Well, I am just past the halfway point in my radiation treatment. I have just 7 more to go! Hooray! So far so good, although my esophagus is quite swollen and very sore so I am not able to eat anything except soup, yogurt and popsicles. I am also a little tired and have been trying to catnap a bit in the afternoon or early evening. No complaints though since otherwise, I feel great.
Pat is one week into his 2 week chemo cycle and it is very tedious. He is exhausted and not feeling so great. He is mostly trying to sleep it off and rest. If this chemo cocktail is working it will be all worth it though so we are praying and staying positive and hopeful!
On a good note, we received a generous packet of gift cards from the Army's Wounded Warrior program. It will do a lot to help offset the added cost of gas and food. We have two different hospitals that we drive to. The Army hospital is a 20 minute drive and I go there every day for radiation. Pat also goes there several times a week. We also have to travel 45 minutes away to the Air Force hospital for chemotherapy and visitis with those doctors. Pat also has to go there several times a week for dental and ear, nose and throat appointments. There are also a varity of scans and lab tests and pharmacy pickups to deal with on a weekly basis. It gets a bit tiring but I am just thankful that we have access to such high quality medical care here. Our doctors and their staff are just wonderful. We have tremendous support.
Speaking of support, Derek has joined the Leukemia Lymphoma Team in Training program to train for a half marathon and to raise money for LLS. In exchange for the training to run the Rock and Roll Half Marathon, he had to agree to raise a minimum of $2000. Thankfully he has raised over $1500 already! We are so proud of him. He is also doing really well with his training. He is quite fast and doesn't mind too much about getting up at 6am every Saturday to go run with the team! Thanks to everyone who has supported him with their generosity as well as those giving moral support as well! The event is in mid November and Derek can't wait!
I hope that all of you have a great week. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Give us strength to get through our treatments! Thanks!
Today's Glass Half Full: "Remember to love a little harder, hug a little tighter, smile a little brighter and always thank God for the gifts that you're given- for this is the legacy of Cole Ruotsala."
Who is Cole?: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/coleruotsala
Monday, September 29, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
The Week In Review
Well, my first half of radiation treatment is behind me- all goes well in that department. It's not the most pleasant experience, but all in all- no real complaints. My throat is a little sore but nothing too terrible. I just hope it does its job and my side effects stay minimal.
I am feeling much more energetic now that chemo is done. It is really great to be able to do simple things like clean the house and go grocery shopping without feeling exhausted afterwards! So far I have been able to paint my bathroom and clean out some closets. I even went to Bunco! Very exciting I know--but believe me, don't take the little things for granted.
Pat started another cycle of chemo with a bit lower dosage this time. So far so good- he's just a little tired. The kids are all doing well. Derek is close to getting his braces off, Kelsey is busy with the school play, Kevin is having fun going to football games with a new bunch of friends and Meri is thrilled that one of her friends has moved back to our town and will be here for her birthday this weekend.
That's about all for now- we are looking forward to the weather hopefully cooling off a little bit now that autumn is here. A little bit of rain might be nice too- all the hurricanes missed us (thankfully!) and the grass is a little crunchy underfoot.
Today's Glass Half-Full: Well done is better than well said. ~Benjamin Franklin
I am feeling much more energetic now that chemo is done. It is really great to be able to do simple things like clean the house and go grocery shopping without feeling exhausted afterwards! So far I have been able to paint my bathroom and clean out some closets. I even went to Bunco! Very exciting I know--but believe me, don't take the little things for granted.
Pat started another cycle of chemo with a bit lower dosage this time. So far so good- he's just a little tired. The kids are all doing well. Derek is close to getting his braces off, Kelsey is busy with the school play, Kevin is having fun going to football games with a new bunch of friends and Meri is thrilled that one of her friends has moved back to our town and will be here for her birthday this weekend.
That's about all for now- we are looking forward to the weather hopefully cooling off a little bit now that autumn is here. A little bit of rain might be nice too- all the hurricanes missed us (thankfully!) and the grass is a little crunchy underfoot.
Today's Glass Half-Full: Well done is better than well said. ~Benjamin Franklin
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
National Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month
September Is National Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month
CancerConsultants.com - News 9/2/2008As the month of September brings leukemia and lymphoma into focus, it’s a great time to increase public understanding of these diseases, including their prevalence, approaches to screening and prevention, treatment options, and resources that offer updated leukemia and lymphoma information throughout the year.
Leukemia and lymphoma are both hematologic malignancies, meaning that they involve the blood or bone marrow.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that there will be 44,270 new cases of leukemia and 21,710 deaths in 2008. For lymphoma, the ACS estimates that 74,340 new cases and 20,510 deaths will occur in the United States in 2008.[1]
Staying informed with the latest news on prevention and screening is an important step in reducing your risk of developing leukemia or lymphoma or achieving the best possible outcome from treatment. Access to current, in-depth treatment information can help you choose optimal care.
Learning More About Leukemia and Lymphoma
Find tips on recognizing early symptoms of leukemia and lymphoma and insight into management of these diseases at Leukemia Tips and Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Tips.
To find expanded information on the prevention, screening, and treatment of leukemia and lymphoma, stay updated with the lasted news on these diseases, and join leukemia and lymphoma cancer communities, visit the Leukemia Cancer Information Center and Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Cancer Information Centers.
Sign up to receive Cancer Consultants’ free online leukemia and lymphoma newsletters, which provide disease-specific features, current news, tips, and nutrition and wellness information.
Subscribe at http://patient.cancerconsultants.com/MemberCenter.aspx/.
Visit the Cancer Store on Cancerconsultants.com for book titles whose topics range from personal cancer memoirs to expert nutritional guides about fueling your body to prevent and fight cancer.
Reference:
[1] American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2008. Available at http://www.cancer.org/docroot/STT/stt_0.asp (Accessed August 2008).
Copyright Leukemia Information Center on CancerConsultants.com
Copyright Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Information Center on CancerConsultants.com
CancerConsultants.com - News 9/2/2008As the month of September brings leukemia and lymphoma into focus, it’s a great time to increase public understanding of these diseases, including their prevalence, approaches to screening and prevention, treatment options, and resources that offer updated leukemia and lymphoma information throughout the year.
Leukemia and lymphoma are both hematologic malignancies, meaning that they involve the blood or bone marrow.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that there will be 44,270 new cases of leukemia and 21,710 deaths in 2008. For lymphoma, the ACS estimates that 74,340 new cases and 20,510 deaths will occur in the United States in 2008.[1]
Staying informed with the latest news on prevention and screening is an important step in reducing your risk of developing leukemia or lymphoma or achieving the best possible outcome from treatment. Access to current, in-depth treatment information can help you choose optimal care.
Learning More About Leukemia and Lymphoma
Find tips on recognizing early symptoms of leukemia and lymphoma and insight into management of these diseases at Leukemia Tips and Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Tips.
To find expanded information on the prevention, screening, and treatment of leukemia and lymphoma, stay updated with the lasted news on these diseases, and join leukemia and lymphoma cancer communities, visit the Leukemia Cancer Information Center and Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Cancer Information Centers.
Sign up to receive Cancer Consultants’ free online leukemia and lymphoma newsletters, which provide disease-specific features, current news, tips, and nutrition and wellness information.
Subscribe at http://patient.cancerconsultants.com/MemberCenter.aspx/.
Visit the Cancer Store on Cancerconsultants.com for book titles whose topics range from personal cancer memoirs to expert nutritional guides about fueling your body to prevent and fight cancer.
Reference:
[1] American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2008. Available at http://www.cancer.org/docroot/STT/stt_0.asp (Accessed August 2008).
Copyright Leukemia Information Center on CancerConsultants.com
Copyright Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Information Center on CancerConsultants.com
On To Radiation Therapy!
Hello from 'the soon-to-be soaked by Hurricane Ike' area of Texas! Hopefully being so far inland will keep us from getting more than a lot of rain, some wind and a big storm. We'll keep you posted!
Well, I finally got the results back from my PET scan and it is good news! My lymph nodes are all back to their normal size and no signs of active cancer- hooray!
PET scans are amazing tools when it comes to detecting cancer. Want to learn more?
Check out this website:
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=PET&bhcp=1
Here is an example that I found online of the same kind of cancer- Hodgkin's Lymphoma- that I have. THESE ARE NOT MY PET SCANS, but mine look very similar!
These PET images are not mine (thanks to whoever posted them in their blog!) but I saw them online and thought it might be interesting to share them since I do not have copies of my results.
So now I move on to the radiation phase of treatment. I start next Monday and will go every day M-F for almost 5 weeks. I am eager to get started because the sooner I start- the sooner I finish! I am already feeling much more energetic and more 'normal' now that I am finished chemo. I am still slightly out of breath but I will be getting another lung function test to see if I have any lasting lung damage from the chemotherapy drugs. Usually any lung issues will resolve in about 6 mos or so. Keeping my fingers crossed that it is a temporary thing- but regardless- I am just thankful that the chemo did its job, being out of breath every now and then is a heck of a lot better than having no breath at all! :)
We are busy preparing for the hurricane. We have extra water and supplies and will be bringing in all our patio furniture and pool toys this evening in case we get a lot of wind. Hopefully the storm will not get too much stronger and will blow through quickly without doing a lot of damage.
**On a seperate note, my friend Joi's little girl Maggie is one week older than Wil and is waiting for a liver transplant from John Hopkins in Baltimore, MD. She is currently #2 on the transplant list. If everyone could please say a prayer for her and her family- it would be much appreciated. Here is Maggie's website if you would like to read more about her: http://www.cotaformaggies.com/ Thank you so much!
Today's Glass Half Full: "Don't be discouraged. It's often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock." ~Author Unknown
Well, I finally got the results back from my PET scan and it is good news! My lymph nodes are all back to their normal size and no signs of active cancer- hooray!
PET scans are amazing tools when it comes to detecting cancer. Want to learn more?
Check out this website:
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=PET&bhcp=1
Here is an example that I found online of the same kind of cancer- Hodgkin's Lymphoma- that I have. THESE ARE NOT MY PET SCANS, but mine look very similar!
These PET images are not mine (thanks to whoever posted them in their blog!) but I saw them online and thought it might be interesting to share them since I do not have copies of my results.
So now I move on to the radiation phase of treatment. I start next Monday and will go every day M-F for almost 5 weeks. I am eager to get started because the sooner I start- the sooner I finish! I am already feeling much more energetic and more 'normal' now that I am finished chemo. I am still slightly out of breath but I will be getting another lung function test to see if I have any lasting lung damage from the chemotherapy drugs. Usually any lung issues will resolve in about 6 mos or so. Keeping my fingers crossed that it is a temporary thing- but regardless- I am just thankful that the chemo did its job, being out of breath every now and then is a heck of a lot better than having no breath at all! :)
We are busy preparing for the hurricane. We have extra water and supplies and will be bringing in all our patio furniture and pool toys this evening in case we get a lot of wind. Hopefully the storm will not get too much stronger and will blow through quickly without doing a lot of damage.
**On a seperate note, my friend Joi's little girl Maggie is one week older than Wil and is waiting for a liver transplant from John Hopkins in Baltimore, MD. She is currently #2 on the transplant list. If everyone could please say a prayer for her and her family- it would be much appreciated. Here is Maggie's website if you would like to read more about her: http://www.cotaformaggies.com/ Thank you so much!
Today's Glass Half Full: "Don't be discouraged. It's often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock." ~Author Unknown
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Stand Up To Cancer
Today's blog is a reminder to 'Stand Up to Cancer':
from LIVESTRONG.ORG
We Can All Make a Difference If We Just Stand Up
Please join me by tuning in this Friday, September 5, at 8 p.m. (EST) to catch Stand Up to Cancer on ABC, CBS and NBC. This first of its kind one-hour telecast will feature celebrities from film, television, sports, journalism and music coming together to raise money for cancer research. The Lance Armstrong Foundation supports this effort to raise awareness and funds for the cancer fight and Lance Armstrong will participate in the telecast.
Inspired to act by their own personal experiences with cancer, the Stand Up to Cancer team recognizes that we can no longer rely on the current system alone to give us the breakthroughs we need. They are calling on the public to help take matters into our own hands, investing in a revolution that will change the way scientists and clinicians work to understand and treat cancer.
Stand Up To Cancer is more than a rallying cry. It is a galvanizing force created to urgently move cancer research forward.The money raised during this event will go toward building "Dream Teams" made up of scientists, clinicians, technicians and other experts who will focus on a specific cancer problem. Funds will be administered by the American Association for Cancer Research, the largest scientific organization in the world focusing on high-quality, innovative cancer research.
If you want to know more, please check this link: http://su2c.standup2cancer.org/
Also, our oldest son Derek has joined the Lymphoma Team In Training and will be training this Fall to run a half-marathon in November to raise money for Lymphoma research in my honor! We are very excited about his dedication and willingness to particiapate in this great organization. I'll post more info about it as we get closer.
Today's Glass Half-Full: "Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results." ~Andrew Carnegie
from LIVESTRONG.ORG
We Can All Make a Difference If We Just Stand Up
Please join me by tuning in this Friday, September 5, at 8 p.m. (EST) to catch Stand Up to Cancer on ABC, CBS and NBC. This first of its kind one-hour telecast will feature celebrities from film, television, sports, journalism and music coming together to raise money for cancer research. The Lance Armstrong Foundation supports this effort to raise awareness and funds for the cancer fight and Lance Armstrong will participate in the telecast.
Inspired to act by their own personal experiences with cancer, the Stand Up to Cancer team recognizes that we can no longer rely on the current system alone to give us the breakthroughs we need. They are calling on the public to help take matters into our own hands, investing in a revolution that will change the way scientists and clinicians work to understand and treat cancer.
Stand Up To Cancer is more than a rallying cry. It is a galvanizing force created to urgently move cancer research forward.The money raised during this event will go toward building "Dream Teams" made up of scientists, clinicians, technicians and other experts who will focus on a specific cancer problem. Funds will be administered by the American Association for Cancer Research, the largest scientific organization in the world focusing on high-quality, innovative cancer research.
If you want to know more, please check this link: http://su2c.standup2cancer.org/
Also, our oldest son Derek has joined the Lymphoma Team In Training and will be training this Fall to run a half-marathon in November to raise money for Lymphoma research in my honor! We are very excited about his dedication and willingness to particiapate in this great organization. I'll post more info about it as we get closer.
Today's Glass Half-Full: "Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results." ~Andrew Carnegie
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