With flying colors

Dear Friends and Family .... and loyal CPW readers,

I am happy to report that we just found out today that Andrew passed the remaining portion of the VA Bar, so he is a full Virginia attorney.  He is very excited!!!

Thank you to everyone for your overwhelming love and support...

Raising Awareness for Rare Diseases ...

A Man on a Mission to Cure Ewing's Sarcoma

I feel fortunate to have been lucky enough to talk with Dr. Jeff Toretsky, about Andrew's cancer in 2009.  Dr. Toretsky is an associate professor of oncology at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in DC.  He no longer sees patients and only works on research, which I couldn't be more thankful.  Dr. Toretsky was recently awarded a grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for $4.37 million to advance his laboratory work in the treatment of Ewing's Sarcoma.

http://gumc.georgetown.edu/news/stories/197937.html

Our journey and path in life can begin with just one chance encounter and can alter that path forever.  Dr. Toretsky's college friend who lost his battle to Ewing's altered his life's path just as Andrew's Ewing's has changed mine.  Sometimes cancer can change your life for the better .....

Raising awareness for Rare Diseases .....

Appreciate the Patience

Hello Loyal Followers,

Thank you all so much for your patience and understanding.  Andrew and I are both doing well.  We are currently doing a massive overhaul to The Diary of a Cancer Patient's Wife blog and turning it into a website.  We hope to have some of it up and running within the next week or two.  In the mean time, we appreciate all of your patience.  The new site, when its ready will be www.cancerpatientswife.com

Raising awareness for rare diseases .....


Amy and Andrew

Pain in the Amy ...

Well it's official, I have a demanding and dominating personality.... which probably comes as no surprise to anyone except for me!!  Today was my first day at the National Conference for NOCC in Dallas and after a work personality test I learned that I can be a big P-I-A.... Pain in the Amy!!!!  So I guess I'm going to have to work on that one.  

But the conference is going great and I'm really learning a lot about fundraising, awareness, diseases, dealing with volunteers and about myself.  Sometimes it honestly hard to hold back the tears when you think about it and how many people can benefit from knowledge.  It makes me want to go door to door and educate people not only on Ovarian Cancer and Sarcoma, but cancer in general.  Even though I've gone through everything with Andrew, I am still amazed at the number of people who cannot read their own bodies and tell that something is wrong.  You have to be your own advocate and lobby for your health.  You knows you best.

Today was also National Rare Disease Day!!!  Uplifting Athletes named Jordan Culbreath of Princeton University the 2011 Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion following his inspirational battle with a rare disease and his return to the field.  Congratulations Jordan!!!
To read more, check out the article on the Uplifting Athletes website: http://www.upliftingathletes.org/ua-news/jordan-culbreath-named-2011-uplifting-athletes-rare-disease-champion





I'm excited to see what tomorrow brings and hold tight to the thought that maybe one day rare diseases ... and cancer in general .... will be talked about in the past tense.  Cancer and Pain, will become, never again.

Raising Awareness for Rare Diseases .....

Crazy Sexy Yellow

What I realized today is how much cancer has given me.  It’s given me the opportunity to meet so many amazing people, travel to many amazing places and learn so much about myself.  Right now I’m on a plane to Dallas, TX to attend the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition conference for the week to hear more about this disease.  Though it has nothing to do with Andrew’s Sarcoma, it’s a cause near and dear to my own heart and to the hearts of the people around me.  I’m sad not to have Andrew joining me on this trip and I’m worried about him being able to take care of Winston for the week all by himself, but he was able to do it before we got married; so I’m sure that he can handle himself now ….. but if any of my friends who live close read this, give him a call this week to make sure both he and Winston are alive and eating (more than just cereal).

I know I’ve said many times before that I’ve made cancer my career and don’t think it’s a bad thing for now.  I’m reading an amazing book right now by Kris Carr.  She did a documentary back in early 2002, after being diagnosed with a type of sarcoma herself.  She’s also speaking at the conference that I’m about to attend.  I wish that I would have been given this book when Andrew was diagnosed.  She gracefully and humorously explains how to navigate your way through treatment, insurance, doctors, love, relationships and telling everyone you have cancer; with a brave face and a smile.  She’s really inspiring and a pioneer who puts a better face on the Big C word as she calls it.  Though I hope none of you need it, check out Crazy Sexy Cancer (the series). 

On the Andrew front, I think I’m finally getting him back after taking the Bar Exam.  He’s less stressed and ready to take on the world.  Though he now has to wait until the end of April to find out if he passed or not.  I like to think that this time the glass is half full and that he will pass …. I mean really, give us a break.  Doesn’t he at least deserve this one!!  He will find out right the results right before his next 3 month check-up with Dr. Stadddon, taking place in mid-May.  If I had to choose, of course, I would rather have his health, but really, can’t we get this one too!!!  But for now more wishing, hoping and praying …..

Tomorrow is also a holiday that we hope all of you will celebrate with us.  February 28^th is National Rare Disease Day so please wear your Yellow in support of Andrew and for all patients and their families suffering from and dealing with Sarcoma.  This year we get to celebrate Rare Disease Day as another great milestone for Andrew.  He’s going on month 8, clear and free from cancer.  So wear your yellow -- -loud and proud. 

Raising Awareness for Rare Diseases ….

The Hangover

Today is like a bad hangover.  You can't remember how you got here, why you did what you did, and know that you never want to do it again ..... and by the way, I didn't even take the bar exam.  I can tell you that we have done our best to enjoy our time in Norfolk, but its time to return to our home, our dog, and our life.....  Andrew is in the last hours of taking the Virginia State Bar Exam and we hope to be our way home around 5 pm tonight. I'm continually amazed by Andrew's progress since completing chemo only 7 months.  He's stronger than ever and is looking very confident and lawyer-like in his suit.  I'm very proud of him, but hope that we never have to do this test again.  And allow me to remind you again .... I'm not even taking the exam myself.

And though we are not home with Winston at the time, we have been receiving daily pictures of what he is up to why mommy and daddy are out of town.  For your daily Winston fix, here he is in the snow.
PS:  He hates the cold weather and prefers the spring and the fall when he can sprawl out on the back patio and bark at the neighbors, who are making too much noise for his comfort.

Continue to think good thoughts for Andrew as he finishes the bar exam.

Raising Awareness for Rare Diseases .....

No drinks at this Bar .......

I will say there are many things that I love about my new job; the people; the cause; the hours; and the fact that right now I am sitting in a Starbucks in downtown Norfolk, VA working and writing a blog, and no one is the wiser.  It's the best.

Though if I had to choose a place right now that I would like to be remotely working, Norfolk may not be my first choice.  But Norfolk was not by choice.  Andrew is currently taking Day 1 of two days of the Virginia Bar exam.  He is of course nervous but after having lunch with him, he is feeling a lot more confident this time around than last.

He told me a story at lunch today that he was speaking to the people around him before the beginning of the test this morning.  He learned that 3 out of the 4 people at his table were re-taking the exam like him.  And what shocked him even more was that those other individuals missed the Bar exam score by more points than he missed.  When he told them that he only missed the cut by 3 little points, their response was 'that sucks.  You should appeal.'  Now if they knew anything about Virginia, they would know it is a state where you cannot appeal your score.  His response was 'yeah it sucked but I was only about a month out from a year long chemo/radiation treatment for bone cancer.'  Not only did he stun these people, but himself, with the fact that he really does know his stuff and if it were not for the chemo brain he had, he probably would have passed with flying colors.  I saw his mood drastically change at lunch from this morning.  He was more confident in his ability and skills...... and he looks fab in his new suit.

Tonight we are looking forward to dinner with my friend Laura.  She is already an attorney, so I hope she can put Andrew at ease for the last day of testing tomorrow.  But for now it's back to work for me.

Everyone think good thoughts for Andrew.  He needs them right now.

(The view from one of our hotel windows.  We have a corner room and 2 windows)

Raising Awareness for Rare Diseases....... from Norfolk!