Just something cool I saw...

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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!