Good news and other news this week.
The good news is Marti and I went back to Duke this week and I am all set to start the next leg of this journey. I will begin the next phase of chemo starting tonight and the monthly vaccinations are scheduled to begin in about 3 weeks. The vaccination will target a specific "marker" that is present in my tumor and is present in 20% - 30% of this type tumor. This trial has been going on for 8 years and has been featured on 60 Minutes.
I also got in a 6 mile run this morning and felt pretty good, although I am a long way from running 13.1 miles.
The other news is that this round of chemotherapy is for 5 days a month and then off for 23 days, however the dosage has increased significantly. During radiation I was on 160mg of Temodor and starting tonight I will be taking 435mg. It will be interesting to see how I react to this dosage.
Stay tuned and thanks for caring.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Good Weekend
This has been a really good weekend so far. Yesterday Marti and I met with my Oncologist who gave us the results of my first post radiation/chemo therapy MRI. Basically he said that for being less than 2 weeks after my last radiation treatment, the MRI could not have looked better.
On Thursday night I received even better news. My friend David Liebschutz, who you might remember is 3+ years farther along in this same battle, just returned from Duke with another excellent report. David and his family are the gold standard that we are trying to emulate.
Today Banks Hudson and I teamed up to win $2 on the golf course from a couple of saps who never saw it coming. Ken Medaris and Rick Nallinger I am not going to embarrass you by mentioning your names, but you know who you are.
Then this afternoon, after a fairly long nap, I got the chain saw out and got a little yard work done. That was the most fun yet.
Thank you for caring.
On Thursday night I received even better news. My friend David Liebschutz, who you might remember is 3+ years farther along in this same battle, just returned from Duke with another excellent report. David and his family are the gold standard that we are trying to emulate.
Today Banks Hudson and I teamed up to win $2 on the golf course from a couple of saps who never saw it coming. Ken Medaris and Rick Nallinger I am not going to embarrass you by mentioning your names, but you know who you are.
Then this afternoon, after a fairly long nap, I got the chain saw out and got a little yard work done. That was the most fun yet.
Thank you for caring.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Good News
The temperature is 57 and I just finished the best 5 mile run I have had in 3 months. No more whining.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Back From St. Louis
Last weekend the boys and I made our annual baseball trip, this year to St Louis. We had great weather, saw two good games and had 1,000 laughs.
Health wise last week was fairly quiet with no radiation or chemo after Monday. I did have blood work done on Wednesday and those results were fine.
This week I have my first post treatment MRI on Thursday and will get the results of that on Friday. I am a little anxious to see where we are with regard to the potential return of the tumor. I suspect this is an anxiety I will have to learn to live with each time an MRI is scheduled.
Next week we head back to Duke for a day of evaluation and to learn exactly what the plan is for moving forward.
Thanks for caring.
Health wise last week was fairly quiet with no radiation or chemo after Monday. I did have blood work done on Wednesday and those results were fine.
This week I have my first post treatment MRI on Thursday and will get the results of that on Friday. I am a little anxious to see where we are with regard to the potential return of the tumor. I suspect this is an anxiety I will have to learn to live with each time an MRI is scheduled.
Next week we head back to Duke for a day of evaluation and to learn exactly what the plan is for moving forward.
Thanks for caring.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
August 6th Update
One more radiation treatment to go! As of next Tuesday I will have no more radiation and will be off chemo for at least 2 weeks. The next big health date is August 18th when I will have an MRI to see how effective the process has been so far. I will get the results the next day, Friday the 19th.
The next really big date however is this Friday the 12th. The boys, John, Sam, Todd and I head to someplace just west of the Mississippi River to go to a couple of baseball games. For the past 10 years or so we have gone to a different major league stadium. This year we are going to see an arch, brewery, and what some call a major league team. And the rule is we have to cheer for the home team. So far the chemo has not made me sick but cheering for the team that plays in the shadow of the arch, might.
Yesterday I had my scheduled appointment with my oncologist. The blood work was all "right on target" and everything still seems to be going according to plan.
I got out this morning and ran the slowest 5 miles in modern history. However it was good to be out there getting it done. Hopefully I can follow it up with another one tomorrow.
I am really looking forward to Tuesday.
Thanks for caring.
The next really big date however is this Friday the 12th. The boys, John, Sam, Todd and I head to someplace just west of the Mississippi River to go to a couple of baseball games. For the past 10 years or so we have gone to a different major league stadium. This year we are going to see an arch, brewery, and what some call a major league team. And the rule is we have to cheer for the home team. So far the chemo has not made me sick but cheering for the team that plays in the shadow of the arch, might.
Yesterday I had my scheduled appointment with my oncologist. The blood work was all "right on target" and everything still seems to be going according to plan.
I got out this morning and ran the slowest 5 miles in modern history. However it was good to be out there getting it done. Hopefully I can follow it up with another one tomorrow.
I am really looking forward to Tuesday.
Thanks for caring.
Friday, July 29, 2011
July 29 Update
27 treatments down, 6 to go.
On Monday of this week I had my usual "Dr. Day" with the Radiologist. During our meeting we discussed my scar from surgery and the fact that it seemed to be more pronounced. The Radiologist gave me a perscription as a precaution, in case it was starting to get infected. He really didn't think it was but he wanted to be safe.
After meeting with the Oncologist the next day, he concurred that it was probably not infected but agreed I should take the medicine as a precaution. By the way the blood counts this week were again well within the good range. Also Marti supplied both the radiation office and the oncology staff with some of her chocolate chip cookies. The next day I was inundated with requests for the recipe.
I confess I am starting to get more tired by the end of the day. My after treatment naps gone from 5-10 minutes to 15-20 minutes. Also I have not run since Tuesday. However I WILL run this weekend. No more excuses about the weather or the treatments.
This week I had a couple of high school friends stop by. Steve Mather is definitely running in November and Dave DeMoss is undecided. It was a lot of fun seeing both of them.
The best news of the week is that our nephew Robert and his wife Shea have a new addition to the family. Caroline Shea Pollom was born yesterday in San Antonio. Congratulations Shea and Robert.
I am really looking forward to this time next week when I will have only one treatment left.
Thank you for caring.
On Monday of this week I had my usual "Dr. Day" with the Radiologist. During our meeting we discussed my scar from surgery and the fact that it seemed to be more pronounced. The Radiologist gave me a perscription as a precaution, in case it was starting to get infected. He really didn't think it was but he wanted to be safe.
After meeting with the Oncologist the next day, he concurred that it was probably not infected but agreed I should take the medicine as a precaution. By the way the blood counts this week were again well within the good range. Also Marti supplied both the radiation office and the oncology staff with some of her chocolate chip cookies. The next day I was inundated with requests for the recipe.
I confess I am starting to get more tired by the end of the day. My after treatment naps gone from 5-10 minutes to 15-20 minutes. Also I have not run since Tuesday. However I WILL run this weekend. No more excuses about the weather or the treatments.
This week I had a couple of high school friends stop by. Steve Mather is definitely running in November and Dave DeMoss is undecided. It was a lot of fun seeing both of them.
The best news of the week is that our nephew Robert and his wife Shea have a new addition to the family. Caroline Shea Pollom was born yesterday in San Antonio. Congratulations Shea and Robert.
I am really looking forward to this time next week when I will have only one treatment left.
Thank you for caring.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Disclaimer.
No, my house was not egged. There were eggs lining our garden on the front of our home. When I went out for my early morning run, I was overcome with a horrendous stench (side note: Sam was at our house the night before, but I smelled him before I exited our home. Clearly, he was not running with me the subsequent morning, nor did it throw either of us off that his prize vehicle was spared from the yolk). When I returned from the run, it became obvious to me that the eggs were not maliciously tossed.
I am not (currently) in the running/consideration for Simpsonville mayor. Sure, I would like sidewalks, a farmers market and the occasional stoplight, but my aspirations are purely selfish. Even though multiple Hill family members felt comfortable with adding me as a write-in for the last election, I am happy with my current position.
The official 11/12 Run 13.1 Mini Marathon training started yesterday (click here). Feel free to update in the comment section how your first couple days went.
Finally, in the next few weeks two of my cousins are expecting their third child. They are both amazing and admirable women. Please send out your prayers and positive thoughts for these phenomenal women, the awaiting siblings, and the 3rd-time dads-to-be.
xoxo,
Sarah
I am not (currently) in the running/consideration for Simpsonville mayor. Sure, I would like sidewalks, a farmers market and the occasional stoplight, but my aspirations are purely selfish. Even though multiple Hill family members felt comfortable with adding me as a write-in for the last election, I am happy with my current position.
The official 11/12 Run 13.1 Mini Marathon training started yesterday (click here). Feel free to update in the comment section how your first couple days went.
Finally, in the next few weeks two of my cousins are expecting their third child. They are both amazing and admirable women. Please send out your prayers and positive thoughts for these phenomenal women, the awaiting siblings, and the 3rd-time dads-to-be.
xoxo,
Sarah
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