Apparently, Dad needs more attention...

Below is a letter that my mom sent out to the family a few weeks ago:

Okay... so it seems my husband has decided that he hasn't had enough attention lately and needs the good folks at MD Anderson to give him a booster dose!

A few weeks ago Bill had a PET scan that showed a small "something or another" in his left lung.  They thought it was probably just a small infection or something.  So they just put a watch on it.  Well his latest PET scan showed that the mass was growing and was more then just an infection.  So, onto the biopsy we go!  The biopsy came back positive for lung cancer.  NOW DON'T PANIC AT THIS POINT!  It is a very small mass, is not in the lymph nodes (so no chemo) and should be able to be taken care of with a few more doses of radiation!  He starts radiation on Monday and will be done by the end of the week.  Then he will just go back on the watch list to make sure the radiation gets it all.  If it doesn't then we may have to go to option "B" - surgery.  But, we are confident we will not have to go that drastic!

There is no way of knowing if this is a new cancer or if this is a cancer from a seed cell that decided to choose that spot in his lung to continue to develop.  His surgeon seems to believe that by the shape of the mass that it is a new cancer... but either way... it's cancer and needs to be taken care of ASAP!

I want everyone to know that Bill can't get a pimple on his butt without it showing up on his PET scans every few weeks, so as long as we keep catching these things early, he will probably out live us all because the rest of us get to be ignorant about our insides!

Just wanted everyone to know!

On a happier note... my seventh grandchild should make his way into the world tomorrow (Erin will be induced tomorrow) and I will, of course, keep you all posted on that!

Love to all,
Maureen

I should have posted the letter weeks ago, but alas, you see that I have just had a baby, so let's give this blog's author a little break.

Dad finished his radiation last week and while a little tired, is feeling fine.  He is actually off on a business trip.  So, if all goes well, this will have zapped out the lung 'crud'.  I guess we just wait until his next scans and hope that it is all gone again.  We shall see and I will keep you all posted. 

PS- I was totally grossed out by the mental picture of a pimple on my dad's butt... but also quite pleased that my mother has obviously picked up on my good humor :)

Radiation is OVER!!!

 Well friends and family, radiation is over!!! Yee haw!  Dad finished up his last proton therapy treatment on Thursday (sorry I am just now posting, but I do have a life... yeah, it's true).  I nagged my parents enough that they actually brought the camera and took pictures on the last day.  So, for your enjoyment, these are the pictures from the last day of Bill's radiation.

 This is the fancy certificate Dad got for finishing up radiation.  I don't really think of radiation as some sort of exciting celebration but I suppose the completion of a treatment that intrudes on your daily life so much is certainly something to celebrate.  Dad had to go for radiation treatments every day Monday through Friday.  The treatment itself only takes about ten minutes but it is a big chunk out of his day as he has to drive all the way down to MD Anderson and back plus whatever lines he has to wait in beforehand.  Some have asked why he has to go down to the main MD Anderson for the radiation and it is because of the specific type of treatment he was getting (proton therapy).  Plus, it's the best center for it and when you have cancer, you want the best.

 Billy boy ringing the gong!  Looks like he is being kind of timid as he is hitting it.  If it were me, I would be all into it.  I would use large gestures, putting my whole body into it and slam that gong so hard that the people in the next building over would hear it.  But, that's me and that's why my children are sure to become incredibly embarrassed of me.  Soon.

 Here is the radiation "team".  Apparently the radiation team consists of several girls in their 20's... must be part of the healing process.  Ha!  Seriously though, we are grateful to these ladies and the incredibly knowledgeable docs who picked, what we believe to be, the correct course of treatment.

These next two pictures are of my dad falling asleep while waiting....

 In the email my mom sent with these pictures she said she wasn't sure if I would want to include these... what is she talking about?  OF COURSE I DO!  Though I am slightly disappointed that we can't see drool coming out his mouth or that he didn't fall off that chair, but I am just one of those people who thinks that would have been funny.  It was nice to see these pictures as I was curious as to what the rooms looked like.  However, they are the same doctors waiting rooms that I have to wait in.  You'd think with all the money doctors are making these days that they would come up with some happier wall colors. 

Since radiation has been done....  Dad has been so happy.  He has snapped out of his "cancer 'tude" as mom and I have called it... it was just him being tired and uncomfortable all the time and being short with us.  He probably wouldn't agree but we are glad it has passed.  He can eat!!  It's coming back slowly, he hasn't eaten a whole cow yet or anything but it's coming back.  At church today he actually said he was hungry.  I haven't heard that in a long time so that was a most excellent sign.

In Dad's quest to "GET BUFF", he has been going to the gym.  He went last week for the first time in awhile and attended a barbell strength class.  My mom and I go to that class often in our own efforts to get lean and mean, but dad had never been.  Mom took him and his scrawny little self (he has lost some serious muscle mass.  I had never seen his legs that small.  Sadly, I think they were smaller than mine.  I told Dad that it looks like his head on my Uncle Rob's body).  Anyway, he lasted about fifteen minutes before he left the class.  His endurance just isn't really up there yet.  He'll get there though.  I think that for the first time back he did alright.  There was a guy who was teaching the class and I guess he gave dad a couple head nods of encouragement before Dad walked out.  I told Dad he should start wearing a shirt that says, "I have cancer so everything I can do is amazing".  I might have to find that instructor and tell him myself.. you know, defend my dad's manhood or something. :)  I keep telling him that if I had cancer, I would play it up as much as possible.  I wouldn't be able to do anything for myself as I would just use cancer as my excuse.  I'm a lot lazier than him though.

I am questioning whether or not to report the following as it embarrasses my mom and I quite a bit but I suppose for the sake of revealing how my dad is doing, I ought to share.  Yesterday my mom, my dad and myself went to the gym to play racquetball.  Mom and I play at least once a week together so we hold our own.  Well, the very first game dad spanked us.  I mean, by quite a bit.  We thought surely he would sit the next game out to recuperate, but he said he was good to go.  Second game, I won, but BARELY.  I was at game point for almost a half hour.  Finally I think I wore Dad down to the point where he was just out of gas.

I think that's what's going to happen... Slowly he will start building up that strength and endurance and then hopefully he will be as close to 100% as we can get him before surgery.  Even though mom and I were embarrassed that 'cancer boy' beat us... we sure were having fun playing racquetball with Dad again.  And now we will actually start playing and stop letting him win!!!

Chemo is OVER!

It has come to my attention... thanks to my aunts... that while most have enjoyed the added pictures to the blog, some of you might actually be wondering how DAD is doing.  Well, he is doing great!!  Chemo is over, port is out and he is finally free of the fanny--both pack and booty.  There really wasn't much to say about it.  It's kind of been the 'same old, same old' with getting chemo, feeling lowsy and feeling really tired.  

Yesterday the doctors took the pack back for the last time--I was saddened that he didn't get to keep it but apparently it is specially designed for a certain pump and wouldn't be good for much else.  They also took out the central line.  This was causing Dad some discomfort as it went up his arm, he could feel it right by his throat (which made eating even more uncomfortable) and down his chest.  There is something about having a foreign object in you that your body just doesn't like.  The port area was especially uncomfortable because he had broken out in some sort of a rash due to the adhesive or adhesive ointment that they used.  

Dad has certainly lost some weight since this whole thing began and before he started chemo he was feeling like his pounds lost were pretty ideal.  However, with chemo and feeling nauseous and not keeping too much food down, he did lose more.  He's mostly frustrated by his muscle loss.  Sooo....

So here is the plan.  After a couple more days of radiation Dad plans to hit the gym.  Hopefully this works out.  Like all of us, we all plan to hit the gym and pay the ridiculous gym prices to attain bodies like greek gods, but it sadly never comes to fruition.  But, he should be able to gain back some muscle tone.   This will help his body be stronger for surgery which is scheduled for May 13th.

Dad also hopes to gain back some L-Bs (pounds) by being able to eat more.  As of yesterday and today, he has been able to eat quite a bit more already and that is still with some left over chemo working its way through his system and radiation still going on.  So, this is looking very promising.

Also, the parents are each planning a mini trip here and there.  I'm glad that they will be able to get away for a little time.  I'm on dog duty--as always-- so I am going nowhere... just so you know.

As I mentioned before, surgery is schedule for mid May.  When they went over their appointments at MD Anderson, they looked the months over and have absolutely ZERO appointments in April!!  That is so awesome.  Perhaps a little normalcy.  That will be oh so nice.  This will also include a slow in blogging unless I decide to post how proud I am that I am beating my dad at racquetball... it doesn't happen often so I may have to take advantage of this post chemo/radiation while I can.  Yes, I am totally one of those people that will relish in my win even though I am beating some 52-year-old with cancer. 

I am anxious to see how Dad will feel after radiation.  When that finishes up, I will have to post about how he is feeling.  Since he has done the chemo and radiation together it's been hard to distinguish what side effects are from which treatment.  We are almost done with this part of treatment!!

The Proton Lab

 Last week the whole family accompanied my dad to the proton lab while he had his radiation done.  "Proton Lab"-- that really sounds high tech and kind cool, doesn't it?  I told Dad that and he agreed that the whole process is kind of cool (perhaps not the need for it or the actual treatment of it, but the technology behind it).  Anyway, the Proton Lab, pardon while I adjust my spectacles and pocket protector, is just a short distance from the main MD Anderson Center.  Usually it takes only about 10 minutes for Dad to get in, zapped and out but there was a bit of a backup that day so we made ourselves busy.  I decided the blog needed visuals, so I started snapping pictures...

 Here is a view of the lobby area... that sign actually reads, "Making Cancer History"... I guess from the angle I took the picture it looks more like "Making Cancer".  I thought it was funny, though I think my dad thought it was in poor taste.  Whatever.

 Here is a view looking down under the sign.  Dad was waiting in one of those white chairs a few minutes earlier but as I took this picture he was actually in receiving his radiation.  Excuse the picture quality as these were taken with my phone.  Also, pardon the reflection of my sneakers in the glass.  All of these imperfections bring added excitement to our little tour, I'm sure.

 This was our saving grace as they had a couple rooms off the lobby that are set up as little playrooms.  It kept the kids busy.  At one point I had a sick thought of, "Nice to know, just in case one of us...", but I stopped myself... my brain works strangely and it was just my way of mentally noting a place where the kids can play.  I do the same thing when I drive by a nice park or a pool or playground.  Habit.  It's my prayer that we won't visit this play area again, but it was a bonus for us as we had to spend some time there that day.

 Here is a model of the facility.  I'm not sure what all those rooms are for... my tour was limited by the security guard who kept giving me the evil eye.

 Here is a closeup of what I believe are the radiations machines.  I'm pretty sure anyway... I should have asked Dad to be sure that I'm not pointing out over sized dumpsters or something.  I tried to look it up on good ol' wikipedia, but it looked different on there.  Anyways, what I think you are looking at are the machines used to administer the proton therapy/radiation.  It really is lasers that align several ways and then zap the tumor.  Dad said he's pretty sure he can feel it happening, but I've also heard others say they feel nothing and also some say that it's painful. 

As a side note, I am strangely looking forward to seeing the inside of MD Anderson... it is quite the sprawling center from the outside and looks very modern and high tech (all this I assume from the outside brick structure:)).  As I will be giving myself the grand tour come May (operation time), be looking for that post.

Red Jello and Happy News!!!

Today was a big day for dad at MD Anderson just as every Monday is.  It's the day he gets hooked back up to chemo, gets his first zap of radiation for the week and he visits with his doctors. 

Here is dad receiving his chemo treatment and eating up some yummy red jello.  My dad has been loving red jello lately since he heard a story about it and also since he has used in a church talk.  Because I feel it my obligation to make fun of my dad whenever possible, I have been doing my best to carry on and on about red jello.  It's catching on I think.  So, here's a picture that mom snapped for me and sent on her blackberry...

Pretty much all doctors are notorious for making patients wait.  MD Anderson is no different.  Sure, they work like a well-oiled machine, but still it seems to take forever.  This is especially true as I expect my parents to be at my beckon call.  So, this is usually how I feel as I am waiting to hear what is going on with my parents...

...I'm an impatient gal as you can see...at times I can be described as a bit of an annoyer or one who enjoys pestering.  Pretty accurate I'd say.  Today was no different.  I was really worrying about today.  I think we all have been.  It was getting frustrating that dad wasn't able to keep food down and it was looking more and more like a feeding tube was inevitable.  But, much to our delight, the news from the doctors was AWESOME!

Dad got a PET scan done last week.  He is part of a study which has him doing more pet scans than are normally administered to patients.. This is excellent because it lets us see his progress more frequently.  Anyway, my dad gave me some specific information that he said I had to put down word for word... apparently he isn't the biggest fan of my creative speech as I am.  So here goes...

After two weeks and 9 of 28 radiation treatments and 9 of 25 chemotherapy treatments the head oncologist said, "The results are dramatic! Especially after nine treatments."  The nurse said, "Best report you could expect this early in the treatment. They're excellent!"    The tumor size is down 20% and the effected lymph node activity is down 25%.  There is no other indication of activity elsewhere including lymph nodes, liver, spleen, lungs and bones.

Translation for those of us that don't speak percentile---They've blasted that sucker so well that it is getting ever closer to destruction.  Since Dad is an over-achiever, he is ahead of the game and has already been brown-nosing the head oncologist and schmoozed himself into the likings of the nurses.   They must like him enough to deliver such a wonderful report card!  His grade thus far?  A+! 

So, fist bumps all around... it's a good day!!  This was best case scenario for us after just two weeks of chemotherapy and radiation so we are feeling pretty good at this point.

Two steps forward, One step back...

Turns out I exaggerate a bit... I don't really consider this a character flaw, but more a strength of mine.  I am more of a "cup half full" kind of gal.  Perhaps this trait came threw a bit on my last post. 

So, dad had one really great day where he was able to swallow normal food.  It was a good day and one that looked incredibly promising and seemed as though he was really turning a corner.  This looked like evidence to us that everything was going to be normal again.  Of course, that isn't how cancer works!  DUH!  Us "cup half full"ers are so naive sometimes.

As it turns out, not much has been staying down since that one good day.  This isn't fantastic as it means that dad has lost even more weight. -- Apparently, the way that weight loss works is that the less you eat, the more you lose.  I know, total epiphany to me too.  I had to write it here to perhaps document that philosophy for my own future personal use. -- Anyway, speedy weight loss is a dream to most of us but we are trying to keep the pounds on dad not have him losing anymore. 

After this 6 week chemo and radiation cycle, he will have 6 weeks off and then he will undergo surgery.  This will be a pretty big surgery which will basically cause him not to be able to swallow food for many weeks and he will probably lose a good 25 pounds over that time.  Therefore, losing all this weight now is NOT AN OPTION!  Sure, we plan to fatten him up plenty the six weeks prior to surgery but we don't want our job to be harder than it has to be.

My dad is a practical sort of guy.  He fully intends to keep trying to eat as many calories as he possibly can, but he also knows that he might also need to supplement this effort with some help from the doctors. Monday he goes to MD Anderson for his big day where they hook him back up to the chemo drugs and zap him good with radiation (he goes for radiation 5 times a week M-F and receives the chemo drugs through his port M-F as well before being disconnected on Friday).  After Monday's appointment, I will talk about this more.

On the brighter side of things, we went to Pappadeaux's last night and dad was able to down some most delicious lobster bisque.  He said he felt a lot better after that.  I guess you don't really pay attention to how your body reacts to the fuel of food until it doesn't get what it needs.  So, the solution as I see it is for us to eat at Pappadeaux's more often.  Done and done.  I mean, after all, has anyone tried that crab & artichoke cheese dip?  It is so delicious, I could drink it up with a straw.

Juiced and Zapped

Chemotherapy and Radiation started today!!  Woo ha!  I think the whole family is just happy to make a little progress on this stupid cancer thing.  For something so serious as cancer, it really seems like things move VERY slowly.  Anywho, I was my normal, annoying self calling and texting my parents all day seeing how everything was going.  Mom dutifully reported... all of dad's bathroom trips, nose blowing, shoe tying and all other mundane happenings.  I thought it would be so cool to be there for the start of the chemo/rad but I had to stay home to let Toby (my parents' dog) out to pee.  Why am I always stuck on dog duty!? 

Here is an excerpt from the email my dad sent to me...I think you can see where his spirit is at these days...

Well, I am sure it is too early to make this brash claim, but this ain't no thing!

I have asked for a tour of the proton accelerator device that facilitates the proton beam. I invited Maureen to go too but she is not as excited about it as I am. I am really excited to see it. I guess its still that old engineer hidden away inside. Oh, I hope they don't blast that part out too!

Well its 5:15 and I have been juiced and zapped! I am pretty sure I made some cancer history today ...at least a few cells are history (dead)!

Dad gets to wear a fanny pack!! I know, I am laughing about it myself right this minute... it is black, not like the purple or hot pink that I was envisioning, but nonetheless, I think we can still refer to it as his 'man purse'.  Or at least I will.  It is the pack that holds the chemo drugs or whatever other drugs they want to pump him full of.  You probably wouldn't even notice it if you saw him with it (unless you were staring and wondering why he is accessorizing with a man purse...).  A little tube goes up into his central line and doses him.

I haven't seen Dad with his fanny yet, but I did get quite the show yesterday as I watched Mom flush out Dad's central line.  It was such a weird sight that we all were laughing so hard at how it looked like mom was really giving dad some really 'good stuff' through his central line!  It was just such an odd site seeing my mom with a syringe that she was putting in Dad's arm.  Pictures were involved for posterity, but probably not for this blog :).

Dad got himself a TATTOO!!!

That's right, my dad is all tatted up now. Never thought my dad would get a tattoo (thought for sure I would have gotten one myself and him already making me get it removed before this would happen), but alas the day has come. Dad's got himself some serious ink.

Alright, it isn't as cool as I am making it sound or as middle-life crisis driven either... The 'tattoo' marks areas that will help the radiation machines pinpoint or triangulate the area for precise radiation therapy. I know, it really did sound a lot cooler before you knew what it really was, huh?

Still I think Dad is happy to be able to watch the surprise on people's faces as he reports about his new tattoo.... though I plan on calling it forever his 'tramp stamp'.

Meeting more doctors

This is an excerpt from an email that my mom wrote out to us kids and other family members after they met with a couple more doctors.. I couldn't say anything better than she says it here...

We met with Bill's surgeon. We really liked him. He is the Head of the Department. So this makes two department heads on our team. Bill won't actually have surgery until sometime between May and July, but he did go over the actual surgery. He really didn't give us any new information. When they remove the section of the esophagus, they will also remove part of his stomach (he gets a free bypass with this). He will probably never have to worry about his weight again.

We also met with his radiation doctor. Again, we really liked him. Don't know if he is department head or not, but he is good looking, so that makes him okay in my book! Bill will either start Chemo and Radiation on 2/16 or if we get the clinical trial we are hoping to get, then he will just start chemo alone on 2/9 and the chemo/radiation combo will be held off for two months. We will know on Thursday if he gets the clinical trial or not. I guess the biggest question we were left with at this appointment is whether they will use proton or photon radiation depending on what our insurance will cover. Either is good, one is just a bit better at protecting the heart since the esophagus sits right behind the heart. Other then having to go down every day for six weeks, it sounded like this is all going to be bearable. The good news we got from this appointment is that we get free parking during radiation days! We thought we might have to take out a second mortgage on the house to pay for parking at this place! If they aren't making money on the medicine, they are making a ton on the parking!!

Our next step is on Thursday. He will have an EKG, a pulmonary test and see the oncologist again. At that appointment we will learn which treatment option we will have and he will finalize the orders for the upcoming weeks.

Chemotherapy and Radiation

Apparently, there are hundreds of chemotherapy medications out there each designed to handle different cancers, different cells, different areas. The chemotherapy that he will use to help kill all those cancer sleeper cells will apparently not have many side effects. Each body reacts differently to medication, but we hope that this will be true for Dad.

Dad won't lose his hair (he was real concerned about that), won't lose his eye brows (I was admittedly sorry he wouldn't lose those bad boys), will still be able to go to work and fulfill his church callings and shouldn't be affected too much at all. He will probably be more easily fatigued and may feel nauseous at times, but should be able to live his life regularly besides. He will still be able to go to the gym and be active.

Dad will likely be carrying around a small back pack... or "fanny pack" as I like to think of it (kinda hoping they'll give him a hot pink one) which will administer him the chemo drugs. I am not sure about all the details about that, I am sure when he starts I will be able to update that more with further information.

Radiation will happen with chemo -with the second round of chemo if he gets the study's new treatment plan- which will shoot the tumor to shrink it down. Radiation is a little tricky with esophageal cancer because of it's location so close to the heart. Hopefully he will be able to fatten himself up before the big surgery once the radiation shrinks the tumor down. I'm willing to join him in the fattening up process to show my support... that's what family does, you know.