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Hello, dear friends, from Corazon

This week started with a beautiful most memorable trip to the GROTTO of our Sorrowful Mother in Portland ,Oregon last Sunday, July 23rd, courtesy of a wonderful angel friend, JESSE TIAMSON, and his wife, EVELYN, who came into our lives last year. An AHS alumnus who happened to be my classmate’s cousin, Herman and Lita from the PI and he has always been there for me/my family ever since. He organized the entire successful pilgrimage .

Special thanks to TONY and AURORA PAZ who brought a mobilized wheelchair for me.

Around 25 people showed up and we had a picnic after the 12 o clock mass. We were even joined by a Filipino priest who was assigned at the Grotto and he gave me a healing blessing!

We also prayed to St Peregrine, who has also a beautiful site by the Grotto. There is a healing mass held every first Saturday of the month. If you can make it,the GROTTO is a beautiful place to pray,meditate , to just be in touch with the very depths of your soul and inner spirit !

My family and I want to thank EVERYONE who drove and joined us in spite of the heat/traffic that day! Your constant support and love
is so uplifting and empowering! GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU !!!

It is totally wonderful miracles how many more angels has come into our lives just even since a year ago. Our journey has been a long and challenging one. Almost ten years now !

This is my ( and my family) third journey…..everyone is different ,each one are full of twists and turns but with our continuing faith, hope and trust in the Lord, somehow, I feel in my heart that HE is always, always will be there for me and my loved ones ! And that whatever His will, His will be done!

I am finally home from SWEDISH HOSPITAL late Thursday afternoon from the first of the series of my second set of chemo. I was also given two units of blood as my RBC and hematocrit fell into critical levels.

My faithful caregiver, Fort, did not get much sleep as I was constantly needing his help so I do not pull my “christmas tree” ( I call the pole with all the intravenous infusions hanging ,my ” christmas tree ” !
So he was really tired this time around. I am doing very well with the usual side effects, fatigue and expected loss of appetite but drinking my formula dutifully so I do not end up with another peg feeding tube !

I have two more sessions this month,once a week, then I get a week off . Then a repeat of the PETSCAN….D..DAY!

If this protocol is working and shrinking the tumors, then we continue with it until December. If it is not working, then we need to choose another protocol. We pray that it is working with the Lord’s help !

There is a new drug called AVASTIN that is now being used in UCLA Cancer Research Center and seems to have a lot of potential. But my insurance will not cover it as it is I8K a dose. We are also investigating
MDANDERSON in Houston re their alternative protocols especially using Avastin.

I have been able to convince my oncologist to file a compassionate appeal to the company to donate the drug to include in my protocol especially if the present one fails. This is a good possibility, so please help us pray !

Again, our most sincere gratitude to everyone and God bless you all !

Enjoy this beautiful world our Lord created!!!

Hello everyone,

I apologize for the lack of posts since Saturday. Mom has had a pretty decent week. This is her “vacation from chemo” week. She had a few visits “from a distance” from friends. This meaning, she was always about 10 feet away, and had a mask on, and of course they washed hands repeatedly as well as Purell’d up.

Dad had to shave mom’s head on Tuesday I think it was.

I think this is always a difficult thing. Mom, seems to be used to it by now, but I know I wouldn’t like it.

I think it is much more difficult on dad than mom fro him to shave mom’s head. It really makes him mad that he has to see mom suffer so much. It probably brings it home how much the cancer has disrupted their lives and their retirement.

He keeps it inside like most men do, but I know that he finds it frustrating.

If there is anyone out there who feels like dad opens up to them, maybe you could give him a call and check in on him. I know he doesn’t read this website, but I know he benefits from talking to people about his frustrations.

He went out for dinner with Uncle Julius last night, and I think that was good for him.

People are so good about asking me…”How’s mom doing?”

It is kind of a difficult question to answer because,

for example: when you twist your ankle, it seems really bad, then you sprain it, and twisting it wasn’tso bad, then you break it and spraining it wasn’t so bad, then they amputate it, and breaking it wasn’t so bad…so it is all relative.

After moms trip to the emergency room, including all of the pain she experienced, as well as when mom was in Texas, and received radiation, chemo, and had the feeding tube, the typical chemo side effects she is enduring right now don’t seem so bad.

So depending on your perspective, right now, mom has lost her hair, has sores in her mouth and down her throat to her esophogus, has trouble eating and drinking enough, at time is nauseous, at times has diarrhea, and also sometimes has sad moments.

She has bone pain still from her other cancer, has had a port installed under her skin, so that she can avoid the many IV and blood test pricks and pokes.

She has to deal with insurance beaurocracy.

So how is mom doing…? She is doing great compared to the emergency room day, but I think we would all agree, we wish she was healthy and enjoying retirement with dad in Arizona

We are preparing for a busy week next week.

Friday mom has an appointment with the Dr. to check blood counts etc.

Sunday mom is hoping to be healthy enough to be able to go on the pilgrimage to the Grotto in Portland.

Monday mom checks in to the hospital for her second series, which starts with an overnight at Swedish to get cisplatin, and CPT11.

More guests arrive next week for a few days, a cousin from Sacramento and her daughter.

I may not be updating much, I have events both Friday and Saturday.

Thank you all again so much for your prayers and love and support. They carry us!

mom supervising dad cooking

Originally uploaded by Cora Fort Support.

Does dad look like he likes mom’s supervision?

the muse!

Originally uploaded by Cora Fort Support.

Mom posing with some balloons!

Mom on the walk

Originally uploaded by Cora Fort Support.

Here is mo taking a break on our walk. You can see where her port was placed on her right collar bone.

Cora, this is my prayer for you, Ed, Bobby Manasan class of 58, David C. Martinez, my friend the author of A COUNTRY OF OUR OWN

In the Name of the Most Merciful and Compassionate God, Lord Almighty, Maker of the Heavens and the Earth and of those between them, Master of the Day of Judgement, Who gives life and death and then eternal life after death, the One Who has Power over all creation.

We worship and glorify You Alone, we thank You for all Your gifts and seek Your pardon for all our sins, big or small, past and present, hidden and evident.

We beseech you to grant gracious life to all of us your creation, in this world and the next. as we render obedience and worship that You command us, most particularly for our sister CORAZON SANTOS GATBUNTON……Amen.

Today is Christines Birthday. She celebrated by going out to lunch with grandma, and then swinging by the Tacoma house to visit mom and dad. Mom is excited because her sister arrives tonight along with my two cousins and one husband.

Mom has been doing pretty good.

More to come later

Our good friends and prayer supporters Shelley and Liz participated in a small triathlon today. Just a big thumbs up to two people who mean alot to “mama g”.

Today mom and dad went back down to tacoma for the night so mom could try and take advantage of feeling good since she didn’t get chemo. She needs to use the internet at home in Tacoma.

Christine is celebrating her birthday tomorrow up in Seattle. She had to un invite her friends though since mom is in danger of infection right now.

Thank you again for all of the prayers!

Today we woke up at the bright and early hour of 6:30am, which is about the time of day I usually go to bed, so I was a bit tired.

We arrived, and they were behind, so they actually didn’t even start working on mom until almost 9:40am.

The procedure wnet well, so around11:00am, we went to Dr Goodmans office, mom got blood tests, and then got to see the Dr.

Unfortunately, moms white bloodcell count is very low…

So mom was not able to get her CPT11 tomorrow. Instead she reeived hydration along with a shot of Neulasta, which stimulates white blood cell counts.

Mom will have next week off, because it is important for her to stay on track for her Cisplatin CPT11 combo the following Monday.

Mom is having a difficult time having moved to a condo with no internet. She used my computer when we got back from the hospital while I took a nap.

We are a little dissappointed that mom couldn’t get her CPT11. We want something in there killing the cancer.

Baby Becky was so fun to hang out with, even just for a day. It doesn’t seem like it has been 10 years since we last saw each other. She was only here for the night, but she really brightened mom’s spirits.

Thank you all again for all of your love, support and prayers.