Hey everybody. Just a quick update to let everyone know that we are both doing well and getting back to the daily grind of life. Brian is really enjoying being back at work and I'm really enjoying cleaning and organizing our house. Brian has had to go to his Oncologist in Dallas a few times since we have been home just to check his blood levels, and she seems to be really happy with how he is progressing. His next scheduled appointment in Houston isn't until the end of September, so hopefully he will only continue to get better.
We have both been extremely busy since we have been back and haven't really found the time to slow down. It's hard getting someone like Brian to slow down and not push himself too hard or fast, but occasionally he listens and takes time to rest. We have a really long list of home improvement projects to keep us busy for the next decade that we have been working on and have been enjoying doing things together besides watching tv like we were doing for so long. My brother is also living with us for a few months and it has been a lot of fun having him around as well.
Guess that's it for now, hopefully next time I'll be able to post some recent pictures.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Home... God Bless it, We are Home!
Wow, I didn't realized how long it has been since Amanda and I have provided an update. So much was happening during June that it slipped right on by and I am sorry for that. As many of you may know by now that I was finally released from M.D. Anderson with a report of full remission of the cancer. Amanda and I have been back for a few weeks now and let me tell you... nothing feels as good as your own bed!!! Now the theme of our house is trying to learn how to live again, but more on that in a minute.
There is so much to say about the last month. After finishing my last round of chemo we had the final round of testing which very well. The challenge for June was mostly related to the fact that after 8 rounds of chemo your body takes longer to heal and recover from the chemical onslaught that it is put through. Remarkably I only needed two platelet transfusions which is actually a lot less than after prior rounds. I was very tired but stayed in good spirits since I knew that it was my last "scheduled" round. I never wanted to be pessimistic but not knowing what the doctors would say about whether the cancer was still in remission and gone or if that would want to continue treatments in another kept the stress levels up in anticipation. Learning from prior experiences with the doctors I wasn't going to relax until the doctors released us and all of our stuff was packed up and heading home. So many things could have changed it was just too scary to think about.
The good news is that things always work out for the best and God was in control of this just as he has been through it all. So the PET/CT scans were effectively negative, I still have the spot under my arm but it is still assumed to be benign. After the last visit with the doctor and he released us we were able to go have dinner with our Physician's Assistant who has been a great help throughout all of the trials. She is our age and was always fun. So during some great Mexican food Kara informed us of how they saw us from the doctors side which is always interesting. Come to find out they had never seen anyone with Burkitt's Lymphoma as bad as I and recover before. Apparently my original PET/CT scans have been used to help teach their follow students there at M.D.A. which totally blew our minds. In no uncertain terms she described how bad they thought I was originally but of course during that time they had to be positive and hopeful. It just shows what God can do and I appreciate all of the prayers that we received during this ordeal.
So after a great night with Kara and her husband Amanda's dad came down to help us move back home. In many ways we didn't think that we had that much down there but we were shocked to see how much stuff we had accumulated over the past eight months. My dad had already been down to Houston a month earlier and we had loaded him up with our stuff and we still had our cars piled as high as they could go. However we were able to get everything cleaned and loaded up in about half a day which was amazing. I was still recovering my strength so I did what I could but it was Amanda and her father that did all of the work, I "supervised" a lot. With us able to pack up so quickly and we were able to get back earlier than expected. My boss was coming in town for a meeting with my group so I thought it would be fun to show up and surprise them. He said I almost gave him a heart attack but it was so good to see everyone. Being out of work for the past 8 months has made me realize that I will never be the retiring type, especially when you like the people that you work with.
Since returning we have had a few other surprise parties with our friends from church and family members. It is soo good to be back. I have been healthy enough to already go back to work full time and not a minute too soon. It is fun to jump back in the saddle and feels good to be wanted. Amanda and I were also able to spend the 4th of July weekend with her side of the family in Tennessee. Her aunt and uncle as well as their church were very good to us while we were down in Houston and we wanted to repay them by going out to see them and say thank you to the church. It was an awesome trip up on the Cumberland Plateau in Big Lick, Tennessee. We had almost 30 members of the family show up and filled up the church on Sunday.
As I mentioned 5 paragraph's before our theme these days is to learn how to live again. We have Allie, our dog, back from our friends who had kept her the whole time we were down there. Amanda has gone back to work as well. My only real restrictions are my own which is if I get tired I rest. The first week was a little weird because your mind thinks you can stand or walk around a lot more than your body is willing to do. We are going to church again which is great and very emotional. We have a lot to be thankful for which brings a whole new set of emotions and tears. Happy tears, but I am sure that people wondered why we were balling during the service. I am ok with it though because I am beginning to realize how great of a story this adventure really is and who I give all of the glory to. I still haven't been able to pull together my testimony because it is just to fresh in my mind and feel that I am still recovering from everything. My body is starting to look normal again. I have my eyebrows back and my hair is growing back. I am walking and starting to lift light weights again.
So I am sorry that it appears that I am writing a novel here but since I have neglected the blog for so long I wanted to capture at least all of the highlights of the last month. Amanda and I want to continue with the blog because after all this time fighting the cancer we want to celebrate our lives that have been given a second chance. To say our attitudes have changed about life is an understatement and we want to share it with everyone. We plan on raising funds for Team in Training so that we can give back for everything that we have been through. So don't be surprised to hear about us training for a half marathon pretty soon. We will post some new pictures soon so everyone can see what I look like these days. Again I appreciate everything everyone has done for us, we can't say enough!
- Brian
There is so much to say about the last month. After finishing my last round of chemo we had the final round of testing which very well. The challenge for June was mostly related to the fact that after 8 rounds of chemo your body takes longer to heal and recover from the chemical onslaught that it is put through. Remarkably I only needed two platelet transfusions which is actually a lot less than after prior rounds. I was very tired but stayed in good spirits since I knew that it was my last "scheduled" round. I never wanted to be pessimistic but not knowing what the doctors would say about whether the cancer was still in remission and gone or if that would want to continue treatments in another kept the stress levels up in anticipation. Learning from prior experiences with the doctors I wasn't going to relax until the doctors released us and all of our stuff was packed up and heading home. So many things could have changed it was just too scary to think about.
The good news is that things always work out for the best and God was in control of this just as he has been through it all. So the PET/CT scans were effectively negative, I still have the spot under my arm but it is still assumed to be benign. After the last visit with the doctor and he released us we were able to go have dinner with our Physician's Assistant who has been a great help throughout all of the trials. She is our age and was always fun. So during some great Mexican food Kara informed us of how they saw us from the doctors side which is always interesting. Come to find out they had never seen anyone with Burkitt's Lymphoma as bad as I and recover before. Apparently my original PET/CT scans have been used to help teach their follow students there at M.D.A. which totally blew our minds. In no uncertain terms she described how bad they thought I was originally but of course during that time they had to be positive and hopeful. It just shows what God can do and I appreciate all of the prayers that we received during this ordeal.
So after a great night with Kara and her husband Amanda's dad came down to help us move back home. In many ways we didn't think that we had that much down there but we were shocked to see how much stuff we had accumulated over the past eight months. My dad had already been down to Houston a month earlier and we had loaded him up with our stuff and we still had our cars piled as high as they could go. However we were able to get everything cleaned and loaded up in about half a day which was amazing. I was still recovering my strength so I did what I could but it was Amanda and her father that did all of the work, I "supervised" a lot. With us able to pack up so quickly and we were able to get back earlier than expected. My boss was coming in town for a meeting with my group so I thought it would be fun to show up and surprise them. He said I almost gave him a heart attack but it was so good to see everyone. Being out of work for the past 8 months has made me realize that I will never be the retiring type, especially when you like the people that you work with.
Since returning we have had a few other surprise parties with our friends from church and family members. It is soo good to be back. I have been healthy enough to already go back to work full time and not a minute too soon. It is fun to jump back in the saddle and feels good to be wanted. Amanda and I were also able to spend the 4th of July weekend with her side of the family in Tennessee. Her aunt and uncle as well as their church were very good to us while we were down in Houston and we wanted to repay them by going out to see them and say thank you to the church. It was an awesome trip up on the Cumberland Plateau in Big Lick, Tennessee. We had almost 30 members of the family show up and filled up the church on Sunday.
As I mentioned 5 paragraph's before our theme these days is to learn how to live again. We have Allie, our dog, back from our friends who had kept her the whole time we were down there. Amanda has gone back to work as well. My only real restrictions are my own which is if I get tired I rest. The first week was a little weird because your mind thinks you can stand or walk around a lot more than your body is willing to do. We are going to church again which is great and very emotional. We have a lot to be thankful for which brings a whole new set of emotions and tears. Happy tears, but I am sure that people wondered why we were balling during the service. I am ok with it though because I am beginning to realize how great of a story this adventure really is and who I give all of the glory to. I still haven't been able to pull together my testimony because it is just to fresh in my mind and feel that I am still recovering from everything. My body is starting to look normal again. I have my eyebrows back and my hair is growing back. I am walking and starting to lift light weights again.
So I am sorry that it appears that I am writing a novel here but since I have neglected the blog for so long I wanted to capture at least all of the highlights of the last month. Amanda and I want to continue with the blog because after all this time fighting the cancer we want to celebrate our lives that have been given a second chance. To say our attitudes have changed about life is an understatement and we want to share it with everyone. We plan on raising funds for Team in Training so that we can give back for everything that we have been through. So don't be surprised to hear about us training for a half marathon pretty soon. We will post some new pictures soon so everyone can see what I look like these days. Again I appreciate everything everyone has done for us, we can't say enough!
- Brian
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Happy Birthday to me!!!
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone, and there were a lot of you, that wished me a happy birthday. I truly felt special and it was great to hear from all of you. Turning 30 can normally be a big milestone in someones life but it can be an even bigger one when you are surviving cancer. You put the two together and it makes you think about life especially how I have lived mine up until now. It makes me very grateful to have Amanda in my life and know that I couldn't go through this mess without her. I am also grateful to my family and friends that have supported me in so many ways. With all the support that I have received it has made going through cancer much more bearable.
We haven't updated the blog in a while because we are still dealing with the shingles on my face. As many of you know this can be quite painful and unfortunately I can't disagree. To me it feels like I have burned my face with a frying pan. We have been using pain medications and Lidocaine patches to try and manage the pain. It has even carried into my eye which has made wearing contacts impossible. Everyone that knows how blind I am and can attest to the fact that it would take something severe for me not to wear my contacts. Believe me this is one of those times. I have been to the eye doctor several times and they have assured me that this will pass and more than likely I will be able to wear contacts again in a few months. We feel that while my face is healing slowly it shouldn't stop me from going through my last round of chemo.
We should start my last round of chemo on Wednesday and should last about five days. You can't imagine how badly I want to finish this round and get the final testing over with. I would appreciate everyone to continue to pray for me and that I can finish my last round of chemo with little side effects. I need to get this done and begin to get back to a more normal life. Of course once we get back from Houston I know we won't go back to being normal. We're already looking at running small triathlon's together.
Again I appreciate everyone's comments and I look forward to writting the next update that can tell you that I am done with chemo. Talk with you folks soon!!!
Brian
We haven't updated the blog in a while because we are still dealing with the shingles on my face. As many of you know this can be quite painful and unfortunately I can't disagree. To me it feels like I have burned my face with a frying pan. We have been using pain medications and Lidocaine patches to try and manage the pain. It has even carried into my eye which has made wearing contacts impossible. Everyone that knows how blind I am and can attest to the fact that it would take something severe for me not to wear my contacts. Believe me this is one of those times. I have been to the eye doctor several times and they have assured me that this will pass and more than likely I will be able to wear contacts again in a few months. We feel that while my face is healing slowly it shouldn't stop me from going through my last round of chemo.
We should start my last round of chemo on Wednesday and should last about five days. You can't imagine how badly I want to finish this round and get the final testing over with. I would appreciate everyone to continue to pray for me and that I can finish my last round of chemo with little side effects. I need to get this done and begin to get back to a more normal life. Of course once we get back from Houston I know we won't go back to being normal. We're already looking at running small triathlon's together.
Again I appreciate everyone's comments and I look forward to writting the next update that can tell you that I am done with chemo. Talk with you folks soon!!!
Brian
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Another Setback...
Hi everybody!!! It's my turn again to write the updates so I hope I'm as amusing as Brian is with his writing. We haven't updated in a while since things were going so great and he is in remission now. I'll start with all the good things first...
We had a super wonderful weekend. The weather was perfect in the 70's and 80's all last weekend so we took a blanket, picnic, and some books with us and headed out to a pretty park to enjoy the outdoors. It was exactly what we needed after feeling confined to our apartment and hospital on most days. We were able to relax and nap under the tall shade trees while we watched everyone else jog by. We had such a great time on Saturday that we did the same thing Sunday afternoon. We even took pictures intending on posting them on here, but I don't have the camera cord with me, so that will have to wait until next time.
Brian also had an easy time with the outpatient chemo this time. It was a great change to having to be inpatient for 8 days and he didn't seem to have a difficult time with any side effects either. We even had better news that Brian forgot to post last time, no more lumbar punctures!! Since he is in remission and all the punctures have come back negative, they decided he didn't need any more. Of course he was thrilled about that and jumped off the table to hug the doctor and I even made batches of cookies for the drs and the Diagnostic Imaging team that have been so nice and accommodating through all the procedures. Things couldn't have been going better, or so we assumed...
Now we have been back in the hospital since Monday. With Brian's wonderful luck, he ended up getting shingles. Think of it as the chicken pox nightmare part II. And not only did he end up getting shingles (which most people get on their stomach or back), he ended up with it across his face and head. It really isn't a pretty picture. I really didn't think that shingles was common, but apparently it happens occasionally in cancer patients because their immune systems are already compromised. He started having small red spots on his forehead last weekend and by the time we came in for our normal appointment on Monday it was getting a lot worse. We just thought it was a small rash or something, but all of a sudden the drs started getting really concerned and sent him to the dermatologist, ophthalmologist, and ultimately the ER. Now we are quarantined in the hospital until he starts getting better. Anyone that comes into his room has to suit up like a space alien with robes, masks, gloves, etc, in the hall before they can even open the door. From looking at it you would think he has the black plague or something. But they do have to take precautions to try to prevent spreading it to others and prevent Brian from getting a further infection. He is in a lot of pain, and he describes it as feeling like his face has been burned and blistered and he can't touch it. His right eye is even swollen shut because of the blisters on his eyelid. To me it looks like it is starting to getting better, but he still has a fever and is in pain. He is doing a really good job of not touching his face to try to prevent it from scarring too bad, and he even has a morphine pump on his IV so he can administer his own meds. We'll probably be in the hospital through at least the weekend and have been told it could be as long as 2 weeks and the pain could last for several months. Brian was supposed to start his last round of chemo on the 15th, but with the bout with shingles I don't know how long it will have to be delayed.
That's all for the update for now...please continue to keep Brian in your prayers while he fights this new setback.
We had a super wonderful weekend. The weather was perfect in the 70's and 80's all last weekend so we took a blanket, picnic, and some books with us and headed out to a pretty park to enjoy the outdoors. It was exactly what we needed after feeling confined to our apartment and hospital on most days. We were able to relax and nap under the tall shade trees while we watched everyone else jog by. We had such a great time on Saturday that we did the same thing Sunday afternoon. We even took pictures intending on posting them on here, but I don't have the camera cord with me, so that will have to wait until next time.
Brian also had an easy time with the outpatient chemo this time. It was a great change to having to be inpatient for 8 days and he didn't seem to have a difficult time with any side effects either. We even had better news that Brian forgot to post last time, no more lumbar punctures!! Since he is in remission and all the punctures have come back negative, they decided he didn't need any more. Of course he was thrilled about that and jumped off the table to hug the doctor and I even made batches of cookies for the drs and the Diagnostic Imaging team that have been so nice and accommodating through all the procedures. Things couldn't have been going better, or so we assumed...
Now we have been back in the hospital since Monday. With Brian's wonderful luck, he ended up getting shingles. Think of it as the chicken pox nightmare part II. And not only did he end up getting shingles (which most people get on their stomach or back), he ended up with it across his face and head. It really isn't a pretty picture. I really didn't think that shingles was common, but apparently it happens occasionally in cancer patients because their immune systems are already compromised. He started having small red spots on his forehead last weekend and by the time we came in for our normal appointment on Monday it was getting a lot worse. We just thought it was a small rash or something, but all of a sudden the drs started getting really concerned and sent him to the dermatologist, ophthalmologist, and ultimately the ER. Now we are quarantined in the hospital until he starts getting better. Anyone that comes into his room has to suit up like a space alien with robes, masks, gloves, etc, in the hall before they can even open the door. From looking at it you would think he has the black plague or something. But they do have to take precautions to try to prevent spreading it to others and prevent Brian from getting a further infection. He is in a lot of pain, and he describes it as feeling like his face has been burned and blistered and he can't touch it. His right eye is even swollen shut because of the blisters on his eyelid. To me it looks like it is starting to getting better, but he still has a fever and is in pain. He is doing a really good job of not touching his face to try to prevent it from scarring too bad, and he even has a morphine pump on his IV so he can administer his own meds. We'll probably be in the hospital through at least the weekend and have been told it could be as long as 2 weeks and the pain could last for several months. Brian was supposed to start his last round of chemo on the 15th, but with the bout with shingles I don't know how long it will have to be delayed.
That's all for the update for now...please continue to keep Brian in your prayers while he fights this new setback.
Friday, April 25, 2008
The Power of Abbreviations - C.R.
Sorry it has taken me so long to update the blog this week but to be honest I was appreciating everyone saying "Happy Birthday" to Amanda so much that I didn't want to jinx it. This week was a pretty good week for Amanda and I. I was lucky enough to get a present right along with her. We found out the results of the needle biopsy this week and they are NEGATIVE.
Yes, the results were negative and this is great news for us. First of all I want to thank everyone who has been praying right a long with us. With the results being negative it means that the cancer is no longer showing up in the PET or CT scans. Yea! In talking with the doctors this week we learned a new abbreviation that nearly brought tears to our eyes when they said "He's C.R.". It took me a minute to figure out what they meant... in Complete Remission. :) Yes folks, the doctors are now referring to me as being in complete remission. This is great news for Amanda and I and it was great to hear. This battle has been long and arduous and it now appears to have an end in sight.
We're not done yet since we still have the last two rounds of chemo to do but barring any new anomalies in the final PET and CT scans we will be done with Houston in another couple of months or so. Some may wonder why we have to go through the last two rounds but it is to make sure that we get any of the last cancer cells in my body. It will make it harder to go through these rounds knowing that I am in remission but it could be worse. Actually it is getting a little bit easier on me, you see for every A round that I go through I would normally be in the hospital for 8 to 9 days. This time the doctors allowed me to do the final A round as an outpatient. This really made me happy to be able to sleep in my own bed, eat our own food, and relax at our apartment. We will have to go into the hospital every day but that is far better than having a grumpy lab tech waking you up at 4:30AM to get a blood sample. I also get to wear a backpack that will hold the chemo and a pump.
Overall this week was a great week for Amanda and I. We now see the light at the end of the tunnel and can't wait to start packing up to head home. With a little luck we should start packing in early June. Again, thank you to everyone who has prayed for my health over the last six months and I have to say that it appears God has answered all of our prayers. :)
Brian
Yes, the results were negative and this is great news for us. First of all I want to thank everyone who has been praying right a long with us. With the results being negative it means that the cancer is no longer showing up in the PET or CT scans. Yea! In talking with the doctors this week we learned a new abbreviation that nearly brought tears to our eyes when they said "He's C.R.". It took me a minute to figure out what they meant... in Complete Remission. :) Yes folks, the doctors are now referring to me as being in complete remission. This is great news for Amanda and I and it was great to hear. This battle has been long and arduous and it now appears to have an end in sight.
We're not done yet since we still have the last two rounds of chemo to do but barring any new anomalies in the final PET and CT scans we will be done with Houston in another couple of months or so. Some may wonder why we have to go through the last two rounds but it is to make sure that we get any of the last cancer cells in my body. It will make it harder to go through these rounds knowing that I am in remission but it could be worse. Actually it is getting a little bit easier on me, you see for every A round that I go through I would normally be in the hospital for 8 to 9 days. This time the doctors allowed me to do the final A round as an outpatient. This really made me happy to be able to sleep in my own bed, eat our own food, and relax at our apartment. We will have to go into the hospital every day but that is far better than having a grumpy lab tech waking you up at 4:30AM to get a blood sample. I also get to wear a backpack that will hold the chemo and a pump.
Overall this week was a great week for Amanda and I. We now see the light at the end of the tunnel and can't wait to start packing up to head home. With a little luck we should start packing in early June. Again, thank you to everyone who has prayed for my health over the last six months and I have to say that it appears God has answered all of our prayers. :)
Brian
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Happy Birthday Amanda!!!!
Everyone, it is Amanda's birthday this week (April 22nd) and since I am in between chemo rounds right now we thought it would be a great time to celebrate. Obviously we would rather be with our friends and family celebrating Amanda's 23rd birthday (haha!!!, you can add a 4 to that number) but its always good to make lemons into lemonade. I am just gratefull to be here and celebrate her birthday with her this year. For those of you that have wondered what I look like these days we thought we would put a picture up from our adventure to Kemah. Yes, you can now call me "Cue Ball". As some of my colleagues have said "Bald can be Beautiful too!" I did have a little hair left before the last round of chemo but it finally gave way and became too patchy to manage. So I shaved the rest of it off and now only wished that I had my eyebrows back (and maybe my goatee). Oh well, hair can always grow back, right???
So Amanda and I went down to the Kemah Boardwalk which is about 30 miles Southeast of Houston. It isn't as big as Galveston but it has a nice little boardwalk that has 4 or 5 nice restaurants and a few amusement park type rides for the kids. It was a very nice change from the apartment we stay in most days. Honestly, I think we would even go stir crazy in our own house day in day out after 6 months. So Amanda and I went and ate at a restaurant called Aquarium, it was a great time. We got to walk around the boardwalk at sunset until I got tired and we called it a night.
As a minor update to the cancer thing, the needle biopsy last week was a success and they were able to get samples that they are running tests on to see if the spot under my left arm is cancerous or not. We should get those results on Wednesday as well as start my 7th round of chemo that night. It is our prayer that the biopsy results will be negative and that we can start looking to an end to this speed bump in our lives.
As a favor to me I would appreciate everyone to comment this week and wish Amanda a happy birthday. It would mean a lot to me and I know she would appreciate it as well. Don't worry, I can handle the Cue Ball comments, bring'em! :)
Thanks!
Brian
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Test Results... Another Big Day Coming Up
Well, we received the test results from last week's PET and CT scans and they were less than what we prayed for. The spot under my arm is still there and based on the tests has not changed very much. I think it shrunk something like 0.1 Cm's but it was still being picked up by the PET scan. So after talking with our doctor we are going to try again with another needle biopsy.
As you may recall, we tried to have a needle biopsy done back in February but was unable to extract any tissue samples due to its size and location. It's current size is 1.3 Cm's and is stashed somewhere deep in my left armpit. They are going to try another method of extraction and see if they can get a hold of it this time. The procedure is scheduled for Wednesday. We are delaying the 7th round of chemo for this procedure so we are now praying that it will go well and they can get enough tissue for testing. Honestly, I am at the point where I will be extremely adamant that they keep trying until they get what they need. We need to know what we are dealing with. Apparently there can be additional risks involved with this type of extraction method so I would appreciate every one's prayers tomorrow. Luckily we didn't have to wait too long to get in for the biopsy so to further delay treatment. If all goes well tomorrow I would expect to start the next round of chemo on Friday or Monday.
Amanda and I have appreciated your continued support and prayers during this testing phase. I think this is harder than the actual chemo because of the unknown factor. We just don't know what the doctor's will find and what they will want to do about it. There has been a lot of talking about different options but we are still hopeful that it will be negative. Amanda or I will update you as soon as we know something.
Thanks,
B
As you may recall, we tried to have a needle biopsy done back in February but was unable to extract any tissue samples due to its size and location. It's current size is 1.3 Cm's and is stashed somewhere deep in my left armpit. They are going to try another method of extraction and see if they can get a hold of it this time. The procedure is scheduled for Wednesday. We are delaying the 7th round of chemo for this procedure so we are now praying that it will go well and they can get enough tissue for testing. Honestly, I am at the point where I will be extremely adamant that they keep trying until they get what they need. We need to know what we are dealing with. Apparently there can be additional risks involved with this type of extraction method so I would appreciate every one's prayers tomorrow. Luckily we didn't have to wait too long to get in for the biopsy so to further delay treatment. If all goes well tomorrow I would expect to start the next round of chemo on Friday or Monday.
Amanda and I have appreciated your continued support and prayers during this testing phase. I think this is harder than the actual chemo because of the unknown factor. We just don't know what the doctor's will find and what they will want to do about it. There has been a lot of talking about different options but we are still hopeful that it will be negative. Amanda or I will update you as soon as we know something.
Thanks,
B
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Brian's Update - Huge Prayer Request Thursday
Well folks it's Brian again. Apparently Amanda liked me updating the blog so much she has nominating me again. Luckily I am feeling well enough this week to do the update.
Last week was a little rough for my blood work. We had doctor's visits at 7:30AM on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Each time I had to get some kind of blood products to help boost my counts back up from danger levels. In all, I had four units of blood and three large bags (18 units) of platelets. The doctors have not been surprised with my recovery so far as they expected me to react this way to round six of chemo. I, on the other hand found last week a little trying as I had no stamina to walk around the hospital. Amanda got her workout's in by pushing me around the hospital in a wheelchair. I started feeling better on Sunday and yesterday's blood work confirmed my levels have gone up and my body is starting to recover.
This week is another round of M, W, F blood testing along with some very important tests on Thursday in which I will undergo another round of PET and CT scans. These tests will be one of the most important round of tests I have had to date as it is our hopes and prayers that the spot under my left arm will be gone. Currently the doctors won't really give us any firm answers on what will happen if the spot remains after the eight rounds of chemo. I know I have two more rounds of chemo regardless of the test results but for me this is a mile stone. Amanda and I understand that it may still be a little early for the doctors to tell us what's next but it is so hard to not know what's next. Many of our friends were hoping we would be back by now but it is looking like it will be at least late June. We just don't know which is why are praying so hard for the spot to be gone.
The unknown time frame is one of the hardest things about being down here. It is starting to feel like we have had our lives on pause for the last five months with no end in sight. That is why the tests are so important to us. If the spot is gone then we could start looking forward to the end of this trial. Amanda and I were just commenting today on how it feels like February and not April to us. Time has flown by very fast for us which is good as long as there is an end in sight.
We have appreciated all the support and love that we have received so far and am grateful. We really need everyone's prayers on Thursday. We want to come home! We really want to come home. We won't be able to find out the test results until Monday the 14th when I start round seven. We will let everyone know when we find out. Talk with you soon!
B
Last week was a little rough for my blood work. We had doctor's visits at 7:30AM on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Each time I had to get some kind of blood products to help boost my counts back up from danger levels. In all, I had four units of blood and three large bags (18 units) of platelets. The doctors have not been surprised with my recovery so far as they expected me to react this way to round six of chemo. I, on the other hand found last week a little trying as I had no stamina to walk around the hospital. Amanda got her workout's in by pushing me around the hospital in a wheelchair. I started feeling better on Sunday and yesterday's blood work confirmed my levels have gone up and my body is starting to recover.
This week is another round of M, W, F blood testing along with some very important tests on Thursday in which I will undergo another round of PET and CT scans. These tests will be one of the most important round of tests I have had to date as it is our hopes and prayers that the spot under my left arm will be gone. Currently the doctors won't really give us any firm answers on what will happen if the spot remains after the eight rounds of chemo. I know I have two more rounds of chemo regardless of the test results but for me this is a mile stone. Amanda and I understand that it may still be a little early for the doctors to tell us what's next but it is so hard to not know what's next. Many of our friends were hoping we would be back by now but it is looking like it will be at least late June. We just don't know which is why are praying so hard for the spot to be gone.
The unknown time frame is one of the hardest things about being down here. It is starting to feel like we have had our lives on pause for the last five months with no end in sight. That is why the tests are so important to us. If the spot is gone then we could start looking forward to the end of this trial. Amanda and I were just commenting today on how it feels like February and not April to us. Time has flown by very fast for us which is good as long as there is an end in sight.
We have appreciated all the support and love that we have received so far and am grateful. We really need everyone's prayers on Thursday. We want to come home! We really want to come home. We won't be able to find out the test results until Monday the 14th when I start round seven. We will let everyone know when we find out. Talk with you soon!
B
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Brian's first attempt at an Update
Well folks, you are in for a treat as I get my first chance to write my own update. I can't promise to write as well as Amanda but she asked if I would give it a shot.
First, I have to congratulate my wonderful bride for giving blood for the first time last week. I was very proud of her for doing this for me. That being said she also wanted the T-Shirt that you get when you donate, but hey, everyone needs a reward. Of course I had to tease her a little bit by saying that if I can get stabbed, poked, and prodded at over 500 times she can give a little blood. Now we are comparing bruised arms. She thinks hers looks worse. :)
We finished up with Round 6 on Tuesday and it went pretty well. This was a B treatment round which in the past has been quite tough on me from being able to hold down food and dealing with various tastes. However we worked with the doctors and nurses to get the nausea medications working together appropriately which limited the amount of discomfort I felt. I was able to hold down all of the cafeteria food without any special requests. M.D. Anderson actually has a decent selection of food but when you have ate off of the same menu for over 4 months everything gets old. Amanda and I both can order from memory without looking at the menu. A lady came by to ask how I was liking the food and I just had to laugh, asking her to change it up once a quarter.
In addition to what I would consider a good chemo round I also had a good lumbar puncture procedure... which is like saying that the doctor stabbing me in the back did his job well. :) Actually after 10 lumbar procedures we have worked out many of the issues related to the procedure and have mitigated most of the discomfort. We have a specific doctor (Dr. Kumar) who knows me by name and a nice little drug called Verced. The biggest concern we still have is if I will get the dreaded lumbar headaches after the procedure. The headaches seem to happen more after the second procedure than the first so we will have to see. We are going in tomorrow for the second lumber puncture for this round of chemo.
Other than the lumbar procedure tomorrow, Amanda and I only have NCAA Basketball to watch and for me to rest up. Next week will mostly consist of lab work to make sure that my blood work is staying up. The Physician's Assistant today indicated that Round 6 recovery is notorious for a patients blood work to drop. So they have us coming in every other day. Currently we are scheduled for another round of testing on April 14th with a PET and CT Scan. Our prayers are that the spot under my left arm is gone. Regardless I will still have to complete the next two rounds of chemo but it would be a prayer come true if it is mostly for protection purposes instead of trying to continue to reduce the remaining spot.
Also, I wanted to just take a moment and thank everyone for their support over the last 4 months. The support has just been awesome!!! You learn very quickly in times like this how you might have impacted people over the years and I just have to say thank you for your blessings. I have been amazed how God has provided friends and family, even total strangers, to help Amanda and I through this challenge and I have to give God everything. Yes, Cancer Sucks!!! However, I was never promised an easy life but one that God could provide everything that is needed. I would appreciate your continued prayers for Amanda and I. We both need your continued prayers for patience, strength, and that stubborn cancer spot to go away.
First, I have to congratulate my wonderful bride for giving blood for the first time last week. I was very proud of her for doing this for me. That being said she also wanted the T-Shirt that you get when you donate, but hey, everyone needs a reward. Of course I had to tease her a little bit by saying that if I can get stabbed, poked, and prodded at over 500 times she can give a little blood. Now we are comparing bruised arms. She thinks hers looks worse. :)
We finished up with Round 6 on Tuesday and it went pretty well. This was a B treatment round which in the past has been quite tough on me from being able to hold down food and dealing with various tastes. However we worked with the doctors and nurses to get the nausea medications working together appropriately which limited the amount of discomfort I felt. I was able to hold down all of the cafeteria food without any special requests. M.D. Anderson actually has a decent selection of food but when you have ate off of the same menu for over 4 months everything gets old. Amanda and I both can order from memory without looking at the menu. A lady came by to ask how I was liking the food and I just had to laugh, asking her to change it up once a quarter.
In addition to what I would consider a good chemo round I also had a good lumbar puncture procedure... which is like saying that the doctor stabbing me in the back did his job well. :) Actually after 10 lumbar procedures we have worked out many of the issues related to the procedure and have mitigated most of the discomfort. We have a specific doctor (Dr. Kumar) who knows me by name and a nice little drug called Verced. The biggest concern we still have is if I will get the dreaded lumbar headaches after the procedure. The headaches seem to happen more after the second procedure than the first so we will have to see. We are going in tomorrow for the second lumber puncture for this round of chemo.
Other than the lumbar procedure tomorrow, Amanda and I only have NCAA Basketball to watch and for me to rest up. Next week will mostly consist of lab work to make sure that my blood work is staying up. The Physician's Assistant today indicated that Round 6 recovery is notorious for a patients blood work to drop. So they have us coming in every other day. Currently we are scheduled for another round of testing on April 14th with a PET and CT Scan. Our prayers are that the spot under my left arm is gone. Regardless I will still have to complete the next two rounds of chemo but it would be a prayer come true if it is mostly for protection purposes instead of trying to continue to reduce the remaining spot.
Also, I wanted to just take a moment and thank everyone for their support over the last 4 months. The support has just been awesome!!! You learn very quickly in times like this how you might have impacted people over the years and I just have to say thank you for your blessings. I have been amazed how God has provided friends and family, even total strangers, to help Amanda and I through this challenge and I have to give God everything. Yes, Cancer Sucks!!! However, I was never promised an easy life but one that God could provide everything that is needed. I would appreciate your continued prayers for Amanda and I. We both need your continued prayers for patience, strength, and that stubborn cancer spot to go away.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Surprise trip home!!!
Guess what!!! We are in Dallas!!! Brian has been doing very very well and when we went in for the last blood test in Houston they said there was no need for him to have any more appointments before he starts chemo again on Monday. We were surprised since we are typically at the hospital every other day for something, and we hadn't expected to come home again until June. But the drs seemed to be fine with it and just wanted us to have one blood test while we were here and be ready to come back early if anything happens. So we are excited to be in town through Sunday when we have to drive back. We didn't tell anyone that we were coming home since we didn't want to jinx it, and it has been really fun surprising everyone.
So far our trip has been great!! We were able to go out to dinner to celebrate a friend's birthday, surprise our church hometeam by showing up for bible study last night, and we have several other things planned for the remaining days we are here. It really hasn't been a restful trip at all since we are so limited on time and there are so many things we want to do and so many people to see. I have been able to go into the office to work this week and have really enjoyed being back and seeing everyone. Everyone has been so supportive and it's really nice to catch up after 4 months of not being there. We were also able to get Allie back for the week and have enjoyed having her around again.
We don't have any new news about Brian's progress, but we are soo happy to be home this week and rest and relax with our friends and family. This was totally God's work with the way everything was laid out for us and how smoothly everything has gone. We are so blessed to know there is a higher power watching over us and leading us where we need to go.
So far our trip has been great!! We were able to go out to dinner to celebrate a friend's birthday, surprise our church hometeam by showing up for bible study last night, and we have several other things planned for the remaining days we are here. It really hasn't been a restful trip at all since we are so limited on time and there are so many things we want to do and so many people to see. I have been able to go into the office to work this week and have really enjoyed being back and seeing everyone. Everyone has been so supportive and it's really nice to catch up after 4 months of not being there. We were also able to get Allie back for the week and have enjoyed having her around again.
We don't have any new news about Brian's progress, but we are soo happy to be home this week and rest and relax with our friends and family. This was totally God's work with the way everything was laid out for us and how smoothly everything has gone. We are so blessed to know there is a higher power watching over us and leading us where we need to go.
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