The Brad Willis
Family Website
Thanks for all that you have done for my
family and me. Keep Praying. We have a few more bumps to travel on life's
road in the near future.
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Welcome
to the Brad Willis Family website, setup to help keep everyone informed of
Brad's health situation. In
September of this year, we discovered a mass in Brad's neck - in his thyroid
gland - and followed the recommendation from Dr.'s to have it removed. In mid November, Brad had surgery in
Birmingham, AL - UAB, Kirklin Clinic to completely
remove the thyroid gland. Just after
Thanksgiving, the pathology revealed that the mass was malignant. After receiving the news that the thyroid
did contain malignant cells, bloodwork was done to
see how quickly we could proceed with treatment to kill any remaining thyroid
cancer cells. The bloodwork
revealed an elevated white blood cell count - which led to diagnosing Brad
with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Following
are email updates beginning just after the CLL diagnosis. Thank you for visiting our website, for
your prayers and your concern for our family.
We love and appreciate each one of you. Kim,
Brad, Welden and Benton |
Post Well Wishes for Brad and the Family
Links of Interest
The Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society CLL Global Research Foundation (Treatments)
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Montgomery
Cancer Center First Baptist Church
Latest News
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Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 Subject: Brad Willis Update #28 Just wanted to share a little good news - always
fun to share that kind!!! Brad had a routine appointment with his
Endocrinologist several days ago (still working on regulating the thyroid
hormone and adjusting to life without a thyroid gland) - and bloodwork is always a part of the routine visit. Brad's white blood cell count had fallen
just a little bit (2000 points) from where it was at the end of May when he
had his 3 month checkup with the Cancer Center. We were very excited because after the
Cancer Center appointment, it appeared that his counts were on a steady
incline (which we had been prepared for), but it looks like maybe they backed
off a bit. Anyway - it may not be
permanent, but I think you all will agree - we celebrate even the small doses
of good news - however long or short-lived they may be. And we love a great surprise!!! Also, his Dr's at MD Anderson were very
encouraged by his last set of numbers and continue to say that his prognosis
is fantastic! Brad is feeling pretty
tired these days, but I think his energy level and stamina are getting better
- and you know, 3 children and the hectic pace we keep is enough to make you
tired even without health challenges.
I'm sure everyone reading this feels the same kind of tired ?? ha/ha For all of you sweet Grand mama's out there who
always ask for pictures of the baby - we posted a couple of new Jemison
photos on the website from his Dedication day - also one of the whole Willis - Oakes clan .
. . my, what a big group we have grown to be. Hope this finds you all doing well and having a
great summer. Much love - Kim P.S.
Somebody brag on my short email (ha/ha). |
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Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 Subject: Brad Willis Update #27 Just when you thought we had vanished from the
planet . . . not so, although some may have hoped (ha/ha). Brad had a quarterly "checkup" today
and it delivered very encouraging news.
Dr. Barnes (Montgomery Cancer Center) was very positive about his
blood tests and continues to feel that Brad's prognosis is very good. His platelets have risen (which is good -
as they had dropped following the thyroid radiation; and his white blood cell count has also
risen a little bit, but not to an alarming point. It was considered a "surprise
bonus" that the radioactive iodine treatment caused the positive side
effect of reducing his white blood cell count, but we knew that it would probably
not be a permanent "fix".
Dr. Barnes does feel like his counts will gradually continue to rise,
but will continue to monitor them and address needs accordingly. All of the collected information will also be
forwarded to the Dr's that treated Brad at MD Anderson and we will receive
feedback from them as well. I know
they will be encouraged and very interested in the results of the white blood
cell count, as this may open doors for possible new trials in the treatment
of CLL (all very exciting advances). Thanks again, for your continued prayers - we are
so blessed again today with good news.
We always leave these appointments and thank our Father - then we
hardly blink before we are reminded of others who are not receiving the same
great news. Please join us in praying
for those - we all know entirely too many people affected by cancer and my
heart is burdened to pray extra hard for them tonight. Blessings are day by day, hour by hour -
and we are thankful for this day. We
believe completely that your prayers have been so instrumental in Brad's
healing - and in our Father delivering us to where we are today. Thankfully yours, Kim P.S. Just
in case you wondered . . . Jemison is, without a doubt, the most adorable
thing you've just ever seen . . . just in case you wondered. (ha/ha)
I'll share pictures soon.
Thanks for asking !!! |
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Monday, April 16, 2007 Subject: Brad Willis Update #26 Hello everyone.
Brad had blood work done last week, and somehow a WBC was not
taken. We are not certain exactly what
happened, but they only did the blood work related to his thyroid hormone
level, so we will not have a WBC count for several more weeks unless they
order one prior to his next follow up.
Anyway, at this stage in the game, we have learned NOT to question
disappointment, frustrations, or anything of the like, because we always look
back and know that there was a reason. On a WAY much happier note, some of you may
remember me telling you back in December that we would be going to the
Gaither concert in Birmingham in April.
Well it was this past weekend, and it was more than we could have ever
hoped. We had an incredible time - the
concert was fantastic - we got to visit and catch up with old friends - we
got to make some new (very famous - ha/ha) friends - and we got to see, up
close and personal, the real way these folks share their talent in God's
ministry day in and day out. Needless
to say, we were blown away - and to say we were "star struck" would
probably be an understatement. We
tried to behave ourselves and not act like crazed fanatics (Brad, of course,
had much more restraint than me - my camera didn't stop snapping all night
long). Thanks to our sweet friends Mark Means and his
daughter Andrea, and son in law Wes (tenor singer for the Gaither Vocal Band)
we were able to enjoy front row seats at the concert - we were able to hang
out back stage with the artists - meet and mingle with them, eat with them,
talk about "normal" everyday stuff with them - tour the bus that
the Gaither Vocal Band travels on - and take pictures back stage and after
the concert with them. It was amazing,
and fulfilled a real dream of Brad's.
I wished him a happy belated 40th birthday (ha/ha). We had such a crazy day Saturday trying to get in
two baseball games, pack and leave in time to take the boys to my parents,
check into the hotel and then meet Wes, Andrea and Andrea's parents in B'ham to go to the concert early. When we were racing trying to make it on
time, and we felt like our hearts were going to explode - my thoughts focused
on remembering that this night was not about me or Brad. At that point, I found myself wondering if
these unbelievably talented people who perform these amazing concerts week in
and week out, find themselves under Satan's attack
when they are preparing. Well, after
meeting them, I can tell you that they are the REAL DEAL. You wouldn't believe the heart they have
for God, for ministry, for each other - and especially for God's people. They were so kind to Brad and to me, and
they were so accommodating - we felt like we were the VIP's (ha/ha). It's easy to see why God has blessed this
ministry so. During the week leading up to the concert, I
couldn't help remembering the night in December when we took off to B'ham (when I wasn't supposed to travel more than 30
minutes from the hospital), and the amazing testimonies we heard that night -
and then the unbelievably cool way Brad ended up winning the bid for the
tickets. I remembered "where we
were" just a week after Brad's CLL diagnosis, two weeks after the
thyroid cancer diagnosis. . . and I had to stop and just praise God for His
provision that has brought us so far since that night - and for His promise
that He loves us and has wonderful plans for us. I thank Him for protecting Brad and his
health - and for giving him such "good" cancers (ha/ha) . . . and I
thank Him for amazing Christian people and artists who have a passion for
delivering His message in such a powerful and beautiful way . . . and I thank
Him for letting us be blessed by it this weekend. Enjoy the pictures (you know I took hundreds -
you'll probably read on the Gaither website about some crazy lady who
wouldn't stop taking pictures - and you'll know it was your friend, Kim).
I'll only bore you with a few. If you
want to see more, check back late on our website. Take care and God Bless you - we'll keep you
posted. All our love - Brad and Kim |
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Tuesday, April 10, 2007 Subject: Brad Willis Update #25 I hope you all had a great Easter - we certainly
did. Sorry, again, for the lack of email updates. We appreciate everyone's interest and
concern more than you know. I know so
many of you have emailed me asking how Brad is doing - and he is doing
fantastic. This week will be a really
big week for him - he will repeat blood work and we will find out where his
WBC count is - if it has stayed within the normal range (hopefully) or if it
is climbing again. The news a month
ago was such GREAT news - that it had dropped back into the
"normal" range. We believe
that his count has to remain low for 12 consecutive months to be considered
in remission - so this is what we are praying for. He has slowly but surely regained taste sensation,
and energy, although he still feels significantly tired when he slows down -
so I think his strategy is to just not slow down. He still has discomfort in his throat and
says that his voice has not returned completely. (Although his "bad" voice can
still WAY out sing my best voice). He
was able to attend choir for the first time and really enjoyed being back in
the music scene!! We were so shocked and taken aback when Brad was
first diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and then with CLL - but we see now, how
God has used both cancers together in a miraculous way. If not for the thyroid cancer diagnosis -
who knows when we would have learned about the CLL, and if not for the
treatment for thyroid cancer, Brad's WBC count would still be astronomically
high!! So it actually worked to his
benefit to have both cancers at the same time. When will I ever learn to not question -
and just trust??? I'll keep this short tonight - and update again
after we have results from his blood work later in the week. Thanks for your concern - always - and for
your prayers. Kim |
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Tuesday, March 7, 2007 Subject: Brad Willis Update #24 Good morning, good afternoon, good evening and
good night (you've gotta love Jim Carrey) . . . have you noticed how few updates there
have been since our little Jemison joined our family?? (ha/ha)
So sorry about that, but I have to tell you - he's a lot of fun to
hang out with. We have already decided
that he is not going to be fit to be around in another few months because we
are all having such a good time spoiling him.
I know all of the "experts" say that you can't spoil a
newborn baby, but we are always up for a challenge - - - and I think we have
proven the "experts" wrong. I have more great news. I know we have seen or talked to some of
you already and had the opportunity to share the news - but here it is in
official "email update" form.
Brad saw Dr. Barnes (@ Montgomery Cancer Center) the end of last week
and reviewed his post RAI bloodwork results. His platelet count was a little bit low
(but Dr. Barnes wasn't concerned) - however, his white blood cell count has
fallen back into "normal" range !!!!! You may remember Dr. Keating (MD Anderson)
mentioning a patient he had treated with CLL and Thyroid cancer who saw a
decrease in white blood cell count following RAI treatment . . . and Dr.
Keating was interested in seeing how it affected Brad's count - and needless
to say, it had a miraculously positive affect. We are not certain exactly what this means
(long term). We do not know if his WBC
count will remain "normal" or if it will eventually climb again -
and we are not sure what this will mean for the treatment of CLL
overall. It could be a great
"accidental finding." We are
looking forward to the DR's at MD Anderson reviewing all of this information
and giving us their feedback. And
certainly, we will let you know when they do. Other good news is that Brad has had some taste
sensation return - not much, but he did taste "salty" tortilla
chips one night this week, which was an improvement. Dr. Barnes said it could take as much as
3-4 months for some of these side effects to return to normal, so will we
just wait patiently (and count blessings in the meantime). Brad is feeling a little better each day - still
tired at the end of every day, but I think we are always tired anyway. ha/ha Neither of us remember a time in the last
several years when we did not feel tired.
I'm sure all of you can relate. In summary, all is well in the Willis
household. We are headed into Spring
with so much to be thankful for, and sooooo much
behind us. We have a trip to Disney
World coming up - which always makes Brad happy, and we can't wait. Even Jemison is going - and will get to
meet the Mouse himself for the first time. I hope you are all doing well - and once again,
thank you for lifting up our needs to the Father, and for holding us up
through this entire adventure. We
can't thank you enough. Please
continue to pray that Brad's WBC count remains well within the normal range,
and all other blood counts fall where they need to be. Pray for his continued return of strength
and energy - taste and tenacity (ha/ha).
I would like to say pray for the return of the "old Brad",
but he doesn't really appreciate any reference to "old" - and I
don't anticipate we will ever return to the people we were before all of this
- and we are thankful for the change. Please look for another email from me about a
lady who is being treated for another form of leukemia (AML) at MD Anderson
right now. More details in next email. Thank you all for understanding when the updates
are slow making their way into text. Much love to all - Brad, Kim and boys |
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Tuesday, February 27, 2007 Subject: Brad Willis Update #23 Hello everyone - - - I know you must think that
we fell off the planet - but we didn't.
So sorry that time has not permitted updates lately, but the good news
is . . . if you are NOT hearing from me, that's usually a good thing (in more
ways than one, I'm sure - ha/ha). Brad is doing very well - he is working full
speed - he is 4 weeks past RAI treatment, and so thankful to have that
chapter behind him. He has a few
residual side effects - lack of saliva / dry mouth; loss of taste sensation (which he actually
describes as "BAD taste sensation";
and still some soreness in his throat - leftover effects of the
thyroid surgery. All of these should
be temporary side effects and hopefully will pass quickly. Not a bad trade off for getting rid of
thyroid cancer. We heard from the DR's at MD Anderson this
morning, and their report was excellent.
The "fancy" tests (as they call them) all came back with
fantastic results. I will spare you
all the technical info., but the DR's quote was that
Brad "scored the full jackpot on good prognostic factors" on the
four tests that they performed. The DR
went on to say that his prediction (for Brad's CLL) was for a very slowly
progressive disease. They want to
continue monitoring bloodwork pretty regularly over
the next months - and see Brad again at the 6 - 12 month period - at which
point they expect the vaccine study to be in "phase II status" and
they would like Brad to participate in the study. Brad is still going to have more bloodwork done this week to see if there were any
"bonus" positive effects on his white blood cell count from the RAI
treatment. We'll let you know what we
learn from that. "Our three sons" are all doing VERY
well. The "big" boys have
wrapped up their Upward Basketball seasons and had a fantastic time; they both fared
very well in their Pine Car Derby Races - but mostly had a great time
building and decorating their cars with their Dad (pics
on website forthcoming). The little
man is doing GREAT - couldn't be sweeter, and has begun to smile and
"talk" to us quite a bit.
It's hard to believe he will soon celebrate two months - we feel like
he has always been with us, but it also feels like he just arrived. He is sleeping great at night, which always
makes for a happy day - and has adapted well to the crazy pace of our
life. He is well acquainted with car
pool lines and basketball games - he has even been on his first field trip
with big brother Benton's class - to the "MooSeum"
. . . and has been introduced to the baseball field for Welden's
tryouts. Life has certainly "gone on" and we
could not be happier. We are so
blessed and sooooo thankful to have our life full
of "normal" routines again.
We are so thankful to be able to do the things that used to seem
ordinary to us - and to have a healthy Daddy to do them with. We are so thankful to every one of you who have
prayed us through this journey, and blessed us in a million ways. Please know that - PLEASE know how much you
each mean to us, and even if a "thank you" hasn't yet made it to
your mailbox, please know that you are sooooo
appreciated - more than you could ever imagine. God is so good - and has been so enormously good
to us. Our situation could have so
easily been such a different story . . . and God has already given us so many
opportunities to use this situation for Him, and also prepared us to know how
to minister to others who are hurting, struggling, questioning and healing. Please forgive me for being so long in updating -
I'll do better with future updates, I promise. We should hear back from the last bit of bloodwork next week.
Thank you - thank you - thank you for all the ways you have been a
blessing to us. Much love - Kim, Brad and boys |
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Friday, February 09, 2007 Subject: Brad Willis Update #22 Great news - Brad's scan showed
"uptake" only in the midline area of the neck, which is expected
because that is where the good ole' thyroid gland used to reside. No other "uptake" was noted, which
leads the oncologist to believe that Brad's thyroid cancer was contained
within the mass that was removed along with the thyroid gland. Look what your prayers have done !! Following the scan, Brad's radioactive level was
down to less than 1 - so that was a great sign !!!! More great news . . . Welden's
ear is all better, Tamiflu is the miracle drug -
Benton is all better, Jemison is adjusting to life out here in this crazy world, and best of all - no one else in our house has come
down with anything else - including Malaria. Brad got to come home tonight (Thursday) and
spend a few hours with us before heading to B'ham
for his annual dental Alumni Weekend.
The boys and I are joining him tomorrow for the rest of the weekend -
and B'ham is expecting wintry weather
!!!! Who knows what excitement
the weekend will hold. We are still waiting to repeat bloodwork to see what, if any, affect the RAI treatment
had on his white blood cell count. It
may be a few more weeks until we know. Thanks so much for hanging in there with us - for
not forgetting us as our adventure continues - and, once again, for always
praying so diligently. Thanks for
celebrating this victory with us. One
down . . . one to go -now, let's whip CLL !!! All our love - Kim, Brad, Welden,
Benton & Jemison |
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Monday, February 05, 2007 Subject: Brad Willis Update #21 Does anyone need a good laugh
??? Life just gets better and
better in our home . . . Welden woke up at 3 am last
Thursday morning with an earache - took him to the DR and he was put on an
antibiotic for a severe ear infection . . . Benton woke up Sunday morning coughing and
burning up with fever - took him in on Sunday and he tested positive for the
flu . . . Jemison has been in many times (I've lost count
at this point - but trust me - I think we've met our deductible already for
2007) for weight checks and billirubin checks - and
that sweet thing has developed colic as well. So, here's the score - Brad is radioactive, Welden is on an antibiotic, Benton is on Tamiflu, Jemison has developed a love for Mylicon drops, and so far, my Mom and I have not
contracted Malaria - but we expect to any minute (ha/ha). 2 hours seems like a full nights sleep to
me - ha/ha. OK - now to Brad - he was able to leave the
hospital last Thursday (after only two days) because he followed orders and
caused his "radioactive" level to drop from 50 to 4.4 in 48
hours. You know, he's all about
setting a record!! He has been at the
lake since Thursday accompanied by his Dad, my Dad, and tonight, his
Mom. He is feeling extreme fatigue,
and a little nausea and sore throat - most symptoms are from being off of the
thyroid replacement hormone. Tomorrow
(Tuesday) he will have the total body scan that will identify places where
the iodine found remaining thyroid cells (therefore, assumed thyroid cancer
cells) in his body. Please pray for a
good scan !!
Following the scan, we believe he will be able to resume taking the
thyroid replacement hormone (i.e. Superman pill according to Brad) and return
to business as usual. In another couple of weeks, bloodwork
will be repeated for the Dr's at MD Anderson to see what affect the RAI
treatment had on the CLL - we pray that it reduced his white blood cell
count. And some remaining tests will
be completed as well that will further indicate the progress of his CLL. Hopefully, all of the results will point in
a positive direction, and if nothing else, we will finally check off of our
list the RAI treatment and isolation.
Praise God !!! Sorry it has taken a while to update - "My
Three Sons" are keeping me quite busy, but
thanks for those of you who have emailed asking for an update. It's so wonderful to know that so many are
concerned and still praying for us. Thanks a million, once again, for your prayers -
and OH MY GOODNESS - for the fantastic meals, and the many ways you all have
cared for us. I will email again when we know the results of
the scan. Much love - Kim |
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Tuesday, January 30, 2007 Subject: Brad Willis Update #20 Just wanted to say hello and update everyone on
our day. It was a very difficult day -
a lot more so than I think either of us anticipated - but also a blessing
finally be able to have Brad receive the RAI
treatment and begin counting down the days until this "chapter" is
behind us. He was admitted to the hospital just after 10:00
am this morning and we had been "warned" to not let the room
frighten us. I was glad so many people
had prepared us for that - and it turned out to not be as alarming as we had
thought. It is none too "friendly"
- and certainly not the Ritz - but not as bad as we had thought. Anyway, Brad got busy unpacking his stash
of juices, drinks and snacks and rearranging the furniture to suit his taste. He made a friend - a male nurse named
"Q" who was kind enough to talk to him specifically about what to
expect from the treatment. The only
side effect (other than glowing in the dark) is a possible sore throat. "Q" also hooked him up with lots
of extra juices and filled his cooler with ice so that he could continue to
"push the fluids" and get on with the process of lowering his
radioactivity. We met with the Dr's just after noon, said our
goodbyes - then he was "dosed" around 12:30 pm. All of the "goodbyes" of the day
have been much harder than we thought - but again, as I said before - it
brings us one day closer to saying "hello" again and making this a
memory. Brad is afraid Jemison might
learn to walk and talk while we are all separated. ha/ha Looking at Welden
and Benton - it does feel like it happens almost that quickly. They will continue to monitor Brad and check his
level periodically until it has reached an acceptable level to be dismissed
from the hospital. Depending on when
he is discharged, and what his number is, decisions will be made regarding
when he can go back to work, and when we can be around him again. He is a little stressed and anxious about
continuing to cancel days at his practice, and reschedule patients - but we
keep telling ourselves this is just a season - and it will pass. We know that all of these things are
working "for good" to be used for God's glory - and we are not
going to cheat ourselves of the opportunity to learn, grow and glorify. Brad took plenty of duplicated CD's, books and
other reading material - and will be discharged from the hospital fully
versed in motivational speaking, the latest and greatest in dental technology
and practice management - as well as being the "fifth" member the
Gaither Vocal Band didn't know they had.
He also took duplicate copies of every email that has been sent to us
- and was looking so forward to re-reading and reflecting on all of the
wonderful messages each of you have been so kind to send. He has to leave everything behind to be
disposed of - so he made certain everything was a copy - but he also made
sure he had plenty to keep him busy.
As usual - his attitude was fantastic, and he said he was going to
take advantage of this time to study lots of things he wouldn't ordinarily
have time to. Leave it to Brad to make
isolation and radioactivity a positive "down time." Thank you all for your thoughts today - and for
continuing to pray. We are in the
"home stretch" and see light at the end of the tunnel. We love you - Kim & Co. |
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Monday, January 29, 2007 Subject: Brad Willis Update #19 (for those of you
who are keeping count - ha/ha) WE MADE IT !!! Brad just called and his bloodwork came in - his TSH level is 19.6 (we were
shooting for 20, but the oncologist said this was close enough). Hallelujah !!! Brad wanted to thank everyone that prayed
- - - and also wanted me to ask who the "0.4" people were who
forgot to pray (ha/ha). He will be admitted to the hospital tomorrow
(Tuesday) and receive the dose by noon.
Hopefully he will be able to leave the hospital on Thursday, Friday at
the latest - then a few more days away from me and the boys - then this whole
nasty chapter will be behind us. Please pray for Brad as he receives the treatment
and as he is in isolation. I know this
is going to be great time for him to be alone with God. Also, he will have a complete body scan
next week (date to be determined after treatment) so,
please pray that the body scan will come back "clean." We have been dreading this process since the
thyroid cancer diagnosis - but we are finally so close to having it behind
us. Thank you all so much for praying
us through this. I can't thank you
enough for your emails (particularly these last few days). You all are such great encouragement when
have our "down" moments. I
don't know what we would do without you. "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it
is the Lord's purpose that prevails."
Proverbs 19:21 We are so thrilled that it was God's will for
Brad to go forward with this treatment this week - just think, by this time
next week, Brad's body should be free of thyroid
cancer for good. Our news is looking
better and better. Thanks again - all our love, Kim, Brad (and boys - all three of them (ha/ha) |
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January 26, 2007 Subject: Willis Update We don't really have any earth shattering new
news tonight - but I did want to let you all know that Brad has talked with
both his oncologist and endocrinologist, and they hope to repeat bloodwork on Monday and be able to "dose" Brad
on Tuesday. They have a "cautious
optimism" regarding the possibility that his TSH level can reach the
appropriate number in time for the dose on Tuesday. However, everything still hinges on the
magic number. They are tentatively
scheduling to go ahead with the treatment (going out on faith that the number
will be what it needs to be) on Tuesday, but we will not know until sometime
Monday. Brad is on his way home from Shreveport where he
spoke to a group of dentists today - and Brad said he believed that God knew
he had this lecture to do today, and needed to feel well for it - so God was
helping him get through the lecture, and then proceed with "feeling
bad" afterward - ha/ha - and being ready for the treatment on
Tuesday. That is our prayer for
tonight - and once again, Brad's resilient attitude shining through. I feel like in the large scheme of things - this
probably seems trivial and not worth getting all worked up about. But we had ourselves mentally
"prepared" for this treatment and the separation
that follows - and we are just more than ready to make certain Brad's body is
free of any remaining thyroid cancer cells, and narrow our list down
to dealing just with CLL. So forgive
us if we sound like we are whining. We
just want desperately to get this behind us.
But we know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, who
is in control - and we don't doubt God's plan or timing. I lost my "big girl panties" for
a moment - but have found them again. Thanks for your continued prayers - we couldn't
make it without them. Also, please pray for some dear friends of our
family - the Barnes and Lewis family - who lost their 43 year old brother,
uncle, son, father - Reggie Lewis during the night last night. Reggie suffered a massive heart attack and
leaves behind a 13, 14 and 16 year old - and many, many family members who
loved him and will miss him terribly.
My family and the Barnes family grew up together - our Dad's were high
school friends; and
Joy Barnes married Brad's brother, Greg - so we are connected in many
ways. Reggie is Joy's uncle (her Mom's
younger brother). Reggie's death came
as an enormous shock - no warning signs at all - and his family is shocked
and grieving now, and trying to make many decisions that came way too early
in their life. So, please remember
them in your prayers. It just doesn't take much to put a situation in
perspective, does it? Thank you, again, for what you mean to us - and
how you continue to minister to us. We love you - Kim, Brad, Welden,
Benton and Jemison (who, by the way, is cute as ever and had a very positive
Dr. appt. today - he is almost back to his birth weight, and his billirubin - jaundice - number is heading down, although
still has a little ways to go) |
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January 25, 2007 Subject: Urgent Willis Prayer Request You all know by now that when we need prayer -
this group is the first place we turn. Brad had bloodwork
drawn this morning to gather information about how "ready" his body
is to receive the radioactive iodine treatment (scheduled to begin on
Monday). The bloodwork
did not come back favorably. His TSH
(thyroid hormone) level should be 20 and has only reached 5. They will repeat the bloodwork
on Monday and see if the number is where it should be, if not - he will have
to postpone the treatment - and the last 2-3 weeks of preparation will have
been in vain. As his thyroid number climbs - his energy level,
mood and general "feeling" will decline rapidly. So Brad's quote to me was to please ask
everyone to pray that he feels "bad" - because that will mean the
number is closing in on where it should be.
He has made lots of pretty "drastic"
preparation for next week to reschedule patients and have other doctors come
in to cover the remaining patients - so he certainly does not want all of
that to have been in vain. Not to
mention the delightful low iodine diet that he has been on for the last two
weeks. We just really want to be able
to have this treatment done next week and put it behind us. I will update you when we know more. Thanks in advance for your prayers. Much love - Kim |
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Tuesday, January 23, 2007 Hello friends - WOW - I'm not doing so great with
the updates lately (ha/ha) but I am keeping company with one fine young
man. (ha/ha) He's not so crazy about me holding him in
one arm and typing on the computer with the other - in fact, he's not so
crazy about me doing anything at all with the other arm (ha/ha). He seems to like my undivided attention -
and to be honest - I don't mind it at all. I hope this finds you all doing well. I'm sorry I haven't emailed sooner - but I
know you understand. Jemison is doing great - he celebrated two weeks
over the weekend and attended both of his big brothers basketball games. It was nice to be "out in public"
and the "big boys" were oh, so happy to show him off. They are certain he will be ready to
"shoot hoops" with them very soon.
Welden lost two teeth in the last two days
and is keeping the tooth fairy quite busy - and played some mighty mean
defense in his basketball game this weekend!!
We had to remind him that wrapping your arms around somebody is not
exactly what they mean by "defense" - ha/ha. Benton scored three goals in his game on
Saturday, and has moved up to reading book #3 in his Kindergarten class - and
he couldn't be "prouder" of himself - in fact, if you run into him
- he'll probably tell you all about it. Brad is doing great and has survived the low
iodine diet very well. He has been so
great about it - complaining very little, and sticking to the diet
completely. He also went off of the
thyroid replacement hormone medicine Sunday night and he seems to be
tolerating the "deficiency" well.
He will go into the hospital on Monday (the 29th) and have the RAI
treatment. Hopefully after only a
couple of days, he will no longer set off the Geiger counter - and he can leave
the hospital safe to be around "big people" again. At that point he will go to the lake for
the remaining days until he is safe to be around us again - doesn't that
sabbatical at the lake sound like real torcher?? We are certainly not looking forward to the next
couple of weeks - but we are glad it's finally here so that we can get it
behind us. There's only one way to
make this whole thing "history."
Our prayer is that Brad's body "chemistry" will be in
perfect condition to receive the treatment, so that it can do its job and we
will not have to repeat this part of the adventure. Please pray that if there are any remaining
thyroid cancer cells - that they will be eliminated - and pray that as a
"bonus" his white blood cell count will see a positive effect from
the treatment. Thank you all again, so much - for every way that
you have ministered to us. We could
not be more blessed - and we are so, so appreciative. I'm WAY behind on appropriate "thank you's" - but please know
that no kindness shown has gone unnoticed or unappreciated. We are so very thankful for all of the
meals, prayers, calls, emails, gifts, help with the boys, everything that you
all have done for us - and we thank you so so much. So many of you have asked me for more pictures
(and if you haven't asked - sorry, you must suffer through and take one for
the team - ha/ha) so I sent a few to Jon today to put on the website. So, keep checking in and they should be up
soon. Pray especially the remainder of this week and
next for Brad. Hopefully soon, our
prayer requests will be a "short list." We love you - Kim, Brad (and boys) |
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Thursday,
January 11, 2007 Hello everyone - sorry I haven't updated sooner,
but I have been deeply distracted and "smitten" by the newest
handsome member in the lineup of Willis men in my house - and, oh - how
handsome he is. I'm so glad Brad sent the pictures out from the
hospital to let everyone know of Jemison's safe arrival to our world. I had some crazy optimistic idea that I
would be updating every couple of days or so - apparently the five and a half
years that have passed since I last had a newborn left me with amnesia. ha/ha Anyway - Jemison did arrive, safe and sound, last
Thursday morning. We are celebrating
his one week birthday today. He is
extraordinarily beautiful (and I have no bias in my opinion whatsoever) and
seems to be an exceptionally good baby (knock on wood). His older brothers adore him, and are
pretty sure they could raise him by themselves. We cannot believe how blessed we are to be
parents to these three beautiful fellas - and can't
wait for everyone to meet the newest addition. Brad is doing well - and was a real trooper in
the hospital. He hung in there with me
for the entire hospital stay - even through the nights with very little sleep
- and the early morning tornado warning.
He has begun the process of preparing for the
Radioactive Iodine treatment, which will be administered on the 29th. He decided he wanted a few weeks with his
new son before undergoing the treatment, so he postponed it until the 29th. The "preparation" process includes a
change in thyroid hormone medicine - which he has already begun, and seems to
be doing very well with the change - - - as well as a low iodine diet. You know the word "diet" in our
home always seems to send everyone into a frenzy
(ha/ha) but we had a trial run this week (only one meal) and it wasn't so
bad. We solicited the help of my
mother, who has a gift for making even cardboard flavorful. We are both looking forward to having the RAI
treatment behind us - neither of us are looking forward to the extended
separation time, but Dr. Ingram explained again today that even though it is
precautionary - it is still not worth the risk of exposure for our children
(and me, as long as I am the "grocery store" for Jemison). So, please pray for Brad as he undergoes
the treatment, and for all of us as we spend way too
much time apart. Pray that the time
passes quickly and the treatment does its job - and does it well, so that we
don't have to repeat. Brad has heard from the Dr's at MD Anderson a
couple of times, and all of the results that have come in so far are working
in our favor, as far as predicting "slow growing CLL" as much as
possible. Some of the tests were
inconclusive, and will be repeated, but the news is very positive, so far -
and we are so thankful. As long as
Brad takes care of himself, and continues to be as healthy as he always has
been - it looks like he will be up to the task of raising three boys -
YIKES!! I'll try to keep the updates coming - when my new
little fella will give me a little extra time. And be prepared, I will probably bombard
you with adorable pictures of "our three sons." Thanks for humoring me - feel free to delete
the photos from a very proud Mom. Thank you all, once again, for wrapping us in
your love and prayers. I can't imagine
making it through this adventure without the support of such amazing friends
and family. Much love - Kim |
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Thursday,
December 28, 2006 Subject:
Brad Willis Update #13 Hey guys - Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas - we
certainly did. Our family enjoyed
spending some time NOT going to Dr's appointments, but rather hanging out at
home shooting basketball on our new goal and enjoying all of the other toys
Santa left. Welden
made the keen observation that "he couldn't believe he was bad last year
and Santa still brought him so many great toys." ha/ha Brad is doing great - working hard, as usual -
and looking forward to putting 2006 behind us, and moving forward to
2007. He summarized the trip to
Houston, and I thought I would forward his synopsis to you all, as I am sure
it will make better sense than my sad interpretation. Basically - still waiting on the final
blood tests maybe next week, scheduling RAI treatment and having a baby. As always - thank you all so much for your
prayers, your emails, your posts on the website -
for everything. I don't know what we
would do without you. Here is
Brad's summary: I thought I would send you some info to update
the website. The report from Houston goes something like this: Although we will not have the final blood test
results until after the New Year, the report from M.D. Anderson seems very
good. The test results we did get back
indicate that I fall into the better group of CLL patients based on
historical comparisons. What that
means is that most folks with easily managed CLL have had blood test results similar
to mine. These comparisons date back
to the 70's and are the most tried and tested methods. However, there are many new tests that
these researchers are developing in hopes of finding clues to why some people
have rapidly advancing CLL and others have little to no symptoms. Those new "fancy" tests according
to Dr. Keating are the ones that take longer to run. For now the plan is to monitor the CLL for any
significant changes. I am to report
any unexplained fatigue and weakness along with recurrent infections. There is no recommendation to alter my work
flow for now, I just have to be cautious around
patients with DNA Viral type infections such as cold sores and shingles. I am to proceed with the radioactive iodine
treatment for the Thyroid cancer and send follow up blood work results to
M.D. Anderson to determine if there is any effect on the CLL from this
treatment. As I mentioned earlier, Dr.
Keating has seen some forms of CLL drop off notably after thyroid cancer
treatment. At present, I am working with my local physicians to schedule this
treatment at the end of January. Also on the local scene, I received the results
of the blood tests which were done right after the initial diagnosis. Early analysis seems to suggest I am in the
slower progressing CLL group. Again,
these are some of the difficult to analyze "fancy" tests that I
mentioned above. I will send these
results to Dr. Keating for comparison. After completion of the thyroid treatment, I will
begin to send blood tests result back to M.D. Anderson at least every three
months. I will return there annually
for reevaluation unless there are some significant changes. Until then we will begin to post more
pleasant news such as Jemison's arrival.
For now we will keep believing. Brad |
|
Saturday,
December 23, 2006 Subject:
Brad Willis Update #12 Merrry Christmas Eve Eve. I hope you
are all in the thick of enjoying the holidays. We certainly are, and we are enjoying them
to their fullest. I still hope that Brad will slow down his holiday
shopping soon and share with you HIS version of the Houston trip, but for
now, it's me again. Yesterday, we had appointments with both
oncologists at the Montgomery Cancer Center - basically, just follow up
appointments and "catching up" on the evaluation at M.D.
Anderson. Dr. Barnes (hematological
oncologist - leukemia) did have more blood work back - but we are waiting to
compare it with more numbers from M.D. Anderson before we have a real
understanding of it. We met with Dr.
Ingram (radiological oncologist - thyroid) and set the date for Brad's RadioActive Iodine treatment for January 15. Brad was very excited to have something
finally on the calendar - and the promise of moving toward marking something
off of the list. So, the plan is . . . Christmas first - then baby
- then RAI treatment - then body scan following the RAI treatment that will
give us a little more insight regarding the lymph nodes - then repeat of bloodwork to see if the RAI treatment had a
"bonus" positive effect on Brad's CLL. As you recall, Brad mentioned that Dr.
Keating had a patient with CLL and Thyroid Cancer who noticed a marked
reduction in White Blood Cell count following the RAI treatment. Not sure if this is "tried and
true" yet - but it certainly would be a nice "bonus." Anyway - our plan is to enjoy celebrating the
birth of our Savior - enjoy time with family and friends - bask in the great
news of a positive prognosis - and possibly catch up on some rest, then we
will welcome the new year and the next stages of "the
process." The last couple of
months have certainly been a "Great Awakening" for us - and we find
ourselves appreciating things (and people) we have often taken for granted,
and enjoying a new perspective on most everything. To quote a great song that I'm sure has
already run through most of your heads . . . we find it much easier to
"love deeper, speak sweeter and give forgiveness we've been
denying." We are thankful for the
opportunity to remember what is really important, and our prayer is that we
never lose this perspective again. We hope you all have the Merriest Christmas ever
- and keep the "main thing" the "main thing." We will talk again after the holiday - and
if you hear a rumor about Brad going sky diving or riding a bull named Fu Man
Chu - fear not, he's just exercising a new freedom
in his life. God Bless and keep each one of you and know that
we love you more than we know how to say.
Merry Christmas !! Kim, Brad, Welden and
Benton |
|
Subject:
Brad Willis - Update #11 Hello again - I have heard from Brad and the news
is very encouraging. It really
confirms more of the same from yesterday - Dr. Keating identified Brad's CLL
more specifically as somewhere between Stage 0-1 (or Stage A-1 depending on
which type of staging system is used).
The greatest news is that his excellent health is working in his favor
- and he seems to be at very low risk for infection. . . . and still
VERY handsome - which will certainly yield to a positive prognosis. In two to three weeks (due to the holiday) more
detailed blood analysis will come in and give us a little more information,
but no change in diagnosis or proposed plan of action - just more details. Speaking of plan of action - the first step will
be for Brad to undergo the Radioactive Iodine treatment (after Santa and baby
come) to kill whatever may (or may not) remain of the thyroid cancer
cells. A body scan will follow this
treatment that will tell them a little more about Brad's lymph nodes. Then in two to three months, he will repeat
bloodwork to see where his White Blood Cell count
is at that time compared to now. (Of
course, we are praying that it hasn't risen).
In summary - the trip to M.D. Anderson has been
positive, to say the least. Brad could
not be more impressed with the team of Dr's - particulary
Dr. Keating - and could not be happier about where they have
"categorized" his CLL. Our
"divine appointment" has been divine indeed. In retrospect, the annoying lump in his neck led
us to discover so many things at an early stage and allowed us to take
advantage of diagnosing all of this early on and charting a course for
evaluation and treatment that might not have been an option some years down
the road. God has truly had His hand
in this situation (and held US in His hands) every single, surprising step of
the way. Brad and Troy enjoyed dinner last night at some
place called "The Strip House" which they tell us refers to a steak
(things that make you go "hmmm"
ha/ha) and are currently preparing to fly back home to Montgomery. Please pray for their safe return - and
thank you so much for praying for every aspect of this trip. Troy told me earlier today that Brad's
attitude and disposition are great - which is a great testimony to his
faith. He believes in His God - he
believes His God is in control - and he believes he and God can conquer this
situation and use it to bring glory to Him.
As I said before, I live with him day in and day out and have the
great privilege of watching his faith in action up close. He has been truly amazing to watch
throughout this unfolding of events.
He has NEVER doubted. We will email you again later, probably Brad's
version - as it is always easier to understand. He has such a better grasp on understanding
all of the medical mumbo jumbo than I do.
I'm struggling to understand what I am trying to relay to you all as I
type it. My poor brain is FRIED!! Thanks, once again, for lifting us up in prayer,
for feeding us, crying with us, rejoicing with us, caring for us. We are so blessed to have an amazing
support system. Talk again soon.
Much love - Kim |
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Tuesday,
December 19, 2006 Subject:
Hello from Houston (Message from Brad) Hello everyone.
We are at the end of our first full day in Houston and I thought I
would bring you all up to date. As I
am writing, my traveling buddy, Troy Teel, is upstairs catching up on his
sleep. We were three hours late
arriving due to a flight delay out of Montgomery, which means we settled in
after midnight last night, only to rise around 5:45 this morning. We have had a productive day however I am
glad today is behind me. The fear of the unknown is the worst. After getting registered at M.D. Anderson this
morning, we met with Dr Keating and his young associate Dr Tan. Their original impression of my situation
is very good. These guys see about 400
or more cases of CLL a year and know what they are looking for. Their initial assessment mirrors that of Dr
Barnes at the Montgomery Cancer Center - I am healthy with the exception of
elevated white blood cell levels due to the CLL. Dr Tan went on to discuss where the doctors here feel like modern treatment options are moving in this disease. He explained that they are working on ways to help engineer my own body's immune system to fight the CLL without using traditional Chemotherapy, which beats up on your immune system. |