Thursday, October 30th, 2009
So, I don't know if the kids had swine flu or some other virus last week... but now I am sick. This is day three with a fever, aches, headache and a nasty cough. I would say I have swine flu. Since, it feels like the flu and I was vaccinated for the seasonal flu. But, I won't know for sure, since they aren't testing people.
Anyway, Matt came home last Saturday. The kids had been fever free for 24 hours and I was feeling well. Monday, at work I started feeling not so well. By Monday evening I was getting a fever and my body ached all over. I went to bed early. Tuesday, I called in sick. (I can't believe I still have a job!) Wednesday morning I woke up feeling decent and had a fever and felt awful by the time I got out of the shower. But, I figured, I could stay in my cube and get some work done and go home early. I lasted an hour and a half. At least I got some important work done and then I didn't feel so bad staying home. Thursday morning, I felt awful again. I've had a temp most of the day even with fever reducer. My cough suppressant is working today, but my chest is really congested. I almost think I'm getting worse not better.
Where is Matt through all this? Unfortunately, he was at home with us from Saturday through Tuesday morning. Tuesday, Matt went to the east side of the State to go duck hunting with his dad and uncle Dave. I'm glad he's out of the house now, but I'm worried he might still have gotten infected by me over the weekend, before I showed symptoms. I think he'll be going back to his parents if I'm not feeling better by tomorrow.
The kids are doing well, my mom and Matt's mom have been helping out with them and I get them back in the evenings.
Also, Omi, my grandma whom I lived with, when I moved to the States my senior year, had a stroke late last Thursday night. She's been hospitalized at Holland Hospital and soon will be transferred to a nursing home for rehab. She seems to be doing well, her right side had been affected, but she's been able to lift her leg and her speech is getting better, too. She had developed Pneumonia during her stay, but I guess that's getting better, too.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
17. PET SCAN RESULTS
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
AMAZING!!!!
Matt's PET Scan came back clean - absolutely clean!!!
...after only 3 months of treatments, even the Oncologist was surprised. He said he figured that it would be pretty good, since Matt had been doing much better compared to the first time he saw him... but he honestly didn't expect it to be CANCER FREE. He said that often you get a few spots that aren't really clear and they him and haw... but Matt's scan is definitely clean.
So, what does this mean? It means Matt is in remission and will have 6 more treatments and another PET scan three months after his last treatment.
Dr. Gribbin says that if the scan is clean now, it will be clean after 6 more treatments, therefore we wait 3 months after his last treatment. Then he'll continue to get PET scans every 6 months initially and then once a year for the next 5 years. After that he's considered cured!
So, what does this mean to me? Matt is the most awesome cancer fighting machine in the universe!!! I really got myself a tough little nugget there. He knew the scan was going to be clean. He didn't have a doubt. It's like one day he made up his mind that he doesn't "really" have cancer. He once said: it's more like I have chemo treatments to get through, not cancer. And look, he's right.
Honestly, when I got back to the car after I left him at the office for chemo following the Dr. appointment, I almost started crying. It is such a relief. I have to admit, I had braced myself for the worst.
Also, we got back from our awesome Vegas vacation late last night, after getting the phone call from Douglas Elementary (while waiting for our flight from Vegas to Denver) that Hailey is sick and has 102 degree fever. The school called Grandma Margie after I told them I'm on my way home from Vegas. Mom told me that Hailey was sitting in a waiting room with a mask on. She said it looked like a whole bunch of kids had been picked up already and that they closed 12 schools due to illness in the area... swine flu?
The girls spent the night at my mom's. I visited them in the morning before the Dr. appointment without Matt. Sylvia had now also developed a fever. We asked the doctor if we should keep Matt away from the girls. The timing is perfect. People are contagious up to 24 hours before the first symptoms of the flu. Since Matt has not been around the girls, the Dr. recommends to keep it that way. He says it'll take Matt twice as long to get over the flu. Otherwise, he wasn't too concerned with complications resulting from getting the H1N1.
So, I'm at home with the girls (Sylvia got up to 102.4 axillary this afternoon) and Matt is now resting up after chemo treatment # 7 of 12 in a guest room at his parents house. I've called the girls pediatrician to see if we can get Tamiflu for the girls, but haven't heard back from the office yet. Since the girls aren't throwing up and don't have diarrhea, the nurse I talked to said they may just have a cold/cough. That'd be nice, but the high fevers concern me and aren't usual for them with mere colds. Perhaps we're 'lucky' and it's really just a 'high fever cold/cough'. So far so good.
Vegas was AWESOME!!!! Beautiful bride and a handsome groom. Good food - nice hotels - incredible people watching - great company - just awesome. I will have to post some pictures later.
Matt was 100%. Actually, he out-walked ME! That's impressive. He never once complained (I did - my hips hurt like crazy from walking on concrete all day for 3 days straight) and he kept walking like the energizer bunny!! We were really good about using hand sanitizer, washing hands and not touching hand rails. I tried opening the doors instead of Matt and hopefully it worked - we'll see.
I've just got to say it again: Matt is cancer free!!!
Now, he just has to get through the rest of his chemo treatments. BTW, he hasn't lost all his hair yet either... he really is a lucky little booger.
I love you Matt! :o)
AMAZING!!!!
Matt's PET Scan came back clean - absolutely clean!!!
...after only 3 months of treatments, even the Oncologist was surprised. He said he figured that it would be pretty good, since Matt had been doing much better compared to the first time he saw him... but he honestly didn't expect it to be CANCER FREE. He said that often you get a few spots that aren't really clear and they him and haw... but Matt's scan is definitely clean.
So, what does this mean? It means Matt is in remission and will have 6 more treatments and another PET scan three months after his last treatment.
Dr. Gribbin says that if the scan is clean now, it will be clean after 6 more treatments, therefore we wait 3 months after his last treatment. Then he'll continue to get PET scans every 6 months initially and then once a year for the next 5 years. After that he's considered cured!
So, what does this mean to me? Matt is the most awesome cancer fighting machine in the universe!!! I really got myself a tough little nugget there. He knew the scan was going to be clean. He didn't have a doubt. It's like one day he made up his mind that he doesn't "really" have cancer. He once said: it's more like I have chemo treatments to get through, not cancer. And look, he's right.
Honestly, when I got back to the car after I left him at the office for chemo following the Dr. appointment, I almost started crying. It is such a relief. I have to admit, I had braced myself for the worst.
Also, we got back from our awesome Vegas vacation late last night, after getting the phone call from Douglas Elementary (while waiting for our flight from Vegas to Denver) that Hailey is sick and has 102 degree fever. The school called Grandma Margie after I told them I'm on my way home from Vegas. Mom told me that Hailey was sitting in a waiting room with a mask on. She said it looked like a whole bunch of kids had been picked up already and that they closed 12 schools due to illness in the area... swine flu?
The girls spent the night at my mom's. I visited them in the morning before the Dr. appointment without Matt. Sylvia had now also developed a fever. We asked the doctor if we should keep Matt away from the girls. The timing is perfect. People are contagious up to 24 hours before the first symptoms of the flu. Since Matt has not been around the girls, the Dr. recommends to keep it that way. He says it'll take Matt twice as long to get over the flu. Otherwise, he wasn't too concerned with complications resulting from getting the H1N1.
So, I'm at home with the girls (Sylvia got up to 102.4 axillary this afternoon) and Matt is now resting up after chemo treatment # 7 of 12 in a guest room at his parents house. I've called the girls pediatrician to see if we can get Tamiflu for the girls, but haven't heard back from the office yet. Since the girls aren't throwing up and don't have diarrhea, the nurse I talked to said they may just have a cold/cough. That'd be nice, but the high fevers concern me and aren't usual for them with mere colds. Perhaps we're 'lucky' and it's really just a 'high fever cold/cough'. So far so good.
Vegas was AWESOME!!!! Beautiful bride and a handsome groom. Good food - nice hotels - incredible people watching - great company - just awesome. I will have to post some pictures later.
Matt was 100%. Actually, he out-walked ME! That's impressive. He never once complained (I did - my hips hurt like crazy from walking on concrete all day for 3 days straight) and he kept walking like the energizer bunny!! We were really good about using hand sanitizer, washing hands and not touching hand rails. I tried opening the doors instead of Matt and hopefully it worked - we'll see.
I've just got to say it again: Matt is cancer free!!!
Now, he just has to get through the rest of his chemo treatments. BTW, he hasn't lost all his hair yet either... he really is a lucky little booger.
I love you Matt! :o)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
16. Matt's 2nd PET Scan (no results yet)
Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
Matt had Chemo # 6 last week (Tuesday Oct. 6th). It went as usual.
However, on Wednesday he didn't have to leave the house to get his Neulasta shot. Nope, instead Matt stayed home and gave himself the Neupogen shot. I'm so proud of him. Initially, Matt said it is much the same as Neulasta, but then he realized that the side effects (bone pain and very sensitive skin - kind of like a sunburn) only lasted half a day for three days, while he was giving himself the shots, instead of three whole days. Also, since he didn't have to leave the house the day after chemo, he wasn't feeling nearly as wiped out on Wednesday evening when the kids and I got home. Matt was still really exhausted through Friday and was doing pretty well by Saturday mid-day just in time for Hailey's Birthday party.
Hailey's party started at 11 am with her friends arriving to play games, eat hot dogs, cake and ice cream. Followed by grown-ups (our extended family) showing up by 1pm and the last guests leaving at 6:30 pm. What a loooong and fun day it was! Matt paced himself and did really well. It was good to see everyone that came. Thank you!
Hailey's actual birtday was Sunday, October 11th. She turned 5 years old!!! We took it easy and Hailey went to work on ALL 6 art projects she received as birthday gifts the day before. She loves crafts and can work on projects for hours at a time.
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Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 marks what could potentially be Matt's half-way point. He has 3 months of chemo behind him and 3 more months to go, if the PET scan shows no sign of cancer in Matt's body. We won't get results until next Tuesday when we meet with Dr. Gribbin, before Matt's Chemo #7 out of 12. Matt chose to have the radioactive sugar injected by IV rather than have his port accessed, which did not run so smoothly last time. The injection went without incident. Matt felt a little queezy right afterward, which was probably because he had to be on a very low carb diet all day Monday and hadn't eaten since Monday evening. Matt could never do the Atkins Diet. :0)
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Note: cancer cells use a significantly larger amount of sugar than regular cells. Therefore, starving cancer cells will take up much more of the radioactive sugar than healthy cells, creating 'hot-spots' in the PET scan image, indicating the extent of cancer in the body.
In the mean time, we are looking forward to our trip to Las Vegas for Julie & Nolan's wedding. We are arriving in Las Vegas late Friday evening and comig home even later Monday night. Matt and I are so excited. It's our first time to Vegas. My mom and Roger are taking care of Hailey, Sylvia and Kaiser. Thank you so very much!!!
Then, hopefully we'll get really good news on Tuesday.
Matt had Chemo # 6 last week (Tuesday Oct. 6th). It went as usual.
However, on Wednesday he didn't have to leave the house to get his Neulasta shot. Nope, instead Matt stayed home and gave himself the Neupogen shot. I'm so proud of him. Initially, Matt said it is much the same as Neulasta, but then he realized that the side effects (bone pain and very sensitive skin - kind of like a sunburn) only lasted half a day for three days, while he was giving himself the shots, instead of three whole days. Also, since he didn't have to leave the house the day after chemo, he wasn't feeling nearly as wiped out on Wednesday evening when the kids and I got home. Matt was still really exhausted through Friday and was doing pretty well by Saturday mid-day just in time for Hailey's Birthday party.
Hailey's party started at 11 am with her friends arriving to play games, eat hot dogs, cake and ice cream. Followed by grown-ups (our extended family) showing up by 1pm and the last guests leaving at 6:30 pm. What a loooong and fun day it was! Matt paced himself and did really well. It was good to see everyone that came. Thank you!
Hailey's actual birtday was Sunday, October 11th. She turned 5 years old!!! We took it easy and Hailey went to work on ALL 6 art projects she received as birthday gifts the day before. She loves crafts and can work on projects for hours at a time.
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 marks what could potentially be Matt's half-way point. He has 3 months of chemo behind him and 3 more months to go, if the PET scan shows no sign of cancer in Matt's body. We won't get results until next Tuesday when we meet with Dr. Gribbin, before Matt's Chemo #7 out of 12. Matt chose to have the radioactive sugar injected by IV rather than have his port accessed, which did not run so smoothly last time. The injection went without incident. Matt felt a little queezy right afterward, which was probably because he had to be on a very low carb diet all day Monday and hadn't eaten since Monday evening. Matt could never do the Atkins Diet. :0)The injected sugar had to circulate through his body for about an hour and a half before he could be scanned. The scan takes another 30-45 minutes.
In the mean time, we are looking forward to our trip to Las Vegas for Julie & Nolan's wedding. We are arriving in Las Vegas late Friday evening and comig home even later Monday night. Matt and I are so excited. It's our first time to Vegas. My mom and Roger are taking care of Hailey, Sylvia and Kaiser. Thank you so very much!!!
Then, hopefully we'll get really good news on Tuesday.
Monday, October 5, 2009
15. The night before Chemo # 6
Monday October 5th, 2009
Hello All!
I am realizing that I have a tendency to document on the days that Matt is doing not so well, which tells a biased picture of the story. However, you must understand that when Matt is doing well we are living it up! ...and I tend to forget that Matt has cancer and I don't even think about posting on the blog.
So, I am sorry that I only update the blog when Matt is doing not so well, which is the first week after his chemo treatment.
Hence, I'd like to make the statement that when you aren't seeing new posts think of it as: "Yeah!!! Matt is doing well and the family is having too much fun, to bother thinking (writing) about cancer! YEAH!"
:0)
We really have had a wonderful week and a half:
Saturday, September 26th, 2009
(I haven't downloaded pics off the camera, yet... I plan on posting some.)
October 2nd - 4th, 2009
Friday night, we celebrated Matt's Dad's 60th Birthday at the Squirrel Cage (below the Butler). The girls had a blast dancing wildly! Bryon came over after and we had a late night catching up on the 'important' stuff in life - you know, the little things.
Saturday, Bryon came over again, this time for a play date with the kids. They had fun and were completely tuckered out, the kids too.
Sunday, Matt cut a hole into our dinning room floor and moved the heat duct form right next to the garbage can, to in front of the slider. In the winter the heat hitting the garbage can created an ideal incubator for all kinds of stinky bacteria. GROSS! I'm glad that's taken care of.
Tonight, Matt ran out to pick up the last few things to run the exhaust duct from the basement bathroom outside. He almost seems desperate to get this done before he becomes incapacitated after chemo # 6, tomorrow.
Boy, this was just a quick synopsis of the last week and a half... and hopefully I will continue to find the time to report on more of the positive things going on in our life... because after all, there are sooo many wonderful days and moments besides the few days after chemo. Be assured that our days are filled with laughter and good times - the kids definitely get credit for most of both!
Love,
Karin
Hello All!
I am realizing that I have a tendency to document on the days that Matt is doing not so well, which tells a biased picture of the story. However, you must understand that when Matt is doing well we are living it up! ...and I tend to forget that Matt has cancer and I don't even think about posting on the blog.
So, I am sorry that I only update the blog when Matt is doing not so well, which is the first week after his chemo treatment.
Hence, I'd like to make the statement that when you aren't seeing new posts think of it as: "Yeah!!! Matt is doing well and the family is having too much fun, to bother thinking (writing) about cancer! YEAH!"
:0)
We really have had a wonderful week and a half:
Saturday, September 26th, 2009
Matt's Raiders had collected a grand total of $1,343.00 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!! Go Team Go! 
The team gearing up for a long walk through Chicago!
The team ready to walk.
The balloons were all lit up. It must have been beautiful!!!
Light the night...
Unfortunately, it was on the weekend after Chemo, which meant that Matt was still very exhausted and we were not able to attend. Instead, we took it easy.
We went to Marro's with Mom and Roger, Crystl, Ryan and the boys, for my Birthday dinner on Sunday evening... And for ice cream after. We had a great time! (Unfortunately, we didn't bring a camera - bummer!)
Monday, September 28th, 2009
It was my 33rd Birthday and I got to eat birthday cake for Breakfast, which Matt and the girls baked for me on Sunday, while I was out shopping for Hailey's birthday. Matt arranged a birthday morning the way I usually do for the three of them. In the past, Matt hasn't made a big birthday to-do for me in the mornings - this truely was sensational!!! I got everything I had wished for... within reason, anyway. ;0)(I haven't downloaded pics off the camera, yet... I plan on posting some.)
October 2nd - 4th, 2009
Friday night, we celebrated Matt's Dad's 60th Birthday at the Squirrel Cage (below the Butler). The girls had a blast dancing wildly! Bryon came over after and we had a late night catching up on the 'important' stuff in life - you know, the little things.
Saturday, Bryon came over again, this time for a play date with the kids. They had fun and were completely tuckered out, the kids too.
Sunday, Matt cut a hole into our dinning room floor and moved the heat duct form right next to the garbage can, to in front of the slider. In the winter the heat hitting the garbage can created an ideal incubator for all kinds of stinky bacteria. GROSS! I'm glad that's taken care of.
Tonight, Matt ran out to pick up the last few things to run the exhaust duct from the basement bathroom outside. He almost seems desperate to get this done before he becomes incapacitated after chemo # 6, tomorrow.
Boy, this was just a quick synopsis of the last week and a half... and hopefully I will continue to find the time to report on more of the positive things going on in our life... because after all, there are sooo many wonderful days and moments besides the few days after chemo. Be assured that our days are filled with laughter and good times - the kids definitely get credit for most of both!
Love,
Karin
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