Update on Amanda.....from Wednesday doctor appointment

Amanda went for her follow up doctor's appointment yesterday.  The incredible Dr. Bendell has been absolutely amazing, as has all of her staff.  Amanda still has stage 4 cancer, most likely uterine in origin.  The good news is that the chemotherapy she received in China made her lung metastasis so minimal that the new CT scans had to be compared to the old ones from China in order to see where they were.  She had a great response to this chemotherapy so that is really good to know.  However, she still has a mass in her uterus about the size of a tennis ball which needs to be removed.  She is meeting with a gynecologic oncologist surgeon next Thursday to schedule this, and THEN we will have a complete diagnosis.  While the chemo helped her greatly, it has also made CONFIRMING the diagnosis a bit difficult.  Amanda will have a second procedure at this same time, but due to the personal area we are not giving details about that one.  Please do pray that the hysterectomy can be performed vaginally as the doctors do not want to do an abdominal hysterectomy.  If this is not possible, then Amanda will have a biopsy only.  The surgeon will not know until the time of surgery what is possible.

Her PET scan showed the area in her uterus as above as well as an area on her left hip bone that is suspicious for metastasis.  She has an MRI scheduled to better evaluate this area.  It is likely that she will have radiation therapy localized to that hip if it is indeed.

There are NO chemotherapy treatments planned at this time. Amanda wants to stress that she is very hopeful and that her doctors are committed to treating her very well and providing her with the best quality and quantity of life.  She wants you to know that there is likely not a cure per se (though we can all pray for miracles), but that this cancer is something she will live with the rest of her life.  That might mean that she has to get scans every 2 to 6 months to monitor, or it might mean that she will have more chemotherapy in the future.  We do not know yet.  BUT, there is a good chance that she will be able to go back to China for periods of time, and THAT is a huge blessing of news!

Amanda is happy, she is ready to fight, she is also back on the internet :)  We are still working on getting her on Facebook.  Her passwords and details are in China so we hope to talk via Skype later there and get those.  She does receive email but about 400 per day, so please be patient if she takes a bit to get back with you.  She wants to go for walks, and is trying to learn to love my kale.  She has memorized "The Gingerbread Man" which is my daughter Florie's favorite book!  Please send cards...she loves them!
Her diabetes is doing very well, and her blood pressure is getting under control.

She feels your prayers and so needs them!  Thank you for all of your support.  It has been a blessing to have her in our home.

Love,

Eve
 

Happy BIRTHDAY to AMANDA!

It has been a complete whirlwind since Amanda arrived in Nashville!  She went into the hospital on Thursday, March 8 until Friday evening, March 9 and was able to have repeat CT scans, a port placed in her chest for future medications, repeat biopsies and more.  Saturday was her first "day" home without anything scheduled, and she rested and unpacked a bit.  Sunday she went to church with new friends, and then MONDAY was her BIRTHDAY. 

Sixteen old and new friends joined Amanda at Chuy's Mexican restaurant for a fun filled and loud lunch.  Amanda's endocrine doctor gave her the thumbs up to have a piece of cake, and Stefanie made a beautiful cake just the way Amanda wanted...chocolate with cream cheese icing.  We had 4 kids there, and 3 were adopted from China.  It was a fun day and we enjoyed each other's company for 2 1/2 hours!

Birthday lunch....we did pick off a few of the extra carbs to make room for cake!  Priorities!

We filled the whole room

Sharing her LOVES...the Starfish babies!

Florie helping Amanda make a wish

Kristen and Amanda....Kristen visited Amanda with me in 2008

Amanda and two amazing Rummage women who help children around the world!

Amanda and Jeannie, one of her dearest friends and supporter since 2005 when Starfish opened

Amanda and Sherry, a new friend from Amanda's church who is so supportive

Amanda and Wendy who helps support Starfish and Jeannie's organization

Michelle and Amanda....new friends, but Michelle has run 1000 errands for me in the last 2 weeks!

Amanda, Kelly and Chase (who just had 4 shots :(  ). Kelly is a new friend, mom of 7, and helps a ton with my kids so I can help Amanda

Amanda and Stefanie....the cake maker and past organizer of a huge Starfish support in Nashville

Amanda and her Chinese baby friends (a few of them) in Nashville

Later that day, Amanda was connected to the internet for the first time since she left China.  There simply has not been time, and when she did check her mail, she had almost 2,000 messages to go through!  I have read all of her Facebook posts on her page to her, and she is so thankful for your prayers and blessings!  She is slowly but surely working her way through the email messages.

We would like to try to organize a Starfish alumni reunion in Nashville maybe in the early summer.  We will know a lot more after tomorrow when Amanda goes for a very early morning PET scan and then to her appointment at noon to follow up with her oncologist and find out the current results/standing/thoughts on her cancer.  Prayers are very much needed and appreciated!  So all of you wonderful Starfish alums, please start thinking together of a good time....and we will too!  Seeing her babies in their families will feed her soul so much!!

Today we did venture out to get healthy food at Whole Foods and a few items at Costco.  Amanda enjoyed being up and walking, and we hope to schedule more daily exercise in her routine. Again, tomorrow....a big day!

Thank you for your patience, and support.  Thank you for your cards in the mail.  She loves them!

Will send more tomorrow...

Love,

Eve

Amanda Day 1 in Nashville

On behalf of Amanda, I wanted to give an update of her first day in the states.  She had a great trip from China.  The medical escort was wonderful and took away any stress that Amanda had.  She even slept 9 hours on the way from South Korea to Atlanta!  Amanda was very happy to arrive safely in Nashville and was able to talk, eat a good meal, and watch a little HGTV before heading to bed.

This morning her day began with a rigorous reading time with my youngest child.  I think Amanda almost became hoarse from reading aloud, but she really enjoyed it too. She already misses her babies fiercely, and her drive to see them again is her biggest motivation to fight this cancer.  She was able to eat a good breakfast and get a short nap in before heading to her visit at the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center.

Amanda and I were there four hours.  She met several amazing doctors and nurses who were in AWE of Amanda.  She was very open and comfortable with them, and had most of them in tears with her continually positive outlook on her illness.  It was agreed that Amanda will be admitted to the hospital in the morning so we can get the several things needed to be done completed in the shortest amount of time.

She will have a port-a-cath placed which will make any IV needs much easier to achieve.  Amanda will have CT scans to assess what has happened since her first chemotherapy round in China, and will also have a biopsy again to verify the diagnosis made in China.  She will meet with nutritionists and endocrine doctors to simplify her diabetes care plan, and will also see social work.  Amanda is eager to have this hospitalization started, and we hope to have her back at my house by Friday night or Saturday morning.

I have read all of your emails to her, and Facebook posts, and she loves them all.  Please keep them coming.  She is very tired and has very little energy after days like today to reply individually, but was very insistent that I send an update tonight. Amanda wants each of you to know that she is well.  She fell asleep about 8 pm tonight after hugs from  my little ones, and will hopefully sleep well most of the night.

The next few days will be very trying.  Please pray for Amanda, her spirit, and pray for the babies at Starfish.

Thank you all very much for your support and love.  She feels it so very much!

A lil' Humor from Amanda

One of Amanda's adoptive families posted the following HUMOR on Amanda's Facebook page and she asked that it be shared with you.  LAUGHTER is a wonderful medicine!

5 Good things about Chemo: 

you lose your hair -eyelashes and all....so you don't have to buy and waste money on shampoo or mascara or razors. 

You don't have to waste time getting ready because

 your hair is already done for you - just plop a wig on 

your head and you are ready to go! 

You get to lose weight without being on a diet. 

If you want that metallic taste in your mouth, you don't 

have to chew on alluminum foil anymore. 

And last - you can blame forgetting stuff on chemo

 brain, not old age! 

FEEL BETTER SOON!

Leaving for Nashville

On behalf of Amanda, I wanted to update on a few details about her plans.

She is leaving Xi'an, China on Tuesday, March 6 and will arrive in Nashville, Tennessee also on March 6. The Starfish Board has made detailed plans for Amanda and she will have a trained medical escort to accompany her on her flight.  The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center has generously offered to treat Amanda pro bono, and is eagerly awaiting her arrival.  She will meet with her physician on Wednesday to get her next treatment plans in place.

Amanda will stay with friends initially and will move into a donated furnished apartment when ready.  Many of you have contacted her about visiting, and she definitely wants to see you.  BUT, Amanda will need to focus on her treatment first, so please wait a few weeks before coming.  We will try to set up specific times for her so she can best enjoy your visits when she is feeling well.

Amanda will have full access to phones, computers, Facebook, and all once she gets here.  For now, please  contact her via her Facebook page, her email at throwingstarfish0913@gmail.com OR at the initial address where she will stay:

9481 Foothills Drive
Brentwood, TN  37027

OR my email:  bogerteam@me.com

I am happy to send my home number to you via email if you contact me.  Amanda will have her own phone and I can pass that number along as well via email. Please know that Amanda will return her email messages and Facebook posts as soon as she can, but that her upcoming trip, jet late, and continuing chemotherapy treatment will slow this down.  Your prayers, thoughts, cards, well wishes, and love are so appreciated, needed, and treasured by Amanda!

Warmly,

Eve Boger

We Love AMANDA...The PARTY

Dear friends,

 

Caroline, thanks so much for inviting us into your lovely home for  a wonderful evening with Amanda. 

And Amanda, we so enjoy your good spirits, laughs, and smiles.  Our prayers are with you always. 

 I'm attaching a ppt of the party tonight. 

Love,

Christine

Update on Amanda, February 28

UPDATE FROM STARFISH BOARD AS OF TUESDAY, FEB 28th, 2012:

This is the fifth week since Amanda entered the hospital for cancer. We have entered a transition period for both Amanda and Starfish. Here are the updates for each:

1) Amanda has completed her first round of chemotherapy. She came through it like a champion and without significant side effects. She is now taking one week off, resting at a friend’s home in Xi’an. Per her request and the agreement of the Board, she will be transferred to Nashville, Tennessee in the United States where she has been offered free services for the hospital, doctors and medications for her continued treatments. She has a number of friends in Nashville who are setting things up for her so she will have a comfortable place to recover in between hospital stays. Amanda is alert and involved in all the decisions pertaining to her health and well-being.

2) The babies at Starfish are doing great. Doctors from the large orphanage nearby come weekly to check on the babies’ health and make sure they are all doing well. Patrick Belnap, the Starfish interim director, is working hard to keep everything organized and well-run. The staff and volunteers are busily engaged in doing their share, and there is even time to celebrate a little. With this note is a photo of a recent team dinner put on at Starfish by the volunteers.

3) Starfish Foster Home continues to go through transitioning. Since Amanda is not able to be front and center at this time, we are working closely with the Xi’an Orphanage and civil authorities to settle legal, financial and logistical issues in her absence. Amanda has been assisting with the decisions and direction as much as she is able. It will take some time to get the issues resolved, but we are hopeful that in the near future we will be over this bump.

Thank you to all the friends of Amanda and Starfish. Without your help, we could not be weathering this challenging time as well as we are. Thank you for your continued prayers on Amanda’s behalf. She is buoyed up in spirit by those prayers and it gives her courage to “keep on keeping on.” I will continue to post weekly updates on Amanda and Starfish.

Thank you for your kindness and support.

Patrick McLaughlin and the Starfish Board
paddymac0130@gmail.com
917-494-7691

Update February 19

Update on Amanda from Patrick McLaughlin, Starfish Board President
As of Sunday, February 19th noon est

As we enter the fourth week of Amanda's admission to the hospital tomorrow, I am happy to report that the situation has shifted from "all hands on deck" to one of "steady as she goes." Through the super-human efforts of friends in Xi'an and abroad, the fans of Amanda spread across the globe, the weary-eyed staff and volunteers at the foster home, and the tireless efforts of my fellow board members, Amanda and Starfish are weathering this storm. Here are the latest highlights:

1) I speak with Amanda daily and she sounds much better each time. She is clearly aware of the efforts being made on her behalf regarding both her health and all things at the foster home. Amanda is on a full-strength daily chemotherapy regimen. This treatment will continue for about three more weeks at which time the team of attending physicians will review the progress of their efforts. I have had frank discussions with Amanda about the serious nature of the cancer. She understands that the path to recovery will be full of ups and downs and she is willing to take it on.

2) Amanda spoke of the overwhelming support that has buoyed her spirits over the past four weeks. She also told me that she will stockpile all of the positive energy and use it to weather the tough days ahead. To that end, let’s keep that stockpile of positive "mo-jo" filled to the rafters for Amanda to fight the good fight.

3) I am happy to report that we also have the foster home at a point of equilibrium largely due to the efforts of the existing staff of nannies and volunteers and the recent arrival of Patrick Belnap our new interim executive director. Patrick has confirmed that the kids have smiles on their faces, full bellies, and are seeking his full attention. Patrick has also engaged with our staff of nannies and has reassured them of Starfish’s continued support of their work.

4) On the subject of future updates, you have certainly noticed that I have moved from daily updates to once or twice a week. This change can be directly attributed to the "balance" we have achieved over the past three weeks. We are out of the emergency mode and into a daily management of the key issues. You have my commitment that if the news out of Xi'an changes dramatically I will share the facts with you.

Thank you and we appreciate your kindness and support!

Patrick McLaughlin and the Starfish Board

917-494-7691
paddymac0130@gmail.com