Calgon, take me away .....

Dear All,

My nightmare has come true. Yes, I know my husband already has cancer and most of you would think that we are living in a nightmare..... but no. Andrew's doctor told him today that he has to spend the rest of the week at home working so not to be around all of the people in his office with the swine flu. To quote Jason Segel in the movie, I Love you Man ...... this is my nightmare!!!!
Normally I wouldn't care, since I am not usually at home but since I too am still working from home .... this poses a problem for me. I mean don't get me wrong, I want him to be healthy and keep his counts rebounding so that he can have treatment next week, but all the Calgon in world can't take me away from this. Andrew is too serious. When I'm working at home I listen to music, talk to the dog, check people.com, talk on the phone, read usweekly, update facebook ... you know, the usual girl stuff. But Andrew, he could care less what Brad and Angelina did or wore last night ...or who put cute pictures of their kids up on facebook ... and he doesn't like my music .... and he finds little to no amusement in the snoring (and may I add) and most adorable bulldog in the world. He also likes to talk on speaker phone ... which drives me right up the wall. I mean he may not care about Brad and Angelina but I could really care less about whats on the docket for the next few days or if anyone else created a thing like the thing in front of him. Boring!!!
But for now, I am trying to have Andrew's best interests at heart .... and in mind. Andrew's counts are rising but not as quickly as they would if he were able to receive the neulasta shot (which stimulates his white blood cells). But since he is receiving radiation, he is not able to receive the shot for the next 5 weeks. All we can hope is that his body is strong enough to produce some of its own white blood cells and fight off any infection that he may get. On the bright side, his spirits are high and he looks great. The doctor is continued to be amazed by Andrew and that continues to make Andrew happy to hear.
Please keep Andrew in your thoughts ..... and me as I quietly endure the next few days!!!!

(Filling the bathtub with water and bubbles)

Calgon .... take me away!!!!

Where has the time gone....

I'm completely amazed that we are in Andrew's third week of radiation treatment. Though most people would think that time almost stands still when you're sick ... we think it is just flying by. Andrew is doing great. He had a little set back last week after getting sick ... and then giving it to me ... but has been on antibiotics every since. We hope that after the doctors appointments on Wednesday, he will be cleared to return to chemo next week. His radiation has not been effected by the sickness and he has continued every week day, at 3:10 pm, as usual. He is also continuing to go to work every day, which is great for me, because he did stay home one day last week, and I thought I was going to kill him. I love my husband and I know he has an important job, but our house is only so big and we only have one office and when he gets on business calls and shuts and the door to the office in the middle of the day, it really mucks up my day since the office is where my computer, files, printer, memory sticks, paper, phone ... you name it, is located. (don't take this personally Steve) But for that day, I felt like I was at his parents house when his dad is on a business call and we all have be quiet, not make much noise when moving around, and somehow entertain the dogs and reason with them to comply as well. You can all guess how that goes. Besides that, and now that Andrew is back to work, life is going on as planned.
Andrew was even able to get out for dinner on Friday with friends; went shopping on Saturday for new clothes (that fit); and watched football with the boys on Sunday while I went to a bridal shower. (For those of you who don't know and haven't seen Andrew in a while, he has gained about 40 pounds from the treatment and drugs. The doctor is fine with the gain and is happy for Andrew's healthy appetite.)
We continue to receive such love and support from our family and friends and will never be able to express the gratitude we have for all of you. Please keep the love and wonderful thoughts coming .... they're working!!!!

Rain, Rain go away ... come again some other day!!!!

Two tickets to 'Uneventfulville'

This week can be summed up in one word..... uneventful. I know that's hard to believe in our life but this week has gone very smooth and Andrew is responding well and handling the treatment just like the doctors would like to see. Andrew began his first of 7 weeks of radiation at the Tomo Center in Fairfax, VA. It's one of the most beautiful and comfortable places we have ever been. The staff is great and knowledgeable and always there to answer any of our questions and concerns. We also meet with Dr. Bajaj every week to discuss Andrew's treatment and what he saw for the week. Dr. Bajaj is happy with what he saw this week and with the plan that he has set forth for the remainder of the treatment.
I think the only person ... well kinda person ... who is having problems with this chemo/radiation schedule is Winston. The best bulldog in the world. Winny is overly confused with the fact that we leave in the morning, like usual, but come back around 1:30 every day after chemo and are home for about an hour before leaving for radiation at 3:10. He has been eating 3 meals a day since he just can't get this schedule down pat ... so I guess he and Andrew are putting on the cancer weight this week. As you can see from the picture he is not happy to share the bed with me but is so cute I just couldn't move him.
But besides that life is continuing as normal as possible. Gwen and Steve are coming to visit for the weekend and we are very excited to see them. Thank you to everyone for all of the love, support, phone calls, emails, Facebook posts and cards. They keep Andrew's spirits high and his eye on the prize .... becoming cancer free.

Woof Woof ....

Not in Kansas Anymore

So its been a crazy week already. Andrew and I finally found a radiation oncologist that we feel comfortable will provide the quality and level of care and has the expertise we are looking for. His name is Dr. Bajaj and he is located in our backyard and works out of the Fairfax Inova Hospital Group.
But our adventures for the week did not begin there. We first started out in Woodbridge, VA with Dr. Boylan, one of Dr. Bajaj's colleagues. That's how we found Dr. Bajaj... and thank goodness for that. I mean, have any of you ever been to Woodbridge? Me neither, until this. That's where Dr. Boylan's office was located. Anything outside of the 495 beltway seems like a different world to me. Though I don't claim to be a city girl by any means, and would move to State College, PA in a heart beat if I could, when I am in the city, I act like a city girl ... honking at anyone who gets in front of me, drinking Starbucks at all times of the day, only wearing heals over 3 inches high and texting to anyone and everyone who will write back to me, all the while wearing Big Jackie-O sunglasses to shield my eyes from making real contact with anyone ... to validate my importance, of course. Trying to maintain this pseudo-life in Woodbridge, would have been impossible. I never did see a Starbucks or anyone but the doctor and myself in heals ... she had on Stewart Weitzman's .. nice choice. When we stepped out of the car after our 1 hour and 15 minute jaunt from our McLean home and I looked around, I said 2 things to Andrew. 1. Look honey, this is where all the tree are..... Trees for miles around , and 2. ToTo, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore... And sure enough I was right. Woodbridge did remind me of Uniontown, PA, where I grew up a little. But there's reason we are not having treatment in Uniontown and are staying near a big city for medical treatment.
So after a great appointment with Dr. Broylan, she set us up Tuesday afternoon to meet with Dr. Bajaj at the Tomo Therapy Center in Fairfax ... an area we were more familiar with ... so we high-tailed it out of small town USA, got on 95 North and headed back to civilization around the city. Uh .. Starbucks Pumpkin Chai Latte here I come.
Dr. Bajaj is a young guy who actually used to work at Johns Hopkins with Andrew's specialist Dr. Thornton, so we have great confidence in his skills. He has seen upwards of 5 cases of Ewing's in his time as a doctor. Though that may not sound like much, seeing one case in a life time as a doctor can be rare, so 5 makes us feel pretty good. Andrew will be having anywhere from 31-35 treatments, or about 7 weeks in conjunction with his 5-day out patient I/E treatment. All of this will start on October 12th and continue though Thanksgiving week. So you guessed it, Thanksgiving will be here in Northern Virginia this year ... a first for us. His treatment will only take about 20 minutes per day and it will be given to him on a Tomo Radiation Therapy machine. This machine is not new, it's been around for about 7 years, but it is a more precise way for doctors to give radiation without hurting good cells in the process. Andrew and I were both impressed with the machine and its capabilities. He will be having a planning session tomorrow so that the doctor can make out a road map for where the radiation beams will be pointed. The great thing about this machine, is that each day a CAT scan will be done to modify on the fly for any sudden changes, ie an enlarged bowel, kidney ... just anything that may change and potentially be in the way for that day. This will help to keep healthy organs out of the way of the treatment.
But besides that, Andrew continues to go to work each day and I am now working from home. Georgetown has had a large outbreak of H1N1 virus and to keep myself and Andrew healthy, I have been able to work out this schedule. My hope is that I can keep it up through Thanksgiving and maybe even a little longer, until Andrew gets strong enough for me to be around college kids .. who of course think it is fine to cough, sneeze, blow their nose and oh yeah .. come to my office in this condition to tell me about it. Memo to students ... I am not a doctor and I do not play one on TV, go to the Student Health Center or the hospital and not to your advisors office who can't write you a prescription or a note of absence from your classes. Didn't your parents teach you anything ..... so because of the lack of common sense that Georgetown student possess, I am home, staying healthy.

Be well ... And wash your hands frequently with soap and water to keep the spread of virus to a minimum!!

Elmer Fud

Andrew finished his 5th chemo treatment yesterday and came home last night from the hospital. He is doing well; eating and drinking, all the normals for him. After dinner last night, Andrew's brother Jeremy came from his new home in Baltimore and Big Pete went back home to Uniontown to go back to Cal U and teach. When Andrew's in the hospital, Big Pete is such a help. He literally goes into the hospital at 7:30 every morning and doesn't come home until 10 pm every night. This allows me to go to work for a while, make dinner and bring it in and keep life running and visit Andrew at the same time.
Curiosity killed the cat, I know... but I had to ask, What do they do all day when I'm not there. I learned that Big Pete and Andrew are good nap buddies. The both take siesta's throughout the day to get their beauty rest and since Andrew isn't always up for conversing, the Big Man is practicing for hunting season. Yes that right, Elmer Fud himself sits quietly in his seat, not making any sudden moves so not scare ... I don't know.... the chemo drip.... from moving .... all time honing and sharpening his hunting skills for the blissful time he spends every winter shoved in a tree ( a sturdy tree) waiting for that fateful moment when a poor and innocent deer walks into this path ... and then BAM ... you get the point. I always call a head when I coming into the hospital because I'm afraid I could accidentally be mistaken as one of the lonely and innocent who's lost their pack.
But really, I'm overly grateful for Elmer's time and attention to Andrew. I hope this extra practice helps him to 'bag' his deer early this year.
Today Andrew is in the hospital receiving hydration. He's sounds good and is looking forward to watching PSU beat Iowa this weekend ... Go State!!

SSSSHHHHHH... quiet, we are approaching the deer. (I love those hunting shows that you have to raise the volume just so you can hear what they are saying because they are whispering).

Pip Pip ......

PS: We also want to say a big MAZEL TOV to Shannen and RJ Kline on the birth of baby Braedan. We can't wait to meet him!!!!

A. Lama

Andrew and I will always have the running battle about religion. Andrew's Jewish and I was brought up Catholic. Neither of us has given up our birth faiths to convert to the others, though sometimes I think our families would like to see it. My mom always says, 'we should pick a religion in the middle and join that.' Honestly we have no idea what that means, but joke that maybe it's Buddhism. Not exactly what I think Linda was thinking ... but everyone just goes along with us.
But maybe we are on to something. Since Andrew has been diagnosed (and put on Lexapro) his attitude about the disease and how he would like people to preserve his attitude about the disease has been amazing. He has started to tell me what an inspirational person he thinks he is... spreading the message of positive thoughts and healing to all he meets. But it wasn't until this weekend that I saw A. Lama at work.
So why A. Lama ... because Dalai was taken. This weekend we went to Mia Westoff's first birthday party where most of the people at the event had no idea Andrew was sick. It wasn't until he was asked how he got his head to have such a smooth shave, that A. Lama and his spiritual and life views became the center of the discussion. It's natural that people are curious about his disease and how someone who looks as healthy as he does is sick. But it wasn't until I looked around the room at all the guests sitting intently on the U shaped couch, while A. perched on a chair in front of them, did I realize maybe he does command a crowd. I mean, he's not Gandhi and going to lead his people on a salt march to protest the tax on salt but his attitude and the way people preserve him, helps them not only to better understanding the devastating effects of cancer but how to deal with it and treat people with the disease as friends, family members and loved ones and not patients.
And though we will probably not be converting to Buddhism any time soon, Buddha are described 'as an awakened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings escape the cycle of suffering and rebirth. The Buddha's teachings provide instructions on how to understand the true nature of phenomena, end suffering, and nirvana.' Spreading his message and story is one of the most powerful ways to find a cure and to educate others about the signs and symptoms of cancer.
So for now, a new mentor on life, strength and awareness walks among us, A. Lama. And since he's not Buddhist and completely selfless.... he charges by the hour, doesn't handle children and insists that all of his food be served on gold plates arranged so none of the items on the plate touch one another ...... Celebrities and their crazy demands. To book him for your next party, bar or bat mitzvah or retirement soiree, call him at 1-888-gr8-ALAMA... and ask for Amy. Dates are booking quickly so act fast.


Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

Thoughts for others

It's amazing the support we have received throughout this process of Andrew's illness, that we would like to turn the focus on someone else who is in our thoughts every day ... as we are kindly reminded by them that we are in theirs. Ishmael Conklin is the adopted, one year old son of my friend Stephanie (Harrison) and Mark Conklin. Ish was born without fibulas in his legs and as a result has unstabilized ankles. The Conklin's have spent countless and tireless hours working to find a doctor to repair their beautiful Ish. This week they travel to Cleveland Clinic to meet with an orthopaedic specialist who may be able to help Ish.
In our time of need, we ask you to remember Stephanie, Mark, Ish and their 2 other sons Toby and Eli in your thoughts and prayers this week. Even in their own time of uncertainty, Stephanie always takes time to read our blog, send positive thoughts and prayers, as well as asking her husband Mark's parish to pray for Andrew on a weekly basis. Though Stephanie and I have not kept in touch since our time at Ben Franklin Jr. High, we have reconnected recently to fight for causes near and dear to our hearts, our loved ones.
Check our the Conklin's blog and leave loving thoughts and wishes for Ish and the entire Conklin family.
http://www.indiansandpirates.blogspot.com/

Safe travels .....