Hello everyone!
I wanted to share the latest on Louie and Marianne, and also say how grateful we continue to be for all of you. Your prayers, love, and encouragement continue to hold them up in such a big way. And a huge thank you for all the “I love you” photos you’ve been sending—they have brought lots of smiles and joy. If you haven't sent one yet, shoot one over to either Marianne or Louie!
On Saturday, Louie had his biopsy and praise God, the procedure went smoothly with no complications! When they opened the area behind Louie’s right ear, they found extensive osteonecrosis—bone damage from past radiation. They also removed a portion of the large soft mass to send to pathology. We’re still waiting for results, hopefully in the next day or two. While we wait on results, the surgery to remove the cancerous lymph node is on hold until we know more. In the meantime, Louie has been referred for hyperbaric treatments to help with the bone deterioration.
The past radiation has also affected Louie's vocal cords and surrounding tissue. Right now, he can only whisper, but the speech therapy team is working closely with him, and today he was able to use his speaking valve for four hours. His trach will stay in for at least six months, and Marianne is already getting trained on how to care for both the trach and the PEG tube so they’ll be ready once he’s home.
Originally they were preparing for discharge in the next couple of days, but this morning Louie lost consciousness again when his heart rate and blood pressure suddenly dropped. Thankfully, the doctors were right there and stabilized him quickly. These episodes have been identified as vasovagal syncope—basically stress and dehydration triggering his system to crash. Louie and Marianne are currently in isolation as the team also checks for a possible infection, we are praying that the team can identify the source of anything negatively affecting Louie and address the issues quickly and with ease.
As tough as all of this is, Louie keeps pushing forward. He was able to walk three laps this afternoon and is determined to keep getting stronger!
He knows this is a full-time fight now, and while he loves his job and coworkers, he has accepted that his focus has to be on healing. Even with all the setbacks, his smile and sense of humor haven’t gone anywhere, and his faith is still strong.
And God keeps showing up in the middle of it all. This morning, during Louie’s emergency, one of the nurses stopped, placed her hands on Marianne’s shoulders, and shared the Scripture she had been reading that morning about God’s strength. Right there, in front of her coworkers, that kind nurse reminded Marianne that we can do all things because He is carrying us. Later, one of Louie’s doctors tracked Marianne down in the hospital coffee shop just to say, “I see you” and to chat for a few minutes. And last night, Louie’s second cousin—who just happens to be a retired respiratory therapist in Fresno—came by to offer support. Over and over again, God keeps surrounding Louie and Marianne with exactly the right people at the right time.
Please keep praying with us for:
Clear and hopeful pathology results
Wisdom and unity for Louie’s care team as they make decisions
Healing from the osteonecrosis and strength for recovery
Protection from infection and stability in his heart rate and blood pressure
Peace, comfort, and rest for Louie and Marianne
We may not always understand why all of this is happening, but we do know this: God sees them, He is with them, and He’s not letting go. That same truth applies to each of you reading this update. Regardless of what you are facing, remember that the God who created you and loves you is with you every step.
Sara
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