The Merriest Christmas

Merry Christmas and happy and healthy new year to all!

I know people are still asking how I am, and I don't want to send the same message all the time, but I am doing very well.
My last marker number was still @ 4 which is very, very good(miraculous in fact!!!)
That was done on 12/23. So all continues to be positive, and my strength is returning. So is my hair, which looks like it will be the same "salt and pepper" that it was. But who cares, it's growing back in!
We had a wonderful, quiet, family Christmas and we are looking forward to a great New Year celebration this coming week.
My prayer for each of you is for health and happiness in the coming year. I ask for your prayers that my remission will be permanent. God's will be done!
Betsy

REMISSION

Yesterday, my appointment with the oncologist was very encouraging. I am now in remission, which is the absence of active disease with or without the possibility of return.

Needless to say I am thrilled and thankful, and my family is very happy with the news. I can only say thank you to everyone who has prayed, supported, cooked, driven, encouraged, hugged, thought about, sat with, visited, filled in for, befriended, loved, or cared! It has been an amazing 6 months. I have learned so much, and know that the truly important "things" aren't "things" at all.

The next step will be careful monitoring and surveillance with blood tests, exams and scans. As always, I will keep everyone informed.

Thank you again for being important to me! Till next time :-) Bets

Good News again!

Tom and I had a great trip last week. We sailed on the Disney Wonder. We left Port Canaveral on Sunday, arrived at Disney's Castaway Cay on Monday and spent the day on the beach. It was so relaxing sitting on the beach, reading, going into the beautiful turquoise water. On Tuesday we cruised around the Carribean just for a day at sea. I went to the spa for manicure and pedicure and lots of pampering. Tom hung out with his friends Debbie and Greg. It was a perfect day to recuperate and de-stress. Wednesday we returned to Castaway Cay for more beach time, and Thursday we came home. The weather was perfect and the seas were calm.

I was scheduled for my chemo on Friday, but my platelets were down too low to get it. So I had a week to build them up again, and had chemo yesterday. It went well and my marker number continues to drop and is now 5. Plus I only have one more treatment to go! I am so excited. Prayers work and miracles happen! I will find out what the follow-up will be when I see the oncologist early in November.

I have So much to be thankful for, and I continue to prayer that all the prayers will be answered. I truly am blessed to have so many people pulling for me and I thank you all for your continuing support and encouragement.
Till next time :-) Bets

Wednesday September 17, 2008 More great news!

Today, I had an oncology appointment to check how things are going. Remember the mass in my lower abdomen that I had the CT Scan for about 6 weeks ago? Well today there is no evidence that the mass ever existed! The cytology report from that mass was reported as "no viable malignant cells"!
I can't explain how wonderful that news makes me feel. I am at a loss for words... I will continue with my scheduled therapy, then see where I need to go.
Thanks once again for the many thoughts and prayers that I know are being said daily. Please, please continue to pray for every cell to be eliminated.
Til next time. :-) Bets

Kevin’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor

Hello all, Tom here. Betsy said I could use her blog to pass out the particulars for Kevin’s’ Eagle Scout Court of Honor.

On Tuesday October 7, 2008 at 7:00 PM Boy Scout Troop 769 will convene a Court of Honor at Nichols-Bethel United Methodist Church, 175 Murray Road Odenton,MD for the sole purpose of awarding Kevin his Eagle Scout Badge.

The presentation of the Eagle Scout Award, the highest recognition offered in Scouting, is an important and serious matter. For Kevin, this is the climax of his Scouting efforts. The Eagle rank is earned by a Scout through the advancement program with the assistance of his Scoutmasters, Troop leaders, fellow Scouts, parents, family, friends, and members of the community. This is an occasion for pride and joy, as well as a time for serious reflection.

If you are able to attend Kevin’s’ Eagle Court of Honor I’m sure that would mean a lot to him. In the alternate if you’d like to post a comment of good wishes here on the blog that would be fine.

Thursday, September 4, 2008 Back on track

Good morning all!

I finally got my chemo yesterday! Things went very well. My platelets were 220,000 (over 100,000 is good) Also I didn't need a blood transfusion this week because my red blood cells stayed up. My next chemo will be after our cruise so I will be at the end of my cycle and feeling good during the cruise. Everything happens for a reason... Had I stayed on the previous cycle, I would be getting chemo 5 days before the cruise. I would be feeling nauseous and tired for the flight down and for the first day or so of the cruise. Now I'll be beyond that and be able to enjoy the trip! We are looking forward to R&R for a few days.

Thanks for your prayers and support. Please continue... It means so much.
Til next time :-) Bets

Sunday, August 31, 2008 Mixed reviews

Good Morning all!
Which would you like first the good news or the disappointing news? I'll give you the disappointment first, because it's not so terrible just a let down. Twice this past week I went to have my 5th chemo treatment done and twice I was sent home. My platelet counts were low, so the doctor didn't want to risk sending them lower by giving me chemo again. I am rescheduled for next Wednesday, and I hope that the counts are where they need to be. The closer I stick to the recommended schedule the more successful the treatment. Please continue to pray.

The good news is that my marker number continues to drop and is now 7! Prayers work! I appreciate all that are said for me daily.

Everything else is status quo... The kids are back in school and alls right with the world! Tom and I are planning a 5 day cruise for later in September and are looking forward to the rest and relaxation.

Will keep in touch. Til next time :-) Bets

Thursday, August 14, 2008 YAHOOOOO!!!!

Today's a day to give thanks for prayers answered, and to ask for continued healing. I heard yesterday that my "marker " number is 14 which is in the normal range (anything below 21!) (The last one was 69.)
Also the CT scan that was done 2 weeks ago which showed a mass in the lower abdomen... well that appears to be an encapsulated mass of old fluid (post surgery). I am waiting for the pathology report on that. BUT THIS IS ALL VERY GOOD NEWS!!!!!
I am thankful for all the prayers that have been said and that continue to be said for me. I could not have gotten here without you all. I am thankful for your support and all the help and offers of help that you have given. I am thankful for the many blessings that I have in my life, especially my rock Tom and my boys Andrew and Kevin.
For now my chemo will continue through to the end of the cycle as planned. I will continues to update the blog as I hear news.
Till next time :-) Bets

Wednesday July 30th, 2008 WOW!

Good morning all!
We have a new Eagle Scout in our house! Kevin had his board of review last night and was told he has achieved the Eagle rank. We are very proud of him. We will plan a ceremony for sometime in September and have our celebration then. In the meantime , Kevin just left this morning for a week with his aunt, uncle and cousins on Long Island. He is very excited about going and is planning a fun filled week.

I am feeling okay. I am between chemo treatments right now and I'm working everyday. I do get a little tired toward the end of the day but the distraction is good. I am maintaining my weight and my appetite is good. A follow-up CT scan is scheduled for today just to check on things after 3 treatments. I'll keep you posted.
Till next time :-) Bets

Sunday, July 20, 2008 – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough

Hello all, Tom (third from the right) here . Since Betsy mentioned that Kevin (forth from the right) and I were off trekking in New Mexico earlier this month I thought I’d add a little context. From July 3rd through July 15th we were at Philmont Scout Ranch as part of a twelve person (4 adults and eight youths) crew who rose to the challenge of backpacking a “super strenuous” itinerary.

The super strenuous itineraries are the most difficult. These itineraries include hiking great distances and climbing many of Philmont's highest peaks. Super strenuous itineraries are designed for experienced crews—seasoned backpackers who are at least 15 years of age, all in top physical condition.

Our crew willingly chose Itinerary 33 an 86 miler (more like 100 with side hikes) ranging in elevations from roughly 7000 to 12,441 feet above sea level.

Starting with the time-honored Philmont tradition of burro packing, this itinerary then became a mountain climbing nightmare. After climbing Baldy Mountain (12,441) we proceeded south to hike some of Philmont's other major peaks including Mt. Phillips (11,711), Big Red (11,024), Black Mountain (10,892) and the Tooth of Time (9,003).

One particular assent had us climb 2000 feet in elevation in about a mile. Feel free to check my arithmetic but I think that’s a 38% (34 degree) incline. Much of our time was spent hiking, muttering under our breath (what little we had) and enjoying the remote wilderness. However, it wasn’t all work so there were some very enjoyable moments.

The bottom line is we all made it and did it safely.

Friday July 18, 2008 Good News, and more good news

Hi all!
I have had a busy week as you probably have guessed. I did return to work as of Monday and it feels pretty good although I come home very tired! It is so good to be surrounded by people who care. I have received so many hugs and so much support it is heartwarming. Thank you all!

I also had my chemo treatment on Wednesday. It went well. I found out that my marker number has fallen from 175 pre-operatively to 69 as of the end of June. That means fewer cancer cells! Let's pray that it continues in that direction.

The boys are home from New Mexico! They are exhausted but feel a sense of accomplishment. It is so good to have them home.
Will be in touch soon. Till next time. :-) Bets

Saturday July12, 2008 Between sister visits...

Hi all! Thought I would connect with you after a busy week visiting with my sister. We had a fabulous week of 'girl stuff'. We had lunch out with friends, we visited at home with others who brought delicious gourmet goodies, and we went to a bridal shower. Teen had to go home on Thursday night for Grandma duty while her daughter and son-in-law go on a cruise. She was thinking she was going to be a whole lot busier than she was here as her grandkids are 4 and 2 1/2 yr old twins. I'm glad she had a relaxing week here!

I am doing quite well; as a matter of fact I will be going back to work on Monday! I will see how well I do. I will have intermittent time off for therapy. I am looking forward to the structure again.

Haven't heard from the boys in New Mexico. They are into their 8th day of the 10 day trek. I think the weather has been okay so they should be having a good time. I can't wait to hear from them. Maybe Monday night when they return to base camp.

My sister Margaret is due to arrive for a visit tomorrow and I will certainly welcome her company.

I try not to wait so long to write again. I know how much you all enjoy these blogs! Keep in touch.
Till next time :-) Bets

Sunday July 6, 2008 No news is good news!

Hi all! I haven't written every day because there is really nothing new to report. I continue to get a little stronger each day. I still tire easily and need a nap, but I am doing more around the house (like laundry, and ironing). No heavy lifting yet. Teen won't let me! She has been awesome to have here. She keeps my spirits up and we have been having a great time.
On the fourth we watched the Orioles' game, and had pizza and beer. We did some grocery shopping and clothes shopping on Saturday. Today we went to church, and I guess because of the previous days' activities I napped on and off most of the day.

My hair continues to get thinner but I haven't resorted to the cranial prosthesis yet. I had it on for about 15 minutes one day, just to try it out, and it got pretty warm. I'll have to see how it goes when I need to cover my head for real.

Tom and Kevin called on Friday to say they were locking their cell phones away at the base camp as they started on their hike. They will be out of touch for 10 days while they hike 86 miles through the high desert in New Mexico. That wouldn't be my idea of fun! They were both very excited about it and I hope the weather is good for them.

All else is well. Andrew finished his math class last week. Now he is concentrating only on work. He will take a little vacation next week to visit some friends in Louisiana.

I love hearing from you and know that their are lots of prayers being said for me. I thank you all for them; know that you are all in my prayers to thank God for such wonderful support and friendship and love. To the folks who have brought dinner and bread and fruits, THANK YOU! Your visits have lifted my spirits too.

Till next time :-) Bets

Friday July 4, 2008 Guest writer today

Happy 4th of July! Teenie has been here with me since Wednesday and we are having lots of 'girl time'. Yesterday we went for manicures, pedicures and haircuts. We came home looking like Jamie Lee Curtis and Jane Fonda (from the neck up anyway!) Of course we threw in lunch in between. Today we will be shopping. Yeah!!!

Hi Everyone, Bets has let me add my 2 cents to today's blog. I just wanted to let everyone know how great she is doing. I can tell you that I was more than pleasantly surprised when I saw her. Bets is her old self again. Well, we have another full day planned for today....she is wearing me out!
Continue with the prayers... and everyone have a great 4th..enjoy and be safe!....Teen

Till next time :-) Bets

Monday June 30, 2008 No news is good news

I was able to get to church yesterday, and it felt good to be among friends. Your encouraging words and support are overwhelming, but appreciated. Thank you all. (Jenn I appreciate the distance if you weren't feeling well. That could really create a mess!)

I have had a few episodes of feeling nauseous but nothing too bad at this point. Each day it is getting a little better and my appetite is improving.

Kevin received notice that his application for Eagle has been accepted by the committee. The next step is to set up an Eagle Board of Review. Looks like we are almost there!

Tom and Kevin will leave for Philmont, New Mexico on Wednesday AM. They are both looking forward to the trip. One of my sisters will be here with me for most of the time. I'm looking forward to some "girl" time.

Andrew is finishing up a summer course at the community college, and working part time at NSA.
Till next time :-) Bets

Saturday June 28, 2008 Short and sweet

Had my first outpatient chemo on Thursday, a transfusion yesterday, and I'm feeling pretty good this morning. I am taking medication as recommended to prevent nausea and so far I'm doing okay!

My sister will be here for the next chemo date on July 16th. After that I will need transportation every 3rd Wednesday. I will give the dates to Jane M from Holy Apostles.

Have a great weekend! Till next time :-) Bets

Friday June 27,2008 HI, HO! HI, HO! I started my chemo!

Good morning all! I started chemo yesterday, it went well and so far this AM I am feeling good. I must return today for transfusion to treat anemia, but otherwise all else is looking very good!

The offers for transportation have been overwhelming, thank you! My church group is taking the lead on this; it will be 1 day, every 2-3- weeks, all day, beginning @ 8 AM and ending @ about 4 PM, pick up and drop off only. It will be @ AAMC Donner bldg. I will keep in touch through the blog if I need anyone. I will get next schedule date today.

Must get started early this AM, maybe I'll add a note later depending on how my day is going.
Till next time :-) Bets

Wednesday June 25, 2008 Timing is everything

I had a wonderful but brief visit from 2 friends from New York as they traveled between Virginia and their home. Again, taking advantage of opportunities as they arise. It was so good to see them, and we promised not to keep our visits an annual event but to make them more often.

My hair has begun falling out! My shoulders look like I have a fine angora shawl across them. The good news is that my wig is in, so I am going to pick that up today. Still not sure if I'll wear it. I'll have to play with it a little, and if my hair loss gets bad enough I may have to.

I start my chemo tomorrow and Tom will take me for the day. The bad news is that will exhaust his leave time completely. I will need some help getting to and from chemo (take me in the AM and pick me up in the PM). I will have a much better idea of timing and frequency after tomorrow. I believe it will be 1 day every 2nd or 3rd week. I will see how tomorrow goes and let everyone know. I do appreciate your help with this. I will be getting too many meds during the day to allow safe driving.

Till next time :-) Bets

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Taking advantage of opportunities

We had an opportunity to get down to Cambridge for 3 days and enjoyed every minute. Physically I was feeling good, not well enough to sit on a tractor, but enough to finish reading a book and catch up on local newspaper and magazines. And I napped every afternoon in a glorious cool breeze.

The weather was ideal - in the 70s during the day and in the 50s at night. Tom and Kevin took delivery of a new "Zero Turn Radius" (ZTR) mower on Friday and used it all day Saturday and Sunday AM. They had a great time, and did a great job cutting around 2000 plus lob lolly pines that Tom planted over the years. Kevin watched the crab pots, and we brought home 9 of the best crabs ever.

My job was to plan the menu and prepare lunches. We ate very well; grilled every night and had wonderful leftovers on wraps for lunch. We visited with neighbors on Saturday morning, who "knew something was wrong" because the grass hadn't been mowed. They had even mowed part of the property once for us. We do have some exceptional people in our lives, and again find ourselves thanking God for all the blessings we have.

Ginger continues to improve. Tom laughs because she is totally in sinc with my R&R. She naps when I do and sleeps until after I get up in the morning. She still expresses some discomfort if we pick her up wrong, but the spring is returning to her step.

Monday, I had my mediport placed, so that is the next step to getting into a regular schedule for chemo. We are hoping that will be this week. I promise to keep you posted.

Your cards and prayers are always appreciated. Till next time :-) Bets

Wednesday, June 18,2008 Easier said, than done

Trying to keep things even, waiting for procedures and dates; I guess I have to be willing to go with a step back occassionally. As I mentioned, I have been retaining some fluids, but so far the lasix seems to be keeping it to a reasonable amount. My port insertion has been changed to this coming Monday morning, so we are gaining 5 days time there which I am happy about.

Also, been trying to do little things around the house, like unload the dishwasher, etc. I even put a casserole into the oven today, trying to help Tom with dinner. I have to hand it to him for not killing me today, as the whole pan ended up on the floor because I didn't keep it even pulling it out of the oven! Not a big help! What a mess! Tom said very little, but cleaned up my mess. He is a special person, and I am lucky to have him. He makes my days better everyday!

Love hearing from all of you. Till next time :-) Bets

Tuesday, June 17, 2008 Betsy's good and Ginger's better

To all who have been asking about Ginger, I thank you. I got her to the vet today and other than old age aches and pains in middle spine, she seems to be in good shape. We are giving her some pain meds and letting her rest for a couple of weeks. (ie: no long walks, only in the yard, no jumping or running) It sounds like her recovery is going to be right in line with mine.

I am doing okay as well. Had some delicious crabsoup in the past 2 days, which has caused a little fluid build up (oops!) I'll have to watch that and make corrections in my diet. I am scheduled to have my port inserted on Saturday, June 28th. So my job right now is to keep everything balanced and moving in the right direction.

My cranial prothesis was chosen to be as inconspicuous as possible. The style and color are as close to mine as I could get. I know "How boring!" I haven't even decided if I will wear it yet. I did get my hair cut last weekend and have received a favorable response from most people. Think Jamie Lee Curtis! Yeah! I might just keep this as is, and forget the wig altogether!!! I also have an assortment of hats to choose from.

As for having a wig made from someone's hair, well I think that would be time consuming and expensive. My niece Kristen has the most gorgeous thick, curly auburn hair, and has offered to donate it to have a wig made specifically for me. Thanks, that's very sweet, but I don't think it could be a direct match like that. I am not sure what the requirements are except that the hair must be free of chemical treatment and most be a certain length. If you are interested, any reputable beauty salon should know what to do.

Tom has returned to work, and is feeling good about that. Kevin is working on his summer routine and schedule. They are both planning their trip to Philmont Boy Scout camp in New Mexico next month.

Thanks again for your prayers and support. Till next time :-) Bets

Monday June 16, 2008 Simple freedoms

Yesterday and today brought some "firsts" that were notable for me.

My family has all returned safely from their weekend travels. Tom and Kevin returned exhausted, sore and tired from their weekend hiking in Harper's Ferry. My sister Margaret and niece Amanda returned to Delaware on Sunday AM.

We have accummalated an assortment of containers and crock pots from all the generous folks who have brought meals, desserts, and assorted goodies. From ziti to crab soup to chicken and potatoes, and kielbasa, we have feasted! So yesterday I decided that I would make an attempt at returning at least 1 item to it's owner. I picked up a small container that came from a neighbor. The house is only 2 doors around the cul-de-sac, and I thought this should be an easy one. Well, first I'm glad I wasn't in any hurry, and second that the weather was great! My stroll down our driveway was slow but not too bad, but getting up the neighbor's driveway was too much like work. By the time I got to the porch had to sit and rest so I would have the energy to return. I didn't expect that I would have to worry about whether I could get back!!! I think I will assign the remaining returns to my boy scouts. :-)

Today I ventured out in the car for the first time. I had to get lab tests done, and it worked out that this was a good day. Things went well and without incident. I had my buddy Kevin with me for company. With Kevin, there's always a catch... He is the new recipient of his learners' permit. Yeah, I actually gave him some drive time, but limited him to the parking lots at the middle and high schools as this was his very first time behind the wheel. I figured I'm losing my hair anyway... He actually did quite well.

As to my recovery, I am good today. I continue to move forward; no news on next procedures, etc. , but will keep everyone posted.

I appreciate your continuing prayers and support, and I'm loving my blog! next time :-) Bets

Monday, June 16, 2008

Sunday, June 15,2008-- While the cat's away...

Good morning all! I am not going to begin by apoligizing for missing 2 days.
Margaret was here with Amanda and we had a great weekend!
Tom and Kevin took off this weekend for a Boy Scout hike through Harper's Ferry. It was a much needed respite for them, and I am thankful they had the opportunity to get away for a couple of days.

I am making progress... I feel a little stronger each day, and am following the exercises that PT has recommended. Post-op I feel really good, with just a few aches and pains. As you know, I started on the Neopoygen and completed that on Saturday.

My plans for the weekend were not huge but they were exhausting. We went to Kmart to shop for some personal care items, and things like hats to leave in the car, to walk the dog, etc.
My primary goal was to ride on one of those motorized carts for shopping, but once again Kmart left me empty handed! There were none to be had, so Amanda found a wheel chair and we shopped till I dropped.

Saturday's agenda included Cranial Prosthesis (Wig) shopping, a haircut, and a visit from our dear friends Fr. Michael and Sr. Angela from Holy Apostles, who brought Mass and the anointing of the sick to me. As 6 of us prayed for God's grace and strength to get through the challenges ahead, Arundel High School delivered a pizza fundraiser kit ordered several days before! I planned coffee and tea after mass, but suddenly we had pizza and beer. What a party!!!

As I crawl into bed each night, I am thankful for each of you. Next time :-) Bets

Thursday, June 12, 2008 – I’m up; the dog is down.

I’m brand new at this blogging thing so bear with me.

First I want to thank my family for all of their support. Tom, Andrew, Kevin, my mom and siblings have just been tremendous over the past couple of weeks.

Each of you has played a big part in getting me back on my feet.

The care that you all and my medical care givers have provided has been second to none.

While I wish I could change the fact that I have cancer I wouldn’t change a thing about how everyone has helped me through this.

I’m doing fine with the care I’m getting with showers, meals, getting around and just doing regular things.

Today I started a three day regimen of the drug, Filgrastim also known as neupogen. This will build up my white blood cells so when the next round of chemo therapy lowers my white count it won’t wipe me out…at least that’s the theory. We’ll see how that goes.

I met with my physical therapist today. She’ll be coming a couple of times a week for the next several weeks to help me build up strength, especially in my legs so that it will be a little easier to get up the stairs in the evening. Coming down isn’t so bad and Tom and the boys are very watchful both coming and going.

I had great coverage today, Kevin is home from school and a school health colleague, Kathy came over for the day so I sent Tom back to work. But that was only after he dropped Ginger off at the vet for x-rays early this morning. Those x-rays show that Ginger has something abnormal in her abdomen. The next step is a sonagram to get a better picture.

There are still some lingering effects from last weekend’s chemo. One of them in particular will have me looking at a cranial prosthesis sooner rather than later.

Thanks for all of your prayers and support and I’ll try to keep up with this like Tom did.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 – OK Betsy is home, but the dog is still depressed

Lest I suffer eternal damnation, I should confess that Betsy did indeed come home yesterday afternoon.

Today we got an early start for x-rays and a doctor’s appointment. The x-rays showed very little fluid around Betsy’s lungs and Br. Boice removed her PICC line.

Now this may not sound like much but it took close to six hours to do these two things. By the time we got back home in the early afternoon Betsy was pretty much shot for the day.

But all’s well that ends well. In this particular case, ending well included a long overdue shower later in the afternoon. I’m also pleased to note that Betsy’s appetite for dinner was pretty good.

I’m encouraging Betsy to take the next couple of days “off” from all forms of medical practitioners, just chill out and start to maintain this blog!

Anyway, just like the 1935 Albert de Courville movie Things Are Looking Up.

Please keep the prayers coming.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008 – It’s what we Roman Catholics call “a mystery”.

Betsy’s shitzu dog, Ginger, turns 10 this month. To make a long story short, just about the time that Betsy started feeling punky Ginger so did Ginger. Over the weeks I’ve watched her become more and more lethargic and I became more and more concerned for her well being.

By yesterday afternoon I’d had it. So right after I left the hospital I stopped by the Gingers’ vet, explained the situation and made an appointment to have Ginger examined a little later in the day. I’m happy to report that a physical examination and various blood tests didn’t discloseanything out of the norm.

My best guess is that the dog is depressed. After all, his whole thing is wearing us all down. What do you all think?

I went to work today just to bring back some other sense of normalcy. Don’t be harsh, I told Betsy yesterday that if she planned to stay in the hospital then I planned to go into the office. So I did…

…and managed to put in a full day before Betsy called and said that she was being discharged form AAMC.

Yeah, right.

I’d heard this same line last Sunday. So I asked a few probing questions like, “Are you in bed or not?” (not); Are you in street clothes or not?(not); Do you have discharge orders in hand? (no). Besty has an appointment with Dr. Boice first thing in the morning after she gets a set of x-rays done.

So is Betsy home or not?

There you have it. Please post your answers and a well used copy of “Clue” will be awarded to the first correct respondent.

Monday, June 09, 2008 – Don’t shoot me, I’m just the piano player.

Betsy didn’t come home to today. Feel free to ask “why” and I’ll let Betsy respond.

Mari-- Thanks for the offer of your tractor. I'm covered - I have a Kubota that is used to do the rough cutting. The little John Deere is used for the easy stuff and trimming around the trees.

Sunday, June 08, 2008 – Homeward bound, almost.

First I’d like to say a huge thank you to Betsy’s sister Margaret who watched over Betsy while Kevin and I attacked six weeks of growth over on the Eastern Shore. It was hot as hell but we did get things chopped back significantly. On a side note, I have decided to sell the “classic” John Deere STX-38 tractor that Kevin operates and upgrade to a ZTR. So if any one’s in the market for a great lawn tractor, let me know.

So here’s the scoop on Betsy. Over the past couple of days she’s had some pretty intensive chemotherapy which has pretty much wiped her out. On the upside, it looks like the chemo has resolved the problem of fluid accumulating around her left lung so this morning when he visited Dr.Boice removed the chest drain and gave his OK for her to be discharged from AAMC. Betsy has an appointment with Dr. Boice this Wednesday and there has been some discussion about more chemotherapy being done that day.

Though one Doctor cleared Betsy for release, the medical team that has been caring for her for the past week felt it would be prudent to keep her a little while longer to monitor her recovery from her treatment. We both agreed that staying another day would be better than coming home today.

We’ll see what happens when tomorrow gets here.

To my colleagues at ICES: I hope to return to the office for at least a couple of days this week. Many of you have covered for me in various ways and I truly appreciate your assistance.

Friday, June 06, 2008 – That’s What I’m Talkin About: Part II

One of Betsy’s colleagues, Becky, was at AAMC when I s stopped in earlier today. She, like many of you, thaked me for doing this blog. So to Becky, and everyone else, I’m delighted that Betsy has such a following. Please know that when there is information to report, I will.

Here’s something that we all may wish to consider, Betsy has Type II diabetes which she’s held in check with diet and exercise. I screwed up the other day by bringing her these awesome chocolate chip cookies provided by our neighbor, Kathleen. They did not go to waist (get it) at least not Besty’s ‘cause she made it quite clear that all the great sweets were verboten.

The second part of Betsy’s chemo, Cisplatin, kicked in today. So far no ill effects.

One of Betsy’s sisters, Margaret, is here (from Wilmington, DE) for the weekend so Kevin and I are over at the Eastern Shore to do some maintenance. Having said that, Robyn, Stacy, Annette, Greg and Sean --5603 Condon Rd 21613 come on down! (BTW why is it mostly women offered to cut grass?) Bring weed whackers if you do decide to stop by. I'll provide the fuel!

Regardless, this evening while Betsy hydrates on her chemo cocktails I have license to hydrate with Gin and Tonic….and I am.

Kevin baited the crab pots which a couple of nasty chicken necks (and his cell phone --- that’s a whole other story) and with luck we may even steam some crustaceans before the weekend is up.

Stay tuned and please keep up the prayers.

Thursday, June 05, 2008 -- Now That’s What I’m Talkin About

Betsy has been moved from the CCU to a regular room in the oncology unit. Nice room, nice view and nice people. If I haven’t said it before, I’ll say it now; all of the staff throughout AAMC have just been fantastic.

Betsy’s oncologist, Dr. Boice, met wit us last evening. A number of positive things came out of that visit – Betsy’s surgical staples were removed and we discussed getting down to business with a full blown systemic infusion of chemotherapy.

It looks like the previous infusion of chemo into the pleurel cavity did not do much to inhibit the buildup of fluid there, so the next step is to attack the real cause through a systemic infusion. That will commence sometime this evening with a 24 hour period of Taxol followed by a period of Cisplatin.

Dr. Boice hopes to have Besty home maybe by Sunday. Betsy made it quite clear that she wasn’t going to go home until the fluid issue was resolved once and for all. She was quite adamant that this time, when she goes home, she wants to stay there. Now that’s what I’m talking about!

As always I’ll post updates as new information rolls in.

In the meantime please keep up with your prayers and comments.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008 – Really Great News

Now that Barack Obama has clinched the Democratic nomination that means that Hillary Clinton won’t have a shot at being President any time soon!!

Right about now you’re thinking what’s this got to do with Betsy. We’ll anything that cheers her up is good for her over all well being.

Yesterday’s chemo therapy was placed in the left side of her pleural cavity.

Next a chest drain will be placed on her right side. Accumulated pleural fluid will be drained then chemo will be infused into that area. As previously noted the potential benefits to this are twofold: chemo to fight cancer and pleurodesis to prevent fluid buildup. This procedure and chemotherapy will likely come to pass in the next day or so.

Betsy continues to “feel better” and regain strength. She had a pretty decent lunch today which is the first time she’s really had anything significant to eat in weeks. In a word, her overall attitude is positive.

We expect a visit from her oconolgist, Dr. Boice at some point today and anticipate that when that happens he’ll remove the line of surgical staples that right now resemble a huge zipper up her abdomen.

As things develop I'll post updates.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008 – Cleared for take off!

Around 10:00 PM last night all of Betsy’s care providers reached agreement that her medical signs were favorable to begin her chemotherapy.

Early this morning she was infused using the same catheter which has been draining the liquid from around her lungs. Proceeding in this manner not only provides chemotherapy but the chemo may also result in the pleurodesis that could prevent fluid from reentering Betsy’s diaphragm.

Betsy has been receiving a diuretic causing a significant reduction in edema. Now, she’s actually able to bend her legs and move around in bed with some ease, relatively speaking.

For the first time since this ordeal began, Betsy said she felt like she was getting back some strength. I've asked Betsy to rate how she feels. On the suckiness scale of 1 to 10 - going from least to most suckiness - today comes in at about a one.

I’ve been reading the postings and your comments to Betsy and she wants me to let everyone know how much they have meant to her and bolstered her spirits. I’d be a liar if I didn’t say how much they’ve helped me as well.

Please keep the prayers and comments coming.

PS: Congratulations to Tennie for being the first to correctly identifying yesterday’s title as being from Genesis. Please stop by the house to claim your prize.

Monday, June 02, 2008 – Evening came, and morning followed.

Betsy had a relatively comfortable night. She isn’t hooked up to anything other then oxygen and only got some pain medication to take the edge off the catheter in her back.

She’s still pretty wiped out, and her dance card is full today with her undergoing a Nuclear Cardiac Stress Test.

We suspect that though she may not be in the ICU much longer, she may be here at AAMC for awhile to get her strong enough to undergo the chemotherapy that she needs to fight the cancer.

Stay tuned.

PS: Bonus points will be awarded to the reader who can tell everyone were today’s title comes from.

Sunday, June 01, 2008 – Can we rotate your tires while you’re here?

As many faithful readers might note I didn’t post an entry on Sunday. Here’s why…Around 2:00 PM Sunday afternoon Betsy experienced a continuous sharp chest pain. Since neither of us could attribute it to the continuing problem of fluid building up around her lungs, I called 911.

Anne Arundel County Emergency Services responded quickly and professionally. Nitroglycerine administered by the paramedics did much to help reduce Betsy’s immediate distress and she was transported to the Anne Arundel Medical Center Emergency Room without the hoopla of lights and sirens. Its so typical of Betsy to stay low key.

Neither the EKG done by paramedics in transport or the two done by ER staff indicated that Betsy had a heart attack. So this was really most curious.

However, a chest x-ray at the ER did show that significant fluid had again amassed around her left lung. Can you say pleural effusion? Once again she was tapped – making for a thoracentesis hat trick and qualifying Betsy for free tire rotation the next time she visits the ER.

This time a catheter was inserted in her lower back and remains in place so the fluid can fully drain. Odds are she will have Pleurodesis performed to resolve this problem.

In additional to vexing heart and lung issues, the ER staff was also concerned with Betsy’s continuing post operative swelling, increased white blood cell count, decreased red cell count, general malaise and the overall suckiness of things.

So all things considered, around 9:30 it was decided that the best option was to admit Betsy to the ICU which happened about a hour later.

But prior to going up to ICU Betsy had to be poked and prodded a little more and get a CAT scan to look for any potential blood clots and a few other things. The scan results were unremarkable.

So around midnight or so Betsy was tucked in under the careful watch of the ICU staff.

Saturday, May 31, 2008 – Getting Ready for Chemo

Betsy and I met with Hollis Misiewicz her chemotherapy nurse practitioner today in preparation for Betsy’s first taxol and carboplatin infusion this coming Monday morning.

It was a good meeting and we left with several prescriptions for drugs that will help mitigate the chemotherapy’s various side effect.

Hollis also provide Betsy a prescription for a cranial prosthesis which she’ll want in place within two weeks of the first infusion.

Also next week, on Wednesday, we’ll have a follow up with her primary physician, Dr. Boice.

Stay tuned and keep the prayers and comments coming.

Friday, May 30, 2008 – Thoracentesis: Take Two

I guess asking Betsy to take over the Blog was too much for her.

This morning she was experiencing shortness of breath so it was off to the Anne Arundel Medical Center Emergency Room to get a handle on things.

Before anyone gets spun up over the words “emergency room”, going there was done at the urging of her chemotherapy nurse practitioner, Hollis. As an aside we’re meeting with Hollis tomorrow morning and will know more about chemo when we are done.

As emergency rooms go this one is pleasant enough and the staff was all very professional. But it was cold as hell!

To make a long story short the visit ended with Betsy being tapped like a maple tree to evacuate fluid from around one of her lungs. The last time we went through this exercise she was tapped on both her right and left sides. This time it was only the left. I don’t know if that’s really an improvement or not.

After Betsy's oil change she was markedly improved. The next time this is done I'll see if they can rotate her tires too.

Anytime you think your life sucks, take a deep breath and think again. Between you and me whatever suckiness we’re going through doesn’t compare to what Betsy is going through.

Please keep the prayers and comments coming.

PS: I've got 7 acres of grass over on the eastern shore that hasn't been cut in well over a month. Any takers to help attack it next week end? Weather permitting.

Thursday, May 29, 2008 -- Now That Betsy is Home…

…I’m turning over the Blog to her. If she doesn’t maintain it please don’t yell at me.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008 – Betsy is Home

Need I say more?

Tuesday, May 27, 2008 – Can you say Thoracentesis?

It seems we take two steps forwards and 3 or 4 back.

On the forward side Bety’s guts have reached equilibrium and are now one with the world. Can I hear an “AMEN”?

On the back side, since the bowels were in an uproar, Dr. Boise couldn’t start chemo as hoped. This led to a build up of fluid in Betsy’s abdomen which, in turned, caused Betsy a lot distress which came to a head today.

After consulting with the medical team, Betsy elected to undergo Thoracentesis and the results were remarkable.

If Betsy can maintain her current state, I really think I’ll be bringing her hope to tomorrow. Can I hear another “AMEN’?

Stay tuned and keep the prayers and comments coming.

Monday, May 26, 2008 – First There was Nothing, Now it’s too Much!

I’m going to keep this short. Betsy still hasn’t been discharged from WHC. It seems that she’s conquered the nausea, now it’s moved south.

This hasn’t been an especially good day or Betsy. She’s flat out exhausted. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

Stay tuned…and keep the prayers and comments coming.

Sunday, May 25, 2008 – Let the Sunshine In

Sadly Betsy still hasn’t been released to come home, and here’s why; her bowels are in an uproar…kind of.

During Betsy’s surgery last week Dr. Boice man handled her intestines to look for cancer. It turns out that intestines do not much care to be man handled or, for that matter women or children handled either, I’m sure. So while her recovery from the surgery has gone quite well, that is, no infection and the like, her guts need to get back to their natural state.

Or a brighter note, we took Betsy on a field trip today. Screw this laying around in bed. We snagged a wheel chair, hijacked an elevator and carted Betsy out to the WHC courtyard for some vitamin D therapy. The beautiful blue sky and warm sun did much to bolster her spirit.

Maybe Betsy will come home tomorrow. We’ll see.

Oh, before I forget. I had a question about the blog. A faithful reader asked why, occasionally, some of the text in the posting is a different color. For example, in this post “Let the Sunshine In” is not the same color as the regular text. These are hyperlinks to other web pages which I insert to provide additional information. Just click on the link to learn more about the particular topic.

Betsy sends her love to all and asks that you continue your prayers and comments.

Prognosis

We’re into this a week now and I’m sure many of you would like to know the prognosis.

Let me put things into perspective with Webster’s definition of “prognosis”:

Pronunciation: \präg-nō-səs\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural prog·no·ses
Etymology:Late Latin, from Greek prognōsis, literally, foreknowledge, from rogignōskein to know before, from pro- + gignōskein to
Date:1655

1 : the prospect of recovery as anticipated from the usual course of disease or peculiarities of the case
2 : forecast, prognostication

I’m trying to get smart quickly about cancer. Here’s what I learned with certainty; every person is unique, so every case is unique.

At this point only God knows the “peculiarities” of Betsy’s case and what He has in store for how things will proceed.

Keep us all in your prayers.

Saturday, May 24, 2008 – The Way Ahead

Dr. Boice and the whole team meet with Betsy and I last night to discuss betsy’s progress and the way ahead. Dr. Boice would like to do two things as soon as possible: start Betsy’s Chemotherapy and send her home this weekend.

According to Dr. Boice, Betsy’s ovarian cancer will be treated with TAXOL and CISPLATIN. The chemotherapy can be done on an outpatient basis using Betsy’s PICC line to administer the drugs.

Betsy’s treatment will occur every three weeks at Anne Arundel Medical Center: DeCesaris Cancer Institute. There are side effects to this regimen – among them is hair loss.

But, before Dr. Boice can get started Betsy still has to recover a little more from the surgery. Essentially she has to get her digestive system back on track so she can take in solid food. Once she can do that Dr. Boice can do his thing.

Then, Betsy can come home.

Please continue to pray for Betsy.

Friday, May 23, 2008 – Thar She Blows!

I got a phone call from Besty early this morning. I’ll not chronicle the details, instead I’ll let the title of this post speak for itself and leave up to you all to fill in the blanks.

In other news Betsy had a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) installed yesterday. This will be used to administer medication and could also be used in administering Chemotherapy a little later on.

Now that the gas is on Betsy has been moved from a diet of just ice chips to one that includes clear fluids. Depending how this goes her diet will gradually change to soft foods then solids. This could take a couple of days. I hope that once we get to that point Betsy will be discharged to continue her convalescence at home.

Though Betsy has a PICC in place she isn't hooked up to any intravenous fluids. Her morphine pump is gone and her pain is now being held in check with Percocet, which unfortunately makes her nauseous. How sucky is that? Just when she is able to start on the road to eating she taking pain medication that makes her wanna puke.

Please keep the prayers and comments coming.

Thursday, May 22, 2008 – Gas production at a standstill!

The financial markets were rocked this morning with the report that natural gas production was at a stand still at the Washington Hospital Center. There’s still hope that some heretofore unknown pocket of methane bubble up. Warm tea has been added to the diet of ice chips in an effort to stimulate production. We will be following this story closely, yet from a respectful distance, and will report the results as soon as they air.

This morning Betsy walked me through the process of helping her shower and just as we were about to employ what I learned, two of Betsy’s sisters, Teenie and Fluffy walked in. In no time at all Betsy was scrubbed and buffed. I’ll never take taking a shower for granted again.

We’re still waiting for the lab report on the tissue samples. Hopefully they were come in soon so that the chemotherapy can commerce. X-rays taken of Betsy’s abdomen and chest yesterday were both unremarkable, which is a good thing.

I was recently asked about what Betsy’s day is like. In a word it’s BORING. It begins fairly early, around 5:00 AM when someone comes around to take her vitals (pulse, temperature, oxygen count) and some blood. Sometime after that the night nurse comes by to close out her shift the day nurse takes over. Anyway between 6:30 and 7:00 her doctors, who include a fellow and resident under the tutelage of Dr. Boice come around to check up on her. That’s pretty much the routine. Then it repeats itself a couple of times over the day.

I’ve looked high and low for a prayer for flatulence and found none. If anyone out there is inclined to pen one, please do. Post your entry as a comment and we’ll let everyone weigh in on a winner.

That’s it for now. Keep the prayers and comments coming.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008- The Boys Turn, Gas Shortage Continues

Today the kids get to do the blog post, Kevin 's then Andrew's.

Betsy/Mom is doing much better today. There is a little more of the fluid accumulating in her abdomen and as you might be able to tell by the title of this post, Betsy/Mom hasn't been able to pass gas yet.

Today Betsy/Mom was up and out of bed for about 6 hours walking the halls and sitting in the chair by her bed. Today’s great accomplishment was the fact that she with the help of Suzanne was able to get out of bed and TAKE A SHOWER!!!!! That made her day like you would not believe.

Like I said before, my father, Tom, does the posts but this time we thought it would be a good idea for us, the kids, to chime in on the matter.

________________________________________________________________________________

We visited our mother today, and the first thing that I noticed is the lack of extra tubes. She is not relying on her Oxygen or NG tubes any more. You could fully see her face and notice how good she looked. Her color is still there, and she seemed much more relaxed today.

She has been quite active today. She managed to be up and about for roughly six hours, between walking the halls and sitting in a chair by her bed. I took a walk with her shortly after we arrived, which consisted of a walk up and down the hallway (not an insignificant distance) and she is certainly not a slow poke. She managed it with ease and a strong stride.

Ms. Suzanne stopped by previously today to keep her company, and helped my mother take her first shower since the operation. This was quite the accomplishment, and my mom was floored by it. She mentioned that she loved the feel of the water running down her back. My mom decided also to brush her hair and teeth while we were around, mentioning that she has been spacing out things like that to make sure she keeps up and busy, so she is on the right track for recovery.

Mom has been having a few visitors. Yesterday my grandmother and cousin swung by to keep her company for a short while, which she enjoyed. She has quite the assortment of flowers as well as a teddy bear, which has kept her spirits high.

Who are the people making comments?

I’ve gotten an inquiry about who all have been commenting. So this post will address that. At a high level folks stopping by the blog are family, friends and colleagues of Betsy, me and our sons Andrew and Kevin. A number of folks are from our parish, Church of the Holy Apostles, others track back to Boy Scout Troop 769 , and then there are all of Betsy’s professional colleagues at Anne Arundel County Department of Health and my professional colleagues “in the government.” And then there are the other usual suspects, long time friends going back as far as grade school, high school, nursing school, and college.

I’d like you to consider sharing a little bit about yourself in your individual profile -- you might be surprised to learn who is who and who does what.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008 – Looking to bust out and pass gas.

Right now it’s a little after 2:00PM…I just got here, but apparently there’s been a lot going on.

Earlier today Dr. Boice stopped by. He told Betsy what he observed during her surgery and related that he is still awaiting the results of the tissues he sent out for analysis. Once those results come in he’ll be better able to determine Betsy’s chemotherapy protocol. That wasn’t really anything new to Betsy but it was the first time she’d heard it from Dr. Boice . So, nothing new on the cancer front.

Now, on to other things. Dr. Boice removed Betsy’s NG tube. He said he’d keep it out on one condition…that Betsy start passing gas. So today Betsy asks, that among other things, you pray for her to flatulate. Hey, I don’t make this stuff up, I’m just the scribe.

I previously mentioned the first rate care that Betsy is getting here at WHC. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the care that she is getting from one of her dear friends and professional colleague, Suzanne.

Suzanne has been taking a couple hours of leave from work each day to come into DC from Annapolis. She arrives mid morning to help Betsy with her morning care --for us laymen that means washing the face, brushing teeth, combing hair and so on-- anyway Suzanne spends a couple of hours with Betsy then hauls back out to Annapolis to return to work. Betsy says that Suzanne is a “God send”. I couldn’t agree more, lets face it guys just can’t provide a woman’s touch.

This morning Betsy and Suzanne go through the morning routine and afterwards Betsy decides that getting back into bed isn’t especially appealing. She’d rather take a spin around the corridor…so she does. The word on the street is that if hallway doors had been open she would’ve bolted. All told she was out of bed for about two and a half hours. So for those keeping score it was 45 minutes up and about yesterday and two and a half hours today, and the day is young.

Another sign that things are improving, Betsy asked me to bring her cell phone. So if you have that number and you want to call, that’s OK, but don’t be surprised if you get voice mail.

Betsy says “thanks” to the friends and colleagues who’ve sent flowers and plants. You know who you are so I won’t name you here (unless you want me to.)

That’s pretty much it for today. Please keep the prayers and comments coming.

Monday, May 19, 2008 – The power of the Blog

I showed Betsy her blog today and I am delighted to let you all know how much your kind words and prayers mean to her. Please continue to get the word out and have others chime in.

I don’t have anything to report about her cancer, but her post operative recovery is proceeding very well. Well enough that today she got out of bed and was able to sit in a chair for about forty five minutes. It took a lot out of her to do it but she said it was well worth the effort.

During the week or so prior to her surgery Besty was in pretty severe pain which was somewhat held in check by Percocet. She would often remark that she was actually looking forward to the surgery because the post operative pain would a lot more bearable and would go away in time. Though she still has a ways to go, this is proving to be the case.

So far she’s had to subsist on ice chips and won’t get anything resembling food until her NG tube is removed – which may happen in another day or so.

The medical staff here has been great. Sure we’ve let them know that Betsy herself is an RN, but from what I’ve seen here, patients really do come first.

That’s pretty much it for now. Please keep Betsy in your prayers and I’ll do my best to keep everyone in the loop.

What has happend so far...

Over the past several months Betsy hasn’t been feeling well. She couldn’t quite pin down why, so working with her primary care practitioner, Rosie Ayerle, Betsy began a series of diagnostic tests and exams to identify the problem.

In early May, Betsy was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and referred to Charles Boice, M.D. After an initial consultation and examination on May 8, Dr. Boise recommended Betsy undergo surgery, to remove the offending organ, which would then be followed by chemotherapy.

Betsy presented herself for surgery at the Washington Hospital Center - Washington, DC on May 17. Though originally scheduled for 2:00 PM, due to the length of time spent in surgery prior to Betsy’s, Dr. Boice was unable to begin Betsy’s procedure until 9:00PM.

He estimated that her procedure would take approximately four hours and , true to his word, shortly after 1:00AM he appeared in the waiting area to let family members know the outcome.

The surgery went as planned; however, Betsy’s cancer was not localized to the ovaries, but rather is more diffused in the abdomen. Dr. Boice will have different tissue samples analyzed so he can determine the best chemotherapy protocol to employ. He hopes to begin chemotherapy before Betsy is discharged from the hospital.

It was well after 2:00 AM Sunday morning May 18th when I got home.

I, Andrew and Kevin visited Betsy later, early in the afternoon. We arrived at her room shortly after she did. It turns out the staff in the post anesthesia care unit opted to keep her intubated through the night .

When we arrived, the PACU staff, for whom Betsy had high praise, was just departing her room. They asked Betsy to assess her pain (on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being the least),which Betsy gauged as 3. At first I thought that the self administered morphine may have been coming into play, but Betsy assured me that her pain wasn’t bad.

For well over a week leading up to her surgery Betsy hadn’t slept well. So we didn't stay too long in favor of letting her catch up on her sleep so her body could begin t0 recover from surgery.

It was obvious to me that she was feeling so much better and hearing her say so had us leaving feeling better as well.

Betsy knows that I'm blogging about her battle with cancer and she's going to be reading this. So if you want to wish her well this is a good place to do that.

Dr. Boice will have a better handle on things on Monday and as I learn more I'll post updates here . So come back regularly and please keep Betsy in your prayers.