Andrew's Journey

Andrew's Headstone

2012-02-09T21:49:00.000-08:00

Andrew's headstone went in last week. We are very pleased with how it turned out. It seems as with each little moment and milestone we are yet again reminded that Andrew is truly gone. Of course this is hard to accept and I'm not sure how long it will take until my mind will wrap itself around this reality. We are grateful we have a place to go to, to be near him and to pray and beg him to send us his wisdom and guidance. We are planning to put a bench at his grave as well. We are finalizing the design and hope it will serve as a place of reflection and healing.

Pictures from the Husky Game

2012-01-10T20:31:00.000-08:00

I wanted to post a few pictures from the Husky game a few weeks back. My friend Kim took them on her phone from the stands (thank you!), so the quality is not that great, but I thought you would like to see them. It was a really amazing experience. The Husky staff and coaches were wonderful to us and went out of their way to make the night touching and honoring. We were treated to the Tyee club before the game and during half time - a nice, comfortable lounge with a fully catered dinner and bar. Before the game started we walked onto the court with Coach Romar and the announcer said a lot of nice things about Andrew, then the Coach presented my mom with a framed #11 jersey. When the whole stadium stood up and clapped to honor Andrew, I was completely overwhelmed and stood in the middle of the court with an ugly cry face! The game was fun and exciting and the Huskies were able to take home a win.

Thank you to everyone who came to the game and watched from home - it truly was a memorable night for our family.

Game on TV!

2011-12-29T10:38:00.000-08:00

The game tonight will be televised on ROOT sports and broadcast over the radio on KKNW 1150 AM.

Go Huskies!

Husky game Thursday!

2011-12-28T17:43:00.000-08:00

Here is the release regarding the Husky game tomorrow night and their plans to honor Andrew. Click here to read it. We are really looking forward to this game and are so thankful for everything the UW Men's Basketball team has done to remember Andrew. We hope you can be there tomorrow! Coach Romar will say something about Andrew right after the national anthem, so get to the game on time so you don't miss it!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T19:10:00.000-08:00

We hope everyone has had a wonderful and happy Christmas. Ours has certainly been different. We are still so thankful for our wonderful family and friends, and of course for all the memories we have with Andrew. Some of us stood by his grave today, and the sun broke out through the clouds. It was so windy that it nearly knocked us over. It felt good to be there, near him, although desperately longing for him to be with us still.

This Thursday December 29 our family will attend the husky men's basketball game. The Husky's will wear a patch again in honor of Andrew. I believe they may say something as well during the game. If tickets are still available we'd love to see you there! The game is here locally at the Alaska arena and starts at 6pm versus Oregon State.

Merry Christmas to all!

A big Thank You

2011-12-05T22:06:00.000-08:00

Thank you to each and every person who participated in Andrew's service, as well as the hundreds who attended. We have heard from so many of you that the service deeply impacted you. We hope you continue to honor Andrew with a positive outlook on life and a smile on your face. It was really wonderful to see everyone, especially those who flew in from all around the country!

Who had fun at The Garage Saturday night? I know I did! We had a great turnout and it was a great way to end a day full of honoring and remembering Andrew.

A staff member of the UW Husky Men's Basketball team contacted me last week to let me know they will be honoring Andrew tomorrow night during their game against Marquette at the Jimmy V Classic, held in Madison Square Garden in NYC. The UW players will wear a patch with Andrew's initials. Our family is very honored and touched the team is doing this for Andrew. Watch the game tomorrow night if you can! You can read a brief blog post about it here.

I'm not sure exactly which direction this blog will head. But definitely keep it in your reader, (or check back here for updates if you simply check the blog address the old fashioned way!) as we will certainly keep you informed and updated of anything that we may be doing in Andrew's name. I may continue to post pictures as well. Especially ones that did not make it into the slide show.

Again, thank you for helping us remember Andrew's life in a truly remarkable way.

More Information for you...

2011-12-01T21:45:00.000-08:00

~ On Saturday you will be able to park in either the North Parking lot on 47th & 15th, the West Parking lot on 15th across from the church or the Parking Garage on 15th.

~ Please be advised that The Garage Billiards is a 21 and over establishment. The manager wanted to make sure everyone knew that, even though they have bowling. So leave your kids and young friends at home!

~ Andrew's obituary will appear in The Seattle Times tomorrow December 2, both online and in the paper. In lieu of flowers, we ask that all donations be made to The Andrew Moritz Memorial Scholarship Fund. You can donate at your local US Bank branch. The monies will be used to help kids in need of athletic or academic assistance.

~ Thank you for all the emails and messages that you have been sending us. I have not been able to respond to everyone yet, so I want you to know that we've read and re-read everything you're said and written about Andrew. Your kind words and stories about Andrew are small nuggets of comfort that we can carry with us during this sorrowful time.

~ We look forward to seeing you on Saturday. It will truly be a celebration we will never forget.

Group Hotel Rate

2011-11-30T12:14:00.000-08:00

We have secured a group rate at Hotel Deca for anyone needing a place to stay on Friday or Saturday night. This hotel is very close to University Pres Church and UW. The group rate is listed under Moritz and will be $99/night plus tax for a deluxe room with complimentary parking. Click here for more information on the hotel. Call to book your reservation and tell them you are with the Moritz Group.

Hotel Deca

4507 Brooklyn Ave

Seattle, WA 98105

(206) 634-2000

http://www.hoteldeca.com/

Andrew's Memorial Service

2011-11-29T15:53:00.000-08:00

Saturday, December 3rd 2011

1:00pm

University Presbyterian Church

4540 15th Avenue NE

Seattle, WA 98105

We are having a private family burial prior to the service, as well as a family reception after the service. We hope and encourage you to gather in friend and family groups to celebrate and remember Andrew.

In true Andrew fashion, everyone is invited to celebrate with us on Saturday night at 8:00pm at the Garage. The Garage is on Capitol Hill at 1130 Broadway Ave. You can find directions by clicking here. We have rented the downstairs level from 8-11pm. Please join us for an evening of bowling, pool, shuffle board and lots of laughs.

Lastly, did you see the news last night? We were very honored and pleased with how the story turned out. Thank you to Joe Fryer for telling Andrew's story in a wonderful light. I have links to all the current articles on the sidebar of the blog. Here is the link to the King 5 news coverage.

Some Information: please read!

2011-11-28T17:17:00.001-08:00

The King 5 reporter called us this evening to let us know the story on Andrew will air tonight at 10 o'clock on Kong and again at 11 o'clock on King 5 News. It did not run last night due to breaking stories the reporters had to cover. We heard there was a family photo and a brief clip that ran last night. The clip tonight will hopefully be a bit longer. Tune in and spread the word!

We have decided to have Andrew's memorial service this Saturday December 3 at 1:00pm. We are still waiting to hear back on the venue, so please check back here for that information. There will not be a reception after the service, but we are planning an informal gathering for friends later that evening at a bar in Seattle. Again, please check back here for more information.

Last item: please email me at ekdenton@gmail.com with a picture or two that you have of yourself and Andrew. We are planning a slide show for the service.

Thank you again for the outpouring of love. It helps to ease the pain and shock that Andrew is truly gone.

Remembering

2011-11-27T16:33:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth, Sarah, Andrew, Rachel & Martha ~ Forever the Fab 5

Today we are filled with an indescribable amount of grief. We are blessed that Andrew was a part of our life, but as we sit as a family, a vast and empty canyon sits in the middle of us. Thank you thank you thank you for all the love and kind words. It means so much. I can't stop reading all your blog comments and facebook posts to Andrew. They make us smile and remember Andrew for the great person that he was.

There are already a few short articles about Andrew. You can find the King5.com article here and the online Seattle Times article here.

Tune in tonight at 10 o'clock on Kong to watch a brief clip honoring Andrew. The same story will run at 11 o'clock on King 5 News.

We are in the preliminary process of planning a service for Andrew. Please check back here for all the details.

Andrew Phillip Moritz

2011-11-26T23:44:00.000-08:00

With peace in his heart and love in the room, our beloved Andrew took his last breath tonight. He was surrounded by his family and a few close friends. It was peaceful and so beautiful.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T17:09:00.000-08:00

Today, on thanksgiving, our hearts are overflowing with gratitude. We are blessed to have an amazing family and incredible friends. Our thanksgiving on 12 east has been one we will never forget. Thank you to our special friends who made it happen for us.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

Change of floors

2011-11-21T22:40:00.000-08:00

Andrew was deemed stable enough today to be moved out of the ICU. They gave Andrew a big double room with a view of the city. Sweet! He is completely off his antibiotics and blood pressure medicine and is on a very low dose of steroids and pain meds. The doctor thought that he did not in fact have an infection but instead was extremely dehydrated.

Hope everyone is having a great start to their week.

Monday

2011-11-21T13:04:00.000-08:00

Andrew was fairly uncomfortable through the night and has been mostly sleeping today. He said yesterday that he had a good day, so thank you to everyone who was there visiting, watching the game and bringing us good food. Thank you Aunt Ingrid for all the goodies!

I am struggling to find a balance between respecting Andrews privacy and wanting to provide everyone with all the details of how he is doing. So if I am vague or brief, please know that I am trying to respect Andrew and think about what he would want me to say. He has been and always will be my greatest coach and boss (my sisters and I always joke that we are all his assistants), so I am trying to lean on the wisdom he's given me during this time where we are speaking for him. Please know I will post information when it is necessary.

Again, thank you for all the prayers, strength and love. There has been a huge outpouring these past few days.

Andrew today

2011-11-20T15:12:00.000-08:00

Andrew has been awake most of the day. He's more chatty and even got a fresh cut from Isaiah the barber. He's on high dose antibiotics just in case he has an infection, and it seems like the antibiotics have been working. He is also on steroids to help his lungs and levophed to keep his blood pressure up. The doctor saw him this morning and said he can start eating again and also said he'll have to be in the ICU for another few days to slowly wean him off of the meds.

That's all I know! He is enjoying watching football today and also trying to get some more rest.

Happy Sunday!

2011-11-19T19:47:00.000-08:00

I am here in the ICU with Andrew and our family and a few close friends. Andrew was awake when Tyler and I arrived but has mostly been sleeping since. He is not too coherent and is wondering why we are all here. Our sisters Rachel and Sarah fly in tonight. Andrews blood pressure is still very low, even after upping his blood pressure medicine.

I want to convey that Andrew is in a critical state. At this point we are hoping and praying that Andrew is comfortable and that peace flows through his body and heart. His condition changes hour by hour so I will update when I'm able.

The past 24 hours

2011-11-19T14:14:00.000-08:00

There is a lot to report from the last 24 hours. Andrews condition has dramatically declined. Andrew fell in the bathroom yesterday morning due to no strength in his legs and numb feet. We decided he needed to be checked out in Seattle so we brought him to the ER last night around 7. They ran some tests and found his potassium and creatine levels to be high which was causing irregular heart rhythms. He also had low blood pressure and low sodium levels. They admitted him to the ICU last night which is where he is now. I am writing this in the car- we are en route to see him. Please pray for Andrew that he can be comfortable and that his mind can be at rest. He has been very upset with this change of events.

I will post more once we see him. Please direct all communication to myself or Martha. He is not in a place to be responding to texts, etc. And please check back here as I will update when I have more information.

Chicken Legs

2011-11-16T21:42:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows that Andrew is famous for his skinny chicken legs. Well, we are happy to report that in the last few days we can actually SEE those cute chicken legs and even his ankles! This is wonderful news! His legs and feet have been full of fluid for the last month+ so it's nice to be able to see his ankles for the first time in a while. Andrew says the only thing really bothering him are his feet. They are so sore it is hard for him to walk.

Yesterday at the health clinic Dr. Parmar and the staff remarked how wonderful Andrew looked and how much stronger his spirit and chattiness has become. Andrew elected to not do the oxygen therapy the last few days and Dr. Parmar stated he does not want to push Andrew to continue with it because it does cause his legs to swell up and they will continue to swell until he gets his albumin controlled with infusions. He said the Hyperthermia and Ukrain are working well enough and that the proof is in Andrew's physical progression. Andrew was very happy to hear that everyone thought he looked so good. Andrew also kept saying how good he felt and how he has been waiting for this feeling.

This makes me happy!

Quick Update

2011-11-14T22:09:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

Sorry my posting has been non-existent this last week. My oldest daughter turned 4 on Friday so we've been busy celebrating. I also spent about 24 hours with Andrew last Wed-Thur night. I was happy to see Andrew and spend some time with him. I definitely was not the best caretaker as I had to keep my little one out of everything in sight. I was able to take Andrew to his appointments on Thursday so was glad to meet Dr. Parmar and many of the nurses and staff at the Integrated Health Clinic. I was very impressed by their clinic and their warm and loving personalities. I was extremely impressed with Dr. Parmar. He is just the kind of doctor Andrew needs. He is full of life and very positive. He sat with us for a while and answered questions and reviewed his labs. Since I didn't write anything down, my information is going to be very vague.

Dr. Parmar said that a few of Andrew's levels indicated some improvement since the week prior. This is good news and he was very pleased to tell us this. His sodium level, however, is now at a critically low point. Andrew needs to be able to take in more salt to get his levels up. Dr. Parmar has put him on a very strict fluid intake and is requiring Andrew to try and eat as much salt as possible. He also has restricted Andrew to only drain his abdomen every few days. Andrew has been taking shots of soy sauce! You can't fault him for his creativity!

Andrew's albumin levels are low, which leads to dehydration and he has been dealing with cracked lips and throat. His feet continue to cause him a lot of pain. This is probably the biggest problem for Andrew. His feet fill with fluid and become extremely swollen and it is hard to walk and even when he is laying down the pain can sometimes be unbearable. Not only have we all entered this medical world, we are also in the spa business now. We all spend countless hours massaging and rubbing his feet, legs, hands, head, etc with every kind of oil and lotion possible. This always helps to relax Andrew and gives him temporary relief. One of Andrew's friends downloaded a bunch of relaxing music on his iPad, so we turn on the music, light the fire and the candles all in hopes he can relax enough to sleep.

Helping and taking care of Andrew is a 24/7 job and I just want to thank each of our family members and friends who have helped out. We are so so grateful. And Andrew is extremely grateful for the help and the love.

Andrew's last scheduled treatment is for next Wednesday November 23. He will be back home in Seattle that night so we can enjoy Thanksgiving together as a family.

That is all for now, we wish you a wonderful week. I'll be back here when I get a report from Martha!

2011-11-07T20:39:00.000-08:00

Not the best quality picture, but I think Andrew looks so cute! He's wearing his new hat that Martha brought him this weekend. Andrew has been doing well these last few days. He feels like he's getting some more energy and looks like he's gaining some weight back in his face and upper body. Today he slept though his entire oxygen therapy treatment and came out smiling. The staff at the clinic wanted to know what Andrew did this past weekend because they couldn't believe how well Andrew looked today and said his eyes and skin color looked less jaundice. One of the doctors commented on how well he's been handling the treatments. Andrew meets with Dr. Parmar tomorrow and they will discuss his lab results, how the treatments are going and hopefully he will answer some questions we have. We are hoping the labs show good sodium levels.

My daughter Sonja and I are headed up to Canada Wednesday night to help take care of Andrew until our mother can get there Thursday night. Andrew says he's excited to see Sonja...hopefully he feels that way when she wakes up at 6:30am! I'm sure her adorable smile will excuse any faults she may have (like completely taking apart and destroying an entire house!)

Hope your week is off to a great start.

Tremendous day

2011-11-05T14:03:00.000-07:00

Andrew woke up yesterday morning and said, "Today is a tremendous day". He had taken some melatonin the previous night to help him sleep and was able to sleep for 4 hours, woke up for 30 minutes then fell back asleep for another 4 hours. What awesome news! He said yesterday was his best day treatment wise and he even napped through both treatments. The nurses at the clinic love him, (obviously!) and one nurse even said she read his entire blog over a bottle of wine the other night. Yesterday Andrew received the max dose of the Ukrain injection (20ml) which they will continue at that dose every other day until treatment is complete.

Andrew's strep throat culture came back negative so he stopped taking the antibiotics. The only other explanation for his reddened, white patched mouth is thrush. He'll take 4 days of an anti-fungal pill as well as an anti-fungal swish and swallow. Andrew's sodium is still low, so the more he drinks the more he pushes fluid out of his cells and essentially dehydrates himself. He will have to just take sips of liquids and suck on lemon drops. His kidneys look great, so that's good news.

Our sister Martha is visiting him today and she said he seems to be having a good day.

Happy Weekending!

Pictures

2011-11-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

Here are the pictures I promised:

This is Andrew receiving the hyperthermia treatment as well as chemo

Andrew in the hypberbaric oxygen treatment

I was able to visit Andrew today for the afternoon. It took me 1 hour, door to door, so it was a quick and easy trip. Andrew had his treatments this morning, so when I was there about noon he said he was feeling the best he'd felt all week since being in Canada. He said he felt good after the treatments and didn't feel so groggy. The antibiotics have really helped his sore throat. He continues to have fluid build up in his feet, so I was able to massage some of the fluid out while I was there. He is extremely exhausted though, and would doze off during our conversations. Which is amazing considering the volume level of my children. He told me again how peaceful he feels up there, so I was really glad to hear that. It's been easiest for him to sleep in the living room on the fold out futon, so he lays next to a big picture window and is able to look outside to the beautiful fall trees.

That is all for now. I hope everyone is having a great week.

How Andrew is doing this week

2011-11-01T22:20:00.000-07:00

Hi All!

I have to apologize for not updating the blog this past week. We've had a busy schedule around here, a packed weekend and some serious Halloween activities yesterday. Life with two little ones is full! I will continue to keep you posted via this blog, so please remember to check here when looking for an update. We want Andrew to stay as relaxed and stress-free as possible!

This is going to be a long post, so don't say I didn't warn you!

The biggest question people want to know is: is the treatment in Canada working??? This is something that can and may take several weeks to know. So far, on a day to day basis, not a whole lot is changing with Andrew and the way he feels. His treatment is going well and he is pleased to be there and receiving the treatments. He has run into a few problems, but this has to do with his ascites and he also just recently came down with strep throat. He started on amoxicillin on Monday and he woke up today feeling much better. Andrew is still slightly jaundiced but his eyes seem to be a little less yellow and has been up and walking around the house and outside fairly well. Because of the nature of the treatments he's receiving, he has been draining his abdomen every day. This has helped not only the treatments but he doesn't seem to be filling up as quickly and was even able to skip a day of draining. His thighs are not as swollen and the TED hose that he's been using have really been helping.

Andrew receives two treatments each day, 6 days per week. This is what he is getting:

Hyperthermia treatment: He lays on a water bed which helps to conduct the heat from the contraption that they place on his liver one day, then the next day place on his lower stomach. Exposure to the higher temperatures damages and kills the cancer cells and leaves the healthy cells alone. It also makes the cells more sensitive to the Ukrain (the chemo) and any other IV injections they choose to treat him with. Next week they plan to inject selenium and vitamin C along with the Ukrain. Andrew doesn't feel anything during this treatment and has even been able to nap and listen to music.

Hypberbaric Oxygen Therapy: This is oxygen therapy at greater than atmospheric pressure for a total of 1 1/2 hours. The first 15 minutes acclimate him, then he receives treatment for an hour, then the last 15 minutes bring him back to the correct pressure. The idea behind this treatment is that cancer cells flourish in a less oxygen rich environment, so they hopefully will slow their growth. Another goal is the oxygen therapy helps to heal injury. The chemo Ukrain works better in an oxygen rich environment so the Ukrain is given after this treatment.

Andrew had a foot massage the other day followed by an ion cleanse. He put his feet in water with ions which is suppose to pull toxins out of your body. He watched the water change colors which they said was from the incredible amount of toxins leaving him. He didn't quite believe it, but tried it anyway. And he loved the foot massage!

One more medical tidbit...if you want to totally nerd out you can check out this website and read all about Ukrain, the chemo they are giving Andrew. http://www.ukrain.ua/present/ukrain.html. It is a power point study with great results.

On a slightly different note, I heard from Andrew's friend Stacey in St. Louis that the dancing fundraiser she did for Andrew raised $300! Wow, thanks Stacey! And thanks to everyone who donated. Hopefully you had a fun night of dancing. Here in Seattle this past Sunday was another fundraiser put on by Brian & Nicole Lawrence, great friends of Andrew. A special thank you to them for organizing this. They did a Seahawks game parking & tailgate party. They raised $1910. Amazing! Again, thank you to everyone who showed up for this tailgate party and who donated. We can't express enough how grateful we are. Every single dollar counts and matters and is put towards healing Andrew.

That is all for now. For some reason I'm having a hard time with photobucket and it's way past my bedtime, so I'll have to post some pictures in the next few days. I have a few of Andrew at the health clinic that our mother took. Andrew is very encouraged about the treatments but he is in need of a lot more sleep. So if you pray, please pray that he can sleep for long stretches at a time. Currently he is only sleeping in 2-3 hour increments.

Thank you!

First day in Canada

2011-10-26T20:14:00.000-07:00

Ryan Hueter, of The Daily, wrote a great article about the MVP 5k race that was published today. Click here to read it or find it in The Daily of the University of Washington. Thank you for the nice article!

Andrew arrived in BC last night and completed his first two treatments today (oxygen therapy & hyperthermia therapy) at the health clinic. I'm waiting to hear how it all went, but I did receive an awesome picture of Andrew receiving his oxygen therapy. He looked like a spaceman with a helmet-like contraption and hoses hooked up to it. I know, not very medical sounding, but I'm only receiving second-hand information so I will try to get some more technical information and post when I can!

I found a nice cottage for Andrew to stay in that is just a few minutes away from the clinic. He is very pleased with the accommodations so far. It is peaceful and in a quiet neighborhood. The owner, who lives next door, is a professional gardener so the garden space is gorgeous. It is serene and peaceful and just the place for Andrew.

Video from Saturday

2011-10-24T20:08:00.000-07:00

Take a few minutes to watch this great video that our friend Mr. Kiang took on Saturday. It really shows how awesome the turnout was on Saturday. Thank you for this footage, we love it! And by the way, did you know that the overall winner of the race, Jim Savage, is our cousin? How cool is that? I think his time was around 15 minutes. Wow! Way to go Jimmy! A special thanks to that side of the family who came all the way from across the sound in Hansville, WA to be there. I'm sure that was a very early morning in order t0 catch the ferry. And of course thank you to everyone else who was there and made the effort. We even had a bride (got married at 5:30 that night!) and most of her wedding party in attendance. Talk about support!

Andrew was feeling pretty good all day but has been very uncomfortable and in pain this evening. The fluid build-up in his legs, feet and abdomen cause pain and he often will feel dizzy, bloated and lots of pressure. He was able to drain off some fluid yesterday by himself, so that brought some relief. Andrew is scheduled to start treatment at the Integrated Health Clinic in Fort Langley, BC on Wednesday. He will leave tomorrow to head up there. Click here to read more about the clinic. He is slated to receive treatment for 4 weeks, but we will take it 1 day at a time and see how he feels. We found accommodations for him just a few minutes from the clinic in Fort Langley.

I will continue to keep you posted!

Success!

2011-10-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing turnout this morning at the 5k. Thank you to everyone who came out to run and walk. We can't express enough how grateful we are for each and every one of you. We truly are blessed to have so many wonderful people in our life. I will post a few pictures once I'm back home and on my computer. I wasn't able to take too many pictures...so if you have a picture from this morning, please email it to ekdenton@gmail.com. We would love to see all your pictures! I also hope to get a few of the facts and share those with you...how many attended and how much we raised.

Andrew had a rough night & morning, so we are thrilled that he was able to attend. He enjoyed seeing all of you and hopefully you got a chance to say hello to him. He's spent the remainder of the day resting and watching football. Poor Huskies!

Thank you again.

5k Walk/Run Tomorrow!

2011-10-21T20:49:00.000-07:00

We just wanted to say thank you to everyone who is taking the time to come out tomorrow and support Andrew. We are so excited for the event and to see all your smiling faces! We apologize for the confusion on the website the last few days about registering for the race. If you have not signed up yet, don't worry, you can still register! Just show up tomorrow morning before the race starts and you can register. Registration opens at 8:30am. The start and finish line will be near the basketball courts and Evans Pool.

Click here to read Andrew's article on the Ron & Don show on 97.3 KIRO FM. You can hear the audio clip by clicking here.

Catheter Procedure

2011-10-20T22:22:00.000-07:00

I wanted to let everyone know that Andrew's catheter surgery went well today. It was very quick and painless and Andrew was home by 5:30 tonight. We all have to learn in the next few days how to help him drain it, so hopefully this will bring him some more relief. He is fairly sore from the procedure and continues to be in pain and cramping.

Andrew hopes to be able to attend the race on Saturday. If he is there he looks forward to saying hello to everyone he can. If you don't get a chance to say hi to Andrew, please know he is so thankful for your support. You may have to get through the Moritz sister body guards to get to him!!!

Update on Andrew

2011-10-19T19:35:00.000-07:00

Just three more days until the MVP Challenge 5k run/walk on Saturday at Greenlake. Your last chance to register between now and then is Saturday morning starting at 8:30am at the race. Race starts at 10!

We had a second phone consultation yesterday with the doctor from the health clinic in British Columbia. He reviewed Andrew's scans again and spoke with him about the current state of his ascites. He emphasized that his treatment is not curative but rather palliative care. Since they are an out patient clinic the doctor requires Andrew to have a self draining catheter in place so the fluid can be drained off on a daily basis. In Andrew's true fighting and persistent spirit he wants to keep going and keep trying. Andrew met with Dr. Milder today at Swedish and is scheduled to have the procedure tomorrow to have the catheter installed.

Andrew continues to be uncomfortable and in pain so Dr. Milder upped his pain pills today. Hopefully this new dosage will bring Andrew some relief. We also got him compression socks and have him elevate his feet whenever possible and this helps tremendously to reduce the swelling in his legs and feet.

Because of the wonderful person that Andrew is, and the amount of people that love him, he receives multiple emails, phone calls and texts each day. This has proved to be a bit overwhelming for him, so if he does not return your message, please know that he loves you and appreciates your care and concern. Please check here for updates or contact one of us Moritz sisters and we will give you an update if you have not heard back from Andrew. Thank you for understanding.

For all of our Missouri friends and family, go Cardinals!

Dance for Andrew Salsa & Cha Cha Class

2011-10-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

Stacey Switzer, Andrew's friend from St. Louis, is offering a salsa and cha cha class to help raise money for Andrew. She did a dance class for Andrew a while back, and has decided to host another one. Stacey, you are so kind and generous! If you live in the St. Louis, MO area please check out the details below!

What: Dance for Andrew Salsa & Cha Cha Class

Where: Simply Ballroom

1244 Hanley Industrial Court

Brentwood, MO 63144

When: Sunday October 30th at 2pm (start arriving at 1:45, class is 1 hour long)

Cost: Minimum $15 donation (no credit cards, cash or checks only)

Bring: You will either have to dance in socks or use a pair of rental ballroom shoes that will be provided to you. No need to bring a partner!

RSVP: Email Stacey Switzer at switzer721@hotmail.com

If you have any questions regarding this class please email Stacey at switzer721@hotmail.com or myself at ekdenton@gmail.com

Thank you!

Seattle Times Article 10/14/11

2011-10-14T08:19:00.000-07:00

Today in the Seattle Times Steve Kelley wrote an article about Andrew. Please take the time to read it. You can read it by clicking here or by purchasing the Times and finding it in the Sports section. Thank you to Steve Kelley for publishing this article!

We are just one week away from the race, please sign up today if you haven't already!

Andrew continues to be in pain and continues to fill with fluid. Our mother and Andrew met with the sarcoma specialist from Seattle Cancer Care Alliance this week. He was a fantastic doctor but told Andrew that he did not qualify for the Fred Hutch trial due to Andrew's liver failure. That was really hard to hear. The doctor mentioned one other chemo drug that is normally given to adolescents and comes with a great risk. The side affects were too great and Andrew declined. At this point we are left with the treatment facility in BC. We hope to have Andrew there next week.

Happy Friday and look forward to seeing everyone next Saturday at Greenlake!

5K Run/Walk

2011-10-10T21:24:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to sign up for the 5K run or walk coming up in less than 2 weeks at Greenlake in Seattle. Click here to register. Or, if you live out of town or can't make the event, you can donate to the cause via paypal on the sidebar of the blog. We look forward to seeing you all there!

Please continue to pray for and think about Andrew. His body continues to fill with fluid and this causes an extreme amount of pain and discomfort. He got another tap yesterday and this brought some relief but is beginning to fill back up again with fluid. He will probably get drained again in a few days. Please pray that Andrew can get comfortable enough to sleep.

We have a few appointments scheduled for tomorrow, so we will let you know how those go and if they help us decide on a different direction.

Thank you for taking the time to read. Send lots of love in Andrew's direction.

Report from MD Anderson

2011-10-05T21:46:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

I wanted to share with you the report we received last week from MD Anderson. Andrew's doctor decided that she would not administer any more chemo to Andrew. She feels that it would shorten his life and she is not willing to do that. The tumor in Andrew's liver has overtaken his liver and is causing his liver to fail. He has a condition called ascites which means his liver is leaking fluid. This fluid builds up and causes Andrew to be extremely uncomfortable. He has had it drained several times now and each time they drain out at least 10 pounds of fluid. Dr. Araujo decided the next step for Andrew is hospice.

This has obviously been extremely hard to hear and we as a family have spent the last week processing through all this information. We have decided to not contact hospice and instead we are seeking alternative treatment for Andrew. Andrew is still very much alive and his spirit and mind are telling him to fight. So we are listening! And we are fighting with him. Will you join us?

Today Andrew met with a naturopathic doctor in Bellevue. She was very helpful and prescribed Andrew lots of supplements to start with. She said she can not cure him, but she can help to lengthen his life. She developed a treatment plan for him...(but I don't have all the information, so not exactly sure what it is!) We also have a phone consultation scheduled for Andrew next Tuesday with a health clinic in British Columbia. So we are feeling hopeful about a few of the options we have going right now. We will definitely keep you all posted as we move forward.

And don't forget to sign up for the run/walk at Greenlake in just a few short weeks! We would love to see all of you there.

Thanks for all the love.

Houston Today

2011-09-27T07:33:00.001-07:00

Andrew is traveling to Houston this afternoon for a few days of tests and appointments. He has had lots of fluid build up in his abdomen over the last week and has had it drained several times. He is pretty uncomfortable right now and will have to use a wheelchair to navigate through the airports.

Please remember Andrew over these next few days and send him lots of love and encouragement. We really need the doctors to find a new treatment that will work for Andrew. Thank you for all your prayers and support. We appreciate it!

September Update

2011-09-15T15:29:00.000-07:00

Andrew enjoyed a recent visit from good friend Daniel

Happy September everyone! I wanted to pop in here and give you all an update on how Andrew is doing and talk about an exciting event coming up next month.

Andrew has had two different scans this summer. One scan was down in Houston in July and a more recent scan was done at Swedish in August. Both scans showed growth in Andrew's tumors. He started a new chemo drug several weeks back and is possibly scheduled to receive it again this week. It all depends on how he is feeling and if his body can handle it. Over the last few months Andrew has been dealing with several different health ailments...weight loss, nausea, extreme exhaustion, headaches, etc. These seem to be the standard issues that arise for people when enduring chemo. Andrew has been fortunate in that he really hasn't had to deal with too many side affects until recently. Andrew is trying to remain as positive and hopeful as possible. Some days are just tough though and it feels as though there is no good news in sight. He continues to plug along and enjoy his family and friends and of course now there is football to watch!

In light of all this, we are excited to announce an awesome fundraiser that is coming up in just over a month. On Saturday October 22 there will be a 5k run/walk at Greenlake, with all proceeds going directly to Andrew's medical fund. Andrew's medical bills have been staggering this year, as he is now responsible to pay for 20% of all his medical bills. We ask everyone that is able to,to please sign up for this wonderful event. You can click here or click on the link on the sidebar to sign up. It's a great cause and a wonderful excuse to spend an autumn morning with your friends and family exercising. If you are not able to run or walk but would like to donate, you can click on Andrew's medical fund paypal button on the sidebar of this blog.

Please email me at ekdenton@gmail.com with any questions you may have.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers. Andrew really needs a lot of love and encouragement right now. You all are a wonderful support team.

Elizabeth, for the whole Moritz crew

Uncle Drew and Sonja Drew, 1 year ago!

Andrew's biggest fans!

Sarah's graduation

2011-06-21T22:55:00.001-07:00

Our youngest sister Sarah graduated from Roosevelt High School last Thursday night at Memorial Stadium. We are so proud of her. She will start at the University of Denver in September. We can't wait to see all that she accomplishes in this next phase of life. Way to go Sarah!

Thinking About My Mom

2011-05-21T09:38:00.000-07:00

Hi,

I wanted to check in this morning and do a short update in regards to my mother. About 4+ weeks ago my family learned that my mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Certainly shocking news for a family that has gone thru a lot with cancer over the past couple of years. This week she underwent successful surgery at Swedish hospital to remove both tumors from her left side. She did great during the whole surgical process and is home recovering now. We are expecting complete recovery and a cancer free body after this process. I wanted to thank several groups who have been instrumental in helping our family during this time. First off to my four sisters, you have all been so great the last couple of weeks with everything you have done to help mom thru this and make this as easy as possible for her. Also to the groups of people at Emmanuel Bible Church, Wedgewood Swim Pool, Washington Middle School, and the numerous other family and close friends who have brought food, flowers, cards, messages to lighten the load, and make for a smooth recovery--Our family appreciates you with all of our heart. Please keep my mother in your prayers as she continues to be on the mend from surgery, and back to normal life!

Have a great Weekend,

Andrew

Chemotherapy Week this week--#33

2011-05-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

Greetings,

I'm mid week now in my current treatment. I cannot believe it's been 33 rounds so far, and nearing 2.5 years! As I have said in some previous posts regarding my current treatment plan I stay overnight in the hospital for 6 days so that can be a bit of a grind. I've gotten used to it though, and the staff and facilities are great here (Swedish hospital.) I am on day 3 so far, and it's gone a lot better this round then last with regards to how I am feeling. I have made an effort to eat better and be more active the last month or so and I think it's really paying off when I do the chemo treatments. Thank you to those that have visited and brought me yummy foods from the outside world, hospital food is tough for longer stretches. All is good though today from inside the chemo world! I Hope everyone is having a great week.

Andrew

Scan Results from May 3rd

2011-05-10T19:14:00.000-07:00

I was at MD Anderson last week for a scan and meeting with my doctor. The visit overall was solid. Everything went really smooth. The scan results were kind of a tie. Really no growth or shrinkage to mention either way with the tumors. Disease was stable and controlled in the abdominal area. My doctor and I really didn't spend to much time analyzing the scans this time. We kind of just caught up on each others personal lives, then she told me I was going to do 2 more rounds of current treatment plan, and I would see her in 8 weeks for another scan. So goes my life for now, I feel really positive and strong right now though. Best I have felt in the two + years process.

Thanks as always for everybodys support!

Andrew

Happy 33rd Birthday!

2011-04-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

Cheers to Andrew for turning 33 today!

We love you Andrew. Happy birthday and keep up the amazing work.

Test Update/Chemo 31 complete

2011-03-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

Crew,

I had a Cat Scan a week plus ago at MD Anderson. The results were solid for now. We stopped the larger abdominal tumor from its uptick in growth per the previous two scans, and all other areas were deemed stable. Good News for now, both my doctors were pleased with these latest results, calling it a "good visit/scan." I think I am now at a point were I can tell when I am having "growth" or lack of growth in that particular area of my stomach. Its been feeling a lot better with this latest mix of chemo.

I just completed my 31st round of chemo this past Sunday. No reports of pain, low blood counts, or any other major issues. Just the usual tiredness for a few days following due to all the hardcore medicines, and lack of sleep in hospital. I'm feeling positive right now that my body is able to continue to go on week after week with this stuff. More later but just wanted to make sure everybody was up to speed with the latest test results. I will begin Round 32 on Tuesday April 12.

Andrew

Sayulita, Mexico

2011-03-16T15:11:00.000-07:00

Andrew wanted me to post some pictures from our family vacation in Mexico. We stayed in a house with an incredible view, ate fresh Mexican food daily and generally had a magical time.

Hombre Grande

2011-03-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

It's been a month or so since I updated the blog, so I figured I better get in here and let everybody know how the battle is going! I have completed two rounds of the 6 day course of ifosfamide. So far so good. It's hard staying in the hospital for a week at a time, but the staff have been excellent and treated me so well. No real side effects to speak of - some muscle soreness and fatigue being the only major things to report. Well of course the no hair look has come back in my life. I posted this joke on my Facebook page the other day - my mom and sisters have been teasing me, saying I look like "Steve the bouncer from the Jerry Springer show" haha - we try to have fun with the situation when we can!

I am in Houston for the next couple of days doing tests and going to meet with my Doctor. I will post results from the past two rounds later this week. Thank You for the continued prayers from everybody, they certainly are being felt.

Andrew

PS. I was in Mexico a couple of weeks ago and the locals liked to call me "hombre grande!" haha I'm not sure if that's good or bad but my family and I got a big kick out if it...

Treatment this week

2011-02-02T10:05:00.000-08:00

Good Morning,

It's a beautiful sunny morning in Seattle and I have just checked into Chateau Swedish. I will be in the hospital until Monday morning doing five full days of intense chemotherapy. I have a great room with an awesome view of the mountains. Thank you to everyone who has left an encouraging note over the past few days. It's really been amazing. I will update as I go along this week.

Have a great week,

Andrew

Scan Results from last week's MD Anderson visit

2011-01-31T14:27:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday everybody,

First off I want to thank everybody who was praying for me this past week, there are a ton of you out there who have stayed so faithful with prayers/positive thoughts during these first two years of my cancer fight. Texter's, caller's, emailer's, facebooker's, you know who you are, THANK YOU-I feel so supported by all the kind messages.

Now to the visit. The trip went really well with regards to travel. Flights, cabs, hotel stay - all very simple. That always makes for an easier journey up to the ol' 9th floor sarcoma unit when travel has been made easy. I had my really good friend Myles along with me, and he made the trip as fun as possible for me. We ate some good food, went to a couple movies, talked sports/business/life, and he even kicked my butt in Pop-A-Shot (maybe I've lost my jump shot) HAHA.

The Scan results didn't go how I planned. This was the first time I truly had gotten poor results from when we began this adventure a few years ago. The tumor in my stomach lining that has grown slightly over the past few scans has continued to grow even larger. Also for the first time I have new spots that have appeared on the scan. All the new spots continue to be growing in the abdominal area. My heart sank when the Doctors Assistant read the scan results to me: "The results of the scan aren't very good" were her exact words. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I actually feel pretty good, don't have pain at the moment, and wasn't expecting those words to come out. Had two years of agonizing chemo every two weeks gone down the drain in one Scan? Well, we waited for Dr. Araujo to come in and talk further about what was next. She walked into the room and said "Whats your problem?" as my head was slunk down in disappointment as if I had just lost a big game, or big sales contest. I responded to her how frustrated I was with the scan results, and I just couldn't believe it because I felt fine. I couldn't have asked for a better coach at that exact moment in my life. She told me I had 24 hours to feel sorry for myself then I needed to get focused on the next phase of this process. We talked at length about realizing that this particular type of tumor comes back, and when it does she has the right mix to combat it. They continue to remind me how well I have done, how I am beating all of the odds of this cancer, and how strong and good I look for having done nearly 30 rounds of chemotherapy without any break for two years. I guess I don't always feel that way because I just want it to go away, and in my head sometimes don't think victory has happened til its gone. I do realize that my goal right now is to live with this cancer until otherwise noted (long-term solution, etc.)

Whats next? I will be going back to a chemo drug ifosfamide. Its generally regarded as one of the strongest, toughest, chemotherapy treatments there is. I have to be in the Hospital full time for the 6 day treatment, as my body needs the 24 hour infusion of "Mesna" for the entire 6 days. This helps protect my organs from the stiff chemo dose. I will be doing the treatment at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, starting sometime this week. I will post my schedule once I hear back as to when I'm being admitted, etc. I want everybody to know that while this news was very discouraging to me, I actually feel pretty good going into this next phase. The tumor is basically the same size as it was in September of 2009 when I left Houston, after the initial 8 rounds. I am thankful that it hasn't spread outside the abdominal area yet. I can walk, eat, talk and function like a healthy person. Many of my cancer pals cannot say that. I have had this drug before, and I know that it works on my body. I know what to expect with it, and am ready for it. Thanks everybody for following my blog, progress, and results. I really appreciate the tremendous love and support from all over the world.

Andrew

Houston Jan 24-26

2011-01-24T15:09:00.000-08:00

Andrew is arriving in Houston as I write this. He will be there until Wednesday for tests, scans and then a meeting with Dr. Araujo Wednesday morning. Please keep him in your prayers and thoughts during this process. We will post an update when we hear one after Wednesday. Andrew needs lots of support right now.

Thank you!

Two Years

2010-12-28T12:38:00.000-08:00

Sonja Drew with her Uncle Drew on Christmas

Two years ago Andrew was diagnosed with cancer. His doctors would not have guessed he'd be where he is at today. We are so thankful for the constant love and support from all the amazing family, friends and medical professionals.

Andrew continues to plug along, doing chemo for 10 days and off for two weeks. He will be in Houston towards the end of January for more tests and will meet with Dr. Araujo for a new treatment plan.

Please keep praying for Andrew, that his tumors would shrink and that his body and spirit would be renewed.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We love you all!

September Update

2010-09-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

I wanted to send out a quick medical update for everybody who is following my medical progress. I am currently doing a round of chemo both this week and next week. I think this is my 3rd round since I last blogged in late July. I did gave a scan done about a month ago down in Houston at MD Anderson. I would call the test results positive mixed results. No tumors in any major organs and nothing blocking anything vital at this time. I did have some small growth in the tumors that still exist in my abdomin wall, interestingly though I had some shrinkage in similar tumors in the same area. I will be getting scanned again in mid October. At that point we will see if I need a new chemo regimine. I feel good, other then a few pounds overweight right now, I feel the best physically and mentally that I ever have during this nearly two year process. I have alot of good things going on outside chemo that I'm excited about as well. Thanks everybody for all your continued thoughts and prayers. Congratulations to my sister Elizabeth and her husband Tyler on their second child, Sonja Drew Denton!

Andrew

FAMILY

2010-09-27T15:54:00.001-07:00

Late July...

2010-07-29T04:56:00.000-07:00

Hey Studs/Studettes,

I started another two week round of chemotherapy this week at Swedish in Seattle. Once I finish this round, I will be in Houston Aug 16/17 to meet with the MDAnderson crew. I'm going to see if I can start spreading these treatments further out, so I can lead a slightly more normal schedule, we will see.....Some thoughts from the land of chemo:

1. When you have been off for several weeks and are finally feeling like a normal human, that needle that is shoved into your body which attaches the port to the chemo infusion is really annoying! It lets you know quickly "you are back! welcome to the land of the fuzzy!"

2. Nurses are awesome, don't ever act like they are giving you a service of some kind, and not true care. I heard an elderly gentlemen say one time "Medic, I need service over here" I almost spit up laughing, but that dude nearly got kicked in the face and kicked out of chemo for that comment....

3. When you start getting the first infusion after being off for awhile, so much races through your head immediately. "am i going to die soon?" "am i going to live longer then anyone predicts?" "am I ever going to decide what I want to be when I grow up and get done with this insane cancer process that feels like a scene from the movie inception?" All these kind of thoughts flood your mind for like the first 20 minutes of treatment, then you resort to wondering what yummy food item a friend or family member can bring you! haha...

4. Many people will ask you what stage cancer you are in. Its always an odd question, I don't mind answering but its almost like the guy at the gym asking you how much you can bench press, or somebody asking you how much money you have.....The conversations between people about what stage they are in, and what level of treatments they have done is hilarious.....Not taking anything away from ANYBODY who has done ANY treatment of ANY kind for cancer, everyone is a winner, and a fighter, but you would think some people had fought on the front lines of a major war when they get treatments a couple times a year for a treatable cancer......(No I'm not jealous, well a little bit maybe...hahaha) Enough locker room talk.

5. Maybe my attitude or something has rubbed off on this one particular patient or something but he made a comment to me the other day that made me laugh, smile & take things into perspective (thinking about all my struggles over the last 1.5 years) and reply with a funny response.

Patient: "How's life at the top my man?"
Me: "Oh my friend if you only knew, if you only knew...." haha

Thanks everybody for following, I am truly amazed and blessed!

Andrew

A couple PS's:

-This Lance Armstrong deal was pretty cool, despite all his steroid troubles, he still reps the cancer crew hardcore. Click here

-Inception and Salt were both cool summer flicks

-Some pictures of my family below from the spring

Vegas in March for Tyler's 30th birthday

Woodland Park Zoo with Riley in March

Family Easter Dinner

Henry's 2nd Birthday in May

Elizabeth's 30 Birthday in May

July update

2010-07-09T07:28:00.000-07:00

Blog Followers!

I had a scan done a few weeks ago, it was relatively uneventful in a positive way! There continues to be no new growth or existing tumors in any major organs, which is such a blessing-Especially the tumor in my liver that existed. I feel so lucky that isn't showing on the scans as of right now.....I still continue to have very small tumors in the lining of my stomach wall. NO growth or enlargement of those spots to report which is really cool. I also completed a round of chemo last week, which was nice to enjoy the fourth of July chemo free so to speak. It was a hard 2 weeks for some reason this time, but we made it through a-ok....I think the world cup on at all hours helped me pass the time! I am planning a visit in a couple weeks to MD Anderson, as my doctor is back from maternity leave. I need to work with her on what the next six months looks like, then the 2011 year. I'm certainly grateful for how far we have come in this past year and a half. I couldn't have dreamed for these levels of positive reports. So far to go still, but still grinding!

Andrew

June Update-20 rounds complete

2010-06-02T15:17:00.000-07:00

Hey whats up!

I have gotten several messages recently from friends asking me how I am doing, and its been forever since I updated my blog-so here I am! I just completed my 20th round of chemotherapy last Friday. It's hard to believe that its been nearly a year and a half worth of treatment, and 20 cycles worth. Certainly feels like a heavyweight bout. I should have more of a medical update for everybody here in the next week or so, as I am having a scan done in between the 20th and 21st rounds. My doctor in Houston has been on Medical leave, and doesn't return until July. Its been about 12 weeks since my last scan. As has been the case during this process, I will be praying for continued shrinkage of existing tumors, and no growth or spread to any other portion of the body. I have done 12 cycles of a particular chemo mix, and I'm not sure how much longer I will be on that dose/mix. This has been a really good chemo dose for me, as my energy level isn't tremendously low, side effects have been minimal, and its been great having all of my hair. We want to keep the tumors guessing, so a new dose may be in store. We will see.

May was a good month. A ton of family activities....Martha turned 28, Elizabeth turned 30, my Nephew Henry turned 2, Elizabeth and Tyler's wedding anniversary, we remembered both my grandmother and Tyler's father, and of course mothers day....It seemed liked every weekend we had a party going on. I will post pictures later tonight from those events. I also have enjoyed riding my bike. I bought a bike a couple of months ago and have been riding it a ton, trying to shed some lbs that I have picked up from all the good food, and the steroids that I am taking. Yes its true I am on steroids!! If only I looked liked Fabio and not Flabio! haha.....Anyways, I hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of summer. Thank you as always to everybody who keeps sending me messages, cards, emails, texts, etc. The support from friends and family remains so strong, it truly has been amazing.

Andrew

birthday boy on sunday!

2010-04-09T18:38:00.001-07:00

andrew's nephew and niece are here to remind you that andrew turns 32 this coming sunday april 11. don't forget to wish him a wonderful birthday!

happy friday!

March Madness

2010-03-15T17:49:00.000-07:00

Since the last time I've blogged I have been to Houston to get the latest PET scan results and also done (1) ten day round of Chemo. I start another Round next Monday. The results from my last scan were again very good. I am so thankful for the great progress. I didn't have any spread or growth of the existing tumors, and even had some very small shrinkage of the tumors in the abdomen wall. My doctor in Houston has been very encouraged at the success of the chemo treatment plan thus far. I will go visit Houston and have another Scan and checkup in Mid April. Dr. Araujo is actually going on a 90 day leave in late April as she is having her Second Child. I will just have one appointment in Houston while she is on leave in Mid June. Dr. Milder and his Seattle team of Nurses/Staff continue to be excellent. I really enjoy doing my treatment at the Swedish Facility. I completed another round last Friday at Swedish, it went really well. No Hiccups to speak of, just get tired from the chemo, but zero side effects. I had a really cool family trip two weekends ago for my Brother in Law Tyler's 30th birthday. I had a great time with all my sisters! I love this time of year, as many of you know I am a big college hoops fan so I have been enjoying all of the numerous games that have been on. I'm crossing my fingers for my beloved Huskies in the First Round of the tourney. Also rooting for the Mizzou Tigers for all my Missouri buddies.....I'm happy to report quality progress. I still have a long road ahead of me, but it's been a blessing so far!

Andrew

Results Delay and Magic

2010-02-12T06:23:00.000-08:00

Hey,

I actually won't have any results to share until next week. I had to delay my trip a few days down to Houston. I will update the Blog as soon as I get some news (probably Tuesday).....On another note, I did try Acupuncture this week for the first time. I had a really good experience with it, so I have scheduled several more sessions. I got referred by my Aunt to a really cool dude(Eric Hartmann).....Its a little bit like Yoga for me though, I kind of laugh when they are doing some of the exercises like its hocus pocus or magic or something but all in all it was really cool and I left feeling good, more relaxed and "centered" ha ha.....Have a good weekend.

Andrew

14 rounds, doing my hair, and spring around the corner

2010-02-05T14:47:00.000-08:00

Whats up!

I'm like the lamest blogger ever, one month between updates isn't acceptable, sorry y'all! I completed my 14th round of chemo last Friday. WOW I can't believe its been that long already. No real issues to report, just some mild stomach issues and tiredness from the chemo days. I am heading to Houston next week (wed and thu) for a scan and meeting with my Doctor. Please stay in continued prayer for positive results. Thanks to everyone who has been so great to me during this process, I feel so much love and support from so many different people, and the love has flowed from all around.

So I have to admit its really cool getting to put my gel and hair products in my hair (shot out to Kev, no LA LOOKS for me anymore, just the good stuff! ha).....My hair has continued to grow on the top of my head, face, etc. For those that know me well, know that I love getting haircuts at the barber, and having a "do" to go out with...So even if its for a short period I am really thankful to have hair right now! I do however have every girl/woman's dream, NO HAIR grows on my legs! Kinda weird but its an easy trade-off for the mop on top.

A few things that I have enjoyed as the new year has started......re-uniting with old friends, spending a lot of time with my family and really good friends, spending time with Riley and Henry (niece, nephew,)going to a ton of movies, going to husky hoops games, checking out live music in Seattle at several places, cool social events, eating good food as always, watching football playoffs with the buds, re-connecting into church, enjoying hanging with the singles crew and the married with kids crew, planning what I am going to do this year with my life, and just overall a great start to the new year.

I'm ready for my favorite time of year, SPRING! Talk to everyone soon, I promise an update next week from Houston with the latest scan results.

Andrew

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T09:36:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday!

It was just a year ago at this time that we learned of Andrews diagnosis and were in the midst of the worst nightmare possible. At the time it felt impossible to put one foot in front of the other, but we have learned that with lots of prayer, love and amazing people we have been able to survive. And not just survive, but experience tremendous joy and a new depth of love and faith. I want to thank everyone who gave us a tremendous amount of support in 2009. It has been remarkable and we could not have done it with out you. We look forward to continued positive results for Andrew.

Cheers to a new year, a fresh start and a lot of living life to the fullest.

Test Results 12/17/09

2009-12-19T09:37:00.000-08:00

Friends,

I returned back to Seattle late Thursday evening from Houston (MD Anderson) after meeting with Dr. Araujo on Thurs AM to review my test results, and talk about the treatment plan for 2010. Not much change in the tumor shrinkage department to report. From reading the scans she couldn't see any change in the tumor size from my last scan. Not all bad news though. We have no spread or new growth which is great, and she feels really good about my continued ability to handle the chemo along with what she labeled as "control of the disease." My brother in law Tyler, has been to Houston twice with me during this process, and he is always really good at asking the tougher questions (Thanks BIG T!) for me. We wanted to get a better idea on how long we should expect to do the chemotherapy treatment(s). Things can always change, as this is an aggressive form of cancer, but for now I want to let everyone know that I will be doing the chemotherapy "until otherwise something changes." The particular type of tumor that I have doesn't respond well to "not" having chemotherapy blast away at it. Other people who may be in the same spot as I am with other types of cancer-as far as having their cancer under control might be able to get off the therapy and move on, I cannot do that right now as we really want to get more time under our belts of having the tumors (a)not grow or spread (b) continue to shrink/disappear. For now I am staying on the current chemo drugs that I have been taking, but may switch the chemo types during the year depending on our continued level of progress.

So: Is it disappointing to know that I have to do chemo for what may seem like a long time (years?) YES! But I'm also encouraged with my progress considering where I began last year. Also, I got the chance to spend some time with other cancer patients this trip in what I told everybody in the room at the time felt like "A scene out of the old TV show MASH" Sick people laying everywhere looking like we all had maybe walked through a minefield with IV's, bandages and blood access lines on everyone of us.....(I was happy with the big laugh I invoked from the crowd at 10 o'clock PM at a cancer hospital from people who I'm sure could always claim to not be in the mood...haha.) There were several younger gentlemen that had reached stage 4 cancers, they talked about their numerous years in chemo, radiation, stem cell transplants (3-5 years of chemo) and were subsequently bragging to the rest of us about their remission status. So, although I thought the bragging was a little much, I did take a quiet mental note on what they had achieved, and realized to myself that this is a bigger picture haul then just being cured in one year of chemo-but certainly achievable with the right focus and faith........As always the continued prayers are such a blessing from all of you. Chemotherapy begins again Monday, and this round (round 13) will end on January 1st.....

Anyways that's my update for now, I get to hang out with my Niece Riley all weekend so I am excited. Little kids bring out a ton of Joy in all of us, so its off to the aquarium!

Andrew

I can't believe its December!

2009-12-15T02:44:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to shoot a quick update out on the blog. I have finished 4 full rounds of my second dosage level of chemotherapy. I am headed to Houston on Wed AM with my brother in-law Tyler, for a series of tests, and a meeting with my primary doctor on Thursday morning. Hopefully I will be on here on Thursday evening with some more great news. This has been a tough year to say the least, and I am looking forward to a great 2010! So far so good on how I am handling this current dosage, it consists of 10 days of chemo in a row, with 9 days off in-between. The major side-effect is usually a bad case of "the runs." I have been fortunate to not experience that yet, nor any issues with nausea, mouth sores, or weight loss (I think I'm the only cancer patient in the world to gain 20 pounds during this process, hahaha.) I'm trying to get up enough guts to ask the doctor "how long do I have to do chemo for?" but I'm not quite there yet! I think I can at least get comfortable with asking "what can I expect in 2010 as far as chemo treatments?" Its easy to be scared sometimes knowing the full truth and wondering how that would effect your long term outlook on the whole situation, but I'm at least ready to ask the sort-of truth for the near future, haha.

We are now at almost a full year from diagnosis, and 11 months of treatment. I have some big decisions to make over the next few weeks with respect to job, living situation, etc. Please keep me in your thoughts as I try and make some of these tough life decisions. The support continues to be tremendous, as I continue to hear from so many people both from my past, and current life on a daily basis. Its cool to see how many people reach out to you in tough times like this. I hope to have great news on progress, as well as a better idea of the total plan for treatment for 2010 the next time I post later this week. Again, I have tests Wed. of this week, and meet with the doctor THU. AM. Please root for great news! All of your prayers have continued to be such a blessing!

Thanks Everybody!

Andrew

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T15:05:00.001-08:00

We wanted to wish everyone a happy and wonderful thanksgiving. Andrew is spending the holiday receiving chemo in the morning and then hanging with family the rest of the day. Andrews blood counts were finally up this past Monday, so he was able to start his 10 day chemo cycle. Andrew has minor physical complaints right now, for this we are very thankful!

Enjoy the holiday...we have MUCH to be thankful for.

The Moritz Tribe

The Latest Update

2009-11-05T13:13:00.001-08:00

I realized we never posted the results from Andrew's visit to Houston a few weeks back. His scans and tests revealed more great news. His tumors continue to shrink or remain stable. We were thrilled to hear this. Andrew will stay on the same chemo schedule at Swedish Hospital in Seattle - 10 days on and 10 days off - until he goes back to Houston on December 17.

Please continue to pray that Andrews whole body is healed. We are coming up next month on the 1-year mark of being diagnosed. This has been a long haul! Although Andrews physical body has continued to provide miracle after miracle - - it can be a very weary process.

We love you all and thank you for your continued thoughts, prayers and support!

Round 2 at Swedish Finished

2009-10-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

I have officially finished my 2nd round of my "new" dosage. So far so good. No side effects to report. This week my counts will be a little lower, so I'm trying to stay clear of the sick bay, as its a big flu season as many of you know. I'm heading to Houston next week (21st and 22nd) for a set of PET Scans, and to meet with Dr. Araujo. I'm looking forward to continued good news on the scans, and we will be planning the next few sessions of chemotherapy. I hope to have more updates for everybody once I leave that meeting, in regards to test results, and length of this dose of chemo. Its been great being in Seattle around my entire family, and all the really great Seattle friends that I have. Also big Thank you to all my St. Louis friends who have helped me out tremendously with details back in Missouri, and also being a great support system even from afar. Thank You.

Talk to you guys soon,

Andrew

Just something cool I saw...

2009-09-28T23:18:00.000-07:00

Hey!

I started chemo today, Day 1 of the cycle in the books. The service continues to be great at Swedish Hospital, I actually got a foot massage today while sitting there getting the chemo. A local company donates a certain amount of hours per month to cancer patients for hand or foot massages, so I lucked out today and the gal was in my unit and I got to get one! yeehaw! Anyhow enough of that, I was just typing on the computer last Thursday night and my mom was watching Grey's Anatomy. There was a scene that I overheard that in its own way reminded me of some very similar conversations that I have had with my doctors, and also some of the feelings that I have had. Now everything is not verbatim of course, but I thought it might be kind of cool to pass along to all of you who follow my blog so faithfully, just a small window into what's going on, but I felt it to be very similar to what I am going through (for now at least!)

Have a sweet week everyone, to bad for the Hawks, and Dawgs this past weekend. But Kudos to the STL Cardinals! Post season bound again!

Andrew

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zL6gjBos5Y

Chemo Thoughts Phase II

2009-09-23T23:00:00.000-07:00

Whats up everyone,

I wanted to give an update on how everything went during my first dose of my "new" chemo rounds from Swedish Hospital in Seattle, WA. The treatment cycle was 12 days long, of which 10 of the days I received chemotherapy. On Day 1, I got all (3) of the chemo drugs, and the session lasted about 5 hours. Each of the next 9 days I was at the hospital for a couple of hours, for a 60 minute infusion each day. This chemo mixture is "lighter" then the 8 round dose that I took in Houston, TX at MD Anderson and I can certainly tell. My blood counts don't dip nearly as much, my fatigue level is alot less, and I really don't have many physical side effects. I think once I get the hang of this type of cycle, hopefully I will be able to create a more normal schedule again, returning to work, etc. The facilities and staff at Swedish are excellent, I have been very impressed. Also, the other services that they have available to patients have been a great help (social workers, counselors, chaplin, etc)

I am continuing to do great from a physical standpoint, I feel really lucky for that. I have seen many other patients struggle lately (people I have been following from MDA, and also locally here in Seattle) physically, but I really look up to them for how they are handling the mental part. I still am looking to create a better mindset on how I approach my daily life, and the choices that I make. My family and very close friends have really been trying to help me with that balance. Its by far the toughest part for me. I have always identified who I am with "what I am involved with" from my basketball days, to my working career. The cancer really put my whole mindset into a different place and I am still a little lost as to whats next for me, and what the next phase of my life looks like-personally, professionally, socially, and spiritually. The cancer can make you feel like you have limits as to what you can do, when in reality you don't, but its that daily fight to overcome those mental obstacles the creates the most challenge in my life. I remain so thankful for a loving family, and super set of friends. Thank you guys.

I will be going to Houston the 3rd week of October for a Scan, and meeting with Dr. Araujo on my continuing treatment plans. I start the second round of my 10 day dosage this coming Monday at Swedish Hospital in Seattle. Talk to everyone soon-Enjoy the last few days of September and the sun!

Andrew

In Seattle

2009-09-08T21:21:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends,

I thought I'd pop in here and give everyone a quick update on Andrew's status. Andrew is currently in Seattle and has already completed one week of chemo at Swedish Medical Center. Dr. Milder is overseeing his case, (Andrew's doctor who first diagnosed him back in January) and he and the staff at Swedish have been excellent and have made Andrew feel very comfortable! Andrews chemo schedule right now is Monday-Friday, with the weekend off, then goes Mon-Fri again. He then has 10 days to rest and then 10 days of chemo again. He will receive his chemo in Seattle until he goes back to Houston mid-late October for tests and his appointment with Dr. Arajuo. At that point we will decide where Andrew will continue his chemo - either in St. Louis or Seattle. Andrew enjoys being at home with his family and we enjoy giving him the extra support and love!

Andrew continues to feel well - with the exception of feeling tired, especially during his chemo weeks. But otherwise really no other physical side affects. What a blessing!

I haven't posted any pictures in a while - so thought I'd post some of our family trip to MO back in July.

4th of July fireworks - hoosier style in the MO countryside (hoosier is MO speak for "country folk"...)

Dinner with Kirk & his family at Duffy's

Andrew & Tyler take Riley & Henry to the butterfly house in St. Louis

Boat ride at the lake in Kirksville & picture with Grandma Missouri (yep, that's what we call her)

Family picture at our cousins wedding

Saying goodbye!

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying this transition into fall!

Results from today's scan

2009-08-12T12:38:00.000-07:00

I just have brief details, but only good news came out of today's appointment. Andrew continues to respond well to his treatment and only very few spots in his abdomen "light up" on the scan. This is a huge improvement from the beginning of the year!

The next step is for Andrew to start an 8 week chemo regimen in St. Louis. Right now his counts are not where they should be to start chemo, so he will most likely start in a week or so. Dr. Araujo explains this is normal as his body is tired from the chemo and needs some extra time to bounce back. After the 8 week cycle is complete Andrew will fly back to MD Anderson and have more scans to track his progress. They will then re-evaluate and decide what the next step is at that point.

Thank you for the continued support. Have a lovely day!

2009-08-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

Andrew arrived in Houston last night and is currently undergoing his PET scan & heart test today. He has a meeting scheduled with Dr. Araujo tomorrow morning to read the results of the tests. I will post the results once I receive them. Please keep Andrew in your prayers.

Thank you and have a wonderful day.

Round 8 Recap

2009-07-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

Prayer Warriors,

Sorry I have been a little late on posting a new update. Everybody has been so great about checking in with me in one format or another (thanks to all this good modern technology and forums in which to communicate!) I have to say I feel truly blessed with how the chemo treatments went in round 8, and even here the week after round 8 with my low point in my counts. I have felt pretty much normal for the most part and the chemo hasn't given me any side effects to speak of. I have been a ton more active (walking in pool, and walking) and its helped my energy levels and how my body feels overall. I waited about ten days longer in between the 7th and 8th rounds then normal. I think this really helped my overall body feeling, and also allowed for some great time with family and friends in both Seattle, and Missouri.

It was great getting to spend nearly a month with all my sisters. People always ask me how I ever got along having FOUR YOUNGER sisters, and the four of them make that answer easy for me. Its actually really cool because each of them are great friends in their own unique way so its not like the Ramona Quimby effect that we all imagine with the bratty little sister! haha.

I go back to Houston on Aug 11/12 for a couple days to meet with Dr. Araujo and do another full body scan (pet/ct) and heart exam. I am done doing treatments in Houston for now, and will begin to do a smaller chemo plan at Siteman Cancer Center in St.Louis which will be about an hour per day for ten day cycles. That will start in mid August sometime. I will detail that plan for all of you once I meet with her in a few weeks. She has given me the names of the drugs that I will be taking and I thought you guys would get a kick out of knowing that one of the drugs is irinotecan aka "I ran to the can" Anyways that gave me a good chuckle when they told me about that.

I have been doing much better with my "anxiety" that I have shared with many of you, which was really my only issue during these 8 rounds of chemo. The last 45 days or so have been tremendously better with some of the racing thoughts, uncertainties, all those things. I have felt so much better about my healing and working hard toward moving back into being me again. I am going to do a separate post in the coming weeks as summer comes to a close in August detailing some of the great activities I have gotten to do over the summer, including the wonderful pasta feed/marathon weekend which we posted several pictures already.

I wanted to make sure everybody had an update on how I got thru that last round of the big stuff for now, and really I feel super. I hope everyone is having a great summer, its been a summer to remember in Seattle with temperatures, and St.Louis has been remarkably pleasant from its traditional hot and humid ways. The uplifting in prayer from around the globe has been so meaningful to me, I know the prayers are working so thank you for the commitment, and thoughtfulness. Talk to you soon!

Andrew

Round #8

2009-07-14T12:53:00.000-07:00

Andrew and our mother are in Houston right now for Andrew's 8th round of chemo. They flew down Monday night and Andrew had a few tests today and then tomorrow he will start chemo. They will be there through Monday morning then Andrew will return to St. Louis to rest and recover. Andrew will have to fly back down to Houston for a PET scan and meeting with Dr. Araujo in a few weeks.

Please keep Andrew in your prayers and thoughts this week as he receives his last big round of chemo. From here, the plan seems to be more chemo, but at a lower dose and the ability to receive the treatments in St. Louis. But there is still not a firm plan, so we will keep you posted when we learn something new after his meeting with Dr. Araujo.

Thank you and have a great week!

Rock N' Roll Seattle Marathon

2009-07-03T08:00:00.001-07:00

Daniel Shapiro, a long-time friend of Andrew's ran his marathon last Saturday morning in honor of Andrew. He helped raise a lot of awareness and support for Andrew by running this marathon. Daniel, a big thank you to you! You are awesome and I would also like to say that Daniel completed his marathon in under 4 hours. Way to go! Our family was waiting at the finish line to cheer him on and we luckily spotted him cross the finish line then caught up with him afterwards. A camera crew followed Daniel through the whole marathon so Daniel and Andrew were interviewed directly afterwards. I'm still searching the web to try and find the video. I believe it was KCPC channel 13.

Thank you Daniel!

Pasta Feed Pictures

2009-07-03T07:31:00.001-07:00

What a great evening we had last Friday night at the UW! First of all, a huge thank you to Spencer Hawes, Matt Wade and all the vendors and volunteers who helped make the evening successful. We had a great turnout of local folks and also had a good showing of some NBA players. KJR sports radio was reporting live from the venue, so click here to listen to Andrew's interview.

Enjoy the pictures!

KCPQ 13 Video

2009-06-28T15:48:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful evening on Friday at the Pasta Feed that Spencer Hawes put on, in honor of Andrew. I will add photos from the evening later.

For now I want to share a video clip with you. Channel 13 here in Seattle did a wonderful story on the marathon that Andrew's friend Daniel participated in on behalf of Andrew. Here is the link.

Hope it's been a wonderful weekend and check back for my updates later in the week!

Volunteers needed for Pasta Feed

2009-06-23T19:50:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone-

The Pasta Feed is coming up in a couple of days, and I got the word that we are in need of 11 or 12 volunteers for the event. This is what he said, "If we could get 10 volunteers at the event itself that would be great...I will need them there at the Conibear Shellhouse at 2:30pm...We also need a volunteer at Best Western Rivers Edge in Tukwila to assist runners leaving on the shuttle from the hotel to UW...The volunteer needs to be at the Hotel at 2:30pm..."

For those of you out there who are wanting to help out, but cannot donate financially, this is a really important way to help support Andrew in his journey. It sounds like these volunteers will be crucial in helping the event run as smoothly as possible. If you are interested, please drop me a note. (moritzms@gmail.com)

Thank you,
Martha

Friday Night Pasta Feed

2009-06-22T20:03:00.000-07:00

Hi all-

There is a super fun event coming up this Friday the 26th hosted by Spencer Hawes (former UW basketball player and current Sacramento Kings player). Please come out and support Andrew- it will be a really great time with live music, food and of course Nate Robinson and Brandon Roy serving up the pizza and pasta! Andrew will be making the journey out from St Louis to join in on the event! A HUGE thank you to Spencer Hawes for making this event happen! Read below for more information:

HAWES HOSTING PASTA FEED BENEFIT FOR EX-HUSKY MORITZ

Former UW basketball player Spencer Hawes isn't a distance runner, but the 7-foot Sacramento Kings center is holding a pasta feed for a good cause prior to next Saturday's Rock 'n Roll Seattle Marathon.

Hawes is hosting the charity fundraiser for Andrew Moritz, another ex-Husky hoopster who is battling a rare form of cancer. Moritz, a Franklin High grad, played at Washington from 1996-2000.

Andrew Moritz

Two dinners will be offered at 4 and 6 p.m. on Friday at the Conibear Shellhouse on the UW campus near Husky Stadium.

Table sponsorships for the pre-race dinner are $200 for a 10-person table. Runners registered for the Saturday marathon or half-marathon can sign up dinner for $10. Non-runners are also welcome for a $20 charge.

"I'm not a marathoner, but I have several friends who are running for a cause and a person who is in a similar situation as Drew," said Hawes. "The camaraderie among marathoners is the same as critically-ill patients. We are all in this together."

Moritz, 30, is battling desmoplastic small round cell tumor, a rare type of cancer that has affected less than 100 people worldwide. Here's a great column on Moritz by seattlepi.com's Jim Moore from March.

The event will be sponsored by Spiro's Pizza & Pasta and the Big W Club and will include music and the chance to mingle with past and present Husky athletes like Lorenzo Romar, Jon Brockman, Nate Robinson and Brandon Roy.

Tables and individual tickets for the dinner can be arranged by logging onto www.yearofthecomeback.blogspot.com or via e-mail at moritzms@gmail.com. Seats will be available at the door as well and donations can also be made to the Andrew Moritz Medical Fund at Bank of America and US Bank branches.

Posted by Greg Johns at June 14, 2009 10:39 a.m.
Categories: Huskies basketball, NBA

Our trip to St Louis

2009-06-18T11:28:00.000-07:00

Hi all- Henry and I made a trip out to St Louis last week to visit Andrew. Henry did awesome on the plane- his first big plane ride! We had a great time hanging out with Andrew- we were with him at the time when his counts and energy are at the lowest, so we did a lot of laying low at his house, making food, watching Henry learn to walk and of course cracking jokes! No fevers or hospital trips this round, so that was a huge blessing! Andrew was taking lots of time to just rest, recuperate, drink lots of fluids and eat really well- so all of that seemed to help him avoid another hospital trip.
By the end of the trip, I could say DREW! and Henry would respond DUUUU! It was priceless... we love you lots Uncle Drew!

Good Food is Priceless!

2009-06-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

Hey!

I wanted to give everyone a quick update as I wound down Round 7 of treatment on Monday of this week. The round went by without any hitches, or minor issues, so that was really a blessing. I felt a lot better during this round than I have in many of the previous cycles so it went by pretty quickly. I think the round was easier for me by getting out and about and doing more interacting. It was really fun to catch up with a great friend of mine from middle/high school Brian Nemitz, and his wife Ivette. They were in town (Houston) for a family event, and we got to spend time with them over breakfast. Thanks guys we had a blast, you rock! Also, My good bud Micah was in Houston for a couple days with his work, and he swung by my hotel for breakfast and some good jokes to keep me cheered up. Thanks Micah for the drop off at the hospital too, you were a good luck charm! Had lots of laughs the night before my pet scan with Carl-great food at the Capital Grille definitely hit the spot!

My sister Martha and her son Henry have been with me here in St.Louis since Tuesday helping me out. Its been so cool to have them, Martha has been a wonderful help, and she is an amazing cook! Its been fun to lay low with my sis and catch up, all while eating whatever yummy assortment she has thought up for the day! Marthy you are the bomb!! They are leaving in the morning back to Seattle. We will post pictures of the weekend in an upcoming post. I have been feeling a lot better (no side effects) this recovery week other then being really tired(sleeping a lot tue, wed, thu)and this weekend marks my low point on my blood counts. Hopefully we can avoid that fever that got me into the hospital last round! A special thanks to EBC old friends who continue to be very faithful with notes/emails (Patricia K, Sue L, Bob S) I appreciate the prayer and thoughtfulness....That's all for now, as you can see FOOD was my theme of this post, it seemed to tie a lot of good times together to make for a good round of chemo!

Andrew

New phase New game New attitude!

2009-06-04T21:57:00.000-07:00

To my tremendous support team,

Well as many of you know (thank you elizabeth for your unbelievable work keeping the blog up, you're the woman!) I am down in Houston now for my tests, scans, meetings with doctors, and now round 7 of chemo! I just got home from day 1- they had to squeeze me in late today because it wasn't scheduled, so its kind of fun to be reporting to you on a full day 1 of chemo (which i liken to drunk dialing a little bit!) haha. Back to business, I had my scans and tests all day yesterday which was a full day from 9 til 5 testing my heart, chest, lungs, blood, and the full body pet scan. Its becoming pretty routine now for me, so all those tests don't bother me at all. Today was the big day to meet with Dr. Araujo. We went over the exam results and all the news was once again positive and moving in the right direction! The spot in the liver isn't showing up on the scans which is great news, the spots in the abdomen and pelvic area are really shrinking down in size and are either very small, or are deemed "inactive". Not all the small spots are inactive yet in the abdomen, but we really have cut a huge chunk into the problem thru 6 rounds.

I think today was a good grounding time for me. I have been pretty anxious over the last month, and in part waiting for this day and what was going to happen, but also just trying to predict what was going to happen or plan out what was going to happen, etc. All very normal things to want to do. I realized today that this process of healing may take a little longer then I thought in my own mind, but that's ok with me. I truly feel great about the hospital I am at, and also the doctor that I have. Most importantly I really can feel the power of prayers/positive thoughts lifting me up from around the world. There is so many people praying daily, texting, calling, facebooking, emailing, writing hand written notes saying that they are thinking about me. I can't tell you how much each note lifts me up because I think of a time when me and that person have had a great time, great laugh, or great experience and it guides me forward in a positive way. I am truly touched with the outpour of help, and compassion from each and every person out there thinking about me. After we complete the next two rounds of chemo, hopefully the next step is more chemo, but at a lighter pace, and different regimen. We will get into that more as we get closer to that time. For now, very excited to be where I am at. One step at a time. Dr. Araujo is really excited with how I have done so far, and been able to handle the chemo just fine, thus doing the rounds 7, and 8 at this level. We want to stay as aggressive as possible on these lil suckers! I realize so much every day when I'm here at MD Anderson. I am walking around today with tumors that are shrinking, not invading my vital organs at this time, and I'm able to walk and talk just fine....all things such a blessing as I see people who are way worse off then me here struggling every day to be as normal as possible with bags in them, lost limbs, brain issues, etc. My heart goes out to those folks fighting as hard as they can. It just can keep you grounded in your own little cancer fight to be so thankful and grateful for how well you are doing, and for the tremendous family, and friends that I have running side by side with me! I will be done with round 7 of chemo on Monday! I hope everyone is doing awesome and has a sweet weekend!!!!

Andrew

ps. Dr. Araujo cleared me to run/play hoops again energy permitting.....I may have to ease into that after 5 months of inactivity!!! hahaha

Houston-Bound

2009-06-01T21:41:00.000-07:00

Andrew flies to Houston tomorrow evening and will be there for at least a few days. On Thursday June 4th he meets with his doctor and we will have an idea as to what the next month will look like. We will share the news once we hear it!

I arrived home late last night from a quick-but-wonderful trip to St. Louis. I was able to meet a few of Andrew's friends, see where his office is and spend lots of time hanging with Andrew. His energy was still pretty low - so our fun schedule consisted of eating, sitting, laughing and talking. Here are a few pictures to enjoy:

Also, I spoke with Andrew this afternoon and he had another blood draw this morning. His counts had gone up even more and he said he was feeling a lot better than he did this weekend. He sounded like he had a lot more energy and he was even able to work the whole day. All good news!

In St. Lou

2009-05-29T08:24:00.001-07:00

Hi all. Riley and I arrived safely to St. Louis yesterday afternoon, and with no tantrums or screaming on the plane! Andrew is feeling much better these past few days. His blood draw yesterday showed his white blood cells were up, as well as his red blood cells. His red count was not as high as he would have thought, but it's still moving up.

If any of you St. Louis folks would like me to pick up any un-sold bracelets from you, just send me an email and I'm happy to do that this weekend before I return home.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Discharged

2009-05-25T11:27:00.000-07:00

I wanted to let everyone know that Andrew was discharged from the hospital this morning in St. Louis. I have no other information - but his fever must be down and counts up in order to be released. Thought everyone would like to know and thank you for your prayers.

Happy Memorial Day!

Update on Andrew 5/23

2009-05-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

Hi all. Andrew finished his 6th round of chemo last week and has been back in St. Louis recovering since last Sunday. This round was a lot harder for him - we think all the chemo is just really getting to him, making his body a bit weaker. He's been more tired, battled some mouth and throat sores and even felt nauseous at times. He's been working some, but mostly from home this week, as his energy has been very low.

Yesterday he went in for a blood draw to check his levels, and his white blood cells were at zero. This is normal for this period in his chemo cycle - but they did a few more tests and had him rest at home. Last night his fever got up to 102 - so he was admitted to the hospital. With a high fever there is risk for infection - so they will keep Andrew in the hospital in St. Louis for the weekend, running lots of tests, checking for any infection and bringing his fever down. This is all very normal for someone going through chemo. Actually, all the doctors and nurses in Houston have been surprised this hasn't happened until now. Andrew is on antibiotics, receiving lots of fluids and of course making the doctors and nurses laugh. Andrew also had a blood transfusion this morning, to help boost his red blood cells. He will receive another pint this afternoon.

Andrew returns to Houston on June 2 and will have his normal full body pet scan and meeting with his doctor on the 3rd and 4th. This is a BIG appointment, as the results of the scan will determine the next step. He may receive 1 or 2 more rounds of chemo in Houston or his doctor may decide to take a break for a while.

My mom is en route to St. Louis right now to give Andrew some extra support and I am headed there on Thursday morning to be with him until he goes to Houston. Let's all be thinking about Andrew this Memorial Day weekend and pray that his fever comes down and that he does not contract any bacteria or sickness.

That is all for now - thank you again for all your support. It is truly amazing!

CORRECTION

2009-05-17T13:43:00.001-07:00

The article that Steve Kelly wrote about Daniel Shapiro running the marathon for Andrew appears in the Seattle Times TODAY. It was online last night, but came out today. Grab your Times and enjoy the article! Sorry for the mistake.

Seattle Times Article 5/16/09

2009-05-16T20:59:00.000-07:00

Andrew just completed round #6 of chemo! Yippee! We rejoice with him and pray that this next week will bring him rest and minimal side affects.

Steve Kelly with the Seattle Times wrote an article in the paper today about Andrew's good buddy, Daniel Shapiro. To read the article, click here. It is a wonderful article and we wish Daniel the best of luck in his marathon and thank him for his friendship, love and commitment to Andrew, as well as to beating cancer. Daniel is a cancer survivor and we know the same will be true for Andrew. Again, click here to read the article about Daniel and Andrew.

Thank you Daniel!!!

2009-05-11T13:33:00.000-07:00

Us sisters

were jumping for joy

all weekend-long,

hanging w/our big bro,

and pumping him up for round #6 this week.

GO ANDREW!

Portland Climb to Conquer Cancer

2009-05-06T12:02:00.000-07:00

The American Cancer Society hosted an event this past weekend in Portland, OR. A friend of our family organized a team in support of Andrew. We were called "Team Comeback" and Andrew came up with the slogan, "If you believe it, you can beat it" for our t-shirts. There were about 17 of us on the team, as well as 3 little ones.

It was a wonderful event and we were proud to participate and raise money for cancer research. We were also very honored to be walking/running for our brother/friend/son Andrew. What an inspiration he is every day. I personally was very proud to be representing him and his fight.

So, whatever you are facing in your life right now... IF YOU BELIEVE IT, YOU CAN BEAT IT.

Team Comeback

2009-05-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

i'm sure many of you have been checking for an update - sorry for the delay. i guess there is really not much else to report from andrews doctors appointment a few weeks back. everything will remain the same as far as treatment goes. she just switched one of his drugs (not chemo). the doctor was not able to give andrew any more insight as to "where do we go after chemo". she wants to wait and see - take each round at a time and then re-evaluate after each pet scan. we are coming up on round #6 next tuesday may 12th.

andrew has continued to feel well, although he definitely felt that this was his 5th round of chemo. he was a bit more tired and achey, as well as experienced some headaches and mouth sores. other than that, andrew has been working and continuing to stay positive.

i will leave you with a picture that was taken a week and a half ago. this picture includes martha and i's babies, as well as a few of andrew's good friends kids. it's a classic kid picture, isn't it? lots of distractions and nobody seems to want to smile for the camera.

take care and have a wonderful mothers day weekend!

MORE GREAT NEWS!

2009-04-21T11:16:00.000-07:00

We are celebrating again today! I very briefly spoke with Andrew and his doctor reported that his tumors are continuing to shrink. The tumors in his liver are almost gone. They will continue on the same treatment path and will then re-evaluate after his next scan before round #7. We sing praises to God and thank everyone for their support and prayers. That is really all the information I received from Andrew - - so we will update again with more details.

Round #5

2009-04-20T12:20:00.001-07:00

Hi Friends,

Andrew flew to Houston this morning and will start round #5 of chemo tomorrow. He had another full body PET scan today and will meet with his doctor to discuss the results tomorrow at 9am. I am fully expecting great results, aren't you? I will post something as soon as I hear the news.

As Andrew told me this morning, "Let's have huge, fun, exciting, productive weeks!". If Andrew can, you can too!

Andrew & Connelly in Seattle Jan 09

In case you were wondering....

2009-04-16T09:33:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

In case you were wondering... those great Andrew tshirts and hoodies were custom made for Riley and Henry by my friend Jaida Kimmerer, who owns the Sparkle Parlor boutique in Seattle near Greenlake. She creates amazing one of kind jewelry, clothes and other gifts. She donated these darling baby clothes to us when she found out about Andrew, so I wanted to return the favor and ask you guys to check out her website sometime at www.sparkleparlor.com. Thanks Jaida!

Martha

Happy Easter Andrew!

2009-04-12T19:24:00.001-07:00

love - - your sisters, bro-in-law, niece & nephew. we miss and love you.

happy birthday to andrew

2009-04-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

happy 31st andrew! you are an inspiration every single day to more people than we can count. you have lived and accomplished more in your first 31 years of life than more will ever do in their lifetime. here's to 31 more years!

CHEERS TO ANDREW!!!

birthday boy next week!

2009-04-04T13:19:00.001-07:00

two of andrew's little buddies: gabby & henry

today andrew receives his white blood cell shot then travels back to st. louis tomorrow morning. andrew reports that the week went by quickly and he continues to feel really good, beside for some minor grogginess and low energy. he's excited to get back home and will again be back to work for the next few weeks.

i also wanted to remind/inform you that andrew turns 31 next saturday, april 11. don't forget to send him your birthday well wishes!

have a great weekend!

round #4 starts today

2009-03-31T12:24:00.000-07:00

i just wanted to pop in here and say a quick hello to everyone, as well as let you know that andrew is back in houston this week and starts round #4 of chemo this afternoon. up to this point, andrew has been feeling really good. we'll keep you posted if anything changes. let's all be thinking about andrew this week as he receives chemo. hope you are having a great week in whatever you are doing!

"Become Legendary"

2009-03-24T17:33:00.000-07:00

Have you been watching the NCAA tournament? Ever pay attention to the Jordan commercials? Well, if you haven't been, click here for a very quick glimpse of Andrew. Yes, Andrew is on a commercial! Well, okay, Andrew has about 1 second of airtime...but still, very cool! Click on the link and it will take you to You Tube. Watch closely right at 20 seconds...you might even need to pause it. Andrew is standing on the very left-hand side of the bench.

For those of you that remember, the UW vs. UCONN tourney game continues to go down in history. I will never forget watching that game. My family was gathered around our TV in the living room and we were sitting on pins and needles. Watching UCONN make that buzzer beater shot was so painful. I think about that moment now and I still get a pit in my stomach. Do you all remember watching that game? Again, click here to watch the commercial.

Happy March Madness!

Round Four Upcoming

2009-03-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

I hope everybody had a great weekend, it was a tough weekend for Husky fans, and a good one for Gonzaga and Missouri fans! I wanted to give a quick update. I completed round 3 a week ago and was back in Missouri this past week. I went back to work this week for the first time, it felt good to be back doing something I really like, and feel a little normal for the first time in awhile. I am going to continue to be in St.Louis for the two "off weeks" in between treatments, and commute to Houston for the treatment week. I have a big work week ahead as its the last week in the quarter which means a big push to get all the sales booked! Round 4 begins the week of March 29th, I dont have a body scan this round, with the next scan planned for before Round 5. I feel really good right now, no side effect issues, just tired during the low count portion of the cycle, but I am feeling really good the week before chemo starts. I continue to be blessed with so much prayer and positive thoughts from everybody, thank you so much. Have a great week I will update again soon!

Andrew

Go Dawgs!

2009-03-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

We are all celebrating a great victory over the Cougs last Saturday, as well as the title of Pac-10 Champs! Way to go Dawgs! We were privileged enough to gain entrance to the last four Men's Basketball home games to sell bracelets for Andrew. We simply showed up, set up a booth and watched with awe as crowds of people stopped by to show their support. It truly was amazing and a great showing of the human spirit, as well as Husky fans uniting to support a fellow Husky in need. We were thankful for the KJR radio interview, Seattle Times and Seattle PI article - - as the timing surrounding the games provided a lot of exposure. We averaged just under $2000 in sales per game. Wow! All we can say is thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all you Husky fans who showed support. And a HUGE thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers who worked each game. We could not have done it with out you. Another big thank you to the people who gave us the right to be at the games and last but not least, thank you to my dear sister Martha. Martha spent countless hours coordinating the details, as well as working 3 out of 4 of the games. Each and every one of you are an important part of this process and we again want to say how thankful we are. We are amazed everyday by the outpouring of love.

And if any of you wonderful volunteers have more pictures from any of the 4 games, please send them my way so I can add them to the blog!

A Journey has ups and downs, today was definitely an UP!

2009-03-10T21:08:00.000-07:00

*Andrew and Dr. Araujo (she is to the right of Andrew)*

Well everybody, I'm sitting in my hotel room here in Houston and I have a big smile on my face after day 1 of round 3. Not because I am cured, not because chemo is all finished, not because I am even done with this cycle! My smile comes from getting some very positive news on my first meeting with my doctor in regards to "how this chemo treatment plan is working" We met with the doctor(s) for about an hour and a half today. I can tell you I was so nervous that I broke out in hives on my neck and back....they actually had to make sure I was ok! haha. That part went away quickly when I left the meeting, trust me. We discussed the results of my PET SCAN, which is a full body (head to toe) scan that detects tumor size, location, etc. The results after the first two treatments showed a shrinkage of the tumors that exist in the abdomen,pelvic area, and the liver. The spots in the liver actually showed the most significant improvement of all the areas that are affected. Also good news is that there is no other spread to other areas of my body at this time. Overall Dr. Araujo was very pleased with my progress, and is excited that I have stayed in really good health so far, not suffering from any side effects and able to be strong and healthy during the chemotherapy. She said that my nutrition has been excellent and my protein level is were it needs to be. She is going to keep me on the same drugs, and amounts for the next two rounds (rd 3/4) The only new drug I am going to introduce is a once a day acid reflex pill (nexium) to help reduce any acid issues. TEAM: I cannot tell you how excited I was when I walked out of that appointment. I went straight over to the chemotherapy intake and got right into the treatment, but not a thing in the world could have gotten me down today! I was getting my big shot of chemo late tonight, and I was thinking how lucky and blessed I am to have every single person in my life that cares so much for me, and of course the big man upstairs has been leading this all from the point guard position! Everyone out there that is with me every step of the way, is truly amazing, and so cool. Each one of you knows just the right thing to say to me, just at the right time that I need it. The prayers have been overwhelming, and our first prayer has been answered, and I feel truly blessed. Have a great week everyone, lets kick some butt this week out there in whatever you are doing!!!

Andrew

Round #3

2009-03-09T07:04:00.000-07:00

Andrew is back in Houston this week to start round #3 of chemo. Today he has a full body PET scan and then tomorrow he will meet with his doctor to discuss the results of the tests, as well as evaluate the progress so far. Please pray for positive results and small(er) tumors! We will post any new information as soon as we receive it. Andrew will then begin chemo tomorrow afternoon. He will be in Houston for the week then hopefully back in St. Louis to recover for another 16 days. Let's all be thinking about and praying for Andrew this week. He needs lots and lots of prayer during chemo, as well as encouragement and positive attitudes. Please don't feel bad if he doesn't call you back or respond - he stays very focused during the weeks he receives chemo.

We wrapped up selling bracelets at the final Husky game this past Saturday and will post pictures and share the success we had in the next few days.

Andrew loves this picture of his niece Riley. She is sporting her first ever pair of sunglasses. I wanted to start his week off with a smile, as well as yours - - - Happy Monday!

Seattle PI article

2009-03-02T05:46:00.000-08:00

Click here for the link to the Seattle PI article about Andrew. For all you local folks, go buy your paper today!