The PET/CT Results

For those of you who don't follow me on Facebook, I received the results to the PET/CT Scan I had on Thursday...the tests showed  no cancer in my body!  That means that I'm in remission!  I'll still have 4 more treatments and then I'll be done.  

Thank you for all of your prayers, thoughts, and words of support over the last five months.  We couldn't have done this without YOU!!!

-bw

The 2nd PET/CT Scan

My reactions from treatment last week weren't as good as the previous weeks.  The days immediately after treatment were like being on a roller coaster--good for one hour and then bad for 3.  I spent a lot of time sleeping and wishing I could wake up in October!

*****

I go in on Thursday of this week for my re-staging PET/CT scan.  This scan will show what the chemotherapy has done to the Lymphoma over the last 4 months.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it'll show that it has been taken care of, which means only 4 more treatments!  

*****

This week, Rachel and I are teaching arts & crafts at VBS @ GGUMC.  Day 1 was today, and so far, we're having a good time!  Tomorrow will be much more exciting as we'll have 16 MORE preschoolers than we had today!  Pray for us!

*****

On Wednesday, we're hoping to go to the Orange County Fair.  I'll try to get some pictures to put up here.

-bw

The Pictures from my new Camera

I took all of these pictures using my new Nikon DSL40 camera while at Disney's California Adventure.

The Michigan Trip...Finally!

Here is the summary of our Michigan trip from three weeks ago (better late than never):

Wednesday (6/24)

We flew to Chicago's Midway airport from LAX.  I slept most of the flight and Rachel dealt with the piece of work sitting next to her (not me).  It was 93 and humid in Chicago when we hopped into the rental car.  We drove to Grand Haven (there was hardly any traffic) and met up with Jen for a trip to the lake for some pronto pups & rock piles.  After dinner, we drove to the Riverhouse, our home away from home for the next few days.

Thursday (6/25)

Thursday was highlighted by sleeping 11 hours during the night and taking plenty of naps during the day.  I also helped install the window air conditioning units and was rewarded when Rachel's dad brought Fricano's pizza for dinner!

Friday (6/26)

More sleeping and a trip to the grocery store.  Worst part of the trip so far: my favorite beef jerky store was closed for remodeling!  Rachel's grandparents came to visit and we spent a good amount of time with them, including lunch and a hardcore game of Phase 10!

Saturday (6/27)

I felt much better on Saturday.  I was up before 9 and had more energy.  We had lots of visitors (and a great time with all of them)!  Jen, Uncle Kevin, Aunt Patti, Jason, Karli, Karina, & Jackson were all there to hangout and enjoy the wonderful river weather.

Sunday (6/28)

Sunday was a travel day for us and included our first Culver's meal of the trip.  We had dinner with Jim & Kevin before heading over to the Evangelista's to spend the night.  We talked until the wee hours of the morning (just like old times) and enjoyed homemade sticky buns!

Monday (6/29)

After sleeping in, we had breakfast at the Evangelista's before going to our favorite Southeast Michigan Chinese restaurant, Chinese Tonite in Chelsea.  As if that wasn't enough food, we stopped at Culver's for dessert.  We then went to Battle Creek to prepare Rachel's dad's birthday dinner.  Rachel's brother, Casey, also came over and we watched the first Transformers movie.

Tuesday (6/30)

We left Battle Creek in the morning and drove back to Chicago.  Of course, we stopped at Culver's for lunch and then rushed to the airport for a two hour flight delay!  Despite the delays, we had a great flight crew (thanks, Southwest!) that made the trip enjoyable.  We were glad to be home safely, but weren't looking forward to reality!

The Pictures

1/2 way done with chemo!

@ Joslyn's wedding.

Family pic @ Amie's wedding. You can almost see Rachel.

Father's Day 2009.

Homemade Sliders.

When you choose the wrong team in the NBA Finals, you lose the bet. Brandon had to wear the Lakers shirt for 24 consecutive hours!

Joslyn & Ian's wedding. June 7, 2009.

Amie & Shane's wedding. June 6, 2009.

The Downhill Ride

I promised Grandma that I would write tonight--especially since I've gone two weeks again without any contribution to this Blog.  

Our trip to Michigan was great!  I'll try to post pictures later this week (along with the pictures I promised two weeks ago).  The good news is I already wrote a draft of what I was going to Blog about, so I'll probably get that up tomorrow after my numerous naps.

Tomorrow's treatment is my 7th.  After the treatment on the 20th of July, I'll go in for another PET/CT Scan, which should show the cancer is all gone.  4 more treatments after that and I'll be all done!

-bw

The Day Before Chemo Treatment 6

Wow!  I can't believe it has been almost two whole weeks since I've posted anything on here.  A lot has happened in those two weeks, so let's get started!

After my last treatment, I returned to work on Thursday instead of taking the rest of the week off.  I paid for it because I came down with a small cold.  Luckily, I was seeing the oncologist on Monday anyway, so he gave me some antibiotics to help with what he thought was turning into a bronchial infection.  I feel better now and am preparing for treatment tomorrow.

*****

The school year officially ended on Thursday, so Ion Friday I found myself on the wrong end of the unemployment line.  Hopefully, it is just procedure and I should have my job back in the fall.  

*****

Friday night, Rachel and I went to the Hollywood Bowl for the 10th Anniversary of their Hall of Fame Induction ceremony.  It was a great night with great music and a guest appearance from Dame Edna.  The evening included performances from Trisha Yearwood and Josh Groban and concluded with John Williams directing the orchestra (to the Star Wars Theme) as fireworks shot off overhead.

*****

Saturday night, we had my mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law, & nephew over for Father's Day dinner.  I'll have pictures to post of some of the food selections later.  The menu included homemade sliders, chicken wings, and milk shakes.  A good time was had by all!

*****

As I said earlier, tomorrow is another treatment day for me.  If you've noticed, I'm now getting treatments on Mondays.  This is because we are flying out to Michigan on Wednesday.  We'll be there for a week and are looking forward to the relaxation that comes with vacation.  Hopefully the chemo & flight doesn't beat me up too much!  

I'll try to post at least an update on my blood counts either tomorrow or Tuesday, and as soon as I get the pictures I'll put them here...including one of my brother in a Laker shirt (long story).

-bw

The Chemotherapy Treatment: Day 5

Yesterday was my 5th Chemo treatment and today I'm feeling better that any other Chemo treatments. Blood counts before treatment continued to be good and my weight today topped the scales at 203.0 pounds, a new record.

Following treatment yesterday afternoon, I returned home and took a "nap" from 8:30-12:30. Luckily, I missed the end of the Laker game, preventing me from stressing out even more. Today was a very relaxed day of watching TV, playing computer games, and napping. Tomorrow I'm going to try to return to work--as of right now, I'm a "go."

*****

This last weekend was very draining & exciting. More exciting than draining. It started with a wedding rehearsal Friday night in Oceanside for my cousin's wedding, which I performed. We drove back home after dinner so we could pick up my pants that weren't wide enough on Saturday morning. We drove back to Oceanside on Saturday, had lunch with a friend, and then went to the wedding. After the reception, we drove down to San Diego to spend the night because we were attending another wedding Sunday morning.

Both weddings were outdoors & beautiful. We had a lot of fun hanging out with friends and family, and slept like babies Sunday night!

I hope to post pictures of the weekend later.

*****

My next blood count/dr appointment is next Monday, so probably more then. We have another funfilled weekend with seminars/meetings and a graduation celebration coming up. The following weekend is another grad party, Father's Day, and treatment on Monday. We fly out to Michigan for a week on the 23rd. School's gonna be out and life is just going to get busier!

-bw

The Blood Test

Just a quick update as it is getting late and I should be in bed with the BIG weekend I have coming up (more on that later, hopefully). My lab results from Wednesday looked good again. I honestly think they are just printing out the reports from the previous weeks, but maybe not. Oh yeah, I've gained 11 pounds. (Thanks, Dana).

-bw

The Chemotherapy Treatment: Day 4

Wow, a lot has happened since I posted last week. I'll start with Friday and go from there.

Friday night, Rachel and I watched our nephew, Hayden for about 2 1/2 hours. We had a really good time singing songs, reading books, playing with toys (and water), and crawling all over the place. I can't believe how big he is getting.

*****

Saturday was Hayden's 1st birthday party. Of course, there was a bounce house (aka moon bounce) was 2 basketball hoops inside. Once the little kids had their turn, the big kids got to play some high quality Bounce House Basketball. It was a lot of fun, but also sad to realize we aren't as young as we were when we started playing 10 years ago. I'm not in as much pain as I was Saturday night, but I am finding more bruises as the week goes on. Oh yeah, and my head still hurts from Fomai landing on it.

For his birthday, we got Hayden a covered RadioFlyer Red Wagon, a cup with his name on it, and two Cheerios books. Hopefully he'll get a lot of use out of all of them!

*****

On Sunday, we went to church and then to the Strawberry Festival where we walked around with Hayden, Brandon, Kimi, Cam, & Brian. After that, we went to 29 Palms to visit Bennett, Rachel's brother. He's working out there as a civilian contractor for the USMC. It wasn't too hot (about 90), so we were able to relax outside in the shade and watch the fish in his little pond.

The drive home was a First Class Adventure. Rachel's GPS doesn't work in my car, so we were driving blindly at 10:30 at night. I haven't driven back from the desert in a while, but I knew I needed to be on the 215 or 15 (I wasn't sure which, although Ra mentioned something about the 15). All I knew is that the 215 (allegedly) hit the 91, and if I missed that, I would be down at Pechanga and would know how to get home from there. Well, the 215 DOESN'T hit the 91, so we ended up at the 215/15 Interchange in Murrieta, south of Lake Elsinore. I took the 15 north and made it home about 45 minutes later than when we should have been home. I think it is officially time to lay down the cash and purchase a GPS that will work in my car...or the Dodge Charger I really want.

*****

Monday was a trip to Disneyland. We met up with friends @ the Land & then my mom & dad @ DCA. My teacher friend doesn't like the rides, but her kids do, so Rachel and I rode some of the Roller Coasters with them. We had a good time, but I really hit the wall about noon. The long weekend had finally caught up to me. I was so tired, I slept in the car on the way home (Ra was driving).

*****

Tuesday I was back at work, followed by the Angel game that night. I attended batting practice and caught one ball off of Jeff Mathis, an Angel catcher. During BP, I couldn't help but notice Ervin Santana was really running hard while shagging balls in the outfield. The Angels ended up losing 4-2, but it was much better than Monday's game.

*****

Today was Day 4 of treatment. My counts were all perfectly within the ranges that a "healthy" person should have, so that is encouraging again. Treatment only lasted 2.5 hours today. I returned home, watched some TV, ate lunch, and then took a 2.5 hour nap before settling in for a night of Lakers (win) and Angels (up 2, top of 9). Tomorrow will probably be a heavy sleep day for me. Look for more on Sunday.

-bw

The Blood Counts

For the 6th consecutive week, my blood counts continue to be promising.  Of course, I have plenty of other issues going on (migraines, insomnia, FarmTown, earthquakes) that I always have something to worry about.  My next treatment is Wednesday, but I should have stuff for you from this weekend.

-bw

The Weekend...and the Earthquake

This has probably been the toughest recovery weekend for me.  I've felt some level of nausea at some point over the last 96 hours or so.  Luckily, nothing has developed into anything, but it has been irritating.  I know I'm lucky to have mild symptoms, but I was really spoiled after the first two treatments.

Making matters worse (or contributing to the way I felt) was that I didn't do a good job of saying "no" this weekend.  I don't regret any decisions I made this weekend...life is too short to stay in bed all weekend instead of spending time with the ones you love.  

*****

Took a trip to the local movie theater today to see a movie I never thought I would be interested in.  Rachel, Cameron, Brian, and I all went out today to see Star Trek.  Let me set the record straight:  I'm a Star Trek virgin.  I was a Star Wars virgin before Episode I.  I hadn't seen any of the Indiana Jones movies until a few years ago (thanks, Netflix).  Luckily, Rachel has made me watch all of these movies and I've enjoyed them.  

The movie today was excellent!  It was way more than I expected and I'm hoping they make more.  I'll probably end up renting the rest of them from Netflix over the summer as I go through treatment.  I just hope that the "old ones" don't ruin the experience I had today.

*****

I was making the bed tonight and watching the season finale of Survivor when I heard something loud and noticed that the television started shaking.  A few seconds later, the entire house started to shake!  I went downstairs and asked Rachel if she was O.K. and she was.  Even better for her, she didn't even feel it!  

It was centered up near Long Beach and registered a 4.7 on the Richter Scale.  We survived, but something still concerns me.  My cell phone was down immediately following the quake.  Media outlets are saying the cell phones should be fine, but this is the second decent sized quake in the last year that has disrupted cell service.  The bottom line though is that we're safe and O.K...until the next one hits.

*****

I go in for my weekly blood work on Wednesday.  I'll have more for you then.

-bw

The Chemotherapy Treatment: Day 3

Well, I had my third chemo treatment today, and it would be very easy for me to copy and paste old blogs into today's post to give you an update--especially when the results of today's treatment are really no different from the results of my other treatments.  I am a little more tired this time, but I think I can handle that.  

Today's blood counts were excellent again!  My white blood count was a little below range, but "for a chemo patient, they are very good."  You've got to love a doctor that shoots straight from the hip.  

*****

Treatment today went a little quicker than it has the previous two times.  I'm sure part of it was that I was able to take a couple of naps during the treatment.  In my defense, it was a late night last night, and the Benadryl makes me a little sleepy.  

I didn't eat much during the actual treatment, but my appetite is starting to come back to me as I type.  Tenderloin, pasta, and veggies for dinner as my aunt and her boyfriend from Auburn are here this week to visit.  If I'm lucky, I might be able figure out a way to get me some garlic cheese toast as that sounds really good right now, too.

*****

It is now 10:30 Pacific Wednesday night and the blog I started around 6:30 is now four hours old (I did the math in my head).  Dinner was great and then we gathered 'round the big screen and watched the Angels beat the hated Red Sox 8-4.  Ducks & Wings tomorrow for Game 7...should be a good one.  Hopefully more stories for you then!

-bw

The Weekend & Hummingbirds

Well, it has been a while since I've visited these parts, and the old adage "No news is good news" definitely rings true this week. With another treatment scheduled on the 13th, I'm happy to report that my weekly blood counts continue to amaze my doctors! My all-important white blood count was at 4.1, one tenth away from being in the "average range." The good news is that is higher than it was the week before. The better news is that my body is handling the treatment very well.

*****

I'm a big believer in seeing "signs" that things are (or sometimes aren't) going your way. There are no coincidences. Everything happens for a reason. Which is probably why I've been noticing a lot of hummingbirds frantically flying around our house the last week or two. I'm sure part of it is the fact that it is May and the birds are looking for food. However, I feel part of it is something else.

One of my best memories (there are literally a ton) of my great-grandparents was sitting out on their porch and watching the hummingbirds suck the nectar out of the feeder, and then watching my great-grandparents refill it so the birds could suck it dry again. I think great-grandma liked watching the birds the most, which is what brings me to my current situation.

There is no doubt in my mind that my great-grandparents are nearby as I go through this battle. The evidence? All of these hummingbirds that have literally come out of nowhere. I feel them with me each time I see one of those magnificent birds flying around me. So I see them and say hi and thank them for flying by and remember the days we spent together. I miss them more now than I probably ever have...but I know they're with me with every hummingbird I see.

*****

Well, it is approaching 11:00 out here and there's a big game to watch tomorrow. Nothing more on this site until Wednesday or Thursday after treatment. Thanks again for visiting!

-bw

The Chemotherapy Treatment: Day 2

We started my second day of Chemo with a trip to Taco Bell for breakfast (yes, some Taco Bells out here serve breakfast), a trip to Target for band-aids, a stop at Barnes & Noble (I picked up two books my Michael J. Fox and two by the late Tim Russert), and ended with a stop at the oncologist's office for treatment.  

Part of my treatment day includes a blood draw that is analyzed in the doctor's office.  These blood draws are to monitor my blood, especially my White Blood Count.  On Non-Chemo dates I also have to go in and have blood drawn & analyzed.  Last week, my counts were very good, and today they were good, too.  My White Blood Count was a little low, but the doctor wasn't too concerned about it.  My other counts were also encouraging and my doctor told me he was very happy with my progress.  He was also surprised that my night sweats had stopped 3 days after treatment and that the lymph node under my arm was drastically smaller than it was two weeks ago.  He remains optimistic that there will be no cancer in me when I have my next PET scan at the end of June.

Treatment today took a little longer than I expected.  Based on my start time, I was hoping to be done about 12:15 or 12:30, but the final drug took about an hour and a half to drip, which pushed my departure time after 1 o'clock.  I spent my treatment time watching episodes from Season 2 of The Office and reading more of John Grisham's Playing for Pizza.  When I returned home, I felt more tired than I did two weeks ago, so I took a nap and woke up in time to watch the start of the Yankees/Tigers game on ESPN.  

Rachel's mom has been here this week, helping around the house and providing damage control to the plants and flowers Rachel can't seem to keep alive.  She's also been kind enough to take me to Chemo today and stay with me the next 2 days while Rachel is at work.

Thanks again for all of your prayers and positive vibes.  1 cycle (2 treatments) down, 5 cycles (10 treatments) to go...but who's counting?

-bw

The Return to Work

I know I haven't said this enough, but I work with the BEST people on the planet!  The staff at Jordan has been extremely supportive throughout the last two months and I know they'll be there for me if I need them as I go through treatment.  (Don't get me wrong, I know the rest of you are there for us, too!)  

It was definitely interesting to get back to work yesterday.  I had some anxiety as the morning went on about how I would be able to handle working after spending the better part of five days in bed.  Somehow, I was able to survive the day (and the 100 degree temperatures) and make it back to the peacefulness of our house.  I was in bed by 8:15 Monday night, and Rachel's words this morning were, "You were out by 9."  

Today I felt a little better a work and I'm sure tomorrow will be even better.  Of course, I'm stuck flipping between the Angels/Tigers, Ducks/Sharks, and Lakers/Jazz games tonight while trying to keep my eyes open.  I won't be surprised if I wake up at 3 AM with the Sham-wow! commercial blaring on the big screen.

I go for my weekly blood draw tomorrow and my new glasses should be in soon.  More later...

-bw

The First Recovery Weekend

It is hard to believe that Wednesday I had my first chemotherapy treatment.  The only side effects I've had of the treatment so far has been a little bit of exhaustion.  I've had some trouble sleeping, but nothing too serious.  My hair hasn't fallen out yet, but I'm sure that is coming in the weeks/months ahead.  Also, my stomach has been cooperating with the medication to allow me to keep down whatever food I eat.

The last five days have been spent pretty much lounging around the house, drinking a lot of Gatorade, watching a bunch of TV, reading the newspaper, and eating whenever I get hungry.  By Day 5, "cabin fever" had set in and I was ready for some errands (a trip to Target, CVS, & Staples) and asking for a chore or two.  

It has been warm here the last 2 days.  It is currently 92 degrees and they are calling for 92 again tomorrow, followed by some high 80s before the 70s return at the end of the week. We've been running the air conditioner this weekend, and I'm sure the heater will be back on in a week when the temperature is only in the 60s.

Well, that is all for now.  The Ducks face the Sharks in game 2 of their series in about an hour and a half and I need to eat dinner and get my stuff ready for tomorrow, as it will be my first day back at school...wish me luck!

-bw

The E-mail Responses

So, I'm at home relaxing today and hoping to get caught up on some E-mails.  Unfortunately, Yahoo! is having trouble loading new and reply messages, so I can't reply individually to E-mails right now.  I am able to read them and will respond when Yahoo! gets their act together.

-bw

The Chemotherapy Treatment: Day 1

My primary care giver, Zoe. She turned 8 two weeks ago today!

Today was my first day of chemotherapy. Thank you for all of your cards, prayers, and positive thoughts. I felt each and everyone of you with me as I sat in the treatment chair for 4 hours today...and it really wasn't as bad as I had envisioned it to be.

I met with my oncologist before starting treatment and he said everything was looking good. I then went into the treatment room (a large room with 18 chairs in it) and met up with my nurse. She got me situated and patiently described the drugs she would be giving me throughout the next few hours.

If you get squeamish, skip the next paragraph.

I started with an IV drip of Benadryl, followed by an IV of anti-nausea meds and Saline solution to circulate the meds throughout my bloodstream. That was followed by a test of the chemo drugs to make sure I didn't have a reaction. After 20 minutes of no reaction, she pushed 3 of the 4 drugs over the next 45 minutes before starting the last drug, which was an IV drip that took an hour and a half to drain. She promised that next time I'll probably be there between two and a half and three hours.

I returned home after treatment, read some of the cards and letters and then laid down for a one hour nap. I could have slept longer, but I don't want to be up ALL night! I have gotten a second wind this evening, which was aided by Zoe coming over to visit. She'll be back tomorrow, and if I'm up for it, we might just have to go for a walk.

No puking yet...keep your fingers crossed!

-bw

The Vacation Photos

For one day on my vacation, I lost my Man Card.

Our awesome and fun-loving nephew, Hayden.

I got my Man Card back by eating this piece of bacon covered in chocolate.

The Tillamook Cheese Factory. The inner lane is cutting 2 pound blocks. The middle lane 1 pound blocks, The outside lane 8 ounce blocks. Once sliced, each block was weighed and shrink wrapped in the appropriate packaging. Very cool!

Pa & Am ready for lunch @ Rubio's on Day 1 of the trip.

The Vacation

Omar, Joel, Erica, Bryan, Sarah, & Rachel outside of Wings.

Sarah, Sam, Dan, Erica, Joel's arm, & Aunt Conni @ Erica & Joel's.

During Tillamook Head Hike.

I had to lift this so we could continue on the trail!

'Nuf said.

I'm posting all of the pictures at once, so they'll probably show up in some random order. I'll try to post captions once they're all up. We had a great time on the trip. We started out last Saturday and drove about 8 hours to my cousin's house in Auburn, CA (about 30 minutes East of Sacramento). We spent the evening with family, catching up, sharing stories of preparing for treatment, and overall, just having a great time. The next morning, we ate breakfast at my Aunt's restaurant, Wings, before making the 13 hour drive up to Seaside, OR. By the way, if you're ever in Auburn between 7am and 2pm, stop by the restaurant. [Plug!] Exit Bell Road from the I-80, go North. Turn right on New Airport Road. Wings is at the end of the street on the left.

We arrived at the resort Sunday night at 11:45. After checking in, hauling our stuff to the room, and solving a toilet issue, we were able to finally relax and get some sleep. Monday started off with a snack of an Elephant Ear (the best I've EVER had). We bought 2 to share between the four of us, one original (cinnamon & sugar and one with Bavarian Creabrought a trip to the grocery store and a hike at Tillamook Head, that was supposed to only last an hour or two. Instead, my dad and I went on a 3.5 hour, 5.5 mile expedition that would have made Lewis and Clark proud. The best part of the hike was being able to see two Bald Eagles soaring over the ocean and beach. Rachel & my mom made it through the first mile before turning around and going back to the car. If you look at the map from the link above, we started where Sunset Blvd. ends and walked all the way to Indian Beach. We returned to the resort, started to walk the "main drag" of Seaside and found that many of the smaller restaurants and all of the stores closed by 7:00. We ate dinner at Fultano's Pizza and watched UNC beat Michigan State in the NCAA Championship before returning to our room for the night.

We were able to sleep in Tuesday morning and then drove about 45 minutes south to Tillamook and the Tillamook Cheese Factory. The TCCA is celebrating 100 years as a farmer-owned co-op. It is an amazing story, especially in the corporate takeover world we live in. We ate LOTS of samples and spent a lot of time touring the upstairs of the facility, where you can look down at the employees and watch them make and slice the different cheeses. If you ever get a chance to head to that area of the country, this is a definite "must stop" location. Oh yeah, they have a cafe right on site and the tour is FREE! There are also two ice cream shops that sell Tillamook's own ice cream...of course, we couldn't leave without trying some of that, either.

Wednesday was a relaxing day around Seaside. We walked (in a light rain/mist) down the main business thoroughfare, stopping in at little shops along the way. One store sold over 200 different types of bottled soda. The store next to it sold chocolate covered bacon, twinkies, and Pringles chips. Another store had 170 different flavors of Saltwater Taffy! We also visited the outlet stores (didn't buy much) before returing to the room for a relaxing evening.

We spent all of Thursday on the road and a good portion of Friday. We spent Thursday night @ Erica & Joel's and had dinner with them, Aunt Conni, & Sarah. Friday morning, we woke up and went to Wings to put some food in our stomachs before the long ride home. Speaking of long rides home, if you are ever on a long roadie try counti semi-trucks. On the way up to Seaside, we counted Wal-Mart, UPS, & Fed-Ex trucks. On the way back, we added Swift trucks. Just imagine the damage they could've done if we had been counting them from the beginning!

Going There:

Fed-Ex: 44

Wal-Mart: 33

UPS: 8

Coming Home:

Fed-Ex: 91

Wal-Mart: 97

UPS: 63

Swift: 100

I hope to post more pictures tomorrow :)

-bw

The Haircut

I know I promised vacation pictures (they're still downloading), but in the meantime, I had my brother, Brandon, shave my head today (at least down to 1/8 of an inch). Here are some before and after pictures. It took about 20 minutes and I think I lost 10 pounds in the process.

The Comments, Part II

We're back from vacation, but more on that later. I'm still receiving E-mails about people having trouble posting comments, so I've gone ahead and allowed Anonymous Comments. Please sign your posts so we know who is writing. Thanks!

-bw

The Countdown

So, the countdown officially begins...I guess.  Two weeks from Wednesday morning I will begin my chemotherapy treatment.  Each treatment will take place every two weeks and last about 3 hours.  

Before the treatment begins, we'll be going to Seaside, Oregon for a little R & R.  It is Spring Break around here and I'm really looking forward to the trip and the time away from whatever we call "normalcy" anymore.  I hoping to post pictures from the trip when we get back.  I'm crossing my fingers it doesn't rain the ENTIRE time we're there.

Look for vacation pix around Easter and treatment updates either on or after the 15th of April.

-bw

The Port

It is approaching 11 AM Pacific and it has already been a long day for me.  I was up at 4:30 this morning to get ready to go to the hospital for the surgical implantation of my port (portacatheter).  I had to be at the hospital at 5:30, which meant leaving the house by 5:00.  I arrived a few minutes early and had to wait before the pre-op center opened.  By 6:10 I was prepped for surgery...the only problem being the surgery wasn't scheduled until 7.  

At 6:45, the anesthesiologist and nurse stopped by to answer any questions I might have about the procedure.  A few moments later, the surgeon was there to do the same.  The anesthesiologist and nurse came back to give me a little relaxing medication before wheeling me to the O.R.  When I got to the O.R., the room started to slowly spin.  I remember being asked to move to the operating table.  The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the recovery room and the recovery nurse was preparing me to go home.  She went over the discharge instructions (which include no heavy lifting and no driving) and then helped me get dressed before putting me in a wheel chair to go home.

After stopping to big up some snacks and breakfast, I was home about 9:40.  I'm relaxing now, and probably will be the rest of the day.  I have plenty of shows to get through on the TiVo and plenty of papers to grade from the last two weeks.  But, right about now, I think I'm going to pause "The Office" and take a nap.

Nothing else is scheduled right now until I start my treatment on April 15th.  I'll be sure to post if new details arise.

-bw

The Pre-Op & The Chemo Nurse

I apologize for the delay in writing this update, as I had the information on Thursday and am just getting around to sharing it with all of you.  I had two appointments last Thursday, one was a pre-op for my procedure Friday and one was a meeting with the Chemo Nurse.  First, the Pre-Op...

I arrived at the surgeon's office a few minutes early for my appointment, and they were able to get me in right away--which was good because I was supposed to be at the appointment with the Chemo Nurse an hour later.  I met with the surgeon's NP who provided me with all of the information about the procedure.  I am having a Power Port implanted into the front of my chest on the left side.  The port will enable my medical team to have access to a large vein that dumps directly into my heart.  The upside of the port is that I won't have to be poked to have blood drawn or IVs anymore because the port will provide adequate access.  The procedure is supposed to take an hour, so I should be home by noon (it starts at 7).

The appointment with the Chemo Nurse went as well as it could have.  Arla (who is WONDERFUL) spent most of the meeting warning us about the side effects of the chemo treatment and what to expect.  She also warned us about the dangers of taking "supplemental medications" with the chemo regiment that I will be on...unless I want to be a guinea pig for science (I declined).

So here's what's up for this week:  Wednesday, I have the tests to determine the strength of my lungs and my heart.  On Friday, I'll have the port put in which means plenty of rest and no lifting over the weekend.  I hope to have more for you Wednesday, but Friday at the latest.

-bw

The Follow-Up

I'm sure that some of you have been constantly checking the site for updates because you knew that we were meeting with Dr. Nagasawa this afternoon.  Well, the update is finally here, so let's get to the details.

Again, Dr. Nagasawa reiterated that Hodgkins Lymphoma is the "better" lymphoma to have.  It responds well to treatment and he's very upbeat about it.  Over the next three weeks, I will undergo some "house keeping procedures" before I'm able to start the Chemotherapy treatment.  I have to have heart and lung test to determine baseline levels to compare to during my treatment.  I will also have a minor procedure done to put a port in my chest.  The port will allow the Chemo Nurse to easily access my blood stream to administer the drugs.  It'll definitely beat needle pokes every couple of weeks.

Treatment will consist of 4 cycles consisting of 2 rounds each.  Rounds will be administered every 2 weeks.  I know it is hard to do the computations, so we're looking at 16 weeks of initial treatment.  After those 16 weeks, I will have another PET & CT Scan to determine if the lymphoma is still present.  If it isn't present, I'll be in remission!  If it is present, I'll undergo 2 more cycles of treatment.

The drugs are what is called ABVD and will all be administered via the port.  A= Adriamycin  B= Bleomycin  V= Velban   D= Decarbazine.  He also said I'll have some anti-nausea meds and need to avoid large areas of germs and certain types of foods.  

The bottom line is that things are looking on the up and up right now.  Thanks again for the continued prayers and positive thoughts.  

-bw

Aint'a That Good News!

As I write tonight, I'm singing the chorus to a song I think we sang on either the Eastern Canada or Scandinavian Choir Tours.  I could be wrong and just making up the lyrics as I go, but regardless, the prayers and well-wishes are starting to pay off.

While we don't have a course of treatment yet (that's coming Monday night), we do have results from the PET/CT Scans that were conducted on Thursday.  Results showed that the cancer has not crossed my body's hemisphere into the lower portion (think of the diaphragm as the equator)!  In addition, the cancer appears to only be located in the same spots the original CT picked up on February 27th.  

Nothing else is expected until Monday.  Here's hoping and praying for more good news!

-bw

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-bw

The Bone Marrow and PET/CT Scans

Today I had the luxury of spending my day in medical office undergoing a series of tests.  Let's start with the morning...

My dad and I arrived at the Mission Hospital a little before 8 am and I reported to the Short Stay Unit.  After getting my vitals, I met my nurse, Ching, who took me to my room.  She prepared me for the procedure, which included a battery of health questions and the dreaded IV.  She attempted to start the IV in my forearm, but "couldn't get any blood to come out."  I honestly think I could start my own IV with the veins I have.  On attempt 2 she was successful.  The procedure, which started a little after 10, went off without a hitch and by noon I was headed home for some rest before my next appointment.

We left the house for Pacific Coast Imaging a little after 2 and arrived by 2:45.  It was a beautiful building (an article on the wall said it cost over $15 million to build) with a very relaxing waiting room.  Around 4:00 they took me back to start the imaging which started with a glucose injection, followed by waiting an hour for the radiating glucose to circulate throughout my body.  When the waiting was over, I was taken to an imaging room where I had PET and CT Scans performed.  The tests lasted about 45 or 50 minutes, all of which I had to remain completely still on an 18 inch wide table with my hands resting on my stomach.  I don't know how, but I made it through it.

When the scans were over I was finally allowed to eat again.  Because of the timing of everything, I was allowed to eat Wednesday night, but nothing after midnight.  We ate at The Old Spaghetti Factory in Newport Beach.  It was a good meal...a meal I had been waiting a long time for!

We meet with Dr. Nagasawa on Monday to go over all of the test results.  We should have more for you after that.

-bw

The Pathology Results

Yesterday, my surgeon and I played phone tag over the results of the biopsy she performed on Friday.  Today, she was able to get a hold of me to share the results of the pathology that was performed on the lymph tissue she took out.

According to the report, I have Nodular Sclerosing Hodgkins Lymphoma.  It is a lymphoma that affects mostly teens and young adults.  This type of lymphoma responds well to both chemo and radiation.  While there isn't a course of treatment yet, at least we have a diagnosis.  I still am scheduled to have tests run on Thursday of this week to help my doctors come up with an accurate diagnosis.

Rachel wanted me to be sure to mention the love and prayers we feel from all of you.  Thank you so much for all of your positive thoughts and prayers.  We both know the only way to get through this is with the support of you, our family & friends.

-bw

The Biopsy

I spent most of Friday afternoon in the office of the Advanced Breast Care Specialists of Orange County.  The office was very nice and relaxing (I even took a few catnaps while listening to my iPod) and the staff was awesome.  I met with the doctor/surgeon and she did an exam and decided to go ahead and take some tissue samples from under my left arm.

They took me to the procedure room and after some Lidacane they were able to cut out nine tissue samples to send to the lab.  The entire procedure took about 10 minutes.  The incisions were small and I didn't receive any stitches.  All I have to worry about is icing my armpit and taking it easy over the next 3 or 4 days while the incisions heal.  No lifting and no strenuous exercise...I think I can handle that!

I'd like to take a minute to thank everyone for the thoughts and prayers you've been sending my way.  I have received your E-mails and appreciate your words of encouragement and tales of success stories.  

Probably nothing new for a few days.  I have a follow-up with the surgeon and the other tests late next week, so I'll update you after that.

-bw

The Time Frame

I realized after posting last night and sending the mass E-mail that I neglected to provide everybody with a timeline as to when and how things are going to happen, so here we go...

Friday, March 6: Consult with surgeon; possible biopsy

Thursday, March 12: Bone Marrow Test (AM) & PET/CT Scan (PM)

I'll be fasting starting at midnight and then arriving at the hospital around 7:30 to get my "happy juice" and bone marrow test.  I'm guessing the Scans, which are scheduled for 3:30, won't be done until 5ish.  I'm going to be one hungry and grumpy guy.  

Monday, March 16: Meet with Dr. Nagasawa to discuss diagnosis & treatment.

Sometime between the 16th and April: Get second opinion from City of Hope.

Thank you all for your E-mails and thoughts & prayers.  I appreciate you thinking of us during this time.  I know you are with us, even if you are far away.

-bw

Update on Big B

March 4, 2009

Greetings family and friends:

Many of you may not know, but recent medical tests have concerned Bryan’s doctors. Results from CT scans, lead to an appointment Wednesday afternoon with Dr. Nagasawa, a Medical Oncologist.

After meeting with Dr. Nagasawa on Wednesday, Bryan more than likely has Lymphoma. This preliminary diagnosis is based on blood work , CT scans, and experience of the doctors. Dr. Nagasawa is upbeat and optimistic about treatment. Here are the details:

Tests over the next two weeks will determine the type of Lymphoma, the possible grade of the Lymphoma, the stage of the Lymphoma, and the treatment options.

After a diagnosis has been made, Bryan, at the advice of Dr. Nagasawa, will seek a second opinion from the City of Hope. At that time, a treatment procedure will be determined.

Bryan has been feeling fine, which encourages his doctor for a positive outcome.

The earliest possible test results will be after March 16th. While we appreciate your thoughts and prayers, we kindly request that you limit contact to E-mail. We’ll post updates as soon as we get them at http://wislockifamily.blogspot.com

Welcome

Welcome to our Blog!  Be sure to check back often for updates on the (cross your fingers) growth of our family.  

All credit for this Blog goes to Jason & Karli...we stole the idea from them and their beautiful family.  

Until next time,

B & R