Remembering Dad

Today marks the 21st anniversary of my Dad's passing. I can't believe it's been 21 years...so much time has passed and it's sad how much of our lives he has missed. I do believe he watches over us and guides us and smiles when he knows we're happy. He would so enjoy his grandkids, but grandma makes up with enough love and spoiling for both of them! Miss you Dad! Hope you're resting in peace and having a good ole time til we can meet again!

Me and my father (June, 1984).
He always loved a party and he loved to dance!

My father with Dan (1988).
Unfortunately, Dan lost both his grandfathers before he was three years old so he never really knew either of them.

One Year Later

Yes, today is the one-year anniversary of Ed's diagnosis. It was exactly one year ago that we sat with Dr. Berkman and he informed us that, even without a biopsy, he knew it was cancer. Of course, Ed and I had our suspicions before that, but it was the day that the words were spoken and it was confirmed. I still remember that day so clearly. I tried to be strong for Ed and not show my emotions. He just sat there matter-of-fact, "Yup, I knew it!" The enormity and uncertainty of it. What a scary and sad day that was.

But the bright spot is that 1 year later, Ed is still here. At the time, we never thought about "one-year later". So tonight we celebrate and look back on how thankful we are that we had this year and that we are thankful for those like Dr. Bowers and his team that have helped us achieve this milestone.

Life is good... And here's to hoping we're able to celebrate again next year!

Happy Thanksgiving

Okay, so I'm really bad about updating this blog. But I've been working on my Christmas newsletter and since I'm directing folks to this blog, I guess I should have some more recent updates.

I guess I'm not inclined to write much because there's nothing new to report. That's a good thing, right?

On Halloween we had our nieces and nephews over. Everyone brought some food for a potluck dinner and then the kids went trick-or-treating on our street.

Here they are in their costumes (L-R Lexi, Ali, Matt, Nick).


For Thanksgiving we went to my mothers. Here we all are for our annual picture posing around the table before dinner.

(L-R: Ed, Jeanne, Tim, Cathy, Dave, Theresa,
Mom, Dan, Nick, Lexi, Ali, Marion, Matt, Mike)

Today, Black Friday, I am not being as productive as I'd like. Dan is doing schoolwork (never ending) and Ed and I are just putzing around. Shouldn't we be putting Christmas lights up or something? Seems too early for me. I'm not feeling motivated to bake, but since I've got a pound of butter softening on the counter, I suppose I should go whip up some cookies.

Tomorrow night I am attending my 30th class reunion. That should be fun! Some of us have been reconnecting on Facebook, so it will be good to see folks in person. I can't believe it's been 30 years though--none of us are that old!!

Ed continues to do well. Still has his biweekly chemotherapy treatments. No changes there. He seems to have slowed down quite a bit and has many aches and pains, but I can't tell if that's attributed to the cancer or him just getting old!!

So I guess I should go try to be productive and knock a few things off my list. I guess this means I can checkoff "update the blog", right?!

Since it's Thanksgiving, and as we approach our 1 year anniversary of Ed's cancer diagnosis, it is important to pause and thank God that we are still fighting this disease. I would have never thought a year ago about where we would be and whether Ed would be with us or not. But I do realize, you never know when life on this earth will end of any of us. So cherish each day and make the most of it!

God Bless and Happy Thanksgiving!

Fall

I love fall! I love the crisp, cool air and the fall colors and the leaves that rustle under your feet. I love apples and pumpkins and squash and corn mazes and fall fairs. And I love that it's my birthday too! It's not about getting older, it's about spoiling yourself, and letting others do so, for one day out of the year!! And since it's fall...time to apply a more fall-like design to this blog!

So today is my birthday and we were planning to go to the Big E. I love the Big E even though it rarely changes from year-to-year. Maybe that's what I like--the tradition of the Big E. I remember when I was in junior high and high school, I could always take one day off from school and play hooky and go to the Big E. My mother worked in West Springfield and had to drive right down Memorial Ave past the entrance and she would drop me and a girlfriend off on her way to work. At 8:30 in the morning only the cow barns are open! We got to spend the entire day at the fair and then she'd pick us up on her way home from work sometime late afternoon/early evening. What a tradition and I always had a great time! And back then you'd get so much free stuff from the state houses!! I still remember when my girlfriend Val and I bought matching Barretta t-shirts (TV show in the late 70s with Robert Blake and a cockatoo). We actually wore them to school the next day thinking we were so cool!!

Anyhow with tropical storm Nicole upon us and the heavy rain, we ended up deciding not to go today. Yes, I'm a little disappointed--but not really. Truth be told, if I really wanted to pay $40 to get into the Big E ($15 per person + $10 parking), and walk around with an umbrella and raincoat and dodge the rain, Ed would have gone. But I like strolling around, checking things out...so we decided to just stay home today and be a bum. There will be next year for sure!!

Besides, last weekend we went to the southern coast of Maine and so that served as a mini vacation. We have never been (I know, hard to believe). But a friend of ours has a place in Wells and offered it to us for the weekend. So we got out of work early on Friday and off we went. We arrived sometime Friday night (I honestly don't remember what time) after hitting traffic on 495 (I should have known). Saturday was beautiful (in the 80s) so we ventured out, picked up some coffee and donuts from Congdonn's and then went to Wells Beach and Drakes Island beach and then to Kennebunkport. After dinner Saturday nite, we stopped by to see our dear friend Theresa who moved to Wells a short while ago. We had a great time visiting with her for a couple hours and then got together with her and Richard Sunday for breakfast/brunch. We then started the trip home and drove through Ogunquit on our way home. Sunday was a rainy, windy, cold day and it was already early afternoon so we just drove through town, down to Perkins Cove, and then down to the beach and checked out the surf before heading home. There was still so much to see and we weren't able to stop at the Front Porch and see our friend Dennis perform, nor did we really get a chance to walk around Ogunquit. I guess we'll save that for our next trip to Wells! Yes, we will plan to go back. We had a wonderful time. The area is beautiful and seeing Theresa and Richard was the cherry on top!

We do keep in touch with Dan and he's keeping quite busy with his studies. We haven't been back out to Bristol to see him since he officially moved into his apartment in August. We were thinking of going to visit him Columbus Day weekend, but he's decided he's coming home this weekend to see some sustainable/energy efficient buildings in Amherst for studio. So we'll play next weekend by ear. It's Ed's birthday so it will be his choice what he wants to do. It has become tradition that we head to Newport in October and do some shopping so we'll see!

And speaking of Ed, I know what you're all wondering...how is he? I mean, isn't that why I started this blog? To keep you all updated on his progress and his health? And now here all I'm doing is talking about fairs and vacations, etc. That's because we are blessed and this is what our lives are. Yes, Ed continues his biweekly chemo treatments. And he continues on Avastin and Xeloda (still not taking Irinotecean at this time). In October he should have another CT scan just to keep an eye on those tumors and make sure they're not getting any larger. At that time we can also assess whether we should reintroduce the Irinotecean or not. But, with the exception of a cold we both got, he continues to feel good. So we try to enjoy such things as fall fairs and visits to new places and old friends.

So with continued good thoughts, may you all have a wonderful fall and enjoy each day and appreciate it as the gift it is!

Where we stayed in Wells. Looking across the Marsh from Atlantic Ave. (Thank you, VP)


The view Sunday morning from the deck of VP's place.

Ed at Drake's Island Beach. The day was beautiful and warm; the water was cold, though!

Ed at Pier 77 in Cape Porpoise, Kennebunkport

Jeanne at Kennebunk Lower Village--shopping!!

Followed a couple asses on our way home!! (Sorry, couldn't resist!)

Labor Day Weekend

Okay, so we can all agree that I'm bad about updating this blog?! It has been on my "to do" list for several weeks and since it's a three-day weekend, I'm committing myself to get through my "to do" list.

The good news is that I'm not compelled to update this on a frequent basis because there's not much to report. Ed continues on his biweekly chemo treatments and doesn't have any serious side effects.

He had another CT scan on 8/9 and this showed no change. No new tumors and no change in existing tumors (same size--not larger or smaller). As you'll recall, we eliminated the Irinotecan in June to give Ed a break. Since there has been no change, we could reintroduce the Irinotecan or try something else. After some discussion, we decided to just stay with the Xeloda and Avastin. We can't ask that Ed feel any better. He has so few side effects (and nothing serious) and he looks and feels good. So we figured we'd enjoy this "good" period for a little while longer (enjoy it while it lasts). If we introduce a new drug, we might not be as lucky with side effects and since there's no reason to make a change at this time, we decided to wait.

Of course, some of you might be asking why we don't want to attack the tumors more aggressively? Well, Dr. Bowers has always been clear that Ed won't be cured of cancer. Instead we are prolonging his life. So the fact that he is living a good life and the tumors are not getting any worse, we really couldn't ask for much more. So we'll enjoy it while it lasts and cross the next bridge when we get there.

For those of you who don't see Ed, you frequently ask me how he's doing and my response is "He's doing great!" and I mean that. I'm not avoiding your question or just trying to respond positively. It's the truth! Except for the biweekly appointments, the regular prescriptions to fill and take, and the aches and pains he experiences, there is little evidence of cancer in our lives. We are blessed at this time and we can't be more thankful.

Here it is Labor Day weekend--summer is over. At the beginning of this diagnosis, I didn't think beyond Dan returning from Italy. My goal was for Ed to survive that long. And here we are with two vacations at the beach behind us and Dan back to Bristol and starting his 5th year towards his Master. I no longer think in terms of "I hope Ed makes it to the next..." (insert whatever milestone). Instead we are living life and I'm reminded that none of us know when our time on this Earth will end. It could be tomorrow, next month, next year, whenever... And as much as I'd like to tell you that I live each day as if it were my last and I make good decisions about how to use my time, that is not always true. Life happens and that is what living is about. The good, the bad, the people who touch our lives and, more importantly, those lives we touch.

Life is good! And now, some pictures to share what we've been up to the past couple months!

Where Ed plays golf, they had a Hawaiian Shirt/Wacky Outfit night. Can you believe Ed did NOT win?

We moved Dan's furniture into his apartment at the end of July. Here Ed and Dan are having some lunch after the work was done.

Panoramic shot of Dan's bedroom. Door to kitchen is to the right.

Panoramic shot of Dan's bedroom.

Ed hung up the Hummingbird feeder since we've got 2-3 that are always visiting our flowers. This picture shows two of them visiting the feeder.

Auntie Gingy celebrated her 80th birthday in August. Her kids threw her a party at Barnes in Westfield.

Ed and Theresa at Gingy's party. CHEESE!

Cassie, Dan, and Grandma on the front porch of the cottage. (August 2010)

Uncle Eddie with Amanda and Lexi at the beach (August 2010).

July

Is it really the last week of July? Okay, so I'm not getting much better at updating this blog! I guess about once a month is better than not at all, right?

Highlights since my last posting was a week at the beach in early July. It was the beginning of the 2010 heat wave and we couldn't have been at a better place. Every day was sunny and beautiful and HOT! It was so hot that the sand burned your feet and we spent a lot of time in the water trying to stay cool.

Me and Ed

Dan and his girlfriend Cassie stayed with us a few days before they headed to Bristol RI for fireworks and Bristol's infamous 4th of July parade. My sister Cathy and her kids came down for several days, Mom joined us for a day, and my sister Theresa and her kids came down for a day as well. It was a great time and I just love the beach. If only I could figure out how to afford a place at the beach, not work, and still have income, I'd be all set!!

Dan and Cassie

One day Ed and I took a day off from going to the beach just to give ourselves a break from the sun and heat. We headed over to downtown Westerly but didn't stay long because it was so hot. We then headed over to Foxwoods where we could play some slots and where I had to wear a sweater because the air conditioning was so cold--but such a relief! So we enjoyed a day playing slots, having dinner out, and although we didn't hit it big, Ed tells me we came out slightly ahead.

Wilcox Park, downtown Westerly, RI

So vacation was terrific and we're looking forward to a long weekend at the beach in August when my Mom rents a place for two weeks. Unfortunately we can't go for more than a long weekend since our delay in Italy ate up an extra week of my vacation time (somehow I don't think anyone is feeling sorry for me though!).

On the cancer front, Ed is still doing well. He continues with his biweekly chemo and his next appointment is next week. He'll then have another CT scan the week of 8/9 and then assess the next short-term plan. He is still responding well to the chemo such that after his treatment he goes directly to the golf course and gets some practice in before he plays as part of his weekly golf league.

The last week or so he has had a swollen ankle. Not sure what that's attributed to and if it has anything to do with the cancer or chemo, but he's icing and elevating it (once in a while) and has used an ankle brace the last few days which seems to help.

Other than that, we are slowing getting Dan what he needs for his apartment in Bristol. He has already brought some things out and we're planning a trip out probably next weekend to bring his desk, dresser, mattress, bike, etc.--the big stuff that requires the truck!

Dan's apartment in Bristol--the first floor of this house.

Ed, Cassie,and Dan outside his apartment.
There's a Portuguese bakery at the corner, just two houses down (that white building in front of Ed). YUM!

So life is good and we can't complain (won't do us any good anyhow). Stay cool and enjoy the summer!!

Summertime

Happy Summer! How I love summer and wish I could spend the entire time at the beach! It's funny how with each season you spend your time differently. Summer days are longer but somehow I still can't fit in everything I need to get done. Maybe it's because I want to spend all of my time outside, but things like cleaning and groceries still need to get done. Oh well, enough about that.

So I've heard from 4 of you that you read this blog! I guess I can't let down ALL my fans and not continue to keep this blog updated. Of course, most of you are reviewing this to get updates on how Ed is doing with his cancer treatments. The good news is that there's not much to report.

Ed had his biweekly chemo treatment this week. This is the second one without Irinotecan and all continues to go well. His appts are much shorter without the Irinotecan and so this week after his appt he got my car inspected and the oil changed and then he went to play golf (he's in a golf league and plays every week). Still the occasional body aches, but don't we all experience those? And he thinks his hair is getting thicker which makes him quite happy.

And that's my cancer update! No news is good news and we're certainly not complaining. In other random news...

On Memorial Day weekend, Ed and Dan replaced the slider in our kitchen. It's been on the list for a long time so I'm excited that it's finally done. Of course, this picture doesn't show it all done with the trim, but that's done now as well.



And while the boys worked on that, I made my flag cake since Dan requested it.



Last Saturday, Dan and I stopped at my sister Cathy's. With the help of Momma Jean, Cathy, Nick, and Amanda, we picked some fresh, yummy, sweet strawberries.



I then stopped at Atkins and got some rhubard and tried out a new Strawberry Rhubard Squares recipe. Something special for Father's Day. The boys loved it and something different from the traditional pie. (Thanks Theresa for the pan...it was the perfect size!)



And for Father's Day, Ed enjoyed the Lemon-cello and Chocolate Rum that Dan brought back from Italy.







So what can I say. We're boring! But I'll continue to keep you updated and share our boredom with you. Drop me an email or leave a comment to let me know you're still out there! Enjoy the summertime! We certainly will!

Blog Updates

Okay, so somehow it has become mid-June and as my sister has pointed out I have not provided an update since May 1. (I'll let you figure out which sister pointed this out!!) Anyhow, there are a number of reasons I could use for not providing updates...been too busy, nothing to report, just not motivated, and also wondering whether anyone actually reads this thing!

I started this blog as a way to keep you all posted on Ed's condition at the same time--so I wouldn't have to repeat myself many times and you wouldn't have to always ask how things are. The reality is that things are going just fine and therefore I don't find that I have much to report.

I know, you're wondering how the heck can things be going "just fine"--but that's the truth! Ed continues his biweekly chemo treatments and has few, if any, side effects. His hair is his biggest complaint because it's thinning, but I keep reminding him that he should be thankful he hasn't lost all of his hair. Other than that, with the exception of some leg pain--which I attribute to his old age and not cancer!--he is doing well. He continues to work his regular schedule and only takes time off for the treatments themselves. His appetite is fine, he eats what he wants, he doesn't get too tired, and he has started to put on some weight. His golf league started up in April and he's been playing in that every week.

On June 7th he had another CT scan and although we were hoping to hear that the tumors are continuing to shrink, the results instead were that there has basically been no change. The reality is that this is still good news. The chemo is keeping the tumors at bay and no new tumors are present. So things are stable and that is nothing to complain about.

After some discussion with Dr. Bowers, we did decide to cut back on the Irinotecan for 2 months. This will give Ed and his body a break for a while and will cut back his IV treatments from 2.5 hrs to .5 hr. Dr. Bowers was clear that he did not want to go any longer than 2 months without then doing a CT scan and re-evaluating.

Other good news is that Ed no longer needs to take his iron pills. Back in December, he was slightly anemic which accounted for why he was so tired. A couple months ago, Dr. Bowers said he could cut back on the iron if he wanted. This month, he said "stop taking them, you don't need them."

Of course, everyone's question is "what's the prognosis?" With stage IV colon cancer, there is not a "cure", at least not at this time. Instead the chemo prolongs a patient's life and for some patients this could be 10 yrs or longer!

Bottom line, Ed is stable. Tumors are stable. And, although we still hope and pray for a miracle, we are thankful that things are going as well as they are.

So that's the latest! I can certainly do a better job at updating this blog, but I guess I need to know "Is anyone even reading this thing?" If you are, leave a comment and let me know and then I'll try to be better about writing.

In the meantime, Happy Summer and Happy Father's Day!

May Day

Sorry I haven't written in a while. On Wednesday, April 7th we left for Italy. We were scheduled to return on Saturday, April 17th, but were delayed a week due to the volcanic ash and flights being cancelled across Europe. I know, I know...no one feels sorry that we got "stuck" in Florence, Italy for an extra week. However, it was a bit unsettling when our first flight got cancelled and then our second flight got cancelled and then we weren't sure if the hotel could accommodate us. On Monday, 4/19, when we knew we were now delayed until 4/24 and we confirmed we had a room at the hotel, we could finally relax and enjoy our extra vacation time. Of course, each day we wondered when flights would resume and were not totally relieved until that happened. And then, of course, we began to worry about the volcano erupting again.

By Wednesday, international flights were getting back to normal and by Thursday domestic flights were going again (we were flying from Florence to Frankfurt to Boston). By Thursday afternoon when Florence began operating all flights we were feeling a bit more reassured that we might actually be able to leave on Saturday.

We tried not to think about the extra week of vacation time this was eating up or the extra, unplanned expenses associated with another week in Italy. Because, all-in-all, when looking back...we were fine. The family was together, we had a place to stay, and we had credit cards and ATM cards to cover expenses. We were not living in airports and there was not some major life events that required us to be back in the states.

Anyhow, all of this is to explain why I have not been good about updating this blog! At some point I plan to summarize our trip to Italy (with pictures and all), but not today.

And for those of you who are wondering, yes, the delay in our return flight did mean that Ed missed his chemo treatment that was scheduled for 4/20. My Mom called his doc, though, and got him rescheduled to Monday, 4/26. So no ill effects from that. Back into a new schedule and according to Dr B, things still look good. Ed is having a few more side effects though after this treatment. A bit more queasy, not feeling "quite right"...but I attribute that to the fact that they reduced his dosage before our trip and he went 3 weeks without treatment so his body is reacting to the increase in chemicals this week. Hopefully by next week he's feeling more "normal".

So, all-in-all, we're doing good and I hope to share pics and story from our trip in the near future!

Happy Easter

Hi all!
Sorry I haven't written in a while. Things have been busy...good busy...and thankfully not with any terrible, crappy cancer stuff! Ed continues his treatments every two weeks. He had one two weeks ago and for the first time I did not accompany him to his appointment. He certainly didn't seem to mind, but it felt weird for me to just go to work. That is how "normal" and routine these appointments have become--just like going to a regular doctor's appointment or to the dentist. He has another appointment this morning and will once again go without me.

What this means is that the biweekly chemo has become routine. Side effects are still quite minor and consist of an annoying, running nose and Ed getting tired or his legs getting achy. Other than that, though, none of the terrible side effects that can occur. He still has his hair although it has thinned which really bugs the hell out of him. I tell him its his age, not the chemo!! But in the grand scheme of things we try to keep this annoyance in perspective.

People ask about the prognosis...well, he's still got cancer...still in his colon and still spots on his liver. The good news is that the cancer cells on his liver has shrunk in response to the chemo. There is still a lump outside his esophagus that we're not sure about but it isn't causing any problems. So we continue with the chemo to continue to try to shrink the tumors. And since Ed is handling the chemo so well, there is no reason to switch this up. We will continue the regimen and I'm sure there will be another CT scan after a few more treatments so we can evaluate progress. When we started this journey, Dr. Bowers said we'd start with biweekly treatments for 6 months...May will be 6 months. So I'm sure at that time, we'll reassess where we are and whether we want to make any changes to the treatment plan.

So we've learned to live with this awful disease but we are truly blessed that Ed is doing so well with the treatments. There are so many who are so sick and can't function while on chemo. We realize how lucky we are that Ed's treatments are so routine. And we are thankful that cancer treatments have come so far that 5 months after being diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, we can celebrate Easter, enjoy the spring, and look forward to all that this time of year offers.

Life is good and we are blessed. Thank you all for your continued support and prayers. I know they have helped make this journey much easier!

Happy Easter! Happy Spring!

CT Scan Results

Well the day has come and gone, the day we hear the results of Ed's CT scan. The scan itself was done on Monday. I didn't go with Ed. He figured why should I sit there in the waiting room and it wasn't a big deal last time. So off he went in the morning having had his coffee with no cream (only clear liquids 3 hours before). He ended up being there a couple hours and had to drink some kind of liquid (barium?) before the CT scan inself. This was in addition to the intravenous iodine. There was a schedule and he had to drink like 8 oz every 15 mins over an hour plus. This wasn't anything he had to do last time, so we didn't expect it.

After we thought about it though, last time it was before he was diagnosed with cancer. They weren't sure what they were looking for (we were) so they did a CT scan from the lower esophagus to the colon. This time, they knew they needed to look closely from the upper chest to the colon and they were looking specifically for the tumors so they could compare growth, size, etc.

Another patient of Dr. Bowers was also there to get his CT scan. This is a gentlemen we see on our Tuesday treatment day (we don't know his name, but Ed calls him "the guy who talks a lot"). So they talked a lot and shared stories over their drinks of barium.

So that was Monday. Wednesday, March 10th was our appointment with Dr. Bowers to receive the results. On one hand, we weren't too worried thinking how can the news possibly be worse than the last CT scan (which was the first one back in November that started us on this journey). It's clear from external exams that Ed's liver has been shrinking, so the chemo has helped there. We just hoped the other tumors were responding as well.

Unfortunately, we did not receive the news that the cancer is miraculously gone. Wouldn't that have been nice?! It would have been a miracle and not what we figured we'd hear, but you can always hope, right?

So here's a run down of the results:

• The lump in his chest, outside his esophagus--this was not captured clearly on the last CT scan. Initially when Dr. Bowers and his team were reviewing the CT scan they noticed this lump and told us about it at Ed's first chemo treatment. We all agreed at that time, we'd just keep moving ahead with the current plan since the chemo certainly wasn't going to do any harm to the lump. Well, the lump is still there. It may be enlarged lymph glands, but they can't tell if it's any bigger or smaller since there was not a good capture of it initially. They could do a biopsy. If it's the colon cancer, treatment would remain the same. However, if it's a lymphona, treatment may need to change. Because it doesn't appear this lump is causing Ed any difficulty (chest pain, difficulty swallowing or eating) and we really weren't interested in doing a biopsy or changing our treatment before Italy, we agreed that we would continue on the current treatment and do another CT scan after 2-3 treatments. We could then evaluate whether the lump is getting bigger or smaller and make an informed decision about next steps.
• One lymph gland in the chest is smaller. Okay...not sure what all these lymph gland things are, but whatever...it's smaller so that's got to be a good thing!
  
• Moving down to the liver, there are still some spots, but they seem smaller and there are no new spots. There is evidence of calcification (which I haven't fully researched) but Dr. Bowers said is a good thing because it indicates death of bad cells.
• And finally in the sigmoid colon, the tumor doesn't seem to have changed but it's difficult to fully evaluate this via a CT scan. So Dr. Bowers will be speaking to Dr. Berkman about scheduling another colonoscopy to look at this more closely. Something for Ed to look forward to.
  

So no big surprises but another CT scan and a colonscopy will be in our near future. Dr. Bowers though gave us the go ahead to head to Italy and will also reduce the dosage for the treatment Ed receives the day before we leave.

Thank you all for your good thoughts and prayers. We march on...

Problem with blog fixed

Sorry about the recent problem with the pop-up ad that was taking over our blog! (Thank you Cassie for letting me know about this.) Come to find out, it was the gadget I added to count down the days until Dan returns from Italy that was causing the problem. So, unfortunately, I had to remove it. Is someone trying to tell me something?? Hmmmm....

On a different note, tomorrow, March 10th, we receive the results of Ed's CT scan that was done on Monday. I'll try to post an update as soon as possible to keep you all posted.

March 5th is Dress in Blue Day

Help us raise awareness about colorectal cancer and the importance of screening by wearing blue on national Dress in Blue Day! It is celebrated on the first Friday of March so this year it's on March 5th.

• Colorectal cancer is the #2 cause of cancer death in the U.S.
• Over 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer each year.
• Colorectal cancer often has no symptom at all until it's at an advanced stage.
• Colorectal cancer is 80% preventable when detected early.
• You can reduce your risk through regular screening.
• Beginning at age 50 (or earlier if you have a family history), everyone should be screened for colorectal cancer.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Spread the word!

Chemo Treatment #6

This past Tuesday, February 23rd, was chemo treatment #6. Ed is still doing well and not having any serious side effects. He has had some pain in his right leg so Dr. Bowers did want to have this checked out. There were three possibilities--(1) a strain, (2) a baker's cyst, or (3) a blood clot. Since clotting can be a side effect of the Avastin, Dr. Bowers wanted to rule that out. He was very doubtful, but needed to be diligent and at least check. So after the chemo treatment, we headed downstairs to the lab to have a Doppler ultrasound done on Ed's leg. We waited while the radiologist reviewed the results with Dr. Bowers so they could do additional tests while we were there if needed. It was, thankfully, not needed. The doppler was clear! Glad to have that ruled out! So rest and heat was ordered to relieve the pain.

The infusion itself, though, we pretty routine. Saw Augie and some of the other regulars that we are getting to know and learn their stories. They are all fighters and I give them all a lot of credit. Many are going through more frequent treatments and radiation and we realize how lucky we are that Ed is responding so well with few, if any, side effects. We are blessed.

Although it does seem strange because, with the exception of biweekly chemo treatments and pills on the kitchen counter, things are not much different around here. Sometimes it doesn't seem real..."are you sure he has cancer?"...because we say the word, we go to treatments, Ed takes his prescriptions, but it doesn't seem real most of the time. And I'm reminded to be thankful about that.

Other good news is that both Ed and I have finally gotten our passports. So now we can seriously look into booking flights to Italy. Our plan is to schedule a trip between treatments while Ed is feeling good. I mean, who knows where we'll be in a few months...look where we were 2 months ago.

March 8th, Ed gets a CT scan and on March 10th we meet with Dr. Bowers to review the results (and also for Ed's next treatment). It will be good to see what this shows and what Dr. Bowers has to say about it. So keep us in your thoughts that day and I'll be sure to update you on the results soon thereafter!

May you all stay healthy and warm. Be sure to hug your loved ones today!!

{{HUGS}}

Chemo Treatment #5

At some point I will stop titling these entries with treatment numbers. At some point it will be difficult to keep track of exactly which number treatment we're on. It's like when you have a newborn child. At first you track their age in days and weeks (he/she is 7 days old...3 weeks old...), then it's months (8 months), half years (2 1/2 years old) and finally we just remember the year (7 yrs old, 20 years old).

Since we are "only" at treatment #5...it's clear we're still in the early stages of this battle. At some point we'll count months and, God willing, years.

But back to treatment #5--which was on Tuesday, February 9th. Once again it was "routine". Got there in the morning for blood work, then met with Dr. Bowers. Ed has finally gained some weight! The scale was up 4 lbs...haven't seen any weight gain in months. So that was good to see. His blood pressure continues to be slightly elevated. This can be a side effect of the Avastin so we will monitor this.

Dr. Bowers said the blood count looks good. His external measurements of the liver continue to show that it is shrinking. On December 15th, he measured 14 x 15; today he measured 4 x 10. What this means is that it appears the chemo is shrinking the tumors.

A CT scan has been scheduled for 3/8 with a follow-up appointment with Dr. Bowers on 3/10. This will give Dr. Bowers a look at the tumors in the colon, liver, and the lump they had previously seen outside the esophagus. Hopefully all the tumors are shrinking and the CT scan will enable us to take a closer look at this.

Still no serious side effects--running nose, some achey, swollen feet/legs on occasion. But, thankfully, nothing serious. We did finally apply for our passports in case we decide to squeeze in a trip to Italy. In December, when we first received the news, we totally wrote it off and didn't even apply for our passports. But with the lack of any bad side effects, a trip may be possible. We'll see.

Speaking of Italy, Dan is doing well. I still nag him to update his blog. He has posted some photos on Facebook but for those of you not on Facebook, you can't see these. Last weekend he went skiing for the first time in Abetone, Italy and is hoping to go again. He just got done making his plans for spring break which will include Berlin and Barcelona. Oh, and somewhere in there he is attending class (I hope)!

Okay, now about that X on the back of the doors...I like to say it's for "Bang head here", but we asked Dr. B and for those of you who guessed it is for emergencies so they can indicate the room has been checked/cleared--are correct! Of course, Dr. B told me to get a life when we told him why we were asking and how we asked this question on our blog!! Told you we liked this guy!!

And, for those of you who have been waiting, I finally got some pictures of Augie, Dr. B's "therapy" dog. They aren't great pictures because I try to be subtle about taking the pictures, but you'll get an idea of how cute Augie is.

Here's Augie making his rounds greeting everyone in the waiting room.

Came over to visit Ed.

Visiting us in the Infusion Suite.

Coming to see if there are any treats in my bag.

Our next appointment is on February 23rd. We'll certainly try to keep you posted. Thankfully things are going very well so there's not much to report. But we're not complaining! May you have a Happy Valentine's Day!!

Chemo Treatment #4

This past Tuesday, January 26th, was Ed's 4th chemo treatment and it was all "normal". Nothing unusual, nothing different, . . . We are getting used to this routine. We arrive at Cooley around 8:30 for blood work, then meet with Dr. Bowers, then into the infusion suite for the chemo. The staff to Hampshire Hemotology are great--all very nice and helpful. We still think highly of Dr. Bowers and love his oncology nurses as well, in particular "the wonderful" Shayne. Augie was there to greet us again, I just haven't been able to get a picture of him yet.

Thankfully, I'm still able to join Ed for his treatments (because my supportive and understanding supervisor and employer!). Ed doesn't really need me there for the treatment. He reads the paper while I work on my laptop and afterwards he could definitely drive himself home. However, I like to be there when Ed meets with Dr. Bowers to be sure Ed shares all pertinent information and also to hear what Dr. Bowers has to say. This week there wasn't any new news. The chemo seems to be shrinking the tumors on the liver and Ed seems to be responding well (no signs of the cancer getting worse). So we'll continue with the treatment and probably have a CT scan done sometime in the next month (probably around the 6th treatment).

We are very thankful that Ed is having no serious side effects and is beginning to get his energy back. There are no further signs of hair loss. Ed still has occasional swelling in his feet/ankles. Dr. Bowers told him he should elevate his feet during the day (hmmm...where has he heard this before!?) (Grover feel free to yell at him if he doesn't do this while at work!)

Although Dan hasn't updated his blog, he did send me a quick email earlier this week and he seems to be doing well and keeping quite busy. Last weekend he went to Rome for an arch workshop. This weekend I think he's headed to Siena. He's also sharing a TA position with another student. Ed would still like to try to fit in a trip to Italy. Since he's responding so well to the chemo, we might actually entertain this now. We'll see.

I have to say it is a little weird to say Ed has cancer when he has been doing so well. I remember how awful it was when he got the initial diagnosis and now here we are not even 2 months later and he's doing so well that you wouldn't even know he has cancer by looking at him. That is a good thing--don't get me wrong! And it's easy to forget that cancer has entered our lives and so there are times when I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. But for now, we'll live in the moment, and relish the fact that he is responding so well to the treatment and life can continue on fairly normal, at least for the time being.

So thanks for the continual good thoughts and prayers. We appreciate them all.

Waiting in the exam room for Dr. Bowers. Can you believe he actually smiled for me?

This yellow X appears on the back of the exam room doors. What do you think they are for? Note that these are the only doors in the room, so to indicate "exit" doesn't make sense. Any guesses?

On the back of the bathroom door as well. Post your guess and we'll ask Dr. Bowers at one of our upcoming appointments.

Quiet Days

Hi all! Things have been quiet around here which is really nice for a change. In case you haven't noticed there is a link to the right to Dan's blog. He posted some info about his first few days in Italy with some very nice pictures, but nothing recently. Classes started for him this past Monday (no Martin Luther King holiday in Italy!). This weekend he was off to Rome with two other classmates for some kind of architecture workshop. It's about bridging cultures and so each of them will team up with an Italian student and design something. The workshop ends on Saturday and they will stay until Sunday to do some sightseeing. What an experience! My weekend plans include laundry, cleaning, etc. Dan's include going to Rome! Isn't that what we're all doing this weekend??!

I'm sure once he's back, he'll post something on his blog--or at least I hope he does. From what I understand the Internet is not very good, at least not in their apartment, so he's having a hard time uploading pictures (or so he says!).

Things here at home are relatively quiet--thank God! Now that we've made it through the initial diagnosis, first few chemo appointments, made it through the holidays and getting Dan off to Italy safely, we are returning to some semblance of "normal". I'm back to work on a regular schedule just taking a few hours off to go to the chemo appointments with Ed every two weeks.

Ed has returned to work and works fairly full time. Things are slow this time of year and if there's not much work, he'll come home or not even go in--that's fairly typical during the winter. Earlier this week he had a stomach bug that lasted no more than 24 hours, so we know it was either a bug or something he ate, not anything to do with the chemo.

The one side effect we continue to try to manage is swelling of his ankles/feet and soreness in his feet. After evaluating when this happens, we're pretty sure it's linked to when he is on his feet all day at work. I keep telling him he needs to take a break during the day and elevate his feet, but he'll only listen sometimes. He is being careful about staying ahead of the hand-foot syndrome that is a common side effect of the Xeloda and can result in very dry, blistered, and painful hands and feet. There are three stages of this and some people can't even walk because it is so painful. So he is sure to lather up his hands and feet to keep the skin moisturized which is the secret to staying ahead of this.

Other than that, we are doing well and Ed is looking good. He said a couple weeks ago that he was beginning to lose his hair, but I have not noticed this. I mean it is thinner, but no bald spots yet (and doesn't thinning just come with age!). He is also getting his energy back. So except for the myriad of pill bottles on the counter, the occasional swollen ankles, and his weight loss, you would not know there is this cancer inside his body that he is battling.

So I'm thankful, and I know he is as well, that this journey so far has not been as difficult as I know it can be. I am thankful that our lives have returned to "boring" and that my weekends can be putzing around the house, doing chores, and taking life a little slower right now.

We thank all of you for your prayers because I know this makes a difference. The docs give us the medical treatment, but I am convinced that determination, hope, and prayers is the other part of this battle...and miracles as well. So keep the prayers coming and thank you for your continual love and support.

Next chemo appointment: Tuesday, 1/26. Hoping for continual good news and another "quiet" day.

Chemo Treatment #3

Our regular, biweekly hangout. Their "therapy dog" is Augie.
I'll need to try to get a picture of him at our next visit.

After getting Dan off to Italy on Tuesday, Ed had his 3rd chemo treatment on Wednesday. The report from Dr. Bowers is that things are looking good. His blood tests are looking good (numbers are moving in the right direction) and it appears the liver has continued to shrink. He's quite happy with Ed's response to the treatment. He considered doing another CT scan but both him and Ed agreed they could wait a couple more sessions (not me...I want to look NOW...but I figured I'd give Ed this decision to make!).

They used Ed's port for the treatment and the nurse (the wonderful Shayne) said the port area looked very good considering he just had it done last week. Kudos to Dr. O'Brien on doing such a good job!


There were two women receiving their first treatments while we were there and Dr. Bowers recommended they both get the port. So here was Ed, one week after getting his port, sharing info about the surgery and showing his port to them. We laughed about how he is already the veteran and it was only his 3rd visit! Of course as I type this I realize how sad it really is how quickly new cancer patients arrive and Ed is no longer the newbie.

The treatment was uneventful. Ed read his paper, I did work on my laptop. So far still no serious side effects but I'm watching and waiting carefully. Dr. Bowers keeps saying he'll be fine; others have said it's worse after the second or third treatment. Time will tell.

Minor side effects are dry skin--partly from the dry air/winter, but partly due to the chemo; thinning hair; and some slight swelling in his legs. He hasn't had any swelling the last couple weeks so I attribute this to the fact that he worked all day today and probably was on his feet longer than he should have been. But these are all minor things that we can deal with.

On another note, we did hear from Dan (a quick email) to let us know he arrived in Italy and so did his luggage. They've got him busy right now with orientation so he really didn't have much time to write yet but he's hoping to share pics in the next few days.

And for all of you who keep asking how you can help, be careful...I might ask you to try to figure out all the medicine bills and insurance claims! It is crazy and I'm an organized, detailed person. But trying to make sense of the bills and tie them up to claims, etc., is nuts. This is what I tried to do after work tonight.

So thankfully not too much report. Below are some pictures that Ed allowed me to take.

You can see the port here.

IV inserted into the port.

All "wired" up.

In his "usual" chair in the infusion suite.
Of course, he's usually reclined, sitting back with his feet up.

And He's Off...

Today was the big day...the day Dan left for Florence, Italy for four months (note my countdown clock below on the right!). He was flying out of Logan. I've never been there but have heard nothing but horror stories about trying to get in and out of there. For days we've been considering using Logan Express--we would drop Dan off in Framingham and he would take the shuttle bus into Logan. We would avoid all the hassles and cost of driving into Logan, but it also meant saying good-bye in Framingham vs. the airport.

Well, this morning we decided to drive to Logan. It's an estimated 2 hour drive and we were planning to leave at 11 anyhow, so this gave us an hour+ buffer to deal with whatever traffic issues we might encounter. (Dan's flight was at 4:30 so we wanted to be at the airport by 2-2:30.)

We hit the road shortly after 11. In fact we were ready early since Dan had done most of his packing on Sunday. So this morning was just double checking the list that we had already triple checked.

We stopped for gas before leaving town and off we went arriving at Logan at......12:50 PM! Yes, less than 2 hours later we were at the airport. There was no traffic at all. The most confusing part was following the signs once we were at Logan, but thankfully I had checked it out beforehand so had an idea of the layout and where I wanted to park. Really, the only confusing part was when Ed was at a V in the road and Dan yelled at him to go left and I yelled to go right (right was the way to go).

There were NO crowds at all. In fact, the entire terminal was pretty much empty except for a short line at Lufthansa (full of RWU students checking in!). Since Dan checked in online the night before, he was able to bypass the long line and just walk right up to the counter (no waiting) to check his bags. So that took an entire 5 mins of our time!

We took advantage of the time we had and enjoyed a light, leisurely lunch together. Around 2:15-2:30, Dan went through security. Once he got through security he turned around and waved good-bye before heading to his gate (it still makes me smile that he thought to do this--made my day). Ed and I then made the drive back home. Soon after we got home (around 4:30) we rec'd a txt message from Dan that he was on the plane and they were about to take off. (Another smile for texting Mom.)

I have to say we are quite happy with our decision to bring Dan to Logan. It was definitely the right thing to do and the fact that we ran into no problems helped as well. Of course we laughed about the cost of this little adventure--parking at Logan was $12, and lunch was $35, plus the cost of the tolls! So the Logan Express would have been MUCH cheaper ($22 for a round trip ticket), but this was soooo worth it and the right decision.

Ed continues to feel well and did all the driving today. Tomorrow morning is his next chemo appt so hopefully he'll continue to have no serious side effects from that. Only time will tell but I'll be sure to update you.

Phew...what a month it has been! I hope the next 4 months are boring!

A blurry picture of the three of us that some nice gentleman offered to take...