Greetings to you all from the
mountains of Central Luzon, It sure has
been nice to be home for the last few days.
It was great to be with all the saints at the Navy Base assembly this
past Lord’s Day. We received such a warm welcome back with hugs all
around. However we cannot stay
long. We must make the trip back down to
Manila on Tuesday (July 15th) for another doctor’s appointment for
Joyce.
Since we arrived in Manila on June
27th we have made multiple trips to Cardinal Santos Hospital in
Greenhills Metro Manila for doctor’s visits, tests, scans and
ultra-sounds. The blood work-up definitely
confirmed the diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism and the high calcium levels in
her blood. It also revealed a very low
vitamin D level and the two are related.
The ultra-sound revealed that she has no kidney stones or disease, which
often accompanies hyperparathyroidism so for that we are deeply thankful. Her mammogram also revealed that she remains
cancer free, which was a blessing as well.
The bone density test revealed that as a result of the parathyroid
glands leaching calcium out of her bones, teeth and fingernails she now has
sever osteoporosis, which will need to be dealt with at a later time. She also had a nuclear scan of her
parathyroid glands and that is what causes us to return to Manila on Tuesday.
Tuesday evening we will learn the
result of the nuclear scan. If there is
a tumor or enlargement of one or more of the parathyroid glands surgery will be
the only option, which also brings immediate relief to most of the
symptoms. If they are no tumors or
enlargements then another course of treatment will begin, which will give
relief as well but over a period of time.
We are praying that this is indeed one of the causes of Joyce’s daily
headaches. Others who have had this
surgery have been relieved of the headaches associated with it and it is our
prayer that this will be the case with Joyce.
The bone density scan did reveal a problem with her neck, which we were
aware of, and it may also be a cause of some of her headaches.
So currently our central focus is
on getting Joyce well again. Please be
praying with us. We will try to keep you
updated via this blog, or on Facebook.
It has been a long haul, but Joyce is staying strong.
Currently there is a typhoon
swirling in the Pacific and coming right at us.
It should be making landfall somewhere in Central Luzon pray for us as
we travel on Tuesday when, in all likelihood, the rains associated with what
will intensify into a Cat 2 storm, will begin to be felt. We may have to stay in Manila an extra day
while it passes and the flooding recedes.
