Nothing against "I love you", but those have got to be the best words anyone could every hear!
PET scan came back with no visible signs of cancer so I am officially CANCER FREE! Merry Christmas to me!
Still have to do 3 weeks of radiation in January and go in for follow up testing (PET, blood work, etc) every 3 months for a year and then every 6 months and then . . . but who cares!
Thanks to all for everything these past 6 months. I never would have made it through without each and every one of you!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
No news 'til Thursday
Just wanted to post a brief note to let everyone know that I won't get the results of my PET scan until my follow up on Thursday. I'll post something Thursday night to let you all know what we find out. I PROMISE!!!!
I also wanted to let you know that the interview I did during the Lymphomathom was posted to the Irvine Community TV website (http://irvine.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=26&clip_id=1781). You can jump right to the interview by clicking on "Lymphomathon" in the segment list on the right. And here's a video that Katie put together from that day. Enjoy!
I also wanted to let you know that the interview I did during the Lymphomathom was posted to the Irvine Community TV website (http://irvine.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=26&clip_id=1781). You can jump right to the interview by clicking on "Lymphomathon" in the segment list on the right. And here's a video that Katie put together from that day. Enjoy!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Four Crazy Months
It is hard to believe that it was four months ago that I sat at the same desk, in front of the same computer sending out news of Abbey's diagnosis. Things were so frightening and uncertain then.
It's been a very wild ride. Tomorrow, Abbey is scheduled for her sixth and probably final round of chemotherapy. On Friday, she'll have a PET scan (positron-emission tomography) that should identify any areas of active cancer down to about 1/16th of an inch (that's 1.5 mm to you science geeks). It's a pretty cool process and if you're not familiar with it, I'd be happy to explain it over a beer or two: the physics is relatively simple, the engineering is hard.
The Lymphomathon was great! We had about 40 members of the A-Team participate in wonderful 90 degree weather. Abbey's folks from Connecticut were impressed with the weather in November in LA... until the fires struck. Our Team Captain, my sister Katie, lives in the burn zone of the Yorba Linda fire. Her condo and complex came through fine, but she now looks across the street at burned trees. The team tally, as of the day of the event was over $7000. We want to say "THANK YOU" to all that donated. If you haven't yet donated and are feeling bad about it, you can still donate by clicking on the link at the left of the blog's page.
Given that its Thanksgiving weekend - let me say how thankful we are to have such loving and caring friends and family. It has made this much easier than I think we could have ever expected.
Love,
Bill
It's been a very wild ride. Tomorrow, Abbey is scheduled for her sixth and probably final round of chemotherapy. On Friday, she'll have a PET scan (positron-emission tomography) that should identify any areas of active cancer down to about 1/16th of an inch (that's 1.5 mm to you science geeks). It's a pretty cool process and if you're not familiar with it, I'd be happy to explain it over a beer or two: the physics is relatively simple, the engineering is hard.
The Lymphomathon was great! We had about 40 members of the A-Team participate in wonderful 90 degree weather. Abbey's folks from Connecticut were impressed with the weather in November in LA... until the fires struck. Our Team Captain, my sister Katie, lives in the burn zone of the Yorba Linda fire. Her condo and complex came through fine, but she now looks across the street at burned trees. The team tally, as of the day of the event was over $7000. We want to say "THANK YOU" to all that donated. If you haven't yet donated and are feeling bad about it, you can still donate by clicking on the link at the left of the blog's page.
Given that its Thanksgiving weekend - let me say how thankful we are to have such loving and caring friends and family. It has made this much easier than I think we could have ever expected.
Love,
Bill
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Details, details . . .
So I guess "immediately after chemo" doesn't mean the same thing to doctors as it does to me. I talked to my Radiation Oncologist (Dr. Jenelle) after I got home yesterday and he and Dr. Shek talked and agreed to wait 1 month after my last treatment to start radiation. Something about needing time for my body to recover before shocking it again. Blah, blah , blah . . . . I'm still hoping to get in for my simulation appointment before the end of December so things are all ready to go after the first of the year.
No worries though. Now I'll just plan to be cancer free by Valentine's Day!
No worries though. Now I'll just plan to be cancer free by Valentine's Day!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Enough with the nagging!
Okay, okay . . . I know I've been remiss in keeping everyone updated. Hasn't anyone ever heard that no news is good news? In my case it means I've been doing so well there's nothing to talk about!
Anyhow, I'm here now and I'm currently hooked up to chemo cocktail #5. That's good news for a couple reasons. First, my doctors have officially decided that I will only need 6 cycles of chemo so that means only 1 more to go! Second, my blood counts from Saturday were too low so they had to recheck again this morning. They were still below my doctor's parameters, but my nurse talked him into it. So here I sit for the next 4-5 hours listening to the hum of the infusion pump.
I'm in the process of getting appointments scheduled for my radiation therapy. If all goes well I should be able to start immediately after my last chemo. That chemo will tentatively be Dec. 1. That means I could be completely done with treatment by Christmas Eve. Talk about a present!
I'm getting very excited about heading down to LA on Thursday. The Lymphomathon is finally here! The A-Team is still the top fundraising team with over $6000, but we're looking to go higher. If you have been thinking about making a contribution there's still time! Just click the link to "The A-Team Lymphomathon Page" under the Links to Cool Stuff section on the left. I also got an email from a woman at the Lymphoma Research Foundation asking I would be willing to be interviewed by a local community cable station before the walk. I'll see about getting access to the video and post it or a link here in the blog.
The t-shirts arrived on Friday and look great! For those I won't be seeing this weekend, I'll try to ship them out before I go. I think that's all the news from here. Can't wait to see the family this weekend! We're all looking forward to a great time.
Abbey
Anyhow, I'm here now and I'm currently hooked up to chemo cocktail #5. That's good news for a couple reasons. First, my doctors have officially decided that I will only need 6 cycles of chemo so that means only 1 more to go! Second, my blood counts from Saturday were too low so they had to recheck again this morning. They were still below my doctor's parameters, but my nurse talked him into it. So here I sit for the next 4-5 hours listening to the hum of the infusion pump.
I'm in the process of getting appointments scheduled for my radiation therapy. If all goes well I should be able to start immediately after my last chemo. That chemo will tentatively be Dec. 1. That means I could be completely done with treatment by Christmas Eve. Talk about a present!
I'm getting very excited about heading down to LA on Thursday. The Lymphomathon is finally here! The A-Team is still the top fundraising team with over $6000, but we're looking to go higher. If you have been thinking about making a contribution there's still time! Just click the link to "The A-Team Lymphomathon Page" under the Links to Cool Stuff section on the left. I also got an email from a woman at the Lymphoma Research Foundation asking I would be willing to be interviewed by a local community cable station before the walk. I'll see about getting access to the video and post it or a link here in the blog.
The t-shirts arrived on Friday and look great! For those I won't be seeing this weekend, I'll try to ship them out before I go. I think that's all the news from here. Can't wait to see the family this weekend! We're all looking forward to a great time.
Abbey
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Need a laugh?
Since there's not much happening on the cancer front I thought I'd share with all of you what I did this weekend in case you are in need of a good laugh.
Many of you know that Trent signed up for the Running Club at his elementary school. The club meets for a hour twice an week after school to exercise, play games, and work on stamina and endurance. The club also set as goals to have the kids participate in a couple of local running events with activities geared toward children. The first was the "Veggie Chase" held this past Sunday. The focus of the event was to motivate families to get moving and learn about healthy eating and lifestyles. There was a 5K run/walk, a 1 mile run/walk, and a variety of kids races of varying lengths by age group.
I signed Bill up for the 5K (he'll thank me later) and thought that Trent would probably not be able to complete that distance with me (walk/running) so I signed us up for the 1 mile. All the while thinking we might jog a bit, but, remembering how he handled the Race for the Cure in the spring, figured we would mostly walk.
Well, we're at the starting line and Trent is super excited. I'm worried about the mass of people (think the running of the bulls) and wondering how many small children might get trampled at the start. At the sound of the word "Go" i start jogging with the mob and Trent takes off! Mind you he's much shorter than I and so has an easier time weaving in and out of the crowd. I figure as long as I can see him I'm okay.
He keeps getting further and further ahead and I'm starting to remember that I stopped exercising long before this cancer thing came up! I round the corner to where Bill and some other friends are waiting to cheer us on. They still seem to be in shock from seeing Trent go flying by without me. I toss them Trent's sweatshirt with a look of "I'm not really sure what's going on here!" and keep on going.
Shortly after that I dropped down to a walk, cheered for the 7 and 10 year old sons of our friends as they pass me on their way back from the turn-around and finally see Trent again as he has made the turn and is heading for home. I cut the corner a few yards short to head back with him and start jogging again to try and keep up.
Didn't work. I gave up not long after, made an effort to be running when I passed by Bill again and then again crossing the finish line, but there was no salvaging the fact that I had just been soundly whooped by a not-quite-5-year-old!
Hope you're having a good laugh at my expense! I head back in for my next treatment on Tuesday and then a CT scan a week later. Depending on just how good that scan looks, the doctors are strongly leaning toward stopping at 6 cycles of chemo. That means I could be completely done with treatment, including radiation, by the end of the year. Whoopeeeeeee!
Many of you know that Trent signed up for the Running Club at his elementary school. The club meets for a hour twice an week after school to exercise, play games, and work on stamina and endurance. The club also set as goals to have the kids participate in a couple of local running events with activities geared toward children. The first was the "Veggie Chase" held this past Sunday. The focus of the event was to motivate families to get moving and learn about healthy eating and lifestyles. There was a 5K run/walk, a 1 mile run/walk, and a variety of kids races of varying lengths by age group.
I signed Bill up for the 5K (he'll thank me later) and thought that Trent would probably not be able to complete that distance with me (walk/running) so I signed us up for the 1 mile. All the while thinking we might jog a bit, but, remembering how he handled the Race for the Cure in the spring, figured we would mostly walk.
Well, we're at the starting line and Trent is super excited. I'm worried about the mass of people (think the running of the bulls) and wondering how many small children might get trampled at the start. At the sound of the word "Go" i start jogging with the mob and Trent takes off! Mind you he's much shorter than I and so has an easier time weaving in and out of the crowd. I figure as long as I can see him I'm okay.
He keeps getting further and further ahead and I'm starting to remember that I stopped exercising long before this cancer thing came up! I round the corner to where Bill and some other friends are waiting to cheer us on. They still seem to be in shock from seeing Trent go flying by without me. I toss them Trent's sweatshirt with a look of "I'm not really sure what's going on here!" and keep on going.
Shortly after that I dropped down to a walk, cheered for the 7 and 10 year old sons of our friends as they pass me on their way back from the turn-around and finally see Trent again as he has made the turn and is heading for home. I cut the corner a few yards short to head back with him and start jogging again to try and keep up.
Didn't work. I gave up not long after, made an effort to be running when I passed by Bill again and then again crossing the finish line, but there was no salvaging the fact that I had just been soundly whooped by a not-quite-5-year-old!
Hope you're having a good laugh at my expense! I head back in for my next treatment on Tuesday and then a CT scan a week later. Depending on just how good that scan looks, the doctors are strongly leaning toward stopping at 6 cycles of chemo. That means I could be completely done with treatment, including radiation, by the end of the year. Whoopeeeeeee!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Friendly Reminder
Nothing new to report on the cancer front, just slogging through the yucky days of the latest treatment cycle.
This is your friendly reminder that if you want to have your very own limited edition "A-Team" t-shirt you need to email me quantity and sizes as soon as possible. You can hand-deliver a check ($16/shirt) or drop it in the mail. Let me know if you need the snail-mail address. My email is over on the left in case you need that.
In other news, the mighty, mighty Hornets are still undefeated following their latest 4-0 victory over the Wildcats. Trent scored another goal and has taken on the nickname "Bruiser". The nickname came from the lump on his head he got from his run in with my sewing table, but it works for soccer too!
This is your friendly reminder that if you want to have your very own limited edition "A-Team" t-shirt you need to email me quantity and sizes as soon as possible. You can hand-deliver a check ($16/shirt) or drop it in the mail. Let me know if you need the snail-mail address. My email is over on the left in case you need that.
In other news, the mighty, mighty Hornets are still undefeated following their latest 4-0 victory over the Wildcats. Trent scored another goal and has taken on the nickname "Bruiser". The nickname came from the lump on his head he got from his run in with my sewing table, but it works for soccer too!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Round #3 Underway
Hello to everyone in cyberland.
I am right now sitting in a comfy chair in the Adult Infusion Center getting round #3 of my chemotherapy treatment. We were delayed a bit in getting started this morning because my bloodwork from Friday did not reach the minimum necessary to get the juice. Since the specific things they are looking for can rise rapidly, they did a blood draw first and had the results back quickly. My white blood cells (WBC)were just good enough and the most important WBCs, Neutrophils were even better so I was able to get started. The other good news is that because I tolerated the Rituxin so well last time I was able to start at a higher rate of infusion (100 mL/hr instead of 50) and advance at a faster rate (100 vs. 50) which boils down to getting out of here sooner. Hooray!
In other matters, you can see be the poll results that design #1 was the favorite. I have asked the designer if he can tweak the font of the work "Team" to more closely match the "A" and should be getting the final art for approval today or tomorrow. The final price is $16 including shipping. So, if you want a shirt, please email me with how many and what sizes. Sizes available are Youth XS to XL and Adult SM to 5X. I would like to submit the final order by Oct. 13th ensure they arrive in time for the Lymphomathon so the deadline to order is 12:00AM PST on Sunday, Oct 12th!
Thanks to all!
I am right now sitting in a comfy chair in the Adult Infusion Center getting round #3 of my chemotherapy treatment. We were delayed a bit in getting started this morning because my bloodwork from Friday did not reach the minimum necessary to get the juice. Since the specific things they are looking for can rise rapidly, they did a blood draw first and had the results back quickly. My white blood cells (WBC)were just good enough and the most important WBCs, Neutrophils were even better so I was able to get started. The other good news is that because I tolerated the Rituxin so well last time I was able to start at a higher rate of infusion (100 mL/hr instead of 50) and advance at a faster rate (100 vs. 50) which boils down to getting out of here sooner. Hooray!
In other matters, you can see be the poll results that design #1 was the favorite. I have asked the designer if he can tweak the font of the work "Team" to more closely match the "A" and should be getting the final art for approval today or tomorrow. The final price is $16 including shipping. So, if you want a shirt, please email me with how many and what sizes. Sizes available are Youth XS to XL and Adult SM to 5X. I would like to submit the final order by Oct. 13th ensure they arrive in time for the Lymphomathon so the deadline to order is 12:00AM PST on Sunday, Oct 12th!
Thanks to all!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
News from the Follow-up Visit
The news on the tumor front is that the sucker is less than half it's original size. Bill estimates more like 20% of original size, but since he has PhD and not MD after his name I'm going to stick with what the doc said. The even better news is that we MIGHT be able to stop chemo after 6 cycles and then move to radiation for the mop up phase, but that's still to be determined. I'll get another CT scan after round #4.
The CT scan also provided a little extra information including that this little cough of mine is really pneumonia and that I also have a cracked rib, most likely because of all the coughing since I don't recall getting beaten. They can't do anything about the rib, but they don't mess around when it comes to pneumonia. I went straight a 3rd line antibiotic similar to Cipro (what you get when you have Anthrax) and I will take it for 10 days instead of the usual 14. This just makes me even more shocked that my White Blood Cell count was well within normal range right before the last chemo round!
In other news, the Hornets won another game on Friday night. Trent scored 2 goals! Also, this weekend was time to press the wine and put it to sleep in the barrels. Turns out Cab Franc is a VERY juicy grape. We yielded over 300 gallons of wine, our highest production since we got in on this gig. It's tasting great, but I have NO idea where we will put our share after we bottle it next year.
Don't forget to vote in the latest polls and check out the post from Wednesday if you don't understand.
Take care!
The CT scan also provided a little extra information including that this little cough of mine is really pneumonia and that I also have a cracked rib, most likely because of all the coughing since I don't recall getting beaten. They can't do anything about the rib, but they don't mess around when it comes to pneumonia. I went straight a 3rd line antibiotic similar to Cipro (what you get when you have Anthrax) and I will take it for 10 days instead of the usual 14. This just makes me even more shocked that my White Blood Cell count was well within normal range right before the last chemo round!
In other news, the Hornets won another game on Friday night. Trent scored 2 goals! Also, this weekend was time to press the wine and put it to sleep in the barrels. Turns out Cab Franc is a VERY juicy grape. We yielded over 300 gallons of wine, our highest production since we got in on this gig. It's tasting great, but I have NO idea where we will put our share after we bottle it next year.
Don't forget to vote in the latest polls and check out the post from Wednesday if you don't understand.
Take care!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Ok, ok, ok
Well, my inbox has sure been taking some abuse. I have long planned on joining Abbey and Trent with their new hairdos. However, after struggling to cut Trent's hair with a beard trimmer, I decided that I would use a professional. On Sunday I finally got to the shop and here we go...
I'm available to rent out for Soccer hooliganism and Pirate-themed events...
Bill
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Feedback Needed!!!
Hi Everyone!
Things have been going well this week, just the usual 1 week post-chemo, run-down feeling. I seem to be back on the upswing now and may have finally kicked the cold I got from Typhoid Trent.
I need feedback from all of you in cyberland to know if my latest crazy idea is a good one. I have been trowing around the idea of getting t-shirts for the A-team to wear in November's Lymphomathon and thought that there may be others of you who can't participate, but would like to show your support and feel part of the team. I found a great website that does custom tie-dyes and I came up with what I think is a very cool design. The company has provided a couple options for a back design and so now the fun begins.
First, I need to know how many people would be willing to shell out $16 for this totally awesome t-shirt!
Front Design
The price could go down the more commitments we get so act now!
And second, which design does everyone like best for the back?
Back Design #1
Back Design #2
Polls are on the left so get voting!
I will come up with some way of letting me what you would like to order (# and sizes) and then coordinate shipping. I think I'll need to know final decisions by mid-October so they will be ready in time for the Lymphomathon.
Thanks in advance!
Things have been going well this week, just the usual 1 week post-chemo, run-down feeling. I seem to be back on the upswing now and may have finally kicked the cold I got from Typhoid Trent.
I need feedback from all of you in cyberland to know if my latest crazy idea is a good one. I have been trowing around the idea of getting t-shirts for the A-team to wear in November's Lymphomathon and thought that there may be others of you who can't participate, but would like to show your support and feel part of the team. I found a great website that does custom tie-dyes and I came up with what I think is a very cool design. The company has provided a couple options for a back design and so now the fun begins.
First, I need to know how many people would be willing to shell out $16 for this totally awesome t-shirt!Front Design
The price could go down the more commitments we get so act now!
And second, which design does everyone like best for the back?
Back Design #1 
Back Design #2Polls are on the left so get voting!
I will come up with some way of letting me what you would like to order (# and sizes) and then coordinate shipping. I think I'll need to know final decisions by mid-October so they will be ready in time for the Lymphomathon.
Thanks in advance!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Round 2 Down
Well, chemo round #2 is in the bag. I much prefer getting the juice as an outpatient. I just show up in the morning, get hooked up to the IV, and then sit for the next 6 hours. So far the after effects have been the same as the first go-round (except that this time I'm taking the anti-nausea meds on schedule so no surprises!). I'm being careful to take it easy and not work too hard this week and hopefully that will help when the bad days hit.
I have to say apologies up front to all my friends with children, but I have decided that I have the best kid ever! Check out what Trent asked to do all on his own. He is just totally awesome. It also makes him look like quite the hooligan on the soccer field. The Hornets had their first official game on Friday. Trent was great in goal again for 1 quarter and although they don't keep score at his level the "goal jar" was stuffed on by the end of the game.
The great grape crush was successful this past Saturday. We plowed our way through a heavy 2 tons of Cabernet Franc in about 2 hours. We're VERY excited about this vintage and look forward to the pressing stage in 2 weeks.
Not much else going on around here. The "A-Team" is doing a phenomenal job raising money for the Orange County Lymphomathon in November. If you'd like to help them out there is a link under the "Links to Great Stuff" over on the left.
Take care!
I have to say apologies up front to all my friends with children, but I have decided that I have the best kid ever! Check out what Trent asked to do all on his own. He is just totally awesome. It also makes him look like quite the hooligan on the soccer field. The Hornets had their first official game on Friday. Trent was great in goal again for 1 quarter and although they don't keep score at his level the "goal jar" was stuffed on by the end of the game.The great grape crush was successful this past Saturday. We plowed our way through a heavy 2 tons of Cabernet Franc in about 2 hours. We're VERY excited about this vintage and look forward to the pressing stage in 2 weeks.
Not much else going on around here. The "A-Team" is doing a phenomenal job raising money for the Orange County Lymphomathon in November. If you'd like to help them out there is a link under the "Links to Great Stuff" over on the left.
Take care!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
First, a big thanks to everyone who was here to make my birthday so fabulous! Hope you all had as much fun as I did.
So, my hair started falling out late last week so I decided to get a really short cut in hopes of slowing things down . . . didn't work. But, the cut was super cute (thanks to my personal hair stylist) for the party and has given me ideas for the future. The hair started coming out faster and faster everyday and man, do I have a lot of hair! I decided to finally do something about it today and I'll let you see the results below.
GOING . . .
GOING . . .
GONE!
In other news, I made it through an entire week of work last week, first one since early July! Of course, then Typhoid Trent struck and gave me the first cold he's had in 6 months. I'm still trying to kick it and avoid any other germs in the process. I'm trying to gear up for my next chemo treatment on Monday. It will be outpatient this time, but still through a peripheral IV. They will consider placing the port after they get a look at the CT scan which is scheduled for the 16th.
In general, things are going well and we're all settling into a few new routines; Trent at school and me in chemo, but we're adjusting quite nicely. We're looking forward to crushing on the 2008 vintage this weekend. Mmmmmm . . . 2 tons of Cabernet Franc!
So, my hair started falling out late last week so I decided to get a really short cut in hopes of slowing things down . . . didn't work. But, the cut was super cute (thanks to my personal hair stylist) for the party and has given me ideas for the future. The hair started coming out faster and faster everyday and man, do I have a lot of hair! I decided to finally do something about it today and I'll let you see the results below.
GOING . . .
GOING . . .
GONE!
In other news, I made it through an entire week of work last week, first one since early July! Of course, then Typhoid Trent struck and gave me the first cold he's had in 6 months. I'm still trying to kick it and avoid any other germs in the process. I'm trying to gear up for my next chemo treatment on Monday. It will be outpatient this time, but still through a peripheral IV. They will consider placing the port after they get a look at the CT scan which is scheduled for the 16th.
In general, things are going well and we're all settling into a few new routines; Trent at school and me in chemo, but we're adjusting quite nicely. We're looking forward to crushing on the 2008 vintage this weekend. Mmmmmm . . . 2 tons of Cabernet Franc!
Trent Update
Trent is just about to finish his first week of Kindergarten and has been having a wonderful time. His teacher is Ms. Silvera and she is terrific! We're still trying to figure out the lunch thing. Trent has a lot more freedom now and he seems to be using that to his advantage. Mainly, not eating. We're working on that.
On top of the first week of school, Trent also managed to loose his first and second tooths.
I thought you might like to see pictures of everything.
First Tooth
First Day
Second Tooth
On top of the first week of school, Trent also managed to loose his first and second tooths.
I thought you might like to see pictures of everything.
First Tooth
First Day
Second Tooth
Friday, August 29, 2008
Latest Update
Had a follow-up visit with oncology yesterday. The final pathology report on the bone marrow biopsy came back clear as expected so I am officially Stage 1. That's awesome because it puts me up at the highest percentage for a successful outcome.
The order for the echocardiogram was finally worked out and they tried to schedule me for 7:30 on Tuesday morning. I told them that I could reschedule a lot of things like vacation and miss a few meetings, but I would, under NO circumstances, miss Trent's first day of school so they were kind enough to reschedule for Wednesday! My next chemo session will be 9/8 assuming the bloodwork from yesterday comes back okay. After that I'll get another CT scan to take a peak at just how much this baby has shrunk!
For those who don't know, my birthday is Sunday and we've got a major bash planned. For one thing, the DeGraffenreid's are hitting to road tomorrow to head up north and join the fun. On top of that we've got friends coming from Seattle and Salt Lake City. That's all in addition to all the locals. Doesn't get much better than that! I'll probably be exhausted by the end, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
I'm off to the airport to pick-up Jenny and Damiano! Should have some great pictures to post by the end of the weekend.
love, Abbey
The order for the echocardiogram was finally worked out and they tried to schedule me for 7:30 on Tuesday morning. I told them that I could reschedule a lot of things like vacation and miss a few meetings, but I would, under NO circumstances, miss Trent's first day of school so they were kind enough to reschedule for Wednesday! My next chemo session will be 9/8 assuming the bloodwork from yesterday comes back okay. After that I'll get another CT scan to take a peak at just how much this baby has shrunk!
For those who don't know, my birthday is Sunday and we've got a major bash planned. For one thing, the DeGraffenreid's are hitting to road tomorrow to head up north and join the fun. On top of that we've got friends coming from Seattle and Salt Lake City. That's all in addition to all the locals. Doesn't get much better than that! I'll probably be exhausted by the end, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
I'm off to the airport to pick-up Jenny and Damiano! Should have some great pictures to post by the end of the weekend.
love, Abbey
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Now I know why cancer sucks!
Hi everyone!
Having survived what I hope is the worst of each chemo cycle I can definitely see where the phrase "cancer sucks" came from. I thought I was doing well with just a minor bout of nausea on the first day, but the worst was yet to come. The beginning of the week was fine. I worked half days on Monday and Tuesday and then Wednesday I felt great and worked the whole day. The problem was Thursday when I woke up feeling crummy and it went downhill from there. For some crazy reason I went into work, but only lasted a couple hours and turned around for home. I even called my nurse at the Cancer Center to make sure what I was feeling was normal. She said absolutely and just reminded me to keep an eye on my temperature (an infection would be pretty serious) and stay hydrated. I did just that and by Friday morning was already feeling better, but stayed home from work anyhow. It appears that I'm going to have to learn a new skill known as moderation. Even when I feel good I need to learn to take it a little easier than normal so save some strength. The really good news is that the tumor must be shrinking because all my swelling is almost entirely gone. That makes the yucky stuff a little easier to take.
Friday was Trent's last day at the Lighthouse, the daycare center he has attended since he was 9 months old! I brought the teachers breakfast from Panera to say thanks for 4 terrific years and there were many tears all around. Trent will be headed to the last week of the summer camp run by his new after-school program. We have kindergarten orientation on this coming Thursday evening and then school starts on the 2nd. He has a VERY loose bottom tooth that I'm hoping will come out soon. It will be his first and I just can't wait to post pictures of that toothless grin.
We're laying low this weekend. Don't have any plans since we were supposed to be in Connecticut. We are enjoying some new Wii games that we rented and generally trying to take it easy.
Hope everyone enjoys the last week of summer!
Having survived what I hope is the worst of each chemo cycle I can definitely see where the phrase "cancer sucks" came from. I thought I was doing well with just a minor bout of nausea on the first day, but the worst was yet to come. The beginning of the week was fine. I worked half days on Monday and Tuesday and then Wednesday I felt great and worked the whole day. The problem was Thursday when I woke up feeling crummy and it went downhill from there. For some crazy reason I went into work, but only lasted a couple hours and turned around for home. I even called my nurse at the Cancer Center to make sure what I was feeling was normal. She said absolutely and just reminded me to keep an eye on my temperature (an infection would be pretty serious) and stay hydrated. I did just that and by Friday morning was already feeling better, but stayed home from work anyhow. It appears that I'm going to have to learn a new skill known as moderation. Even when I feel good I need to learn to take it a little easier than normal so save some strength. The really good news is that the tumor must be shrinking because all my swelling is almost entirely gone. That makes the yucky stuff a little easier to take.
Friday was Trent's last day at the Lighthouse, the daycare center he has attended since he was 9 months old! I brought the teachers breakfast from Panera to say thanks for 4 terrific years and there were many tears all around. Trent will be headed to the last week of the summer camp run by his new after-school program. We have kindergarten orientation on this coming Thursday evening and then school starts on the 2nd. He has a VERY loose bottom tooth that I'm hoping will come out soon. It will be his first and I just can't wait to post pictures of that toothless grin.
We're laying low this weekend. Don't have any plans since we were supposed to be in Connecticut. We are enjoying some new Wii games that we rented and generally trying to take it easy.
Hope everyone enjoys the last week of summer!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Hornets Win First Scrimmage
Great news! The Hornets won their first scrimmage against the Bumblebees last night. It wasn't an official game, but all in attendance were very impressed with the skills on display. Trent even scored his first goal!
Trent in at goalie Natural ball smothering talent
Trent Scores!!!!
Future soccer star Trent and pal Luka
Gotta love orange slices at halftime Warming the bench for a while
Trent in at goalie Natural ball smothering talent
Trent Scores!!!!
Future soccer star Trent and pal Luka
Gotta love orange slices at halftime Warming the bench for a while
Monday, August 18, 2008
Round 1 Down
I've been chastised by more than a few for not posting in a while so here I am. Round 1 went well. Just a small amount of nausea that is well controlled with medication. I even went back to work for a few hours today. My biggest problem right now is fatigue and I'm told that is supposed to get worse before it gets better. I go back to the doctor next Thursday and I assume they'll order bloodwork to determine when the next treatment will be. The treatments are only tentatively every 3 weeks depending on how well my immune system is holding up. I have also been told to get ready because if the hair is going to fall out it usually does so after round 2. The next poll may be to vote on hat styles!
I have also been told that I should be posting pictures to share. Although my swelling is going down I'm not too keen yet on sharing pictures of myself. However, Trent's soccer team is having it's first scrimmage during practice tomorrow so I'll make sure to bring my camera and get some good shots.
It's funny that now that what I think of as the worst is behind us, we know what it is and we know we can beat it, I find myself getting more emotional with the continuous outpouring of love and support from everyone. The treatment is by no means going to be pleasant, but I feel like I know what to expect and I can (and will!) live with everything that comes and I'm not really scared anymore. I also keep thinking about the saying that you really learn who your friends are when the s%#! hits the fan, but instead of the worst I have just been overwhelmed by the best of everyone it seems I've ever known. That's the part that gets me choked up on a regular basis and I guess I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm fighting this fight for me, but I'm also doing it for everyone who believes in me.
Thanks to everyone! I love you all!
Abbey
I have also been told that I should be posting pictures to share. Although my swelling is going down I'm not too keen yet on sharing pictures of myself. However, Trent's soccer team is having it's first scrimmage during practice tomorrow so I'll make sure to bring my camera and get some good shots.
It's funny that now that what I think of as the worst is behind us, we know what it is and we know we can beat it, I find myself getting more emotional with the continuous outpouring of love and support from everyone. The treatment is by no means going to be pleasant, but I feel like I know what to expect and I can (and will!) live with everything that comes and I'm not really scared anymore. I also keep thinking about the saying that you really learn who your friends are when the s%#! hits the fan, but instead of the worst I have just been overwhelmed by the best of everyone it seems I've ever known. That's the part that gets me choked up on a regular basis and I guess I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm fighting this fight for me, but I'm also doing it for everyone who believes in me.
Thanks to everyone! I love you all!
Abbey
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Back Home...
Hi All,
Abbey came back home this afternoon, around 3:00. She's handled the chemo well so far. She's tired, but this might be due to the overnight tests they had to run and the roommates that she's had. She's also had some nausea, but it seems to be mainly due to forgetting to take the medicine on time for this. All of the bloodwork seems great so far!
My cousin Jim and his family came by today. They are the only other DeGraffenreids outside of LA, they live near Carson City, NV. Had a very nice visit with them, the boys played some Wii, and we had a very nice tri-tip on the grill. We had hoped that Abbey's appetite might be suppressed so we could all have bigger shares of it, but no such luck. (Actually, I cooked two - I damn well knew that she wouldn't be able to pass up my tri-tip. )
The CT scans they ran on Thursday night came back negative - no other tumors (YEAH!) and, while we don't have a pathology report on the marrow biopsy, the head of the marrow transfer unit at the hospital looked at it and said that she didn't see any abnormalities.
Abbey and Trent are cuddling up in bed right now - oops, cancel that. Calvin just called, they're gabbing. I'm sure that she'll have a post for you all tomorrow. In the meantime, vote for her favorite hospital roommate. I'm not giving you any hints....
Bill
Abbey came back home this afternoon, around 3:00. She's handled the chemo well so far. She's tired, but this might be due to the overnight tests they had to run and the roommates that she's had. She's also had some nausea, but it seems to be mainly due to forgetting to take the medicine on time for this. All of the bloodwork seems great so far!
My cousin Jim and his family came by today. They are the only other DeGraffenreids outside of LA, they live near Carson City, NV. Had a very nice visit with them, the boys played some Wii, and we had a very nice tri-tip on the grill. We had hoped that Abbey's appetite might be suppressed so we could all have bigger shares of it, but no such luck. (Actually, I cooked two - I damn well knew that she wouldn't be able to pass up my tri-tip. )
The CT scans they ran on Thursday night came back negative - no other tumors (YEAH!) and, while we don't have a pathology report on the marrow biopsy, the head of the marrow transfer unit at the hospital looked at it and said that she didn't see any abnormalities.
Abbey and Trent are cuddling up in bed right now - oops, cancel that. Calvin just called, they're gabbing. I'm sure that she'll have a post for you all tomorrow. In the meantime, vote for her favorite hospital roommate. I'm not giving you any hints....
Bill
Friday, August 15, 2008
Hospital Time
I have determined that hospital time is something entirely different from normal time, mainly a whole lot slower. After arriving around 4:30 yesterday I hung out in the accelerated access unit for several hours, even went for my abdominal CT from there. I was finally transferred to the oncology unit between 8 and 9. Overnight wasn't too bad if you don't count the fire drill at 1am and the lab lady waking me up with the blinding light at 5am for a blood draw. I was originally scheduled to go to Interventional Radiology first thing this morning to have the portacath placed so I was told no food or drink after 4am. However the radiologists decided against the procedure because of all the swelling so that never happened. The worst part was that the decision wasn't communicated until about 10am at which time I was starving and caffeine-deprived cranky. My fabulous nurse brought me a mini breakfast and even went down to the coffee shop in the lobby and bought me a latte. Dr. Shek, the oncology fellow came in to do the bone marrow biopsy around that time. Definitely not a procedure I want to do again any time soon, but apparently I have very strong bones! So now we're going to do the first chemo cycle through the peripheral IVs which should dramatically reduce the size of the tumor (maybe 50%) which in turn should relieve a lot of the swelling. If I tolerate the chemo peripherally then we may just continue that for future cycles or we may go in and do the portacath in a couple weeks. I'm still waiting for the chemo cocktail to show up and the nurse says it will take "a few hours" to infuse then they will be monitoring blood and vitals closely for a while so I don't expect to go home until Saturday afternoon at the earliest. My work teammates stopped by earlier and did a very good job entertaining me and my nurse while she tried to start a second IV. They even helped a bit and it was good to laugh. Bill is here now and he will be bringing Trent by for a visit after school which will be nice. Then I've got some good movies to watch tonight (21, Smart People, The Good Shepherd).
Time to get cleaned up before they start the cocktail. I'll write more later.
Abbey
Time to get cleaned up before they start the cocktail. I'll write more later.
Abbey
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Checking in...
... to the hospital.
Bill here. As it turns out, they like to do the first round of chemo as in-patient. Apparently, the latest generation of treatment starts breaking up the tumor so fast that they like to keep a very close eye on the "waste" products. This wasn't clear to us until 2:40 this afternoon. So, after Trent and I have soccer this evening, I get to go back to the hospital with PJs and movies to keep Abbey busy over the next couple of days while our buddy Lisa takes advantage of the Hi-Definition coverage of the Olympics with Trent.
I'm sure that Abbey will shortly be posting an entry. Check back soon.
love,
Da Soccer Boys (Trent and Bill)
Bill here. As it turns out, they like to do the first round of chemo as in-patient. Apparently, the latest generation of treatment starts breaking up the tumor so fast that they like to keep a very close eye on the "waste" products. This wasn't clear to us until 2:40 this afternoon. So, after Trent and I have soccer this evening, I get to go back to the hospital with PJs and movies to keep Abbey busy over the next couple of days while our buddy Lisa takes advantage of the Hi-Definition coverage of the Olympics with Trent.
I'm sure that Abbey will shortly be posting an entry. Check back soon.
love,
Da Soccer Boys (Trent and Bill)
Slight change of plans
It turns out the nurse yesterday neglected to mention that for my first chemotherapy cycle I would be admitted to the hospital for a few days. Mainly this is because the drugs (CHOP-R for those who are dying to do some research) attacks and breaks down the tumor so fast they need to monitor me closely to see how I respond. I'm in a room right now in the Accelerated Access Unit which is where you go to get in the door until they can find a bed in the right unit (D8 - Medical/Surgical Oncology for my UCD friends). I'll be getting an abdominal CT probably tonight so they can see the remaining lymph nodes that haven't already been imaged to confirm there are no other tumors. Tomorrow morning they will do a bone marrow biopsy to make sure it hasn't spread there either and then put in a central line portacath which will be how the deliver the chemotherapy. After that they will start the chemo which will take quite a while to infuse as they need to go slowly. Then it will be a lot of blood and other body fluid tests to watch how I'm reacting. I'm not sure at this point how long I'll be here as that will depend on what the tests show. The good news is that my oncologist (Dr. Lara) suspects I will respond well given my age and general health (other than the cancer, of course) and may be able to go home in 2 days (Saturday?). And as long as I do respond well all further treatments (there will be 7 more, 1 every 3 weeks) will be outpatient at the Cancer Center.
I'm bummed because Dr. Lara said a trip to the east coast, even for a few days, was out of the question right now. He wants me to be close by between the first and second cycles in case of any complications. For all of the Houses and Littels reading this, I'm really going to miss seeing everyone. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we can get in a trip around the holidays.
Bill also did the math and discovered that treatment #5 will fall during my planned trip to Hawaii in November to see my mom's chorus compete in the Sweet Adeline's International Competition. I had planned to take Trent and he is soooo excited so I told Dr. Lara that he would have to break the bad news. However, we may be able to move the treatments somewhat so I'm not willing to entirely rule out making the trip.
Anyhow, travel can always wait. The important thing now is to get this party started and I am definitely ready to go!
Love to all!
I'm bummed because Dr. Lara said a trip to the east coast, even for a few days, was out of the question right now. He wants me to be close by between the first and second cycles in case of any complications. For all of the Houses and Littels reading this, I'm really going to miss seeing everyone. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we can get in a trip around the holidays.
Bill also did the math and discovered that treatment #5 will fall during my planned trip to Hawaii in November to see my mom's chorus compete in the Sweet Adeline's International Competition. I had planned to take Trent and he is soooo excited so I told Dr. Lara that he would have to break the bad news. However, we may be able to move the treatments somewhat so I'm not willing to entirely rule out making the trip.
Anyhow, travel can always wait. The important thing now is to get this party started and I am definitely ready to go!
Love to all!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Drum roll please . . .
Well, we got the best news we could possibly get short of "Psych, you don't have cancer".
The pathology report indicates that I have Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). According to Dr. Calhoun it's the most common Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and VERY treatable. In fact, he expected I would see a reduction in symptoms as early as the day after my first treatment, which just so happens to be TOMORROW!!!!!.
It took what seems like forever to find an open spot with an oncologist in the next few days and the staff, including the wonderful lady who helped my initial referral through all the various hoops, was finally able to get me an appointment with one of the fellows tomorrow afternoon. Then, not long after getting home we got a call from the nurse who has been working with us since the beginning. She had talked to the head fellow and they decided we could get started with treatment as soon as the appointment is over. So I guess I'll be enjoying my first "chemo cocktail" at this time tomorrow. However, I have to say that my favorite hospital food was not on Bill's list. About the only thing I enjoyed were the lemon icees.
I am humbled by the "A-team's" enthusiasm and by all my friends and family who have already stepped up to support them. You all are amazing. Watch out and I may just be down there to join in the walk!
love,
Abbey
The pathology report indicates that I have Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). According to Dr. Calhoun it's the most common Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and VERY treatable. In fact, he expected I would see a reduction in symptoms as early as the day after my first treatment, which just so happens to be TOMORROW!!!!!.
It took what seems like forever to find an open spot with an oncologist in the next few days and the staff, including the wonderful lady who helped my initial referral through all the various hoops, was finally able to get me an appointment with one of the fellows tomorrow afternoon. Then, not long after getting home we got a call from the nurse who has been working with us since the beginning. She had talked to the head fellow and they decided we could get started with treatment as soon as the appointment is over. So I guess I'll be enjoying my first "chemo cocktail" at this time tomorrow. However, I have to say that my favorite hospital food was not on Bill's list. About the only thing I enjoyed were the lemon icees.
I am humbled by the "A-team's" enthusiasm and by all my friends and family who have already stepped up to support them. You all are amazing. Watch out and I may just be down there to join in the walk!
love,
Abbey
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Lymphomathon...
From Bill's Sister Katie:
"Some of you know that my sister-in-law, Abbey, was recently diagnosed with lymphoma...the most common blood cancer in the United States. One way that I will be showing my support for her is by participating in the Orange County Lymphomathon on November 15. I created a team, the "A-Team", in support of Abbey. The event will raise funds and awareness for the Lymphoma Research Foundation.
Please join me in honoring those who have been affected by lymphoma. If you would like, you can make a donation at my website: https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=273294&supId=228683256 I am also looking for additional teammates. If you're interested, you can join the team by going to my page then clicking on the link to "My Team Page"."
Katie - you rock!
love,
Abbey, Bill, and Trent
"Some of you know that my sister-in-law, Abbey, was recently diagnosed with lymphoma...the most common blood cancer in the United States. One way that I will be showing my support for her is by participating in the Orange County Lymphomathon on November 15. I created a team, the "A-Team", in support of Abbey. The event will raise funds and awareness for the Lymphoma Research Foundation.
Please join me in honoring those who have been affected by lymphoma. If you would like, you can make a donation at my website: https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=273294&supId=228683256 I am also looking for additional teammates. If you're interested, you can join the team by going to my page then clicking on the link to "My Team Page"."
Katie - you rock!
love,
Abbey, Bill, and Trent
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Waiting, waiting, waiting
Hi all! It's Bill.
It's Saturday morning, and we've got a pretty busy schedule for the day, but I thought I'd drop a quick note to let you know what's been going on.
To be honest, a whole lot of nothing. As Abbey mentioned in her previous post, waiting is the hardest part. Her surgery recovery is going well, she's feeling better all the time. Thanks to Trent's watchful eye, she's doing very well at her breathing exercises. In fact, she felt good enough to go to work on Thursday and Friday. Her coworkers were very happy to see her and I think that the distraction was good for her (I know going to work has been good for me, too).
We did have to cancel our two week trip to New England because we're not sure what her treatment schedule is going to be (and our flight was scheduled to be somewhere between Las Vegas and Charlotte, NC at the same time as Wed's doctor's appointment). But, if we're able to, we still want to head out for a few days to attend Jamie's wedding (Abbey's cousin).
We continue to be blessed by wonderful words of encouragement from friends and family. Thank you all!
love,
Bill, Abbey, and Trent
It's Saturday morning, and we've got a pretty busy schedule for the day, but I thought I'd drop a quick note to let you know what's been going on.
To be honest, a whole lot of nothing. As Abbey mentioned in her previous post, waiting is the hardest part. Her surgery recovery is going well, she's feeling better all the time. Thanks to Trent's watchful eye, she's doing very well at her breathing exercises. In fact, she felt good enough to go to work on Thursday and Friday. Her coworkers were very happy to see her and I think that the distraction was good for her (I know going to work has been good for me, too).
We did have to cancel our two week trip to New England because we're not sure what her treatment schedule is going to be (and our flight was scheduled to be somewhere between Las Vegas and Charlotte, NC at the same time as Wed's doctor's appointment). But, if we're able to, we still want to head out for a few days to attend Jamie's wedding (Abbey's cousin).
We continue to be blessed by wonderful words of encouragement from friends and family. Thank you all!
love,
Bill, Abbey, and Trent
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Waiting Game
I kind off knew this would be the hard part, but having to wait until next Wednesday to find out what I'm up against is already driving my crazy. I stayed home from work today although I did participate in couple meetings by conference call. My pain is pretty well controlled, but I'm trying to take it easy on the vicodin. Still working on improving my breathing. Bill is quite the task-master when it comes to doing the exercises. He's even co-opted Trent into making it a "game for the whole family" so there's no way I can say no! I'll be back at work tomorrow for at least a half day depending on how I feel. At the very least I need to pick up my laptop before I go nuts.
Went to Trent's first soccer practice last night. Go Hornets! Four & Five year olds playing soccer has got to be the best thing in the world for lifting spirits. Plus it's just plain hilarious to watch.
Went to Trent's first soccer practice last night. Go Hornets! Four & Five year olds playing soccer has got to be the best thing in the world for lifting spirits. Plus it's just plain hilarious to watch.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Going Home!
Hi All!
Abbey here.
Just a quick note to say that I've been discharged and am "enjoying" one last hospital meal before Bill shows up to take me home. Now that the chest tube has been removed I'm feeling MUCH better. I have my follow-up with Dr. Calhoun/first visit with the oncologist scheduled for next Wednesday afternoon. That should be when we get the biopsy results and learn what the rest of the plan will be. I plan to stay home from work at least tomorrow and then we'll see. I'm going to use the time to respond back to all the wonderful messages I've been receiving.
I'm officially ready for the fight to begin. I dare anyone to bet against me! :)
Abbey here.
Just a quick note to say that I've been discharged and am "enjoying" one last hospital meal before Bill shows up to take me home. Now that the chest tube has been removed I'm feeling MUCH better. I have my follow-up with Dr. Calhoun/first visit with the oncologist scheduled for next Wednesday afternoon. That should be when we get the biopsy results and learn what the rest of the plan will be. I plan to stay home from work at least tomorrow and then we'll see. I'm going to use the time to respond back to all the wonderful messages I've been receiving.
I'm officially ready for the fight to begin. I dare anyone to bet against me! :)
Resting in the hospital
Hi All,
Abbey had hoped to post a message this morning, but you have all sent her so many emails that she's worn out from responding to them (the 4:00 chest X-ray followed by a parade of nurses, med students, residents, and Dr. Calhoun certainly had nothing to do with her being tired, I' m sure).
This morning before she kicked me out of the room to go to work, we did a lap around the ward. She's moving pretty well and is anxious to get the chest tube out. Hopefully it will be out early this afternoon and then they'll let her go home.
In other exciting news, Trent has his first soccer practice this afternoon. He's on the Hornets and is very excited about the upcoming season.
Bill
Abbey had hoped to post a message this morning, but you have all sent her so many emails that she's worn out from responding to them (the 4:00 chest X-ray followed by a parade of nurses, med students, residents, and Dr. Calhoun certainly had nothing to do with her being tired, I' m sure).
This morning before she kicked me out of the room to go to work, we did a lap around the ward. She's moving pretty well and is anxious to get the chest tube out. Hopefully it will be out early this afternoon and then they'll let her go home.
In other exciting news, Trent has his first soccer practice this afternoon. He's on the Hornets and is very excited about the upcoming season.
Bill
Monday, August 4, 2008
Post-OP Recovery
Abbey's still in recovery, but only because they haven't yet found a bed for her.
I spent a couple of hours with her this afternoon. She's in good spirits, although quite sore from the surgery. The surgery required three "small" incisions. I take that to mean a couple of stitches each. They did deflate her right lung in the process, but this was expected.
She's resting now and anxious to get into a room.
B
I spent a couple of hours with her this afternoon. She's in good spirits, although quite sore from the surgery. The surgery required three "small" incisions. I take that to mean a couple of stitches each. They did deflate her right lung in the process, but this was expected.
She's resting now and anxious to get into a room.
B
Out of the OR
Dr. Calhoun just came by. He said that the surgery went as expected. They removed a number of good samples for the pathologists to look at. He says that it does look like a lymphoma to him, which he was happy to see. In his words: "It's good news. We'll kill it with chemo."
I should be able to go back to see Abbey in about a half an hour. Given the late start, she'll probably be her overnight.
Therefore, in light our our discussion this morning waiting for preop, I am posting a quiz:
Which hospital food does Abbey like best?
I should be able to go back to see Abbey in about a half an hour. Given the late start, she'll probably be her overnight.
Therefore, in light our our discussion this morning waiting for preop, I am posting a quiz:
Which hospital food does Abbey like best?
Biopsy Underway
Bill here.
I'm in the waiting room, after having grabbed a quick breakfast in the cafeteria. We arrived today at 6:45, they took Abbey to be prepped for surgery at 9:30.
We ran into the doctor when we got to the hospital as I was grabbing a quick coffee. We were pleased to see that he would be properly awake. While I was eating my breakfast, he ran through the cafeteria, appearing to grab a quick snack between surgeries.
Like Abbey, I wish to thank everyone for all of the wonderful support that we've received over the past few days. Our inboxes are overflowing and it's making us even stronger. Thank you.
Trent is doing well. He's aware of the surgery and that the doctors are taking a look at what's making Mommy feel bad. We haven't mentioned cancer yet, but we've let him know that she's probably going to have to take some medicine that's going to make her feel rotten and make her grumpy. Our wonderful neighbors Stefane and Cristi are picking him up from school today, but I'll be heading home tonight to be with him for bedtime.
Thanks again!
love,
Bill, Abbey, and Trent
I'm in the waiting room, after having grabbed a quick breakfast in the cafeteria. We arrived today at 6:45, they took Abbey to be prepped for surgery at 9:30.
We ran into the doctor when we got to the hospital as I was grabbing a quick coffee. We were pleased to see that he would be properly awake. While I was eating my breakfast, he ran through the cafeteria, appearing to grab a quick snack between surgeries.
Like Abbey, I wish to thank everyone for all of the wonderful support that we've received over the past few days. Our inboxes are overflowing and it's making us even stronger. Thank you.
Trent is doing well. He's aware of the surgery and that the doctors are taking a look at what's making Mommy feel bad. We haven't mentioned cancer yet, but we've let him know that she's probably going to have to take some medicine that's going to make her feel rotten and make her grumpy. Our wonderful neighbors Stefane and Cristi are picking him up from school today, but I'll be heading home tonight to be with him for bedtime.
Thanks again!
love,
Bill, Abbey, and Trent
Moving the blog
Well, it appears that yahoo's 360 blog system is a little buggy. Some have had trouble using it, so we've decided to move things here. Below, I've pasted the past entries.
August 3, 2008
Hey Everyone!
First, we're just overwhelmed in a very good way at all the warm wishes and messages of support from friends and family far and wide. That helps during this waiting time more than you'll every know.
Second, check out this great site Bill's sister Katie found that sells stuff to raise money for cancer awareness and research (https://secure.choosehope.com/commerce/catalog.jsp?catId=29 ). I plan to buy one of everything in the "Cancer Sucks" line. For those Alpha Chi Sigma brothers of mine, the long sleeve T-shirt in pretty-near official fraternity colors caught my eye. I expect to see everyone wearing one at conclave 2010!
I promise the first question we ask the surgeon tomorrow is, "How long until the biopsy results come back?" I can't believe we missed that when we met him on Friday, but considering he was able to get the surgery through the insurance authorization and pre-op process between 3:45 and 5pm on a Friday I'll cut us all some slack!
Thanks again to all from the bottom of my heart!
Abbey
August 2, 2008
Dear Friends,
I am very saddened to share with you that yesterday, August 1, was the worst day of our lives – we received confirmation that Abbey has a tumor in her chest. Based on its location, CT-scan image, and her age/health – it is most likely a lymphoma (cancer of the lymph system).
The short summary of its discovery is as follows. She began suffering from some discomfort in her throat a few of months ago which was attributed to acid reflux. She was given medication that seemed to help and a referral to an ear-nose-throat (ENT) specialist. The ENT clinic is notoriously slow for getting an appointment (as we learned when Trent needed tubes in his ears); it was scheduled for July 30. The first week or so of this month, the discomfort level began to return with increased intensity and while vacationing in Sequoia National Park mid-July, she developed some very significant swelling of her face, neck, shoulders, and arms. A 14-hour visit to Fresno’s ER resulted in no diagnosis, but did provide some medication to keep the swelling under control. With news of the developments while camping, we were able to move up the ENT appointment. After a couple of throat/esophagus scopes and a head CT scan revealed nothing other than swelling, it was recommended to do a chest CT. This scan revealed the tumor. It appears that the tumor has encroached on the esophagus (leading to the pressure in her throat) and also somewhat constricted the vein that routes the blood from the upper half of her body back to the heart (leading to the swelling). Fortunately, the CT scans (which cover the entire trunk) do not seem to show it spreading beyond this single tumor.
Monday morning, August 4, at 7:00 she checks in to the UC Davis Medical Center for a surgical biopsy. Apparently the tumor isn’t of a variety that is easily removed surgically and a “needle” biopsy doesn’t always provide an adequately sized sample. The biopsy will allow the oncologists to determine exactly what sort of cells the tumor is made of so that the most effective treatment can be put into place. It will certainly involve chemotherapy and perhaps radiation. The biopsy requires admission to the hospital, but it is minimally invasive (it is done laparoscopically) and the surgeon says that there is a 50% chance that she’ll be able to go home that evening; it will depend upon how her body responds. Once the oncologists are able to review the pathology report, we’ll have a better idea where things stand.
We hope to be able to start treatment at the UC Davis Cancer Center by the end of the week. The day that we start treatment will be one of the most exciting days of our lives as we begin the process of kicking the shit out of the cancer. We are fortunate that we have the best facility in Northern California a mere five miles from our house. Even more important is that Abbey, in her job helping to manage security for the Medical Records Division of the UCD Medical Center, hasn’t had to bust anybody in that particular unit for breaking any security rules and has apparently been rather helpful to them in the past. They really like her a lot! Well, who doesn’t?
A few months back, on a rainy evening when I had trouble falling asleep, I started a blog (if you can call writing a single, bourbon-inspired entry a blog). In any event – we’ve decided to use it to share our progress with you. You should be able to find it at:
http://360.yahoo.com/wdegraff
Please ignore the aforementioned bourbon-inspired entry. The beginning of the most recently posted entry is displayed at the top of the center column. You can click on the “View Blog” link to see the complete entry as well as all of the previous ones. You can also post messages to Abbey here. She’ll be checking them often (as we all know how hard it is to keep her away from the computer). We expect that this blog will be therapeutic for us and helpful for you.
Most of you know how hard it is to get me to shut up, so here is the obligatory story. Trent, Abbey, and I participated in the Sacramento Susan Komen Race for the Cure this past May. For those of you not familiar with the event, it is a 5 kilometer (3.1 mile) race/walk to raise funds to fight breast cancer. When we arrived that morning, I was feeling particularly confident and decided to participate in the “running” version of the event, even though I hadn’t trained for it. As I began to run, it became quickly became apparent that I wasn’t quite ready for this. However, as I looked around the mass of people running alongside me, I saw quite a few people running with pink T-shirts (women who have survived breast cancer). I was inspired. Given the fight that they had gone through, simply giving up because I felt sore and fat wasn’t going to an option. I managed keep running, didn’t break stride, and dragged my fat butt across the finish line in a relatively non-embarrassing 35 minutes. As I lingered at the finish line with my bottle of water waiting for Abbey and Trent to finish the 5K walk; I watched and cheered for all of survivors that came in after me (and was seriously in awe of those that were all standing around at the finish line waiting for guys like me to finish). It was probably the most inspired that I’ve been in my life. Until now. Next May, with the support of all of you and Abbey’s medical team: she, Trent and I will again complete that race and every other cancer fighting race in the Sacramento region. Please consider participating in similar events in your area.
We thank you all for the kind thoughts and prayers that you are sending us. It means the world to us. Please feel free to forward this information to others; we may have lost touch with some folks.
We love you all.
Bill, Abbey, and Trent
August 3, 2008
Hey Everyone!
First, we're just overwhelmed in a very good way at all the warm wishes and messages of support from friends and family far and wide. That helps during this waiting time more than you'll every know.
Second, check out this great site Bill's sister Katie found that sells stuff to raise money for cancer awareness and research (https://secure.choosehope.com/commerce/catalog.jsp?catId=29 ). I plan to buy one of everything in the "Cancer Sucks" line. For those Alpha Chi Sigma brothers of mine, the long sleeve T-shirt in pretty-near official fraternity colors caught my eye. I expect to see everyone wearing one at conclave 2010!
I promise the first question we ask the surgeon tomorrow is, "How long until the biopsy results come back?" I can't believe we missed that when we met him on Friday, but considering he was able to get the surgery through the insurance authorization and pre-op process between 3:45 and 5pm on a Friday I'll cut us all some slack!
Thanks again to all from the bottom of my heart!
Abbey
August 2, 2008
Dear Friends,
I am very saddened to share with you that yesterday, August 1, was the worst day of our lives – we received confirmation that Abbey has a tumor in her chest. Based on its location, CT-scan image, and her age/health – it is most likely a lymphoma (cancer of the lymph system).
The short summary of its discovery is as follows. She began suffering from some discomfort in her throat a few of months ago which was attributed to acid reflux. She was given medication that seemed to help and a referral to an ear-nose-throat (ENT) specialist. The ENT clinic is notoriously slow for getting an appointment (as we learned when Trent needed tubes in his ears); it was scheduled for July 30. The first week or so of this month, the discomfort level began to return with increased intensity and while vacationing in Sequoia National Park mid-July, she developed some very significant swelling of her face, neck, shoulders, and arms. A 14-hour visit to Fresno’s ER resulted in no diagnosis, but did provide some medication to keep the swelling under control. With news of the developments while camping, we were able to move up the ENT appointment. After a couple of throat/esophagus scopes and a head CT scan revealed nothing other than swelling, it was recommended to do a chest CT. This scan revealed the tumor. It appears that the tumor has encroached on the esophagus (leading to the pressure in her throat) and also somewhat constricted the vein that routes the blood from the upper half of her body back to the heart (leading to the swelling). Fortunately, the CT scans (which cover the entire trunk) do not seem to show it spreading beyond this single tumor.
Monday morning, August 4, at 7:00 she checks in to the UC Davis Medical Center for a surgical biopsy. Apparently the tumor isn’t of a variety that is easily removed surgically and a “needle” biopsy doesn’t always provide an adequately sized sample. The biopsy will allow the oncologists to determine exactly what sort of cells the tumor is made of so that the most effective treatment can be put into place. It will certainly involve chemotherapy and perhaps radiation. The biopsy requires admission to the hospital, but it is minimally invasive (it is done laparoscopically) and the surgeon says that there is a 50% chance that she’ll be able to go home that evening; it will depend upon how her body responds. Once the oncologists are able to review the pathology report, we’ll have a better idea where things stand.
We hope to be able to start treatment at the UC Davis Cancer Center by the end of the week. The day that we start treatment will be one of the most exciting days of our lives as we begin the process of kicking the shit out of the cancer. We are fortunate that we have the best facility in Northern California a mere five miles from our house. Even more important is that Abbey, in her job helping to manage security for the Medical Records Division of the UCD Medical Center, hasn’t had to bust anybody in that particular unit for breaking any security rules and has apparently been rather helpful to them in the past. They really like her a lot! Well, who doesn’t?
A few months back, on a rainy evening when I had trouble falling asleep, I started a blog (if you can call writing a single, bourbon-inspired entry a blog). In any event – we’ve decided to use it to share our progress with you. You should be able to find it at:
http://360.yahoo.com/wdegraff
Please ignore the aforementioned bourbon-inspired entry. The beginning of the most recently posted entry is displayed at the top of the center column. You can click on the “View Blog” link to see the complete entry as well as all of the previous ones. You can also post messages to Abbey here. She’ll be checking them often (as we all know how hard it is to keep her away from the computer). We expect that this blog will be therapeutic for us and helpful for you.
Most of you know how hard it is to get me to shut up, so here is the obligatory story. Trent, Abbey, and I participated in the Sacramento Susan Komen Race for the Cure this past May. For those of you not familiar with the event, it is a 5 kilometer (3.1 mile) race/walk to raise funds to fight breast cancer. When we arrived that morning, I was feeling particularly confident and decided to participate in the “running” version of the event, even though I hadn’t trained for it. As I began to run, it became quickly became apparent that I wasn’t quite ready for this. However, as I looked around the mass of people running alongside me, I saw quite a few people running with pink T-shirts (women who have survived breast cancer). I was inspired. Given the fight that they had gone through, simply giving up because I felt sore and fat wasn’t going to an option. I managed keep running, didn’t break stride, and dragged my fat butt across the finish line in a relatively non-embarrassing 35 minutes. As I lingered at the finish line with my bottle of water waiting for Abbey and Trent to finish the 5K walk; I watched and cheered for all of survivors that came in after me (and was seriously in awe of those that were all standing around at the finish line waiting for guys like me to finish). It was probably the most inspired that I’ve been in my life. Until now. Next May, with the support of all of you and Abbey’s medical team: she, Trent and I will again complete that race and every other cancer fighting race in the Sacramento region. Please consider participating in similar events in your area.
We thank you all for the kind thoughts and prayers that you are sending us. It means the world to us. Please feel free to forward this information to others; we may have lost touch with some folks.
We love you all.
Bill, Abbey, and Trent
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