Eight was great! Nine was fine. Ten will soon begin.

Time marches on, the summer is almost over—what little there was of it. Tom is getting closer to the end of his treatments. Twelve is the magic number. His spirits are still good; he looks good; and most of the time he feels good. The results of his blood tests continue to come back with good numbers. (Knock on wood.)
He has kept up with mowing with help from his brother Richard, and son Kyle. He has tried to “out smart” a ground mole(s) that literally makes mountains out of mole hills, grubs that have protested against Tru-Green and turned the green grass into Death Valley, and skunks that dig up the yard looking for the protesting grubs. It’s been a battle and we’re not sure who’s winning.
When it’s not raining or too cold or too hot, he might be found on the golf course where he has “fun” (his words) even if his golf score might indicate otherwise.
He also attends the Loons games if the aforementioned weather conditions apply. He’s excited because the Loons are in the Mid-West league playoffs and one of his and Peg’s favorite players, Dee Gordon, was named as a co-MVP for the Mid-West league as well as a future top major league prospect.
Right now Tom’s focus is getting through the next three treatments with minimal side-effects. The chemo is building up in his body meaning that: he is a little more tired during and after treatments; he is beginning to have a metallic taste in his mouth some of the time; he experiences more numbness around his mouth and fingers; he has hot flashes more often; and he’s more susceptible to risk of infection. However, the acupuncture treatments appear to be working at strengthening his immune system and minimizing many of the possible side-effects. So keep your fingers crossed and your positive thoughts and prayers coming.
It’s making a difference!

Novocain? Who needs it?

If you have chemo for colon cancer, you probably won’t need it. One of Tom’s side affects of chemo that he is now starting to feel, is numb lips. Which isn’t a major problem if you like that lack of feeling of an anesthetized mouth that comes after a dental appointment. It only becomes a problem when you take a drink out of a bottle and you find liquid dribbling down your chin and onto your shirt. Peg has now taken on the role of “Hot Lips” Hoolihan (from MASH) to warm up Tom’s lips when needed.
Tom is doing great! He is now halfway through his treatments. Six down and six to go. Dr. Danzo feels that it is not necessary for him to have a CAT scan until the end of his treatments because his numbers from his blood tests indicate that he is doing fine. He has a few more days during the week that he feels tired, but other that that, he is feeling good and looking good. He continues to pursue his favorite things: golf, Loons games, mowing the acreage (including creating new paths for Paige and Carter to run through), reading, and the occasional laugh-a-thons with buddies at the Duel Bar.
Treatment number seven starts today. Tom’s positive attitude continues. Prayers and positive thoughts and wishes from everyone are still needed and appreciated. Thank you.

“Knock on wood”

Chemo cocktail # 5 is now underway. Tom is almost at the halfway point (41.67%). He feels well most of the time (sometimes even great). We are finding that when he gets off the chemo pump on Friday and the Saturday that follows, he is extremely tired and somewhat light-headed. (Of course, we’ve always known about the “light-headedness” due to lack of hair!) A couple of times he’s had numbness around his lips (light neuropathy) and still has the occasional hot flash. When he met with Dr. Danzo, the oncologist, he said that Tom’s numbers from a recent blood work-up looked good. His hemoglobin has stayed in the 11ish range, but his blood platelets have gone down, but are not dangerously low yet. They said he has a ways to go before they would feel the need to medically respond to that. So, “knock on wood”, everything seems to be going well at this time.

Tom has played golf at Currie several times and tells Peg that he’s played some of his best golf games yet. He plays in the morning to his lessen his risk of problems with sun sensitivity as a side effect of chemo. This past Monday he played golf with his two brother-in-laws and his 89 year old father-in-law in an American Cancer Society fundraiser. When he came home, his blue eyes had turned brown with the amount of “BS” that was shared among that particular foursome.

Tom and Peg have been able to go to a number of Loons games. His three sons got Tom a Loons jacket for Father’s Day so that he would be warm on some of those cool game nights. He didn’t take it with him when he went to the game on Saturday night because it was 80 degrees when the game started, but he sure wished he had it when the temperature dropped about 20 degrees midway into the game. At the game that night, Tom and Peg sat with the Bullock Creek Schools Retiree’s group. Tom really enjoyed visiting with the retired “Creekers”. It was especially nice to see and sit with old college friends, Steve and Sharon. Steve, now a retired minister, was a onetime teacher and coach at Bullock Creek. At this very same game, Tom and Peg’s daughter-in-law Jeanette was hit by a line drive foul ball. Fortunately, it hit her in the hand and not the head or face and it didn’t hit Tom & Peg’s grandchildren sitting next to her. At last report, after x-rays, it appears that nothing is broken, but she’s got a very sore and bruised hand. We’re thankful that Jeanette is ok.

Recently, Tom had the opportunity to meet for “burgers, beer and BS” with some of his other college buddies. It all started when one of the guys got a new cell phone which he had in his back pocket. When he sat down, for some unknown reason, Tom’s cell phone number was pushed; so when Tom would answer, he could see who was calling, but nobody was talking on the other “end” (literally). This happened several different times over the period of a week. Finally Tom reached the guy and asked if he had been trying to call him. The guy said no, but then explained about his new phone. So after this conversation and a few more phone calls to guys all around the state and one who was visiting from Hawaii, they planned the aforementioned get-together. All because of this guy who "sat on his butt" all day, (or maybe it was divine providence?). This is a true story, no ifs, ands or “butts” about it and I’m sure this person will, thanks to his phone, be the butt of jokes for many years to come.

We love seeing and hearing from all of you---it helps keep our minds off the scary stuff. Your prayers for Tom’s good health and healing as he goes through his chemo treatments over the next three to four months mean so much.

Rip Van Winkle lives here

He didn’t sleep for 20 years and he didn’t grow a long beard, but Tom has found that it’s easy to fall asleep on Friday and Saturday following his chemo treatments. He’s also found that it’s easiest to let his beard grow for a couple of days so that he doesn’t have to maneuver in the shower with his Superman cape (to protect his port from getting wet) and doesn’t have to risk exposure to Kryptonite (a cut from his straight edge razor). So after treatment number two, he’s only experienced hot flashes and extra tiredness as side effects. His blood counts have held steady so far with his hemoglobin dropping a little after his first treatment. He met with Dr. Danzo and he gave Tom the O.K. to start taking iron supplements to build that up his blood a bit more. That was a relief to Tom because he was worried that he would have to start including liver in his diet. That was also a relief to Peg because she didn’t want to be the one to have to cook it.

As each day passes beyond each treatment, Tom gets stronger and feels better. People who see him are surprised at how good/healthy he looks. He’s had some of his best golf games (at least the ones that he talks about) since he has started playing again and he decided that it would be worth it to purchase a season golf pass at Currie. He plans to golf enough to make it worthwhile even if only plays nine holes or less.

He continues with his acupuncture treatments, one before and one after chemo. We feel that it is helping. His acupuncturist, Shirley Moore from the Family Wellness Center in Midland , spent some time working and studying at Sloan-Kettering where acupuncture is an accepted part of all their cancer patients’ treatment. They have found that it shortens healing time after surgeries and can really help lessen the side effects from chemotherapy; which we have found holds true so far with Tom.

Tom has attended a number of Loons games and plans to get to as many home games as he can. He continues to climb the “umpteen gazillion” steps to the top and doesn’t use the elevator. Peg drops him off at the front gate so he doesn’t have far to walk and they use the Loons’ paid parking lot so that they don’t have as far to walk to the car after the game. (Unfortunately the parking fees mean one less beer that Tom can buy at the game.)

Treatment number three will start this Wednesday and once Friday rolls around, he will have completed 25% of his treatments. We appreciate your continued support and prayers that everything continues to go well for Tom as he continues his fight---even when he is sleeping!

Ready, Set, Go!

Tom has now completed his first round of chemo. He got hooked up at the hospital (doctor’s office) infusion room on Wednesday morning while sitting in a big Lazy Boy- like chair. We were told ahead of time, “it’s just like being in Archie Bunkers living room”; so Tom felt right at home. First thing in his “cocktail” was anti nausea medicine, then he got a two hour dose of one kind of drug, after which they gave him another kind of medicine via his pump, which he wore home. He has worn the pump in a fanny pack for two days and nights and got it unhooked Friday morning. The only thing “bad” about the pump is the pumping noise it makes every 30 seconds which really is only noticeable at night while lying in bed. Peg thinks it sounds like one of those cartoon snores and Tom thinks it sounds like a bird pecking at the window. Very minor issue considering that he will only have to wear it 11 more times for 46 hours per time.
Nurse Amy read through all the possible side effects of the drugs, so that Tom would know what to possibly expect: nausea, mouth sores, diarrhea or constipation, loss of appetite, insomnia and peripheral neuropathy to name a few. It sounds like all the disclaimers to the meds they advertise on TV. She said with the drugs he will be taking, he probably will not lose his hair. He told her, “It’s too late, it’s already happened. But since this drug does not cause hair to fall out, does it cause hair to grow? She laughed and said she’d have people lined up to take chemo if that was the case.
Anyway, here’s the good news. Tom hasn’t experienced any of the major side effects with this treatment. (Knock on wood.) We feel that the acupuncture treatments are really helping in this regard. The only thing he did experience were a few hot flashes. Yes, ladies, I said hot flashes. Peg has had to bite her tongue as Tom has gained new insight to many “female” experiences through this ordeal: an incision similar to a caesarean or hysterectomy, bloated stomach, wearing a girdle and hot flashes. Actually, Peg gives him credit for handling all the above without too much complaint.
Tom is feeling better and stronger everyday. He’s beginning to do some light yard work and mowing the lawn. He takes a nap when he feels tired. He’s enjoying reading books and watching baseball games and hockey on TV. He’s looking forward to more Loons games, Bullock Creek softball and baseball games and going out on the golf course. His plan is to return as much as possible to a normal routine that includes time with friends and family, breakfasts at the Boulevard, occasional trips to the Casino, and looking at (not working on) Peg’s honey-do list; all worked around chemo, blood tests, acupuncture and doctor visits. He is no longer an invalid; he enjoys visitors; he likes to get out of the house. Feel free to call or drop by for a visit; if he is tired, he’ll say so. He’s being cautious (Peg told him he’d better be) and careful and listening to his body (it makes some very interesting sounds).
So now we’re in countdown mode--only 11 more treatments to go—a 48 hour treatment every two weeks. Keep tuned in as Tom continues on his Road to Healthy.
Know that your prayers and encouraging, positive comments are helping immensely.

Who shot J.R.?

We’re sorry that we have kept you in suspense for so long. Most all of you know what happened to J.R. but on our last blog we left you wondering: Did Tom ever make it to the Loons game? Will he ever get his 27 staples removed or will he have to beware of magnets forever? And what about that Philly Cheese Steak sandwich?

Ok. First things first, Tom did get to a Loons game, two in fact, but he opted not to go to opening night. The weather was too darn cold. At the first game he attended (last Friday night), Peg dropped him off at the front of the stadium so that Tom could take the elevator and not have to take the umpteen gazillion steps (Peg’s opinion) to the top. After she parked the car and met him at their seats she learned that he had indeed climbed the umpteen gazillion steps contrary to her orders. That gives you an idea of how well Tom is healing; especially if he is willing to go against the advice of “Nurse Ratchet”. He followed doctor’s orders and didn’t eat any peanuts or popcorn, but he did get his ballpark favorite of a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich and loved every bite of it. Friday night at the ballpark went so well, that they went again on Saturday night with Chad, Jeanette and the kids. They left when the temperature dropped about 20 degrees in 5 minutes. It felt like January in April.

Two games, two breakfasts at the Boulevard. They have nothing in common other than the number “two” and the fact that the Boulevard breakfasts were another of the firsts in Tom’s recovery. He loved getting out from under Peg’s thumb and B.S.ing with some of his buddies.

Tom had his staples removed yesterday and he said it didn’t hurt at all. The Doc was amazed at how well he is healing and told him it was “back to business as usual”. He can start adding different foods to his diet a little at a time and the real biggie is – HE CAN DRIVE again!

We met with Dr. Danzo, the oncologist, yesterday as well and he explained that Tom will get a line (port) put in just below his collar bone which he will have for the next 6 months. That way, he will have part of his chemo treatments at home through a pump that he will carry with him. He will have chemotherapy appointments every two weeks; the first two hours of treatment at the hospital and then the other 46 hours of treatment at home. His treatments will start next week on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. Dr. Danzo sounded very optimistic about Tom’s treatment getting rid of any renegade cancer cells. Towards that end, the early treatments will be heavy duty, high dose chemo cocktails.

So we’ve taken one more step on the path to “healthy”. We appreciate your prayers for successful chemo treatments and hopefully very minimal side effects.

Bowling and Baseball

It’s only been a week since Tom got home from the hospital, but he actually bowled a game Friday night; one game on our Wii and he bowled a 183! His healing is going very well. He feels better and stronger every day. He’s also enjoyed watching “my Tigers” on television including “my Red Wings” and “my Pistons”…. if he can stay awake. Of course, we watched the “Final Four” and this weekend, he's having fun watching the Masters.
Both Tom and Peg had acupuncture appointments this week—to speed healing for Tom and to help Peg relax and relieve some stress in her back and neck.
Wednesday afternoon was spent at Urgent Care. Tom had a swollen and inflamed elbow. We were concerned about infection. The doctor drained the elbow and sent Peg over to the lab with the fluid to get it tested. He gave Tom a shot in the hip with an antibiotic and topped it off with a Tigger band-aid. Although we don’t have all the lab tests back yet, the initial reports indicated that it might be gout. We can live with that.

Tom’s incision sight is healing nicely. He wears a wrap-around girdle every day to help hold things in place. Thursday night he slept without his girdle on and said it really felt good for a change.
As he feels better and has more energy, Tom says that he hasn’t felt this good in at least a year. Looking back, he now realizes all the times that he didn’t go to a Bullock Creek football game or a basketball game or chose not to do things that he normally would have because he was “tired”. Little did we know………..
Anyway, Tom has a new goal while healing. He’d like to go to the Loons opening game next week (a local minor league baseball team). He’s walking everyday and doing some limited stair climbing to get ready. We’ll see how the weather is and how he’s feeling. Don’t worry; we won’t push it, if he’s not ready. We know there will be more games, but it is a goal and it’s something to work towards, so wish him luck and cheer him on.

The family is going to Peg’s brother’s house for Easter dinner. He offered to do the cooking so that Peg wouldn’t have to this year. We appreciate his thoughtfulness and we’re glad that he’s a good cook. It will be nice for Tom to get out of the house for a couple of hours.

Thank you for all your prayers, cards, e-mails, phone calls, food and visits. They lift our spirits and keep us facing forward with positive thoughts. Have a blessed Easter.