Prayer request

For the last few days Denise has been fighting an infection. Unfortunately it is staph and is in her left breast. It is localized right now, and she is on some very potent antibiotics which will hopefully erridicate the infection. Please pray that these drugs will cure her and that no further steps have to be taken. Thanks for the prayers, and I will update again soon!

Recovery Update

Denise is doing well recovering from her surgery a couple of weeks ago.  The actual surgery wound up being a little bit more complicated than she was prepared for, but she is healing nicely.  She is also continuing with her Herceptin treatments (one of which was today).  Please continue to pray for Denise's recovery from the surgery and her overall health as her body heals.

Post-surgery Update

Denise is finished with her final reconstructive surgery and is doing well. The surgeon was very happy with how everything went, and she is in recovery right now. She will be released from the hospital today, but she and Dave are staying the night in Nashville before heading back home. Please pray for a quick and easy recovery for Denise! I will post another update in the next couple of days updating everyone on how she is doing!

October 1st update

Denise is doing really well these days!  She is finished with the worst of her chemotherapy treatments but will continue with Herceptin treatments every three weeks for the next 10 months.  Herceptin does not cause severe side effects, so it is much better than the terrible side effects Denise endured from her treatments over the summer.

The final surgery of Denise's reconstruction is scheduled for October 12.  Please be praying for her surgery- that everything will go as smoothly as possible.  She is still going to physical therapy regularly to help with the lymphedema she is experiencing in her arm.  The neuropathy that Denise experienced in her hands and feet as a result of the Taxol chemotherapy this summer has greatly improved.  Please pray for both the lymphedema and the neuropathy to continue improving. 

Denise was able to return to work after Labor Day.  She has spent most of her time catching up on paper work, emails, and tests, and will continue to work from home until her surgery on the 12th.  She is happy to start the process of returning to normal and is looking forward to having the surgery behind her. 

Thanks so much for all of the prayers!  I will update the blog with updates after her surgery. 

Pink Bracelets!

The "Fight for Denise" bracelets have been a hit around West Tennessee!  From doctors and nurses at our offices, to the kids in Ryan & Keaton's classes, everyone has been wearing pink bracelets to show our support for Denise!  We had a meeting in Memphis for work this week, and wanted to capture a picture of many of Denise's coworkers in their bracelets to share on the blog.  Denise is hanging in there after a rough weekend last weekend recovering from her treatment.  She is getting so close to being done with the worst very soon- only two more terrible treatments to go!  Thanks for all the support and prayers!

Feeling Better & Happy Birthday!

Denise is doing much better after recovering from the body aches.  The Taxol (type of chemo) is what caused the aches, and her doctor told her that they will try to be more preemptive to reduce the body aches for the next treatment.  She has another treatment this week and then only two more of the Taxol after that. 

Denise had a birthday last Thursday and had a quiet celebration at home followed by a surprise party on Saturday!  I meant to take my camera to the party to be able to post some pictures, but totally forgot.  I will try to find some from others and post them.  She was very surprised and had a wonderful time visiting with her friends and family! 

I will update again after Denise's treatment this week!

Post-chemo update

Denise has had a totally different set of side effects from the chemo last week.  Although she has had no nausea, she has had some severe body aches and pains from this last round.  She was able to talk to the oncologist's office yesterday, and they said that what she was experiencing was normal and that- like the nausea- it would improve some each day.  Please pray for a rapid improvement in her aches and pains- especially because her birthday is on Thursday!  I hate the thought of her being miserable on her birthday!  Overall, though, she is being a trooper and hanging in there! 

She does not have a treatment this week like originally thought, so when she gets over the body aches, she should have a few good days before her next round!  Please pray for her pain relief and also for rest of body and spirit. 

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. -Matthew 11:28

Change in Chemo Plans

Denise went to the West clinic yesterday expecting the fourth round of the chemo she has been getting.  Once the doctor heard how sick she was after this last round, though, he decided to change her chemo schedule.  She got to skip the last round of this regimen and move on to the next steps which now includes a once-a-week treatment (that should not be so hard to tolerate) as well as another treatment every other week.   Please pray for minimal side-effects from the treatment today.

Another prayer request is for the AWS (Axillary Webbing Syndrome) that Denise is experiencing.  This was caused by having some lymph nodes removed during her mastectomy and causes pain and limited mobility.  She is going to physical therapy three times a week to try to help the issues, but could definitely use some prayer for healing of her arm. 

Thanks for the support and prayers for Denise and her family!  I will update again soon!

Still sick...

Please continue to pray for Denise and for freedom from this sickness!  She had chemo last Wednesday and is still not feeling well.  Pray for some good days to find her very soon! 

Day 6 update

My partner, Rachael, speaks of each day in terms of what day in Denise's chemo treatment it is, so I thought Day 6 would be a good post title!  Rachael and I were able to have a great visit with Denise this afternoon, and thankfully, day 6 is treating her better this round than last!  She has still been nauseous, but has managed to stay in good spirits and also not get sick.  On Monday, Denise realized that her hair was indeed coming out by the clump-full, so she decided to take action!  Her sweet friend Shay came over to aid in the process with the help of Dave and the boys!  Denise, Dave and Ryan all now have shaved heads!  Denise looks beautiful with her super-short new do!  Her head is still tender, so continue to pray for her comfort level, and that she will be able to enjoy the good days that are headed her way hopefully starting tomorrow! 

Post-chemo update

Denise had her second treatment on Thursday and is in the midst of the miserable days that follow.  Dave said that the doctors were able to change her nausea medications, and that might have helped some this time around.  She has still had the nausea, but maybe not quite as badly as last time.  She is taking several different medications for the nausea now which are knocking her out, so she is sleeping quite a bit.  Please pray for relief of these symptoms quickly for Denise.  Please also pray for Dave and the boys as they have to watch her suffer so much. 

Keep praying...

Hello all!  I wanted to pop in and give a quick update on sweet Denise!  I was able to talk to her for a while this afternoon.  Thankfully, she is finally feeling better.  It took her a full seven days to feel somewhat normal after her first round of chemotherapy.  She is cautiously optimistic that with a few adjustments to her medicine after her next treatment she may feel a little bit better.  Please pray that she will not feel as horrible for as long!  Another prayer request is for her boys and for Denise and her emotional strength as she will probably start to lose her hair within the next week.  She is prepared for this but is anxious about how it will affect her boys.  Please pray for them through this process.  I will update later in the week after her next treatment on Thursday.  Thanks for all the prayers and support!

Monday Update

Denise is hanging in there, but has had a really hard time in these last few days since her first chemotherapy treatment.  She has had several side effects that are common with chemo but still not pleasant.  Please pray for her comfort, for as few side effects as possible, and that she will start to feel better very soon.  Thanks so much for the prayers, love, and support for Denise and her family!

Post-chemo day 1

Denise has had a hard time with nausea from her treatment since late last night. Please pray for some relief for her and that she will be able to rest tonight.

Finished with round 1

Denise has finished her first round of chemotherapy.  Dave took her to Memphis today for her treatment, and they are headed back to Jackson now.  He said that she is feeling ok- just a little weird.  She has a slight sinus headache (which is not uncommon).  They are going to see an acupuncturist in Jackson to hopefully ward off any nausea from the treatment.  I will post again soon with an update once I get one.  Please continue to pray for minimal side effects from the chemo!

Chemo begins Thursday

Just wanted to post an update on Denise and pass along a few prayer requests.  I was able to visit with Denise tonight for a while, and she is her normal positive, upbeat self although a bit nervous about her chemo which begins tomorrow.  She looked fabulous-as usual- and was able to share a few things that people can be praying for in the next couple of days and weeks.

-Chemo treatment number one begins at 2:00 tomorrow after some blood work and an appointment with the doctor right before.  Please be praying for her body- that she will be able to handle the treatments as well as possible.  Please also pray for peace for Denise- the unknown is very difficult, and she is understandably anxious about how she will tolerate the chemo.

-Please be praying for Denise's mobility.  She has been having some issues with limited mobility in her upper body since her mastectomy and has been working with a Lymphatic physical therapist.  Pray for her strength and that the exercises and hard work that she is putting into her therapy will prove beneficial.

I will update again once I hear an update on how Denise does tomorrow during and after her treatment.  Keep the prayers coming!

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.  -James 1:12

Tuesday evening update

Denise and Dave have made it home and are settled after a long, hard day.  She is still in some pain from the port procedure, but overall is doing well.  The plastic surgeon said that everything was looking good; she will see him again in two weeks.  The final pathology report showed that Denise not only had the two spots of cancer in the right breast that they knew of, but she also had ductal carsanoma in situ (DCIS for short) in the left breast that was unknown.  Thankfully, the breast tissue on both sides is gone, but the oncologist wants to wage a strong attack against the cancer with the chemo to make sure that all of the cancer will be gone.  Dave passes on his thanks for all of the prayers!  Please continue to pray for Denise's healing and pain leading up to her chemo in a few weeks.  Thanks!

Tuesday mid-day update

Denise had her oncology appointment on Monday. She is scheduled to begin chemotherapy in a little over three weeks. She had her port put in this morning in Nashville and did very well with the procedure! The surgeon was able to go ahead and remove the remaining drains while Denise was sedated which is a huge praise as the drain removal last week was very painful. Denise has two more post-op appointments today, so I'll update again soon! Please pray for her pain relief today!

Update & prayer requests

I was able to talk to Denise this afternoon for a while, and she sounds great!  She is still quite uncomfortable as can be expected and is getting a little restless sitting around the house, but overall is doing well!  We talked about some of the details of her upcoming appointments, and I wanted to share a few prayer concerns.

-Denise will see her oncologist at the West Clinic in Memphis on Monday.  This will be her final appointment with him before her chemotherapy begins in a few weeks.  Please pray for the details of this appointment to go as smoothly as possible.
-After this appointment in Memphis, Denise will travel to Nashville for a procedure on Tuesday morning.  She will have the port placed that will be used for her treatments in the future.  She will have to be placed under anesthesia again for this procedure.  Please pray for this procedure and for the pain involved.
-Denise has two additional post-op appointments Tuesday afternoon.  Please pray for these appointments and for as little discomfort as possible.
-Please pray for her continued pain relief each day.  

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 

-James 5:16

Denise's Monday appointment

Denise's appointment today went well.  The doctor said that everything looked good and very normal.  She was able to have three of the five drains removed which was painful but good!  She is now able to shower which is another great thing!  Please continue to pray for her pain relief and rest.  I will update again soon!  I have added the meal schedule information to the side of the blog. 

Meals for the Miller family

I wanted to pass along the information for a sign-up to take meals to the Millers.  The website is www.takethemameal.com and the password is "denise." There is also contact information on this site for Shelly & Dawn who are coordinating the meals.  Thanks so much in advance for your love and support to the Millers!  Denise's appointment in Nashville is this afternoon, and I will post an update on how the appointment went later today!

Saturday evening update

Dave updated me last night on how Denise was making it. He said that they are doing ok. The five drain bags that she came home with are bothersome and painful to change. She has had some shooting pain on the right side. Please pray for her pain relief, rest, and for a good report from the doctor when they go back on Monday.

Settled at home

Denise is settled at home! She has to go back to Nashville next week for a check up but will be able to recover at home this weekend! Please pray for her comfort & rest this weekend!

Headed home!

Denise is headed home! She had a pretty good night and has had her bandages changed. Dave passed on how grateful they are for the prayers!

Wednesday evening update

Denise is doing great tonight which is such an answer to prayer!  Dave has been able to go to the hotel and get some real rest.  He left Denise in the very capable hands of her dear friend Shay!  Denise has been eating and has been up walking around.  Dave mentioned that if she has a good night that they will probably be headed home tomorrow! 

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

-Psalm 107:1

Change of plans again...

Since Denise was in so much pain, the plastic surgeon decided he doesn't want to risk trying to put the port in tomorrow.  He wants to address her pain and wanted to get her up and moving.  She is out of bed, has been able to eat, and is sitting up in a chair.  The plan is to put the port in next week sometime.  If she has a good night, there is a chance she may come home tomorrow.  Will update once they know for sure!

Small Setback

Denise has had what Dave called a "small setback" this morning.  She was in too much pain for them to place the port, so they are going to wait until tomorrow and try again.  This will mean that she can't come home until Friday.  On a positive note, she is going to be able to eat today!  Please pray for Denise's pain and for the procedure tomorrow. 

Wednesday morning update

I heard from Dave a few minutes ago, and Denise had a restless night last night but seems to be doing better this morning.  She is scheduled to get a port put in this morning.  The procedure to do this is short, but they will have to put her under again.  The port will be very helpful in administering the chemo treatments.  If Denise does well with this procedure, the doctor said that there is a good chance that she would go home tomorrow.  Please be praying that his procedure goes well and also for her comfort.  Thanks!

7:15 update

Denise is in the room, and Dave said she looks good!  She is a little nauseated and in some pain, but was very happy with the news that Dave was able to share with her about the lymph nodes and overall success of the surgery!  Dave wanted me to be sure and pass on their thanks for all of the prayers today, and that they were praying for safety for everyone here with the approaching bad weather.  I will post again tomorrow with a report!

6:15 update

Denise is in room 6628 at Baptist hospital.  Dave & the rest of her family should be able to see her within the hour in her room.  Pray for her recovery in these first few hours and in the days to come.

5:15 update

Dave just heard from the plastic surgeon who said that everything went great with his part!  He was very pleased with what he was able to do.  Denise is out of surgery and in recovery!  The family should be able to see her in 30 minutes or so!  Overall, everything went as well as it could have today, and there were definitely many answered prayers! 

3:50 update

Great news and answered prayers coming from Nashville!  Denise is doing great and the surgery is going better and quicker than expected!  Stage 1 is complete and her lymph nodes are clear!!!  The removed one from the right side and were able to leave the rest of them!  They said that she should respond well to the chemo!  I will post once I hear more from Dave!  Praise the Lord for his wonderful blessings!

1:45 update

I just heard from Dave, and Denise has been taken back for surgery to begin.  He said she was in great spirits!  They saw both doctors before surgery and the expectation is that the surgeon will take about 2 hours to do the mastectomy and then the plastic surgeon will take about another hour for the reconstruction.  The first surgeon will come out and talk to the family once he's done and will hopefully have some information about the lymph nodes then.  Please continue to pray for the surgeons and for the surgery to go as well as possible!  I'll update again soon!

10:30 am update

I heard from Dave a few minutes ago with an update. Denise is settled at the hospital after a crazy morning! He said the transport guy was wonderful- his wife had gone through the same thing last year & was doing great! He was a Christian, so they were able to have a time for prayer as well! Dave said Denise was smiling like she always is as she went back! Will update again soon!

Prayer for Tuesday

I wanted to pass on the time frame that Denise shared with me for the day tomorrow.  She has an MRI at 8:00 and then reports to the hospital at 9:00 for pre-op.  Her surgery is scheduled for 1:00.  I will post updates when I have them.  Please be in constant prayer for Denise and her family and also pray that the day goes as well as can possibly be expected. 

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you or forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."  -Deuteronomy 31:8

Pink Bracelets and Prayer Request

 

Two of our co-workers had the wonderful idea to make some pink bracelets in Denise's honor and to try to raise some money for breast cancer research in the process.  Our company will match any donations made to charitable organizations, so these girls thought it would be great to sell these bracelets for a contribution and have Merck match the total amount.  The money will be donated to Susan G. Komen foundation for a cure to breast cancer.  These pink bracelets say "Fight like a girl" on one side and "We fight for Denise" on the other side.  I want to post pictures of people wearing these bracelets on the blog mainly so Denise will be able to see how many people love her and are supporting and praying for her! 

Denise has asked that I ask specifically for prayer for her boys (Dave included!) and their strength through this week and the weeks to come.  Please pray for Ryan, Keaton, and Dave. 

Fight for Denise Blog Introduction

Hey all!  My name is Whitney, and I have created this blog for my sweet friend and co-worker, Denise, so that all of her friends and family can stay updated on her fight with breast cancer!  Her double mastectomy and reconstruction are scheduled for this Tuesday, April 26th.   I will be posting updates as I get them from her family on Tuesday and then in the following weeks as Denise recovers and begins her eight rounds of chemotherapy.

One of the reasons I wanted to keep this blog updated for Denise is so that we can all be aware of specific things to pray for.  The power of prayer is amazing, and when hundreds of us are storming heaven's gates with the same request, the outcome can be miraculous!  With that said, I have listed a few specifics to pray for below:

-For Denise's surgeons and for her surgery to go as well as possible on Tuesday.
-Pray that Denise's cancer is confined to just her breast tissue.  There will be a biopsy during surgery to determine if there are any affected lymph nodes, and if there are, the surgeons will remove them.  Pray that all lymph nodes will be clear of cancer!

Please pass this blog along to any and all around who know Denise so that everyone can be praying for her fight against breast cancer!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, 
which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7