We are back from the clinic again. It was a beautiful drive up and back, and we had a good book to read which makes the time go more quickly; The Forgotten 500. A riveting story detailing the bold and daring rescue of over 500 Allied Airmen shot down over Yugoslavia during WWII and cared for by the Serbs right under the German's noses. Another piece of history of which we were unaware.
Leland's blood work looks great, he needs to increase his vitamin D3 as it is low, and he is trying some Wisconsin Gensing on Dr. Sweet's suggestion to see if it helps his energy levels. I love the way she really pays attention to these matters, and always has good suggestions for solving problems we run into.
As I said on the last post, the bone scan is mostly good, however, there are two new metastatic bone lesions and while his PSA is down to 4.19, lower than it has been since this began, it is still high. I have been in e-mail contact with another cancer survivor who volunteers with PCAI, a Pca List-Serve I joined, and from which we have learned much more that one can ever find out in a doctor's office. Chuck is a volunteer, and a real researcher who loves sharing his knowlege. He pointed out a couple of things we need to check into, and when I asked Dr. Chen about it, he was not knowlegeable about it at all. Chuck then sent info about an Oncologist specializing in Pca who practices at OSHU at the Knight Cancer Center, and on the website they were discussing the very problem which Leland may have-adaptive pathways which allow Pca to grow in spite of hormone treatment. So on Monday I will make an appointment there for Leland, if they are accepting new patients.
We found out today that the Chronic Disease Fund will be unable to assist us with co-pays in 2014 due to lack of funding, but they suggested another place, which I called and applied to this morning. We will hear from them this next week, and find out for sure and what the amount of the grant will be. We will be very grateful for whatever they can help us with.
Earlier in the summer I went to have a small lump on the side of my nose near my eye evaluated. Three doctors and one CT scan later, it was determined it should come off, and was most likely benign. The pathology report came back malignant to everyone's surprise, a rare cancer called a Micro Cystic Adnexal Carcinoma. In 25 years of looking at all kinds of cancer I had never heard of this one; I am pretty sure the pathologist had his books off the shelf researching this one before settling on the diagnosis. It arises in sweat glands mid face usually, primarily on women and there are only 300 per year world wide. They spread locally, but are rarely metastatic. Now I have to go back and have the incision removed, the bone scraped, and all tissue surrounding it cut away until the margins are clear. There is no way to know how extensive it will have to be until they actually do it, but hopefully it will be fairly small. My surgeon is also trained in plastic surgery, so the scars should not be too noticeable after it all heals up. The surgery will be Monday the 28th, and we will be glad to have it resolved.
I will post again after my surgery and let you all know how it came out and how large the excision had to be.
In the meantime, we are really enjoying the beautiful fall weather and gorgeous colors, and thankful for all the blessing we enjoy.
Friday, October 18, 2013
Friday, October 4, 2013
October 4, 2014 An Anxious Day
Last Thursday, 9 days ago Leland went for his bone scan. We knew we would not get the results until at least Wednesday, but surely by Thursday. Thursday came and went with me carrying a phone everywhere, even out into the garden to harvest where we were working to clean it out and harvest the last of the tomatoes.
When I called the clinic this morning the girl who is the "gate-keeper" tried to tell me scans are not discussed until the next visit. I informed her that was incorrect, and I wanted to speak with someone who could help me, not leave another message which might not be answered until Monday. One just has to get assertive in the capacity of a patient advocate. I hope I was nice but firm; at least that was my intent. Anyway, long story short, I finally got to speak with a live person, who told me Leland's scan had been discussed in the team meeting and would be again today, and Dr. Sweet would call today by the "9 O'clock hour" 9 came and went, 10, 11 and 11:45. I called again, very anxious with my imagination working overtime. Another promise Dr. Sweet would call. I extracted a promise it would be TODAY; she promised me it would be.
Around 12:30 Dr. Sweet called, and told me the Bone Scan looks really good! The bone lesions are regressing (Yes!!) the Kidney Nephrosis has resolved (YES!) and there are no lesions in his right hip and leg which have been giving him pain. ( Yes!) There are two small very faint new lesions in his upper right arm, and they want him to have his PSA done earlier than usual to check on that., but she said they are just very pleased with his progress.
Leland had to take the truck into The Dalles this morning to have some work done on it, and was gone all day. We had had a new steering mechanism put in-very expensive- and it did not work properly, when he took it in to have it checked they determined the part was defective, so at least we did not have to pay again, which was a relief. It was just as well he was gone because I was not very good company waiting for that phone call!
After imagining the worst all morning, I felt much better, and very grateful. Leland usually works outdoors a lot during the summer months, and is stronger by the end of summer. Last summer of course was very different, but this summer he has done a lot outdoors and accomplished a lot. However, rather than getting stronger, he has less endurance than he had at the beginning, and back pain which he has not had before. Now, just a little bending over causes pain, and he tires more easily than 2 or 3 months ago. We have been concerned about this, which was one of the reasons I was so anxious this morning.
I think perhaps the weakness is the price he is having to pay for the Zytiga and Lupron. Fatigue is one of the side effects of Lupron and muscle weakness is one that comes with Zytiga. So we will have to adjust our expectations accordingly, and he will have to pace himself more gently. Perhaps we will just have to hire out some of the jobs he does. Otherwise, he feels well, just needs to rest more.
We have a pleasant weekend ahead, Jerri and Leslie are here, staying with Del and Chuck. We are invited there for Sabbath dinner, and they will all come over here for Sunday brunch. We always love spending time with family and getting caught up on each other's lives.
Our next appointment with the clinic is the 15th, and I will post again after that.
The above picture is one of the projects Leland worked on this summer, just after we finished putting in the bark dust. I don't seem to be able to control where it gets placed.
When I called the clinic this morning the girl who is the "gate-keeper" tried to tell me scans are not discussed until the next visit. I informed her that was incorrect, and I wanted to speak with someone who could help me, not leave another message which might not be answered until Monday. One just has to get assertive in the capacity of a patient advocate. I hope I was nice but firm; at least that was my intent. Anyway, long story short, I finally got to speak with a live person, who told me Leland's scan had been discussed in the team meeting and would be again today, and Dr. Sweet would call today by the "9 O'clock hour" 9 came and went, 10, 11 and 11:45. I called again, very anxious with my imagination working overtime. Another promise Dr. Sweet would call. I extracted a promise it would be TODAY; she promised me it would be.
Around 12:30 Dr. Sweet called, and told me the Bone Scan looks really good! The bone lesions are regressing (Yes!!) the Kidney Nephrosis has resolved (YES!) and there are no lesions in his right hip and leg which have been giving him pain. ( Yes!) There are two small very faint new lesions in his upper right arm, and they want him to have his PSA done earlier than usual to check on that., but she said they are just very pleased with his progress.
Leland had to take the truck into The Dalles this morning to have some work done on it, and was gone all day. We had had a new steering mechanism put in-very expensive- and it did not work properly, when he took it in to have it checked they determined the part was defective, so at least we did not have to pay again, which was a relief. It was just as well he was gone because I was not very good company waiting for that phone call!
After imagining the worst all morning, I felt much better, and very grateful. Leland usually works outdoors a lot during the summer months, and is stronger by the end of summer. Last summer of course was very different, but this summer he has done a lot outdoors and accomplished a lot. However, rather than getting stronger, he has less endurance than he had at the beginning, and back pain which he has not had before. Now, just a little bending over causes pain, and he tires more easily than 2 or 3 months ago. We have been concerned about this, which was one of the reasons I was so anxious this morning.
I think perhaps the weakness is the price he is having to pay for the Zytiga and Lupron. Fatigue is one of the side effects of Lupron and muscle weakness is one that comes with Zytiga. So we will have to adjust our expectations accordingly, and he will have to pace himself more gently. Perhaps we will just have to hire out some of the jobs he does. Otherwise, he feels well, just needs to rest more.
We have a pleasant weekend ahead, Jerri and Leslie are here, staying with Del and Chuck. We are invited there for Sabbath dinner, and they will all come over here for Sunday brunch. We always love spending time with family and getting caught up on each other's lives.
Our next appointment with the clinic is the 15th, and I will post again after that.
The above picture is one of the projects Leland worked on this summer, just after we finished putting in the bark dust. I don't seem to be able to control where it gets placed.
Friday, September 20, 2013
2013, September 20
This week made more than 20 trips to the cancer center. Leland has been a patient there for a full year, and what a difference it has made in his overall quality of life! We were remembering this trip how very sick he was the first time we went, wondering if they would be able to give us any real help, wondering how it would all turn out. I remember feeling how unreal this all was, walking into a cancer clinic with Leland, hardly able to believe this was really happening, feeling really scared about starting chemo-even low dose, and unsure whether or not we were doing the right thing. And yet, there seemed nothing else to do, no where else to go. We had prayed earnestly that God would open and shut doors and lead us to an effective treatment; this was the only door that opened.
The previous treatment had clearly not worked at all, in fact it had allowed the cancer to spread considerably, in spite of the assurances otherwise.
So now we know, this cancer will never be cured without a miracle. However, a good partial
remission has been achieved. Meaning his quality of life is quite good in most respects, although he does seem to be experiencing an increasing lack of energy. The present protocol he is on has been successful , so according to Dr. Chen and Dr. Sweet, we stay the course for now. They are very pleased with his progress, Dr. Sweet calling him a "Poster Boy" for Integrative Care.
Lab test results were good, PSA slightly up from 4.5 to 4.52. Dr. Sweet told us it is very usual for tumor makers to go up and down within a small range, so they are not yet concerned. They are concerned enough about some new pain in his hip and leg to order another bone scan, which is entirely reasonable as it has been a year since the last one. We need to know whether the pain is being caused by arthritis (possibly from some of his meds), bursitis or the cancer. That will be scheduled soon, within the next week or so, and when we get the results, I will post them here
We are once again in Portland with Cherilyn, Todd and Phoenix. We have had the fun of looking after him again while his parents work. He is such a joy, sitting up now, grabbing everything within reach of his little hands, smiling all the time, and laughing out loud when we play with him. Tomorrow we will take him to church with us, then in the late afternoon we will go to Mark and Tina's for dinner. We will have our two grandsons together, so it will be a good opportunity for pictures, and a good family time.
The previous treatment had clearly not worked at all, in fact it had allowed the cancer to spread considerably, in spite of the assurances otherwise.
So now we know, this cancer will never be cured without a miracle. However, a good partial
remission has been achieved. Meaning his quality of life is quite good in most respects, although he does seem to be experiencing an increasing lack of energy. The present protocol he is on has been successful , so according to Dr. Chen and Dr. Sweet, we stay the course for now. They are very pleased with his progress, Dr. Sweet calling him a "Poster Boy" for Integrative Care.
Lab test results were good, PSA slightly up from 4.5 to 4.52. Dr. Sweet told us it is very usual for tumor makers to go up and down within a small range, so they are not yet concerned. They are concerned enough about some new pain in his hip and leg to order another bone scan, which is entirely reasonable as it has been a year since the last one. We need to know whether the pain is being caused by arthritis (possibly from some of his meds), bursitis or the cancer. That will be scheduled soon, within the next week or so, and when we get the results, I will post them here
We are once again in Portland with Cherilyn, Todd and Phoenix. We have had the fun of looking after him again while his parents work. He is such a joy, sitting up now, grabbing everything within reach of his little hands, smiling all the time, and laughing out loud when we play with him. Tomorrow we will take him to church with us, then in the late afternoon we will go to Mark and Tina's for dinner. We will have our two grandsons together, so it will be a good opportunity for pictures, and a good family time.
Monday, September 2, 2013
2014 September 2 Home Again
Home Again
Actually we have been home for a few days, but they have
been quite busy getting caught up from our trips.
Our trip was perfect,
we had a great time with everything we did, and everything went as
planned. The family reunion was
wonderful, Crater Lake was rainy but still beautiful. But best of all we were
with Del and Chuck as well as Judy and Norm.
Lorinda (Chuck’s sister) and Frank came for the day and we dashed
through the rain all together, very fortunately finding a place over the lodge in a large mostly empty
room fitted with tables and chairs to have our lunch out of the rain. The next day’s weather was much better and we
all enjoyed a long bike ride around part of Diamond Lake.
After the family reunion we picked up Grant in Bend, then
met Chaunda at the Boise airport and we
proceeded to Yellow Stone, the Grand Tetons and Craters of the Moon. Part of the time at Yellow Stone and Grand
Tetons we also had the pleasure of Judy and Norm’s company, as we enjoyed the
beauty together.
We especially enjoyed the geysers and the bison-who own
the roads there; huge magnificent creatures who block traffic without a care in
the world.
After Craters of the Moon, we dropped Chaunda back at the
Boise airport, drove to Baker and toured the Oregon Trail Museum, well worth an
afternoon. Spent the night in LaGrand
then headed for home. We unpacked the
trailer, spent one night at home then were off again to take Grant home, then
head for Seattle and Leland’s treatment. Then it was back to Portland to spend
three days caring for Phoenix while Cherilyn and Todd had to work. He is growing so fast and learning new skills
every day. Of course he is absolutely adorable.
It has been a little frustrating to have to wait so long
for the results of Leland’s blood tests. Usually we have them done before the
appointment so we have them in hand, but this time it was not possible, and the
clinic has been unusually slow getting them to us. I finally called on Friday, 8 days after the
appointment, and was told the PSA was up a little, 4.5 this
time, up from 4.3 last month. He is
feeling and looking well still, so we will wait until next month and see what
the trend tells us. Dr. Chen told us a
couple of months ago that a 5-10% rise will call for reevaluation.
We have been
really grateful for the good summer we have been able to have and for the
blessings of Integrative Medicine, especially when contrasted with last
summer’s almost constant illness. We were counting today, and it has already
been a year and a half since the diagnosis which turned our world upside
down. Sometimes, for just a little while
I can almost forget that cancer has
ravaged Leland’s body, because in many ways he seems so normal. He is much more at peace with this than I
am.
Our flowers really burst into bloom while we were gone,
the strawberries and tomatoes did very well (thanks Del and Chuck for picking
them and saving some for us) so we were expecting on Friday morning to go out
and pick another gallon or so of strawberries. But the Bald Faced Hornets are back, and they
are eating all the berries. Even if we
can beat them to it, it is not worth risking a nasty sting, so I guess we are
done with berries, even though the strawberries will bear until frost, or until
it gets too cold.
This picture was taken in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone; Lower Falls in the background.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
2013 July 25 Clinic visit and Phoenix
This busy month has been flying by. A wonderful Sabbath afternoon visit with our nephew Ryan, his wife Shanna and their darling little boy Asher, was a delight. They are on their way to assignment in Alaska-a real switch from southern Texas!
Mark and Tina were here the same weekend, so we were all able to visit with Ryan, Shanna, Kathy and Dan, Kevin and Charles, as well as Kathy's brother and sister-in-law. We enjoyed Mark and Tina's visit, and appreciated Grant's help as Leland finished the retaining wall in front of the garage. It looks great; now to find some deer resistant plants for full sun-
That same week, we took Grant home on Tuesday evening, then went to Cher and Todds so we could care for Phoenix for two days, as the regular day care provider was on vacation. We enjoyed every minute of our time with him. He is so much fun, smiling, laughing, learning to grasp small things-including his toes. Of course we have lots of pictures!
Sunday evening of this week, we were off to Seattle again. We spent the evening with Chaunda at Dash Point Park on the Sound. It was beautiful, and she had fixed a lovely picnic.
Then it was off to the hotel, and Leland's appointment on Monday morning. His blood work looked good, except for a small rise in his PSA, which did not worry Dr. Chen, but it did worry me! He said it could be a difference in machines, as we had had it done at Portland Adventist last week while we were there. Dr. Chen ordered another PSA done to confirm, and on their equipment, the PSA showed a drop to 4.3! That does not seem like much from 4.71, but we celebrate every drop in that number! Especially after a long conversation with Dr. Chen regarding the next step if the PSA continued to rise. Another drug, or possibly chemo again. I am so very glad we are not facing that just yet.
We left Seattle for Portland and another day of caring for Phoenix. What a pleasure and a privilege it is to be able to spend time with him. We love every moment.
Leland just finished making a new small cupboard for our trailer. He spent a lot of hours on it, which I will really appreciate when it is time to load up for our trip in a week or so.
We will be gone most of the month of August, so I will not be posting here until we return, and have gone to the next appointment on the 22nd. We are looking forward to seeing many of you at the family reunion on the second weekend.
Mark and Tina were here the same weekend, so we were all able to visit with Ryan, Shanna, Kathy and Dan, Kevin and Charles, as well as Kathy's brother and sister-in-law. We enjoyed Mark and Tina's visit, and appreciated Grant's help as Leland finished the retaining wall in front of the garage. It looks great; now to find some deer resistant plants for full sun-
That same week, we took Grant home on Tuesday evening, then went to Cher and Todds so we could care for Phoenix for two days, as the regular day care provider was on vacation. We enjoyed every minute of our time with him. He is so much fun, smiling, laughing, learning to grasp small things-including his toes. Of course we have lots of pictures!
Sunday evening of this week, we were off to Seattle again. We spent the evening with Chaunda at Dash Point Park on the Sound. It was beautiful, and she had fixed a lovely picnic.
Then it was off to the hotel, and Leland's appointment on Monday morning. His blood work looked good, except for a small rise in his PSA, which did not worry Dr. Chen, but it did worry me! He said it could be a difference in machines, as we had had it done at Portland Adventist last week while we were there. Dr. Chen ordered another PSA done to confirm, and on their equipment, the PSA showed a drop to 4.3! That does not seem like much from 4.71, but we celebrate every drop in that number! Especially after a long conversation with Dr. Chen regarding the next step if the PSA continued to rise. Another drug, or possibly chemo again. I am so very glad we are not facing that just yet.
We left Seattle for Portland and another day of caring for Phoenix. What a pleasure and a privilege it is to be able to spend time with him. We love every moment.
Leland just finished making a new small cupboard for our trailer. He spent a lot of hours on it, which I will really appreciate when it is time to load up for our trip in a week or so.
We will be gone most of the month of August, so I will not be posting here until we return, and have gone to the next appointment on the 22nd. We are looking forward to seeing many of you at the family reunion on the second weekend.
Friday, July 5, 2013
2013 July 5 47th Aniversary and Baby Birds
Friday night and it feels sooooo good to sit down! We have been attempting to catch up with our outdoor work which has included building a small retaining wall in front of the garden shed, which can be seen out the kitchen window. We still have some finish work to do around the edges, but it is a huge improvement over a small bank covered with wood chips and perennial weeds always a step ahead of us.
It has been hot by mid-day, so we have been arising by 5 or 5:30 am, pulling on our clothes and dashing outside to get as much done as possible before it gets too hot. Leland has also been working on a larger retaining wall by the driveway pad in front of the garage; a much larger project. He has the gravel foundation done, the first layer of block down, and the ends nearly done. I assist him in these project by driving the tractor and little trailer after more materials, then unloading at the job site. It is wonderful to be able to work hard and accomplish goals once again.
Wednesday was our 47th Aniversary. We worked outside for a couple of hours, then cleaned up and drove to Hood River where we had a very nice lunch at the Big Horse Brew House. We had a table on the balcony 3 stories up with a very nice view of the Columbia River and Gorge. The food was really good. Then it was off to Mt Hood and Timberline Lodge. We spent some time there, then decided to find the Alpine Slides. We took the the ski lift up, and the little cars down the track-something new for both of us, and a lot of fun. We drove back to The Dalles where we stopped for supper at Water's Edge Bistro, then headed for home; a completely enjoyable day.
We had a little family of juncos move into a basket on the wall under the breezeway and right outside the back door. The adults made a nest, then laid 4 eggs, all of which hatched. Within 2 weeks, one of the babies was sitting on the side of the nest, and by the next day they were all out and fluttering around. They were so cute, we hated to see them go so soon. The parents were very anxious every time we used the door and must have been very glad to get the babies out and away. It was a charming experience, and one we will always remember.
Leland's next appointment with the Cancer Clinic is July 22, after which we will have the pleasure of caring for Phoenix for a couple of days. His day care mom will be on vacation, both Cherilyn and Todd need to work, so we will stand in. We are looking forward to it!
It has been hot by mid-day, so we have been arising by 5 or 5:30 am, pulling on our clothes and dashing outside to get as much done as possible before it gets too hot. Leland has also been working on a larger retaining wall by the driveway pad in front of the garage; a much larger project. He has the gravel foundation done, the first layer of block down, and the ends nearly done. I assist him in these project by driving the tractor and little trailer after more materials, then unloading at the job site. It is wonderful to be able to work hard and accomplish goals once again.
Wednesday was our 47th Aniversary. We worked outside for a couple of hours, then cleaned up and drove to Hood River where we had a very nice lunch at the Big Horse Brew House. We had a table on the balcony 3 stories up with a very nice view of the Columbia River and Gorge. The food was really good. Then it was off to Mt Hood and Timberline Lodge. We spent some time there, then decided to find the Alpine Slides. We took the the ski lift up, and the little cars down the track-something new for both of us, and a lot of fun. We drove back to The Dalles where we stopped for supper at Water's Edge Bistro, then headed for home; a completely enjoyable day.
We had a little family of juncos move into a basket on the wall under the breezeway and right outside the back door. The adults made a nest, then laid 4 eggs, all of which hatched. Within 2 weeks, one of the babies was sitting on the side of the nest, and by the next day they were all out and fluttering around. They were so cute, we hated to see them go so soon. The parents were very anxious every time we used the door and must have been very glad to get the babies out and away. It was a charming experience, and one we will always remember.
Friday, June 21, 2013
2013-June 21 Back from Seattle Again
We are back from our 17th trip to Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center. It was a good trip, fairly good weather except over Snoqualmie Pass and down the other side for quite a ways; it was pouring rain going both directions with a lot of vehicle spray almost obscuring the road at times and very heavy traffic for most of the distance on Hwy. 90 between Ellensburg and Seattle.
Leland continues to do well, his blood work is all very good and his PSA remained at 4.7. I was hoping for continued lowering, but at least it is still stable, which indicates the cancer remains under control. It is almost surreal going into the clinic now, because he seems so normal in so many respects. When we remember how sick he was when we went on our first visit, and compare it with how well he is doing right now, it is definitely cause for rejoicing.
Each visit now he gets his blood drawn the day before, and his port flushed, which has to be done once monthly for as long as he has it. They weigh him, take his temp and blood pressure, then we see the Medical Oncologist, Dr. Chen. Afterward we see the Naturopathic Oncologist, Dr. Sweet. The two of them go over his blood test results, examine him, ask a lot of questions and answer ours. The clinic staff including the doctors have become more than just staff, they have also become our friends. They all consider Leland a "poster child" for integrative medicine. And we consider it a huge blessing.
Last weekend we celebrated Father's Day at Ft Stevens near Astoria with Chaunda, Cherilyn, Todd and Phoenix. We had a wonderful time visiting, playing with the baby, riding bikes and doing a little sight seeing. We also had the pleasure of Larry and Coni at our evening meal and campfire both Saturday and Sunday nights. On Sunday Larry brought his inmaculately restored 1948 Silver Streak Pontiac out, and gave us all rides. What a pleasure
it was for us to go riding in a beautiful car that garners so much attention!
Thanks, Coni and Larry, you made a special weekend even more so with your car, the yummy pizza, the extra firewood but most of all your good company.
We are grateful for each good day, and there have been lots of them over the last few months. I am especially grateful personally not only for Leland's good quality of life and the enjoyment we can share together with our family, but also for God's relentless love. He never let up on me even when I did not speak to Him for months except to tell Him I was angry with Him. He was still there, waiting patiently for me to return to Him, after all, where else could I go? So thank you to all of you who faithfully pray for us. It is working- and thank you too Darlene, for all the help you have been to me, and to the Philip Yancey books you recommended which have helped so much.
PS, I am not sure how the pictures and the text got intertwined, but at least they are all there : )
Leland continues to do well, his blood work is all very good and his PSA remained at 4.7. I was hoping for continued lowering, but at least it is still stable, which indicates the cancer remains under control. It is almost surreal going into the clinic now, because he seems so normal in so many respects. When we remember how sick he was when we went on our first visit, and compare it with how well he is doing right now, it is definitely cause for rejoicing.
Each visit now he gets his blood drawn the day before, and his port flushed, which has to be done once monthly for as long as he has it. They weigh him, take his temp and blood pressure, then we see the Medical Oncologist, Dr. Chen. Afterward we see the Naturopathic Oncologist, Dr. Sweet. The two of them go over his blood test results, examine him, ask a lot of questions and answer ours. The clinic staff including the doctors have become more than just staff, they have also become our friends. They all consider Leland a "poster child" for integrative medicine. And we consider it a huge blessing.
Last weekend we celebrated Father's Day at Ft Stevens near Astoria with Chaunda, Cherilyn, Todd and Phoenix. We had a wonderful time visiting, playing with the baby, riding bikes and doing a little sight seeing. We also had the pleasure of Larry and Coni at our evening meal and campfire both Saturday and Sunday nights. On Sunday Larry brought his inmaculately restored 1948 Silver Streak Pontiac out, and gave us all rides. What a pleasure
Thanks, Coni and Larry, you made a special weekend even more so with your car, the yummy pizza, the extra firewood but most of all your good company.
We are grateful for each good day, and there have been lots of them over the last few months. I am especially grateful personally not only for Leland's good quality of life and the enjoyment we can share together with our family, but also for God's relentless love. He never let up on me even when I did not speak to Him for months except to tell Him I was angry with Him. He was still there, waiting patiently for me to return to Him, after all, where else could I go? So thank you to all of you who faithfully pray for us. It is working- and thank you too Darlene, for all the help you have been to me, and to the Philip Yancey books you recommended which have helped so much.
PS, I am not sure how the pictures and the text got intertwined, but at least they are all there : )
Saturday, June 8, 2013
2013 June 8
Cherilyn and Phoenix came for 3 days last weekend-we had a great time. Phoenix discovered his fists belong to him; that he can direct them to his mouth-most of the time.: ) His newly found skill of cooing and smiling is really cute! We really enjoyed having them here-it seemed really quiet when they left for home.
We had a day and a half to work outside getting things planted and weeded, then it was off to Portland for a couple of days to help Cherilyn and Todd with Phoenix and meals after Cherilyn had a minor surgical procedure done related to the birth. She is feeling much better, and again we really enjoyed our time with all of them.
We came home yesterday, unpacked and worked outdoors some more. Leland mowed the lawn and I planted little plants in outdoor containers then Leland made sure all the drip irrigation is working so everything is well watered automatically.
We went to church today, and this afternoon took our bikes and a simple supper down to Maryhill Park. What a lovely afternoon it was, blue sky, beautiful green grass and trees, the river, the bare hills rising all around. Leland has been biking out to the mailboxes, but this was my first ride of the season. It will take a bit to get broken in to a bike seat again!
I cannot help but reflect on June a year ago and compare Leland's health then with what it is today. Last summer was a nightmare of illness. We were consumed with cancer and the treatments which took an immense amount of time and made him really sick. The worst of it was it did not work at all. We are both so grateful to have found treatment which has improved his quality of life by so much, and are really looking forward to a good summer.
We will be at the beach with the family next weekend, so I will not post again here until after our next visit to the cancer center which will be the 20th of the month.
Friday, May 24, 2013
2013, May 24 More Good News
We have been quite busy this last month trying to get our outside work done after the neglect of last summer. Even though we had help several times, it still got away from us. We have been pulling weeds-no shortage of them at all! We have also had several Dr. appointments between the two of us, and then of course we have to go to Portland to see Cher, Todd and Phoenix, even though they were here for Mother's Day weekend. Just can't spend too much time with a new grandson : ).
Leland has been sick all this week, beginning Sunday morning with a scratchy throat. Lots of vitamin c and sunshine and sweat in the garden did not halt the progression. He was running a low grade fever by the time we got to Seattle for his appointment. We were planning on staying with Chaunda at her new apartment, but with Leland being sick, felt we should not expose her, so we went to the hotel. It was disappointing, but we will see her at the beach Father's Day weekend.
Leland had to wear a mask at the clinic, hopefully to avoid sharing his germs with anyone else. He was feeling quite tired and miserable; Dr. Chen thought he should have an antibiotic since his immune system is compromised with the cancer, so we agreed, and he began them that afternoon. He is feeling a little better, but still has a nasty deep cough, so will be staying home this weekend.
His blood tests were the best since he was diagnosed. PSA 4.7 down from 8.9 last month and 52 in March. His Alkaline Phosphatase (a marker of abnormal bone activity) is down to normal limits, from a very abnormal high when he began treatment at the center. He has no pain anywhere (except from this flu ) and has been quite busy helping with all kinds of chores at home. He is not as strong as before, and tires a little more quickly, but all in all, things are as good as they can be with a diagnosis like he has. Praise the Lord-we are very grateful!
We are planning to do a little travel this summer, beginning with a trip to Boise to see my sister who is very ill, and in a rehab center. Then in mid June, Ft. Stevens near Astoria with the kids, in July, Raspberry Cottage near Bainbridge Island with Mark, Tina and Grant, then in August Crater Lake, the family reunion 2nd weekend, then we will be off to Yellowstone for the first time ever. Grant will go with us, Chaunda will fly to Boise where we will pick her up, and then we will meet Norm and Judy there as well. Leland has been planning all this with great anticipation, making reservations and planning the routes. Such a contrast to last Summer!
I reordered his Zytiga today, and the person with whom I spoke told me they have several patients on Zytiga who are doing as well as Leland, and one of them who has been on it for two years, and is still doing very well. That is very encouraging, I am certainly hoping Leland gets a good long run out of it also.
Leland has been sick all this week, beginning Sunday morning with a scratchy throat. Lots of vitamin c and sunshine and sweat in the garden did not halt the progression. He was running a low grade fever by the time we got to Seattle for his appointment. We were planning on staying with Chaunda at her new apartment, but with Leland being sick, felt we should not expose her, so we went to the hotel. It was disappointing, but we will see her at the beach Father's Day weekend.
Leland had to wear a mask at the clinic, hopefully to avoid sharing his germs with anyone else. He was feeling quite tired and miserable; Dr. Chen thought he should have an antibiotic since his immune system is compromised with the cancer, so we agreed, and he began them that afternoon. He is feeling a little better, but still has a nasty deep cough, so will be staying home this weekend.
His blood tests were the best since he was diagnosed. PSA 4.7 down from 8.9 last month and 52 in March. His Alkaline Phosphatase (a marker of abnormal bone activity) is down to normal limits, from a very abnormal high when he began treatment at the center. He has no pain anywhere (except from this flu ) and has been quite busy helping with all kinds of chores at home. He is not as strong as before, and tires a little more quickly, but all in all, things are as good as they can be with a diagnosis like he has. Praise the Lord-we are very grateful!
We are planning to do a little travel this summer, beginning with a trip to Boise to see my sister who is very ill, and in a rehab center. Then in mid June, Ft. Stevens near Astoria with the kids, in July, Raspberry Cottage near Bainbridge Island with Mark, Tina and Grant, then in August Crater Lake, the family reunion 2nd weekend, then we will be off to Yellowstone for the first time ever. Grant will go with us, Chaunda will fly to Boise where we will pick her up, and then we will meet Norm and Judy there as well. Leland has been planning all this with great anticipation, making reservations and planning the routes. Such a contrast to last Summer!
I reordered his Zytiga today, and the person with whom I spoke told me they have several patients on Zytiga who are doing as well as Leland, and one of them who has been on it for two years, and is still doing very well. That is very encouraging, I am certainly hoping Leland gets a good long run out of it also.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
2013 April 25-Good news
This has been a very busy week. We left for Redmond on Friday, where we spent the weekend with family and attended Don's memorial. It was a beautiful service Sabbath afternoon, a fitting tribute for a good man. We buried him at Camp Polk on Sunday morning. Grand son Jay placed his newly won Free Fall Wings on the urn, the most respectful tribute a miltary man can give-and a very moving gesture. We will miss him.
It was very good to see so many of our dear family members. We are looking forward to the family reunion in August, when we will get together for the joy of it rather than to bid someone good by.
Thank you Loris and Marvin for hosting all of us after the graveside service-it was really good to spend some time in your home and with each other.
On Monday we drove to Portland to spend some time with Cherilyn, Todd and Phoenix, as well as Todd's parents who are visiting from Pennsylvania to help out for a couple of weeks. We had a good visit, and arrived just in time to stay with Phoenix while everyone else raced off to medical appointments. We can see Phoenix has already grown noticeably, and it will not be long before he is chubby and smiling. Can't wait for him to respond with smiles and good eye contact. Of course we enjoyed every moment with all of them.
We came home on Tuesday, then left Wednesday for Seattle where we met Chaunda, saw her new apartment for which she had just picked up the keys, then went to dinner together.
Leland's appointment was this morning. Things are looking good for now, he gained another three pounds, feels good and his PSA is 8.9-down from 52 last month! The Zytiga is working. He is certainly a poster person for Integrative Medicine, especially when compared to how sick he was at his first appointment. We are both so grateful for his quality of life. We know it is not permanent, so appreciate every good day. There have been lots of them, and in many ways it is tempting to think he will stay in this condition. The Zytiga will stop working at some point, and then we will be trying other things under Dr. Chen and Dr. Sweet.
We have been reading two very good books by Philip Yancey, Prayer and Disappointment with God. I have had some real personal struggles this last winter, but some excellent counseling from a wise and godly counselor and her reccomendation of these books has been very helpful. I believe they would be helpful for anyone struggling with life situations and wondering where God is in all of our trials. I have seen a new picture of God which I did not have before, and I now can understand it is OK to be angy with Him, or disappointed with Him, but the most important thing is to be totally honest with Him, and never stop talking with Him even if the only thing one can do is rage or cry. Thank you Darlene!
FYI : Washington State allows a 550 dollar fine if your insurance papers are not up to date in your glove box! When we were stopped, the State Patrolman was very stern saying he would give us the benefit of the doubt-this time. I got right on the phone, and the insurance company had mistakenly not sent out the papers we need. We were two weeks past due, but had not thought about it at all, since it is supposed to automatic.
Tuesday April 30
I did it again, posted this blog, but did not publish it-instead it went to "drafts" How do I do it? I don't know! Anyway thank you Loris for the email asking where it is, it would have sat there until the next one without you saying something!
It was very good to see so many of our dear family members. We are looking forward to the family reunion in August, when we will get together for the joy of it rather than to bid someone good by.
Thank you Loris and Marvin for hosting all of us after the graveside service-it was really good to spend some time in your home and with each other.
On Monday we drove to Portland to spend some time with Cherilyn, Todd and Phoenix, as well as Todd's parents who are visiting from Pennsylvania to help out for a couple of weeks. We had a good visit, and arrived just in time to stay with Phoenix while everyone else raced off to medical appointments. We can see Phoenix has already grown noticeably, and it will not be long before he is chubby and smiling. Can't wait for him to respond with smiles and good eye contact. Of course we enjoyed every moment with all of them.
We came home on Tuesday, then left Wednesday for Seattle where we met Chaunda, saw her new apartment for which she had just picked up the keys, then went to dinner together.
Leland's appointment was this morning. Things are looking good for now, he gained another three pounds, feels good and his PSA is 8.9-down from 52 last month! The Zytiga is working. He is certainly a poster person for Integrative Medicine, especially when compared to how sick he was at his first appointment. We are both so grateful for his quality of life. We know it is not permanent, so appreciate every good day. There have been lots of them, and in many ways it is tempting to think he will stay in this condition. The Zytiga will stop working at some point, and then we will be trying other things under Dr. Chen and Dr. Sweet.
We have been reading two very good books by Philip Yancey, Prayer and Disappointment with God. I have had some real personal struggles this last winter, but some excellent counseling from a wise and godly counselor and her reccomendation of these books has been very helpful. I believe they would be helpful for anyone struggling with life situations and wondering where God is in all of our trials. I have seen a new picture of God which I did not have before, and I now can understand it is OK to be angy with Him, or disappointed with Him, but the most important thing is to be totally honest with Him, and never stop talking with Him even if the only thing one can do is rage or cry. Thank you Darlene!
FYI : Washington State allows a 550 dollar fine if your insurance papers are not up to date in your glove box! When we were stopped, the State Patrolman was very stern saying he would give us the benefit of the doubt-this time. I got right on the phone, and the insurance company had mistakenly not sent out the papers we need. We were two weeks past due, but had not thought about it at all, since it is supposed to automatic.
Tuesday April 30
I did it again, posted this blog, but did not publish it-instead it went to "drafts" How do I do it? I don't know! Anyway thank you Loris for the email asking where it is, it would have sat there until the next one without you saying something!
Monday, April 15, 2013
2013 April 15
This will be a short post as Leland's condition remains the same, feeling well and energetic enough to work outside yesterday. He cleaned out a row of raspberries and rototilled manure into a new bed while I attacked weeds and dandelions in another. He also used the flame thrower which he usually uses to start brush fires with, on the main path and killed weeds there.
A couple of days ago,I cleaned out the greenhouse which had been shamefully neglected and a respository of all kinds of junk-mainly cardboard for recycle and old pots. Leland spent quite a bit of time organizing all the various electrical cords and tying them to the benches and getting them up off the ground, which is a real improvement.
Del and I have been planting and have quite a few flower starts growing in the greenhouse; it has been fun working together playing in the dirt and starting our tiny seeds.
We have been living an almost normal life, going to church, shopping and visiting friends-together, none of which was possible last summer. Yesterday in addition to the above activities, we went to the Hobby and Craft Show at the Better Living Center organized by Del, wandered around looking at different booths, socializing and also having a very good lunch. Thanks Del, great job done-as usual.
Next weekend as most of you know, is Don's Memorial Service, where we expect to see a lot of our dear readers. I will not be posting here again until after our next trip to the Cancer Center, which is the 25th.
A couple of days ago,I cleaned out the greenhouse which had been shamefully neglected and a respository of all kinds of junk-mainly cardboard for recycle and old pots. Leland spent quite a bit of time organizing all the various electrical cords and tying them to the benches and getting them up off the ground, which is a real improvement.
Del and I have been planting and have quite a few flower starts growing in the greenhouse; it has been fun working together playing in the dirt and starting our tiny seeds.
We have been living an almost normal life, going to church, shopping and visiting friends-together, none of which was possible last summer. Yesterday in addition to the above activities, we went to the Hobby and Craft Show at the Better Living Center organized by Del, wandered around looking at different booths, socializing and also having a very good lunch. Thanks Del, great job done-as usual.
Next weekend as most of you know, is Don's Memorial Service, where we expect to see a lot of our dear readers. I will not be posting here again until after our next trip to the Cancer Center, which is the 25th.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
2013 April 7 Baby Pictures!
getting aquainted with Phoenix, helping to keep the household running, meals cooked and of course holding him every chance we got! He is a precious beautiful little bundle, and we were privileged to be there for the beginning of his life on the outside. We will see them again soon, will be going to visit when Todd's folks arrive from Pennsylvania, probably sometime next week.
We got home in time to get unpacked, and some chores which were neglected in the rush to leave, done, and supper before collapsing into our chairs for the evening.
This week will be getting caught up on mail (Leland does that, thank goodness!) and getting a start on the yard which is looking sad right now. Del and I have flowers starting under the lights and on the seed starting mats in the garden shed, some of which are ready to take out and put in the greenhouse. We enjoy working together and will be meeting up this afternoon for that and a new perm for Del. It is windy and rainy, so a good day to work in the greenhouse which is pleasant even on crummy days.
Leland's eye has been bothering him, so on the way home on Friday, we stopped in to see Dr. Ogden. He found a tiny little hair he could barely see with his 12X scope, and removed it. But nothing feels better, so we will have to see him again on Monday and see what else needs to be done.
Nothing new on the cancer war this week, holding steady as far as we can tell. We are thankful that Leland continues to feel well, and very thankful for the safe arrival and good health for both Phoenix and Cherilyn, a real blessing.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
2013 March 31
It is Easter Sunday and we are still with Cherilyn, Todd and little Phoenix.
Last Sunday, with Chaunda, we decorated the house for their home-coming, streamers, balloons, flowers and Congratulations banners. When we all came home around 8:30 in the evening; they were happily surprised and pleased at our efforts. Then the fun began. Cherilyn and Todd were exhausted, having had very little sleep at the hospital, and Phoenix had quite a time learning to breast feed, so there was lots of newborn crying. The lactation nurses characterized him as a 0-60 baby, meaning he can go from contented to extremely frustrated very quickly. The first 2 days and nights at home were a real challenge for both of them, and I did a little night duty trying to spare Cherilyn and Todd as much as possible. Of course, that is not a lot when baby needs to be nursed.
Cher and Todd had an appointment with a lactation specialist on Tues, and received more pointers on getting a newborn to latch on well, and by Wednesday, things had begun to turn around with Phoenix doing much better with his nursing and Mommy getting a little more rest between feedings. It has been such a joy being a part of all this with Leland feeling well enough to participate in being the happy grandpa.
Todd did the sweetest thing (among many!). He brought a laundry basket to Cherilyn filled with clean baby clothes and asked her to find an item for him. One layer down was a plaque with loving words accompanied by a little black box containing a lovely necklace to match her wedding ring, a green aqua-marine surrounded by little diamonds-a thank you gift from him for their precious little boy. He is a most thoughtful and considerate husband, consistently kind to everyone in his path.
We went to Seattle on Wednesday night for Leland's appointment. Everything looks good. The PSA did not come down, but neither did it double for the first time in 3 months, so it looks as though the Zytiga is working. No one knows for how long, as that varies considerably from patient to patient. Dr. Chen said the cancer is under control for now. We will take every good day and be grateful. We plan to do some travel this summer while he is still feeling well, and making the most of every day we are given.
It was good to see Lorance, Judy and Monte Sabbath afternoon, and visit with them for a little while, as they welcomed little Phoenix to the family.
Last Sunday, with Chaunda, we decorated the house for their home-coming, streamers, balloons, flowers and Congratulations banners. When we all came home around 8:30 in the evening; they were happily surprised and pleased at our efforts. Then the fun began. Cherilyn and Todd were exhausted, having had very little sleep at the hospital, and Phoenix had quite a time learning to breast feed, so there was lots of newborn crying. The lactation nurses characterized him as a 0-60 baby, meaning he can go from contented to extremely frustrated very quickly. The first 2 days and nights at home were a real challenge for both of them, and I did a little night duty trying to spare Cherilyn and Todd as much as possible. Of course, that is not a lot when baby needs to be nursed.
Cher and Todd had an appointment with a lactation specialist on Tues, and received more pointers on getting a newborn to latch on well, and by Wednesday, things had begun to turn around with Phoenix doing much better with his nursing and Mommy getting a little more rest between feedings. It has been such a joy being a part of all this with Leland feeling well enough to participate in being the happy grandpa.
Todd did the sweetest thing (among many!). He brought a laundry basket to Cherilyn filled with clean baby clothes and asked her to find an item for him. One layer down was a plaque with loving words accompanied by a little black box containing a lovely necklace to match her wedding ring, a green aqua-marine surrounded by little diamonds-a thank you gift from him for their precious little boy. He is a most thoughtful and considerate husband, consistently kind to everyone in his path.
We went to Seattle on Wednesday night for Leland's appointment. Everything looks good. The PSA did not come down, but neither did it double for the first time in 3 months, so it looks as though the Zytiga is working. No one knows for how long, as that varies considerably from patient to patient. Dr. Chen said the cancer is under control for now. We will take every good day and be grateful. We plan to do some travel this summer while he is still feeling well, and making the most of every day we are given.
It was good to see Lorance, Judy and Monte Sabbath afternoon, and visit with them for a little while, as they welcomed little Phoenix to the family.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
2013 March 23 -Welcome Phoenix!
2013 March 23, 2013
Yesterday was very long, beginning with the phone call at
5:10 am with the news Cherilyn and Todd were heading to the hospital. We were packed for a week and out of the
house by 6:50, and arrived at Emanuel Hospital in Portland by 9:00 am. It went very slowly, but she did great, with
Phoenix Sky Bertgess getting his first glimpse of his new world about 8:56
pm. He is beautiful and perfect! Looks just like Todd’s baby pictures, and is
weighing in at 7 pounds, 1.9 ounces. Cherilyn was pretty exhausted by the time
it was all over, but the almost instantaneous switch from painful last stage
labor and delivery to radiant brand new mom is amazing to behold. I was privileged to be right there and
witness the whole event, and it will be a treasured memory always.
Tina and Grant, Chaunda, Leland, Dawn and Ena were all
there as well lending support and waiting for to hear of the birth, then
waiting to be able to go in and meet the newest member of the family after
Cherilyn and Todd had spent a few minutes alone with just the three of
them. We all left shortly afterward,
finally falling into bed about midnight or so.
We found out this week the conditional grant has been
officially approved, Praise the Lord, and the generous people who donate to
Chronic Disease Fund! The liver function
tests came out well, all within normal limits, so the next step is the PSA and
other blood work to be done in preparation for his appointment on the 28th,
which should tell us more about whether or not this approach is going to work
for a while. In the meantime, he is still feeling well for which we are
thankful.
Sunday March 24, 2013
We Chaunda, Leland
and I, spent yesterday visiting the new little family and getting to hold
Phoenix for the very first time, an emotional moment for me, a proud and
smiling one for Leland. Phoenix is a
warm and precious little bundle who looks very much like his Daddy’s baby
pictures. I had told Todd that
immediately after the birth, so he brought one into the hospital yesterday, so
I got to say “I told you so!” Baby has a
very nice little dimple in his chin, which definitely came from Cherilyn, so he
is a mix of both of them. They are both so in love with him, it is just a
beautiful sight and we are thanking God for a safe delivery and healthy
outcome. Next, the adjustments that all
parents and babies go through, and we will be here to cook, wash dishes and clean,
and be a general support for them-how fortunate can we be??
We also went for a walk along the downtown Portland
Riverwalk under the blossoming cherry trees.
Beautiful! We then went to Mark
and Tina’s for a nice visit, then back to the hospital to spend more time with
Cher, Todd and Phoenix. A great Sabbath
filled with spring beauty and family.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
2013 March 17
Today is chilly and cloudy in Goldendale, but we are warm
inside. Leland is working in his office
trying to find out how to sync our new Kindle (Thank you Chaunda) with the
Kindle for Pc which I have on my laptop.
He built a fire earlier, and now we have the windows open to keep it
under 78 degrees.
Last week we spent Sunday morning burning downed limbs
from the other side of the driveway.
There is still a lot more of that to do.
On Wednesday and Thursday we rearranged the garden shed which meant
moving the heat mats and lights for seed starting to a table from the previous
location. This meant Leland needed to
build a shelf from which to hang the lights. It is a nice bonus because now
other equipment can be stored there.
He was tired by the end of the week, but we went to SS
and church then home to dinner with Nancy and Vic and their daughter Amy. Kathy and Dan were there too. We had a great meal, excellent company and a
fine afternoon. We came home around
4:30, and Leland slept for about 2 hours, something he has not done for quite a
while.
We were so busy Friday that we forgot he needed to go
have the blood test done, so will do that first thing Monday morning.
Did anyone read the blog from last week? Did you have any
thoughts regarding your status as a blood relative of someone with Prostate Ca? Just curious. If you would like to comment,
which I would appreciate, and you have difficulty with the blog site, feel free
to jot a quick e-mail even one sentence or a short paragraph would be welcome. eileenvt@wildblue.net.
I am not asking for comment on every blog every week, but it would be nice to
have some feedback especially when I post information such as I posted last
week.
We are all still waiting for the baby, Cherilyn posted on
Face Book this am that Todd is watching her as though she were a ticking time bomb
: )
Friday, March 8, 2013
2013 March 8
So, how is Leland doing on the Zytiga? He is still feeling well, doing chores, running errands, designing flyers and announcements for church and walking nearly every day. Sometimes he feels a little nauseated for a short time before eating breakfast, as the Zytiga must be taken on an empty stomach, an hour before a meal, or two hours afterward. It is easiest and most consistant to take it upon arising, then wait an hour til breakfast.
His hair is getting a little longer so he no longer looks bald, and his fingernails are about half grown out with new, normal looking nails. He keeps them as short as possible, as they are really strange looking, all white and bumpy looking from the chemo. The peripheral neuopathy seems to be gradually improving, but he still has problems doing small tasks such as picking up something flat from a flat surface or buttoning the small buttons on his collar or cuffs. Next Friday he goes in for liver function blood testing, as the Zytiga can be very hard on the liver, so it needs to be monitored.
We received the paperwork from the Chronic Disease Fund, filled out and e-mailed it in. We have a conditional grant which paid for the first dose, but now they have to examine the application to make sure we still qualify. What a blessing an organization such as this is to people struggling with these incredible co-payments. On the forum for Pca wives to which I belong, there are many others in the same situation. One lady posted from France saying that their government pays for theirs, otherwise they would not have it. In the states, Medicare Patients are excluded from most programs which help patients with these costs-hard to understand.
Special Note to blood relatives of Leland: From Dr. Stephan Strum, Medical Oncologist Specializing in Prostate Cancer:
1. Male relatives of a Prostate Cancer Patient, nephews, brothers or sons are all much more likely to also get Pca, and should be sure to have their PSA tested beginning in late 30s or by 40 years old for a benchmark level. They should also be sure to have a DRE (Digital Rectal Exam) every year. Do NOT listen to the advice currently being given not to have a PSA test done-it is wrong headed and in addition, the people on the taskforce who came up with it are not Pathologists, or Oncologists, or Urologists-none of the people on the front lines of Prostate Cancer care were consulted. Dr. Snuffy Myers, another Prostate Oncologist says he is already beginning to see the results of this terrible advice in his practice as some insurance companies are now refusing to pay for the test, and he is seeing more patients coming in with advanced Pca than before this was made public.
It is true that many men were diagnosed with a low grade Pca and overtreated, but better education and research is showing which cancers can be treated with watchful waiting and which ones need immediate treatment. It is tragic to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
2. Daughters are more susceptible to Breast Cancer. I am not sure if that warning also includes sisters and nieces, Dr. Strum did not specifically mention the Breast Cancer connection except for daughters.
Last Sunday, Del, Kathy and I went to Portland for the day to help Cherilyn get the nursery ready. They had recently moved, and were in need of help. They had washed all the tiny little clothes, but everything needed to be sorted by size, folded and put away. Del did a great job with that. Kathy spent the time working on a porta crib which needed some repair. She is very patient and persistent ,and had it in working order by the time we left. I worked on setting up the changing tables, one upstairs and one down stairs, unwrapping pacifiers, toys and equipment. Then Del and I washed everything that had been unwrapped, all the little dishes, spoons, bottles, rattles, toys and misc. stuff as Kathy finished the crib. We left them prepared to bring the baby home and be able to smoothly take care of him-at least as smoothly as can be done with a newborn! We had a great time-thank you Del and Kathy.
Cherilyn is now 37.5 weeks along, and has begun to dilate and efface, and is having contractions. So we should have a new little grandson most any day now. We will be going to Portland as soon as we get the call to support and help them, and love on that little boy. Will let you all know when it happens!
His hair is getting a little longer so he no longer looks bald, and his fingernails are about half grown out with new, normal looking nails. He keeps them as short as possible, as they are really strange looking, all white and bumpy looking from the chemo. The peripheral neuopathy seems to be gradually improving, but he still has problems doing small tasks such as picking up something flat from a flat surface or buttoning the small buttons on his collar or cuffs. Next Friday he goes in for liver function blood testing, as the Zytiga can be very hard on the liver, so it needs to be monitored.
We received the paperwork from the Chronic Disease Fund, filled out and e-mailed it in. We have a conditional grant which paid for the first dose, but now they have to examine the application to make sure we still qualify. What a blessing an organization such as this is to people struggling with these incredible co-payments. On the forum for Pca wives to which I belong, there are many others in the same situation. One lady posted from France saying that their government pays for theirs, otherwise they would not have it. In the states, Medicare Patients are excluded from most programs which help patients with these costs-hard to understand.
Special Note to blood relatives of Leland: From Dr. Stephan Strum, Medical Oncologist Specializing in Prostate Cancer:
1. Male relatives of a Prostate Cancer Patient, nephews, brothers or sons are all much more likely to also get Pca, and should be sure to have their PSA tested beginning in late 30s or by 40 years old for a benchmark level. They should also be sure to have a DRE (Digital Rectal Exam) every year. Do NOT listen to the advice currently being given not to have a PSA test done-it is wrong headed and in addition, the people on the taskforce who came up with it are not Pathologists, or Oncologists, or Urologists-none of the people on the front lines of Prostate Cancer care were consulted. Dr. Snuffy Myers, another Prostate Oncologist says he is already beginning to see the results of this terrible advice in his practice as some insurance companies are now refusing to pay for the test, and he is seeing more patients coming in with advanced Pca than before this was made public.
It is true that many men were diagnosed with a low grade Pca and overtreated, but better education and research is showing which cancers can be treated with watchful waiting and which ones need immediate treatment. It is tragic to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
2. Daughters are more susceptible to Breast Cancer. I am not sure if that warning also includes sisters and nieces, Dr. Strum did not specifically mention the Breast Cancer connection except for daughters.
Last Sunday, Del, Kathy and I went to Portland for the day to help Cherilyn get the nursery ready. They had recently moved, and were in need of help. They had washed all the tiny little clothes, but everything needed to be sorted by size, folded and put away. Del did a great job with that. Kathy spent the time working on a porta crib which needed some repair. She is very patient and persistent ,and had it in working order by the time we left. I worked on setting up the changing tables, one upstairs and one down stairs, unwrapping pacifiers, toys and equipment. Then Del and I washed everything that had been unwrapped, all the little dishes, spoons, bottles, rattles, toys and misc. stuff as Kathy finished the crib. We left them prepared to bring the baby home and be able to smoothly take care of him-at least as smoothly as can be done with a newborn! We had a great time-thank you Del and Kathy.
Cherilyn is now 37.5 weeks along, and has begun to dilate and efface, and is having contractions. So we should have a new little grandson most any day now. We will be going to Portland as soon as we get the call to support and help them, and love on that little boy. Will let you all know when it happens!
Friday, March 1, 2013
2013 March 1 We got it!
This week began with a trip to Indianola Wa, near Bainbridge Island with Del and Chuck to spend three nights at Raspberry Cottage. It is a very attractive and comfortable retirement home for Chuck's brother and his wife, which they have purchased and furnished for later. They graciously invited us to stay there and we had a great time, exploring, walking on piers among saling and fishing boats, shopping in interesting little stores and just sight seeing.
On Wednesday morning we packed up and left for Seattle on the Ferry, had our lunch watching the beautiful scenery, went for Leland's blood draw at the clinic, then went to the Boeing Flight Museum. We really enjoyed seeing a retired Air Force One Jet, a British Airways Concorde, a MD21 Blackbird Spy Plane and scores of retired fighter planes from World War I onward. It is a great museum. Leland says it is considerably larger than it was several years ago when he was there last.
In the evening we met Chaunda for dinner and went to an Indian Restaurant which is very attractive with excellent food. It was really great to spend some time with her and hear more about her new job.
We stayed at our usual hotel, then on Thursday morning went for Leland's appointment. Dr. Chen, back from vacation, says Leland's cancer is not behaving predictably, that it is rare not to have a good response at least for a while to the hormone therapy, that it is possible the cancer has mutated into a small cell type which does not respond to the usual Prostate therapies. However, we will not know this for sure until we see his response to the Zytiga. His PSA was higher again, up to 51 now, but the Alkaline Phosphatase (an indicator of bone cancer activity) was within normal limits for the first time in 4 months. So the picture is a little confusing. He feels pretty well, and has a decent amount of energy, for which we are always grateful.
While we were sight seeing Monday morning, we got a call from the pharmacy telling us that the Chronic Disease Fund had just opened up again, and if we got an application in immediately, which she would submit as soon as she finished our conversation, we would find out if Leland was accepted within 24-48 hours. Tuesday morning she called again and said he was accepted! The grant will cover the co-pays except for 50 dollars until we get to the catastrophic stage, and we can handle that. We had decided that if God wanted him to have that medicine, He would provide it, and if He did not, it probably would not work for him anyway. We received the package by UPS today, and he has taken his first dose. He will have to have blood tests for liver function in two weeks, and then have the PSA checked a week later at which time perhaps we will have a clearer picture of the course this beast is taking.
It is enlightening to seek funding for these expensive medicines. It seems that if one wishes their donation to directly benefit cancer patients, it is best to donate to foundations which exist for that purpose. Eventually I will do some research to disover where the millions donated to cancer actually end up. In the meantime, we are grateful for the Chronic Disease Fund and the timely efficient manner in which they have helped us. The other foundation to which we applied has yet to respond, and the others were all closed, as their funds have already been distributed.
This is a lesson in patience and trust, and other qualities which we have yet to discover, yet there is peace in knowing God is in control; will meet our needs, and walk with us every step of the way.
On Wednesday morning we packed up and left for Seattle on the Ferry, had our lunch watching the beautiful scenery, went for Leland's blood draw at the clinic, then went to the Boeing Flight Museum. We really enjoyed seeing a retired Air Force One Jet, a British Airways Concorde, a MD21 Blackbird Spy Plane and scores of retired fighter planes from World War I onward. It is a great museum. Leland says it is considerably larger than it was several years ago when he was there last.
In the evening we met Chaunda for dinner and went to an Indian Restaurant which is very attractive with excellent food. It was really great to spend some time with her and hear more about her new job.
We stayed at our usual hotel, then on Thursday morning went for Leland's appointment. Dr. Chen, back from vacation, says Leland's cancer is not behaving predictably, that it is rare not to have a good response at least for a while to the hormone therapy, that it is possible the cancer has mutated into a small cell type which does not respond to the usual Prostate therapies. However, we will not know this for sure until we see his response to the Zytiga. His PSA was higher again, up to 51 now, but the Alkaline Phosphatase (an indicator of bone cancer activity) was within normal limits for the first time in 4 months. So the picture is a little confusing. He feels pretty well, and has a decent amount of energy, for which we are always grateful.
While we were sight seeing Monday morning, we got a call from the pharmacy telling us that the Chronic Disease Fund had just opened up again, and if we got an application in immediately, which she would submit as soon as she finished our conversation, we would find out if Leland was accepted within 24-48 hours. Tuesday morning she called again and said he was accepted! The grant will cover the co-pays except for 50 dollars until we get to the catastrophic stage, and we can handle that. We had decided that if God wanted him to have that medicine, He would provide it, and if He did not, it probably would not work for him anyway. We received the package by UPS today, and he has taken his first dose. He will have to have blood tests for liver function in two weeks, and then have the PSA checked a week later at which time perhaps we will have a clearer picture of the course this beast is taking.
It is enlightening to seek funding for these expensive medicines. It seems that if one wishes their donation to directly benefit cancer patients, it is best to donate to foundations which exist for that purpose. Eventually I will do some research to disover where the millions donated to cancer actually end up. In the meantime, we are grateful for the Chronic Disease Fund and the timely efficient manner in which they have helped us. The other foundation to which we applied has yet to respond, and the others were all closed, as their funds have already been distributed.
This is a lesson in patience and trust, and other qualities which we have yet to discover, yet there is peace in knowing God is in control; will meet our needs, and walk with us every step of the way.
Friday, February 15, 2013
2013 Feb 15
It has been a frustrating 2 weeks. We got all the required paperwork into the foundation, and I called a couple of days later to find out how long it would be before we know if we have been accepted for a grant. Was told to expect at least another two weeks. So that will be a whole month since the prescription has been given.
Yesterday, Leland went off to help to be part of a moving crew for some friends. I stayed home to work on medical stuff, and ended up writing an e-mail to the clinic administrator copied to the rest of our caregivers there detailing the difficulty we are having. I got a call within a few minutes from the administrator and one from the other Oncologist a little later as Dr. Chen is on vacation. He ordered more tests to be done today, which Leland went and did this am. We got the results this afternoon. In the two weeks since the last test, the PSA has risen to 41 from 24. Higher than at diagnosis. I had asked the Dr. why he could not be put on one of the older meds which are effective and affordable. He said we would test the PSA first, and then decide what to do.
This system needs to be changed! Sending a cancer patient out the door with an unaffordable prescription which takes over a month to obtain allowing the disease to get a better foot hold in the meantime is not acceptable. The adminstrator told me there are too many insurance plans to keep track of what all of them do. At least they did respond to my e-mail when the phone calls did not generate any help. We are fully insured with Medicare, a supplemental policy and part D. But this prescription through our insurance has copayments of 2,703 dollars per month until we reach the doughnut hole, then they jump to 3,403. When we get out of that, the co pay is only 360. All these are per month for 30 pills. Unbelievable.
We went to The Dalles today to the VA Administration to see if there are any medical benefits he qualifies for, so that will be more paperwork to fill out next week. It was a lovely day however, and we took advantage of the sunshine to take a walk by the river while we were there, a nice change from walking on our muddy roads under the pines.
Yesterday, Leland went off to help to be part of a moving crew for some friends. I stayed home to work on medical stuff, and ended up writing an e-mail to the clinic administrator copied to the rest of our caregivers there detailing the difficulty we are having. I got a call within a few minutes from the administrator and one from the other Oncologist a little later as Dr. Chen is on vacation. He ordered more tests to be done today, which Leland went and did this am. We got the results this afternoon. In the two weeks since the last test, the PSA has risen to 41 from 24. Higher than at diagnosis. I had asked the Dr. why he could not be put on one of the older meds which are effective and affordable. He said we would test the PSA first, and then decide what to do.
This system needs to be changed! Sending a cancer patient out the door with an unaffordable prescription which takes over a month to obtain allowing the disease to get a better foot hold in the meantime is not acceptable. The adminstrator told me there are too many insurance plans to keep track of what all of them do. At least they did respond to my e-mail when the phone calls did not generate any help. We are fully insured with Medicare, a supplemental policy and part D. But this prescription through our insurance has copayments of 2,703 dollars per month until we reach the doughnut hole, then they jump to 3,403. When we get out of that, the co pay is only 360. All these are per month for 30 pills. Unbelievable.
We went to The Dalles today to the VA Administration to see if there are any medical benefits he qualifies for, so that will be more paperwork to fill out next week. It was a lovely day however, and we took advantage of the sunshine to take a walk by the river while we were there, a nice change from walking on our muddy roads under the pines.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
2013 Febuary 3 A Bend in the Road?
The appointment with Dr Yu, Medical Oncologist Specializing in Prostate Cancer, with whom we consulted for a second opinion this last week was very interesting. The Seattle Cancer Alliance is a huge complex affiliated with the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. It is situated right in downtown Seattle overlooking part of Lake Union. The traffic was awful, and we were really grateful for the GPS and its ability to "recalculate" when a turn is missed.
They had collected all of Leland's records and sent for his pathology slides which one of their expert pathologists reviewed. Dr Yu and his assistant opined it is possible -but rare- that Leland is not responding to the Hormone therapy and based on the next set of lab work would recommend he start treatment with a new drug called Zytiga. They were very professional, had obviously done their homework, and answered all our questions.
We then went to the Seattle Cancer Treatment Center and they drew his blood for this month's tests and flushed his port. We then saw Dr. Chen the next morning and before we told him we had gone to see Dr. Yu, he proceeded to recommend the exact same treatment. He had the advantage of having the latest blood work of course, which further clarified the issues, but we were reassured that our clinic is on top of things and has the advantage of the Naturopathic Oncologists, which the other clinic does not.
Leland's PSA continued to climb-from 7.6 when chemo was finished to 17.7 on the third of January and now to 24, which is 2 points higher than when he was diagnosed. This should not be happening so soon on the Lupron shots, so clearly a good share of this cancer is not responding. Also his Alkaline Phosphatase is very high in the last couple of months, which is an indicator of bone cancer activity. Not what we wanted to hear.
Dr. Chen prescribed Zytiga, and said we would have to obtain it from a specialized pharmacy, and started the ball rolling. Then one of the office girls came in with some forms to be signed and told us the co-payments are very high, five thousand dollars a month for medicare part D patients! Really?? She also told us the company which manufactures it does have some programs and some non-profits who help patients afford this, and when we got home Friday night, there was a message on the answering machine from a rep there. Monday morning we will call and see what they have to offer.
Zytiga works by supppressing the testosterone made by the adrenal glands when Lupron shuts down the main production by the testicles. It must be taken with low dose steroids to prevent some very unpleasant side effects, and in clinical trials was shown to extend life four to five months over placebo. These are mean numbers, averaged out over the entire group of men. Which does not seem that impressive to me, but it also improved quality of life for nearly everyone on it, so that is worth a great deal.
Leland still continues to feel well in spite of all this; his courage is good and his trust in God allows him to be calm and peaceful even in the face of less than encouraging news.
I will conclude with these words from Jesus Calling page 25:
"My Peace is the treasure of treasures; the pearl of great price . It is an exquisitely costly gift, both for the Giver and the receiver. I purchased this Peace for you with My blood. You receive this gift by trusting Me in the midst of life's storms. If you have the world's peace-everything going your way-you don't seek My unfathomable Peace. Thank Me when things do not go your way, because spiritual blessings come wrapped in trials. Adverse circumstances are normal in a fallen world. Expect them each day. Rejoice in the face of hardship for I have overcome the world.
Matt.13:46; James 1:2; John 16:33
They had collected all of Leland's records and sent for his pathology slides which one of their expert pathologists reviewed. Dr Yu and his assistant opined it is possible -but rare- that Leland is not responding to the Hormone therapy and based on the next set of lab work would recommend he start treatment with a new drug called Zytiga. They were very professional, had obviously done their homework, and answered all our questions.
We then went to the Seattle Cancer Treatment Center and they drew his blood for this month's tests and flushed his port. We then saw Dr. Chen the next morning and before we told him we had gone to see Dr. Yu, he proceeded to recommend the exact same treatment. He had the advantage of having the latest blood work of course, which further clarified the issues, but we were reassured that our clinic is on top of things and has the advantage of the Naturopathic Oncologists, which the other clinic does not.
Leland's PSA continued to climb-from 7.6 when chemo was finished to 17.7 on the third of January and now to 24, which is 2 points higher than when he was diagnosed. This should not be happening so soon on the Lupron shots, so clearly a good share of this cancer is not responding. Also his Alkaline Phosphatase is very high in the last couple of months, which is an indicator of bone cancer activity. Not what we wanted to hear.
Dr. Chen prescribed Zytiga, and said we would have to obtain it from a specialized pharmacy, and started the ball rolling. Then one of the office girls came in with some forms to be signed and told us the co-payments are very high, five thousand dollars a month for medicare part D patients! Really?? She also told us the company which manufactures it does have some programs and some non-profits who help patients afford this, and when we got home Friday night, there was a message on the answering machine from a rep there. Monday morning we will call and see what they have to offer.
Zytiga works by supppressing the testosterone made by the adrenal glands when Lupron shuts down the main production by the testicles. It must be taken with low dose steroids to prevent some very unpleasant side effects, and in clinical trials was shown to extend life four to five months over placebo. These are mean numbers, averaged out over the entire group of men. Which does not seem that impressive to me, but it also improved quality of life for nearly everyone on it, so that is worth a great deal.
Leland still continues to feel well in spite of all this; his courage is good and his trust in God allows him to be calm and peaceful even in the face of less than encouraging news.
I will conclude with these words from Jesus Calling page 25:
"My Peace is the treasure of treasures; the pearl of great price . It is an exquisitely costly gift, both for the Giver and the receiver. I purchased this Peace for you with My blood. You receive this gift by trusting Me in the midst of life's storms. If you have the world's peace-everything going your way-you don't seek My unfathomable Peace. Thank Me when things do not go your way, because spiritual blessings come wrapped in trials. Adverse circumstances are normal in a fallen world. Expect them each day. Rejoice in the face of hardship for I have overcome the world.
Matt.13:46; James 1:2; John 16:33
Monday, January 28, 2013
2013 January 28
It has been a couple of weeks since I posted here. We have pretty well recovered from our adventures with the flu and back spasms. Leland is feeling well, and seems to have good energy. He has lost a few pounds again, and PSA was up last time, which worries me, so I am looking forward to some answers this week.
Last weekend, we went to Portland for Cherilyn and Todd's baby shower. It was a great deal of fun, they received many very nice gifts, and it was lovely to see friends, both old and new as well as family.
I have continued my search for information regarding prostate cancer and have learned that there are Oncologists Specializing in Prostate Cancer. Not many, but there are a few scattered around the nation. We will be consulting with one of them this week on our regular monthly trip to Seattle.
We have been disatisfied with the lack of information given us regarding the side effects of the latest therapies, and I have gone searching to fill that lack. Leland will be seen at the new clinic for an expert second opinion on Wednesday this week, then will go to the regular clinic to have his blood work drawn. When we consult with Dr. Chen on Thursday we will have the blood work in hand as we talk with him, rather than getting the results several days after the appointment and having to wait a month to ask the inevitable questions.
I have learned much from joining a forum for Pca wives. About 70 percent of the information seekers for this disease are wives or partners of the patient, forming a very understanding sister-hood. There are many aproaches to treatment, with each Pca Oncologist having a slightly different slant on the best protocol. There is also much contradiction with each having studies which support that particular treatment philosphy. Each patient is different and may react differently to the same medication. For advanced patients such as Leland the choices are narrower, but there are more than we were told at time of diagnosis. I wish we had found Naturopathic Oncologists in the first place, and had known of Medical Oncolgists Specializing in Prostate Cancer in the beginning. The treatment from these specialists seems to be much more refined and targeted than from more general Oncologists, and most importantly, they seem to be more focused on Quality of Life issues and more willing to discuss the side effects and ways to deal with them.
We will go from Seattle to Portland Thursday afternoon, as Cherilyn has asked me to accompany her to her child birth class while Todd is out of town. I am looking forward to that! We will stay on until Friday afternoon, and do some packing for her, as they are moving next week into a larger house, then come home. I will plan to post again over the weekend, and share what we learn this week from both appointments.
Last weekend, we went to Portland for Cherilyn and Todd's baby shower. It was a great deal of fun, they received many very nice gifts, and it was lovely to see friends, both old and new as well as family.
I have continued my search for information regarding prostate cancer and have learned that there are Oncologists Specializing in Prostate Cancer. Not many, but there are a few scattered around the nation. We will be consulting with one of them this week on our regular monthly trip to Seattle.
We have been disatisfied with the lack of information given us regarding the side effects of the latest therapies, and I have gone searching to fill that lack. Leland will be seen at the new clinic for an expert second opinion on Wednesday this week, then will go to the regular clinic to have his blood work drawn. When we consult with Dr. Chen on Thursday we will have the blood work in hand as we talk with him, rather than getting the results several days after the appointment and having to wait a month to ask the inevitable questions.
I have learned much from joining a forum for Pca wives. About 70 percent of the information seekers for this disease are wives or partners of the patient, forming a very understanding sister-hood. There are many aproaches to treatment, with each Pca Oncologist having a slightly different slant on the best protocol. There is also much contradiction with each having studies which support that particular treatment philosphy. Each patient is different and may react differently to the same medication. For advanced patients such as Leland the choices are narrower, but there are more than we were told at time of diagnosis. I wish we had found Naturopathic Oncologists in the first place, and had known of Medical Oncolgists Specializing in Prostate Cancer in the beginning. The treatment from these specialists seems to be much more refined and targeted than from more general Oncologists, and most importantly, they seem to be more focused on Quality of Life issues and more willing to discuss the side effects and ways to deal with them.
We will go from Seattle to Portland Thursday afternoon, as Cherilyn has asked me to accompany her to her child birth class while Todd is out of town. I am looking forward to that! We will stay on until Friday afternoon, and do some packing for her, as they are moving next week into a larger house, then come home. I will plan to post again over the weekend, and share what we learn this week from both appointments.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
2013-01 -12
It has been an interesting week. Leland came down with the stomach flu Sunday night/Monday morning, and spent a miserable night up vomiting every two hours. He was sick all day on Monday with the usual stomach pains and inability to eat that we all had with the addition of a fever of 100.5. About the time I was ready to take him to the ER, he sat up and asked for some applesauce and was feeling better. Tuesday was a quiet day and Wednesday we got the Christmas things taken down and put way and I went to Soup Kitchen to help out. Leland still did not quite feel up to going out and stayed home. We planned on going to The Dalles to shop on Thursday, but I woke up sick with that same stomach flu for the 2nd time in a week!
I was feeling better enough by this morning I had almost decided to go to church. I was drying myself off after my shower, and suddenly my lower back locked up in a spasm which made me freeze and have to call Leland to help me dress and get to the couch. He stayed home with me and has been waiting on me hand and foot. Ibuprophen, ice and my mom's old walker we had stored in the garage are my friends today-after Leland of course. Hopefully this is a spasm which will correct itself in a short time.
Leland continues to bandage his fingernails, his hair is growing out more each day, and he is doing well at the moment-is out in the kitchen fixing our lunch. A real labor of love for him-as well as an act of desperation : ).
It is a beautiful cold day, low of 14 last night and up to 28 right now at 1pm with blue sky and sunshine.
I was feeling better enough by this morning I had almost decided to go to church. I was drying myself off after my shower, and suddenly my lower back locked up in a spasm which made me freeze and have to call Leland to help me dress and get to the couch. He stayed home with me and has been waiting on me hand and foot. Ibuprophen, ice and my mom's old walker we had stored in the garage are my friends today-after Leland of course. Hopefully this is a spasm which will correct itself in a short time.
Leland continues to bandage his fingernails, his hair is growing out more each day, and he is doing well at the moment-is out in the kitchen fixing our lunch. A real labor of love for him-as well as an act of desperation : ).
It is a beautiful cold day, low of 14 last night and up to 28 right now at 1pm with blue sky and sunshine.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Sabbath Jan 5, 2013 Partial Remission
Our trip to Seattle was good, we had bare pavement and roadside snow all the way, with beautiful winter scenery. We also had good company, as our friend, Gary, accompanied us on this trip.
We arrived in Seattle-Renton early in the evening, went for a walk outside our hotel, then met Chaunda who was on her way home from work, for a very pleasant evening out at an excellent Indian Restarant. Not only was the food just wonderful, it was served very attractively and the decor was beautiful as well as spotlessly clean.
We saw both our Oncologists, the Medical Dr. Chen and Naturopathic Dr. Sweet. Leland is doing well, is in partial remission which they believe will continue on into full remission with the hormone therapy. Dr Chen wishes to monitor him closely so he will need to be seen monthly for the next several months. We have not yet received the report on his blood work which was drawn just before we left, perhaps on Monday it will be finished.
His hair is beginning to grow out again-and it looks as though it will be all gray, so we will now be a matched pair. His fingernails continue to loosen and will sooner or later come off. Dr. Sweet says there will be a callus under them by then so the nail bed will be protected until the new nail grows in. He keeps bandaids on the loose ones to prevent catching and ripping them off.
I have been sick, first with a sinus infection at the beginning of the week which I got under control before we left for Seattle with a Nettie Pot. Should have used it at the first sign! Friday morning I showered and dressed intending to cook, clean and go to town. Before I got any of that done, I realized I had come down with the same stomach flu which Tina, Cherilyn and Grant all had on Christmas day. It was miserable but fortunately lasts only a day.
I am feeling a lot better today, but not well enough to go out to church, and Leland opted to stay home with me. We are sitting by the fire, watching the snow fall, very cold 24 degrees outside but cozy and warm inside.
We wish you all a Happy and Blessed New Year.
We arrived in Seattle-Renton early in the evening, went for a walk outside our hotel, then met Chaunda who was on her way home from work, for a very pleasant evening out at an excellent Indian Restarant. Not only was the food just wonderful, it was served very attractively and the decor was beautiful as well as spotlessly clean.
We saw both our Oncologists, the Medical Dr. Chen and Naturopathic Dr. Sweet. Leland is doing well, is in partial remission which they believe will continue on into full remission with the hormone therapy. Dr Chen wishes to monitor him closely so he will need to be seen monthly for the next several months. We have not yet received the report on his blood work which was drawn just before we left, perhaps on Monday it will be finished.
His hair is beginning to grow out again-and it looks as though it will be all gray, so we will now be a matched pair. His fingernails continue to loosen and will sooner or later come off. Dr. Sweet says there will be a callus under them by then so the nail bed will be protected until the new nail grows in. He keeps bandaids on the loose ones to prevent catching and ripping them off.
I have been sick, first with a sinus infection at the beginning of the week which I got under control before we left for Seattle with a Nettie Pot. Should have used it at the first sign! Friday morning I showered and dressed intending to cook, clean and go to town. Before I got any of that done, I realized I had come down with the same stomach flu which Tina, Cherilyn and Grant all had on Christmas day. It was miserable but fortunately lasts only a day.
I am feeling a lot better today, but not well enough to go out to church, and Leland opted to stay home with me. We are sitting by the fire, watching the snow fall, very cold 24 degrees outside but cozy and warm inside.
We wish you all a Happy and Blessed New Year.
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