Quite a Rollercoaster ride

Since you last heard from me, we have been on the craziest roller coaster ride of our lives. On February 11th we got the news that Larry's scans came back with 'no evidence of cancer'. As you can imagine we were thrilled! We knew Lar had one more surgery left-to reverse the colostomy bag and then be done with this cancer thing for good. Surgery was schedule for March 1st. Before the surgery was scheduled, Larry went in for a colonoscopy to make sure the colon and the colostomy was still healthy. During the procedure the doctor found another site that he thought may be cancerous. He took a biopsy of the area. On top of that, the doctor was only able to go 12 cm in without getting resistance. We went from putting our hands in the air while enjoying the roller coaster ride to holding on for dear life. After a round of chemo, the last thing you want to hear is that there is still cancer. And the thought that the colon may have twisted or turned and that is why the doctor's scope would not go through would mean another surgery to repair it and no reversal. The March 1st surgery was cancelled. Once again we held our breaths for the biopsy results and Larry was scheduled for a dialated anastomoses for March 4th. This procedure was to further investigate why the doctor was not able to get through the colon. 
The biopsy came back negative, and yet again we let out a huge sigh of relief. The dilated anastomoses worked and they found absolutely nothing wrong with the colon, it was scar tissue from the previous surgeries that was blocking the colon. Another huge sigh of relief. We were anticipating another surgery date for the reversal of the colostomy bag (easy peezy), so we could be done with this cancer thing for good. 
Dr. Salti was on board and wanted to take the 'monitor and see' approach-just the reversal surgery. However, after Dr. Salti and Dr. Stein talked it was determined that Dr. Salti would do an 'exploratory' surgery to take a look and see if he spotted any cancer with the possibility of another HIPEC. And hopefully reverse the colostomy. This is not what we anticipated or expected. We thought it would be a simple reversal surgery, however Dr. Stein wanted to be more aggressive and didn't want to take the 'monitor and see' approach. Since we have been on this cancer journey the greatest comfort we have had is that Larry is in the best care with the team that we assembled. We needed to trust their decision. After our disappointmet and shock wore off, we wrapped our heads around another major surgery with the possibility of the HIPEC. Although, Larry healed like a rockstar after the last intense HIPEC procedure, I did not want to see him go through that all over again if he didn't absolutely need it. 

So...I am typing this from the waiting room, while Larry is in surgery. As he was wheeled away to surgery, we have no idea what he is in for, and 2 hours into the surgery we still don't know. As always I will keep you all updated on the outcome of whatever surgery he is currently enduring. It's kind of like riding on space mountain - we are in the dark and don't know when there will be a twist or turn. 

Sox it to it, Lar....

No Signs of Cancer

Could you hear the collective sighs of relief this morning?? We've been holding our breaths for awhile and we finally were able to exhale...with a smile on our face. Dr. Stein read the CT and PET scan and there is no evidence of cancer in Larry's body. The chemo did it's job! It was a good day.

Larry will meet with Dr. Salti (his surgeon) on Wednesday to talk about and set a date for his now 'exploratory' surgery. And hopefully a reversal of his colostomy! Please keep your fingers crossed!

After surgery Lar will go on a maintenance chemo pill and hopefully put this whole cancer thing behind us.. FOR GOOD!!!

 

I cannot thank everyone enough for your outpouring of support and encouragement! Thank you for taking it easy on us the last few weeks as we held our breaths. I felt many people's support and it was like an instant oxygen mask over my face-you helped me breath easier! It means the world to me and my family. We would not get through this without you. You're the best!

 

Sox it to it, Lar...

Round #3 of chemo finished..now we hold are breaths

On Tuesday, Larry had his last chemo treatment of this round. He went 6 for 6. WHOO HOO!!! This round tried its hardest to keep him down but he didn't let it! It truly is a miracle that he has gone through 3 rounds of the most brutal chemotherapy medicine has to offer and has not had one major complication. I don't mean that his treatment has been a walk in the park, because it hasn't. This round was a little bit harder on his body than the other two. His nausea progressively intensified with each treatment and he lost weight. But in true Larry fashion he bounced back and gained 3 pounds between chemo #5 and #6. Even the flu tried to sideline him, but it wasn't enough to keep Larry down and it certainly wasn't enough to compromise his chemo schedule. He was absolutely adamant that NOTHING was going to slow down his chemo plan.
I need to take a minute and remind the readers of what my brother is currently dealing with. He recovered from his 3rd major surgery just 3 months ago. When he woke up from surgery we had to break the news to him that Dr. Salti had no choice but give him a colostomy. So, not only did he have to recover from a major surgery, once again, but he also had to deal with a colostomy. For those of you that don't know - there is a HUGE learning curve living with a colostomy bag. Learning to adapt to crapping in a bag is a shitty job-emptying the bag, dealing with the smell of the bag, keeping the part of the colon that is protruding out of his stomach free from infection, a radical change in diet, and so much more but I don't want to gross you out. AND don't forget he was diagnosed with diabetes prior to his surgery, so he had to find a diet that helped with the colostomy and one that would keep his diabetes in check. The list of foods in the 'can have' column for the colostomy is in the  'avoid' column for diabetes and vice a versa. But he did it! Once he recovered from the major surgery he went right into chemotherapy. So, 6 days in 12 weeks he not only had to deal with his colostomy bag hanging off of his body but he also had a bag of chemo hanging from him. Seriously?? And he did it...without complaints and without complications.
Please do me a favor...the next time something doesn't go your way or you had a bad day, or your feeling sorry for yourself... please think of my brother and know that you can get through it. I would like to think something positive can come from my brother's game with cancer  - if it helps just one person put life in perspective and get over the bump they are facing - it would mean Larry's unfair game with cancer has a little bit more meaning.

So what's next????
Larry's body needs time to recover from this round of chemo. So, in about 3 weeks he will get a PET and CT scan to see if his body responded to the chemo. After the scans are done, Dr. Salti will schedule yet another surgery. Depending on the results of the CT and PET scan the surgery will either be an exploratory surgery- that would mean the scans showed no evidence of cancer, but Dr. Salti wants to make sure that is the case - or the scans showed cancer and Dr. Salti will go in and get it.
For those of you who have never had to deal with cancer, the weeks leading up to scans and days following scans, waiting for results, are the toughest on not only my brother but his family. It is like holding your breath for a very long time-you have a difficult time concentrating because your holding your breath, you have a difficult time focusing because your holding your breath, you have a difficult time enjoying life because your are holding your breath. So please, go easy on my family for the next couple weeks...we are holding our breaths.

Sox it to it Lar......

Gratefulness

I hope everyone had a fun and safe holiday season and New Year!

My family was together for Christmas Eve and Christmas-I flew in from St. Louis for 27 hours. My mom has always believed in and instilled in us the importance of traditions. We have followed the same Christmas traditions for many years: church and a nice dinner out on Christmas Eve (this started when my dad was still alive), egg dish and opening Santa presents on Christmas morning followed by a relaxing and delicious home cooked dinner.

On my short plane ride home, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratefulness. I have found that a life-threatening diagnosis of a family member will do that. I don’t wish that any family has to endure watching a loved one go through hell like cancer, however you have to find the positives in everything. Being grateful for the little things, like being able to stick to traditions at Christmas time, is one positive.

Larry had his 5^th of 6 chemo treatments today. He is tolerating it well, however, he is starting to feel the effects of the chemo. He’s been so fortunate that, for the most part, he hasn’t had to deal with the side effects in his previous treatments (neuropathy was his biggest obstacle during and after the last round of chemo) Weight loss due to nausea and chronic fatigue are the biggest effects he is dealing with now. Dr. Stein, his oncologist, has prescribed meds for both. It still amazes me that there is a drug to combat the many side effects of chemo. Again, I feel so grateful that he has an oncologist that is a leader in her field and knows about these meds.

He is one chemo treatment away from being done with this round. His body will have to heal from the chemo before he can have the exploratory surgery that is necessary. I can tell you one thing…he is very anxious to get to that surgery! I don’t blame him.

Resting at my mom's after today's chemo

Up from his nap, waiting for the traditional post-chemo dinner at my mom's 

What are you grateful for today?

Sox it to it, Lar...