Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Sorry it has been awhile since my last post...here is what has been going on with Charlie.

Last Thursday Charlie and Kim and Charlie's mom went down to the University of Pennsylvania for another opinion regarding treatment options. They met with a very well noted pulmonary oncologist specialist, Dr. Cory Langer. He seemed to be very confident in the recommendations he prescribed for Charlie. He in fact is now working with the Abington doc on Charlie’s care. Charlie did start back on a new chemo drug last Friday.

Unfortunately, last Saturday evening Charlie's pain got so bad that Kim had to call 911 and got him down to Abington Hospital. Initially, base on x-ray results, they diagnosed Charlie with pneumonia. But upon further test they felt that it was not pneumonia but something that mimicked the appearance of pneumonia on x-rays.

On Sunday Charlie was sent for an MRI to check the disease progression. What was revealed was that his thoracic vertebra at levels T4-T5 (approximately directly between his shoulder blades) part of the bone is collapsing thus putting him at risk for a cord compression injury. If this should happen Charlie, will loose the ability to walk. So the decision was made yesterday that he will have to have surgery on that area in order to preserve the spinal cord.

The laminectomy surgery is tentatively, but most likely, be done tomorrow sometime around 2pm. Then his post op hospital stay will be approximately 5 days...then he will have to go to rehab. At this point not sure if rehab will be done on an inpatient or outpatient basis. Fortunately they will be able to continue with Charlie’s chemo this Friday as scheduled

Today my parents, kids and I will be traveling down to see Charlie and my parents are staying at Kim’s so they can be at the hospital early to support Kim. I will head back down in the early afternoon to see Charlie before surgery.

Please continue your prayers for Charlie...these complications can be so frustrating and disheartening for him. Pray that he keep his will to go on fighting...and for Kim the stamina needed for her to endure.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

On Friday the Currans headed down to PA to celebrate Michael's 6th Birthday with Aunt Kim and Uncle Charlie. (This was at Uncle Charlie's request!)

We spent the afternoon at Charlie's parent's pool watching the kids swim and enjoying long chats with both Charlie's parents and his brother Pete. Charlie even put on the old swim trunks and ventured into the water to hang with Michael and Grace!

That evening we went back to Kim and Charlie's to indulge in some well deserved pizzas. Then we sang Happy Birthday to Michael and watched him blow out the 6 candles which were standing in a yummy ice cream cake from Carvels!

Charlie headed to bed by 8pm...I think the whole day: as good as it was, turned out to be a bit tiring for him.

Charlie finished his last round of radiation about a week ago, so now he is just trying to regain some strength so he can enjoy some of his daily activities with more ease. As far as resuming chemo...nothing has been really said by the docs about if, when, or what drug will be used. Charlie is trying to be positive but is this so very hard when he has been weak for so long.

Please continue your prayers for Charlie...I know God hears them.

Pray for more good days like this past Friday!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010



"The Oak Tree"







A mighty wind blew both night and day,
It stole the oak trees leaves away.
Then it snapped its boughs and pulled off its bark,
Until the oak was tired and stark.
But still this oak tree maintained its ground,
While the other trees fell all around.
Then the weary wind gave up and spoke,
“How is it that you are still standing oak?”

The oak tree replied, “I know that you
Can break every branch of mine in two.
You can shake my limbs and make me sway,
And carry every one of my leafs away.
But I have roots stretched into the earth,
Growing strong each day since my birth.
You will never touch them, for you see,
They are the deepest part of me.
Until now I was not sure,
Just how much I could endure.
But I have found, with thanks to you
I am much stronger than I ever knew.”

Monday, August 2, 2010

Spoke with Kim this am...Charlie is getting a little in the way of pain relief from his treatments, although it is very hard for him to make it down the steps, so much of his time is spent in his room. Kim plans on putting a small refrigerater in his room so he can get his Ensure and other food independently. I am going to dig out the old baby monitor and give it to Kim so they can communicate without having to yell when Kim is downstairs.

Kim also said Charlie had a nice visit with his father yesterday. Charlie did get the chance to sit outside for a little during the visit, although he couldn't stay out too long because it became uncomfortable for him rather quickly. Charlie did say how good it felt to get outside.

So this will be another week of radiation, then, according to Dr. Potz, Charlie will get a 4 week break from treatments before restarting his chemo again.

I dropped Michael and Grace off at bible camp today and took a moment to go inside the church, say a prayer and light a candle for Charlie. I think tomorrow I will do the same...only this time I am going to light every unlit candle in the church!

Please keep Charlie and Kim in your prayers...I know God hears them. Today I ask that we all pray for one of His miracles to intervene.