Hey all, this is Laura, Janelle's sister. I'll be giving updates here and there, along with my mom, as Janelle goes through the recovery process.
As an update, I heard from my dad today after Janelle got out of surgery. The doctor said the surgery was a sucess! He was able to remove the tumor from the optic nerve and the caratid artery (sp?) but had to leave a little bit on a third nerve that controls the eyelids and eye movement. We won't know the effect of that for a few days, once the swelling comes down. The doc said it was a pretty hard tumor (almost cement-like) and that besides the third nerve, the surgery went as well as he had hoped.
There is still some tumor down by a web of nerves, but the doc already knew he wouldn't be going into that area -- too dangerous. So they'll probably start radiation in January, just after the new year. They put five plates in to secure her skull and finished it off with staples. Quite the surgery! She's in ICU for the next 24 hours, since that is the most critical part after surgery.
My aunt Sara was able to go and visit and she said Janelle was in and out of it but could see out of both eyes. She recognizes people but is pretty out of it with the pain medication she is on. I'm sure the next few days will be more telling as she comes more and more out of it. But that's the update for now.
I imagine Janelle is in good spirits - can you imagine anything else? She feels the love from everyone and ALL your prayers and fasting have already helped our family tremendously! She feels your love and concern and appreciates all you have done for her, whether she knows about it or not. Continue to pray for her as she heads through the recovery process!
8 comments:
Thanks for keeping us posted Laura (and fam!) We will continue to keep Janelle in our prayers for a full and speedy recovery.
We appreciate the update! What an amazing family Janelle has! We are continuing prayers on Janelle's behalf as well.
Thank you for the update. I know the power of prayer is an amazing grace. I know our Father in Heaven is with you every step of the way!
I am Janelle's coordinator at the temple. Thanks to the update I received from Janelle's mother, I was able to announce in preparation meeting the success of the surgery. Please let Janelle know her temple family will continue to pray for her. On the Friday night shift, we are almost 100 strong. Without an exception, she is loved by all. That is a lot of very powerful prayers. Please let her know we are all thinking & prayering for her.
Claudia Lignell
So grateful for this update! Janelle is such an amazing example to all of us. My prayers continue for her recovery and for her loving family!
Janelle is much more alert today & talking more & sleeping less -- she's now sitting up in a chair! She is still having some headaches, and quite the black eye (like overdone purple eye shadow!?). She can't open that eyelid yet on her own. She is eating a bit more, but not much.
Dr. Maughan came & showed us the MRI results from this morning. It indicates he only removed about a 3rd of the tumor -- the part that needed to be removed that was impacting the optic nerve. He feels that the remaining two thirds that is in the nearly-impossible or very risky area to get at (the cavernous sinus below the skull bone shelf) can't do any damage other than restrict one of the 4 main branches of the carotid artery. He explained that the head is designed with many resilient paths of blood supplies to the brain that have circular-flow connectivity to each other. Almost all the time, when a gradual restriction of blood blocks one of the 4 main paths, the brain adapts to pick up the other 3 paths to take up the slack (some automatic re-routing), so no problems result. Amazing inventor, God is.
Also, he feels the radiation treatments can reduce or eventually possibly eliminate the remaining 2/3 of the tumor. She will stay in ICU today, and will probably move to a regular room tomorrow afternoon. We will keep you posted when & where.
Thanks for all your prayers & temple prayer-rolls. She is on the at least the following temple prayer rolls: Columbia River WA, Laei Hawaii, Oklahoma City, Oquirrh Mtn, Salt Lake, Chicago, Draper, Manti, Jordan River (which is closed). The more, the better.
Thanks for the update. Janelle is a spiritual person and an example for all of us. Our prayers are with her as she continues her recovery.
The Moser Family from Vermont and spread out over the country is praying for Janelle.
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