Keeping up with the Williams Family

Well, we made it!  We got home before noon today.  We all collapsed and slept for about 3 hours and then we went out to eat at El Chico for dinner.  Payton had been craving mexican food for her entire hospital stay so we went and had a celebration.  It was so much fun to laugh and be together as a family again.  The best part is that although we are all exhausted - we all felt good.  Payton is on activity as tolerated.  She is free of crutches except right now she is using one crutch on our stairs until she builds up the strength in her legs more.  The doctor told us that she will be in physical therapy for the next year.  She will start out at twice a week for about 24 weeks and then move to once a week.  We have found a therapist who has helped another patient of Dr. FG’s and it is really close to our house so we are hopeful that it will workout for Payton as well.  At this point she can take ibuprofen for any leg pain and it is cutting it completely.  That is absolutely such a miracle!  To see her actually walking normally without a limp, without crutches and with a SMILE on her face is enough to make this momma cry!  Her courage is so amazing!  Anyone who has talked to Payton the last couple of days has mentioned how her personality is back and that is so true.  It feels like we got our baby girl back and I forever give God all the glory for that!

Please continue to pray for us as we transition into what life is like for us now.
1.  Pray that we will get an awesome physical therapist.
2.  Pray that we will make a good connection with a psychotherapist who can really help Payton deal with any pain that she may continue to have.
3.  Pray that Payton will not have anymore pain.  Even though RSD is considered chronic and is something that she will supposedly have to deal with in the future, pray that for her it is over and that she will never have pain like that ever again.

Keep checking back in with our blog.  We will continue to keep you all updated on Payton’s progress this way.  Thank you so much for all of your thoughts and prayers on our behalf.

Last night Payton told her doctor that this was probably the hardest thing she would ever have to go through in her life.  He told her that she quite possibly could be right and that she handled herself with such grace.  Then Payton said “well, since I have been through the worst there is nothing that life can hand me that I can’t handle.  If I made it through this then I can make it through anything.”  That is the mind of a survivor and my hero!

Yes - it’s true - after 22 days we are finally all going to be back home together!  Over the weekend Payton began to have severe back pain to the point of needing morphine to control it.  It turns out that the epidural catheter had worked its way out of the epidural space which is within the spinal colum and was lodged in her back muscles.  This morning they removed the catheter and said that she had not been getting the benefits of the medication since Saturday.  The good news through all of that is that she was having only very minimal leg pain!  Since removal of the catheter early this morning she has done great. She worked hard in physical therapy and even played a short round of soccer!  This evening when the Dr. FG came in he said she can go home in the morning!  YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (that is from Payton)

She is going home with continued physical therapy for about a year, some oral medications, and activity as tolerated.  The doctor explained that this is not a cure for RSD and there is always a chance of flare ups in the pain but now we have it under control and we know what works for the really bad pain.  So, our WAR (williams against rsd) continues but we have won this battle!!  This is an answer to prayer and we have been thanking God every step of the way. 

So, we will continue to update this blog.  Over the next week we are calling it “re-entry” as we work to get settled back into life and establish a “new normal” for Payton.  Of course stress, health and fatigue are things that can cause RSD to show its ugliness so we will also be working on tools to help her manage those things and to get her stamina back as she regains her strength.  Please pray as we get in with a new physical therapy group and a pain management therapist who will be teaching self-hypnosis among other things to help Payton deal with her illness.  It is always nerve wracking breaking in new doctors!!  Ha Ha

Hi everyone!  It has been a few days since we updated our blog but that is because we have been up and around and busy with physical therapy.  Today, however, is a lazy Saturday and Payton and I (Pam) are hanging out at the hospital together.  We ordered a late breakfast, took a nap and went to the game room.  We also spent a few minutes chasing down a juvenile delinquent!  You see, we spent a lot of time decorating the door to Payton’s room.  We painted these really cool window stickers that are made to stick on her hospital room door.  They are really cute.  So, there is a group of 3 brothers whose baby sister is a patient on our floor and the brothers are left to roam free all day.  Today they decided to destroy the stickers from our door.  A few days ago they took 2 of them and I talked to the mom but today they were at it again so Payton and I “took the law into our own hands”!!  Ha Ha

Payton is doing great - still on target for next week being our LAST!!  It may be Friday before she goes home but we are hoping that is the latest.  The epidural will be turned off on Tuesday or Wednesday.  Today the epidural was changed so that one of the medications was stopped and the other medication was actually turned up.  The purpose for this is to see if this second medication is helping her pain because if it is……it can be taken orally and has no side effects and would be something she could take at home.  That would be wonderful!

Zane is home from Oklahoma now.  He got home Friday night and it really was so good to see him!  We are officially on the home stretch now…

Ways to pray today:
1.  That Payton does not have to stay any longer than Friday this week.
2.  Payton has developed a bad head cold and feels pretty rotten.  Please pray that this will be gone quickly!
3.  Pray for continued strength for Tim and Pam as they trade off time at the hospital and time home with Zane.

Hey Guys it’s Payton! So I saw my doctor today and he said that I might be going home Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday! Fortunatly my leg hasn’t been hurting real bad. Unfortunatly my back has been hurting real bad from the tube that goes into my back. But I am excited that I might be going home soon. I’m still a long way away from running, but I can walk without crutches. I did a machine that is kinda like running. I haven’t been real patient latley. I’ve been wanting to get home and get back to my normal routine. If I get home before Wednesday I will probably be going to church that night. Well please continue to pray for us and I’ll talk to you real soon!

**Scientific evidence now indicates that an apple a day does indeed keep the doctor away….the trick is hitting them hard enough with the apple.

Ha Ha  Isn’t that funny?  Payton’s Nana and Papa from Oklahoma sent her a get well card that had that joke in it and she has had the best time razzing her doctor about it!  Her doctor is Dr. Farrow-Gilespie but we call him “FG” for Dr. Feel Good!  We have really been blessed by such a wonderful doctor who not only is brilliant when it comes to children and pain but truly loves his job and love the children he treats.  There have been several times that he has offered up a hug and words of encouragement to Payton - and all of us - just when we need it the most. 

Good News Today!  Tim’s doctor called with the pathology results from his leg surgery last week.  The pathology showed that all the tissue was clear!  Not a trace of melanoma from the original tumor or from a new tumor.  Thank you God!  What an amazing answer to prayer!  Score for the Williams Team!!!

Payton continues to work hard at physical therapy.  They have increased her exercises, number of reps, walking laps and everything.  Her level of courage and committment through this entire battle has been absolutely amazing.  She is one amazing girl!  Dr. FG has a new patient who is Payton’s same age and has RSD in her leg as well.  She and her family are having an extremely difficult time dealing with it and we are going to be meeting them on Wednesday.  The patient is also in the hospital receiving treatment for her RSD.  I think it will be great for Payton to finally meet someone else who has this disease and Dr. FG hopes that Payton’s positive attitude and committment to hard work will encourage this girl and give her some hope.  Pray for us and for them that we will be able to encourage them and shine God’s love to them.  I have a feeling we will all help each other!

Payton had a fun surprise on tonight.  Her friend Sam from church came to visit her and brought her Arby’s chicken strips and curly fries to eat.  Payton LOVES Arby’s and has mentioned so many times how she would love to have some.  She was very excited to have Arby’s and Sam there together.  Sam has come and brought games, books and now food in an effort to encourage Payton and help her fight this battle.  Thank you Sam’s mom for fighting the traffic so that Payton can have the encouragement of a visitor!

Thanks to everyone who has braved the traffic in order to come and see us.  We know it is not easy and your efforts to love on us and encourage us have NOT gone un-noticed.  Thank you!!

Zane will be coming home in time for the weekend.  He has been invited to a party on Saturday that he just can’t miss.  You know, his social life is extremely important to him!  We have missed him like crazy - we need him to get back so he can make us all laugh. 

It occurred to me that we have been referring to our quest to get Payton medical intervention as a WAR and this particular treatment time in the hospital as a battle.  If you look at the word “war” and break it down it could stand for Williams’ Against RSD (WAR).  I thought that was just a funny coincedence ~ a new meaning for the “war against RSD”!

Here is how you can pray for us:
1.  Pray that as this week progresses that Payton’s pain will not return.
2.  Pray that we will be an encouragement and wittness to this patient and her family as we meet them and share our connection through RSD.
3.  Pray for safe traveling as Tim and Papa Terrill meet up to get Zane back home. 
4.  Pray for continued physical, emotional and spiritual strength for Tim and Pam as we continue fighting this battle.  It is getting harder physically for Pam. 

Here we are on what we are looking at as the downward slope.  The doctor tells us we are looking at 7 or 8 more days at least in the hospital.  He is in no hurry at all since rushing this process would make all of our efforts futile.  The doctor did tell us that this week will be the most difficult yet.  He will be decreasing Payton’s epidural and she is now off of all oral pain meds so the test begins to measure her level of pain as it returns.  Her physical therapy will also increase and become more intense this week as well.  The doctor has prepared us that Payton will have pain but we are praying that IF she does have pain that it will be much less than ever before and very manageable without medications.  That will be the number one way you all can pray this week! 

On Saturday we took Maggie (our Beagle) to the hospital to see Payton.  They were both missing each other so badly so we spread a blanket out on the grounds in front of the hospital and Payton came outside and spent about an hour or so with her dog.  Maggie cried because she was excited to see Payton and Payton cried because she was so glad to see Maggie.  I think Maggie was some of the best medicine Payton has had yet in this whole process!  I’m sure we will do it again before this hospital stay is over.

So far everything else is still stable and holding together.  In some ways this has been easier that we expected and then in other ways it has been a lot more difficult than we ever thought.  It is certainly by the grace of God that we are holding together.  For everyone who has helped us out in various ways and for all of the cards of encouragement we are sincerely thankful.  Your efforts have blessed us beyond measure.  Please continue to remember us as we go into the home stretch of this battle in our war against RSD.

Well, here we are on Day 12 of our battle against RSD.  We are all tired and overwhelmed!  Zane is hanging in there in Oklahoma, Payton is homesick and misses her dog, Pam and Tim miss each other and being together as a family at home.  I (Pam) woke up this morning with a sore throat, ear ache and body aches.  So, maybe we all just need some extra prayers today.  :) 

Now on to the positive:  Payton is doing so well with her physical therapy that she is getting the weekend off to just lay around and be lazy in bed.  She is really excited about that.  Her schedule during the week is basically that of working full time at exercising.  She has been having some problems related to to some of the medications but hopefully that will resolve in a few days.  It just makes her not feel like being so active.  Yesterday I was so proud of her because she had to force herself to work hard at physical therapy even though she did not feel like it.  Even through tears she got herself up and worked really hard.  She is my hero for sure!

Ways you can pray for us today:
1.  Pray that Payton will not have anymore problems related to meds and will feel much much better.
2.  Pray for Zane - that the time will go by quickly at Nana’s and he will have so much fun he will not even be ready to come home when it is time.
3.  Pray that Tim’s leg will continue to heal well and without pain or discomfort.  Pray that Sunday services will go well and that he will not be distracted or tired while trying to preach.
4.  Pray for Pam and her physical strength.  The schedule is starting to wear and tear on her.  Pray that this sore throat will go away quickly and that no one else will get it!

Thanks for your continued thoughts, comments and prayers.  You all have NO idea how you have kept us all going and how much we look forward to hearing from you.  THANK YOU!!!

It’s Thursday night, and all is well.  Payton is still doing well in the hospital.  They are pushing her in physical therapy, adding new expectations each day.  She meets each with determination and success, and without complaning (mostly).  The doctor continues to be pleased with her progress.

Tim had his 2nd melanoma surgery today.  It was done in the doctor’s office with local anesthesia.  (For all of you worried souls, he did not drive himself.  A faithful church member escorted him to and from the doctor.)  The purpose of the surgery was to take additional tissue from around the surgery site to make sure all the cancer was removed with the first surgery.  Pathology reports should be available by the end of next week, and Tim returns to get stitches removed a week from Monday.  He is not experiencing any pain from the procedure. 

Thanks for your continued interest and prayers for our family. 

Hi everyone - this is Pam.  I am logging this entry from home!  It felt so good to come home and SLEEP.  I had not left the hospital in the entire first week and seriously did not realize how tired I was until I came home.     Isn’t is wonderful to read Payton’s posts?  She is working so hard and is still so positive.  She is my hero!  We appreciate so much all of your prayers on our behalf. The comments are also very encouraging for us.  We all enjoy sitting down to read them so please keep them coming!  It has been a while since we have given you some specific ideas for how you can pray for us.  As I think about enduring another 2 weeks in this process I do get a little over whelmed - I can’t imagine how Payton must feel.  Here is how you can pray for us in the coming days:

1.  Pray that as Payton continues to work hard that she will have NO PAIN whatsoever and will not need any medication at all for pain.
2.  Pray for Tim as he has his second surgery on his leg on Thursday.  This surgery will hopefully be the last one and is to make certain that all of the melanoma is gone from the area.  We will find out the pathology results within a week or so. 
3.  Pray for Zane while he is in Oklahoma with his grandparents that he will not worry about Payton and that he will be able to relax and get away from the stress of the last few months.  Pray also for Nana and Papa that they will have an abundance of energy and patience.
4.  Finally, please continue to pray for me (Pam).  I am feeling very tired and physically spent.  I need a surge of abundant energy!

Thanks again everyone for each individual piece of our puzzle that you all are.  Without all of you we would be struggling and without God we would be NOWHERE!  Thanks for your encouragement, positive words, kind acts and prayers.

Hey guys it’s me again things are going ok. I was in a lot of pain last night but they gave me some medicine and it went away. Today I had to ride the bike and put weights on my leg. Both hurt when I did it but, I’m ok now. Today I also played battle ship and will play cards. I’m having fun (pretty much as much fun that you can have in the hospital). I don’t know what I’m doing tomorrow.
Thank you for the prayers and comments. I really appreciate it.