In This Together ~ The Craigs

Tuesday night I brought Marisa home after being discharged from the hospital!  In her last day there her calcium level held steady, and even slightly increased for 24 hours straight.  The kids are happy to have Marisa back home.   It is amazing to have pictures of Marisa sitting up and out of bed, eating, and smiling.  They are a stark contrast to the pain and immobilization she was experiencing just a few days ago.  Just before we departed the hospital yesterday, one of the doctors who was assisting with her surgery came by to check on Marisa.  He sat at the end of her bed and as he shared details about her surgery, reminder Marisa a couple of times how worried they were for her just after the operation: labored breathing, paralyzed vocal cords, and difficulty waking up from anesthesia.  We were told on multiple occasions that this could have easily gone in a different, more perilous, direction.  We now feel particularly close to this verse from Psalms. When they call

Dear friends and family, Thank you again for your prayers and well wishes for Marisa.  We are also grateful for all of the ways you have cared for our family: sending cards, lawn mowing, mulching, meals, visits, and many other unique ways.  Update... With the assistance of IV calcium, Marisa's levels hit a high of 9 points yesterday.  (Healthy range is 9-12).  With now being off of the IV since 4pm yesterday, her calcium levels are slowly dropping again.  The doctors are going to "wait and see" if boosting the amount of oral calcium will help.  Marisa will remain in the hospital until her levels normalize.    Breathing treatments are also continuing multiple times a day.  Her left ear and the left side of her face to her mouth are numb, which is causing her smile to be a little crooked.  She is not bothered by those things, though, and it could return to normal with time.   Marisa has had the ability to eat, but the options of foods that she is permitted to have ar

Dear friends and family, Thank you everyone for being on our journey with us this far. Receiving all of your love and feeling covered by your prayers has been providing me with continual encouragement. This surgery has been much more involved and has taken some unexpected turns, and I am so thankful to be on the other side of the most difficult part of it. Below, Matt will explain those ups and downs. I just want you to know you all mean so much to me. I love and adore my family and friends, and I thank you for reaching out to me. I would write back to each one of you individually if I could, but this blog will have to do that for me for now. Love, Marisa ----- The past thirty-six hours has been a bit of a roller coaster.  Marisa has made much progress with her breathing.  She continues to receive nebulizer treatments and uses a mask for humidified air.  She has been more awake and alert and able to walk on her own a little more than yesterday. The medical team is working to

Dear friends and family, This has been a tough, and at points scary, recovery from the surgery.  The surgical team operated longer than they first expected due to complexities with the nerves in Marisa's neck.  She has had difficulty with her breathing and both vocal cords at this point are paralyzed.  The paralysis and swelling in her airway made breathing difficult and she was admitted to the ICU last night.  She has had moments when it is hard for her to get enough air and she was wheezing most of the time through the night.   Marisa had  a Nurse Practitioner, RN, and a Nurse Anesthetist working on and observing her full time during this nine hour timeframe before being admitted.  Throughout this entire time, just prior to being admitted, there were at least two of these staffers sitting with us by her bedside at all times.  Of course, there were several visiting doctors throughout the night trying to get a handle on her breathing issue. Today... The surgeon was so sa

Dear friends and family, Marisa is finished prepping for surgery and now in the OR.  We have been overwhelmed by the encouraging messages from those who were up early this morning (and some throughout the night) praying for Marisa and our family.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!   In the waiting room before prepping in the OR. Love,  Matt & Marisa

Dear friends and family, In the last few days Marisa has had several pre-op appointments which have been informative.   After a closer look at the CT scan, one doctor shared that there is a good chance the surgeon may need to remove one of Marisa's jugular veins since one of the masses appears to be attached to it.  We do not have enough information yet to know how this may affect Marisa's recovery.  Next week, Marisa is scheduled for an MRI to rule out a link between her chronic migraines and the cancer in her neck.  Also next week, w e should receive results from blood work that will determine if Marisa will be put on a blood thinner for a month after surgery due to a pre-existing clotting disorder.  Good news... Marisa's cold is clearing up, which is helpful before the operation take place. Johns Hopkins - Pre-Op Visit ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Video greeting to Marisa from Joe Flacco:   On Monday our Young Life team in Baltimore City put on a w

Dear friends and family, Two weeks ago when we first received Marisa's diagnosis we began to notify friends and family on the fly in order to ask for prayer immediately.  Now, we are trying to get more organized with communication as we focus on treatment.  As we post updates, would you join us in prayer?  Thank you to everyone who has already been in this with us in so many ways.   Below you will find the first two email messages plus a new post from today. ----- Apr 26, 2018 Dear friends and family, Marisa and I are asking for your prayers.  Just a few days ago we received a call from Marisa's doctor that a recent CT scan and biopsy results show a cancerous nodule on her thyroid and metastases in several lymph nodes throughout her neck.  We met with a surgeon at Johns Hopkins this week.  Given the complexities of Marisa's case, we are in the process of being transferred to the Director of Head and Neck Endocrine Surgery to perform Marisa's operation.  A