Update on Jessica

Here's the latest on our journey to complete healing:

We are home from the hospital. Jessica was released around noon yesterday (Sunday) and was able to go home. It was a welcome change of pace and scenery for her to be at her and Matt's house. Their dog, Scarlet, was especially glad to see her.

Before we left we had a long talk with Dr. Mazher, her oncologist, to discuss the plan of action. After her I-port is placed she will begin 6 cycles of chemotherapy, each cycle is made up of 2 treatments 15 days a part, so that will mean about 4 1/2 months of chemo, followed by six weeks of radiation treatments, 5 days a week.

This is going to be a long, hard process but we have very good odds of beating this thing completely and fully. We have been very impressed with all of the medical staff we have met and feel like we have an awesome team of star players on our side. We have always known that Faith Baptist Church in North Little Rock is a loving, caring group of wonderful people and the love and support we have already felt just backs that up in a wonderfully, comforting way. We have also heard from friends and love ones from literally all over the world. We know that prayer is the greatest tool we have in our arsenal against this disease and we are so thankful for each prayer that has been and will continue to be prayed for Jessica.

We are so proud of and thankful for Matt. He has stepped 'large and in charge' into the role of protector, provider, and chief bodyguard for Jessica. We are so blessed to have such a awesome son-in-law be the main caregiver for our daughter. I would be remiss to omit our other daughter, Jennifer, from this post. She spent her whole Fall break from college right by her sister's side at the hospital or running to Austin to take care of Scarlet, run errands, and anything else she could do. It warms this dad's heart to see her helping Jessica with her hair, assisting with trips to the bathroom, showering, or anything else she could find to do. Shelia's mothering instincts have also pinged over into Ninja mode as she, with cunning accuracy, anticipates practically every need or desire Jessica has. Matt's grandmother has come down from Mtn. Home to cook and clean (Jessica is loving that big time!) and my parents are sitting on go as soon as we know of something they can do to help in any way.

We are so thankful for the awesome help and care we have received from Dr. Jay Geoghagan and from Marc & Michelle Daniel as they were there right away to give us some great advice on how to proceed through this process. God is good!

Again, we are so thankful for the love and support we have already seen and felt and simply ask that you continue to pray for complete healing and for an easy journey through the treatment process. We will try to keep you updated as best we can as things progress.

"Praising Him in the Storm"

Trusting in the Storm

It has been a long few days in the Hulsizer family. Our oldest daughter, Jessica (age 23), the RN and newlywed, had a place swell up on the left side of her neck about 3 1/2 weeks ago. We all thought it was strange but thought it was probably an inflamed or infected lymph node. She went to our family doctor who put her on an antibiotic and told her to come back in two weeks if it hadn't taken care of it. The swelling went down just a bit but not completely so she was scheduled for a CT scan this Thursday.

On Wednesday, while at work at the hospital, she began experiencing pain in her chest and under her left arm. At 6:11 pm she called me and asked me to come get her and take her to the Emergency Room at Baptist Hospital in North Little Rock. I wondered why she wouldn't just go downstairs to the ER in the hospital at which she works, but she explained that it's best not to be a patient where you work.

At any rate, we got to the ER, her husband and her mother arrived right away and we waited 25 minutes to be seen. I was pretty agitated that it took that long even after we told them she was having chest pains. I was honestly worried it might be a heart situation.

After we finally got in (thanks to some strings being pulled by our good friend and fellow church member, cardiologist Jay Geoghagan) they quickly did an EKG which appeared normal, her heart rate, however, was fluctuating a good bit.

They did the first CT scan and assured us this was not a cardiac situation but that we might be looking at something more involved than an infection. It was determined that she would be admitted and have a biopsy on a lymph node.

After the biopsy the doctor hit us with the news. Our baby has Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. That's the bad news, the good news is that it is one of the most treatable, curable forms of the disease.

She is in stage IIB, which is the most treatable, and has a 95% cure rate (Praise God!) The oncologist said we were looking at about 6 chemo treatments, 15 days apart, followed by some radiation. We were told yesterday that it will be a pretty rough three months, but that by this time next year this will all be a bad dream.

Our friends have been awesome, we have had meals brought to us during the long days of waiting at the hospital, she's received lots of snacks and gifts, and every visit has been a precious reminder that she (and we) are loved.

We covet each of your prayers, we trust that all will be well, but we also know that prayer works. Thank you all for your love.