An overdue update

Well, many of you have noted that I have not updated the blog in some time. Some of you know that is because my computer has been broken. On Tuesday the computer was repaired at no cost to me (with a new logic board)!!!

So, here is what you have missed. . .

The second cycle of chemotherapy followed the pattern of the first. The first treatment went well. The second treatment had to be approved by Dr. Ritch because of a borderline platelet count. The third treatment was skipped because my dad's platelets were too low. Of course, in this cycle there were only three treatments scheduled.

My parents went to Door County for a few days before Easter. Rhys was very excited to join them on this trip. He hadn't been to the house since fall and was thrilled with all the new changes.

My family and I all spent Easter together. It was a wonderful day, but I was very sick with a fever, sore throat, and headache. I joked that my dad felt better than I did which was very true. I am finally better although I still have a lingering cough.

After Easter, my dad continued to keep very busy doing taxes for all the last minute clients. I wish I could have helped him, but was too sick to be of any use to him.

On Monday after Easter my mom went to the Milwaukee Catholic Home and resigned her position. With a tearful goodbye to fellow employees, she answered a few questions relating to her job and collected her personal belongings.

The next day my dad was informed of the death of his Aunt Charolette McCauley. My parents had visited Aunt Charolette just before Easter because her health was failing rapidly. The obituary from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel can be read here. Below is a photograph of Aunt Charolette (on the left) and her daughter, Maureen. The photo was taken at my dad's birthday party in January.


My parents left for a week long trip to visit family and friends in Florida. Being that we live in Wisconsin, it snowed about five inches while they were gone! They enjoyed visits with Enders, Slaytons, Gordons (my dad's sister Francesca and her husband), and others. Alligators, anoles and geckos were prevalent.

While my parents were in Florida, I attended Aunt Charolette's funeral and enjoyed visiting with several of my cousins (one of whom I hadn't seen for about 25 years). I know my dad would have enjoyed visiting with everyone, too. I am glad I was able to attend in spite being ill. I wish I could have provided the above picture to the family for the funeral, but it was trapped inside my broken computer. Hopefully, the McCauley's will enjoy seeing it here.

That about brings everyone up-to-date. My dad continues to feel physically very well. His primary physical symptom is still that annoying diarrhea. There are some minor side effects from the dye when he has a CT scan. The anti-depressant medication helps to keep his mood more upbeat, so we are all pleased about that.

Thirty-eight years

Happy 38th Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Shrinking tumor!

Kyle and I went to the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center with my parents today. This is where my dad has oncology appointments and receives treatments. We saw Dr. Ritch, and my dad had a chemotherapy treatment.

After having four treatments out of a scheduled seven, the CT scan showed some shrinkage of the tumor mass in the body and tail of the pancreas!!! No cancer was seen on the CT scan in the abdomen or lungs. There can be cancer in these areas that doesn't show up on a CT scan. However, it is still better to not see cancer in these areas on the CT scan than to have them show up with cancer.

Also, the blood test used to monitor patients with pancreatic cancer had favorable results. My dad's level in January was about 4500; the result from Friday's test was 1162! More information about this test called the CA 19-9 Radioimmunoassay test is available on the PanCAN Website.

Dr Ritch said this is "very good news" especially considering my dad only had about half of the scheduled treatments! Unfortunately, we don't know how long the tumor will continue to respond to the treatments.

As was anticipated, chemotherapy treatments will now follow a three weeks on followed by one week off schedule. CT scans will be done after every two cycles. The treatments will still be once per week.

Chemotherapy days follow a usual pattern and take the whole morning. Blood draws are done first. Chemotherapy treatment is last. In the middle there is much waiting. Sometimes my dad has other appointments scheduled at the clinic. These occupy some of the waiting time. My dad may see Mary Jo (the psychiatric nurse practitioner), Dr. Ritch (the oncologist) or the rabbi (the rabbi). Mary Jo manages my dad's "psychedelic drugs" as he likes to call the antidepressant medication. Dr. Ritch monitors the cancer and manages the chemotherapy treatments. The rabbi provides spiritual care.

My family appreciates all of your prayers thus far. Keep up the good work! Also, I have a request: post a comment. My parents don't understand how many of you are reading this blog to keep up on his progress. Please post a comment to let them know you've been reading the blog, thinking about them, or praying. Thanks.

p.s. My dad's weight is up to 136 pounds from a low of 127. More good news. :-)

St. Patrick's Day

The arrival of St. Patrick's Day always reminds me of walking home from grade school in the warm spring breeze. This year my family (including my parents, brother, aunts, uncles, and cousins) celebrated the holiday in a especially nice way. My cousin was married on St. Patrick's Day.

Below is a picture from the wedding. This was during the "generation dance" where married couples dance until the number of years they have been married is called by the DJ. When your number is called, you are supposed to leave the dance floor. (Hint, hint, Greg and Darcy!) My parents along with two of my mom's siblings and their spouses were among the final dancers. Shown in the picture from left to right are my mom, my aunt Mary, my dad, and my uncle John. (Originally they were dancing with their respective spouses, but traded partners for the picture!)

Spring has arrived

I think spring has arrived! Most of the snow has finally melted, and the temperatures are warming up. In addition to the season, other changes are taking place. My parents changed countries (temporarily). The chemotherapy schedule is changing. Lastly, the house is Door County is changing.

My mom and dad have returned after a week long trip to Ireland. My brother and one of my brother's friends were able to accompany my parents at the last minute. They all had a wonderful time. Below is my mom's summary of the trip.

Ireland was great. We stayed in Castledaly Manor. It is an old manor in the middle of Ireland. The manor has a pub and a restaurant in it also.

Michael and one of his buddies came along with us. We went on tours every day. We saw many castles and churches. We saw many small towns and many pubs. We ate here, there and everywhere. We were in Dublin and Galway. We saw the Cliffs of Moher and the Clonmachnois.

Most days we got up in the morning and headed out. After an hour or so, we stopped in a small town and took a potty break at a local pub. Then, we would go to lunch which many times we had at a pub. On the way home we would stop in another town and would go into a pub. When we got back, we would spend the evening in the pub.

All of Ireland is nonsmoking so it was very nice to sit and eat and socialize in the pubs. The people in Ireland were very friendly. We did some shopping, and Phil went with the boys on a pub crawl one night. Many of the pubs had music and on the last night the pub at the manor has music and Irish dancers.

Phil felt fine and had no problems. We had a great trip and have many stories to tell. We came home Thursday at about 7pm.

My dad had a CT scan and blood work done on Friday after the trip. My parents have appointments to see the psychiatric nurse practitioner on Monday and Dr. Ritch, the oncologist, on Tuesday. My dad hasn't had chemotherapy since before the trip, but he should resume treatments again on Tuesday. The results of the third CT scan are also expected that day.

Also, my parents are planning another trip to Door County before Easter. The floor is done, so they can start moving furniture into the upstairs. The refrigerator, stove, and combination washer/dryer have been ordered and will be delivered soon. My dad and mom are excited.

Ireland

My parent are fulfilling a lifelong dream. They are in Ireland. Both my mom and my dad have Irish ancestry. My mom sent the following email from Ireland.

Having a great time. Weather is cool and on and off rain, but not stopping any activity. Feeding us well. Very interesting. The plane trip went without a problem.

I have seen many shades of green. The land is much different than home, but it is also many times like home. The exception: they do not have snow. The people are friendly and helpful. The Irish are building new homes and commercial buildings all over the place in small towns and big cities.

See you soon unless the leprechauns hold us.

Packing up at Rexnord

My dad, Rhys, and I went to Rexnord on Tuesday. After more than 30 years working there, my dad packed up his personal things. Among the things my dad packed was a piece of artwork with Michael's handprint. I am guessing it was made in kindergarten. A birthday card I made him with pressed Door County flowers and a school picture of me was also there. It was dated 1983. A photograph of Rhys when he was a baby brought tears to my dad's eyes.

I fondly remember when I was a child going into work with my dad on Saturday mornings. Sometimes Michael and I would get to make IBM punchcards with our names or other personalized sayings on them. My other childhood memory of Rexnord is of a big room with lots of machines "playing" tapes. They looked like giant reel-to-reel players. Computers sure were different in the late 70's!