well and it is so apparent to us that the power of prayer has played a mighty role in this recovery. Sometimes, I think we forget that Ann is just one week out from her surgery. The fact that she is walking and we're talking about coming home is a-m-a-z-i-n-g!

Ann's case will be discussed at a tumor conference on Friday. From what we understand, Ann's surgeons and oncologists will discuss what the next steps in her treatment should look like.

In the past few days, I've watched Ann have to re-learn so many things that I take for granted. From putting shoes on to grabbing a kleenex, I hope to always remember what a gift it is to be healthy. Thanks for the continued thoughts and prayers. This verse is from a song that Ann, Doug and I heard at a Maundy Thursday service a few weeks ago. It has never felt more appropriate.

Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay Thee,
I do adore Thee, and will ever pray Thee,
Think on Thy pity and Thy love unswerving,
Not my deserving.

Love, Meagan

Improvement

Hello,
We are feeling very good about Ann's continued progress! She is walking pretty regularly with help from us or the nurses. But, we're mostly just there to help with balance and to keep her from running into the wall on her left side :). Her left leg is recovering very well. Ann's arm and upper body continue to need a bit more help, but we have still seen improvements even in the past 24 hours. If I had to choose whether I'd want a weaker arm or leg, I'd choose arm every time. That gets us out of the realm of wheel chairs and walkers. So, we're grateful that the leg is doing so well. The doctors feel that Ann will most likely have 100% movement in 6-12 months. This is such a relief, considering there was a possibility for paralysis to be permanent.

Because of Ann's way-ahead-of-schedule physical progress, we are expecting a MUCH shorter hospital stay than originally planned. The surgeon told us to expect 3-4 days of recovery from the surgery itself and then 3-4 weeks of inpatient intensive rehab before she would be released. Because Ann is moving her legs so well, she may be able to complete a lot of her rehab as an outpatient.

Aside from the physical recovery, Ann says that her brain feels "full" a lot and it doesn't have much energy to engage in anything extra, like lots of emotion or talking. The way she describes it, it takes so much thinking to get her left side to move and process what people are saying, she gets mentally fatigued very easily. As you can imagine, lots of questions and conversations get overwhelming very quickly. I'm sure this is frustrating for Ann, but know that she continues to correct me on facts and memory issues where I'm lacking. Ann still isn't feeling up to much in the visitor or phone call department. Thanks for your continued understanding.

We are still waiting on a recommendation from the oncology folks here regarding possible continued treatment. This may not be given for another 2-3 months. No matter the recommendation, there will be lots of complex decisions for Ann and Doug to make. This would be a great thing to keep praying about.

On behalf of all of us, I want to thank you so much for joining us in all of this. We are so aware that not many people have the fantastic extended network of support that we have. It has been such a lifesaver for us. Love, M

Hopeful

Today has been a very big day for Ann. She was moved from the ICU to a step-down unit at the hospital. All of the staff have been blown away by how quickly Ann has been progressing with her movement. She actually went for a little walk today. It looks like her legs will make a full recovery. She has been moving her left arm and fingers more as well. It will probably take some hard work to regain strength and movement above her waist.

We also received the results of the tumor pathology today. The doctors are classifying the bulk of the tumor as low grade (grade II) with a small area of high grade (grade III) potential cells. The plan is to allow Ann to recover for the next 2-3 months and then neuro-oncology will decide on the need for radiation and/or chemo. We're happy that Ann can spend some more time focusing on recovery.

While Ann has made exceptional progress and we are hopeful about the tumor pathology, we know that Ann is adjusting to a new normal for her body. This is very difficult. She has a lot of hard work mentally and physically ahead of her. Because of this, we are asking everyone to please hold off on visits until you hear from us otherwise. Thanks for understanding.

Many of you have asked about a place to send flowers. We are now on the 9th floor of the Mary Brigh building at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester. We are expecting to be there through the weekend. On Monday, Ann will most likely move to an intensive rehab floor. Cards can be sent to our home address in Bloomington.

This hospital is truly outstanding. The nurses and doctors have been attentive and sharp. I feel like the hospital culture is a sociology experiment. It's really strange that families a few yards away from us are finding out the best and worst news of their lives. It makes me wonder how a roof can contain all of the emotion around here. In my privileged little life, I've never been exposed to this intensity. It really makes me believe in God more than ever. How else could Ann be walking two days after a 7 hour surgery was performed on her brain? What an amazing Creator. We are feeling really blessed and really hopeful. Ann could still use the prayers.
With love, M

Movement on the Left!

Ann had a good night. At midnight, the nurse administered a test on Ann's left foot and hand to detect movement...and movement there was. Ann was able to wiggle her toes and squeeze the nurse's hand! Even the doctor's were impressed by her ability to move her left leg so soon after the surgery. The upper left side of her body is still very weak compared to the lower.

Currently, they are conducting another MRI to use as a baseline for subsequent MRIs. I asked the nurse if I could accompany Ann to the MRI, but was turned down quite quickly. Looking to lighten the mood, I asked if I could go into the actual MRI machine with Ann. My attempt at a joke was lost on the Nurse, but not on Ann as I saw a smile from her face.

The pathology report will hopefully be ready tomorrow.

Thanks for your love and support, Douglas

Done

Ann is out of surgery. Praise the Lord! We are processing a lot of information from the surgeon right now. We are cautiously optimistic about movement. Ann will be in recovery for the next 2 hours. Thanks for all of the prayers. I probably won't be able to update too much more for a bit. Ann will have a long night ahead of her. Love to you all!

Waiting Game II

They are working on closing right now. This process will take an hour or more. To our knowledge, Ann has been stable throughout. We will meet with the surgeon when they're finished. This will be a big meeting. Thanks for praying. Keep them coming.

Waiting Game

Ann is in surgery right now. We expect to hear updates from the OR every 2 hours. I'll report significant updates as I'm able.

Counting Down

Friends and family,
Ann, Doug, and I have spent the day here in Rochester getting prepped for tomorrow. Mom and Dad arrived this afternoon, and they were happy to complete a 6-hour drive instead of a 13-hour plane ride this time around. Although, they did note the lax passport control at the Iowa-Minnesota border.
1. We ended the day meeting with the lead surgeon. Ann will be the first surgery of the day tomorrow. We will check in at 5:30 AM, and the surgery itself is estimated to take between 5 and 7 hours, not including prep and recovery. So, please don't worry if you don't hear from me. We expect tomorrow to be a lot of waiting. Ann will be in the ICU following the surgery. I will update as much as I can tomorrow.
2. Ann is in really good spirits. She said, and I quote, "I'm psyched to get it out!" She wanted me to convey that to everyone.
3. We are so grateful for all of your prayer support. We continue to covet it tomorrow. I know that our extended family is taking very literally the command to pray without ceasing. They even have a schedule :) Our ultimate hope is that God be glorified in all of this. As JK says, Like a lamp on a hill, Lord, I pray in your will, to reveal all of you that I can.
Love,
Meagan

Almost Time

I set up this blog to keep everyone updated on Ann's progress without having to send mass emails. I know that there are people out there who will cringe at my lack of creativity on blog design. But, we're just trying to keep things simple. I'll save the creativity for when I have my 6th child.... I'll try to post as often as there is news. Please feel free to continue with calls and emails. We love hearing from everyone!

1. Ann is feeling great! We had a Get the Tumor Out party here last night, and we were still celebrating at 2 AM. She has been weaned off of several anit-seizure meds and is thinking with a bit more clarity. Actually, Ann's thinking is so sharp right now, Doug and I are wondering if we're the ones with tumors.
2. We'll head to Rochester on Tuesday, April 13th, for a day of pre-op appointments. Mom and Dad and the Jacobsons will meet us there. The surgery will be on the 14th. Many of you have asked what time the surgery will take place. We won't know until the night before.
3. Keep the prayers flowing. We have so much faith that everything is going to go well! I'm hoping to someday laugh about all of this with Ann and Doug- Remember that time Ann had a brain tumor in Japan? Hopefully, that day will come very soon.
With continued love and thanks, Meg