Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Join Remission Possible!

As many of you know, Clark's mom, Melissa, has been fighting cancer for a couple of years now. She is such a fighter and she fights with a smile on. I admire her strength and outlook and she is an inspiration to anyone who knows her. I'm going to give you a little background of her cancer battle and I hope I got it all right. Clark doesn't really talk about his mom's cancer too much, so I could have some of the details wrong. But, I think I got most the facts right.

Her battle started about 3 years ago when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went into have her breasts removed (and she was kinda excited about getting some new ones), but they found out the cancer had spread beyond her breasts to her liver. She has been on the cancer roller coaster (ups and downs) since then.

She got a scan a couple of months ago that scared us all. Her cancer had moved to the lymph nodes of the pancreatic region, she had 9 spots on her liver, and two more enlarged lymph nodes between her aorta and vena cava. Not a good report at all. We were all really upset because her scans had been getting progressively better and had hoped for the cancer to be in remission. She did a more aggressive chemo and returned to the doctor last week.

Onto the good news- her most recent scan was much better! There was only one lesion on her liver and two of the enlarged lymph nodes had disappeared! YEAHHH!!!!! I am so happy the latest round of chemo worked and is kicking cancer's ass!

Melissa sent out an update today and this is a part of it (you can get a glimpse of her positive outlook):
"We all have to admit that the older you get the more your body tends to break down or just flat fall apart. So if you are out and about or just talking to your friends and someone should say to you, “Melissa Carroll sure has aged” or “Melissa Carroll sure has put on some weight” or even “Melissa Carroll looks so tired” you just need to agree. Since my last report I have turned 52, gained 5 pounds, gotten Clay married, and lost my daddy. I am also knee deep in Race for the Cure as one of the two Chairs for Teams again this year and getting ready for Clark’s wedding in June. So it is not really the last 11 months of IV chemo all to blame!!! I still love chemo! If I ever get off of it they are going to let me volunteer in the chemo room! How fun!!!" -From Melissa's Heath Report

Want to help kick cancer's ass? You should join Melissa's Race for the Cure team- Remission Possible. Her team has raised the most money, over $10,000, out of all the Race of the Cure teams in N.W. Arkansas. Simply go to http://www.komenozark.org/ and sign up for her team. If you don't want to do the "race" you can sleep in and support her too! (Let me know if you need help and I'll be happy to assist you).


4 comments:

  1. I am so glad to hear that she is doing better! That is amazing that she has helped raise that much money!!!! I will be at the race for the cure!

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  2. i have four words for you....

    your wedding invitations = awesome!!!!

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  3. Hey Mary!! I'm so excited...I just found your blog through Melissa's. I didn't know you had a blog and now I am pumped that I get to follow it! Your wedding invitations are adorable! I love the pink and green!! I still laugh everytime I think about you guys geting married because I can remember all of the times, back in the day, when we used to hang out with him, go to his house, etc. It is so funny how life works out! I am so happy for you guys!!

    This is Amanda Martin (just incase you were like...who the hell is this chick?)!

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