It's been a month since I have added to this blog, and a lot has happened since then. First, Heather is fine. She has the monthly low white cell count followed with her Neupogen shot, or as in some months - shots. She is getting so much better getting those. The last two months she has begun to battle low platlet counts, but she always seems to get those back up. If all goes well, she only has four more months of Temador. However, I have now begun to worry about the "what next?" phase of our life. Heather's next visit with Dr. Chang is October 7, so we will once again be waiting with baited breath for good news.
With Ted Kennedy's passing, a new surge in brain cancer awareness has risen. Our "Wear Gray for a Day" event has taken a life of its own - from Omaha, to St. Louis, to Atlanta, to many other areas, September 18 may see a lot of gray everywhere! Proudly wearing gray and letting people know why is what we need to spread the word that awareness and research is a must for brain cancer. No insurance plan in the world is good enough if a cure is not found.
Instead of ending with brain cancer information, I am going to end with a reflection. This past month has brought our family some sadness. Jon's father passed away on Saturday, August 29 after brief complications from various aging issues. The weeks have been stressful for the family as we tried to provide comfort for the pain and reassurance for the unknown. His father has always been "fiesty," and he lived that until the very end. We will all miss the family patriarch and one of Heather's constant supporters. He loved her - and all his grandchildren - very much. RIP Charles Marvin Roberts!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
Cure Cancer!
Once again we are blessed with good news. Heather's tumor has not grown and the scar tissue is not as enhanced as before. Dr. Chang said, "This scan is the best I could hope for." We will take it!
For the first time I did not go to San Fransisco with Heather; Jon went instead. School has resumed and I had some meetings I should not miss - new technology that is generations ahead of me! Anyway, even though I knew she was safe with Jon and my sister, I wanted to be there. Once I was on speaker phone and heard Dr. Chang's message, all was good. Then I wanted to be there to help celebrate. Oh well. . .
The plan remains as last time: Temador through December. I am very nervous for her to go off Temador because things are going so well on it. In fact, she handled her tiredness better this time I think. She will see Dr. Chang in October, December, February, and then every three months instead of two if all goes well. That will be another adjustment for us.
In the meantime, we continue to pray for new advancements in treating this aggressive form of brain cancer. I know there are studies and trials all the time, but we need one that WORKS! So I'm thinking, a cure for ALL cancers would be awesome! Never settle, so let's go for the best.
Heather likes her new job and the people with whom she works. She is so lucky to have a job and to work with such a great group of doctors, nurses, and medical support staff. She feels at home.
Some other exciting news: Old Chicago (downtown) is sponsoring Monster Bash Thursday, October 29. Doors open at 6:30, $20 per person, appetizers, live band, costume contest, raffles, and silent auction - it should be tons of fun! In addition, instead of drink tickets this year, we are offering a special brew (made just for Monster Bash) and it will be free! Can't beat that offer. More information will be posted on the "events" link on the website soon. Old Chicago is preparing posters and t-shirts.
Other good news: "Wear Gray for a Day" on Friday, September 18. If your business would like to participate, let me know. LFAC will provide stickers to wear and raffle prizes for the office. Someone in Atlanta is promoting this same event, so it's our first step for a national effort. WEAR GRAY on September 18 and show your support for brain cancer awareness!
Again, we are so excited about Heather's report. She is fighting to win this war, and I think she will succeed. Have you tried to cross her before? I don't think even brain cancer wants to do that! Thank you for all your prayers; please keep them coming. I believe in the power of prayer, and I believe it is working for Heather. And as you are praying for her, please add Bob Sitzman to your list. He is currently fighting his battle with recurring lymphoma, and he needs the power of pray to work for him too. Pray for a cure for cancer.
In closing, I find a spark of hope in the following:
The different ways that patients respond to drugs make brain cancer hard to treat, but a new way to analyze brain tumors could help pinpoint which patients will benefit from a newly-approved drug.Bronnie McNabb underwent surgery, radiation and chemotherapy to fight brain tumors, but he always developed new ones. Since taking the new drug Avastin, however, his tumors are gone. "This is probably the best I have felt since this (cancer) first came on," McNabb said.
Although Avastin worked for McNabb, about half of patients with recurring cancer don't respond to it. A new way to analyze brain scans, developed by researchers at the University of California-Los Angeles, could help determine which tumors might respond to Avastin. Some glioblastoma tumors – the deadliest form of brain cancer – are more solid, while others contain more moving water, according to researchers' findings published in the July issue of Radiology.
"What we're looking at is the movement of water molecules within the tumor," explained Dr. Whitney Pope, director of radiology resident research at UCLA. "And what we've found is that tumors that have a lot of water molecules due to the death of cells within the tumor, those are tumors that respond well to Avastin."
Glioblastoma strikes about 12,000 Americans a year. When every day counts, knowing if tumors will respond to certain drugs is critical. "I've gone several months beyond what they told me would be my outside length of time to survive," McNabb said.
Researchers hope that one day they'll be able to tell exactly which tumors will respond to Avastin and other cancer-fighting drugs.
For the first time I did not go to San Fransisco with Heather; Jon went instead. School has resumed and I had some meetings I should not miss - new technology that is generations ahead of me! Anyway, even though I knew she was safe with Jon and my sister, I wanted to be there. Once I was on speaker phone and heard Dr. Chang's message, all was good. Then I wanted to be there to help celebrate. Oh well. . .
The plan remains as last time: Temador through December. I am very nervous for her to go off Temador because things are going so well on it. In fact, she handled her tiredness better this time I think. She will see Dr. Chang in October, December, February, and then every three months instead of two if all goes well. That will be another adjustment for us.
In the meantime, we continue to pray for new advancements in treating this aggressive form of brain cancer. I know there are studies and trials all the time, but we need one that WORKS! So I'm thinking, a cure for ALL cancers would be awesome! Never settle, so let's go for the best.
Heather likes her new job and the people with whom she works. She is so lucky to have a job and to work with such a great group of doctors, nurses, and medical support staff. She feels at home.
Some other exciting news: Old Chicago (downtown) is sponsoring Monster Bash Thursday, October 29. Doors open at 6:30, $20 per person, appetizers, live band, costume contest, raffles, and silent auction - it should be tons of fun! In addition, instead of drink tickets this year, we are offering a special brew (made just for Monster Bash) and it will be free! Can't beat that offer. More information will be posted on the "events" link on the website soon. Old Chicago is preparing posters and t-shirts.
Other good news: "Wear Gray for a Day" on Friday, September 18. If your business would like to participate, let me know. LFAC will provide stickers to wear and raffle prizes for the office. Someone in Atlanta is promoting this same event, so it's our first step for a national effort. WEAR GRAY on September 18 and show your support for brain cancer awareness!
Again, we are so excited about Heather's report. She is fighting to win this war, and I think she will succeed. Have you tried to cross her before? I don't think even brain cancer wants to do that! Thank you for all your prayers; please keep them coming. I believe in the power of prayer, and I believe it is working for Heather. And as you are praying for her, please add Bob Sitzman to your list. He is currently fighting his battle with recurring lymphoma, and he needs the power of pray to work for him too. Pray for a cure for cancer.
In closing, I find a spark of hope in the following:
The different ways that patients respond to drugs make brain cancer hard to treat, but a new way to analyze brain tumors could help pinpoint which patients will benefit from a newly-approved drug.Bronnie McNabb underwent surgery, radiation and chemotherapy to fight brain tumors, but he always developed new ones. Since taking the new drug Avastin, however, his tumors are gone. "This is probably the best I have felt since this (cancer) first came on," McNabb said.
Although Avastin worked for McNabb, about half of patients with recurring cancer don't respond to it. A new way to analyze brain scans, developed by researchers at the University of California-Los Angeles, could help determine which tumors might respond to Avastin. Some glioblastoma tumors – the deadliest form of brain cancer – are more solid, while others contain more moving water, according to researchers' findings published in the July issue of Radiology.
"What we're looking at is the movement of water molecules within the tumor," explained Dr. Whitney Pope, director of radiology resident research at UCLA. "And what we've found is that tumors that have a lot of water molecules due to the death of cells within the tumor, those are tumors that respond well to Avastin."
Glioblastoma strikes about 12,000 Americans a year. When every day counts, knowing if tumors will respond to certain drugs is critical. "I've gone several months beyond what they told me would be my outside length of time to survive," McNabb said.
Researchers hope that one day they'll be able to tell exactly which tumors will respond to Avastin and other cancer-fighting drugs.
Friday, July 24, 2009
On August 5, Heather heads to San Francisco again for another appointment with Dr. Chang. As always, now is the time that I start to think too much about it - this time even more. For the first time, I won't be going with Heather. And, it is already driving me crazy. However, Jon will be with her the entire time, so she will be in good hands, but I want to be there too. I don't feel I can miss the first two days of school without getting far behind before we even start, so I opted out this trip.
Heather's white cell count was low again; in fact, the lowest for her yet. But the nupergen shots seem to work so far, so the chemo can continue. Her red count is also down, but that just means she will sleep more. Today she had a problem with her infusion - arm swelling from vein popping - so she was a sad sack for a while. But, the trooper that she is - off to work after a quick recuperation at the oncology infusion site.
Speaking of off to work, she has been in training for about two weeks now. I think she will be "cut loose" soon to tackle it on her own. The best part of this job? She works with the two doctors who I continue to praise for saving her life: Dr. Denman and Dr. Daryani.
While it is sometimes easy to slip into a routine, we are always reminded of the fight so many people are battling every day. Heather is one of millions who have a life-threatening disease, and one of thousands who is battling brain cancer. From young to old, cancer of all types attacks its victims. Brain cancer has had few new treatment developments in over a decade, so it is "our" turn to see some new advancements in diagnosis and treatment.
As for LFAC, we are in the beginning stages of our 2009 - 2010 fundraising efforts. WEAR GRAY FOR A DAY is September 18. Anyone wanting a sticker to wear for the day, please contact me (sue.leapforacure@gmail.com or jonroberts402@msn.com). We will send the sticker and information to anyone who is interested in participating. Monster Bash is being planned as well. Soon, more information will be posted on the events link. Another UNO Hockey event is in the works - who can we get to shave his / her head????? The car show crashed this year, but I think we can get one going for June 2010. And, a bike ride is being planned for fall 2010! We won't stop until a cure is found.
Instead of posting brain cancer information this time, I am going to close with a link that has a ton of information / stories about brain cancer: http://www.greyribboncrusade.org/ LFAC is a proud member.
Heather's white cell count was low again; in fact, the lowest for her yet. But the nupergen shots seem to work so far, so the chemo can continue. Her red count is also down, but that just means she will sleep more. Today she had a problem with her infusion - arm swelling from vein popping - so she was a sad sack for a while. But, the trooper that she is - off to work after a quick recuperation at the oncology infusion site.
Speaking of off to work, she has been in training for about two weeks now. I think she will be "cut loose" soon to tackle it on her own. The best part of this job? She works with the two doctors who I continue to praise for saving her life: Dr. Denman and Dr. Daryani.
While it is sometimes easy to slip into a routine, we are always reminded of the fight so many people are battling every day. Heather is one of millions who have a life-threatening disease, and one of thousands who is battling brain cancer. From young to old, cancer of all types attacks its victims. Brain cancer has had few new treatment developments in over a decade, so it is "our" turn to see some new advancements in diagnosis and treatment.
As for LFAC, we are in the beginning stages of our 2009 - 2010 fundraising efforts. WEAR GRAY FOR A DAY is September 18. Anyone wanting a sticker to wear for the day, please contact me (sue.leapforacure@gmail.com or jonroberts402@msn.com). We will send the sticker and information to anyone who is interested in participating. Monster Bash is being planned as well. Soon, more information will be posted on the events link. Another UNO Hockey event is in the works - who can we get to shave his / her head????? The car show crashed this year, but I think we can get one going for June 2010. And, a bike ride is being planned for fall 2010! We won't stop until a cure is found.
Instead of posting brain cancer information this time, I am going to close with a link that has a ton of information / stories about brain cancer: http://www.greyribboncrusade.org/ LFAC is a proud member.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Good News is Sometimes "Relative"
Heather finished her June chemo, and she actually handled it quite well. Her white blood cell count was a bit low again, so another shot. The shots make her bones ache, so her back suffered a bit. However, it is now Friday - 5 days from last chemo pill and 4 days from last shot. She seems to have managed both, but she is tired (slept until 11:00 this morning!).
Her left side continues to be a bit weaker - a bit less coordinated? - than her right side. As she and I were walking the other night, her dog Sky started running from firework noises. Heather tried to run - OK, it was funny in a sick way - but she looked something like the Hunchback of Norte Dame. Thank goodness she kept it all under control!
Her good news is that she got a job! She begins the paperwork on Monday, July 6 with training to follow. I know she is excited about where she will be working, but the pay is low. So, she has started free-lancing and seems to enjoy it so far. We will see.
Our dear friend Bob, whose situation was noted in my last entry, finally received his updated cancer information. Again, good news is relative. His lymphoma is in his stomach and right kidney. Yes, it could be worse; for that we are all grateful. However, it could be better; for that we are sad. Our entire "clan" will be there supporting Bob and Robyn.
As July 4 approaches tomorrow, we celebrate our independence and once again thank all past, present, and future military personnel who protect it.
Brain Cancer Information: Brain tumors are unique because they occur in the skull -- a confined space with rigid walls. A brain tumor takes up space normally allocated to the brain. As the tumor continues to grow, it pushes aside or compresses the brain. This can cause a build up of pressure in the skull that leads to symptoms such as headaches, seizures and strokes. Brain tumor treatment is designed to eliminate the tumor or reduce tumor size, thus allowing the surrounding brain to resume its normal functions.
Her left side continues to be a bit weaker - a bit less coordinated? - than her right side. As she and I were walking the other night, her dog Sky started running from firework noises. Heather tried to run - OK, it was funny in a sick way - but she looked something like the Hunchback of Norte Dame. Thank goodness she kept it all under control!
Her good news is that she got a job! She begins the paperwork on Monday, July 6 with training to follow. I know she is excited about where she will be working, but the pay is low. So, she has started free-lancing and seems to enjoy it so far. We will see.
Our dear friend Bob, whose situation was noted in my last entry, finally received his updated cancer information. Again, good news is relative. His lymphoma is in his stomach and right kidney. Yes, it could be worse; for that we are all grateful. However, it could be better; for that we are sad. Our entire "clan" will be there supporting Bob and Robyn.
As July 4 approaches tomorrow, we celebrate our independence and once again thank all past, present, and future military personnel who protect it.
Brain Cancer Information: Brain tumors are unique because they occur in the skull -- a confined space with rigid walls. A brain tumor takes up space normally allocated to the brain. As the tumor continues to grow, it pushes aside or compresses the brain. This can cause a build up of pressure in the skull that leads to symptoms such as headaches, seizures and strokes. Brain tumor treatment is designed to eliminate the tumor or reduce tumor size, thus allowing the surrounding brain to resume its normal functions.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Heather's Turn
Oh, the lessons we learn in life! As many already know, Heather's place of employment closed its doors on Monday, June 8. The people who have been so supportive, so flexible, so everything - Ted and Kathy Baer - could not keep the doors open. Heather felt - and still feels - so sorry for them. They are the hardest working people she knows, other than Bob Sitzman (who will be a part of this in a bit). I think Heather felt as bad for Ted and Kathy as she did for herself not having a job - and of course, INSURANCE! OK - panic for a few days until we found some insurance that she cannot afford, but mom and dad can. Because the doors closed and the business is no longer, COBRA was not an option. Now, Heather is pounding the streets - well, sort of - to find another job. She has had two interviews for the same position and will know next Tuesday if we can celebrate. Otherwise, there has been little to no activity. YIKES.
But, once again, we look at this situation as just another curve ball. Life is filled with them and it is how we react to those balls that make us who we are. Laughter, togetherness, commitment, prayer - they all work wonders, especially in times of need. How does this make it "Heather's Turn"? Jon's best friend in the world and our girls' "second dad" - Bob Sitzman - is going to go through his cancer battle again. He survived mantle cell lymphoma treatment - a chemo cocktail and bone marrow transplant almost 5 years ago. But today, he received the diagnosis that it has returned in his stomach. Bob and Robyn have been there for us and for Heather every step in our journey, much like we were there in Bob's last journey. Bob gave Heather the courage to fight her cancer and the support of knowledge about treatment. It is now Heather's turn to support Bob again, but this time she knows so much more than she did before. He has been her mentor; now she must show him what she has learned from him. Their bond is strong.
Jon and I know so much more this time around as well. Where we may have fallen short last time, we will not fall this time. Morning - noon - night: we will be there for Bob and Robyn!
As Heather begins her next round of chemo on Wednesday, she and Bob will be facing it together. As we pray for Heather's success, we also pray for Bob's. Both of these people deserve to share their special gifts with the world for many years to come.
Now, for some brain cancer information:
Gliomas arise from the "gluey," or supportive tissue of the brain. There are several different types of gliomas. The type of glioma is determined by the cells that give rise to the tumor. Astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, glioblastoma, oligoastrocytoma are all examples of gliomas. Glioblastoma multiforme, anaplastic astrocytoma, and higher grade oligodendrogliomas are referred to as "high grade gliomas."
But, once again, we look at this situation as just another curve ball. Life is filled with them and it is how we react to those balls that make us who we are. Laughter, togetherness, commitment, prayer - they all work wonders, especially in times of need. How does this make it "Heather's Turn"? Jon's best friend in the world and our girls' "second dad" - Bob Sitzman - is going to go through his cancer battle again. He survived mantle cell lymphoma treatment - a chemo cocktail and bone marrow transplant almost 5 years ago. But today, he received the diagnosis that it has returned in his stomach. Bob and Robyn have been there for us and for Heather every step in our journey, much like we were there in Bob's last journey. Bob gave Heather the courage to fight her cancer and the support of knowledge about treatment. It is now Heather's turn to support Bob again, but this time she knows so much more than she did before. He has been her mentor; now she must show him what she has learned from him. Their bond is strong.
Jon and I know so much more this time around as well. Where we may have fallen short last time, we will not fall this time. Morning - noon - night: we will be there for Bob and Robyn!
As Heather begins her next round of chemo on Wednesday, she and Bob will be facing it together. As we pray for Heather's success, we also pray for Bob's. Both of these people deserve to share their special gifts with the world for many years to come.
Now, for some brain cancer information:
Gliomas arise from the "gluey," or supportive tissue of the brain. There are several different types of gliomas. The type of glioma is determined by the cells that give rise to the tumor. Astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, glioblastoma, oligoastrocytoma are all examples of gliomas. Glioblastoma multiforme, anaplastic astrocytoma, and higher grade oligodendrogliomas are referred to as "high grade gliomas."
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Blessed Again :)
Our trip to UCSF Medical Center could not have been better - which is relative, I know. Dr. Chang told us that Heather's tumor does not appear to have changed. In addition, the enhanced area around the tumor seems to be smaller than two months ago. With that said, there is always caution involved; however, we are VERY pleased and happy with that information.
Another good piece of information: Heather has only six months of chemo left. We were told by another doctor that some people remain on Temador for 4 - 5 years if their body can handle it. Somehow, the conversation lead us to believe that was the goal for Heather. Anyway, Dr. Chang told us that Heather is being treated aggressively, so we will hopefully be able to remain on Temador for one year if her body tolerates it. She has completed 6 of the 12 months. She will also continue to see Dr. Chang every two months. After she is off Temador for two months, she will again see Dr. Chang in two months. Then, if all goes well, Heather will start seeing Dr. Chang every three months.
Now, what does the future hold? Heather's type of brain cancer will grow again one day. However, as I wrote and told Casey William (a young MWHS graduate who now lives in LA and has just been diagnosed with giloblastoma multiforme) last night, that day does not have to be soon! We believe that new successful treatments are just around the corner. We believe Heather will beat this. We believe it is brain cancer's turn for a cure!
As I read Casey's blog, I became motivated once again to spread the word about brain cancer awareness. He too is asking that we spread the need for awareness. I feel LFAC has that mission covered, so we better get going again.
As always, thank you to those who faithfully read about Heather's Journey. I am going to start closing each entry with some brain cancer information:
Gliomas arise from the glial, or supportive, cells in the brain. There are different types of gliomas. Astrocytomas are gliomas arising from “star-shaped” cells called astrocytes. Oligodendrogliomas arise from “fried-egg shaped” cells called oligodendrocytes. Ependymomas arise from “corn-kernel shaped” cells called ependymal cells. When the specific tumor diagnosis is made by the pathologist, the tumor is also “graded.” This number grade is based on how normal – or abnormal – the tumor cells appear when examined under a microscope. Grade I tumor cells look slightly unusual when compared to normal brain tissue cells. On the other end of the scale, grade IV tumor cells appear to be very abnormal. In this four tier system, grade I tumors are called “benign,” grade II tumors are called “low-grade,” grade III (or anaplastic) and grade IV (or glioblastoma) tumors are called “high grade” tumors.
Another good piece of information: Heather has only six months of chemo left. We were told by another doctor that some people remain on Temador for 4 - 5 years if their body can handle it. Somehow, the conversation lead us to believe that was the goal for Heather. Anyway, Dr. Chang told us that Heather is being treated aggressively, so we will hopefully be able to remain on Temador for one year if her body tolerates it. She has completed 6 of the 12 months. She will also continue to see Dr. Chang every two months. After she is off Temador for two months, she will again see Dr. Chang in two months. Then, if all goes well, Heather will start seeing Dr. Chang every three months.
Now, what does the future hold? Heather's type of brain cancer will grow again one day. However, as I wrote and told Casey William (a young MWHS graduate who now lives in LA and has just been diagnosed with giloblastoma multiforme) last night, that day does not have to be soon! We believe that new successful treatments are just around the corner. We believe Heather will beat this. We believe it is brain cancer's turn for a cure!
As I read Casey's blog, I became motivated once again to spread the word about brain cancer awareness. He too is asking that we spread the need for awareness. I feel LFAC has that mission covered, so we better get going again.
As always, thank you to those who faithfully read about Heather's Journey. I am going to start closing each entry with some brain cancer information:
Gliomas arise from the glial, or supportive, cells in the brain. There are different types of gliomas. Astrocytomas are gliomas arising from “star-shaped” cells called astrocytes. Oligodendrogliomas arise from “fried-egg shaped” cells called oligodendrocytes. Ependymomas arise from “corn-kernel shaped” cells called ependymal cells. When the specific tumor diagnosis is made by the pathologist, the tumor is also “graded.” This number grade is based on how normal – or abnormal – the tumor cells appear when examined under a microscope. Grade I tumor cells look slightly unusual when compared to normal brain tissue cells. On the other end of the scale, grade IV tumor cells appear to be very abnormal. In this four tier system, grade I tumors are called “benign,” grade II tumors are called “low-grade,” grade III (or anaplastic) and grade IV (or glioblastoma) tumors are called “high grade” tumors.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Spirit of Phillanthropy
On April 28, 2009, Leap-for-a-Cure was honored at the annual "Friends of the Foundation" event. At first, I was not certain what it was all about, but the more I learned, the greater my appreciation.
So many people are deserving of such awards, and in our first year of fundraising, we were one of three who were honored. As I looked around the room, the magnitude of the event finally reached its peak. All I can say is "WOW!" Soon the DVD will be downloaded to our website.
Heather is doing well. She finished her chemo and has been off for two weeks. Her white cell count is down, so she had to have another Neupogen shot, and Heather HATES shots! She is tired all the time, but she still functions in a daily routine for about two weeks a month. During her chemo (5 days), she is exhausted and sleeps about 18 hours or more a day. Then she remains tired for about 10 days, begins to perk up for about 7 days, and then is good for about 6 days when her chemo starts over again.
One minor concern is that Heather is starting to have some headaches, but the oncologist thinks they are from sinus issues, not from brain cancer. Her next MRI is in about 3 weeks, so that is reassuring.
We head to SF in early June for a fun-day Thursday before the Friday of medical appointments. The trip is short as we return on Saturday. Our trips have become routine, so our biggest job is deciding what to do and where to go the day before the appointment. We are currently in our planning stages for this next visit. Michele is going to join us as well.
My friend Robyn and I are in the beginning stages of planning a "Bike for Brain Cancer" for the 2010 fall. We THINK we understand the amount of work behind it, but once again, we are probably naive, which in our case is good. I will have to keep you posted on this endeavor!
Thank you to the faithful who read about Heather's journey. I still feel it is part therapy for me to share my thoughts and ideas. I also pray that this blog continues for YEARS and YEARS to come because I won't stop until Heather is cured.
So many people are deserving of such awards, and in our first year of fundraising, we were one of three who were honored. As I looked around the room, the magnitude of the event finally reached its peak. All I can say is "WOW!" Soon the DVD will be downloaded to our website.
Heather is doing well. She finished her chemo and has been off for two weeks. Her white cell count is down, so she had to have another Neupogen shot, and Heather HATES shots! She is tired all the time, but she still functions in a daily routine for about two weeks a month. During her chemo (5 days), she is exhausted and sleeps about 18 hours or more a day. Then she remains tired for about 10 days, begins to perk up for about 7 days, and then is good for about 6 days when her chemo starts over again.
One minor concern is that Heather is starting to have some headaches, but the oncologist thinks they are from sinus issues, not from brain cancer. Her next MRI is in about 3 weeks, so that is reassuring.
We head to SF in early June for a fun-day Thursday before the Friday of medical appointments. The trip is short as we return on Saturday. Our trips have become routine, so our biggest job is deciding what to do and where to go the day before the appointment. We are currently in our planning stages for this next visit. Michele is going to join us as well.
My friend Robyn and I are in the beginning stages of planning a "Bike for Brain Cancer" for the 2010 fall. We THINK we understand the amount of work behind it, but once again, we are probably naive, which in our case is good. I will have to keep you posted on this endeavor!
Thank you to the faithful who read about Heather's journey. I still feel it is part therapy for me to share my thoughts and ideas. I also pray that this blog continues for YEARS and YEARS to come because I won't stop until Heather is cured.
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