Brenda's Healing Village

We've Been Sprung

2010-11-19T10:16:00.000-08:00

Great News VP's...we just got back from seeing Dr. Hanna and we're homeward bound tomorrow morning. YEA!! That's such fabulous music to our ears. Now it's time to pack our bags, get home, and get our lives back to normal...whatever that is!! Dr. Hanna said that Brenda is healing really well, but no lifting, and she can start working out very easy in 3 or so weeks...Brenda is just going to wait until after the holidays and slowly start back into her workout routine at the first of the year. We sure don't want that patch to create the bubble Michele is visualizing. That picture really cracks us up. No bubbles Michele...NO!!

He said he'd like to see Brenda again in 3 months and would work with all the other doctors to coordinate and maximize all the appointments. Maybe we can hold off until around February to come back.

So our gal is dripless and back on the healing track...that is such great news. We jet out of here at 11:35 tomorrow and when we get home we both have hair appointments. On Sunday, I'll drive down to Tucson and get Tanner. We'll do laundry and get everything ready to go to the cabin on Monday afternoon. Brenda did crack a tooth while we have been here so she has a dentist appointment on Monday morning. Our girl gets her wish...Thanksgiving at the cabin. That is going to be a great time. Don't worry...pictures will be coming.

Have a fantastic holiday, enjoy all the blessing that you have been given...Life is Good.

Toodles from Houston..
Dee and Dripless Brenda

The Patient is Sprung!

2010-11-15T10:17:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone...I know you're all wondering who won the smoke alarm fight...I DID!!! Did you think otherwise? I finally got the maintenance man up here, after 2 visits to the office, and had him put in new batteries and then disconnect both of them from the hardwired electrical source...yea! Silence from the infernal churp is wonderful!! The alarm still works because of the battery but there must have been some kind of electrical short. Dee -1 / Smoke Alarm - 0!!!

I know you're all anxious to hear how Brenda is doing so let me get to that. I sprang her from the hospital around noon yesterday with instructions that she should take it easy for the rest of the week. That's not a problem because there's not much to do here!! She was a little wobbly after spending 4 days in bed, but she's allowed to get up and move a little so I'm sure she'll be up to flying home on Saturday if the doc says she's good to go. We see him on Friday. She's not supposed to lift anything over the weight of a gallon of milk so that's why I've been working out these days!! I've now become the sherpa!! Thank heaven she can pull the rolling luggage bag.

We spent the rest of the day watching football...what else are you supposed to do in a foreign town, stuck in an apartment, when it's cool and cloudy outside. And on that note...what on earth happen to the Steelers yesterday? Tom Brady and the Patriots really smacked them last night...OUCH!

Neither of us have been sleeping very well so we resorted to a couple different meds and slept like logs...man! Did we sure need that. We now are beginning to feel human again. Sleep is soooo underrated. It's still a cool, cloudy, and a drizzly day in Houston so I think we'll just pop some movies in the DVD and settle in. I thought I'd add a pic of our gal so you could see how well she looks. She really is recovering nicely...and no more DRIP!! YEA! Keep your fingers crossed that it will hold. Marshall Vic...Have that "Great Stuff" handy in case we need it! Ha!

Love to you all...
Dee and Brenda...the dripless!

Saturday Update...

2010-11-13T07:47:00.000-08:00

Good morning from a cloudy, breezy, cool Houston...First off, I'll give you an update from room P1118 at MD Anderson.

All goes well with our favorite patient. The night of surgery Brenda had a little bit of a scare when her nose started to bleed when she got up to go to the bathroom...it also scared the on duty nurse so they called the on duty doc. He really didn't know what to do...dah!! When Doc Charlie, Dr. Hanna's "fellow," came in to check on Bren Friday morning...he said that was normal and they expected that to happen. Well Hell! Wouldn't that have been nice if they told us to expect some blood!!! Too obvious I guess...UGH! So the best news is that everything is going as expected and she's healing well...YEA!! They want her in bed for another day and then she can come back to the apartment and continue to recoup here.

Michele...OK on the use of the word "CODE" when speaking about hospital patients...crack me up. But you have to remember that I spent 30 years in law enforcement and only a year and a half in health care...the law enforcement side always takes over...always! Remember you wanted us to come to Africa with you to protect you from any hungry animal!!

OK...here's one for you. I think God is mad at me for some reason and that's not good. Yesterday morning, just as I was about ready to leave the apartment to go over to the hospital, the smoke detector in the hall started to churp...that is a sound straight from hell. I'm sure that all of you have tried to live through the churp of your smoke detector...it usually goes off around 2:00 am...UGH! So I knew that damn thing had to get repaired PRONTO. I called the maintenance folks and put a work order in, gave them permission to enter the apartment, took out all the valuables (remember...30 years of law enforcement!!!) and went off to visit my favorite patient.

I spent all afternoon and the evening with Bren and then came home around 9:00 PM. I walked into the apartment and found the work order on the counter that said they had entered and I ASSUMED fixed the problem. I was tired and just wanted to check my e-mail and then go to bed when all of a sudden the damn smoke detector...yep...started CHURPING!!! NOOOOOOOOOO! It was now 9:30 at night and I knew I just couldn't sleep through the damn churping alarm. And you guessed it...when I called the maintenance number they said there was nothing they could do...the work order was still OPEN but it wasn't an emergency. In whose opinion was that!!! Certainly not the light sleeper that was supposed to sleep through the damn alarm!!!

So I decided to isolate the alarm (close the door to the hall that had the offending beast), drug myself with a full dose of Ambien, and sleep on the couch. Can you believe this? Man! Was I pissed! God...what are you trying to tell me??? OK...I fixed up the couch, turned on the TV, took my Ambien and tried to calm down!! I actually slept. But all is still not fixed!! It started its infernal churping again this morning so off to the office I went. We'll see if they can fix it. I've got to get this dang thing fixed before Bren comes home...trust me...I will or the smoke detectors will be destroyed and I'll claim temporary insanity.

I'm doing the laundry and getting the apartment cleaned up for Brenda's return tomorrow. I called her and she's doing well. The bleeding is subsiding, she got a good nights sleep and a good breakfast, and the doc said that all was looking good for her to go home tomorrow. We're on target folks!!

I'll keep you posted on who wins the alarm war...any bets?

Have a great day and pray for me!!! Ha!
Dee the Destroyer

Code 4 from Houston

2010-11-11T17:40:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone...I had a horrible time trying to get on the internet at the hospital today so I had to wait until I got back to the apartment to get on the computer.

Everything is "CODE 4." That's police jargon for "All's OK." The surgery was a success with NO complications...now that's music to our ears. We had to be there for check-in at 5:30 so that meant we got up at 4:30...have I told you that we are NOT morning people?!! UGH! But the sooner in, the sooner out! Dr. Hanna started the surgery at 8:00 and he was out talking to me at 10:30. He said he found the leaks visually and was able to use existing tissue in her sinus to create flaps that covered the areas where the leaks were occurring. He glued them in place and then used some self absorbing packing to hold that in place. Amazingly enough when I saw her...she could breathe through her nose!! There is a God! We were really worrying about that because she has no saliva and so breathing through her mouth is a nightmare and we had visions of really restless, interrupted sleep. YEA! She's going to get some good rest now. Dr. Hanna said he wanted her to stay in the hospital for a couple days to keep her from jogging or jumping around...bed rest is the name of the game for now.

So I was expecting long strings of cotton coming out her nose, tubes, and all sorts of stuff...what was I thinking!!...this wasn't a horror movie. She looked just fine...groggy and with left over disinfectant wash on her face, but she looked just fine. She said she had a headache and could feel a pressure in the area where they did the surgery, but as the day went on, the grogginess wore off, and she got some pain meds and her other usual medicine. She was doing great when I left tonight. She had a great dinner of fish and vegetables plus some veggie soup so I felt I could go back to the apartment and get some good sleep in a real bed instead of spending the night in those horrible chairs. I am sooo pooped!

So dear friends...all is well...the dripping has stopped and the healing has begun once again. Thanks ever so much for all the positive thoughts and prayers...they help so much.

More tomorrow...sleep tight!
Dee

We're Back!!!

2010-11-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone...well we're back in our Houston apartment ready to get Brenda's dang leak fixed once and for all! Going home was both wonderful and tragic. Many of you know that we lost our 7 year old Dobie, Abbie, who passed way on Halloween night. Our hearts still hurt so very much over her untimely death. She had a condition called DCM...dilated cardio myopathy. It's a disorder that has really plagued the Doberman breed. I had her heart tested every 4 months, we had her on heart meds, and she was even lined up to take part in a stem cell study. We also knew that she could die very suddenly from the disease and that's exactly what happened. At least it was very quick and painless. Tanner...our 3 year old male Dobie is absolutely lost without Abbie...she did all the thinking for him so now he's going to have to find his own unique identity. But maybe the schedule worked out this way so we could spend some days with Abbie and that she could pass at home. Rest in peace dear Abbie and thanks for bringing such joy to our lives. Continue to guard the house...that's your job!

We did get to have a really fun pizza party (home made pizza on the grill,) got to see our friends, and get some projects done. I thought I'd add some pictures to this post because...well...because it's just fun ro see some pics. You'll see our great friends at the pizza party and Pat playing "airplane" with Ryder...man! did he love that game. Julie...he might follow in your footsteps and be a pilot. He just liked that movement so much. Then there's a pic of our usual bedtime routine where I watch an episode of "Lie to Me" on my iPad while Tanner lounges in his favorite bedtime position...what a character. Then there's the priceless photo of Brenda in her new "Monkey" pajamas (thanks Becky) impersonating the very famous "Sock Monkey!!" Great impression don't you think? She is such a character...that sense of humor she has is just priceless and has certainly helped her get through all this crap.

We flew back to Houston yesterday, went to eat at Pappas BBQ, and then went over to the clinic bright and early this morning for Brenda's pre-surgery appointment. That took a couple hours and we headed for breakfast after. The skys clouded over and by the time we got back to the apartment it started to rain. Now what does an Arizona gal do on a cloudy, rainy, cool afternoon? You're right...she takes a good long nap!!! Man! did that feel great! And it's a good thing I got that nap in because we called the clinic this afternoon and learned that Brenda's check-in time for her surgery tomorrow is 5:30 AM - UGH!! At least Dr. Hanna will be fresh as he tickles the base of Brenda's brain...that just sounds wrong for some reason!!! Ha!

So dear friends...I'll check in tomorrow after the surgery and let you know how our gal is doing. She should only be in the hospital for about a day for observation. Keep her in your prayers and positive thoughts. More later...

Dee, Guardian of the Princess

We're Going Home!!!

2010-10-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

We just got back from seeing Dr. Hanna. They identified where the leak is coming from and he said that he can repair it by going through Brenda's nose. YEA!! He said it's a delicate surgery that he doesn't want to try and squeeze in someplace and then find that he doesn't have the right amount of time to make sure this is done right. We totally get that and have absolutely no issue with it. That's exactly why we came back to Houston to get this done. So the bad news is that he can't get us on the schedule until November 11th...UGH!!

Well, the Executive Assistant to the Princess was very happy that the proposed fix for the leak was looking like it would be pretty straight forward and we definitely came to the right guy to do the fix. Dr. Hanna said that there wouldn't be a lot of pain and very little blood loss and although other things could happen, but with the good Lords help...it won't. The thing I wasn't happy with was the long wait until we could get this done...UGH! I hate sitting around when there's so much to do at home. GRRRRRRRR.

So we thought about this and ran some money issues through our brains and we both decided we'd go home until we had to come back for the surgery. YEA!!! I actually had a free ticket from using my Southwest Airline credit card so the trip home cost us $5.00...some tax thing!! AMAZING...God sure gives you gifts when you ask...This is a best news. We are now both wonderfully happy campers...in the words of the immortal "Dorothy" from Wizard of OZ..."There's no place like home!" So we fly out at 12:15 and we'll be in Phoenix by 1:15...I'll have the dogs by 4:00 and back by the time Survivor hits the TV at 7:00...yea!

So we'll come back on Nov. 9th, Have an appointment with the anesthesiologist on the 10th and then the surgery on the 11th. Dr. Hanna said she's just be in the hospital for about 24 hours for observation and then could recoup at the apartment for a week. She'll see the doc on 18th and we'll probably be able to fly home on the 19th....YEA!!!

So there ya have it...we finally have the plan for this phrase of the cure. The leak will finally get fixed.

Keep posted on the haps...the adventure continues.

Hugs...
Dee and the Princess

Marshall Vic's "Drip Repair" Medical Minute

2010-10-23T18:31:00.000-07:00

Villagers...Brenda and I have stopped laughing long enough for me to post this wonderful "Medical Minute" provided by our favorite Jill of all trades....Marshall Vic.

Warning: DO NOT have anything in your hands, like hot soup, electric tools, or sharp instruments, as you watch this pearl of wisdom.

Can't wait to hear the comments, so don't be shy about posting!!! God love ya Marshall Vic!!

We sure do...
Princess Brenda and her Executive Assistant.

All Is Fine with the Fair Princess

2010-10-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone...Just wanted you to see with your very eyes that Princess Brenda has recovered from her ordeal yesterday and is doing quite well this fine Houston morn.

She's a thing of beauty and grace...don't ya think.

The Chief Princess Keeper...
Dee

Locating the Leak!!

2010-10-22T16:26:00.000-07:00

TGIF Village People...add another day-long stay at MD Anderson getting this "leak" test done. Thank heaven this is done. It wasn't the most pleasant experience and really stressed poor Bren out. It was all that gunk being pushed into her spinal canal...remember she hates needles...the pressure (mental and physical,) the weird positions they had to put her in to get the gunk up into her brain and then out her nose...to put it in her words..."It WASN'T a do-over!"

But it's over and we're back at the apartment with instructions that Brenda is to be treated like a "princess" for the next couple of days...no lifting, nothing strenuous, just couch-potato time. Imagine! So we have movies, the baseball game, and football to watch this weekend. I'm totally up for the "princess challenge!!" Ha!

We know they found the leak but the radiologist said he had to study the films and then would contact Dr. Hanna. So we haven't seen Dr. Hanna yet and will do that next week I'm sure...so more waiting. GEE!! The thing we love to do the most...NOT!!

Other than that...we're doing OK...anxious to get this totally over with, but we're OK. Brenda had a fabulous nurse this afternoon who took really, really good care of her. We also ran into Paula's husband, Jason, who is a nurse at MD Anderson and had a little breakfast with him. He is such a wonderful guy...thanks Jason, for being such a love.

So there ya have it...watch for another update early next week. Have a wonderful weekend wherever you are.

Off to care for the "Princess!"
Brenda's personal assistant...
Dee

Hi Ho Hi Ho...It's Off To Houston We Go!!

2010-10-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

You can tell everything is getting back to normal on the healing front when all our Village People don't get any e-mails from the nurse! Brenda has been doing great with her rehab...she's put on a little weight, her energy is slowly returning, she's getting a few more muscles, and the best news of all...she's cancer free!!! That was again the case when we went back to Houston for her check up 2 weeks ago...YEA!!! Double YEA!

So there we were in Dr. Gillenwater's office (that's Brenda's neck surgeon)...and Brenda mentioned that her nose keeps leaking...as in dripping fluid...as in all the time...like a drippy faucet...one drip about every 10 seconds...drip...drip. Man! Dr. Gillenwater's attitude changed and she seemed to get real concerned...OH! MAN! Was the air going to be sucked out of the room again! NO! A thousand times NO! After a couple questions...the good doc said that she suspected a leak in the dyke! (I just couldn't resist...sorry!)...a "CSF LEAK!!" That is a "cerebral spinal fluid leak." What on earth!! With all the surgery, tumor, and radiation, the docs think that there is a small crack or hole in Brenda's skull base where the cancer was that's leaking the fluid. The risk is that she is open for an infection like meningitis. YIKES! That's a really bad boy we want to stay away from...FAR AWAY!!

So they gave us a specimen cup and off to the airport we went while Brenda collected the fluid coming out of her nose! You should have seen all the looks we got as Brenda leaked into that little cup!! I'd love to hear all the mental comments folks were thinking. So when we got home we took the stuff to our ENT and he sent it in for tests. After a week of waiting and waiting...that's the absolute worst part...we heard back that...YEP...Brenda's spinal-brain fluid was coming out of her nose! HEAVENS!! Ya know we just have to keep this in perspective...there is no sign of the nasty disease...she just needs to get a patch!...sooner rather than later.

YEP!!! It's back to Houston we go...UGH! In fact we're there NOW! Dr. Hanna's office...he's the skull-based surgeon that is the expert at repairing this kind of thing...called us last Friday and asked if we could be in Houston on Tuesday morning for an appointment. We chased around and around and around and with the help of all our fabulous friends and the good Lord, we arrived in Houston on Monday night and saw the doctor yesterday.

Dr. Hanna stuck that dang scope up Brenda's nose...like everyone else has...and no one...including him... can find where the actual leak is coming from. So they have prescribed another test which will pinpoint where the leak is. The test injects some radioactive material into her spinal fluid...ick...spinal tap...and then they hang her upside down...or something like that...and take pictures to see the leak. He thinks it's a small crack someplace and hopefully it can be fixed through her nose. AMAZING!!

So now we're waiting for the scheduler to call us to arrange the test and we see Dr. Hanna again on Friday. Then we'll really have more info...we'll know where the dang leak is and the doc will have looked at his schedule to know when he can actually get her in for the repair. He knows we're here from out of town and it's really expensive to just sit waiting for an opening in the schedule. He said she would be in the hospital for 2 to 3 days and then we'd need to stay in Houston for an additional 7 to 10 days for the healing process to work it's magic.

So now you might ask...where are you guys staying. Well, we have again rented an apartment...we're at a place called The Esplanade, and it's right next to the apartment complex we were in when we had to come for Brenda's neck surgery. The apartment is nice and we have internet right at the apartment and not in some wifi hot spot. We brought our wireless router and Ms. Tecky Me hooked us all up so now we're wireless...YEA!! For all of us that are hooked on our computers, you know how important that is. Ha! The good news is that the apartment complex has a Cyber Cafe with an automatic Starbucks brewing machine...YUMMY!!! I'm saved! Ha!

So now we wait...we hate this part!! Brenda just called Mary...our guardian angel and main tree shaker to see if we can get the scheduler off her butt. I guess I've had too much of that free Starbucks bold roast this morning!! Ha! Let's get this show on the road...we want to go home already!! More coffee please!!! Ha!

We're now trying to find something fun to do this weekend...maybe the Renaissance Festival or maybe going back down to Galveston. Anyone have any suggestions?

So dear friends...consider yourself updated. Watch the blog in the days to come for the continuing story of Brenda's Adventures in Recovery.

Toodles from Texas..
Dee

It's Time To Celebrate!!! The Scans are CLEAR!!

2010-06-30T07:52:00.000-07:00

Hi to all our favorite VP's ...remember me? The Nurse? I know...it's just been way too long but actually that's a good sign since Brenda has done nothing but make slow and steady progress toward rebuilding herself after those last nasty rounds of chemo.

Many of you know that this past Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, we had to go back to Houston for Brenda's PET-CT scans to see if she was winning the battle again that horrible disease. To say that we were really nervous would be an understatement! Actually Brenda didn't get nervous until Sunday morning when we had to leave, but she felt really confident that the scans would come back CLEAR. Having come from a very long line of worriers, I, on the other hand, have been nervous for about 2 weeks. By Sunday when we were ready to leave, I should have been on medication!! Ha! There's just something about going back to the place that caused all that trauma...

Anyway, we maneuvered the halls of MD Anderson like pros and got the scans done by 10:30 am on Monday. Dr. Gillenwater, her surgeon, was running late so we had to wait for an additional hour but when we did get in to see her the scans were already in the computer and had been read and the report written...amazing! Why it takes 7 to 10 days in most other locations really baffles me. Anyway...we looked at the scans and the report...I was holding my breath and ready for the air to get sucked out of the room again...when they informed us that the SCANS WERE CLEAR!!! Thank you Jesus and all our dear, dear friends who have prayed and sent us all the healing moe-joes!! There was no sign of the disease. LORD!!! You just have no idea how happy we both were. Maybe now the horrible memories of Houston could begin to be reframed.

Dr. Gillenwater said that the minute she walked in the door and looked at Brenda she knew that she had diligently been working on regaining movement and strength in her shoulders, arms, head and neck. She said that whatever she was doing...keep it up. Our sincere thanks and appreciation go to Scott, our trainer, for all his work in helping to rebuild our gal. He's doing a fabulous job. The doc said that it was excellent that Brenda was able to continue her workouts even while going through these last rounds of chemo because that kept her from freezing up with all the scar tissue. Way to go Brenda...what a trooper.

So then we went to see Mary, Dr. Hong's assistant. We found out that Dr. Hong had been called away on a family emergency but he told Mary to send the scans to him in an e-mail (amazing!!) and he would look at them but he said that he really wasn't worried because he KNEW that Brenda's scans would be CLEAR...doubly amazing! The level of care at MD Anderson is unequaled!!

Both Mary and Rita told Brenda she looked fantastic and said that they were talking about her the other day and said that of all of Dr. Hong's patients Brenda was absolutely, hands down, the best. She never complained, she never gave up, she never said she couldn't take any more, she just kept going. Everyone is convinced that's why she has done so well. Brenda has truly been an inspiration to us all. So they said that we would need to come back in another 3 months. Everyone was so happy...we just had a nice visit with them.

So what do you do when this enormous weight has been lifted from your shoulders and your future looks really, really bright?....you go SHOPPING!!! Yep! We left MD...went to Starbucks (of course!! The Nurse needs her "juice of life,") and then went over to Whole Earth Provisions, a really cool outdoor store, and did our part to stimulate the economy. YEP! We had to buy some "LIFE IS GOOD" shirts!!

That evening we went out to dinner with Paula and caught up on all the things happening in our lives. It's always wonderful to see her...she is so positive and just brightens up the room. We flew out of Houston yesterday and now we're getting ready to go up to our cabin in Strawberry for the holiday weekend.

And speaking of our wonderful little cabin...if anyone would like to buy it...it's up for sale. We just bought an acre and a quarter of beautifully wooded property in Pinetop, AZ in the White Mountains. Once we sell the cabin, we are going to build on this piece of land. We would like a bigger place for entertaining and we just couldn't pass up the great deal we got. Brenda said she has a whole new life now and wants to build new memories...PERFECT!!

So dear friends...I think that has you up to date on the important stuff. Hope you'll go out and do a little celebrating on your own for us. You will never know what a huge part of Brenda's healing process you all have been.

Thanks from the bottom of our hearts...
Dee and Brenda

Put A Fork In It...Chemo is DONE!!!

2010-05-03T19:51:00.000-07:00

Hi VP...It's amazing what being shamed publicly on Facebook will make a girl do!! I know Cathy...I've been horrible about keeping the village up to date and YES! it's partly due to my obsession with working on my Spit...Bad Dog Dee!!! So here I am to bring you all up to date with the latest hap's here in Arizona.

OK...so the most important info first...CHEMO IS NOW HISTORY!!! Brenda is SOOOO over all this. There have been a few bumps in the road lately but she'll be back to her feisty self in no time, I'm sure. Just before Chemo #5 she went for her regular ENT visit and they found she had a sinus infection beginning and she was running a low grade fever...NOT GOOD AT ALL! She had been feeling really bad for a couple days prior and so we got her into the oncologist who ran a blood test and got her on some antibiotics and steroids. She was feeling much much better in a couple days...heck...just in time for chemo #6. Now that's just mean! We'll get you feeling so much better and then we're going to poison you again!! Damn!

So here we are with chemo #6 history last Tuesday. The problem is that Brenda has gotten another sore throat, she's horribly fatigued, she's got more sinus build-up, and she just feels crappy. No fever this time so that's good. We have her on some additional meds and tomorrow we take her in to see the PA in the Oncologists office to see what we can do to get her feeling better. I just feel so helpless when she's so under the weather. I'm sure we'll have her back to her old self soon. With no more chemo she can get over this hump and then start really healing from all that poison.

We heard back from Mary at MD Anderson and we go back to Houston on Sunday June 27th, the PET scan and all the doc appointments will happen on Monday June 28th, and we'll fly back home on Tuesday the 29th. I know that we'll get only good news that the cancer is history and they'll tell us to go home and heal...so after some BBQ...we're GONE! At least for another 3 months! Keep those prayers and positive thoughts coming as that will help this dream turn into reality.

Life here at home had been good...busy, but really good...we are so blessed that we could be home during this last part of the CURE. For the most part it's been good, but again...as with life...it's had it's ups and downs. The "UP'S" certainly have been Brenda's continued healing...most of it has been positive...our dear, dear friends and their love and support, the dogs...they just make you smile...our home in the desert...well you get the picture. The "DOWN'S" have been a few of those really low days for poor Bren, news that my sweetie Abbie's (our 6 year old Dobie) heart condition is worsening...DAMN!...and a medical emergency with my Mom last week that ended her in the hospital with a gall bladder attack and gall bladder surgery. She's here at the house recouping and doing just great so that's all good. She went through the surgery without a hitch...thank the LORD! It's hard to keep a good woman down!

Of course I've been busy playing Nurse Ratchet to all my patients...the list is growing!!! STOP! And of course I've been busy with house work, errands, time at the gym, visits to Starbucks...thanks to all of you that sent me Starbucks goodies for my b-day...YUMMMM! I'm in heaven! Of course I've really been busy with my Spit. I met this wonderful woman through the Triumph club who has been restoring British cars for years...she's a retired mechanical engineer and is an absolutely amazing mechanic! She came over to help me install a new steering column and steering wheel and it turned into 8 days of fun, grease, laughter, swearing, and parts, parts parts when we ended up fixing a whole bunch of stuff on the car. One thing just led to another...and another...you know the drill....after all...it's a 33 year old car. Marie and her partner Betsy are wonderful folks and we have talked them into coming to Amsterdam with us in 2011...more on that in a minute.

So one day...after talking with Vic on the phone, Bren decided that she really needed something big to look forward to that had no relation to medicine or cancer. We can all agree with that. She was also thinking that trying to do her Australia trip next year, the way she wanted to do it, might just be a little too much. She's got a lot of healing and building to do over the next year. So we just had gotten the announcement of the Olivia Tulips and Amsterdam Riverboat Trip in April of 2011 and she thought that was a perfect adventure to look forward to. She needed something positive to work toward and this was going to be it. Are any of you Villagers going? I think it's a fabulous idea and can't wait to visit Europe with my favorite gal. How cool is this??!

So that should bring you all up to date...hopefully I'll have tons of great news to report in the future with Brenda's healing. We love you all and want to celebrate the power of the village in helping Brenda get through this journey. You are all the best!

Sending blessings to each and every one of you.

Dee, Brenda, Abbie and Tanner

Chemo #4-GONE!!!

2010-03-16T20:28:00.000-07:00

Yea...yea...yea!! I know it's been over a month since I last blogged...oops! I've just been really busy and a little lazy about blogging. I've been reading the Haynes Auto Repair Manual for my Spitfire and researching all the parts catalogs...just obsessing on my new little hobby. But both Brenda and I thought I ought to get on the stick and give you all an update...she's so good about getting on my case by not getting on my case about things!! Ha! What a wonderful soul...she has me so figured out.

Chemo infusion #4 went well today...now only 2 more to go and we'll be done in another 6 weeks...PARTY TIME!! Brenda has had some really good days this past week...figures...it's time for another infusion. It's definitely a roller coaster ride. Brenda will be so very glad when this is finally over. We'll both be dancing in the streets. We saw the doctor today and he said all her labs were holding and looked good. She also saw the eye doctor and the ENT yesterday and both said things were looking good. This is music to our ears. Now we just have to ride this out for another 6 weeks. Keep those prayers a comin...please!

Another big milestone is that Bren went to see the ASU PD Chief and put in her resignation. There is just no way that she could return to work by the time limit and in the same capacity...it would just be too much and she's just too depleted to be a police officer. I think it's a little sad that her law enforcement career is over, but she is handling it really well and has just accepted the inevitability of her situation and the need to move on. ASU has been more than patient in waiting, but it just clear that she can't return to the rigors of that job. We all know she'll be a success in whatever she does next...go Brenda!!

Life back here in the Mesa hood is wonderful...we've had more rain in one month than we had all last year!! The desert is green and is about ready to explode in wildflowers. Temps were a bit cool over the last week, but they hit the 80's today. It's a fabulous time in the desert!! The downside is that the weeds are taking over the state!! I have got to get out with the hula hoe and rake and get these under control!! YIKES! I'll just get Brenda out with the whip to give me some incentive!! Ha!

Of course I'm obsessed with getting my Triumph in a safe condition for driving around town without worry...after all it's 33 years old. It sure does bring back memories. I had to replace the gas tank because it leaked and was patched with that putty stuff. YIKES! That just wasn't the best way to go...the tank just had to be replaced. I looked at it and decided that I could replace it myself so I called Julie...she put an aircraft engine together when she was younger so she was the perfect co-mechanic...and the 2 of use spent an afternoon and got the new tank in. Check out the pictures!!

I've had a ball with this thing and spent last Sunday over with some local Triumph car enthusiasts and they went over my new baby and we found some things that need attention but for the most part it's in good shape. Tomorrow I'm getting new tires on it. The ones that are on it now were manufactured in 1996 and are weather checked, cracked, and ready to cause me a true headache..if not worse!! I took Brenda for a ride the other day when we got the new gas tank in and she described it as a "modern day luge ride!" She still can't believe that I drove my '67 Spitfire from Michigan to Arizona (for grad school) with a vacuum cleaned strapped to the luggage rack.

Really folks...all is well...we're just loving the weather and have our eye on the end of chemo. PARTY!!! Just as a reminder, the final treatment is April 27th. Brenda will spend the next week adjusting her meds, and dealing with some of the side effects of the chemo...not drastic like the ones we experienced in Houston, but some side effects none the less. Life is good and we can see the light at the end of this tunnel. YEA! Brenda is such a trooper...this has been such a long hard ordeal for her.

So VP's...consider yourself briefed once again and if I forgot something, Brenda will let me know and I'll get you an update. Hope all is well with each and every one of you. God bless you all...

Spitfire Dee

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T18:49:00.000-08:00

Hi VP's...Happy VD!!! That's Valentine's Day...get your heads out of the gutter. Brenda and I hope you all had a wonderful day full of warmth and love with your special someone, or your extended family, or your friends, or your dogs or cats...or ALL of the above! We took Mom to lunch and, because of the weather...we ate OUTSIDE! Sorry easterners! Then we went to the movies (one of our favorite past times ) and saw "Crazy Heart" with Jeff Bridges. It was slow, but Jeff played a really good drunk country singer. He actually has a pretty good voice!

So we've heard that a lot of you have really been getting hit hard by the winter snow storms...I've read that many cities have experienced over 3 times the usual snowfall. Michele...we laughed and laughed about your battle with the snow plow driver. Yes, it is exercise, but I'd rather go to the gym where it's warm.

We've heard so much about the horrible, snowy, cold, weather back east that we thought we would give you a visual tribute, Arizona style, of your winter situation. We feel your pain!!! Actually...we DON'T. It was sunny and 75 today! We thought you'd get a chuckle out of this picture.

All continues on track here in the Mesa-hood. Brenda has good days when she can get a good amount of sleep...quality sleep. Not the kind where you wake up every hour or so. She's working on some quilting projects and continues to work on real estate dreams of buying a cabin on a beautiful large wooded lot up in the White Mountains with our buddy Toni, our resident real estate expert. We do have a cabin up in Strawberry, about 2 hours from our home, but we'd like to sell that and find our dream vacation home and property in Pinetop-Lakeside. It doesn't cost anything to search and dream.

I seem to be going through a mid-life crisis...many of you will think I'm going through a lot more after looking at the pictures we put together today. My brother-in-law planted a seed in my brain and now we're searching for a decent 1966 to 1972, or maybe later, Triumph Spitfire for us to finish restoring. I have a long history with that type car. It was my first car back in 1967 and I drove that little thing for 10 years until it literally fell apart! Now I'm trying to reclaim my youth!! Ha! I'll keep you posted. I nearly had one on eBay but I was outbid. Poop! Well, Mark my word...I'll find one. Like I said...It doesn't cost anything to look and dream.

So folks that brings you up to date for this beautiful Valentine's Day. Bren goes to the ENT tomorrow for a check-up, she continues to work with out trainer on her rehabilitation, and next Tuesday she has chemo #3 and the half way mark will be met. YEA!

Stay warm out there...happy shoveling! OUCH!
Dee and Brenda

The Big Storm and the Big Sun

2010-02-09T13:48:00.000-08:00

Hi VP's...well our dear, dear friend Vic from the cold, cold Pittsburgh area, came out for her annual "Arizona Spring Break" trip and she just couldn't have timed it any better. We basked in the warm, bright Arizona sun while the mid-Atlantic states suffered through one of the biggest snow storms on record. I think Vic said that the accumulations back home were something like 26" or so inches. YIKES. Most things were closed and it's taken almost a week to get the streets plowed...just in time for another blast over the next couple of days that could dump another 10 plus inches. OH! I remember those days living back in the Midwest and praying that school would be closed!! I loved the snowfall but hated the slop and the cold. The cold (??) of Arizona is what we love now!

We shoveled lots of sunshine as Cal continued to give us updates on the weather back east. I even caught Vic out in the backyard in her shirt sleeves catching some rays in one of our lounge chairs. When Vic got home, she went and stood in her front yard...with the snow up to her knees (and Vic is a very tall woman!) so we could get some perspective on the big storm they had! Then I just had to put up a picture of her out in the backyard in her shirtsleeves. As she put it..."what a difference a day makes."

We had a wonderful visit. We went out to eat, we all went shopping for new purses at Macy's, we watched movies, Vic brought her wonderful brownies AND her famous nut roll. She also cooked up some goodies for Bren...her ham and potato soup was really, really tasty. Thanks Vic for the wonderful visit and for showing me the technique to stretch out Bren's neck and shoulders.

Bren was having some sleepless nights over the last week, which was really playing havoc with her energy, but she tweaked some meds and now is sleeping soundly. In fact she was out for a good 10 hours last night. When she gets her good sleep it's like she's a new person...she has energy to do some things and she looks better...her mouth moves better and her eyes are brighter.

Things are good here in the Mesa-hood. Brenda and I have worked on taxes and those are almost done. I've also included a picture of our favorite tax-payer with her piles of medical data that she was calculating for the dear ole tax man. It's supposed to rain tonight or maybe tomorrow. Vic...I don't think it will be enough to enter any "flooding data" into my official weather report! HA!

So folks back east...hope you have fuel for your snow blowers, and I'll get the sunscreen lotion out for the weekend here...it's supposed to be around 70.

Smiles from the sunny southwest.
Dee & Brenda

Chemo #2 = HISTORY!

2010-02-04T06:53:00.000-08:00

Mornin everyone...it's a bright, sunny, cool (NOT cold and snowy!) Arizona morning! It's absolutely beautiful out. All's right with the world! Brenda is sleeping, the dogs are outside guarding the backyard again any coyotes, and I've checked on my farm crops...yes! I got hooked into playing "Farmville!!" Vic is coming to visit today and she's bringing her fantastic brownies...she makes the BEST brownies I've ever eaten. The temps here today are expected to hit a wonderful 70 degrees so she'll get to hang out in a t-shirt. Fantastic!

Chemo #2 was administered on Tuesday and all went well. It really doesn't take the nurses long to get Bren's treatment completed...it's just getting IN that's always the problem. We usually have to wait about an hour because they are so busy. We just block off most of the day and we're mentally good. Besides...once they have her all hooked up and I know Bren's OK...I head across the street to the Starbucks for my "juice of life" and a Coke for my girl. I'm so thankful that I'm not writing about all the horrible things we're experiencing...because we aren't!! Thank the Lord! And thanks for your continued prayers and all the positive energy. I know that's such good medicine. I just don't know how we would have made this journey without you all behind us. You all are the best!

We're anxious to spend the weekend with Vic. There's some shopping to do, the big game to watch on Sunday, and time shared laughing with a dear, dear friend...what could be better. Besides...she's bringing those fantastic brownies!! Ha!

Have a wonderful day everyone...I'll be back with more news from the home front soon.

Dee, Brenda, Abbie and Tanner

Creating the Cotton Ball Do!

2010-01-31T17:38:00.000-08:00

Hi VP's...How the heck have you all been? I bet you've been wondering what on earth we've been up to and how Brenda is doing. Really Brenda has been doing well. She tolerated the first chemo well and on Tuesday we have round #2. She got a little bug but that only lasted one day so we dodged the bullet on that one. She's been an absolute trooper, full of wit and laughter even when things are tough...she's simply amazing. Sleep is still the secret ingredient...she needs those wonderful zzzzzzzz's to feel half-way decent. Hey! I think that's the medicine we all need. Right?

Yesterday Brenda, Julie and I decided it was time to grab the clippers again. The new chemo was doing it's job on Brenda's poor hair follicles. OK so the first time we did the mohawk and discovered what a great shaped head Brenda had. Yesterday we put our thinking caps on and decided to turn Brenda's head into a cotton ball that really resembled a Q-Tip!! Of course I had to get the flip video camera out and we created this little movie for your viewing enjoyment. We sure hope you like it.

We'll let you know how Round #2 goes on Tuesday...we also see Dr. Halepoda that day so we'll see what he has to say about how things are going. Your continued prayers are wonderful...please keep em coming.

OK so we've had the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild and the Academy Awards are coming up...let's see if you'd vote for our little production...enjoy!!

Hugs...Dee & Brenda

Dem Cotton Balls and other Stories

2010-01-17T17:47:00.000-08:00

Hi VP's...I'm wonderfully glad to report that our beloved Brenda is doing well...but I'll do the medical update in a bit. I've been anxious to share a little tidbit of info with you, so that first.

You'd think that after 23 years of living together and probably close to 30 years that I've known Brenda, that there wouldn't be any new significant revelations that you didn't know about your partner. WRONG!!! I want you to think: "COTTON BALLS!!!" That's right...that small, white, fluffy, soft, fibrous little cotton ball...Brenda is TERRIFIED of them!!! After 30 years, I have just now learned that Brenda can't stand those little things...hates them...can't stand to touch them...can't pull them apart...in fact she would rather walk on hot coals then pull one apart. I just found this out when the ENT wanted her to put a greased one up her nose (with medication, silly!!! Don't get the wrong idea now!!) He wanted to give her nasal passage a rest and add some moisture up there. It's so dry out here....remember? She came to me with this absolutely pathetic look on her face and asked me to pull the little harmless cotton ball apart for her because she just couldn't touch it. I said..."What???!!! Are you kidding?" NEWS FLASH!!! SHE WASN'T!!! I still can't get over this...what on earth happened to her when she was young that she is now terrified of a dang cotton ball??? This is a woman who has chased bank robbers down dark alleys...and she can't...refuses...absolutely will not even think about...pulling a cotton ball apart!

OK...so there ya have it!! I think it would be fabulous if you put your thinking caps on and create a story about Brenda and cotton balls...visuals to enhance the script would be even better. Hey Marshall Vic...got any ideas on how Brenda can overcome this phobia? Michele, I'm sure you have something hysterical to say about this...maybe some advice you can offer our Brendita? Come on VP's you just can't let this one go!!

So now on to the medical news...really...she is doing fine. She has tolerated the first round of chemo VERY well. I think the biggest side effect we have seen so far is the fatigue. She gets tired very easily but, being the trooper that she is, she still goes to our personal trainer Monday, Wednesday, Friday and he's helping her work on those weak shoulders, getting some strength back just to do normal things, and getting the range of motion back in her neck.

We did go back to the ENT to have her hearing checked because of that fluid buildup in her ear. YEP! The fluid really reduced her hearing in her right ear so Dr. Kelsch (the ENT) put a tube in there to drain the fluid. Now remember that I am just learning the medical stuff and had no idea what putting a tube in your ear entailed. I was envisioning the tube being something like a big, long plastic thing that got rammed down your ear!! I had to watch! So he put drops in to deaden the eardrum, then he took this instrument to puncture his was through to the eustachian tube...OK I was expecting the long tube to get pulled out...NO! WRONG! It's this little itty-bitty thing that just keeps the top part of your eustacian tube open sop the fluid can drain out. It worked like a champ! She hears better and the fluid has been drained Her ear is so much better. She has antibiotic drops to put in and she can't get her ear wet at all but that dang fluid is gone.

Believe it or not, we DON'T have a doctors appointment for her all this week. I'm going to have a hearing test on Thursday because we've gotten to the point (prior to the ear tube thing...) that Bren and I were watching the subtitles on some movies...now that's bad!! Getting old is not for wimps!!! Ha!

So folks, that's a wrap for tonight...let's hear what ya think about the cotton balls...we love hearing from you.

Go "AVATAR" for winning the Golden Globe Award for best movie drama. If you haven't seen that movie yet...go...and see it in IMAX 3D...WOW!!!

Hugs to you all...
Dee, Brenda, Abbie & Tanner

Insurance Policy Round #1=DONE!!!

2010-01-12T19:14:00.000-08:00

Evening VP's...WOW! What a day! Over the last several days our anxiety levels for this upcoming chemo have been building and we haven't been sleeping great at all. We just didn't know how Brenda was going to react with these new drugs. They tell you all the HORRIBLE side effects of the drugs they are using, but we had no idea what might be her reality. Plus there was the SmartPort and how was that going to feel getting accessed...of course we've been on the Internet and learned all the things that can go wrong. BAD DOGS!!!

So at 2:00am we were both wide awake and just ended up talking, laughing, speculating, praying...and finally taking some drugs to get back to sleep!! Those pills have been sleep savers. It probably doesn't help that I also jack myself up on venti iced coffee every day but I so enjoy it...it makes me the ever-ready bunny however! Ha!

OK so we made it to the oncology department "ON TIME" and what happened? You guessed it...they were short one oncology nurse and were over 2 hours late getting Brenda hooked up. EEEEEEKKKK! You'd think we'd be used to the waiting game...well we sort of are, but this was the first day of a new regime and we wanted to get it started and over with and under our belt. I promise, I'm really trying to be a patient person...promise! I didn't say a word, I just stood there in a clear, unobstructed view of the 2 nurses that were working so they couldn't miss me staring at them! Ha! Subtle as a bulldozer, don't you think?!! It worked!!! Can you say "Command Presence." YES! I had my "cop stance" on.

OK...they got Bren hooked up through the port and it was just fine...they drew blood through it and started the drugs...YEA!!! Everything was working thus far. I was so relieved that I walked across the street and...you guessed it...got my Venti Iced Coffee at Starbucks...how convenient that it's right across the street!!! YEA!!! I made it back to the oncology office with a Coke and electrolyte water for Bren as they were doing this "Koolaid" type of infusion with this big syringe...interesting. 2 of the 3 drugs were actually like very short infusions (one was actually a shot in the IV line) and the 3rd drug was hug in a bag and took about an hour to empty. Of all the side effects they said could happen as Bren was getting this stuff...she didn't have any adverse reactions. We understand that some might come on over the next several days, but today there was no upset stomach, no abdominal pain, no joint or muscle pain. We'll just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best in the upcoming days. SO FAR...SO GOOD! Tomorrow she has to go in for her Neulasta (white blood cell booster) shot.

Now the REALLY, REALLY FANTASTIC news is about the newest PET/CT scan. I'll save you all the medical mumbo-jumbo...the report said that there was "no evidence of disease within the neck or paranasal region." There is also "no intracranial abnormality of tracer activity." So dear VP's...it looks like good old Dr. Gillenwater got all the nasty stuff out of Brenda's neck and now she's going through this chemo as the insurance policy that all the bad cells, if any, will be DESTROYED! Wellness here we come. 2010 is turning out to be a fabulous year...let's all keep this on a roll!

We were beyond thrilled...happy...ecstatic...joyous...you get the picture. I hope you are joining us by jumping up and down and screaming. And what do folks do that have fantastic news about a problem that has been troubling them to their core for almost a year? RIGHT!!! THEY GO SHOPPING!!! Since Brenda was feeling so well after her treatment and we were so very happy about the scan news, and since I've been looking at upgrading my cell phone to a new smart phone...we both went to the Verizon Store and both of us ended up buying the new Motorola DROID smart phones!!! HA! It's just what ya have to do!! Go join us in the excitement and use this excuse to GO SHOPPING TOO!!! HA!

It's really a cool phone...internet...navigation...apps...you know the drill. We would have gotten an iPhone because we are such died in the wool MAC users, but we like the Verizon network better than AT&T.

So there ya have it gang...such fantastic news for January 12th!!! YEA! CELEBRATE!!!!

Now it's time to hit the sack and hopefully get a good nights sleep...we so need it. I have a great story about "COTTON BALLS." But I'll save that for the days to come.

Thanks for all the prayers and good positive energy that came our way today...we could sure feel it.

Sleep soundly...
Dee and Brenda

Happy New Year VP's

2010-01-09T16:37:00.000-08:00

OK...OK VP's...I know it's been over a month since I last updated the blog and many of you have called to get on my case to do a better job at keeping everyone posted on our favorite patient. The good news is that she is doing well and is continuing to heal. We certainly thank the Lord for that and for all the positive energy that we can feel you sending our way. We have been held captive by the holidays, our visiting families, cookie making, movies that just HAD to be watched, football that just had to be cheered, dogs that needed to go to the vet and walked, friends that needed holiday cheers...well you get the idea. But we're back and I promise regular updates on the blog. PROMISE!!!

So the most important piece of information is that Brenda continues to keep her fabulous positive attitude as we look at beginning the next round of chemo that will start this coming Tuesday at 10:30 am. Of course there have been a ton of doctor appointments and phone calls to attend to to get us to this place, but we have just about everything lined up. Through the Virginia Piper Cancer Center in Scottsdale, we have a great oncologist that has many patients whose primary care has happened at MD Anderson. He's right in sync with Dr. Hong's order for the new chemo regime and he has a 16 chair chemo department at his office. Like I said, we are all set to begin that this coming Tuesday. They are using 3 different chemo drugs that have been around a long time and are well tolerated...not without the nasty side effects, but the folks back at MD Anderson said that Brenda should be able to tolerate this better than the first chemo drugs she had. I've got my fingers crossed and the prayers heading skyward. We'd love if you'd help us do the same. For those of you that like the details, the drugs are:

Doxorubicin (Adriamycin)
Vincristine (Oncovin)
Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)

I'll certainly keep you posted on how it goes. She'll only have to go through 6 infusions and instead of 8 to 9 hours for the infusions, the treatment will only take about 2 1/2 hours and only on 1 day every 21 days...not 3 days every 21 days...plus we'll be home...that is HUGE!!!

She's had blood tests, a heart echo exam, another PET/CT scan, a "SmartPort" installed in her upper chest for easier chemo access, and this week she'll have another hearing test because she has fluid in her Eustachian Tube due to the radiation scar tissue. They are monitoring that and might put a tube in her ear to drain the fluid. We have found a good ENT so that's reassuring. Bren is still dealing with nasal drainage, and the doc is monitoring that, and gave her a new wash to keep the bacteria down so she doesn't get an infection...we certainly can't afford that now. We're back in the "SUPER CAREFUL" mode.

Christmas at home with family, friends, and of course...the dogs... was truly wonderful...busy... but wonderful. My Mom came over on Christmas Day and we opened some gifts and celebrated with a Taylor - Van Amburg California tradition of eating a meal of Dungeness crab for dinner. YUMMMY! Mom was a real trooper. She had never had crab before and she rolled up her sleeves, dug right in, and ate the whole thing. We were so proud of her.

My sister Barb, brother-in-law Tim, and niece Kelly came in the day after Christmas from cold, snowy Detroit. Toni came over for our evening dinner of ham, sweet potatoes, homemade biscuits (my grandmothers recipe), Toni's favorite jello with cream cheese cubes, and green beans. It was so very good. Of course there were more goodies to open and my niece made Brenda a fabulous blanket. She even snatched a ladies ball of yard from her cart at the store when the lady refused to let Kelly have it because that was the last ball of the color Kelly needed to finish the blanket. She grabbed it when the lady wasn't looking, and hurried and paid for it before the lady even noticed. We were so proud of her!! Ha! It was such a great story and made the blanket even more precious.

Brenda's sister Rhonda, her niece, Amy and nephew, Cody, with his new wife, Heather arrived from Boise, Idaho on January 1st for the big Boise State vs Texas Christian football game at the Fiesta Bowl. It was fabulous seeing them and Brenda got such a boost of energy having them around. They had a great time talking, laughing, shopping, cooking, telling stories, and just being in each others company. It was wonderful seeing her spirits so high. Plus Boise State won the game!!! Yea! That's the second time they have won a spot in the Fiesta Bowl and WON THE GAME!!!

I almost forgot to mention that Michele also arranged in early December to have a layover here in Phoenix on her way back from a west coast business trip. We sure love it when she does that. We got to meet her really nice nephew, Matt. and we all had a wonderful dinner at the famous Cowboy Ciaos in Scottsdale and then the next day we all pigged out at the Sugar Bowl...a true downtown Scottsdale landmark...they have great ice cream stuff. It's Michele's favorite when she makes it to Phoenix. It was great meeting her nephew. Michele also introduced us to a new computer game called "Bejeweled 2." Can you say addictive???

We had an emergency with our older Dobie, Abbie when we learned that her heart condition was getting worse. We put a Holter monitor on her regularly and the number of bad beats had gotten very bad, very quickly. That was the same day that we learned that Brenda had to have more chemo so we were both totally deflated, depressed, and worried. I got Abbie in to the heart specialist and we put her on a new heart med. Later last month I re-Holtered her and the bad beats had diminished significantly. I'm so glad we caught this. Dobies have this problem with their hearts that folks are trying to breed out of them. It's a condition where the dog can have a series of these irregular beats and then just drop over dead. She's a great girl and we'd really love her in our lives for years to come.

I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be home with family, our dogs, and friends. We've charted Brenda's chemo treatments and her last session will be April 27th. Collectively let's think of something we can all do to celebrate the end of, hopefully, this FINAL round of treatment. It will be over a year of treatment Brenda has had to ensure to treat this dreaded cancer. I think we all should collectively do something to signal the closure of this part of the journey. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

We've missed reading your comments so I'll keep up my end of the blog if you'll keep up yours...DEAL?

Here's wishing you all the very best that 2010 can offer.

Dee, Brenda, Abbie and Tanner

We're Not Quite Done!!

2009-12-07T18:14:00.000-08:00

Hi VP's...well, we got a phone call from Mary, Dr. Hong's medical assistant, this morning. We learned that although we are declaring Brenda cancer free, Dr.Hong wants a touchdown...with NO QUESTIONS ASKED. He wants Brenda to have some clean-up chemo to get any of those nasty cells that might still be lingering. Needless to say, Brenda is discouraged and so very tired of being so very tired. We both understand Dr. Hong's reasoning, but we don't have to like the path this journey is taking us once again.

The good news to all this is that we'll be able to do the chemo here in Phoenix. Dr. Hong has yet to decide what kind of drugs to use and how many treatments to administer, but he will continue to draw up the plans and then we just have to find a good medical oncologist here in Phoenix to actually administer the medicine. He wants to see the pathology slides and talk to the pathologist before he determines exactly what the treatment will be. Whatever it is, it won't start until after the holidays. Thanks the Lord!!

I feel so bad for our girl...I wish there was something I could do to take this from her. She's just been through so very much and she's so tired. But Dr. Hong wants a CURE (so does Brenda and I) and he wants to MAKE SURE the bad cells are dead! Brenda is driven to realize a long life, but it doesn't make the news any easier to take. Please continue all the wonderful prayers you've sent her way...for strength...for healing...for some happiness in all this...and most importantly...for the CURE!!!

I'll keep you posted.
Dee and Brenda

The Pathology Report

2009-12-06T08:24:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone...it's a cloudy, cold (by Arizona standards!!) morning here in our Mesa "hood." All's right with the world. Brenda and Tanner are asleep on the couch. Abbie is asleep in the chair. And I actually got to report .02 of an inch of rain to the online weather reporting system I signed up with. Some of you are probably really laughing at that...but this is Arizona in a drought and since I put the gauge in the backyard in September, I haven't been able to report ANY rain!!! This is a big deal! Ha!

Well we finally got the pathology report on Friday. Lord...the holidays really bogged the system down. We heard from Dr. Gillenwater's nurse practitioner, but she hadn't spoken with the doc and was just a little hesitant to give us the news. It's important to note that she wasn't in the room when we met the doc before we flew home.

So...They removed 12 lymph nodes and tissue total from Brenda's neck. I don't know how many exactly on each side. Of the 12...6 contained neuroendocrine carcinoma. All of these were on the right side of her neck which was the side were the cancer originated. Some were encased in hard tissue, probably the result of all the radiation and some weren't. Once again I don't know the exact count.

It's important to remember the conversation I had with Dr. Gillenwater on November 30th. I specifically asked her if she got "it" all and she said "yes!" She then said..."You're done!" Of course the important test will be the next PET-CT that they do when we go back in March. We're envisioning "NO METABOLIC ACTIVITY!!!" Amen...go home and recoup and come back in another 3 months.

Please help us pray for only healthy cells and Bren's continued healing. She's very weak and very fatigued, but she's got a determination like no other I've known. OH! I forgot to tell you that on Friday we also went to a local ENT and had the nose stents removed. I was expecting to be grossed out again but it really was a simple procedure and not painful for Bren or to watch!! Once he got the plastic out he suctioned her nose and sinus out and them looked around. He stuck that scope in so far that I really thought the dang thing would come out the back of her head!! Amazing! He said Dr. Gillenwater did a great job cleaning out her scar tissue.

She's a very happy camper now that she can breathe through her nose. Now she doesn't sound like she's underwater all the time. The ENT also gave us a prescription for physical therapy at the hospital in Scottsdale so we'll see if they will be able to work on her neck and shoulders properly. Bren's doing her home exercises like a good recovering patient. I don't have to crack the whip at all!! Good dog!

So friends, that's the news for today. Life is good and we're still considering Brenda "Cancer-Free!!!" CELEBRATE!!! Today she's going to just relax and watch football, and I'm going to lunch with my Mom and take her to see "Blind Side."

Hopefully this entry finds you all well and gearing up for Christmas...I can't believe that that holiday is right around the corner...we are soooo far behind!

Smiles all around...
Dee, and the rest of the sleeping gang

Three Strikes and IT'S OUT...We're going Home!!!!

2009-11-30T10:34:00.000-08:00

Hi VP's...we just got back from seeing Dr. Gillenwater and the news is fantastic. Although we still don't have the pathology report...should have that later today...we did get the all clear. I asked if she thought that she got all that nasty stuff out of Brenda's neck and Dr. Gillenwater said YES!!! YEA!!! Double YEA...High Five...We're going home!!! This is the best Thanksgiving and Christmas present we have ever had!! We're declaring today a day of celebration!!! It's that day we've all been waiting for...We're done with the initial treatment...Bren is cancer free...time for "good and new" and "smooth sailing."

There's still the rehab Bren will have to continue when we get home and the adjustment time it will take to manage the side effects of all this treatment, but it's time for new beginnings. We'll have to come back every 3 months for scans and check ups with all the docs to ensure we're on top of everything. So the next trip will be sometime in March.

I've already checked us in for the 12:30pm flight home tomorrow and have called the apartment rental company to tell them we're checking out tomorrow. Toni is going to meet us at the airport to help me get the luggage and Brenda home while I go off to the off-airport parking lot to get our car. Bren just can't lift anything heavy and I don't want her wearing her backpack on those tender neck and shoulder muscles. Thanks a ton Toni. Like we're not too excited to get home or anything!!! Then Wednesday I'll go down to Tucson and pick up the dogs!!! I can't wait.

So we're all smiles here in Houston and I hope this blog entry puts some smiles on your faces and some screams of joy from your mouths. We are soooooo HAPPY and thankful for all your prayers and positive energy for total healing.

Remember..today is a day to celebrate LIFE!!!!

Love to you all...
Dee and a healing Bren

HOME JAMES...........

A Thanksgiving Message from Marshall Vic

2009-11-25T18:36:00.000-08:00

We are so fortunate that Marshall Vic sent us a wonderful Thanksgiving message that we just had to share with the village...enjoy!!

Thanks Marshall...we sure do love you!!

There's A Lot To Be Thankful For!!

2009-11-25T16:38:00.000-08:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!

Let me start this blog with a HUGE "Thank You to our FABULOUS Village" for all the support, positive energy and prayers...not to mention your friendship, cards, well-wishes, goodies, skyping, jokes, videos, and love that you've given Brenda and I this year. Words just escape me in trying to tell you all how much your efforts have meant to us. You are simply..."THE BEST!!!"

Now let me bring you up to speed on today's activities...all is well and I'm not typing you from the Houston City Jail!!! The big milestone for the day was that Brenda got the drain tubes out. I have to confess that this absolutely gave me the creeps when they pulled these out. Holy Mackerel!! There was a lot of tubing in her neck. The nurse kept pulling and pulling and the stuff just kept coming...Lord...it was gross and I just couldn't watch her take the other side out. Plus you could see that it really was painful to get these removed. It was gross...just gross. But...the dang things are out. Brenda was getting tired of watching her balls!! Ha!

We got Brenda home and she immediately hit the shower. She said it was absolutely heavenly to actually wash her hair...well and all the other parts as well! There's absolutely nothing like a shower.

The next great thing was that the Rehab Department DIDN'T cancel our 4:00 pm appointment!! May miracles NEVER cease! The therapist worked with Brenda for over an hour and improved her range of motion and relaxed some of the tight muscles in her shoulders and back. She said it felt great. Too bad it's a holiday or we could have gotten her a couple more sessions in before the one we have Monday. This is something she'll definitely continue once we get home and can find the right therapist.

So here we are back in the "hood." I've made dinner and now we're just relaxing and playing on our computers and watching a little TV. All's well. Brenda is trying to move her head a little more to improve her range of motion. Having the drains out really makes a big difference. I think we'll be in good shape to take Paula and April up on the most generous offer to go to April's home for Turkey Day!! YUM!!!

So if I don't get a chance to check in tomorrow...again...

Happy Thanksgiving

Hugs to all...
Dee and Brenda

The "Chief" Comes Out Again...GRRRRR!

2009-11-24T10:28:00.000-08:00

Boy! The "Chief" sure came out this morning!!! Here's what happened. Michele...you really would be loosing your mind with this!

So we got up early to make sure we were on time for our 9:00 am appointment for physical therapy. Let me just set the stage a little bit. I know it will probably give the ending away, but you have to know the details to understand my reaction. I really am giving this all away!!! So last week, per Dr. Gillenwaters orders, we made the rehab appointment through Robert, the scheduling guy for that department. We were set for Tuesday the 24th at 9:00 am.

OK...Brenda goes to surgery and on Saturday the rehab lady comes in and gets Brenda walking and leaves paperwork on the exercises and info on Lymphadema with us. She doesn't say anything different about Tuesday's appointment.

When Brenda is discharged on Saturday afternoon, the nurse prints up her schedule and on the schedule is Tuesday's appointment. Are ya still with me on all this? So what would you think right now...RIGHT!!! We still have an appointment on Tuesday the 24th!!! OK...We're all on the same page...everyone except the Rehab Department at MD Anderson!!!

Early morning appointments are REALLY HARD for Bren...that's the time she gets some good sleep. She usually gets up around 5 or 6 am...gets her mouth and nose cleaned out, takes her meds, and then heads for the couch for about 3 to 4 more hours of really good sleep. So it's hard for her to get up at 7:30 to get ready for her 9 appointment.

You are soooo right...Robert CANCELED OUR APPOINTMENT YESTERDAY!!! The worst thing about that is that...NO ONE CALLED UP TO TELL US THE APPOINTMENT WAS CANCELED!!! What the hell is up with this!!!! We were ushered into Robert's office where he tried to explain why he canceled it. He said that when someone is admitted to the hospital their "STATUS" has changed and they need new orders. I asked if the computer showed us as "Discharged" on Saturday and thus our "Status" was the same as when the appointment was first made. He said "YES", the computer did show that Bren was out of the hospital, but they needed new orders. I said I have the schedule that the nurse that discharged us gave us that showed us the appointment was still set for Tuesday!!! I asked how we were supposed to know that he (Robert) would end up camceling the appointment or that we needed to do something different when NO ONE CALLED US!!! I just looked him in the face, and with MUCH restraint, and in my most "Chiefly" manner, advised that this was just flat "UNACCEPTABLE!" Again...I was trying not to get arrested!! He got the message and we now have an appointment at 1:00 PM this afternoon.What is up with this canceling stuff without notification!!!

I just hope and pray that we still have that appointment when we show up at 1:00. I won't be responsible for my actions if it's been canceled. LORD help me!!!

OK...so not to worry...Brenda is fine and dandy...sleeping lots and healing. The drains are still in because they are still outputting too much juice. It has slowed this morning and I'm really hoping we can get these out tomorrow. I'm not sure anyone is in the office on Friday due to Thanksgiving.

Just thought I'd share my morning frustration with you!! Ha! Remember the old saying: "Pain shared is pain divided." Hopefully this is the same for frustration!!

Stand by more more updates...or some huge explosion!! NOT!!

The Houston Duo

A Sleepy Football Sunday

2009-11-22T18:33:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone...After 12 hours of sleep we almost feel human! Well Brenda still feels drugged and is in pain from the knife fight Friday...she's doing so much better than she did last night. Trying to get the pain calmed down and get her comfortable so she could sleep was rough. She was pretty miserable. But thanks to all the good drugs she's taking, she finally got to sleep.

Today is a much better day. The pain isn't as intense as she can lay on her side...her favorite couch sleeping position. She still draining over the limit for the tubes to come out so maybe we can get them out Tuesday. I sure hope they'll be out before the long holiday weekend.

So today was spent sleeping (Brenda), watching football, (both of us), and playing Mafia Wars!!! (ME!!) Then I got cleaned up and ordered a nice pot roast dinner for Brenda and I from the Black Eyed Pea. I thought it was yummy, but Brenda had some difficulty getting the meat down even though it was very tender and juicy. All the foods she used to eat and all that she can eat now are so very different. We'll get it figured out.

After dinner, we went walking around the 3rd floor of our apartment building so we can work on getting her moving...Doc Vic orders! Tomorrow we'll try to do that in the morning and afternoon and then on Tuesday we have a physical therapy appointment. She's got to start all the exercises tomorrow however. I already told her that Nurse Ratchet is out again!!!

So there ya have it VP's...all's well in the hood. Tomorrow will even be better. Sleep well and thank the Lord for Brenda's excellent medical care and her wellness.

More tomorrow...
Nurse Ratchet and Healing Brenda

Ms. Brenda is Free At Last!!

2009-11-21T18:38:00.000-08:00

OK...so I just typed an entire entry for the blog tonight and was just getting ready to send it when I hit some dang button and the entire thing disappeared!!! UGH!!!

Here I go again...this is a short one because I'm pooped! Really pooped!!

We sprang Brenda from the hospital around 3 this afternoon. She started to do much better once they got her up and moving a little. Poor thing, she had a rough night until they got some good pain meds in. They also got her tummy calmed down and she started eating regular food late this morning.

It's good to be back at the apartment where it's quiet...no more beeps, vitals, visits...well you know the drill. I sure hope with her evening meds we can get her comfortable and she can get some sleep. She just hurts!!! I thought I'd add a photo in case you're curious about the knife fight she was in with her surgeon. I think the docs and nurses out there will say that she's looking pretty darn good. I really thought she's be a whole lot more swollen than she actually is. I'm sure as the days go by, she'll be getting better and better. Soon the tubes will come out and she'll get a little more mobility in her neck and then the exercises to regain all the strength in her shoulders will continue.

So we are going to try and get some sleep...I'll check in tomorrow and let you know how she's doing. Sleep tight everyone...

The very sleep Houston Duo...

A Sleepy Saturday Morning Hello

2009-11-21T05:59:00.000-08:00

Hi VP's...it's 8:00 am here in Houston in room P1130 at MD Anderson and I just thought I'd give you all an update on our gal. We both didn't have the best of nights sleep. Again you all know the post-surgery/hospital stay drill...wake you up and take vitals...wake you up and make you go pee...wake you up to empty the drain meds...wake you up to take more vitals...etc. Now we're not complaining because in that wake you up phase, Angelina (our night nurse) also brought some morphine and some zophran. Bren's tummy is still upset...probably because there is nothing in it and she needs her normal meds. She also drank a little too much water last night and that decided to leave her tummy around 3:00 this morning.

We're trying to get her comfortable in the bed but she just aches and, of course, still is very sore from the surgery. She probably won't have the best of days today but then things ought to get progressively better. They also have her using a nasal saline spray every 2 hours to keep the inside of her nose moist.

I spent the night here in a half recliner. I only got to put my feet up and had the back half of the chair upright. Thanks heaven I'm not very big...I did all sorts of pretzel things with my body to try and get somewhat comfortable in this chair. I actually did get some sleep so all is well. I'm not sitting here with my morning Starbucks and a cancer-free partner and I just couldn't be happier. I'm so very thankful for all the things the village has helped us with through this journey...please know how much you mean to both Brenda and I for all the good that you bring the world and our lives.

We're going to try and get Brenda to eat some solid food in hope that she can keep this down and they are still talking about discharging her around 11:00 am...we'll see how that goes.

So stay tuned and I'll give you more updates later in the day. Hugs to you all from both of us.

Dee and an uncomfortable Bren

Doing OK...

2009-11-20T20:45:00.000-08:00

Hi VP's...well it's 10:45 pm and Brenda and I are up in room P1130. They have her comfortable and her pain is under control so all is proceeding OK. You know how post-surgery goes...very groggy...pain...aches....tubes....drains....beeps from machines...UGH!!! Bren's stomach is upset but they are on it and all that's come out when she thinks she has to throw-up is air from her tummy. She's sleeping now and I'm back on duty and will help watch her through the night. It certainly takes a village!!!

Here's the info from Dr. Gillenwater. She came out about 6:00PM and said that the surgery had taken longer than expected because of all the scar tissue in Brenda's neck...it made the surgery a little more difficult, but all the "bad boys" are OUT!!! The fantastic news is that when she went looking around her sinus cavity she didn't see any cancer or suspicious "things" in there. She placed the nasal stints and hopefully that will help her breathe better. They want her to try and keep this device in about 2 weeks in hopes that the nasal passage will heal open before the stints come out. They also put some stuff in there to try to retard any further growth of the scar tissue. Keep your fingers crossed.

Dr. Gillenwater couldn't tell if the lymph nodes and tissue she removed were cancerous or just dead but still full of hot tissue (from the radiation.) All the stuff they removed will go to pathology and hopefully in several days, we'll get the results. Still need all those positive thoughts and wonderful prayers rolling in gang!!

Paula and I got to go back to the PACU to see Bren around 7:00 and she looked amazingly well. I was envisioning that she would be really swollen in the face and neck and she wasn't swollen much at all. She has incisions that run from the base of her ears around the fold in her neck maybe a good 5 inches on each side. There are drain tubes on each side and the incision is closed with disposable sutures with stiry-strips (sp?) all along the incision site. She's draining stuff from her neck and the doc said that the tubes could come out once the output was 30 cc's or less in a 24 hour period. Since the right side was more involved, that is draining the most. Needless to say...they won't be coming out tomorrow!!

So friends...Brenda is good and now sleeping comfortably. I'm about ready to start napping here in this recliner. I'm pooped! Thank you all so very much for all your prayers, love, concern, and well wishes. Paula...thank you soooooo very much for keeping me company and teaching me all about the ins and outs of Mafia Wars and sharing your "Mafia Wars Gang list" with me. It's so addicting!! ha! You were just a sweetie for sitting so long with me...it really helped to pass the time.

If everything goes well and Brenda is doing OK...they said they might release her tomorrow...YEA!! Just in time to watch football on TV this weekend. Watch the blog and I'll give you pictures and another update tomorrow...it's time to get some shut-eye!!

Sleep tight. The cancer is out of her!!! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Dee and sleeping, cancer-free Brenda!

All's Going Well

2009-11-20T15:16:00.000-08:00

Got another update that said Dr. Gillenwater had finished with the right side and was working on the left. Once that was done they would close the incision and work on her nose and look around her sinus cavity to ensure all was OK.

Vital were good and she was doing fine.

Stand-by for more...

Surgery Update

2009-11-20T12:18:00.000-08:00

Time of this update is 2:15 PM...

They started on the right side of her neck at 11:14. This side has 3 nodes that need to come out. They should be about through with this side and still have the left side and the endoscope and nasal stints to do. The nurse said it would be another 3 hours at least in surgery. So it looks like the surgery will actually be longer than the 4 hours originally anticipated, but we'll see.

All her vital signs are stable...keel those good positive moe-joes and prayers a comin!...

Dee and Paula (she's here waiting with me...she's teaching me more about how to play Mafia Wars

Surgery Started Early!!!

2009-11-20T11:09:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone...we all know the phrase..."the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray" ...at least I think that's the phrase!!! Ha! Well it happened again this morning. We had the morning planned to be at the hospital right on time. So there we were...just got up...hadn't showered...and the phone rang and they said..."How fast can you get here!?" WHAT!!!??? So we zoomed around the house trying to get ready and off we went. Actually this is a really good thing because we didn't have time to sit around and drive our anxiety into the stratosphere. Apparently Dr. Gillenwater's earlier patient needed more chemo to shrink their tumor more so that moved Brenda up. It's all good.

We only had to wait in the surgery check-in area about 45 minutes and off we went into the pre-op area. They zoomed through that and before we knew it they gave our gal the "happy juice" and off to surgery she went. She's in God's and the surgeons hands now.

Just wanted to give you all an update. They said that the actual surgery itself would take 4 hours or so but when you calculate the time for prep in the operating room and the time in recovery, the time increases to about 6 to 7 hours. We'll be getting updates about every 2 hours and the next one is due in about 40 minutes...so stand by and I'll post the progress.

Hopefully you're sending good moe-joes...
Dee

Friday's Surgery Details

2009-11-19T14:14:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys...well we're nearing the time for Friday's synchronized attack on the "BIG C!" Of course we had another adventure in the pre-op appointment today. It's always about the dang schedule...or lack thereof!

We had an appointment at 8:45 am for the pre-op anesthesia assessment. So like good compliant patients and their nurses...we showed up right on time. Now I know it's a huge place and there are lots of docs going to do lots of surgery tomorrow, but do all the Friday surgery patients have to show up at the same time? I think it's like going to the meat department at the grocery store and having to pull the number out of the little machine to wait your turn. YEP...First come, first served.

So we sat and sat and sat...our 8:45 appointment turned into a 10:15 appointment? Michele...you would be loosing your mind! I just know that there is a better way to do this. YIKES!!! OK so that's done. But...it could have been worse so I just shouldn't complain!! So there!

Let me get to the plans for tomorrow. We have to be at the hospital at 12:45 pm. Then surgery will be an hour to and hour and a half after that. Since Brenda can't eat or drink anything after midnight, she is going to be one hungry, thirsty girl. Thank heaven she can rinse her mouth out with water.

OK...we need the collective village's positive energy and prayers flowing toward our gal tomorrow afternoon. We're both getting nervous about this, but are looking forward to getting the nasty "C" out of her neck. I think I told you that she has 5 nodes (3 on the right and 2 on the left) that need to be OUT!!!. The scar tissue in her nose is also getting harder and harder to keep open and so we're hoping that the nose stints that Dr. Gillenwater will place in there tomorrow will do the trick to keep her nose open until the scar tissue can heal OPEN...PLEASE LORD!!! OPEN!!

We're looking forward to SKYPING with the POD tonight at 6:00 pm. They are all in PuertaVallarta enjoying a nice vacation and are going to try and say Hi tonight via the computer...before Survivor of course...HA! We anxious to say Hi to everyone.

We have also become addicted to Mafia Wars on Facebook...thanks to Paula!! She's going to sit with me tomorrow so I don't have to wait alone (thanks you dear Paula!!!)...we're both bringing our computers so she can teach me more about the game...OH yea...and so I can update the blog and let you know how things are progressing...so keep watching tomorrow. If you're not on Facebook...sign on and join our Mafia Family...we need members!! Ha! You all would crack up watching Brenda and I sit on the couch coaching each other on this silly game. Life is short...play hard!!! Check it out.

That should bring you all up to date on this Thursday afternoon. Hope all is well with each and every one of you. Remember the mantra: "We are happy and thankful for Brenda's total wellness."

More tomorrow...
Dee and Brenda

Surgery Is a "GO"

2009-11-16T13:39:00.000-08:00

Hi VP's...well we just got back from more waiting in the clinic and we have now seen both Dr. Gillenwater, the surgeon, and Dr. Hong, Bren's oncologist. Just as we suspected, several...5 lymph nodes in her neck (3 on the right side and 2 on the left)...are still lighting up and have to come OUT! We still don't know if there is residual disease in this "bad boys" or if they are dead, but because of so much radiation, they are still lighting up. They will send these guys to the lab to actually see if they are alive or dead. Regardless...they will come out along with some surrounding tissue to make sure the "Big C" is history.

The good news is that the current scans still show no metabolic activity in Bren's sinus and brain where those other tumors/lesions were. YEA!!!! We are soooo happy about that. There is no new activity any where else as well so that continues to be very good news.

The other problem that poor Bren has been having is the scar tissue in her nose that has been trying to close off her nasal breathing. We talked to Dr. Gillenwater about this as well. She is going to do an endoscopic exam on Friday when Bren is knocked out just to look around and see if there is anything else that is suspicious in her sinuses that need attention. When she's in there, she's going to try and open Bren's nasal cavity by putting some stints in her nose...sew them in...and leave them in about 6 to 8 weeks until the scar tissue hopefully heals OPEN! We were in hysterics in Dr. Hongs office visualizing flexible McDonalds straws up her nose. You know that sick gallows humor that cops have? Well we were cracking ourselves up laughing at all the information...as in horrible side effects...that could result from trouble with the surgery. Believe me...we are very nervous about this upcoming surgery. This is just the sick way we know that takes some of the tension out of this situation. We sure had some good belly laughs though.

There are all sorts of horrible things that can go wrong with this surgery...most involve nerve and muscle damage. It's amazing all the stuff that's in your neck. Dr. Gillenwater is a very good surgeon and she has done this type of surgery many times before so we hope and pray that she's "spot on" Friday and that the surgery goes flawlessly. We anticipate Bren being in the hospital about 1 or 2 days. I won't have a time of the surgery until Thursday, but I'll definitely post that on the blog when I get it. We'd really, really appreciate lots of positive thoughts and prayers that day. I'll definitely have my laptop and will keep you all posted so stay tuned.

So there ya have it dear friends...I think I've got everything that happened covered. It's really chilly here today and we were talking about going to Kemah tomorrow to walk around the shops by the marina. I think we might do something with Paula and Jason on Wednesday. There's a couple more appointments we have at the clinic but we know the path the week will take so now it's just that waiting game until we can get this surgery behind us.

Keep watching the blog for future update and pics. We hope this note finds you all well and getting ready fro a wonderful Thanksgiving...that's right around the corner!!

Blessings to you all...
Dee and Brenda

Three Strikes and the Big C is OUT!!!

2009-11-13T10:27:00.000-08:00

Hi from Houston VP's...yep...we're back. I think the powers that are in the universe felt bad for putting us through hell in August and then messing up this series of appointments, so our trip back here was flawless. We even got an upgraded car due to a mistake by the wonderful man that drove the Dollar Rent a Car bus!! THANKS...we needed that Ford Escape because of all our luggage. Packing for a possible 19 day stay means a few more T-Shirts than a 3 days stay!!!

So we are tucked into an apartment called the "Amalfi at Hermann Park." It's new and really nice...nice apartment, good workout room, free coffee in a very nice lounge, 2 pools and 3 garden areas. I do wish when you rent these apartments, they would put a few cleaning supplies here and more then one roll of TP and one roll of paper towels!! Ha! This is a whole lot nicer than being stuck in a motel for 19 days.

The timing of the trip worked out so well that we had moved our luggage into the apartment and went out and had a nice fish dinner and got home just in time to watch "SURVIVOR!!!" We're both hopelessly addicted to the show!! Ha! But we were tired when it was time to hit the sack and with the help of a little Ambien we both slept well.

OK, so we had super early appointments for the new series of PET scans this morning so we had to get up at 5:30!!! Remember...We are NOT morning folks!! Ha! I took my laptop over to the clinic with a grand plan of updating the blog while Brenda was in getting the scans...well that didn't happen. I happened to find an unoccupied recliner and fell fast asleep for the 2 hours she was asleep in the scan tube!! Ha! Now that felt good!

We went over to Le Peep for some breakfast after the clinic and then did a little grocery shopping. Again we made it back just in time for "The Young and the Restless! It's Friday and you just shouldn't miss the Friday episodes! Hey...Quiet!...I'm retired! Brenda left me to watch these ridiculous melodramas and she escaped to the bedroom for a nap.

I think we'll try and go to the movies and see "Precious" this weekend. It's supposed to be a very good movie. Then we'll hook up with Paula and Jason for some good grub and conversation. Since we're right across the street from this big area called Hermann Park, maybe I can get Bren out for some fresh air and a nice walk. Monday we see Dr. Gillenwater (surgeon) in the morning and Dr. Hong (oncologist) in the afternoon. Then we'll really know the next steps we'll take. We're calling this trip "The Three Strikes and You're OUT Cancer." This is the 3rd time we've come to Houston and so far we're winning the game...The is the trip that we totally wipe out our opponent. TKO!!!

So that should give you the latest. Bren is doing well...she still has trouble keeping her nose open so we'll be sure to talk about that with Dr. Gillenwater on Monday. She needs a lot of sleep to keep that good ole healing going so we have lots of down time for some good naps.

We'll keep you posted on all the latest Houston Haps...stay tuned! To all our Olivia buddies...safe travels to Porta Vallarta. We'll look forward to pics and sme e0mails if you can get a connection. Have a wonderful time...we'll be there with you in spirit. Hopefully the sun will be bright and warm, the pool cool and the food good. I know the company you'll all keep will be fantastic!

Have a wonderful day...
Dee and a sleeping and healing Brenda

UPDATE: Getting Ready for Another Trip to Houston

2009-11-03T09:15:00.000-08:00

Yes VP's...the blog continues. I didn't abandon you...really! I just took a break to focus on stuff around here in Mesa plus...my #1 job... helping our favorite gal heal...that's a VERY, VERY slow process. So here we are once again with an update.

We were all scheduled to go back to Houston this week to have the scans again and then to have surgery, if needed. I had arranged everything...flights...another apartment...the car...you know the drill. Then a little over a week ago, I noticed that someone had removed the surgeon (Dr. Gillenwater) from our appointment schedule. HELL!!! She’s the main player in this next stage of treatment. Then I noticed they moved the appointment to December 7th...what the hell??? I thought we were trying to stay on top of these nodes if they still contained residual disease and needed to come out so the cancer didn’t fly someplace else or didn’t get another foothold. So we got on the phone with the surgeons office and raised a little hell. Well...I shouldn't say "WE!!" I got on the phone and raised a little hell!! So now...Everything is pushed back a week instead of another month. We really didn’t want to wait until December. We now fly into Houston on Nov.12th, see Dr. Gillenwater and Dr. Hong on the16th.I just noticed that they have now made the appointment for the scans on the 17th. Damn...that's sort of having the cart before the horse so we'll get back on the phone and see what we can do to change that. Pre-op appointments are set for the 19th and the surgery is scheduled for the 20th. If we don’t need the surgery, we'll just cancel that and come home. The nodes are still there however and so we are thinking they will just want them to come out. Bren will be in the hospital for about a day and then they want us to stay 7days to do post-op follow-up. That puts us right smack dab in the middle of the Thanksgiving holiday...wonderful!!! At least is isn’t Christmas! We have planned to come home on December 1st thinking the surgeon will want to see her on the 30th.

So I’ve spent the last several days rearranging all the arrangements I originally arranged...groan! I don’t have to tell you that these changes have added more pennies to the original trip cost and that just ticks me off. I think I’ll give the bill to the nurse that just erased us form the schedule and then DIDN’T CALL US! It’s hard enough to mentally prepare for all this, but then to make changes and not call to explain...well all I can say is GRRRRRRRRR!!! Brenda made me promise not to chew folks out until AFTER her surgery! Ha! She said it was HER throat they were slitting...not mine!!! OK Bren...I'll be nice! I'll TRY to be nice!

The healing here at home has been very slow. Bren still sleeps through most mornings. She gets up around 6:00 am to get her nose cleared out...lots of drainage...and she's trying desperately to keep that scar tissue from closing her nasal airway. She takes her morning meds and just falls back to sleep until around 11 or noon...then she's pretty much up for the rest of the day. She's even back to seeing our trainer 3 days a week for a half an hour for some rehabilitation...it's really not a workout...it's just getting her muscles to work again and build up some normal strength to do just day to day things that we all take for granted. So the medical folks out there shouldn't panic...she's not training for a body building contest or a marathon. She said it feels really, really good to just get all this moving again.

Eating is a huge challenge for our gal...she's sooooo thin!! I'm such a nag when it comes to getting good food down her. She still has no taste buds and no saliva so there really is no joy in eating anything except to fill her belly. She has to drink a ton of water and eat very slowly and chew a lot to get anything down. It takes her twice as long to eat and she just fills up with all the water she has to drink. High Protein Boost nutritional drinks are helping us keep the calorie count UP. What we eat now is based solely on what she thinks she can get down. I'm really not food driven at all so whatever she wants to eat is just fine with me.

The weather here has been spectacular. We hit record highs about 3 weeks ago and then the temps hit huge lows (that's lows for us in the desert...like low 60's during the day and mis 40's at night.) It snowed up in Flagstaff and there was some snow flurries at our cabin in Strawberry. Then the temps turned around once again and today it's supposed to be 94!!! It's just that time of year. We've gone out several times to have lunch and have just sat outside to enjoy our food...it's fabulous. The sky is a bright blue, there's no wind, and the sun is warm and welcoming. WONDERFUL!! The only bad thing is that there is NO rain in sight...we really need some moisture!

I've been enjoying training our dogs over the last 6 weeks. I've taken our 5 year old Abbie to Rally classes (that's a form of Obedience Training) and I've taken Tanner, our 2 year old to Basic Obedience. It's been great for all of us. I'll get them back into classes when we get home. I've definitely gone to the dogs!! Ha!

So that brings you all up to date with our ongoing MD Anderson treatment saga. We hope this blog post finds you all well and enjoying the fall weather. We're taking both computers back to Houston so watch for more blog updates the in the days ahead.

Toodles from the beautiful desert southwest.
Dee, Brenda, Abbie and Tanner

Update from Day 2 at MD Anderson

2009-10-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...I know you've all been anxious to hear the results of our Day 2 appointments so here I am with the update. I would have written last night when we got home but we both were absolutely pooped and just went to bed to try and get some much needed sleep!

So Tuesday started off bright and early...remember that we are NOT morning folks...ugh!...with the dentist. No day should start with the dentist...Ha! Dr. Chambers is a really great guy and a true delight to be with. He looked in Brenda's mouth, was delighted she was continuing her facial/mouth exercises, and declared her mouth and gums infection free and looking good. He answered a ton of questions about the swelling in Brens face and neck...quite common after all the radiation she got because the lymph nodes have been fried and the fluid is building up. He said that that would eventually go away as soon as she healed some more and the fluid found other ways to drain. We got some supplies and a couple scripts for oral spray and fluoride tooth paste and off to breakfast at Le Peeps we went.

After breakfast we headed back to the hotel...we were both pooped still. The time change really wackes us out and I must say that the stress is a tad bit draining...gross understatement!!! Then we got ourselves over to the radiation department for our 1:30 appointment with Dr. Morrison...our new radiation oncologist. Everyone says that this guy is brilliant but is a man of very few words. VP's...that was another gross understatement. He came in and just smiled at us and looked like he wondered what we were doing there? Now we had a 2:00 appointment with Dr. Gillenwater, the surgeon, so we needed to get this show on the road...he was a good 45 minutes LATE!!! We asked the questions and he gave us one word answers. His resident was a little more vocal and we learned that there were SEVERAL spots on both sides of Brenda's neck that were lighting up. No one really knows if that's residual disease or if that's the tissue continuing to heal. You can feel some enlarged nodes...the really bad boys when we started this odyssey...on either side of Bren's neck. No one knows right now if this is dead and hardened nodes or if there's still nasty activity in them. HUMMMM! We didn't want to hear that more than a couple nodes were lighting, but it is what it is!!! Morrison did agree with Hong that it appeared that no tissues were lighting up in the sinuses or in that brain lesion...tremendous good news.

So up to Gillenwater's area we went. We got into an exam room and waited and waited and waited!!! So now it was nearing 4:00...we had a 2:00 appointment which Morrison made us an hour late for!!! OK...I was getting nervous about our time frame here and put my Chief hat back on and went searching for the nurse!! I found her and explained that we needed to be at the airport at 5:00 for a flight...she told me I shouldn't have done that and I just looked at her in as big a Chiefly "command presence" I could muster, and said I did it and please help us get the doc in to see Bren. BINGO!!! We were next up. Dr. Gillenwater is really a great lady...friendly, talkative...you know the kind...instant bonding.

I'll just give you the medical bullet...she concurred that she didn't see any concerning activity in the sinus or brain lesion area...GREAT NEWS!!!! She did see, like everyone else, the activity in the lymph nodes. She agreed with the recommendation of Dr. Hong that we wait a month and redo the scans to see if these are still there lighting up. She said that if they are, she wants them OUT!! Even if they are dead tissue and still enlarged, she recommends getting them out. She put it quite simply that we "don't want the cow out of the barn." So I guess we'll just move the barn and the cow to another planet!!! Works for us! She recommended that we schedule the surgery now and if all the nodes are reduced and the scans are negative then we can cancel the surgery...if not, we won't have to come back again.

We asked her about the time frame for a surgical process and she said to schedule about a week. The surgery itself would take about 4 hours and then Bren would be in the hospital about a day or so. Then we would just need to remain in Houston to be monitored until we knew the healing was going along without any glitches. She did mention additional chemo and I guess that's a possibility to do cleanup but that's Dr. Hong's call. I sure hope Bren doesn't have to go through any more of that.

Our psychic contact said that there would be a "small glitch" but then Bren would have "smooth sailing." So far Carol hasn't been wrong and I'm really hanging my hat on the "smooth sailing part." Right Village? Thanks Vic for sending that piece of info...that really helps keep our focus on the eventual results!!

We did ask Dr. Gillenwater why Brenda couldn't breathe out of her nose. She poked around in there and said that it was scar tissue!!! YIKES! This is what Dr. Mello was afraid of. She siad she's never seen that before...thank you Brenda for being such a rare bird!!! Now please stop that! Well, Dr. Gillenwater began pushing on the tissue with a long q-tip and she said that it was still on the soft side and maybe with a little pressure she could get it broken...so she donned her miner's light and armed with that q-tip went digging for AIR!! BINGO....she got through the right side. Brenda was in heaven over the opportunity to breathe out her nose! Delighted with the success, the doc went into the left side...no luck with the q-tip so she put on a new glove, loaded her little finger up with surgelube, and into the left cave she went. She pushed and pushed and pushed...get the visual?...and pushed and just when Bren was about to pass out (well not really, but it HURT!!) Bingo...she broke through the scar tissue on the left side...YEA!!! Brenda was such a happy camper!! Even though she now had a bloody nose she would breathe. YEA!! The issue now becomes...how to keep this open? She would have packed it open if we were going to remain in Houston but we're trying to keep it open with nasal rinses and regular digging on our own with the q-tip. WONDERFUL! She told us how not to puncture Bren's brain...No, No, No!!! The brain remains untouched!! Brenda's the miner this time...I'm just the coach!

So that's about it...we have more to do. We're happy with the news, but we know there is still more work to be done to reach TOTAL WELLNESS! We ask that you continue to pray and say the mantra...this could all be a mute issue if the scans show no activity when we return in November. Thanks from the bottom of our hearts for hanging in there with us. Please keep up the good work!

The flight home was uneventful...not like the crazy one the last time we returned. We landed ahead of schedule and got the car...zipped right home...and crashed! Now we leave to drive for Tucson in an hour to get the dogs...then life will almost be back to normal for another month! YEA!!

Don't worry...we'll definitely keep you posted...you are such an important part of our healing. Hugs to you all...

Dee and a sleeping and nose-breathing Brenda

Day One Recheck Update

2009-10-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...well day one is behind us. Here's the scoop. We had to get up way, way too early. The alarm went off at 5:30 am and we got over to the clinic by 7:00 to start the day of tests and appointments. Now remember that Phoneix is 2 hours BEHIND Houston so we really got up at 3:30...UGH!! All the paperwork that we read on what to eat befor a PET scan told us that Bren could take her meds...so she did. We watched what we ate the night before when we went with Paula to Joe's Crab Shack. We thought all was well until the folks in diagnostic imaging told us that Bren should NOT have taken her liquid Vicodin this morning... well we thought that would really mess things up, but we got rescheduled at 11:00 so all was still on track.

We used the time to get Brenda's feeding tube OUT!!! YEA!! Bren is so happy that thing is gone...she said that it just makes her feel a little less like a cancer patient. HECK! We all know that she isn't...TOTAL WELLNESS!!! We also got her blood work done and made it back to the PET scan place for the tests...that one takes 2 hours!

We had enough time when Brenda got out of the test at 1:00 to go grab some lunch in the cafeteria and then head for Dr. Hong's office. I was now getting nervous so I popped some Ativan so I could actually be present to hear the news...good news!

Doc Hong came in and said that althought the scans had not been read by the specialist that does that, he looked at them and saw NO ACTIVITY IN THE SINUSES OR BRAIN. (Yes! Brenda still has a fantastic brain that works!!!...you know what I mean!) He did say that there was some small activity on both sides of her neck but no one is completely sure of this right now. It could be continued healing from all the radiation she received there, it could be residual disease. He wants Bren to continue with the rest of our appointments tomorrow and all the docs would confer. He mentioned that he thought we should come back in a month to get another PET done. It's still relatively soon after radiation stopped and they gave her so much. If she does have to have these areas removed it shouldn't be a huge process...everyone says that it's relatively simple and definitely not the MAJOR reconstruction that the folks back in Phoenix wanted to do originally...YIKES! We should have more info on this from the surgeon tomorrow.

So we really do have great news that there appears to be no disease in Bren's head...we were really worried about that. Thanks to all of you for the positive energy toward TOTAL HEALING...we are definitely on our way.

Tomorrow is the dentist, our new radiation oncologist, and the surgeon...then it's off to the plane and homeward bound with smiles on our faces. We'll have more news to report tomorrow.

We have felt your strength coming at us for all directions and can't thank you enough for being such a strong part of our healing circle. We've spent a lot of time with Paula and Jason in between all our appointments. J and P...We sure thank you guys for all the info you shared and the good times building our friendship. You both are so special and it sure helped having you touch bases with us and help us through this first visit. Hey Amanda...Dr. Hong asked how you were doing...you sure made an impression...he asks about you all the time. I told him about your new venture...he was impressed!

So I am totally pooped and whipped out so it's PJ time and I'm hitting the sack. I'm reading Dan Brown's new book "The Lost Symbol" and I'm in a good section so I want to get back to that as we keep one eye on the football game.

Love to you all...your energy is so powerful...remember the mantra for tomorrow:
We're happy and grateful for Brenda's total wellness.
Dee and a well Bren...

More tomorrow so tune in...

Off to Houston

2009-10-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

OK VP's...your true power and visualization for Brenda's TOTAL WELLNESS is really upon us!! I know that this village has incredible power and can send out only positive thoughts to help us visualize and accept gratefully this wonderful gift of life and wellness so Brenda can fulfill her destiny. We all know the incredible gifts this dear woman can give the world...her story will only continue...and her presence will only heal.

We are off to the airport in about an hour so I just have time to thank all of you for the calls, e-mails, prayers, dinners, laughter, bingo, well wishes, care of the dogs, phone calls, etc. of encouragement and love. You all are so very dear to us and these messages, both spoken and unspoken, mean so very much.

Remember the mantra: "WE ARE HAPPY AND GRATEFUL FOR BRENDA'S TOTAL WELLNESS."

We're taking the laptop so I'll write when I know more. Until then...hold us in your thoughts and prayers and know how much you all mean to us.

We bless your light...
Dee and Brenda

Healing Continues - Life is Good

2009-09-27T15:53:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...it's amazing that I can intuitively hear when you guys need a blog update. The last couple of days I've been saying to myself..."I really do need to get an update on the blog." So VP's...here I am to confirm that Brenda is alive, doing well, and continues to heal. It's still very slow, but we can see progress and that's a beautiful picture.

We leave for Houston next Sunday (October 4th) and have 2 very full days of appointments on Monday and Tuesday...the 5th and the 6th. Now we really have nothing against Houston, but we are jetting back to Phoenix on the evening flight on Tuesday the 6th. Yes...we're nervous about this and are using all our spiritual resources to live through this with the intention of Brenda's "TOTAL WELLNESS." We are visualizing only instructions from the doctors to go home and heal some more and we'll see you in 3 months.

The mantra that we are using is this: "We are happy and grateful for Brenda's total wellness." We say this over and over and live with this intent. We would love if you would join us in saying the mantra as part of your prayers for Brenda. Envision what this looks like...jumping for joy, hugging poor embarrassed Dr. Hong, planning Thanksgiving at the cabin with friends, enjoying the wonderful fall desert weather, getting out and walking with the family...well you get the picture. Visualize only what you want to see for her...no negative content, only the discussion of wellness. The more that can say the mantra the more intent on total wellness the universe will bestow. Have you read "The Secret?" If you have, you'll totally understand this concept. If you haven't read the book...it's well worth it and just might add to your life.

So we went up to our cabin in Strawberry which is about 2 hours north of our Mesa home up in the mountains with the tall ponderosa pine trees...it's heavenly up there. Since Brenda is a little anemic, she was dressed like "Nanook of the North." You would have thought it was late fall instead of late summer. It got down into the low 50's at night and that's cold for our desert bones!! Ha! The pictures I posted will give you the visual. My Mom came with us and we really did have a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the cool mountain air. We'll go back up in October and then we'll begin to plan our big Thanksgiving celebration with all our friends. It's an annual event up there and it's always a hit...good food...good friends...good times...Life is Good!! And this year we'll celebrate "Total Wellness!"

Brenda has been using the energy she has to work on her garden. We went and got 2 yards of garden soil at the nursery the other day and Bren actually unloaded the entire trailer herself...her energy is slowly coming back and I just let her do what she can do so she can build up her stamina. She still sleeps most mornings and then stayes up all afternoon and evening. Bedtime usually hits her about 9:00 or 9:30 PM. She really is doing great. She still can't breathe out of her nose and her throat is still sore, but the medicine helps with that.

I've been busy doing home repair projects...just the normal things when you have a house...things break and you need to fix them! I've also got Tanner enrolled in Basic Obedience class on Monday night and Abbie and I go to Rally/Obedience class on Fridays. It's so good to get back training the dogs. I'm sooooo looking forward to the weather cooling off so we can walk during the day. Today it hit 105 so we still have a little heat left in the Arizona desert.

Last night our dear friends Beck and Julie got us all (FREE) tickets to the Western Conference Title WNBA game between the Phoenix Mercury and the LA Sparks. We took their little boy Ryder with us and we all had a ball. We ate dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe before the game and then found our seats were in the second row!!! It was a great game and we all felt like it was our normal routine. That felt so so good. We used to have season tickets so this was just like old times. We saw several folks we haven't seen in a while and it was good catching up. On top of all that, the Mercury WON!!!! How good is that. Now they face the Indiana Fever for the title. GO MERCURY!!!

Tonight is steak on the grill, veggie casserole, and strawberry shortcake for desert while we watch the Phoenix Cardinals play the Indianapolis Colts...it's the big Kurt Warner and Payton Manning faceoff. Hopefully it'll be a good game. We love football season!!

So dear friends...all is well here in Mesa. Remember the mantra for Bren...you all have been so fabulous with helping us through this journey that I feel I can continue to ask for you help with visualizing this very positive intention. "We are happy and grateful for Brenda's total wellness."

Hope this post finds you all well...we bless your light.
Dee, Brenda, Abbie and Tanner

No News Is Good News!!!

2009-09-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...I know...I know!! I can hear you all collectively yelling at me for not writing sooner. Sorry VP's...there's been a ton of things to do to get resettled back here on the home front. I've had great intentions every evening, but I've just been too pooped to blog. It's amazing what collects on your personal "To Do" list when you're gone for an extended period of time. Plus we've taken...well actually I've taken... this opportunity to do some house cleaning. We're definitely to the point that if something comes "IN"...something needs to go "OUT." I bet most of you are in that exact position with your households.

Really...no news from me IS good news. Brenda is very slowing coming back to life...thank the Lord! I have pictures I'm sharing with you to prove it. She still sleeps most mornings but has gotten herself up and showered in the afternoon and we run errands or she putzes organizing her office, working in her garden, playing on the computer, visiting friends, or cooking. Most of you that know Brenda know that she is a fabulous cook. The good news is that she's eating human food again and not the kind that comes in a can that you have to put in your stomach via a bag and a tube. Thank the Lord again! The bad news is that she can't taste a dang thing!!! They said that would take 6 to 9 months to come back so we have begun to rate the food according to consistency!! A girls' gotta do what a girls gotta do! I'm working diligently to get some weight back on our girl. She has lost about 30 pounds during this ordeal but I think we have stopped her weight loss and now I'm trying to put a few pounds back on her. Yes! I'm nagging!

Brenda's neck wounds are all healed up but her throat is still sore and she still can't breath through her nose very well. That makes sleeping and trying to keep her mouth moist a real challenge. She's on a very low dose of pain meds and have cut out some that she just doesn't need any more. Progress is slow, but it's still progress and that's a wonderful picture.

We have arranged our return to Houston and are visualizing only good news from Dr. Hong that there is no sign of the cancer and we have instructions to just go back home and continue to heal. We sure would appreciate it if you would help us continue to visualize this. We're looking at just good news, huge smiles, and an enormous weight off our shoulders until the next scans...probably in December or January. Will you all help us with this? I know the power of the village is still with us. We're flying in to Houston on Sunday October 4th and then have doctors appointments, lab tests, and scans all Monday and Tuesday. No offense to all the wonderful professionals at MD Anderson, but we're flying home Tuesday evening. (Oct. 6th)

So Brenda sends you big healing Hello's from home sweet home...with the dogs running around...and the beautiful desert out our back door. It's SOOOOOO priceless to be back home...her healing will be speedier, I'm sure.

We wish you all well...the football season has started, we're going up to our cabin this weekend to enjoy the Arizona rim country, and let the dogs run and run and run!! More pictures will be on the blog shortly I'm sure.

Remember...no news is good news...
Dee, Brenda, Abbie and Tanner

Healing Update

2009-08-30T08:45:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...I guess by now you've learned that if there are several days that go by and I don't post something on the blog that all must either be going very well or are a complete disaster. Well the former is true. Brenda is doing just great and is getting a little bit stronger with each passing day. She's still sleeping lots, but that's to be expected and is good for her healing process. She does much better in the afternoon and has actually stayed awake more and more each day. It just brings such joy to my heart to see her recovering. YEA!!! As you can see by the picture...Tanner, our red male Dobie...is giving Brenda some lessons on relaxation. It sooooo good to have them home with us.

Saturday Becky came over and she helped Brenda make macaroni salad for dinner that the Mesa gang had last night. Of course Brenda still can't taste a darn thing so we all had to sample to ensure the seasoning was right on target...OH hurt me with that task!! Ha! The progressive dinner we had was a ball and it almost felt like old times once again! I just can't tell you how great that was. Julie made her famous "chicken balls"...comfort food like no other!! We brought macaroni salad and I made a fresh apple pie. Lynn and Kim brought the veggies and a HUGE cookie for Ryder, Becky and Julie's adorable 3 year old. As you can see, Ryder was absolutely fascinated by Brenda's hair and just has to run his hands over her head. He is such a doll and a future heart breaker.

So life in Mesa is wonderful, HOT, but not humid...and totally wonderful. We are slowly getting all the Houston stuff unpacked and put away and are taking the opportunity to clean out stuff. It's truly amazing what you can accumulate in 4 months!!! Brenda is slowly transitioning off the feeding tube and is trying to eat more and more regular food each day. As any good nurse worth her salt would do, I'm trying to get some weight back on my patient. I just can't believe how slow the time went that week before we left Houston and how fast the time has gone since we've been home!!

We just wanted you all to know that LIFE IS GOOD!!!! Keep checking the blog for more updates and pictures. I'm going to keep this going...the story hasn't ended! Hugs to all of you for your comments, e-mails, flowers, well wishes and prayers! Our village is nothing short of fantastic! God bless you all...have a wonderful day!

Dee, Brenda, Abbie and Tanner

Homecoming Video

2009-08-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

VP's as promised...here's the highlights of Brenda's late, but cheerful homecoming celebration at the airport. You can probably see how tired she was. That was a &#$@ 10 hour flight!! For those that couldn't attend, we felt your energy. It's so wonderful to be HOME.

Enjoy the video...
Dee and a recovering Brenda

The Coming Home Story...Ya Gotta Read This!

2009-08-24T06:45:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...I bet you were wondering about our homecoming. I have quite a story to tell...we NEVER seem to do things without a little "blip" in plans. Now those aren't necessarily bad blips and our homecoming was no exception. We've been busy getting settled back into our desert living...let me just say that we just couldn't be happier to be home. I guess that just goes without saying, doesn't it.

OK...so here's the story. The last update I gave was Thursday and you know that Brenda wasn't feeling well at all. I really wondered if we would get to go home. Every time I asked her if she was OK to travel, she just got this very determined look on her face, and just said "YES!" Did I really expect to have her say anything different? NO!

So our dear "car transport" friend had to fly in on Thursday night because he was flying "stand-by" and the Friday flight was booking up. He got a hotel at the airport and at least he got a good night's sleep. We...on the other hand, didn't sleep well at all. Brenda was still trying to recover from her horrible bout of barfing, and I was fixated on how I was going to organize all the stuff sitting in the living room that needed to get packed into the car. I woke up at 3:00 am and just couldn't go back to sleep. Brenda was up and down all night. So at 4:30 we both got up and I got meds in our gal and got a can of food in her...that was a good thing...she needed food!

I got the car packed and those of you that know me, know I can really maximize space. We got most everything in, and I'm telling you...I couldn't have fitted one more thing in that vehicle. It was packed to the max!! Ha! We had no remorse in leaving that apartment...it served its purpose well, but we were more than over it! HOME...that was our total focus! We got to the hotel about 10:30, chatted with our buddy, and Brenda headed immediately for the bed and fell asleep. That was good. We got a late checkout of 4:00 PM so that meant we could let her sleep until we had to head over the the airport for our flight. I got Bren to drink a Boost and I went and got some lunch. I knew eating would be messed up.

We got over to the airport, checked in, and all was on track. So as we were sitting at the gate waiting for boarding, I noticed this huge weather system that was moving toward the airport...OH NO! Houston weather was predicted to be stormy that afternoon and the weather guys were absolutely right on target...this was NOT going to be a small storm. We got on board, pushed back from the gate, and started to taxi to the runway, when all of a sudden we STOPPED! The pilot got on the PA and informed us we had to hold on the tarmac because the airport had just closed down due to the storm!! DANG!! So we sat there for an hour and a half while the storm ragged around us.

Some of you know that we had planned a surprise homecoming gathering at the airport so while we were sitting there I phone Toni to update her on the delay. POOP! But an hour and a half delay wasn't too bad. We finally took off and headed for home. For those of you not familiar with Phoenix weather...we are in our annual "monsoon" season when we can get violent afternoon thunderstorms with lots of blowing dust, high winds, lots of lightening, torrential rain, and micro-bursts. These storms are nothing to mess around in. But the monsoon season this year has been next to non-existent and it really looked like the Phoenix weather would be calm. HA!!! Did I also tell you that monsoon weather was also quite unpredictable?

The flight thus far was typical...no problems. Brenda wasn't feeling all that well and couldn't sleep very much...she needed to lay down but the flight was PACKED. I felt our descent into Phoenix and had a smile on my face. But all of a sudden the pilot got on the PA system again and said that the Phoenix airport (Sky Harbor) was closed due to violent thunderstorms surrounding the airport. GREAT! It hasn't rain hardly at all all summer and now, when we want to get home to see our friends at the airport...WE CAN'T LAND!!! LORD!!! So we went into a holding pattern south of the airport and waited for the storm to pass or subside. About 45 minutes into the holding pattern, the pilot again came on the PA and said that we were going to try and land but although the airport had opened, the thunderstorm was still very active and we might have to divert. If we couldn't land he said we would have to go to Tucson because we would need fuel! WONDERFUL!

So we start our approach to the airport when all of a sudden we are changing directions...now what? The pilot again came on the PA and said that the winds had shifted and we would have to approach from the other direction. Aircraft fact: When you land, you want to land INTO the wind. This direction change meant we were going into the worst part of the storm. It wasn't a pretty picture...lightening all around...a lot of turbulence...OH...this was not looking good at all. So we turn on final approach to land and the bad weather gets WORSE! These were the worse conditions I have ever tried to land in and they weren't getting better...they kept getting WORSE. On short final, when our airspeed was low, we hit extremely nasty conditions. The plane was flipping up, yawing back and forth, the tail was flipping up and I said to myself..."WE CANNOT LAND SAFELY IN THESE CONDITIONS." Well I was right and the pilot finally gunned the engines and we aborted the landing...thank the LORD! YEP! We were now on the way to Tucson!!

Brenda was feeling worse and worse. She needed meds, she needed to get something into her stomach, and she needed to lay down and sleep, but none of that was going to happen right then. When we got to Tucson (a half hour flight from Phoenix) I did get meds into Bren and that helped a lot. But no one could get off the plane because we were just refueling and then would head back to Phoenix when the weather would let us. YEP...I was on the phone again advising the homecoming gang of the delays. They were going to stick it out and wait for us. What a great bunch of friends. Thank heaven the bar at the airport was still open so some of the folks just went and had some cocktails. Good for you.

OK while we were refueling the pilot came out of the cockpit and told us why we aborted the landing...which was quite obvious to everyone...we actually clapped when we landed in Tucson. Yep! He scared the crap out of everyone, but he was totally interested in getting us SAFELY home so he didn't take any chances. BLESS HIM! He said we aborted because we hit a wind shear and all the alarms in the cockpit were going off...wind shear is nothing to mess with!!! So we refueled and sat at the gate for a bit waiting for that dang storm in Phoenix to leave. Again the pilot got on the PA and said we were cleared to take-off...we pushed back, and headed for the runway. All of a sudden we STOPPED!! YEP! You guessed it...they closed Sky Harbor again and we had to wait!! OK...This was getting ridiculous. It was now about 10:00 PM and we were supposed to have landed at 7:03 PM!! We finally were cleared to take-off about 10:30 PM and got into Phoenix around 11:00 PM.

Julie met us at the gate (she's a pilot for US Airways and had access to get to the gate to help us.) It was soooooo good to see her. Brenda was feeling a little better and in true Brenda (fighter, warrior) fashion she didn't want to sit in a wheelchair...she wanted to walk. OK then! The homecoming at the other side of security was absolutely fantastic...banners, balloons, cheers, hugs, kisses...it was magical! Julie took some video so we'll send that a little later today when I have an extra minute to edit the footage. To all of you who stuck it out at the airport, you'll never know how much that meant to us. It really meant we were home and it was so good for both of us to see you all.

Becky and Julie took Brenda home after she got to say Hi to everyone, and Lynn, Kim and I waited for the luggage and they drove me up to the house. That's when we got the second amazing surprise. Yellow ribbons were everywhere on our front tree. It was BEAUTIFUL!!! Becky and Julie helped collect ribbons from all of you (thanks Vic for the fabulous idea and spear-heading this project!) and put them up in the tree and then had to scurry to take down some of the ones with pictures and notes that wouldn't survive the rain. I think Julie said she took a picture before they had to dismantle part of the tree!! I can just see them. Bless your hearts guys...this was so fantastic. There were yellow ribbons in the house too...on the cactus and on the front door. It was wonderful and very heartwarming. Bren and I go out front and read the notes on the ribbons. Thanks...it made the homecoming perfect! LATE, but Perfect!

I think we got to bed around 1:00 am!! UGH! So there's the Friday news...what a story... right? I have to close for right now. I've got to jump in the shower and head to the gym. I have an appointment with my trainer and have to rebuild all the muscle that turned to flab while I was building callouses sitting around on my ass in Houston!!! I'll fill you in on the homecoming movie and the rest of our homecoming when I get back.

As Dorothy would say..."There's no place like home...there's no place like home!"

Go workout and I'll catch you later. Love to all of you that have helped make our exciting homecoming PERFECT!!!

Dee and a healing Brenda

Marshall Vic, Brenda, & Nurse Dee Bid Houston Goodbye

2009-08-20T18:27:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's....well the anticipated last night in our Houston apartment is FINALLY here. Hallelujah!!! I wish I could say that all is well. Brenda has the "barfs" again and today has not been a pleasant one at all. Amanda and Vic seem to think that as Bren's pain has decreased (and that's the good news...it has...) the side effects of the pain patch increase because her body doesn't need it to keep the pain at bay. So we've taken the patch off but the medicine won't be out of her system until tomorrow. She hasn't eaten all day because she couldn't keep anything down but she's asleep right now and that is a great thing because she's not throwing up!! Howw miserable... poor thing. It just seems like Houston just doesn't want us to leave. You know...breaking up is hard to do...but we're out of here tomorrow!!! AMEN! I've loaded up on all the anti-nausea meds that I can get my little hands on. Mesa here we come even if I have to carry Bren!!! PLEASE send all the positive energy you can spare tomorrow for a calm day with no barfs and a good homecoming. Tomorrow night we'll be sleeping in our own bed!!! Saturday we'll get to see our dogs again!!! I am soooo excited!

In true Marshall Vic fashion she had to send a little "Bon Voyage" message to "Kato-sabe." (It's a long story...I'll fill you in one day.) It's a perfect celebratory message to a long, hard journey that's about to end. Marshall Vic...you are truly priceless and we love you. We just couldn't say it any better.

So VP's...thankfully the initial phase of the Houston road to CURE is DONE!!! It'll feel so much better for us to continue the healing portion of the journey from the Mesa desert. It's too stinkin humid here! Ha! We'll check in with you when we get home and let you know how the trip went. Just keep everything crossed.

We can't thank you enough for helping us get through this part of the CURE. You kept us from feeling so isolated, you brought laughter into the darkest times, and you were generous beyond belief. Amazing and very humbling. You've earned many feathers on those angel wings!

Toodles from apartment 414...
Dee and Brenda

Final Doc Visit & 3 Days to Home!

2009-08-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...just a quick note to tell you that we had our final visit with Dr. Hong before we head home on Friday. On the way over to the clinic, Brenda asked me if I was nervous to see him and hear what he might have to say. You know...I was! We have just been knocked off our feet too many time not to be...you just never know what the doc's will say although I was fairly confident he would say...just go home and heal!

Brenda has lost some more weight and her pulse was up a little but other than that she's doing as well as can be expected considering what she's been through. She did have a little vomiting episode on Saturday, but we hit that with some Zofran and hope that thta's not a reoccuring nightmare. Ahe isn't sick to her stomach...it just comes on like a lightening bolt. They did say the the excess mucus she has could be the culprit. GO AWAY!!!

Dr. Hong was very impressed with Brenda's tenacity and patience with the treatments. He said what we all know...she was quite a "fighter." Amen to that...right? Her optimism was so appreciated by all that have met her. Both he and Mary were very complimentary...they said it's now time to go home for a while and heal. He's so funny...he told us it was too hot in Phoenix!! What does he think it is here in Houston??? Apparently he was just there and mentioned that he took in a Diamondback game (he's quite a baseball fan) and that MD Anderson was going to have a branch there with Banner Hospital. Hey Amanda...he also asked how you were?

Again...Brenda's healing is VERY slow and she sleeps most of the day. I'm not kidding...she sleeps about 18 to 20 hours a day. The treatments have really kicked her butt, but we're hoping that she, in turn, has kicked cancer's butt. I know our visit on October 6th will be very nerve racking and scary. We sure need your continued prayers and positive energy.

Friday will be a very exciting but hard day for her and she'll need all the sleep she can get on Saturday to help her stay on track. With the effects of radiation calming, she ought to be able to begin some good healing. Just being home will help that soooooo much! AMEN!! I know that everyone will understand her need to limit visits until she can gain a little energy and stamina. Just FYI...she does a little better in the afternoon than she does in the morning.

Tomorrow I have to take the car in for some repair...the automatic lock on the passenger door fell into the armrest!! So I'll just make sure that's fixed before the car heads home. Then I'll get a little more packing done and some errands run...of course there's always my patients' care and that absolutely comes first.

Wednesday we mail boxes of our stuff home...a great sign! Thursday I finish up packing the apartment and separating their stuff from ours...doing some last minute laundry, and packing our suitcases. Friday...I pack the car and off we go!!!! Can you believe it!! YEA!

So that's it from Houston Central for now. Don't worry...the blog will continue as we heal from our home location. Have a wonderful evening...life is good!

Nurse Dee and ZZZZZZ-ing Bren

Coffee With Paula

2009-08-14T16:22:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...I am so happy to say that all is on a healing path here in Houston and we're counting down the days of departure back to Phoenix and HOME! Only 6 days to go!! Brenda had been sleeping almost non-stop since her last radiation treatment on Monday and yesterday, when I said I needed to go out and get a few errands run, she actually said that she wanted to go too!!! That was fantastic! You know, you have to take those baby steps before you can walk and then run! Today, we had an even longer outing and we met our new friend, Paula, at Starbucks for some coffee and great conversation. We had such a good time. Paula is just a wonderful soul, full of adventure, energy and powerful intuition for how to handle what life throws your way.

I really don't have much to talk report...thank heaven for that!!! Just wanted to tell you how Bren was doing. She really did amazingly well in the 4 hours we were out today. Although she won't "bounce" back, she will slowly progress daily, and little by little our Brenda will find her new normal and we'll be there to walk with her.

Take a look at the pics I took of our outing to my favorite coffee shop.

Paula...you're an absolute love. Thanks for sharing your story, your time, and your treasure. We'll definitely stay in touch.

Have a great night VP's...only 6 more days!!!

Packer Dee and Healing Brenda

Packing to Jet Home

2009-08-11T18:04:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone...I can't believe it...we actually DIDN'T have to go to the clinic for ANY reason today. Boy! Did that feel good. Both Brenda and I would sure like to thank you for all your wonderful comments. You all have offered the continued encouragement that we've needed to help us get through these long rough spots in the road to the CURE. We just can't thank you enough for being such great "back-ups" (police talk for support you count on to keep you safe and sane!)

We had a very productive day...Bren worked on healing...I worked on keeping up with all her meds and meals...and we both did some more packing. Man! It made us want to leave tomorrow!! But Bren needs a few more days of sleep and healing before we head off. Even though it's only a 2 hour flight back to Phoenix, it'll take a lot out of our fighter with the drive to the airport, checking the bags, hassling through security, waiting around for the flight, and then reversing the whole process back in Phoenix. I can safely say I know she'll snooze on the plane, but I also know this will take a lot out of her. Thank heaven there are wheelchairs if we really need one. She's so ready to get home, she'd crawl through the airport to get on that plane!! I know you can just imagine how excited she is.

I just wanted to check in and say that all is proceeding as planned here at Houston Central. The pictures prove that. More of the same tomorrow and if all goes OK, we'll take in a movie this weekend...maybe the new Meryl Streep movie, "Julie & Julia."

Have a fabulous evening...your comments have really brightened our spirits. HUGS!

Dee (I'd sure like to retire my nurses cap) & Brenda (Electra's volts are slowly decreasing!)

Ringing the Bell

2009-08-10T07:29:00.000-07:00

VP's...it's the day we've all been waiting for...the LAST radiation treatment and the long awaited "Ringing of the Bell." After such a dismal Friday, Bren spent the weekend recovering. She's back on track and this little video will help you all celebrate the end of this grueling part of the CURE.

So today is a day to celebrate your life, take a nap, eat a good healthy meal, tell those most important to you how much you love and appreciate them, and thank your higher power for all that makes your life complete.

We're going HOME!!!! It's Brenda's time to heal.

Hugs to all...
Nurse Dee and a very Courageous, but Exhausted, Brenda

We're Back on Course

2009-08-09T07:50:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...Just thought I'd give you a quick update on how "Electra" is doing today. I'm sitting here in my recliner watching the Discovery Health Channel and Brenda is on the couch getting her "tube breakfast"...and having a good snore-filled sleep. I thought I'd give you a picture of her enjoying some morning kibble...this might look like she's miserable, but remember that she's on her new pain meds, wanting to take a nap, and so she's feeling some relief from that nasty pain. The "thumb's-up" is just to let you know she's doing OK.

Tomorrow is the "Big Day" we've all been waiting for...the END of radiation and the jumping off point to actually GO HOME. Both of those feelings are wonderfully displayed in the second photo of Jeannie, Kurt, Jackie and Helene. That fantastic photo really says it all. Thanks Tahiti Pod!!

So this is a short post because things are CALM here and we want them to stay that way!!! AMEN! I'll have a Flip video of the bell ringing for you tomorrow morning so stay tuned!!

Nurse Dee and Snoring Electra

Flipper Hadn't Flipped...BUT...

2009-08-08T11:18:00.000-07:00

OK VP's...just when you think you're in the home stretch...some new path emerges! So you heard the story about how Brenda was just going to swallow herself back to health, but there was much more to the story to be told. Here goes...

I went to the store and got all the supplies we needed to have Bren ignore the feeding tube and just swallow her way HOME. I got the new "juice" all mixed up and Brenda started trying to get it down and...oops...there she goes again...running to the bathroom and everything ends up in the toilet! DANG! It was just at that "well now what the hell do we do" point when the Diagnostic Imaging Department called asking where Brenda was because she had an appointment at 4:00 pm to have the tube checked. Well that was a gift from God, and we jumped in the car and off to the clinic we went.

I'll make another long story short...IT WASN'T THE TUBE!!! It was sitting right where it was supposed to! Well heck...why was she throwing up then??? So there we are walking out the main entrance to the clinic and Brenda has another vomiting attack...these were getting worse and we're about to enter the weekend! Now that is NOT a good picture for the nurse. Brenda just was getting punier and punier. She was getting weak and she just looked at me and said..."Let's just go home." I just knew that wasn't really going to work, nor was it the best thing to get Bren back on track, so a really nice lady helped me get a wheelchair and off to the MD Anderson Emergency Center we went. I knew this wasn't going to be pretty on a Friday night, but its what needed to happen. Brenda was getting dehydrated and I needed help in getting her tummy calmed down.

The waiting room was packed! We got there at 6:00 PM and after Brenda threw up again in the bathroom of the waiting room...and that episode was even worse than the others, a lady (Paula) who was sitting in the waiting room because she fell on her face and who went through the same radiation treatments that Brenda is going through about a year ago, came over and talked to Bren. She was so kind and so reassuring. She just knelt on the floor and held Brenda's arm and said that she had been where Brenda is and that this would pass and she would be fine. It was just the perfect contact that our poor gal needed right then. She was truly a gift. We chatted with she and her husband who is a nurse at MD Anderson. What a sweetie she is.

So Bren was moved to a bed in the hall...there are LOTS of beds in the hall, with lots of hurting folks. It was a little easier for her lying down so that was a good thing. An Internist also came and talked to us and wrote orders to start an IV with anti-nausea and pain medication...this was around 8:00 PM. Around 9:30 PM (still no IV, etc) they wanted to do an x-ray of Bren's stomach to rule out any obstruction or something and she threw up in the X-ray room...I was getting a little frustrated...wasn't there anyone around that could start the IV and meds the doc had ordered. OK so "Chief Taylor" came out again and I started asking why an IV couldn't be started...well...around 10:00PM Andre, our assigned nurse, finally started the dang thing and got the meds going. Brenda was such a hurting pup!! At least this would begin to help her feel better.

Around 11:00 PM they finally moved her to a room that wasn't in the HALL! There was tons of activity all around until about 3:00 am when things began to calm down. You guessed it...they were going to keep Bren all night and they would see how she was in the morning. They wanted to get her pain and nausea under control and then try a can of formula through the tube to see if they were able to calm the beast down and have her tolerate food.

I think if I won the lottery, I would buy all new COMFORTABLE chairs for all the facilities at MD Anderson. The chair in the room we had was not designed for long time sitting...like the all night type. Man! When Bren felt a little better she looked at me trying to get comfortable and we both ended up sharing the bed so we could get some much needed sleep. They kept checking or her and I had to go back to the apartment around 5:00 AM to get a can of formula. No! They didn't have the kind we were using.

You know they did a good job at getting everything under control. They thought some of the problem was the pain medication so we backed off on one and they changed another. Along with these and the anti-nausea meds, it seemed to do the trick...knock on wood!!! Please God...NO MORE!! We got the feeding down and then I wanted to wait to ensure that it all wouldn't come back up. I took a very drugged and tired "Electra" back to the apartment around 9:30 AM...UGH!! What a night! The good news is that she's feeling better and I've already gotten the new meds and started her on another can of formula because it's around 2:00 PM now. I just want her to sleep. She did take a shower and did her mouth and nasal rinses to help her breathe but now she's comfortable.

I just want to reassure you all that she'll be fine. Going to the ER and struggling through that LONG night was just the only thing we should have done. She's resting comfortably, she's tolerating the feeding so far, and I'm about to pop in a movie. I've got the laundry going and all is back on course. She'll be even better tomorrow and then Monday is the LAST DAY of this frying process called radiation. After this next week we ought to see the side effect stabilize and then the healing can begin. I know she's going to sleep most of the weekend and that's perfect.

So there ya have it VP's...the seemingly never-ending saga continues and we so look forward to that bell ringing on Monday...we want it OVER WITH!!! Needing all the healing vibes our villagers can muster.

A tired Nurse Dee and a Sleeping, Snoring Electra

Flipper Has Attacked Again!!

2009-08-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

VP's...OK...now Brenda's REALLY PISSED!!! Since Wednesday morning we have been struggling with the dreaded feeding tube AGAIN!!! She began throwing up after we introduced either meds, water or food through that damn tube. Now it didn't do it all the time, and although the symptoms were just a tad bit different, you get real intuitive with this stuff and we KNEW that it's that blasted tube once again.

We jumped on everyone last night with voice mails and then showed up personally after Bren was finished with her morning radiation. Mary and Denise have been sensational...we wanted to get the tube changed. Here's what we learned after talking with the doctor that we really should have had put this *#%^&$ device in.

Because the tube has not been in for a period longer than 6 weeks...the scar tract between the stomach and the outside layer of skin has not completely formed. Because that hasn't formed they can't change the tube yet. There was the option of trying to place a different connection but that was iffy because of the tube placement and they wouldn't know if that was possible until they did an X-Ray. So the only real alternative was to go back to IVR and have then reflip the tube. I probably don't have to tell you the words Brenda had for that alternative. She is absolutely beyond frustrated with this.

So the absolutely pissed off, stubborn Brenda has decided that they can stuff this feeding tube where the sun don't shine...she has decided in true Brenda fashion that she's going to get her nutrition via mouth...NOT via the tube. So we use Vicodin to dull the pain in her throat and have visited the local GNC store for a Weight Gain powder that Denise recommended after we told her what Brenda wanted to try and do. Believe me folks...she'll do it...there is absolutely no doubt in my mind. Now the goal is to keep her weight up through these supplements taken by mouth and have the dang tube out around August 19th. I think we'll take it to the shooting range and use it for target practice. I was rated as an expert marksman during my law enforcement career so there's no doubt in my mind that I'll make swiss cheese out of that tube!!!

So...Flipper's career is quickly coming to an end!! I've got to go back over to the clinic this afternoon and get a book they ordered for us called "Meals through a Straw." Frankly it doesn't sound very yummy to me but we're too close to the end of this and Brenda will not let anything stand in her way to go home on the 21st!

The good news is that Bren only has ONE MORE RADIATION TREATMENT and she rings the bell. We are so looking forward to Monday morning around 7:30 am. Set your alarm clocks and give a "holler" in celebration. Mary has already booked our return appointment for all the scans and tests on October 6th. So we'll have a nice bit of time to get our new lives established before we have to come back.

So there ya have it...just as there is in life...there's always something in this journey toward the CURE. The secret to both is being flexible, adjusting and adapting to the bumps and new paths in the road.

Thanks heavens for pain killers!!

A very frustrated Nurse Dee and a Pissed-off Brenda

Great News from Dr. Hong

2009-08-03T14:17:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...if you've been following this blog you know that we anxiously awaited our visit with Dr. Hong this afternoon. He was going to let us know if Brenda would have to go through another round of chemo or not and if we could finally go home and do some healing before we had to come back for all the scans...we were holding our breathe as he walked into the room.

When he announced..."NO CHEMO"...Brenda jumped up and hugged him. Man! Did that surprise the good doc!! Ha! You should have seen his face. Ha! He told Brenda that she has gone through a really tough treatment...one of the toughest...and she should be very proud of how she has handled all this. Well...we are incredibly proud of her...aren't we? She even gets to have the PICC line out tomorrow...now that's additional progress toward the CURE and normacy.

He said he wanted to see her again after radiation finished...hey!!! Only 5 more days of that!!! That's good...her neck is so burned, swollen, and raw that he didn't even want to try and feel around in her neck. They said that was even going to get worse!!! Here was the other critical question...we asked if we could go home on August 21st!!! Our fingers were crossed...we weren't breathing. YES!!! We can go home on the 21st!!!WOOPIE!!! Arizona...Abbie and Tanner...here we come!!! We were so excited that we went out and celebrated by having iced mocha's at Starbucks!!! She can actually get that down!!

The plan is that we'll have to come back about 6 to 8 weeks from the end of radiation for all the scans and visits with all the doctors for their follow-up assessment...those will be nerve wracking appointments...but we're just focused on going home right now. Again...the great news is...NO CHEMO so we are officially retiring the name "Chemo-sabe." Now you all can come up with another nickname for her. Michele??? Do you have any thoughts on that?

I know you all were anxious to hear today's news...so there ya have it. Tomorrow Bren starts double radiation treatments for the rest of the week. The bell gets rung on Monday. I've included a picture of the famous bell so you could all help ring it with Brenda on Monday about 2:30 PM or so Houston time. Ding...Ding...Ding!!! Don't worry...I'll take pictures.

After Starbucks we went right over to Office Depot and Big Lots and got some packing supplies. The plan is that we'll mail a lot of stuff home and then pack the rest in the car, drive it to the airport on the 21st...meet our friend who's going to drive the car home...turn over the keys and the map home...and get the next plane out of Houston bound for Phoenix!!! I'll drive down to Tucson the following day and get the dogs!!! Abbie and Tanner...get ready...you're finally coming home!

So there ya have it VP's...the news we've all been waiting for...the light at the end of that tunnel is really bright!! Thanks for hanging in there with us...you'll never know how much that means to us. Now go help us celebrate!!

Nurse Dee and "new name needed" Brenda

A Quiet Saturday Morning at Houston Central

2009-08-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

Well week 6 of radiation is history VP's!!! Only 6 more radiation days / 10 more treatments (remember there are 4 days of double treatments...) and Brenda can ring that bell that she's finished with this nasty radiation. I can't even begin to tell you how nasty our poor chemo-sabe's neck is. Nasty, nasty, nasty. In spots it's blistered, weeping, and raw. We have special gel sheets that we put on the nasty spots at night just to soothe these really angry wounds. She is such a trooper and I'm a great mixer of the drugs to keep her comfortable. We've got a great concoction worked out so she sleeps solidly (that's another word for totally drugged....Ha!) through the night.

She's actually doing a lot better than she was about 2 weeks ago. Mr. Flipper (the feeding tube) has decided to "play nice" and we're getting meds, food and water in like we should be doing. We have her pain down to a 4 or 5 (scale of 10) and we've even got a little weight back on her. Now that's music to all our ears!! All your positive energy is really helping get Bren through these last hard days...we know it. Here's another request...please send your collective positive, healing energy on Monday at 2:00 to 3:00 pm Houston time. That's when we see Dr. Hong and we're hoping, praying, begging, pleading that he won't say that Brenda will need another round of chemo. We are so hoping that he'll say just go home and heal from all this and come back in about 8 weeks for the follow-up scans. PLEASE!!!!

When you see Bren you're going to have to ask for her autograph because she is becoming an MD Anderson "star." We all know that she has had one of the best attitudes imaginable through this mess, and we also know what a nightmare the feeding tube was initially. Well Denise, our dietitian, asked us to be on a video they're producing about feeding tubes!!! Ya just gotta laugh! So yesterday we came in early for the taping...you know all that "cut, print, wrap" thing. There's another part they want to tape about the cleaning of the wound around the tube so we'll do that before we leave for HOME!!!! We all know that Brenda was a star before all this began...now she's a "star" at MD Anderson!!! We're getting a copy of the final tape...autographs upon request!! Ha!

We're still hoping for August 21st or 22nd depending on flights and the final coordination of all this...to go HOME!!! That is such music to our ears!!! We've even begun to pack up some boxes of stuff to ship home because I don't think all the stuff we've collected over these past few months will fit in the car!!! Ha! We are definitely "Gear Girls!!" Heck! We have a carload of just medical supplies!! I will never begin to tell you how crazy happy "Going Home" makes us feel. I think that's just the perfect medicine that Bren and I need right now, especially for her continued healing. HOME...HOME...HOME!!!

I've got Chemo-sabe's meds so fine tuned that I think we're even going to try and take in the new Harry Potter movie tomorrow morning...now that's some darn good drugs!! She might sleep through most of it but at least we get out of the apartment and do something that feels more like our normal life. I think it was Bonnie who asked what Brenda was looking forward to when she got home. We were talking about that the other day and although our lives will never be the way they were before this diagnosis, we both are looking forward to recreating the "new" normal for us...back in our home...with our dogs, friends, and family around us...celebrating life and each other and trying to make a positive difference in this world.

So there ya have it for Saturday morning. Brenda is sleeping on the couch while I get a feeding in her. I'm doing the laundry and will do some more packing this afternoon. YEA!!! Wishing you all a wonderful Saturday.

Nurse Dee and a sleeping, drugged, Chemo-sabe

Marshall Vic is Back and News from Houston Central

2009-07-29T16:50:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...it's Wednesday night and time for an update and a brand new Marshall Vic Chronicle. She has blessed us with more priceless pearls of wisdom in a fashion that only our dear Marshall Vic can give. These are just priceless and good 'ole Marshall Vic always comes through when things are tough here at Houston Central. These episodes just make us laugh so much...they are such great medicine when times are dark. Thank you MV for brightening our days with your wisdom and down home remedies. VP's ya just gotta love the Marshall.

So it's almost the end of week 6 of radiation. You're right Marshall...we CAN see the light at the end of this tunnel. In fact we've even set a potential date to come home...but more about that in a minute.

Here's the medical bullet for the week. There's no doubt about it...this much radiation is not for sissies or wimps. The good news is that the tumors have and are reacting just like they were supposed to...they are dying or are dead!!! We won't know for sure until the scans are done but, no way could any nasty cancer cell live through this. They are literally frying our gal alive...her neck is purple, blistered, weeping, and itching. We got some new prescription cream to put on all that and it seems to be working nicely. The biggest issue we are working on is the pain in Bren's throat, nose, and mouth. We got the approval from Dr. Schwartz to up the pain medication tomorrow. Although we won't be able to totally eliminate the pain, we are trying to get it reduced so she can sleep better and continue to drink water. She needs to keep her swallowing function.

We also saw the eye doctor yesterday who did a very thorough assessment of her eyes...long term, that's still a big issue with all that radiation to her face. The side effects can crop us years after the radiation is completed so it's something we'll really have to watch. The doctor said Bren's eyes were very healthy and the excessive tearing was just a side effect of the radiation. The tissue around her eyes is very swollen and raw, and some of the tear glands might be blocked bu the swelling so the doc gave her some antibiotic-steroid eye drops to use to see if we can get the swelling down. I really don't know what we would do without all this medication. That's just one more med to add to my chart. OCD is a good thing when you have all this medication to keep track of!!

So when we went to see Mary (Dr. Hongs PA) on Monday, we began talking about when we could go home. HOME!!!!! And we continued that talk with the radiation team this afternoon. Radiation will end on August 10th!!! That's just around the corner. Bren and I talked and decided it would be a good idea to stick around here for 10 days to 2 weeks because radiation is still working for about 2 weeks AFTER the actual treatments stop. The thing we still don't know about right now is if Brenda will have to go through any more chemo. We see Dr. Hong on Monday and that question should be answered then. PLEASE keep your fingers crossed he says NO!! A dear friend has offered to come to Houston to drive our car home so Brenda and I can fly home together and I can keep up with my nursing duties on our home turf.

So here's the news VP's...the most exciting...most happy making...almost the best medicine ever. We're shooting for Friday August 21st to go HOME!!!!! We are on cloud nine! I don't know when I've seen Brenda with so much energy considering the condition she's in physically. She is one happy camper...well actually...that makes 2 of us! This isn't cast in concrete yet but we should have a much better idea if this is doable on Monday. Double keep your fingers crossed. August 21st...we actually have a date in mind!!! It's just music to our ears. I'm going to start packing this weekend!!!

So please celebrate our almost home-going with us. Go out and toast to life, look around your home and the dear folks that mean so much to you and who enrich your life and thank them for all they bring to you. Give your animals an extra biscuit and take them for a nice walk (unless you live in Houston or Phoenix and it's too stinkin hot!) And most of all...pray for a cure for this horrible disease.

Do enjoy our fabulous Marshall Vic and our news. Hugs to you all...
Nurse Dee and a very fried, but focused on HOME, Chemo-sabe

Monday Update

2009-07-27T14:53:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...Time for another update. The most important thing to report is that the feeding tube is still holding in the correct position so we can get meds and formula into Chemo-sabe. Thanks the heavens!! We're almost at the correct calorie intake per day. Because of naps, and appointments, we've seemed to be one can sigh of our goal each day, but I think we'll make it today. You're probably asking...has poor Chemo-sabe lost weight? The answer is yes, but not at an alarming rate. We've seemed to have lost the most ground in that area while we struggled with this tube. Please tube...keep working!!!

We're at a milestone with today's radiation treatment...only 10 more days of treatments left!!! Yep! We can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We have 2 issues that we are working to minimize...The biggest is the pain. She describes the pain in her throat like swallowing broken glass. Add to that a dry, constructed throat, and you have a big painful problem. We upped her pain medication last Friday to a pain patch and after discussing this issues with Mary, Dr. Hong's PA...we're going to up it again tonight. This will only get worse as we work through these next 2 weeks so it's important to keep the pain managed. Mary is also going to try to get us into the pain clinic as soon as possible to help us manage this.

The other issue are the radiation burns on Chemo-sabe's neck...they are now starting to blister and weep and itch like crazy. This afternoon we got some gel strips that are used to soothe these burns on radiation patients. They are somewhat soothing to her, but the itch is still maddening. I think I'll get some aloe and work with that as well. You have to be careful what you use these on the burns. These next several weeks will be tricky. Even after the radiation treatments end, the radiation is still working so we probably will have to deal with these symptoms for about a month. The proper amount of pain meds are critical to keeping her comfortable. This radiation stiff is definitely the hardest part of the road to the CURE.

Brenda doesn't sleep well at night at all because she can't breathe well and her mouth dries out so quickly. Consequently she sleeps lots during the day...that's OK...it makes the time go fast. I'm being very careful NOT to overdose her on the pain meds so I'm watching her like a hawk. My motto...let her sleep!!

We saw Mary this afternoon...Dr. Hong is on a Disney Cruise with his grand kids, but will be back next week. I think I told you this but next Tuesday we start DOUBLE radiation treatments each day for 4 days. Dr. Schwartz said these were booster radiation treatments to the lower lymph nodes in Bren's lower neck and collar bone area. That heaven it's only 4 treatments and he said that these would not add more misery to the equation. The good news is that Mary said they would not do chemo while she was having these double treatments. The question remains...will she have to go through another round of chemo when the radiation is over?

We also asked about what would come next and when they would scan. Of course this is all up to the main man, Dr. Hong, but we think that they will tell us to take Brenda home to heal after the radiation and/or chemo is over and to come back in 6 to 8 weeks for the scans. The reason they do that is because all the tissue around the tumor sites are so inflamed that they just wouldn't get good scans on any remaining cancer cells until all that calmed down. That made perfect sense to us. Right now I'm thinking that we'll have to stay here for about 2 weeks when all the treatments are over so we can be close to MD Anderson who will help us manage the side effects until things begin to calm down and she's strong enough to fly home...she's pretty weak right now. You know, if our angels continue to remain with us we might be able to be home by the end of August...now that's MUSIC to our ears!!! The light is getting brighter.

I thought I'd send you a picture of our kitchen pharmacy...most of these are for poor Chemo-sabe. I've got quite the system worked out and yes!!! I have more CHARTS! The red machine in the middle is my wonderful Kuerig Coffee Maker...that's MY drug! Ha! The second picture is our girl just trying to get through the day...closer to the end and the CURE. I'm not trying to strangle her...the white gauze is to keep the cooling gel packs on her neck. It is what it is! BUT we're closer to the end then we were yesterday! Thank the Lord!

So there ya have it VP's...the food is dripping and "Garbage Girl" is trying to eat up the food in the freezer, frig, and the cupboards so we don't waste stuff. Thank heaven I'm not a picky eater. Please continue your contact, prayers, and good thoughts as we work through these last hard days. You all really make a difference.

Hugs to you all from Houston Central...
Nurse Dee and a very burned and pain filled Chemo-sabe

Rattling the Cages at MD Anderson

2009-07-23T15:55:00.000-07:00

VP's...now don't get me wrong...MD Anderson is a fantastic place full of true soldiers trying to eliminate cancer. They have again been voted the #1 cancer hospital in the US, but it's a huge place and somewhat understaffed. It's not like the cruise ship Paul Gauguin we were on when we went to Tahiti, where the ratio of staff to guests ensured that you were very well cared for in all aspects of the trip. But it does help to be an unhappy, VOCAL, caregiver...totally frustrated with the problems this damn feeding tube has caused.

But maybe I should back up and tell all you VP's that Brenda AGAIN began to have more problems (symptoms) with the feeding tube. She again began to have decreased tolerance of stuff through the tube...those same old smyptoms...upset stomach, sweating, and that just miserable "I'm going to barf" feeling. I knew that damn tube had flipped again and come hell or high water it was going to be checked and FIXED TODAY!!!!

I started making phone calls this morning and got the dang ball moving. I caused such a stink about Mr. Lucky being such a waste of time and wasting everyone's time that we have consistently been getting Emily and she has never been late...never!!! So when Brenda went downstairs for her treatment, I headed to the radiation doctors/nurses area to start rattling cages. It's always so much better when a plan comes together and it actually happened this afternoon. It sure helps when you arrive in PERSON and you've already been through this game before. We were going to get the tube fixed today!!!

And we did...in record time. It just shows that even in a big place...things can happen quickly when everyone works toward the same goal. We got Brenda back into Radiological Intervention and in no time they had checked the tube...yep! It FLIPPED AGAIN!!! GRRRRRR! Well they pulled it out another inch, flipped it back into the correct position and resutured it back into place. With driving from the main clinic to the Mays clinic where this department was, parking, and getting to the main floor...we were in and out in about 1 hour and 15 minutes...now that's what I'm talking about. Efficiency can happen at MD Anderson along with the CURE!!

So here we are again...the tube is working correctly and we've gotten some pain meds and food into our girl and now we're actually watching a movie...actually I think Bren is sleeping...she sure needs to after what she's been through. I sure hope and pray this tube stays were it's supposed to! Lord VP's...just send us positive vibes and all the positive energy you can spare. Maybe with all you help we can keep the damn tube in place.

Just wanted to give you all the latest saga in the road to the cure...it has certainly not been without BUMPS!!

Nurse Dee and puny Chemo-sabe

Emily Is a Saint!!!

2009-07-21T13:34:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...Just a quick little update. Believe it or not we left for radiation at 1:45 pm and were back home by 3:00 pm...and that was radiation and a drive over to the Starbucks so I could get a venti ice coffee. That's also with me taking the LONG way home. Simply amazing. Yep! Emily was running the radiation machine today. Now this is the way it's supposed to work. Imagine this also...Emily just moved patients around to minimize patient waiting and keep the schedule on time. A novel idea!!! I'm going to write her a really nice commendation when this is all over. When I called this afternoon, I got Lucky on the phone who said they were on time to which I told him that that was what he said all the time and yet when we get there we wait for an hour and a half!! Do you think he got the message?

I also got some good meds in Brenda before we left and that really calmed her through the treatment...yep...she was out of it but that was a good thing. She was nice and mellow and not in any pain. That's just what the doctor ordered!! Now she's resting comfortably on the couch and when she wakes up we'll get another can of juice in her. Then I'll try for another 2 cans throughout the night and we'll have gotten the right amount of callories in her for the day. Which reminds me...I've got to get some more of that juice...we've almost gone through the entire case.

Just thought you'd like to know that your prayers, positive energy, some good meds and our dear Emily have really done the job today...SUCCESS!!! YEA!!

A Smilin Nurse Dee and a Sleeping Drugged Chemo-Sabe

Tuesday Morning Medical Bullet

2009-07-21T06:47:00.000-07:00

Morning VP's...Houston Central here. After much, much trial and error, some well placed complaining to key folks and the help of good ole Vicodin, we might be on the right path to get poor Chemo-sabe through these next 3 weeks. Man! Has this been an ordeal.

Monday, Mary called us to check on Brenda after the melt-down that our poor Chemo-sabe had Friday...a horribly long, tedious day. This really says a lot about Mary and how closely she is monitoring Brenda...Mary is on vacation and still called to see how things were going. Now folks...that's dedication to her patients welfare. She is really dedicated to making this path as easy for Bren as possible. Unfortunately...or fortunately...I answered the phone and gave her an earful. Those of you that know me know that I have a tendency to be rather blunt (30 years of police work and way too many years in police management!! Ha!) so when I turned the phone over to Brenda...Mary already had the total idea of what we were dealing with. I filled her ears with our complete displeasure with Mr. Lucky among other things.

Well that prompted a call to the BIG MAN...Dr. Hong...who called Dr. Schwartz...who called his PA...who immediately called us back. That total chain took about 15 minutes!!! It's amazing what happens when you call the RIGHT folks. Thank heaven that Brenda is Dr. Hong's patient...thank you Amanda and friends!!! Although they were late again with Radiation, we did talk at length with Leah, Dr. Schwartz's PA about the horrific back-up that Lucky causes for ALL the radiation patients. We did find out that the techs changed shifts and I think we might have Emily back...she is great and can actually do more than one thing at a time and can look at the schedule and predict when we should come in to minimize the wait time. Thank you Emily!!!

After seeing Leah, we also got some new meds that will help Chemo-sabe digest her food better and a mouthwash that will help numb her mouth so the stent will ease the gagging response she is developing during radiation because her mouth is loosing elasticity. Poor Bren is definitely entering the most difficult and painful part of her treatment. It just breaks my heart to watch her endure all this. You just can't imagine! We have started giving her Vicodin to take the edge off all this pain and that seems to be helping. She actually got a half way decent nights sleep, but she now can't breathe through her nose because it's all swollen and her mouth is so dry that she wakes up and has to rinse her mouth out with water...it's just a vicious cycle of misery right now.

So here we are on Tuesday morning...we got her meds in her through the tube. We have most things in liquid form and I crush the pills for the stuff that's not liquid. We also have the first can of food in and will hope that we can get another 5 cans in throughout the day and evening. We're behind the power curve and can't loose any more ground. She's sleeping now and that's a good thing. The Vicodin should help take the edge off her extreme discomfort. Man! This is brutal...that's all I can say.

We only have radiation today...hopefully...so we can spend the day getting the food and meds in. Please keep those prayers coming...positive energy flowing...and comments on the blog...it truly brightens her day.

OK...so here's a note on Mr. Hotpants...we're really not sure there is a Flo up there!! HUMMMM! Hotpants must be a young man or sexually frustrated!! Yep...he was at it again last night! LORDY! At least he did his "THING" at 11:00 pm and not 2:00 in the morning. Ya just gotta laugh! Vic...I like your idea about taping Mr. Bojangles to his door...but we enjoy Mr. Bojangles hanging out in the breakfast nook!!!

Have a great day where ever you are.

Nurse Dee and a sleeping Chemo-sabe

Mr. Hotpants & Flo

2009-07-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

Morning VP's...well unfortunately Rhonda had to jet home this morning but not before we had another "interesting" apartment living experience. It's never a dull moment around here! Most of you have probably, at one time or another, lived in an apartment or 2 and you know that most are NOT constructed to be sound proof. Do you know where I'm going with this yet? HUMMMMMM!

Well the guy above us, that we named "Jack," moved out a couple weeks ago. We actually thought he was rather heavy on his feet...well until this new guy moved in. It had to be a man because he pounds around up there and actually shakes the ceiling of our apartment so much that the lamps rattle!!! Last night when we were all trying to get to sleep Mr. Heavy was really moving around up there, pounding around and around and around. This guy is definitely not a ballet dancer!!

OK...so we all got to sleep...Finally! Brenda was feeling so miserable I was worried Mr. Big Foot was going to keep her up...she really needed to sleep. Thank heaven for meds!! Well around 2:00 or 2:30 this morning...I woke up again with Mr. Big Foot running around upstairs. Now I know it's Saturday night, but this was ridiculous. We all needed to sleep in #414 and Mr. #424 was just getting started. Dang! Just as I was about to get up and start pounding on the ceiling...I heard that old tell tale rhythmic movement of the upstairs floorboards. OH! For cryin out loud...Mr Hotpants and Flo were really going to town!! You just gotta laugh! Thank heaven Brenda didn't wake up. I can't even tell you how glad we'll be to get home!!!

So Rhonda and I got up at 5:30 am to get her off to the airport. Brenda was sleeping soundly so after a quick goodbye off we went. Brenda just needed to keep sleeping. Her strength has really been zapped over the last 2 weeks. Rhonda is such a love.

Today is laundry day and apartment cleaning day. Chemo-sabe is working hard on getting her nutrition up, getting rest, and getting CURED...she's working overtime on all that I can assure you. Her stamina is amazing but the edges of the envelope were sure pushed this last week...especially last Friday. Next week looks like a good time to try and recouperate. We only have one appointment each day (radiation) except for Wednesday when we see Dr Swartz and his yeam for the weekly appointment. Only 16 more radiation treatments to go.

Hope your weekend was a good one. Please say a prayer that Mr. Hotpants and Flo exhausted themselves last night and that they have to get up and work tomorrow so they'll behave and BE QUIET tonight.

Nurse Dee and Chemo-sabe

Thanks God It's Saturday

2009-07-18T05:22:00.000-07:00

Mornin' VP's....just when you think that things can't get worse...THEY DO!! Yesterday just took the cake. Michele we thought about how you might have handled this entire day with all it's WAITING and we decided that you probably would have ended up in jail!!! It truly was the day from hell on top of a week from hell on top of the last week from hell. I'll try to explain, but you really will have no idea the cumulative effects of ALL this. LORD GIVE US STRENGTH!!

So you all know what a horrible time Brenda has had with this feeding tube...well we were beginning to get behind the power curve. Brenda and Toni fiddled with this from the time she got it in until Saturday when I came back. Then Brenda and I adjusted things and still could not get the damn thing working right. Now remember Chemo-sabe has not been able to eat much of anything solid so she was getting real puny!! Her energy and stamina were going down the toilet fast. This was NOT looking good.

Yesterday we had to be at Radiological Intervention by 9:30 to have the placement of the tube looked at. Yep...we waited and waited and waited. At 11:00 they rolled her back and in less than 15 minutes they came to the lobby to get me...HOLY COW!!! YEP!!! Just as Doc Vic had suggested, the tube had FLIPPED inside Bren's stomach. They pulled it out about an inch and flipped it into the correct position, gave her a numbing shot in her stomach and then re-sutured the dang thing back in place. We left with our fingeres crossed. So by the time we got out of there it was about noon and we had a 1:45 radiation appointment. We went back to the apartment and grabbed lunch on the way home to eat at the apartment. We didn't have enough time for a tube feeding...especially if we were going to have problems again. So Chemo-sabe had an EAS shake and a little...and I do mean a little...fruit.

The we had to leave about 1:30 for the radiation appointment...yep...you guessed it...they were running way behind and so there we sat again. Brenda was beginning to fade. There's this technician called Lucky that runs Brenda's radiation program...he is the slowest guy I have ever seen. Thursday I called him to see if he was on time...we are only 15 minutes from the clinic!!! He said yes to come on in...there we sat and sat and sat...and right in the middle of all the back up he continues to create...HE WENT TO LUNCH!!! VP's, I have to admist that I am close to going to jail for the damage I'm going to do to both the Garage 2 parking structure...that's a whole new story...and MR. LUCKY!!! Our fun-meters are trully pegged!!! Do you have a visual?

We got out of radiation around 3:00 and had to go up to the ATC Unit to get Brenda's Nulasta shot. Now...you all have gone to the doctor and had a shot before...what does it take...maybe 5 to 10 minutes...right? Can you say 2 HOURS!!!!???? It took 2 HOURS to get that shot. We would still be waiting if Brenda...who is the most patient person I know...hadn't gone up to the desk and started to complain. They saw how horrible she was looking and got her in the treatment area. She came out about 15 minutes later running at me telling me, in a desperate voice, that she needed to eat someting FAST. Some of you know that look and that statement. She is NOT messing around, she needs food fast. I had some applesauce in our emergency pack so she started gobbling that down. OH NO! We let this get way too far and poor Chemo-sabe really got everyone's attention when she started barfing in the garbage can in the hall. Man! The nurses came running with a wheel chair, wet towels, and a cup of ice. Michele...you would have been in total melt-down by now either as the patient or the caregiver. If Rhonda and I wouldn't have been so concerned about Brenda, I know I probably would have been arrested for disorderly conduct.

We got Chemo-sabe home, crossed our fingers, and got her hooked up for the tube feeding...since she gets to name the food she'd really like to be eating instead of trying to get her nuutrition through a tube...she was having a Pappas BBQ dinner with yams and a big diet coke. YEA!!! We finally had success with the tube and the liquid went in like it was supposed to. FINALLY...THANK THE LORD!!! Brenda lost about 5 lbs this past week so we have some catching up to do...or just have to hold her weight stable.

I can't even begin to describe how exhausted we all were last night. We just couldn't move. After I got Brenda stablized and tucked in on the couch, I went and got Pappas BBQ for Rhonda and I. We woofed that down and crashed along with Brenda who was now fast asleep on the couch. If any of you tried to call us last night...I apologize for not answering the phone, I really do...I actually unplugged the living room phone because I wanted Brenda to sleep and I was just too exhausted to get up and answer it. I sure hope you understand. We absolutely LOVE talking to you all, but yesterday was just overwhelming and exhausting...this whole week was. We all just ran out of juice!

Today is a MUCH better day...we all got some sleep and Brenda's feeding tube is just humming along...It's about 8:30 am and we're on can #2. YEA!!!! YEA!!! YEA!!! This is the way the $^&*^# thing is supposed to work! After this she'll take a nice nap and she'll almost feel human again. I'm going to hop in the shower and get Rhonda to drive me over to the dog show...I'm soooo looking forward to just spending the day there. Rhonda and Brenda are talking about going out and doing a little shopping if Chemo-sabe's energy level is up. Things really are better today.

This great picture of Rhonda and Bren was taken on Thursday night...it was definitely the calm before the storm! We'll get our girl back on her feet...don't worry. Please send her some positive energy.

The non-jailed, but running out of patience, Nurse Dee

When Things Are Rough Marshall Vic Shows Up To Brighten the Day

2009-07-16T18:38:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...well let me just say that Brenda has really had the last 2 weeks from hell. Man! What a trooper she has been. There is definitely something wrong with the feeding tube so tomorrow we go in at 9:30 am and they'll see what's up with the internal placement. If it's not right, they'll fix it. It's just been a long grueling week...man! But just when things get bad, our dear Marshall Vic shows up with some of her home remedies and words of wisdom. She sent us the latest installment tonight and we just had to post it for everyone to enjoy...especially those of you that also have insominia. Do Enjoy!!! We sure did. Thanks Marshall Vic...we sure had a great laugh with your new chronicle. Please keep em comin!!

Sleep tight VP's...more later...
A sleepy Nurse Dee

Milestones

2009-07-15T06:41:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...I heard that universal "Give us an update, Nurse Dee" roaring at me through the universal wavelengths so now that we've settled into the final chemo day in this cycle in room #1 of the bed unit, and I've had half of my morning dose of Starbucks, I can write my medical bullet without falling asleep...Brenda is already off in zzzzzzzzzzz-land...that's such a good thing.

OK so let me just say that after an absolutely miserable Monday night for our poor Chemo-sabe, we have things moving, and will now try to get this feeding tube thing on the right path. I have a whole list of questions for the dietician and doc this afternoon. As radiation gets harder, it's really important to get this feeding tube thing under control. Doc Rachet (Vic) helped me brain storm what might be going on and what question to pose to Bren's care team. She should be tolerating this tube feeding much better than she is so now I think we need to change food and see what we can do to make this less bloating and easier for her to endure. Chemo-sabe really puts a whole new meaning to the term "war hero."

In fact, the new anology for Brenda's journey is that she is really a warrior fighting for her life and the freedom from this enemy called cancer. She's been trained well and relies on this daily to keep moving ahead toward the mission goal...CURE. Her commander in chief...Dr. Hong...is a competent and knowledgable leader and coupled with his first lieutenant...Dr. Swartz...and the rest of the command staff, they have mapped out the course for the CURE. I'm logistical support and bring up the rear and keep the machine moving with the equipment it needs for the battles. So when we get her home we'll be celebrating the return of a true war hero. Today celebrate your life and those that battle for your future health and safety. With each person that battles this horrible disease, more intelligence is gathered to beat this enemy into oblivion.

We look at the VP's with us as her cheering section...those caring and interested loved ones who are at home rallying her to keep moving forward. Your comments on the blog are the letters from home that help so much keep spirits high as the fight gets harder and harder. You are so important to all this...you just have no idea.

So today we should be released from her chemo treatment around 1:00 pm, then we have her radiation appointment at 1:45 pm and then Dr. Swartz at 2:30 pm...that's if everything is running on time!!! We'll see how it goes. Then I can get her home...hopefully with a more successful feeding program...and to her couch.

Today also marks some significant milestones in the fight. After today there is only 1 more cycle of chemo...that means only one more of those horribly long days...one more cisplatin...and one more steroid treatment. Those are the drugs that give her so much grief. Today also marks that we are OVER half way through the radiation treatments...only 18 more to the END!!! Everyone says the tumors are really shrinking. That is such music to our ears. KEEP YOU FINGERS CROSSED AND THE PRAYERS AND POSITIVE ENERGY COMING.

So I'll give you another update tomorrow. Give thanks to all our troops that are fighing the worlds battles to make a better life for us all.

Smiles and love from the front lines...
Nurse Dee

WOW! Another Long Day Bites the Dust!

2009-07-13T17:39:00.000-07:00

ZZZZZZZZZZZ...OH! Hi VP's...sorry just dozed off a bit...thank heavens Chemo-sabe is fast, fast asleep. We got there at 7:00 am and didn't get out of there until after 6:00 pm. We've had longer days, but the radiation and the recent placement of the feeding tube has really exhausted our gal. The transition to the tube feeding is not going as smoothly as we'd hoped. You're right Toni...that gas and bloated feeling are making poor Chemo-sabe miserable...and on top of chemo and the ongoing and worsening side effects of radiation...this isn't good. I went up and talked to the dietician about the problems we're having getting poor Chemo-sabe's wacked out system going and we're going to try Part 1 of a new strategy to see if we can make her more comfortable. We found out that some of the meds she started using can cause this feeling and we might have to switch the canned food to see if she can tolerate another one without soy. First we have to get a stubborn system moving. Let me NOT be more graphic on this one!! Lord! There is NO dignity in cancer treatments.

Michele...I DID ask if the chemo nurses would do Brenda's feeding and the answer...although very polite...was a big fat...NO!!! I was thinking that would probably be the answer so I brought the cooler with the supplies. I had to keep the bag and stuff cold so the nasty germs won't grow so I really did look I was going on a camping trip when we walked into MD Anderson this morning. I did get some stares...I don't blame them at all.

Don't expect a blow by blow on tonights activities...it won't be pretty...just let your minds wander. Tomorrow is another early day...we have to be there at 7:15 am. The chemo infusion should be about 5 or 6 hours. We get to go back to the apartment so Bren can take a nap and then we go back at 5:30 PM for radiation. Wednesday will be a long one. Your positive energy is helping...please keep it coming. Wednesday marks the half-way point in her radiation treatments. There really is a dim light at the end of this tunnel!!!

More tomorrow...sleep tight.

Nurse Dee and a very pooped (OOPS! No pun intended!!! Ha!)

A Word From LPN Toni

2009-07-13T06:56:00.000-07:00

Mornin VP's...Nurse Dee here...well it's Monday the 13th and our Chemp-sabe and I are back here at MD Anderson bright and early, for that LONG first day of chemo treatment #13!!! She's all hook-up and the infusion has started. I've wandered down to the Starbucks counter and have gotten my morning "fix" so the CURE is on schedule. Our nurse this morning took a look at all our gear and asked if we were going camping!!! Not only do we each have our backpack and briefcase, but now we have another backpack full of Brenda's supplies AND a cooler with the feeding supplies. The tubing and bag have to be kept cold to keep the nasty germs from getting to them. I'll roll the grill in with us tomorrow and make some "Some-Mores" for all the nurses and patients!!! Ha!

I got a note from Toni this morning who asked that I post a message from her to the blog. She was an absolutely fabulous LPN and is such a dear friend to both of us...Thank you from the bottom of our hearts Tonya Jill...kisses all over your face. Here's what our favorite LPN had to say:

Thanks for all the kind words from everyone for my nursing duties. I was (and am) more than happy to help them both, anytime they need it. That's what friendship is all about.

Brenda's schedule normally has you jumping through hoops, but adding that feeding by tube into the equation between the time it takes to use the equipment and then clean it is going to be a real challenge to Dee coupled with being at chemo for the day. I have no doubt though that she will figure it out. After all, she is head nurse. It also helps to be a tad anal. Doctor Vic and I had a good chuckle at the check lists Dee made to ensure Brenda didn't miss anything. (If the true be known, it was a good thing in the beginning so we didn't forget to do something, but don't tell Dee that.)

Brenda is amazing, to say the least, and tough as nails dealing with all of this. The only time I truly saw her down was the night after the feeding tube was put in. They didn't get all of the gas out of her stomach when they pumped it full for the tube insertion, and the left over gas was VERY painful. I tried burping her like a baby, had her try Lynn's remedy of rocking on the toilet, but nothing was working. Now I know those of you who know Brenda well are totally surprised that she would have any problems with gas INSIDE of her. Unfortunately I'm sure the experience reaffirmed her belief that holding it in, no matter where you are, makes you miserable, so better out than in.

I have to say I have a new appreciation for Nurse Rachet's duties. She is in for more than 1 challenge though now that she is back. Chemo-sabe has developed a serious snoring issue of late that causes the walls of the condo to bow in and out all night. Then out of the clear blue, and in no steady rhythm I might add, she sucks in the neighboring condos in addition to her own. And she thinks the fiber in her new diet is causing all the gas!! I personally think it's all the air she sucks in during the night. I told Nurse Rachet she better bring some ear plugs back with her if she wants any sleep. Yes PK, you have competition now!

Birthday girl, the birthday cake is the one and only time I am glad your taste buds are screwed up. It's the first one I have made in probably 30 years, and no I am not kidding. I hate to cook let alone bake. I know Nurse Rachet will like it, because anything sweet tastes good to her. :-)

You are in my thoughts and prayers daily ladies. Thanks for letting me help you both. I wouldn't trade my LPN duties for anything!

Great blog post Toni. I'm up for the challenge. I certainly have the easiest job in the CURE process...and being OCD has it's benefits!!! Ha! So VP's here we sit...or sleep...or whatever. It'll be a really long day not only because it's day one of chemo but because we also have to get to Chemo's radiation treatment. Hopefully they'll be on time because waiting for a long period ain;t going to be pretty. I'll see if I can grease the skids someway...maybe they'll work a little faster if I brought them donuts!!! It's a cop strategy, you know!! Ha!

Toni is right about Brenda's snoring...it was more than once that I saw the walls move in and out timed with the freight train noises that were coming from my gal!!! LORDY!! I have come back to Houston armed with all sort of sleep aides...Julie's noise canceling headphones, foam earplugs and AMBIEN!!! I ended up on the couch the first day I was back but last night I put the foam earplugs in and actually lasted all night. I pulled the plugs out sometime during the night but I made it through the night none the worse for wear. YES!!! I did that a long acting Ambien!!! A nurse has to do what a nurse has to do to keep her energy up!!

We hope all is well in your world...let us know what you're up to. Toodles from Camp MD Anderson...

Nurse Dee

Happy Birthday to Chemo-Sabe

2009-07-12T12:49:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone...well we had shift change yesterday and LPN Toni went back to HOT Mesa (113 they say today...) and I returned to HOT & HUMID Houston and my nursing duties for my favorite chemo-sabe. Our many, many thanks to our favorite LPN Toni for her great care, ingenuity, good humor and fantastic care this past week. You did an absolutely fantastic job Toni. It was great seeing you yesterday. Glad you made it back safe and sound and that your girls (2 darling Miniature Schnauzers) greeting you with tons of squeals of excitement.

Thanks to all the VP's that sent all those wonderful cards and goodies to Chemo-sabe this past week. While she was napping this morning I got all of them out, along with the cake that Toni made, and the prizes I brought from home and along with Mr. Bojangles (the huge clown balloon that Wendy and Kim sent) we had a birthday celebration...she loved everything and had so much fun opening the goodies. Check the pictures out. What do ya think? We're invisioning a much different kind of birthday next year. We're thinking that a cozy cabin up in Telluride, Colorado coupled with a yummy BBQ dinner on a warm summer afternoon after we've hiked up in the surrounding mountains just might do the trick. Dr. Hong and Dr. Swartz are working on Brneda's birthday present and I'm sure they'll deliver the CURE!! Things are going well so far although the radiation effects are sure beginning to become more troublesome. This will be a really difficult phase of the CURE so please keep those prayers and cards coming...they sure help bring a smile to both our faces.

Chemo-sabe has been eating very well...pizza, french fries, salad, steak, my grandmothers biscuits, grilled cheese sandwiches, Nando's mexican food...we just get the magic marker out and write what the desired meal is on the can and pour it into the feeding tube bag for the big drip to tummy-land. Whatever it takes to make this work!!! Toni...that was a great idea! The feeding tube actually works really well, but it also creates a lot of painful bloating and air in her stomach so we're working on trying to make this more comfortable for her to use.

Tomorrow we start another chemo round so it's going to a long and exhausting day for our gal. We did get over to the clinic today to get the blood work done and that was an absolute snap. Not only do we have a 10 to 11 hour chemo session tomorrow, but then she has to go to radiation and then up early for the second chemo on this cycle. Couple that with being in the hospital and trying to get this tube feeding in will be interesting...we're already working out the logistics and I think I'll have to hire a small team of movers to get all her supplies into the treatment room. She'll be soooooo glad when things are back to normal. That is such a gross understatement.

So VP's...there you have it. Brenda sends her love for all your thoughtfulness on her special day. Happy Birthday to her!!! Check out the pics. Thanks to you all...

Nurse Dee...back on duty

LPN Toni - On Duty in Houston

2009-07-08T22:13:00.000-07:00

VP's...Michele has been wanting a picture of our LPN Toni who is currently on duty in Houston. Well I looked through my pictures and I happened upon one that I thought would fit the bill perfectly. I snuck a quick picture of Toni when she came over to our house in Mesa to show me her uniform. She wanted to make sure that Brenda felt she was in good hands while I was gone and so Toni thought that looking the part was VERY important. Can you say OCD? She even had an "Official" decal put on her car so no one would confuse her for some BHV Brenda's Healing Village) impostor...God forbid! Only the best for our Chemo-sabe. I think she looks a bit "dated" but good uniforms are hard to find in this economy. Toni this just screams professionalism. I definitely know my gal's in very competent hands.

Love to you for helping with this important task. But I must confess that I'll have to talk to your boss and see if they can afford different headwear.

You need a raise!

Nurse Dee

More News From the Front Lines

2009-07-08T16:07:00.000-07:00

LORD!!! What a day our poor Chemo-sabe had. I just got off the phone with her and it was after 5:30 PM in Houston and Bren and Toni where JUST GETTING BACK TO THE APARTMENT!!! That is such a long day for her. I can't even imagine if we would have done the feeding tube placement next week when she's getting chemo on top of all this. She is just such an amazingly strong woman! I promise that I will try and never complain that I don't feel well when I just have a head cold!! Can you guys relate? This puts things into such clear perspective!

The kicker to todays activities was that radiation was so backed-up. When that happens, and you have so many other things going on it, just messes up everything. Wednesdays are the days she sees Dr. Swartz (Radiation Oncologist.) They were so far behind that she has to see him tomorrow because the rest of his staff went home. What's up with that...the patient is backed up so everyone goes home? How many times have we, as patients, waited for the doctor. OK...I can just hear you docs out there getting on my case! Ha! I'm just watching out for my girl!!! Admit it...you'd feel the same way about your partner...especially when there are NO RECLINERS to lay back and snooze a little.

She said the first part of the tube placement was absolutely horrible...imagine a wire being snaked down your throat...a throat that's really dry and sore and you start gagging and coughing as this guy is trying to get this thing down your throat without hardly any pre-meds to help ease the anxiety of it all. The word TORTURE comes to mind.

LPN Toni...you did such a great job today. You really got a glimpse of what life has been like for Bren over these past several months. Thanks for being such a calming presence and helping her get through all this. I sure need a briefing on all the tube feeding particulars. I understand that the 18 wheeler will be delivering Bren's supplies to the apartment. Maybe I'll have to visit the office and see if they have a bigger apartment. We literally have one corner of the place for Brenda's medical supplies already. Bring 'em in...it's all part of the CURE!! I wonder if they have chocolate cake feeding juice for her birthday?

So I think that covers todays trauma. Get some good sleep Bren. You deserve a good restful snooze. Hopefully you'll feel a little better tomorrow...it won't be as long a day that's for sure. I love you...xoxo

Nurse Dee

News From the Front Lines

2009-07-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...Nurse Dee here in Mesa, AZ checking in with an update from LPN Toni who is doing a fantastic job helping our favorite Chemo-sabe in Houston. I just got off the phone with both of them...all is well. Brenda just had the feeding tube put in and was in recovery to report that it wasn't a fun time snaking this wire down her throat, but when they gave her more sleep juice...she didn't remember anything after that. THANK HEAVEN THIS PART IS DONE!!! Yikes...the stuff this poor soul has put up with!

I just got another update from LPN Toni and they were just waiting about another half hour for Bren to be released. She's doing just fine. Toni is going to take her back to the apartment (thanks heaven we found one so close to the clinic) for some couch time until they have to come back for a recheck and 1st feeding in the new tube. The she has to get to radiation...and yes! they're backed up AGAIN!!! Then an appointment with Dr Swartz...we'll just see how all this goes. That's a lot to handle in one day for a hero that's already been surgerized and is damn TIRED! Where are the reclining chairs when you need them??? All you in hospital care...please take note...RECLINERS!!!!

I've got an appointment right now, so I'll forward more info tonight when I hear how the rest of the day played out. Please send some of your energy Bren's way. She is such a trooper. Thanks Tonya Jill for being another one of our guardian angles. You're due for a promotion!

Nurse (on my last break) Dee

Happy July 4th

2009-07-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

Yep VP's, I'm on my last "Nurses Union Break." My boss said that I couldn't take any more breaks without her. She wants to go home!! That's absolutely A-OK with me. I soooo visualize us driving home or me being able to put her on a plane to get her home quickly so she can start the final healing process and enjoy the CURE from home turf.

I just wanted to make a quick post before I head up to Strawberry, AZ to check on our cabin and ensure it's still standing and get the grass...well actually weeds...mowed. They've had rain up there so I know it'll need it. I'm waiting for my Mom to show up...we're going up together and we're going to try and find Cathie's sister in Payson and join their big BBQ. I actually feel like a little lost soul that goes from place to place to get some food! Ha! I had dinner with Becky last night and she said she and Julie would feed me while I was home...Ha! I just had to laugh. Do you have a visual?? There is absolutely NOTHING in the house to eat and I haven't had time to get anything! Ha! If you can't tell... Brenda is truly the cook in the family. I can make one mean bowl of cereal however...OH! And I can scramble eggs. Maybe that's why Bren wants to get that feeding tube in sooner rather than later...HUMMMMMMMM! I'm wondering if that's a sign that I should take a few cooking classes....Bren are you sending me a message?? I called her this morning and she's still raving about Vic's bread pudding...I am hopelessly challenged when it comes to cooking...I admit it!

Bren and Vic are going over to the Apple Store at the Galleria today so Vic can look at the new iPhone. It's a great outing for them and it'll give our gal a little exercise. Enjoy the day sweetie...I'll call you both tonight.

To all the other VP's...have a wonderful 4th of July...give thanks for the blessings you have and enjoy the people around you. Eat hearty...it's the American way! More when I get back from the north country.

"On Break" Nurse Dee

PS: Thanks Doc Rachet for taking such good care of my gal.

Stage 2, Week 2 is Underway

2009-06-30T05:54:00.000-07:00

Morning VP's...I think it was all your collective minds that woke me up this morning yelling..."WE WANT AN UPDATE, NURSE DEE!!!" OK, OK, OK! So here's the scoop for Tuesday morning.

Well, it was a hell of a week last week and it really took us until Sunday to recover. Sunday Brenda and I were just tired of looking at this apartment's wall and she wanted to get out a little...if nothing else, just to have me drive her around. She has just been so exhausted that the thought of trying to sit up for any amount of time in the car was just too much. But she also knew that it was important to try and get up and walk around to get some exercise. Considering how hot and humid it is outside...we headed to one of our favorite Houston locations...the big air conditioned Galleria. We walked and did a little shopping, but as you can imagine, in no time she was really pooped and I needed to get her back to the couch.

So I got Chemo-sabe back to the apartment and tucked her in with her pillows and blanket on the couch. I took off for the grocery store to pick up some supplies and a movie for our evening enjoyment. We rented "Henry Pool Is Here." It's a really good movie about "believing" and "miracles." We really are trying to tap into all that so the movie was really a good one for us. Rent it. You might enjoy it.

Yesterday we were back in the "clinic" mode. Bren had an audiologist appointment at 9:00 am so we had to get up and out much earlier than we do usually. Dr. Hall (the audiologist) was a really, really great guy. We had a nice time talking to him. He was really friendly, funny, talkative, and very informative. Because of the Cisplatin (the harshest of the chemo drugs) Brenda's hearing is being permanently affected. Right now it's in the high frequency ranges, but there is a definite change. We might both be visiting the hearing aid store sooner rather than later!! Most of you know my hearing is going too...we're already asking each other what folks said!! We're quite the pair!! Ha! No one likes loosing any of their senses but that's why God helped brilliant minds create things like hearing aids.

We did have a food emergency on our way back from the clinic after that appointment. Brenda really struggled with her radiation appointment on Friday for a lot of reasons...discomfort, dry mouth, lack of focus to deal with the treatment, med routine off, exhaustion. You really do need the weekend to try and recover. All weekend her system was just "off" and we just couldn't get it under control before Monday. She didn't sleep well at all Sunday night and got up around 5:30 am Monday. She had a bowl of cereal in the morning but it didn't stay with her and by 10:30 am she started getting a stomach ache and shaky. By the time we got home she was in total food, bad stomach, overload. We got into the apartment and immediately got her an EAS Protein drink to help. This was not good at all and just sort of put her over the edge. The good thing was that she got to rest and recover until we had to go back to the clinic for the radiation treatment at 6:30 pm.

Thank heaven, her XRT (radiation treatment) went OK and she didn't experience the problems she had on Friday. You might think, "How difficult could it be to lie on a table while they treat you?" But remember that her head is back, her already dry mouth is forced open by the mouth stent for the entire duration of the treatment (usually 20 minutes) and the thing is almost gagging her without everything else that goes on. Then her arms are strapped down and a big mesh mask is put on her face and bolted to the table. Frankly to me it sounds more like the Inquisition than a treatment thats supposed to help and heal you. YIKES!!! It takes a lot of focus to get through each treatment. I think you get the picture.

So I figured out a system that we can keep Brenda's very delicate system under some sort of control. We talked about her need to eat some small amount of food every 2 to 3 hours. Since she's not eating the volume of food she did before, it was important to get small amounts of protein and calories in sooner rather than later. Than I put together an"emergency backpack" that we can take with us everywhere...especially the clinic where we're usually held hostage for HOURS. So the pack has water, crackers, energy bars, sugar-free gum and mints, her rinses and anything else we can think of. The is constantly changing and so we're really getting good at adapting.

That brings us to today. Bren got a good nights sleep and that makes all the difference in the world. I think all the VP's can relate to that. We got a bowl of cereal with some peaches in her tummy and she's feeling much better today. These are the ups and downs of cancer CURE treatments. Thank the Lord, we only have one appointment today...and that's XRT (radiation) at 1:45 PM. So we'll eat lunch and I'll call ahead to see if their treatment schedule is on time or not. Doing that really cuts our having to wait around. We have another movie to watch..."Bedtime Stories"...so hopefully it'll be an easier day. Tomorrow is going to be a nightmare...way too many appointments that we'll try and adjust.

Tomorrow night Doc Vic arrives and on Thursday, I head back to Phoenix for my union break. Vic will fly home on July 6th and our dear friend Toni will fly in and take over nursing duties until I get back on July 11th. Brenda said that I couldn't have any more union breaks until we were ready to head home TOGETHER with the CURE!! That's just absolutely fine with me. I want to take us home in the worst way but only when she is CURED. AMEN!!

Brenda's over there playing Scrabble on the computer...watch out Vic and Rhonda, the girl continues to practice daily. I think I'll head over to the gym and work out before my soap comes on!!! HA!! STOP LAUGHING ALL OF YOU!!! We hope that your day is wonderful. We send good tidings and blessings to each of you. Thanks for hanging with us through this LOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG journey! Write on the blog and let us know what you all are up to.

Hugs all around...
Nurse Dee and Scrabble Queen Chemo-sabe

Marshall Vic is Back With Some Advice

2009-06-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

News Flash VP's...Marshall Vic has produced another one of her priceless videos for your viewing enjoyment. Now I'm just warning you that you had better empty your bladder before you watch this. I truly think this is her best one yet. This was the best dose of medicine Brenda and I have had in a long time. We howled and I know you will too. Have a wonderful time enjoying our favorite Marshall.

A Laughing Nurse Dee and Chemo-Sabe

TGIF and the Mother-Lode

2009-06-26T05:51:00.000-07:00

Morning Everyone...Man! We had another long, long, long, long day yesterday. What make it more difficult is that Brenda is so fatigued. It was the first day after chemo and over the next several days she will be at her lowest as far as energy and resistance to germs are concerned. She's up for an hour or 2 and then has to take a nap. The good thing is that she's not in any major pain, she did mention, however, that she was beginning to have a sore throat, and her saliva is thicker, her mouth is dryer, and her skin feels a little sunburned...that's what we expected...they are really giving her high doses of radiation. The good news is that she has nothing else to do but recover and heal. We are so very thankful for everyone and everything that has led us to MD Anderson and will lead us through this journey to the CURE.

OK, so here's how yesterday went...just put yourself into this picture when you are so tired you can hardly stand up. We began with a 10:00 appointment with Dr. Hong. So like good patients and their nurses, we showed up early to ensure we didn't back up an already loaded health care-system. Maybe that's our first problem! Michele...this next part is going to drive you out of your mind...we waited...and waited...and waited...and then we waited some more. The chairs are lousy...no recliners...Brenda just wanted to lie down and I can't sit in those crummy chairs for a long time because I have a bad back. We weren't having any fun at all!!! So finally after an hour and a half, we asked where we were in Dr. Hong's schedule. Guess what...the intake folks at the desk forgot to mark us that we had arrived!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! I wanted to Taser someone but I'm trying to be a good nurse and it's hard to continue your nursing duties behind bars at the county jail!!! The appointment with Dr. Hong took 5 minutes since Brenda is OK symptom wise right now. We talked to Mary and Thelma about trying to condense the waiting and spreading out the appointments so Brenda can get a good nap in. Bren had to get a Nulasta shot yesterday but we worked out a system that she didn't have to wait for an hour for the dang thing...that's what we're talking about!! I also suggested to Mary that we schedule Brenda's blood test a day BEFORE her first chemo day so we didn't have to make that first day any longer than it already was. You know...I just don't see how folks can go through this alone.

So we got to go back to the apartment and Bren dove for the couch...she was in zzzzzz-land before her head hit the pillow! We just had enough time to eat and then have her nap a little more before we headed back to the clinic for the Nulasta shot and radiation treatment. Now you might think that should be fairly easy and if you think on a small scale that might be true...but this place is HUGE and things are spread out all over the place. So sometimes to maximize Brenda's energy we go in 2 different directions to save her evergy. Today she went to the 10th floor pharmacy to pickjup the Nulasta shot while I went to the 1st floor to drop off our "patient supply" request form. We then met on the 9th floor where Thelma gave her the shot. From there we headed down to the basement for her radiation treatment. On the way to radiation we stopped at the 2nd floor pharmacy to pick up more heparin flush syringes that we had ordered. Off to radiation...

Yep....you guessed it...they were running LATE!!! Lord help us! I think they got a huge discount on those horrible chairs they have all over the place...they're in the radiation department as well! So there we sat for another hour waiting to get in for her treatment. So I used that time to go back to patient services to get the PICC line Heparin caps that we ordered. Guess what....they couldn't find the order that I had dropped off an hour before! It just was a trule disjointed day for everyone...we were falling through the cracks everywhere. You know this is really unusual for this place as large as it is. They truly do an amazing job when you think that they are treating 4,000 patients a day.

We finally got home around 5:45 PM. Man! What a week this has been. Whew!!! Today is a piece of cake...we only have Bren's radiation appointment and that's at 2:30 PM. Emily said we could call ahead and see if they were running on time to try and reduce the wait time. We only live about 15 minutes from the clinic and they have free valet parking for the radiation patients right at the radiation center so that really, really, helps with time and expense.

We spent the evening staring at the TV. I rented the movie "Inkheart" and we just let it watch us. Yep...Brenda napped...I watched. I just didn't have the umph to blog.

On a more energetic note...some of you VP's ...Rhonda, Koko, Michele & Karen, Karen M, Jodie & Donna, Bonnie P, Vicky & Callie, Paulette, Bonnie & Carter, Cathie & Evelyn REALLY want a blow-out CURE party, don't ya?. Hell...I can't blame you at all...we do too! Brenda hit the mother-lode of cards yesterday and MAN!!!... just about all of them had $5.00 in them to play the Mega Million Lottery! WOW!!! How cool is that. We just laughed and I wondered where the nearest store was that I could use this win-fall to get some tickets. You all are just wonderful for helping us have so may dreams of the future. We decided to spread the load out a bit to keep the excitement going and we'll buy some each week. You are so very wonderful of doing all this. We truly have the best village going! Kisses all over your face...if that's too personal...how about a big hug! Koko and Michelle...we didn't win with the tickets you sent...but we'll keep trying. This will be fun!

I think that about covers it for today...have a wonderful Friday. I know some of you are on vacation or are just beginning your trips. Take us along in your hearts while you're enjoying all the great places you're visiting. We'll be enjoying them right there with you. Send us some pictures and we'll post some of them on the blog. I don't see why the village can't come along!

TGIF...
Nurse Dee and Pooped, Napping Chemo-sabe

Stage 2 - Round 1 of Chemo - Put a Fork in It...It's DONE!!

2009-06-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...another long day has ended and Round 1 of this chemo cycle is forked and DONE!!! Can you all scream YEAAAAAAAAAAA!!! We got our gal all set up in a tad bigger room in the chair unit this morning around 8:30am and I went to get my second morning cup of coffee at the Starbucks they have in the hospital and off to the CURE she went. Hey Vicky...I also had a cup of "Jet Fuel" that you sent...it's REALLY good. It's strong enough to curl your socks and I LOVE it. Thanks ever so much for thinging of me and my bold coffee addiction!! A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do to get our Bren through this!! I dare you to have a cup without out your hald and half!!! Ha!

Anyway...Brenda did some adjusting of her meds to help minimize the side effects of the chemo...and she took a great nap this morning. She really works hard to find the right combination that will give her comfort from the effects of all the drugs they give her on these chemo days. I'm so glad she can sleep and does a lot of that. It helps with the symptom control, gives her small bursts of energy, and helps her keep her wonderful, tenacious attitude. She is soooooo my hero.

We got out of the bed unit around 1:30 PM and headed over to the Radiation Treatment Center and met with a whole flock of folks that are part of Brenda's care team for radiation. We saw Dr. Swartzs' nurse Jennifer, his PA (oops...I can't remember her name!), the dietician Denise, and Tracey from the Behavioral Studies Department that asked us if we would consider joining a study about how couples communicate to each other through their cancer journey. Don't laugh...we agreed to subject the staff to our unique style of communication. On a serious note, they have done so much for us, we just wanted to give back. Michele...I know you must have a comment about this one. I can tell you this...this team is really going to be on top of any symptoms that crop up. Dr. Swartz really didn't have much of anything to look at or report so off we went. He did want Brenda to have an eye exam ASAP so they have a baseline on her vision. They are dangerous close to the lower orbit of her right eye and they have to radiate right between her eyes to target the brain lesion. We certainly want to keep her vision and other vital organs intact so help us with the shielding visualization if you feel so inclined. The more the better. The lady that checks us in at the front desk said that the radiation folks would fit us in so we wouldn't have to make another trip back tonight so we jumped for joy and headed for the treatment rooms and the waiting area.

Well, that didn't work out because they got backed up again so we had to come back at 7:00 PM. Bren went back for her treatment at 7:15 and she was out by 7:40...not bad. At least it gave us the opportunity to go back to the apartment and have her take another one of those "Power Naps." They are truly good for all that ails you.

I asked her what the treatment was like and maybe some of you are curious as well...OK so the medical folks know all about this, but those of us that don't like the sight of blood but are fascinated by the Discovery Health channel might be interested. Here's how she described it. She has to take her shirt and bra off and she covers "the girls" with a towel, then she lies on the table, and they have her put the mouth stent in and put on these wrist bands that pull her shoulders down toward her feet that help to keep her still. Then they put the mesh mask on and they make sure that she is all lined up properly. Then off the technician goes to run the computer program. Since Brenda's eyes are closed, all she can see/sense are different intensities of lights coming at different directions and, in some instances, the table actually moves so the beam can hit its target better. The technology is truly amazing. Day 2 of radiation = HISTORY!!

We're home now watching the championship game of the 2009 College World Series and it sure looks like Lousiana State University is going to beat the Texas Longhorns who were the reigning champs. We've been watching the games all week and they have been really good. LSU is leading 9 to 4 in the top of the 7th inning. At least tomorrow we don't have to get up at 6:15 am. UGH!

Tomorrow we have to see Dr. Hong at 10:00, get Brenda her white blood count building Nulasta shot after that and then be in radiation at 4:15 PM. Tomorrow is also the day I have to change her PICC line dressing, change the PICC line cap, and give her her daily Heparin flush so the line doesn't clog. A nurses duties are never done.

So now on to the slot competition. Thanks Bonnie for ensuring that we have RULES to follow...being a cop for 30 years, I've had rules out my eyeballs, but I truly understand that some of the villagers exhibit true competitive personalities that need the playing field to be defined out of fairness and good sportsmanship. So is everyone on the same sheet of music? How about we take Bonnie's suggestion and report the results in the blog every Sunday night by 8:00 PM Houston time. I just checked with Queen Triple 7 Slots of Buffalo Speedway and she's at $3862.75. It's 9:10 PM Houston time. Touch Away!!!

So that about wraps it up for Wednesday night in Houston...a VERY HOT and HUMID Houston I might add! Being from Arizona, Bren and I don't much mind the heat out there because it's a dry heat. Yes...it still is like putting your head into an oven but it's not like walking into a steam room like it is here. It really does feel so much hotter here. If you can beloieve this, they had the chemo room so cold this morning that I had to put on my fleece jacket!!! The hotter it is outside, the colder they make the building!!!

Hey Bonnie and Jackie...I got a voice mail from Vickie Shaw this afternoon. How absolutely wonderful. I didn't have a chance to call her back but will try and do that tomorrow or Friday at the very latest. It really was so very nice of you to mention our situation to her and for her to call. We're really looking forward to seeing them. I know she'll have us laughing our socks off in no time. I just listened to her talk on the phone with that southern twang and I was smiling. How cool!

The pictures are of our Rip Van Amburg through the years. The top picture is of our sleepy Chemo-sabe taking a quick Power Nap on the banks of the Little Colorado River while we were on a 7 day trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. That training has really come in handly to prepare her for these long days. The bottom pic was taken this morning. Being plugged into he iTouch has been a God-send. Catching Power Naps when you can is vital. I can remember taking a wonderful Power Nap in a cemertry over my lunch break when I had to work midnights as a Patrol Sergeant. I had such a miserable time staying awake all night. UGH. Sure glad I don't have to do that any more.

OK...so I have jabbered on long enough for tonight. Thanks for all you do to help us stay UP! You're the best village Chemo-sabe and her nurse could ask for.

Sleep well...good dreams...
Nirse Dee and Chemo Van Winkle

Stage 2 - Day 2 = COMPLETED!

2009-06-23T19:19:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...You can't imagine how trashed we were when we got back to the apartment last night. With the blood draw, the long chemo infusion, going for the radiation "dry run" and all the WAITING associated with those treatments made it a 12 hour day. You'd think that just sitting around and walking from place to place wouldn't be so tiring, but it's absolutely exhausting. Brenda handled it...like everything along this journey...like a real trooper. She got her naps in and that really, really helps. Thank heaven for all the wonderful medicine that she takes that help her sleep, ease her anxiety, and keep her stomach and other side effects under control. To all you health care professionals out there...you have our unwavering love. We couldn't do what you do on a permanent basis and we have a deep respect for all that you do. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your dedication to helping people with their illnesses. You rock! Please keep doing what you're doing!

So today was another LONG one but we got a break in the middle. We ended up squashed in what I think was the smallest chemo treatment room they have at MD Anderson. Now those of you that know us, know that we are "gear girls" so it was quite challenging for me to get all our stuff organized in that tiny room. Maybe I should look at this like an MD Anderson compliment that we are small women so we could fit nicely in a small room...yea! That's it! Ha!

They got Brenda's chemo going. It's a 5 hour treatment today. We actually got out about 1:30 PM and we went and had some Meditterean food at a place called Skewers...not bad. It was fun to eat some place besides the hospital. So after that we went home and I absolutely crashed out on the bed for 3 hours. I think I'd still be there but I had to get up to get Bren to her first real radiation treatment. Since Bren had such a good nap during chemo...like a good 2+ hours, she played her slots on the iTouch (more on that later Michele), talked with a friend, read her e-mail and took another shorter nap before we went for the evening appointment.

OK so we motor over to the Radiation Treatment Center for our 6:30 PM appointment. Mind you, this is only supposed to take an hour tops. Well, something on the machine wasn't quite right for the guy in front of us so they had to fix that which caused us to wait an hour before they got her in for the actual treatment. There's a tremendous amount of waiting in this journey. We're both trying to put it to good use. Brenda is very competitive and is determined to beat Michele in Slots. I'm catching up on some reading. So we got out of the treatment center about 8:15 PM and Brenda wanted to treat herself to an ice cream bar so we drove to the grocery store for a box of Eskimo Pies!!! YUM!

She said the treatment wasn't bad, but this is only day 2. Her eyes were closed, the mouth stent was in, the face mask was on and she's strapped down so she doesn't move. She said she could see lights through her closed eyes moving around and could sense the machine was changing it's beam to radiate the different areas that need to be zapped. We're both visualizing "shields" around the critical areas that need protection and exposure to all the cancer cells. We'd love if you'd help us visualize that for her as well.

Brenda went through the "Daily Self-Care" chart I made this morning and did the rinses and fluoride treatment that she has to do before going to bed. You might laugh and say...Man! That Nurse Dee is really taking her nursing duties to a new OCD level. HA! That's true, but if you saw how many things Brenda has to do DAILY...multiple times daily I might add...I think you'd make some type of chart too. It's amazing!!! And most of these she will have to do the rest of her life so the faster we develop the habits, the better. Thank heaven she is such a complient patient...God Love Her. This really could be a nightmare with some stubborn folks!

So now let's talk SLOTS!!! Brenda started yesterday with $2000.00. She was at about $1200 last night at the check-in time. Since Michele said she hit the big 7's, Michele might have won last night's round but I'm still waiting to hear how she did. Michele, Jodie, and Jackie, I have to warn you that before Bren went to sleep last night, she hit the big triple 7's betting the max amount which added up to 10,000 credits. It's 10:15 PM and she's at $4012.25. How's everyone else doing?

Tomorrow will be a little longer than today because after chemo we have to see the radiation doc at 2:30. Then we get to come home and then back for radiation at 6:30 PM...that time really messes up dinner!! Oh Well! It is what it is!

Sleep tight everyone...more tomorrow.
Nurse Dee and Chemo-sabe.

Stage 2 Has Officially Begun!

2009-06-22T09:24:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...Stage 2 of the CURE has officially begun. After the rabid skydiving experience of last week, Brenda and I looked at one another and said..."Let's Get This Show On The Road!" So here we are once again...back in the main clinic at MD Anderson, in the "ATC Bed Unit"...in treatment room #6. The TV is on to the soap opera that my Mom got me hooked on when we were in Denver, Colorado taking care of my brother...OH! Stop laughing!!! The IV machines in other treatment rooms are beeping, the phones are ringing, Brenda's air bed is making noises inflating and deflating to ensure she's comfortable, and there is an ever presence of human activity in the air. Well, now Brenda's IV machine just starting its alarm...it's LOUD and really ANNOYING...hell that's the whole point of it, isn't it!!! Hopefully the nurse will get in here soooooooon!

We had an 8:00 am appointment for chemo this morning but in true, ever changing fashion, poor Bren needed to have a blood test before they started to ensure her white blood count was where it should be. You can't even believe how many people were in that lab area waiting to get tests done...it was the worst I have EVER seen it. Well that put us behind an hour+. So when you factor in all the time it takes for the fluids, additional meds, chemo and more flushes, we estimate she might be through by 5:00 pm. That's already a long day, but it's not over yet.

Of course she had a dental appointment at 2:30 but that's now impossible to make. She HAS to get her mouth stent for radiation tonight so I'm going to her dental appointment as her stand-in! Some lady this morning told us that we looked alike! REALLY??? I know we've been together for 23 years, and that we oftern say the same thing at the same time, but looking alike? I think not! So I guess I'll just use that and be Brenda Van Amburg today. Frankly, I wish I could share some of these physical treatments with her so she wouldn't have to feel so bad. I certainly NOT wishing for cancer...NOT, NOT, NOT!!! Pain shared is pain divided! Anyway...I'm just going up there to get all the "stuff" (medical term) and learn how to use the mouth guard and fluoride treatments. That way we can stay on track.

OK...so we still don't get to go home. After chemo we have to go over to the Radiation Treatment Center for the radiation "dry run." That's when all the equipment is placed in exactly the same manner to ensure Bren is positioned and the machine is calibrated for all the future treatments. That appointment is at 6:45 PM but they said they would try to work us in so I'll call later this afternoon with an update on when we end chemo so they'll be more prepared to really do that. THEN we get to go home!!!! We made homemade chicken soup this weekend so we're all prepared with dinner. Frankly, I'm hungry right now and would love a bowl of that.

Although Brenda is grabbing a nap right now, she has also been burning up her iTouch playing the slots. Michele...let the games begin. How about everyone that's actually playing report their earnings or losses at 8:00 PM tonight, Houston time. Just post your results...OK? That way we can keep track how everyone's doing. VP's you still have time to borrow an iPhone or iTouch (good job Jodie) or go buy one...come on, I know you need some excuse to get that new gizmo!! Ha!

Nurse Dee and a Napping Chemo-sabe

Vegas Slots Contest - Care to Play?

2009-06-21T07:02:00.000-07:00

VP's...We're mentally and physically preparing for the beginning of Stage 2 tomorrow morning. It's going to be a very busy day. Brenda will begin her first round of chemo at 8:00 am...for 7 hours!!! Then we go to a dental appointment after that to ensure the permanent stent for radiation works fine in her mouth and to pick us the mouth trays for her fluoride treatments that she'll have to use daily for the rest of her life. After that we go to the Radiation Treatment Center for the "dry run" to ensure everything is all set and lined up properly for the beginning of the actual radiation treatments which will begin on Tuesday. On top of all this we have to begin all the additional home self-care regiments that will help her through this next Stage.

Some of you that know me really well know that I tend to be a little OCD at times and LOVE to organize just about everything in Brenda's and my life together. Stop laughing you guys!! I HAVE to do this or I go nuts!!! Ha! Anyway, I have created a notebook with charts, calendars, useful information we can quickly refer to, and forms that will keep track of food and fluid intake, symptoms, pain levels, food and liquid elimination...well you get the idea. Karen...it would make you proud.

So now you ask...why on earth are you telling me all this! Well if you've read the comments from Michele on the blog...she has just challenged Brenda to a "Slot Comepetition." So I just thought I'd help ORGANIZE that a little and also send out the challenge to all the other VP's that would care to play. I guess the only problem is that you have to have an iPhone or and iTouch to be able to play. So if you're looking for an excuse to get one of those really great devices...now is your chance.

So...to make this fair and exciting...all the players have to use the same game. We just downloaded "Vegas Slots" into Brenda's iTouch. The game cost $3.99 but I think most of you could afford that. For those of you that have to go out and buy the device itself...the cost of the game just might put you over the edge...hell just give up your daily Starbucks' run and you're good to go. She's using the one-line, double jackpot game.

How about if we start at 8:00 AM, Houston time, for the actually beginning of the tournamnet? It's the time Stage 2 will start. If you're playing with the game today, you can just cash-out and start a-new tomorrow morning. You can report your winnings on the blog so we can all see how you're doing. We can end the game on August 10th which is Brenda's LAST radiation treatment.

So how does this sound? The Mac stores are open today and you still have time...and now an excuse...to go buy one of these really cool devices. Have I missed any details? Michele? Are you good to go? I know you got your new phone and we have downloaded and installed the new operating system on Brenda's iTouch so we're good to go.

Let the slots begin!!!

Nurse Dee...Pit Boss for Casino Chemo-sabe

Medical Bullet - Stage 2 / Part 2

2009-06-19T05:33:00.000-07:00

Morning VP's...what a @$&%&$# week this has been. Remember that "rabid sky-diving" we did and wrote about in the early stages of our journey. Well some son of a $#%^ left the keys to that plane out and just when we sort of had our guard down, that damn insane pilot found them, and took us on another wild-ass ride that scared the absolute &^$# out of us. Do you have any idea how much we HATE that?

Michele's visit was like an IV of "Happy, Encouraging, Witty, Hyper, Determined, Scholarly, 'Really' Juice." It was sandwiched between 2 horrible clinic days and really did a lot to temper how brain-fried both Brenda and I were after those doctor visits. If we could just bottle some of this juice Michele produces, we could all retire and live happily ever after on a beautiful Tahitian island. Having dinner with Koko just helped bring back some of the sun and fun we all had on our last 2 Olivia Cruises to Barbados and Tahiti. Skyping with Karen and Michele and the Aussies just helped us sooooo very much fell closer to you all. Seeing you and being able to see your expressions is priceless. We laughed till our sides hurt. Really Karen...technology & your new MAC are fantastic...don't be afraid...walk to the light!!! Ha!

OK...OK...I'll get to what we learned yesterday from the main guy...Dr. Hong. The chemo regime is a little different than what Mary first told us. Things are CONSTANTLY changing!! It's the norm and really frustrating, but Bren and I learned a long time ago to move with things and not get too hung up when paths changed...everything always worked out and most of the time it was for the better. Instead of chemo once a week, like we thought, chemo infusion will be on the same schedule, with the same drugs, as Stage 1 only at a lower dose. So she'll have another 3 rounds of chemo. Each round is on a 21 day cycle with the first 3 days of each cycle as infusion days where she actually gets the drugs. The other 18 days the drugs just work through her system. Needless to say, it's going to be a VERY busy time going back and forth to the clinic for infusion, radiation, office visits because both Dr. Hong and Dr. Schwartz want to see her weekly. Then I'm sure there will be Nulasta shots, blood draws, educational clinics and heaven knows what also inserted in there. Pray for us a lot...PLEASE!!

We tried to pin Dr. Hong down on several issues, but he's just taking a very conservative approach when discussing outcomes and side effects with us. In retrospect, I think that's all he can do safely. He said that Brenda's tumor's presented some significant challenges and that her cancer was quite advanced when we arrived. That is why they are hitting this so hard...every one is after the CURE!! He said that...we are in the CURATIVE mode. He said that is the main mission right now and even with all the scans and knowing Brenda's case so well...he still feels that her cancer is "POTENTIALLY CURABLE." He said that he will worry about long term side effects AFTER the CURE! He said there was no other approach to take right now. He's wants to take the less invasive route to see if they can kill the cancer...especially the small lesion in her brain, and avoid having to do that cranial surgery. We totally get that part. He felt all around Brenda's neck and said that the treatments were affecting the tumors "satisfactorily." It's just one day at a time and we HAVE to be patient with that. It's a very slow process, but we're ALL working toward the CURE!!!!

We haven't gotten the chemo schedule yet but I can envision that most likely starting next week along with radiation. I'm thinking we should hear from Mary today or see that on the MD Anderson scheduler. While Brenda is feeling so well, we're going to try and get out and have some fun and eat some good meals. We're both still pretty exhausted right now so we'll be trying to recharge our batteries in preparation for the days ahead.

To all of you who are hanging in there with us on this long walk...a thousand thanks from the bottom of my heart. Words just can't describe how comforting your efforts are to us. I can't imagine having to travel this path alone. Many do unfortunately. We see them wandering around the clinic and it's so very sad. We really do feel your presence and know that we can reach out for you when we need something specific and you'll be there even though hundreds of miles in some cases might separate us. I really don't know how we could do this without you. It DOES take a village to get through this.

So I need to get off my keester and go for a walk while it's still just warm outside instead of oppressively hot and humid. Brenda is napping and thats good...she needs to build up all the strength she can muster for the days ahead. She is such a brave and determined soul and will remain, forever, my hero.

Love and blessing to you all...
Nurse Dee and our favorite Chemo-sabe

Stage 2 Medical Bullet / Part 1

2009-06-16T13:43:00.000-07:00

VP’s...First let me say that it’s just a hoot to have Michele here visiting. Laughter is such great medicine for Brenda and I. I was sure you could hear that infamous laughter from Brenda even back in New Jersey and over in San Diego. I was hoping we wouldn’t get kicked out of the apartment. She has such a quick wit that we were howling and flashing pictures of her antics about 5 minutes after we got to the apartment.

So let me get to the Stage 2 / Part 1 medical “bullet.” Today’s visit to the clinic was to prepare us for what radiation therapy was all about. Because they truly believe an informed patient can better manage their physical and emotional response to this kind of treatment, we attended a mandatory class that really walked us through the steps to take care of yourself through the course of treatment and they explained the worse-case side effects of the treatment and how to handle these with their constant help. The good news is that Brenda is closely monitored by everyone involved in her treatment on a daily basis. They really want to stay on top of the side effects of the radiation. Since everyone responds differently, and the side effects depend on exactly what areas are radiated, they are not able to say how bad all this will get. There is no doubt however that this will be a rough stage. Remember that she’s will have more chemo so that brings on the side effects quicker.

Then all the radiation physicians came in and examined Brenda’s neck and sinus cavity. They had to put the scope into both sides of her sinus area but she handled it very well and it didn’t seem to be as bad as those early scopes she got. They projected it up on a big screen for everyone to see, but since the tumor had been removed, it looked like healthy pink tissue to me...I didn’t see any more gross aliens in there screaming to get out or cause more problems!! Then they went to a planning office and looked at the scans and what Dr. Swartz was proposing to treat and how.

After that Dr. Swartz and his intern came in and we talked in more detail about what areas they had to treat. The side effects were again discussed and we asked some questions. It’s quite evident that they were going for the complete elimination of all cancer cells that where still lurking in Brenda’s neck, sinus cavity, and that small lesion in her brain.

Stage 2 / Part 2 will begin on Thursday when we see Dr. Hong who will outline the chemo side of this Stage. Using chemo WITH radiation will be used to enhance the cancer destruction process. We’ll have to let you know what that will look like after that meeting. What we heard was chemo is going to be one day a week for the duration of the radiation treatments which will start on June 22nd and will end on August 10th. That’s 35 radiation treatments. The first day is not an actual treatment day but a dry run to ensure that all the parameters are correct.

So there you have it for today. This next stage will be very challenging and we continue to ask for your positive energy and prayers. The blog and your comments are just such a fantastic light that shines through the rough days we’ve had and the rough days ahead...but we know this will all eventually end with the CURE...Good as new!

Nurse Dee and a very Brave Chemo-sabe

Bonnie and Jackie Have Really Done It Now!!!

2009-06-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

VP's...This current submission by Bonnie and Jackie for the June/July contest: "Stage 2 - Radiated Fashion Alternatives for Chemo-sabe" is a total winner. We HOWLED and almost brought the Houston Police Riot Squad to the apartment to quell the disturbance. Oh Lord this is a good one. You've just got to check this out...it's so good it leaves us speechless!

Bonnie and Jackie added:

Let the dancing begin! In celebration of your efforts to get Stage 2 underway, we noticed that you've been practicing La Cucaracha behind the scenes. You have really embraced the southwestern lifestyle :-)!! Sorry that your heads are a bit out of proportion. After a million tries, it's the only way that it works! The link to the real movie takes a minute to download, but your moves are so special and the outfits so authentic...notice the creative costumes, as well as fabulous footwear.

We're still howling...actually this dance remind us of trying to get out of our apartment door with all the mosquitoes hanging around the outside looking for fresh blood. They won't eat Brenda because she's full of the new insect repellant...CHEMO! They're waiting for the Nurses!! YIKES.

Bonnie and Jackie...thanks for the hysterical good time your enties give us. They are priceless!

Nurse Dee and Chemo-sabe

Madame Michele and her Ladies of Sonora Bay, Mexico

2009-06-14T06:28:00.000-07:00

VP's...Good Morning one and all. Well it's been several days since we posted so we just thought it was time for an update especially after Michele's comments about Marshall Vic's "princess pumps," and the Marshall's quick response. Yes VP's we do have visual evidence from that Sonora Bay, Mexico trip that she spoke about.

But before we dive into that we'll just fill you in on the latest "Houston Health Haps." Friday Chemo-sabe went in to the Radiation Treatment Center where they did what's called the "simulation." They had her wear her mouth stint, which by the way she is tolerating beautifully (Thank the Lord!), and then they ran her through the CT scan to get pictures of her neck and head. After that they made the mess mask that will hold her head to the treatment table in exactly the right position and ran her through the CT Scan again. The whole process took about 30 to 40 minutes. Since Chemo-sabe usually sleeps with a pillow on her head, this mesh mask was no big deal. We are so relieved that this is not going to be a claustrophobic nightmare. We also got to talk to Dr. Swartz who is the Radiation Oncologist in charge, but we'll save his comments until after Tuesday's "Planning Session." That's when he'll know a whole lot more as they actually look at the scans they did and map out where and how they are going to target the radiation. Please pump up the prayer machines as we go into this next phase. He said this was a difficult case but he's treated worse with success. We really, really need the divine intervention that we've already seen to continue. IT'S WORKING!!!! So look for more medical "bullets" this coming week.

So now on to the story. Michele, Karen, Cal, Vic, Brenda and I all took an Olivia Vacation together to a Club Med in Sonora Bay, Mexico in October of 2000. None of us are "fashion girls" except for our Cal who can "doll up" with the best of em! She does the whole hair, make-up routine almost daily. Well she was a top gas company executive "in the day" and can still carry off that fashion look like nobody's business. Hell...I was an executive at the police department and the only fashion statement I seemed to be able to carry off was chapstick, handcuffs and a gun!!!

So here we are in Mexico waiting for the evening entertainment and Cal takes a look at all of us and decides we really need fashion help in the worst way which equates to re-moussed hair and make-up. Now Cal is a strong, persuasive gal that you just DON'T say NO to. Of course we encouraged her when WE weren't sitting in the stylist chair, but we all ended up getting the TREATMENT!!! You would have thought Cal was trying to poison us through make-up!!! It was hysterical. Can you hear Brenda laughing and saying "NOOOOOOOOO...PLEEEEEEEEASE!!? We decided it was all Michele's fault that we ended up looking like her "Stable of Ladies!"

Vic added:

Lucky for all the bloggers that I was able to locate these archival photos of our dear "Madam Michelle" and her ladies of the evening. Just like Chemo Sabe, Michelle has many hidden talents. As you can see, one of her "girls" was not the most
willing participant in the evening's activities!

Check out the visual evidence. It was just more to laugh about!!

We also had a wonderful time on Friday night with Lynn and Kim from home who came out to visit Vera, Cheryl, Becky and Kim who live here in Houston. They met them when we all had a soaking wet time in the Turks last October on another one of our Olivia vacations. Hopefully we'll be able to see them before they fly home this afternoon.

So check out the photos, and have a chuckle. Michele arrives in the Houston Hood tomorrow afternoon and we just can't wait. I'm going to surprise her...there's a Dunkin Donuts close to the apartment!!! You'd think that a real addict would have already done a google search on that and mapped the locations. I've got her beat...I have all the Starbucks located...I can smell em a mile away!! Just ask Chemo-sabe.

Happy Sunday to you all...
Nurse Dee and a napping Chemo-sabe

Marshall Vic is Back Announcing the June/July Contest

2009-06-11T10:55:00.000-07:00

VP's...and a happy Thursday to you all. This morning we had to go back to the dental clinic where they did the fine tuning on Brenda's mouth guard that will hold her mouth in a specific position and keep her tongue down when she gets her radiation treatments. Some of you know that she has a horrible gag response so she talked to the radiation nurse last night and he said that that happens to lots of folks and to begin practicing with the back of a spoon used to hold her tongue down. They have to get this splint way back on her tongue and that's when that gag thing happens. We got some expert Skype instruction from Cal and Brenda practiced last night...she's really working on "mind over matter" with this. She's doing a great job with it and certainly is not shying away from this challenge.

So we got to the dentist at 9:15 for a 9:30 appointment and had to wait until 11:00 to get in for the fitting that took about 10 minutes! GRRRRRR! Hey! It's a really busy place trying to do right by all their patients...Brenda played slots on her iTouch...a lot of slots on her iTouch!!! (Thanks Amanda, Cate, Karen, Michele, Wendy, Kim and Cal and Vic...she's having a mindless ball with that new distraction...she loves it!!!It's the PERFECT thing for this type of waiting.) The stint fit fine after a few minor adjustments and the doc tried to alter it as much as possible to keep that nasty gag response down. With Brenda concentrating and trying to relax into this, the stint worked just like it was supposed to and she did NOT throw-up all over the doctor. YEA!!! Houston...we have lift-off!! I'm so happy that she can deal with this issue so successfully.

I have some more exciting news. Marshall Vic knew that there were many stages to this cancer journey to the CURE and so when she and her alter-ego, Doc Vic, were here in Houston, they all decided that some "retail therapy" was in order. The theory was that each stage of the CURE needed a new fashion look. Now this is a little hard for Brenda and I...we are T-shirt, levis, and shorts kind of gals, but Marshall/Doc Vic have many sides to their persona....this could get really interesting. Marshall Vic finally had time out of her busy day to model the new "Stage 2 - Radiated Chemo-Sabe" fashion look. Check out the video and you'll see what I mean.

Marshall Vic's effort to create a new fasion statement for every stage of the CURE has officially given Brenda and I the idea to post this as the NEW CONTEST for June and July. The official name for this new challenge to all the VP's that are brave enough to play is:

"STAGE 2 - RADIATED FASHION ALTERNATIVES FOR CHEMO-SABE"

This should begin to stur some creative juices...heck...the first thing I thought of was, "What can I do with aluminum foil and duct tape?!" Ha! Got some ideas?

Just check out this wonderful flick of our favorite Marshall...we're now waiting for some of your wonderful and very creative ideas for Brenda's new look or a new look for you to commemorate Stage 2.

Smiles to you all...stay cool...summer is almost here!

Nurse Dee and Chemo-sabe

Brenda Has a New Doctor on her Team of Experts

2009-06-09T20:09:00.000-07:00

VP's we just got word that the famous Doctor Kipling had heard about Brenda's rare cancer case being reviewed and CURED here at MD Anderson and he said to Dr. Hong that he would love to offer his assistance. He knew that his mere presence would offer comfort, protect Brenda from those evil and errant cancer cells, and was more than willing to make a showing at her bedside for consultation. Word has it that once he bonds with a patient he is a loyal and tenacious provider of wisdom, support, love and affection...not in an unethical sense mind you...but as a true devotee to the patient and the CURE.

We are soooo fortunate that Dr. Kipling has heard about our journey through cancer to the CURE and is more than willing to become a critical part of this tremendous team. Our guardian angels are sure charting our course!!

Amazing!! A thousand woofs!!

More Congrats for Ch Sir Tanner from the Vegas Gang

2009-06-09T20:01:00.000-07:00

OK...I promise just a few more pics of celebration for Champion Sir Tanner from Ch Kippy up in Vegas...yep, you know Vegas...any excuse to have a party. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!!! Thanks for the celebration gang!

The Pack Leader of the Taylor/Van Amburg Doberman Pack

A Special Congrats to Tanner

2009-06-09T17:05:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone...This post is really for all the dog lovers in the crowd. My good friend Jordan who is a Doberman breeder, photographer and dog show enthusiast, sent us this picture of her "Champion" Haven congratulating the new "Champion" in the Taylor/Van Amburg family. Thanks Jordan and Haven..."you look absolutely wonderful darling!!!"

Medical Bullet For Stage 2

2009-06-08T16:57:00.001-07:00

Hi VP's...well our waiting for news on Stage 2 is over and we just heard this afternoon what that stage of Brenda's journey to the cure will be. The docs that Brenda saw while Vic was here really led us to believe that surgery for the brain lesion, etc would be the next stage. Both Brenda and I have been trying to get our minds around that big stage. YIKES!!

Well folks...that's NOT going to happen right now. The next stage will be the combined chemo/radiation treatment. It looks like she'll have a lower dose chemo once a week and radiation 5 days a week for 7 weeks. They said they have seen very good results with the combined chemo/radiation therapy. That means they radiate while she's having chemo. So that puts us at around August 8th for the end of Stage 2. They staffed Brenda's case in a big medical conference at MD Anderson and everyone got to weigh in on their thoughts about what to do next. This was the concensus. We'll find out more of the details in the days ahead.

Tomorrow she has to go to the dentist who we think will make mouth splints for when they do radiation. Then on Friday we go into to the Radiation Treatment Center for what they call "Simulation." They'll make a mess mask of Brend's face that she will wear during radiation that will help the doc target the radiation. On Tuesday the 16th we have to go to a mandatory patient (and Nurse!) education class. Then we go back to the radiation center for another planning session. On the 18th we'll go see Dr. Hong and we can get our 100,000 questions answered. Inquiring minds want to know!!! On Monday the 22nd Stage 2 will actually start.

So now you know what we know. More as we march through this next stage. Brenda is doing great right now...her energy levels have improved a lot and we 've had daily outings to some local craft stores to get supplies for several things we're working on. We are calling our new effort, "Craft Hour at the Retirement Home!!" Got the visual? Brenda has also been able to explore some old time favorite meals...like steak at Outback, BBQ Chicken Salad at California Pizza Kitchen, Starbucks Iced Mocha's, Baby Back Ribs...actually she's been eating like a horse!! And that's a good thing with what's coming up in Stage 2. She's really such an amazing person.

Later this week our good buddies Kim and Lynn from Arizona are coming to visit some friends here in Houston. We are all going to try and get together so we're really looking forward to that. Then next week our hysterical one and only Michele is stopping off here on her way to and from Dallas...OK a little out of the way from New Jersey, but we're so glad she decided to come visit.

Hope all's well with each and every one of you...
Nurse Dee

Tanner Is A New AKC Champion

2009-06-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

VP's...We have FABULOUS news!!! Some of you know that I have totally gone to the dogs after retiring from the police department. I have really gotten into training and competitively showing our 2 Dobermans...Abbie, our female and Tanner, our male. According to AKC rules for Conformation Competition, your dog has to earn 15 points to be declared a "Champion." Simply, this means that he or she has won the overall competition against the other dogs entered in their breed. The points for the shows are determined by the number of dogs of like breed entered into the competition. Believe me, getting these total points is easier said than done and usually takes months if not years to accomplish. Have you ever seen the movie "Best in Show?" This is an hysterical comedy about folks that show dogs...it's really not far from the truth!!

Anyway...Tanner was in a show in Flagstaff, AZ this weekend. My dear friend Gerry, who breeds Dobermans and is the breeder that I bought Abbie and Tanner from, is taking care of our 2 while we're in Houston. She has also been showing dogs for years. She took Tanner and 2 of her Dobermans up there for the show and passed Tanner off to our professional handler and friend, Sara Lopez who actually took Tanner into the ring. Believe me handling the dog correctly in the show ring is not an easy thing to do.

We just got a phone call from Gerry who reported on the results of todays show for Dobermans:

TANNER WON!!!

HE HAS FINALLY EARNED ALL 15 POINTS AND IS A NEW AKC CHAMPION!!!

This is a really BIG deal. We're on cloud 9...so go out today and help us celebrate! YEA TANNER!

Nurse (Woof) DD and Chemo-sabe

Starbucks Made Me Do It...

2009-06-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

VP's...I think this video tells the story!!!

Brend's Got More Talents!!!

2009-06-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Morning VP's...Little did you know that so many of our VP's have latent talent just waiting to come bubbling out. The latest version of the "Marshall Vic's Texas Chronicles" is a wonderful testament to this fact. Marshall...I have to say that I had a horrible time getting to sleep last night because of you! Every time I was just about to doze off, I run that clip through my head and end up laughing. It's a little known medical fact that you just can't go to sleep when your laughing!!! IMPOSSIBLE. I had to take an Ambien!!! We are all waiting for more episodes...it's not time to retire the badge!!

Anyway, a couple weeks ago, during a rather difficult time in Brenda's medical adventure, Bonnie and Jackie sent me another post that we thought would be good for a better time. So I've held it until NOW!!! Things are better and it's time for you to discover more of Brenda's many talents. I've lived with this woman for 23 years and it had taken Bonnie and Jackie and their spy camera to uncover more of Brenda's artistic side. I'm constantly amazed by our Chemo-sabe in SOOOOOOOO many ways!! Ha! Check out what Bonnie and Jackie have discovered:

With the 'Texas Has Talent' show up and running, Brenda is being highlighted as one of the top contenders for this coveted title. With her fiddlin' around days securely in the past, she's moved to the stable life of playing professionally and has been practicing for her premier production of The Yellow Rose of Texas. You will be amazed at what that girl has prepared for your lookin' and listenin' pleasure. If you have two browsers, the best way to view her performance is to have one browser with Brenda's fancy face showing and the other with a small rendition of the music link. This performance was recorded earlier so that the yellow rose from her garden could be featured. Be sure to call in your vote soon!

xoxo, Bonnie and Jackie

Check out the sound clip below. If it doesn't automatically link you just paste the link into your web browser.:

http://www.lsjunction.com/midi/yellowr.mid

Doc Vic Freeze Drys Blue Bonnet!

2009-06-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

OK VP's...go to the bathroom and pee before you check this video out from Doc Vic. It's absolutely priceless...her creativity is boundless. Film is NOW!!! We all welcome your comments...we're still laughing here in Houston...HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Let's Dream About the Future!

2009-06-05T15:57:00.000-07:00

Hi VP's...No new medical bullets to report. We're waiting to hear what the next things are on the schedule, but so far everyone is still giving their 2 cents and the big guy...Dr. Hong...is finishing up listening to everyone and deciding what we should do next. We'll let you all know when we know. Until then, Amanda sent us some great material for the blog which has spurred me to use her idea as the jumping off point for our June contest. Yes folks...we're still playing. So the June contest is entitled "Let's Dream About the Future." To get your creative juices going and without further ado...here's Amanda's post. The numbered photos correspond to the comments below:

Well, I've been wanting to create a post for some time, so I thought I'd work on one for you all tonight. I got to thinking that a Chemo Sabe has to have something to keep her sights on. I know you went to see "Up" today, and I love that you had wonderful time. So I thought I'd send you something you could go "Down" on. (Michele, I know what your thinking.) But, I mean that in the cleanest way possible.

I'm thinking that for you to have some inspiring photos of our upcoming "CURE CELEBRATION '09" It might help you get through the rough times. You are one day closer, my sweet chemo sabe!!!

So the theme of this series of photos is "DOWN UNDER" --THE FUTURE TRIPS OF THE VPs!!! The FIRST of many trips to come will be the LOVELY PUERTO VALLARTA.......

So, Photo #1 is the first view of Puerto Vallarta. (My MEOS sista is drooling right this very moment, I know.) It's a lovely place with a spectacular pool, and we will all be together bobbing up and down (with our eyes pealed.....hoping NOT to see Blue Bonnet!!)

Photo #2, is another photo of this lovely place, with just a slightly different angle from our balcony. Nice huh?

Photo #3, is a picture of our Daughter Grace...who's showing you that for just a few of "these green thingy's.....you two can hang with your fav VPs in lovely PV!!

Photo #4 (she's gonna divorce me for this) is a Photo of Catie, (with her bad ass New York attitude on) saying "Whadda Hell....You ain't tinkin' a goin'?"

Photo #5 is an example photo of just a couple of sweet people you too could be giggling with until the wee hours, celebrating that this year is FINALLY BEHIND YOU!!!

Photo #6 is three tough Broads who are gonna mess you up, if you are thinking that Arizona is the only fun place to hang out!

Photo #7 is what Cate is going to do to me for putting these photos on the blog

Photo #8 is a lovely example of what our favorite Chemo Sabe is doing most of the time right now. (That's Lily the Chihuahua just FYI)

Photo #9 is what the Pod all looks like when we have to wait in line at the restaurants in Puerto Vallarta!!!!

May you enjoy the collection and have peaceful dreams of the beach and the pool and your buddies who love you.....all celebrating in your honor.

Much Love,
GA-MD

So VP's go run with the notion of dreaming about the future...maybe that'll be easier than Texas!! Ha!

Watch for film later...Bren and I went shopping this afternoon and I had my new FLIP video camera with me....keep watching.

To the future and beyond..."better than new!"

Nurse DD