We are in the waiting room and are hoping to be called soon. Thanks for all the prayers. Hopeful soon, we will be called in and get great results. Keep you posted

Dennis is schedule to get his results from the doctor about the PET Scan and GI Endoscopy on May 20, 2013 at 2:30pm.

Below is how many days before Dennis get his results:
[ujicountdown id=”Results from Doctor” expire=”2013/05/20 14:30″]

Dennis is schedule to get a positron emission tomography (PET) scan on May 20, 2013 at 11:00AM.  For those unfamiliar of what a PET scan is, it is an imaging test that uses a radioactive substance called a tracer to look for disease in the body. Unlike magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT), which reveal the structure of and blood flow to and from organs, a PET scan shows how organs and tissues are working.

Below is how many days before that scan:
[ujicountdown id=”PET Scan” expire=”2013/05/20 11:00″]

Monday is the big day. been praying for this day since oct. please continue to lift up my dad as he goes to get his medical test done to find out what the next step is in fighting this cancer. Adam and i both took off the day so we can be with mom and dad as we get the results. I know God has taken dad’s body and healed it. I have faith and know God is taking care of things. will update u as we get results. don’t forget to check out www.dac24.com for updates as well

“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.”

― Booker T. Washington

Well we have 5 more days before the big test.  Yes the PET Scan is finally almost here.  This test will tell us how much cancer is still in Dennis.  Of course we are hoping none but if we can’t have that we will take very little.  Dennis is getting stronger every day now.  We go for walks to build up his strength.  He is eating pretty good, of course I still fix him his 3 meals a day.   If I didn’t do that he would probably only eat one meal.  This has been a long haul and we might still have a way to go but we are up for the fight if that is the case.  At least I will be if we have to.  As all of you caretakers know I am really tired.  If my health was great than it probably wouldn’t hit me so hard.  But I am determine with my last breath to stand by Dennis and help him through this no matter what.

So everyone out there we need your prayers, your strength and your friendship.  So I am counting on you to keep saying those prayers.   We will post again after the PET Scan to let you know what is going on.

If your having a rough day, remember this video and it will bring a smile back to your face.

“It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come.”

― Dalai Lama

Dad went to the hanger tonight to say hi to his crew at work. Overall, I am glad he did. I truly believe Dad needed it as it was that additional push for him to get feeling better. Dad is hoping to be cleared to go back to work within the next couple weeks. If you recall, he has been on sick leave since early March 2013… thank goodness he was able to build his sick time over the years.

May 20th will mark the big day. Dad will get a PETScan and hear the results all on the same day at MD Anderson – Downtown. He is very optimistic of the PETScan results since he heard the fantastic results of his GI Endoscopy on May 7, 2013.

On May 23rd, Dad will go to see his oncology doctor at MD Anderson – Clear Lake and is hoping to be cleared to go back to work.  Pray the doctor will clear him.  Dad really wants to go back to work.

I am in awe of God’s grace. Though I see it over and over, I am always in awe of the power of God. When we started this journey in Oct…. of fighting the cancer that took control of part of my dad’s body, I declared God was in control. Anytime a doubt or a struggle came into my mind, I kicked it out and declared God’s grace and His healing. This week has been a true blessing. Dad getting his feeding tube out and getting really good results on one of his test (see earlier post from today by my mom). I declare God is in control and on May 20th, I know God will be there with us as the dr shares the news from the PETS scan. I know God is destroying the cancer.

I just want to thank the guys at work and Gary  for calling him and keeping in contact with him.  Gary calls on a regular bases and Dennis enjoys talking to him.  Gary use to work with Dennis when it was Continental but now it is United Airlines.  Dennis really misses all of you and he is hoping to be able to see all of you real soon.

Well everyone I just wanted to let you all know that the Cunningham family has had some prayers answered this week.  First after several months with Dennis having a feeding tube hanging from his belly he finally got to have his feeding tube removed.   Yes, he is eating regular food.  I still have to get on him on eating because he doesn’t want to eat or drink much but he is eating and that is the million dollar answer.  He was having so many problems with the feeding tube.  But since he has been on regular food now for about 3 1/2 weeks they said it could come out.  Wow was Dennis ready for that,  he said he has his belly back.  Now we just have to wait for the hole to heal that the tube was in and it won’t even be noticeable.

The second prayer answered is today he went and had his GI Endoscope done at MD Anderson.  Well GREAT news  the doctor says in his report the following:

•  The esophagus remarkable for the streaks of shallow ulceration in the mid esophagus.  The mass previously seen at 30-35 cm was no longer visible; this area had finely mildly nodular mucosa; biopsies were done.  The distal portion of the esophagus was unremarkable.  The stomach appeared to be normal.  The pylorus appeared to be normal, symmetrical, and patent.  The duodenum appeared to be normal.

So everyone, one down and one to go.  The big test is coming up on the 20th of May.  He will have a PET scan that will show if or where the cancer still is.  Of course we have to see what the biopsies show, hopefully they will be back by the 20th.  The doctor said that Dennis responded to the radiation very well!!!!  YEA!!!!!!!

So everyone thank you for those prayers they are working.  We still need those prayers coming in so keep on praying!

Dad got his feeding tube out.  I can tell you without a shout of a doubt that Dad is super excited that the feeding tube is no longer in him.  The whole propose of the feeding tube was to give him nurturance he needed while he was under going proton radiation. Its been 4.5 weeks since his last treatment and he now is able to eat solid foods again… mainly soft foods.

Furthermore, before Dad got his feeding tube out, he went to see his anesthetist for tomorrow’s GI Endoscopy procedure. For those unfamiliar of what a GI Endoscopy is, it is an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy procedure where it allows the doctor to look at the interior lining of the esophagus, the stomach, and the first part of your small intestine (duodenum) through a thin, flexible viewing instrument called an endoscope. The tip of the endoscope is inserted through the mouth and then gently moved down through the throat into the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (upper gastrointestinal tract).

The anesthetist told Dad and Mom that the procedure will take about 1.5 – 3 hours to complete. Dad is schedule to have the procedure done at 9:00am tomorrow morning at MD Anderson Downtown.  We will find out the results on May 20, 2013.

GI Endoscopy Countdown:
[ujicountdown id=”GI Endoscopy” expire=”2013/05/08 09:00″]

Exciting news: Dad gets his feeding tube out on Tuesday. We are all very excited!!! Prayer needed: Dad will have an endoscope test on Wednesday. Then on May 20th, he will have a PET scan. That same afternoon, we will meet with the dr to see how much cancer is left and what the next steps are. I still declare that God is healing my dad. He is still very weak but I know God is strong and He is our healer.

Dennis is doing better.  He went a week or so and was throwing up everything.  This was really hard on him and us.  The Dr. gave him this medicine that he takes 30 min. before he eats and it empties his stomach out so the next meal goes into a empty stomach instead of maybe a partial full one.  It is working!!!   No more throwing up.  He is actually eating 3 meals a day now.  I grant you they are not real big meals yet and it is all soft food but he is eating.  He hasn’t had any IsoSource food or as you would know it as liquid food for about 2 weeks now.  The Dr. just wants him to maintain his current weight.  He has loss about 30 lbs.  If he continues to eat regular food then we are going to see if he can have his feeding tube removed.  Now if I was not there he would not eat but I prepare his 3 meals every day and he is eating.  He even eats what we are eating for dinner.  One night he even ate a pork chop he just cut it in small small bites.  But he ate it and that is what counts.

He wants to get stronger so I told him we would start walking.  It is just small baby steps for now.  Just down two houses on both sides of us.  Then after a while we will go a little further and then further.  But for now small baby steps.  I don’t want him to over do it but he needs to get some strength back.  He has been done with his Chemo/Radiation for 3 weeks as of Fri. the 25th of April.  Dr. Skinner his radiation doctor said he should start feeling stronger in about 2 weeks after his last treatment.  Now of course it is not going to be over night but a little at a time.  Dennis would like to be back to work in no less than 2 months, we will see.

He goes on the 8th of May for his GI Endoscope and then on the 20th for the PET Scan.  So keep up the prayers for him.

God bless each of you for being there for the Cunningham family.

Here are some things to help cancer survivors and their families. I wanted to share this with you in case you or someone you know is a survivor.

http://www.mdanderson.org/patient-and-cancer-information/cancer-information/cancer-topics/survivorship/index.html

Prayer needed: Dad not feeling so well yesterday evening and today. He has been running a fever off and on and has threw up more than once. Family is worried he is coming down sick again. We were so excited earlier in the week as he was starting to eat soft foods again. He had not gotten sick in several days. however, last night and today, he feels not so good

I have compile a 10 minute and 46 second video of dad’s final day of radiation on April 05, 2013. Sorry this took me little over a week to get it up on the site… been on the busy side. I hope you like the video.