Thanksgiving Day

Normally on Thanksgiving Day we go and have dinner at one of my sisters’ houses.  However, because Jenny just started round 5 of her treatment it was just not practical to go anywhere. So, with Katie home for the holiday, the four of us had Thanksgiving dinner at home!

Alan wanted to have a Tur-Duc-Hen…..  A turkey stuffed with duck stuffed with a chicken!  So we bought this in the store a few days ago, defrosted it and put it in the oven.

Next Alan helped me make my father’s world famous mushroom dish.

After that, I made my mom’s fabulous stuffing.

 

Jen and Katie made other sides like mashed potato, sweet potato, corn and other stuff plus set the table.  Once all was ready, we sat down to a terrific meal!

After which we all sat around and watched TV.

Yep, we did not even bother to change out of our PJs!  It was a great Thanksgiving Day!      

All Great

Met with Dr. Moskowitz and the news is as good as expected.  The PET scan was “fine” and her pulmonary function test came back at 86%.  Hemoglobin is acceptable.  Jen tried to press him for numerical, quantifiable information.  Size of tumors and the like.  So he translated, “When I say fine I mean you could not possibly being doing any better at this point. This is as good as it gets”. 

Now Jen is working on the next 4 rounds of treatment.  Twelve weeks in all.  With this news her doses of chemotherapy are reduced. 

-        Reduced chemo pills

-        Reduced chemo intravenous treatments

-        Reduced symptoms!!  More Staple Blood Counts!!

Dr. Moskowitz doesn't recommend going back to work yet.  He says that the BEACOPP treatment is the harshest chemotherapy treatment you can get and worse than radiation.

So this is the midpoint in Jen’s journey.  Although not the most fun, it has had some enlightening moments… both high … and low.  Jen and I again thank you all for your generosity.  Without your help this journey would be impossible.  But because of you, it is all great.

PS: Have a great Thanksgiving!

Start of Round Five

Today we are in MSK NYC to meet with Dr Moskowitz and get the full skinny on the PET scan.  Although we are both looking forward to getting some good news, getting in here is a real PIA.  Additionally, Jenny is not looking forward to getting more treatment and the nasty effects that it has on her.  I have tried to be encouraging with the expectation that the BEACOPP treatment she will now be getting is a reduced dosage and hopefully, the side effect will not be as sever.

Keeping our figures crossed for the start of round five.

In the Woods

As you all know, I like hunting. Fortunately as Jenny is doing so well I have had the opportunity to get into the woods with my father and cousin. So without much new news, please enjoy the view!!

The Results are In!!

And the news is great!  Per Dr Moskowitz the results of the PET scan are “excellent”!  He is very happy with the results.  So, Jenny’s will go into the next round of treatment with the reduced BEACOPP.  He called early this morning to let us know so we were not hanging all weekend.  More details to come next Tuesday when we go into MSK NYC for details on her condition and the start of the next chemo round.

Needless to say that we are both very pleased.  Jenny is dancing around here like a ballerina!  I expect that now that she lost all this weight and she has a “new” girlish figure, some new cloths may be in order.  Possibility a itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini!  I guess I better start worrying about her finding a new trophy husband!

Thank you all for reading and for your support.  The race is not over yet, but it looks like the slope is not as steep going forward

New Blood – Old Self!

Well now that Jenny has had her transfusion, she is fully charged and ready to go go go!!  She is pretty much back to being her old self!  This is a good thing although there are some “down” sides…..  But I will manage!  J

This week starts the big game season for hunting.  As such, I will be home a little less and have limited access and time to write to you.  So, I thought I may get some guest writers to submit posts for me.  If anyone is interested, please send me your posting and I will happily put it up on this blog!

Thanks for reading and for caring!

The Results are in from the Blood Test

It has been determined that Jen needs to have a blood transfusion.  So she is on her way into MSK NYC with her friend Kay.  

This will be a long day for her.  But, it is only a few hours in the day and not several days in the hospital.  For this we are thankful!

To all of you, a big Thank You for your support, generosity and love.

Todays Scan

Last few days have been OK for Jen.  She has her tired moments but also her very energetic ones!  By the end of the day, she was tired and up to bed around 8:00.

She went to MSK in Basking Ridge to get her PET scan and blood work.  Now we wait till Friday to get the results.

Stay tuned…  Same bat channel, same bat time!

Posting From Jen

Thanks you all for your concern. I wrote the blog this time around because nurse Dom has been a little busy taking very good care of me!

I'm at the point with this last round that the chemo is doing it's job, leaving me weak, fatigued, out of breath, and dizzy with mouth sores, a sore throat and no taste. But I'm not in the hospital!  The doctor gave me an extra antibiotic this last week to keep me from getting an infection and fever. I've spent most of the last two days dozing in bed. As much as I am comfortable withe the very caring and professional staff at Sloan, at least I'm at home without beeping IV stands, midnight vital raids, all the poking and proding - not to forget the hospital gowns that take me 20 minutes to get on.

The good news is I can start to feel the infusion from last Thursday working. So if "history" prevails, my numbers should come up today or tomorrow and I'll bounce back soon. Hopefully the red blood cells will come back too. The headache and tiredness is due to a low red blood cell/hemoglobin count.  These usually go right away when I get transfused. I feel like a vampire when I say, and mean, "I wan't some blood!"

On Tuesday, Nov. 16th,  I have a PET Scan and blood testing work scheduled in the Basking Ridge office. PET scan results should be in on Friday, Nov. 19th. 

On Tuesday, Nov. 23, the doctors plan to start Round 5 of the chemo, but they expect they will be able to take it down from the "escalated" BEACOPP to the non-escalated BEACOPP chemo (we'll find out exactly what that means on the 23rd - and after!). They will also do a Pulmonary test on the 23rd (long day).

As I tell everyone, this is not the cancer making me feel this way, it's the chemo doing its job. It's all good. Now that this is all posted on the blog and out of the way, when I do communicate with all of you it can be about other things than me! I love hearing from you all and all the happenings in your lives.

Best wishes.

- Jen

Where We are Today

Today Jen woke up feeling very good.  Alan and her headed into MSK NYC for her last chemo treatment for this first round.  Jen confirmed that she will have a PET scan on 11/16/10 which will map out were the cancer (if any) is at this point.  We can expect to have the results back to us by 11/19/10.  Once the results are in, Jen will begin a second round of treatment on 11/23/10.  She will also have a pulmonary function) test.

I have not been home since Thursday 11/04/10.  My Mom, Dad and Aunt Adrienne came down to Flemington and spent a few days with Jen and Alan.  It was nice to have them taking care of things well I was away.  I think it was a nice pick up for Jenny!

So that is where we are today.  Thanks to all of you for your prayers and well wishes.  It is very comforting to Jenny and me knowing that we have such great family and friends.

Another Day

Today was another day in this journey of ours.  I realize that I am only a passenger on this journey with Jen but it is a trip neither one of us wanted to take.

Nothing really new happened today.  I am heading out tomorrow for a week.  I will be out in York PA for a few days.  Then I am heading to the Gettysburg area for the weekend to do some bird hunting with my brother-in-law Jim and friends.  I have been doing it for many years now.  On Monday afternoon, back to work.  Returning home on Tuesday night.

Jen and I spoke a few times regarding this excursion of mine.  She is not very happy that I will be away for so long.  It makes her more comfortable when I am around.  But she also understand that I could use some "me" time and this is something I really enjoy.  I arranged for my parents to come down and stay with Jen for the weekend.  Even though Alan is home, it is not fair to burden him with the total responsibility of watching Jen. 

So, please feel free to give Jen a call or pop in and see her.  She really enjoys speaking with all of you! 

We both thank you for your support during this unpleasant trip.

Todays Treatment

Today starts the last set, in this round of treatment.  Jen had not been looking forward to this as it means she will again start to feel terrible.  I feel bad for her but I also want her to think of the positive side...  This is one step further to being cured.

Alan took her in to MSK as is our routine.  I just spoke with Jen and received some very good news!  They took an x-ray and see that the tumor in her chest has been significantly reduced!  I had thought that the treatment was working but this is empirical data which is better then "I think".

There are no guarantees here.  The doctors advised that although this is good news, it does not tell the whole story.  This is a blood cancer.  Until she has her PET scan on 11/16/2010, we cannot be sure how her treatments are working. The one thing we do know is that the battle is not over.  She will have another round of BEACOPP treatment.  However, it should not be the elevated treatment that she is getting now.  If so, the next round should be a bit easier.

I am sorry to report that the judges have lost track of the entries that have been submitted for the cooking contest.  There was a great influx of meals an goodies over that last few days!  This is really appreciated has it significantly cuts back on the work load. Also appreciated are the gifts and gift cards that have come in.  We have received many good things that help make Jenny more comfortable.

Thank you all for your generosity and prayers!  I know we say it a lot, but we can not say it enough!