Embedded Files
We've been getting so many texts and calls from loved ones who want updates about Scott since his cancer diagnosis, we've created this blog for people to refer to instead. Thanks for your love and support!
We've been getting so many texts and calls from loved ones who want updates about Scott since his cancer diagnosis, we've created this blog for people to refer to instead. Thanks for your love and support!
Update 05.07.20
Update 05.07.20
We made a memorial video for Scott--it took us a long time to put it together because we had so many pictures of so many events, achievements, and people who meant a lot to Scott and his family. And also because it was hard for us to feel all the feelings that this reminiscing brought. We hope we've represented Scott's life and personality in this tribute. Feel free to share it with anyone who was influenced by this great man and is missing him like we are.
...and if you enjoyed the music from this video, you're welcome to have a little Scott Crowley Memorial Dance Party any time with this Spotify playlist we put together in his honor :)
You won't be able to listen to it without the Spotify app, which you can download here:
Or, basically, if you pull out your old Foreigner, Journey, Michael Jackson & Loverboy CD's (or tapes), you'll get the picture!
Update 04.21.20
Update 04.21.20
Scott passed away this morning at 5:45am at Utah Valley Hospital (the plan changed, surprise surprise). Beth had been with him since they removed his life support measures at noon yesterday. His nurses and doctors kept Scott very comfortable and calm, which helped his body to allow the release that it had been seeking.
Scott's children were able to visit and say goodbye, which made us all feel content with how our plan was altered.
We're so grateful to the doctors and nurses at Utah Valley Hospital, in particular those who fought with administration to let us be with Scott in his last hours. Beth came home this morning to a show of support and love from the neighborhood--it was light out at about 6:30 when we drove up the street and saw a parade of yellow balloons, signs in windows, and obviously LOTS of beautiful flowers. It made us cry. Thank you.
The Measure of a Man
The Measure of a Man
Not "How did he die?" But "How did he live?"
Not "What did he gain?" But "What did he give?"
These are the units to measure worth,
Of a man as a man, regardless of birth.
Not "What was his station?" But "Had he a heart?"
And "How did he play his God-given part?"
Was he ever ready with a word of good cheer,
To bring back a smile, to banish a tear?
Not "What was his church" Nor "What was his creed?"
But "Had he befriended those really in need?"
Not "What did the sketch in the newspaper say?"
But "How many were sorry when he passed away?"
Update 04.19.20
Update 04.19.20
Hi everyone, our update today is hard to put into words. We want to communicate what is going on, as always, because we know that so many people are thinking about and praying for Scott and his family--and have been for the past four months. We can't express how much we appreciate the support and the love we've received from all of you during this difficult and unexpected time.
Scott was struggling to breathe on Tuesday, April 14th, so Beth took him to Mountain Point Medical Center, where he was admitted and immediately put on oxygen. A CT scan showed a pulmonary embolism in his lung (again), so they put him on Heparin to thin his blood and kept him there to watch his progress as his body tried to dissolve the clot. The Heparin was presented to us as the safe option since he so recently had surgery and is high-risk for, well, every complication, as we know all too well.
Regardless, on Wednesday night, April 15th, Scott had a brain hemorrhage and was rushed by ambulance to Utah Valley Hospital, where his previous neurosurgeries took place. His neurosurgeon performed emergency surgery to stop the bleed, but since midnight Wednesday night Scott has been unresponsive. He's on a ventilator, feeding tube, saline drip, basically all the machines and tubes, and it seems that because of the brain bleed some of the left side of his body is not responding to stimulation, so probably paralyzed. Scott hasn't opened his eyes since the incident, and his nurses, therapists, and doctors feel that if he hasn't responded yet, he will not do so in the future.
The Crowleys have decided to bring Scott home with hospice care on Tuesday, April 21st and, once he is home, remove the ventilator, feeding tube, all the preventative measures the hospital is currently taking to keep him alive. Hospice will help us keep him comfortable (on morphine and anti-anxiety meds and so forth), but we expect Scott's body will fail soon after. With Scott at home, his wife and kids can be present for his passing, which is not currently possible at the hospital due to COVID-19 precautions.
We believe that Scott is ready to move on and excited to see what the next life brings, as he has recently stated himself, and we know that we will see him again someday. We feel grateful that he will soon be released from the pain and frustration and worry that his cancer diagnosis has caused, and we look to the future with the positives in mind, as he asked us to do.
This blog will be updated when there are any updates, so thank you all for giving the Crowleys some space and some time during this difficult process. We love reading your comments on this blog and will be looking for your words of encouragement and support here in the next few days. Because there's no way to predict exactly how this week will go and in order to maintain social distancing, the family does ask that you refrain from visiting for the time being. We know that you have questions about a funeral, memorial, burial, etc and we will post that information when we have figured it out (stupid quarantine!).
Thank you, love you, thank you.
Update 04.13.20
Update 04.13.20
Scott's good friend Hank nominated him to receive a private curbside concert from Alex Boyé and our whole neighborhood showed up for the event! It was such a great experience of unity and support. What a fun way to connect during a time when connection is hard to create.
Here's another video link if you want more :)
And this one.
Update 04.07.20
Update 04.07.20
Just wanted to pop on here and let everyone know that Scott is doing well in the ICU. He's a little swollen from surgery, which happened before as well. He's been Facetiming his family and is in good spirits. He will probably remain in the hospital for a few more days, as planned, but will be coming home upon his release.
We know Scott would love to hear from you. Though he may not answer his phone, calling or Facetime is better than text. Thanks, all!
Update 04.04.20
Update 04.04.20
Scott is out of surgery and in recovery. Beth was able to visit for a short time while he slept. This morning before surgery, Scott's other incision on the opposite side of his head started leaking puss as well, so the surgeon decided it would be best to open up both sides and remove the bone flaps on both sides, since the infection had spread. Dr. Gardner, the surgeon, spent about 4 hours removing infection and recurring tumor cells. They've sent the samples to pathology to figure out what the infection is, specifically, and to create the antibiotic cocktail that will finish killing it.
Update 04.02.20
Update 04.02.20
Long time no see, everyone! We're updating to let you know that Scott is in the ICU today on antibiotics because one of his incisions is infected (left side of head). It's swollen, puffy, leaking puss, and looks all-around terrible. His doctor has decided to open it up, remove the bone flap, clean it all out and then close without replacing the bone flap. He feels there is an abcess between the bone and scalp and thinks this is the best course of action. The surgery is scheduled for Saturday, and (of course!) because of COVID-19, no one will be allowed to stay with or visit Scott while he is in the hospital--including Beth. This new development is definitely a hardship for us, so we appreciate your prayers that Scott will be protected from the virus while he is in the hospital and that the surgery will successfully remove the infection.
Scott's second round of chemotherapy was scheduled to start on Saturday, but will be postponed as he recovers from surgery. We've been told he'll be in the hospital for about a week and a half from today. We'll keep you informed!
Update 02.10.20
Update 02.10.20
Scott was taken to the hospital last night because he's been having a lot of pain in his back and neck. When his oxygen was checked we found that it was extremely low, so the doctor ordered a CT scan and found several blood clots in his lungs. This is a side effect of Scott's chemo drug, Temodar, and does require some close monitoring. Scott's been taken off the chemo for now while he deals with the side effects and while his body tries to dissipate the existing clots in his lungs. We anticipate that he will continue chemo and radiation as soon as he is discharged from the hospital--with an additional pill to take every day: a blood thinner (yay)!
Today he's resting at Timpanogos Regional in Orem, he's on oxygen for now and maybe for the remainder of his treatment. Scott will probably be here one more night while they monitor his oxygen, heart, etc. Thanks for your prayers, as always!
Update 02.06.20
Update 02.06.20
Well it's officially happened: Scott is bald once again!
The daily radiation has taken a toll on Scott's vanity--he's been losing clumps of hair (especially around his incision sites) so he's embraced it and shaved it off! Not before Beth had a little fun, though...
The other side effect Scott has been struggling with is a little more mysterious to us right now--he's had a purple, scary-looking rash on his legs for the last few days, and although he said it didn't hurt, we took him to the ER to check his blood cell count anyway. The two cute nurses who pricked him (see below) said that his blood count was good and sent him home until his oncologist was back in the office to make a further recommendation. So we'll let you know what comes of that lovely surprise. Cancer life is never dull!
Update 01.28.20
Update 01.28.20
Been a minute! Thanks for checking in on Scott--since our last update we've experienced a lot of waiting and resting and some more waiting. We had a hard time getting the chemotherapy prescription figured out because of SEVERAL clerical errors by SEVERAL involved parties (frustrating), so Scott started chemo a week later than we thought. As of today, he's been taking his chemo pills for 6 days and, so far, hasn't felt the negative side effects we've all been dreading (fingers crossed it stays that way)! He's done 10 out of his 30 radiation treatments, from which he has had some side effects, mostly in regards to his incisions, since radiation prevents the body from really healing up. Speaking of which, Scott's hair has grown back quickly, so his scars are much less noticeable. He says he's glad that things are finally moving and he feels it's going great.
Scott's parents are visiting this month--his dad has been here helping out and making sure everyone is (over)fed, and Scott's mom is flying in at the end of the week to do the same thing. Scott is still very restricted in what he is allowed to do, so we've been grateful for everyone's help and support, especially as those pesky medical bills start coming in the mail. It's a lot, but we're taking it a day at a time with grateful hearts!
As always, we'll let you know what we know as more information comes in about how the treatment is affecting Scott's cancer. Thanks for sticking with us!
Update 12.27.19
Update 12.27.19
The Crowleys met with their oncology/radiation team yesterday to discuss the treatment plan moving forward. Scott will begin radiation and chemotherapy in 2-3 weeks time, depending on when the chemo pills are ordered and delivered. Chemo will be taken daily, at home, in pill-form (no transfusions!), and radiation will be 5 days a week at (probably) Revere Health in Provo. If you've been looking for a way to help, that opportunity may be fast-approaching with these daily radiation trips to Provo while Scott can't drive. Kaylie has joked about setting up a Google calendar schedule and opening it up for sign-ups on this blog. :D More to come on how to volunteer, later.
This is the treatment plan for the next 6 weeks, and then the medical team will reassess where Scott is--if the cancer is responding to the treatments, if the remaining glios in his brain have shrunk or grown, etc. Of course, we anticipate the treatment will work swimmingly and at that time Scott's chemo will be reduced to five days a month.
As we all pray for miracles for Scott, we feel so much gratitude for the miracles of modern medicine and medical professionals who have dedicated their lives to developing the technologies that are blessing our lives now.
Meanwhile, Scott is recovering remarkably well (as we all knew he would) and is sitting at home bored! Although we still ask for visits to be scheduled, please text or call Scott as much as you'd like, and excuse any typing/speaking errors he might make (we're still working on recovering full speech capacity and word recall)!
Update 12.25.19
Update 12.25.19
Consider this our Christmas card this year. Merry Christmas, everyone!
Update 12.21.19
Update 12.21.19
Scott was discharged from the hospital today (surprise!) and is feeling happy to be home, but tired. We would love to have you come visit, but in order to guarantee that Scott gets an adequate amount of rest to help him continue to heal, we are still going to be scheduling visits (instead of accepting drop-ins :)). Please text Beth to check before you come by!
Scott will be starting chemotherapy and radiation in about two weeks and will be doing these treatments simultaneously for the forseeable future. We are grateful for the options that modern medicine gives us and we are hopeful for the future, but we don't yet know where this journey will take us. One thing we do know, and one thing that many people have been asking about, is that medical miracles are not free. Scott's sister kindly started a GoFundMe account for Scott's medical bills (recent hospital stay and future treatments), and we are already BLOWN AWAY with how generous and kind our community of friends and family are. It's hard for us to express how difficult this experience has been already, but as we look for silver linings in the storm, it is clear that the support of our loved ones is a bright one. You all help us keep that positive perspective, especially with the help (financial, emotional, and treat-type) that we've received thus far. So. Thank you all.
In case you've been wondering...
In case you've been wondering...
...the surgery/tumors/brain cancer has not altered Scott's personality or his coordination (they're just as bad as always).
Update: 12.19.19
Update: 12.19.19
Scott is looking much better today and feels more alert and awake. His pain has become much more bearable and his cognition continues to improve. The main deficit we're seeing as a result of two brain surgeries in one week is that Scott struggles to find the words he is looking for and sometimes mixes up the sounds in words. We've already seen improvement with this in the last two days and we are not yet worried that this will be a lasting effect.
Since Scott is doing well, he's been moved out of the ICU and into a regular hospital room again (downgraded! Bummer!), which is more evidence that he is recovering at a good pace. He is still very tired, sometimes groggy, and generally not feeling well, so we appreciate your consideration as we schedule visits based on how he feels, which does change hour by hour.
We have a tentative discharge date for Monday (12.23.19), but we will be able to solidify that after talking to the oncologist tomorrow and consulting with Dr. Gardner as well. For now, Scott is being spoiled by his sisters and is known far and wide on the floor for his peanut brittle and "Mr. Christmas" hat. We've all been enjoying the comments from this blog (62!!): the messages of love, support, and concern really mean a lot to all of us, so thank you!
Update: 12.17.19 but later
Update: 12.17.19 but later
Scott is out of surgery and the surgery went well! Dr. Gardner described the tumor as spherical and "double the size of a ping pong ball." He told us the surgery was a success and Scott did great the whole time--it was actually much shorter than we predicted, lasting only about 2 hours. Scott is awake and responsive, he can move all his fingers and toes and the swelling in his face and head is very minimal. Cognitively, he's receptive to questions and can describe how he feels (in pain), but is struggling to recall the names of things and people right now, which is as expected. He's already gotten up and walked (about 2 hours after surgery)! We are encouraged by all that has happened today so far, and we appreciate all the prayers and well wishes we've received! We know the Lord answer prayers according to His will, and He is hearing from A LOT of people who love Scott and his family.
Moving forward...we don't know yet. Scott will be recovering in the ICU for the next couple days and then will be moved to a regular hospital room for...we don't know yet.
We'll be meeting with an oncologist soon who will give us a clearer picture of the road ahead, which probably includes radiation and chemotherapy. That oncologist is the one who will know more about all the things we all want to know about, and we will update this blog as soon as we get that information.
While Scott is in the ICU (12.17 - TBD) we will not be accepting visitors per Dr. Gardner's recommendation. Please send your love through this blog or through text message, and we'll post when he's being moved and can be seen by friends and loved ones again.
While Scott is in the ICU (12.17 - TBD) we will not be accepting visitors per Dr. Gardner's recommendation. Please send your love through this blog or through text message, and we'll post when he's being moved and can be seen by friends and loved ones again.
Update: 12.17.19 -- Scott's in Surgery...
Update: 12.17.19 -- Scott's in Surgery...
...and here are some silly pictures and videos while we wait!
Scott's family flew in yesterday from Michigan, courtesy of some generous and amazing friends!
...and some award-winning videos, courtesy of Sharon Sheffield. So. Blame her.
Update: 12.15.19
Update: 12.15.19
Scott's second brain surgery has been scheduled for Tuesday, 12.17. We won't know what time it will be until the night before, and we predict that this surgery will be longer and harder than the first because of the size of his second tumor. We are praying that the tumor will be able to be removed entirely and that the brain tissue around it will not be damaged or impacted. This procedure makes us more nervous than the first, and we appreciate your prayers and fasts.
We will not be accepting visitors while Scott is in the ICU (Tuesday until...we'll see), so please text us or comment on this blog instead of trying to drop by, for now! We'll post again when Scott is moved and feeling up to seeing people again, we promise.
What's Going On...
What's Going On...
...as of 12.14.19
...as of 12.14.19
It was mid-November when we started noticing Scott's speech patterns change. He was forgetting words and names that he commonly used, but since we all do that occasionally it wasn't something that really stood out to anyone. About the last week of November it started getting worse and Scott began confusing pronouns. He would say "he" to describe a "she" and "they" when he wanted to say "we." This happened a few times, but again, we all chalked it up to tiredness or stress or old man brain.
On December 10th, Scott was at work in a class lecture when he suddenly felt very confused. He knew he had a question for the instructor, but he couldn't form the words to ask the question. He was feeling very frustrated, so he tried to write down the words he wanted to say, when he realized he couldn't write. When he tried to read the words on his laptop screen, they meant nothing to him. Scott left the meeting and called Beth, explaining what happened.
They went to the Emergency Room together that afternoon and got a CAT scan done. Some shadows on the CAT scan prompted the ER doctor to order an MRI. The MRI images showed two masses in Scott's brain that were obviously abnormal. The ER doctor sent the images to a neurosurgeon at Utah Valley Hospital, and an urgent appointment was made for first thing the next morning. Scott and Beth went home that night after Scott received a steroid shot to reduce the swelling in his brain.
In the morning, they met with Dr. Paul Gardner, who went over the images with them and gave his opinion: that Scott needed a craniotomy as soon as possible.The doctor would biopsy the smaller mass (on the right side of Scott's brain, toward the front) and test the cells to determine what was going on. Since opening the skull to biopsy the tumor was already such a major operation, Dr. Gardner told us he would remove the mass as well. The surgery was scheduled for the next morning--Thursday, December 12th.
Scott went into surgery after another MRI at about 11:30am on Thursday. Kaylie and Beth were there through all the pre-op tests and then spent the 3+ hours he was under waiting (and crying). Tim and Emily came while Scott was still undergoing the operation. Dr. Gardner visited with them when he was finished and described the success of the surgery, said that Scott did really great the whole time, and gave us the freeze test's diagnosis: primary brain cancer.
The tumor he removed was about the size of a gumball and spherical. He said it was a clean removal, it had no fingers and the brain tissue around it seemed healthy. This tumor was located in an area of the brain that affects personality and behavior, and the Crowleys hadn't noticed any change in Scott's behavior since his symptoms began to manifest. However, Dr. Gardner said the surgery and biopsy confirmed what he thought originally, that Scott's tumors were glioblastomas (Google at your own risk).
Scott was awake when his family was allowed to come up to his room in the ICU. He visited with a speech therapist, physical therapist, and Dr. Gardner within the first two hours post-op. They each passed him off as "doing well." The plan is to see how his body recovers from the first surgery before we schedule the second tumor removal, although we expect that surgery to take place about 4-5 days after the first surgery. Scott would like to "get it done and move on" as soon as possible!
While Scott is in the ICU, visitors will be limited.
We appreciate the prayers and support we have already received! We were getting so many texts and calls of loved ones wanting updates, we decided to make this blog instead of answering people individually because of the amount of time it takes to respond to everyone, so please refer to this blog for updates!
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse