Good news!

Just got back from Oncologist…. no chemo required!! Based on a number of factors, no family history, number of lymph nodes sampled, clear CT scans, he said that the chemo itself posed a greater risk of harm than the cancer reccuring (4% chance of recurrence).

Happy days are here again! Headed to Spicewood Texas and Krause Springs this weekend to wind down and celebrate with the fam.

http://www.krausesprings.net/

Thanks again for prayers and support! Everyone.

Sun is shining brighter

Hope everyone is having a good end-of-the-summer time.

I started back to work last Thursday, half-days. I will probably do the same the rest of this week and then reevaluate for next week – maybe full time. I feel really good, though thirty pounds lighter. Need to get some muscle tone back. Eating absolutely normal. My brother-in-law Michael has phoned nearly every other day checking on me. He always asks if I am I ready for a rib-eye steak; I surprised him with a resounding “yes” yesterday, though it was a little tongue in cheek, meaning I’m feeling much better. We decided for our families to meet next Sunday at Texas Roadhouse. Again, somewhat symbolic, I’ll probably eat something pretty healthy but just might sample a sliver of his steak. Work goes fine in the morning though I tend to crash a little in the afternoon; but that’s much better than the alternative. I go back to the doctor next week and still no updates on potential chemo treatments. I expect to not find this out for about three weeks, though I am definitely prepared to begin treatments due to the original size of the mass.

Thanks again everyone. Braden headed back to College Station for his junior year and rugby practice and Harris is ready for 8th grade football (and so am I).

I also have to say one more thing – my wife is a saint. Yes, a real saint! She has put up with my whiney butt through thick and thin. Somewhat ironic, this is the year of our 25th wedding anniversary! I hope to string together some more pleasant memories before May 25th. I would hate to think that the events of the past few weeks would define our anniversary year. I love you, dear.

Bill

Update

Thanks to everyone for the cards, letters, flowers, and visits from everyone. I am truly blessed.

I was waiting for Friday’s doctor appointment to give an update. Visisted Dr Howton and all is on track. Removed staples and feels much better. Dr says I am on track – eating well, including almost all “normal” foods, etc. and healing well. With minimal pain mangement, days go by as usual, just a little slower. He wants to see me again in 2 weeks. Too early to discuss appointment with oncologist.

Also, I’ll take minute to sum up my current status: Dr Howton removed large tumor and resectioned my colon, making it shorter. Should be no real long term issues with this – fairly normal diet and activities for the rest of my life. At the same time, Dr biopsied 27 lypgh nodes and sent to lab – results showed no signs of cancer. The lymph nodes are the passage ways for cancer  to other parts of the body. Therefore, this is very good indicator that I am currently cancer free.  I could still opt to participate in chemo therapy as a precautionary move. The thinking is, I  am relatively young and healthy, why not go ahead and be cautious. This is still to be determined.

Woke up this morning, determined to make this as routine day as possible. Got up at 8:00am, yelled down the hallway to Harris “get up, we’re going to watch the Lorena High School football team inter squad scrimmage”.  Showered, breakfast, and off we go.  Really enjoyed getting out and seeing friends and coaches.

Bill

Bill rates his visitors

Since Bill is going home on Sunday, because Saturday was a “really” great day, we believe it important we take a moment and recount some of our favorite visitors we received.

• Most farthest away: Spencer Key from Olney TX
• Most giggly: Of course “Giggles the clown”
• Fastest: John Bays who maintained a speed of 22 MPH around the hospital track {or at least that is what John claims the numbers meant on Bill’s saline pump}. However, John did have the inside lane.
• Most quiet: Beckie and Nate Slonaker when taking care of Bill while Mary took a break on Saturday.
• Trooper of late night deliveries: Monica Williams for the Ginger Ale she brought us around 9 PM Friday night.
• Most flexible: Melissa Underwood for walking the window ledge to hang decorations from the ceiling.
• Most artistic: Maddie Bartosh, for all the drawings she put together on the windows for Uncle Bill. Too bad the black ink was permanent on the new Hillcrest windows. Way to go Maddie
• Most one-upmanship: Nate Slonaker for bringing in the biggest balloon… sorry Giggles.

A special thanks to all of the people who brought food that Bill will not be able to eat for at least 6 months. Harris and Mary will enjoy it though …David, thanks for the grits-on-a-stick… kinda looked homemade.

All joking aside, the Coleman’s would like to extend a special thanks to ALL our visitors. Some of you saw Bill on a good day (Wed. Thurs. and Saturday) and some of you saw him on a bad day (Friday). You are all exceptionally caring people, and we really appreciate your support. If you cannot tell, Bill is back (thank you God) and is helping to write this message.

Love to all!

Bill and Mare

It came. We fought. We won.

Bill and I received the most fabulous news late tonight, “no signs of cancer” in the 27 lymph nodes pulled at the time of the colon re-section on Tuesday. Bill is cancer free. This is absolutely fabulous news, and exactly what we prayed to hear.

“Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” Matthew 21:22

We thank each of you for all of your prayers, your faith, your compassion, and your kind hearts. By faith “we” trusted in God.

I especially want to thank Dr. Howten who came late tonight to share the good news. He knew how important this was for us to hear and could hardly tell us through his tears. What a man!!!!

I know that many of you have asked specifically how Bill’s day went. … Friday has been a rough recovery day. Bill was to restart his digestive system, and his digestive system just wasn’t up to the workout. Bill would like to take Saturday off with as few visitors as possible. Hopefully get back on task with his recovery. We thank you for all of the love you have given us, and hope you sincerely understand this needed time.

Through God’s Divine help, Bill will be healed.

The Power of Laughter – Especially when you’re in the hospital

“A cheerful heart is good medicine” Proverbs 17:22

Laughter is so good for us, both physically and emotionally. It strengthens our immune system, improves our health, reduces depression and anxiety, and it attracts and keeps friends.

Bill has always believed in laughter. Anyone who knows him for a short moment understands laughter is a huge part of Bill’s every day life and is quite possibly why Bill’s such a genuinely cheerful person.

Believe it or not, Bill surrounds himself with people who enjoy laughter too. And the people I’m referring to would be you! It’s also why our most favorite star visitor today was “Giggles the Clown.” Giggles brightened not only our day, but multiple nurses and individuals taking up residence on the 5^th floor. One lady even followed Giggles up from the parking lot hoping to catch the show. Thanks Howards for Giggles, What an awesome way to share the medicine of laughter!

As the spirit of love continues to poor into our hospital room from our friends, family, church, and community, You’ve made our days brighter and our time of physical healing more relevant. All brought to us today through the power of laughter.

Bill and Mary

Bill runs 26.2 mile marathon today

Bill runs 26.2 mile marathon today… Well, not quite, but it seemed as grueling. Many friends and family came to cheer him on and made the walks quite palatable. Funny how the ordinary can seem extraordinary when you’re recovering from an illness.

Bill has had a great first day recovering with his ; – semi-colon. Pain has been tolerable throughout most of the day. He has been a real trooper by going along with everything that would speed his recovery. He is still not able to hold down water, but is hoping to do so real soon.

Two days down and 4 to go. That’s what we’re saying. DR says he is right on schedule and nurses cheer when he triumphantly walks past the station. I think I’ve even heard a couple of cat calls.

Tuesday was a long day. Surgery started late due to Bill’s anemia. They did have to give him some blood. Surgery then ran the full 6 hours. I’m certain Dr. Howten was exhausted by the time he finished. He didn’t show a sign of it though as he explained in detail all of the improvements and healing he performed. Howten removed over 1/2 of Bill’s colon, two tumors, an apendix, and many lymph nodes from a small incision of about 3 inches long. Amazing that Howten was able to do the entire surgery lyproscopically. Only 3% of all colon surgeries performed in the U.S. are done lyproscopically. And we found a doctor in itty bitty Waco Texas who trained and scored at the task. Amazing! Just one more way that our Gracious Lord looked after us.

Bill arrived to the room around 10 PM Tuesday night. It was great to see him. A true sight for sore eyes. We got Bill’s pain under control by about 2 AM, allowing him to rest peacefully through the remainder of the morning.

Spent some time decorating Bill’s “Back to Life” room for his enjoyment over the next few days. It is such a grand time to celebrate life and hope. Thanks Melissa for quietly helping me decorate today, it was fun and I know Bill will enjoy it ever so much on Thursday. Thanks Sissy for the pics of the room!

Some final thoughts… 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Bill and Mare

God’s Blessing shined forth for all to see

Super! Everything went super! All of our prayers have been answered. Dr. Howten and staff removed the large tumor and colon with no complications. He felt the cancer was contained to the colon and no organs showed signs of abnormality. What a huge weight lifted from our shoulders. Bill will be dancing and singing in no time. Dr felt that Bill will still need chemo, and should have lymph node biopsy by Monday.

I am so very grateful to all of you for the prayers. Our prayers were answered.

I am planning a room decorating party tomorrow. BACK TO LIFE! How appropriate since Bill lives and breathes life to so many.

Thank you to so many of our friends and family who came today to support Harris and I. What a remarkable experience I can’t wait to share with Bill.

I heard that Thursday, Hillcrest will be serving jello margaritas and broth cocktails if you would like to drop by.

All our love to all of you.

Bill, Braden, Harris, and Mary

Prayer for Tuesday’s surgery

As Bill and I make this journey, not alone, but with all of you, we continue to ask for your prayer and God’s safe keeping. We would like for you to please share in prayer with us at 1 PM, 3 PM, and 5 PM on Tuesday. Bill will be in surgery lasting anywhere from 4 to 6 hours. I know that if we each lift Bill up a few times throughout the afternoon, our Savior will acknowledge our needs. I am posting my prayer for Bill below. You may use it as you like, however I know that many of you may feel compelled to state your own needs and scripture.

_____________________________________________________________

Dear Lord.

Because You have instructed us in Your Word to pray for healing and wholeness, I pray that cancer will have no place or power in Bill’s life here on earth. I pray for protection against this disease. Your Word says, “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” Wherever there is disease, illness, or cancer in Bill’s body, I pray that You, Lord, would touch him with Your healing power and Holy Spirit and restore Bill to total health.

I ask that you be with Dr. Howton and his entire medical staff as they perform Your healing miracles upon Bill. I know that You heal through doctors, therefore I pray that you show them specifically what they should see, grant them wisdom and knowledge of the best procedures during Bill’s surgery.

Thank you Lord, that You suffered and died for us so that we might be healed. David said, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases.” Bill and I look to You Lord for everything in our life. We look to You now for a life of health, healing, and wholeness for Bill.

We ask all of this through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

A little advice

I had a few minutes today to reflect, so I thought I would try to pass on a little advice. A year and a half ago,  I was having some abdominal pain, so I was refered to a colon surgeon, Doctor Johnny Howten. He is one of the best in his field in central Texas. He sat and visited with me about the possibility of me getting a colonoscopy done to just make sure all was well. At that moment, I said “Sure, I’m a big tough guy, let’s get this done”. We visited some more and he then directed me to a nurse for details. I had assumed the process would be done that day, over an hour or so. But after our visit, I realized that it would be a little more involved than I first thought.

Here comes my first major error. I cancelled the appointment….. big mistake. If I had followed through at that time, the cancer would probably have been caught sooner.

So fastforward one and one-half years later. Still having pain, my regular doctor ordered a lower abdomen CT scan. This was a bit radical, considering the symptoms, but this action quite possibly saved my life. They found something and ordered a colonoscopy. That was when Dr. Howten discovered the mass.

About the colonoscopy – it was a breeze. Really, a breeze. If you are ever recommended one, don’t hesitate. If you don’t believe me, then read this funny story by Dave Berry, a well known columnist:

http://www.miamiherald.com/283/story/427603.html

I read the story before mine, and it put me at complete ease.

Also, please, please, friends and family, take time to get a checkup at 50 as recommended by most all physicians.

Billy