Sun, 08 Aug 2004
Outta
Dodge
Hey
there. It's me. Garrett and Jade are both in bed and
we're at the end of a couple crazy weeks and especially
crazy days. It's just been amazingly busy and we're
hoping to get outta Dodge this week for a couple days
since Jade is off chemo this week. But first, have
to get an email done to update you!
On 30 July we met with the sugeon at Huntsman Cancer
Institute (HCI) and as always, those appts with our
doctors are depressing. It seems that we have to go
over the worst case and best case scenarios and it
leaves your mind reeling with the various options.
I guess we don't "HAVE" to go over the best/worst
but Jade and I are such pragmatists that we want to
be prepared for the future and continue to live with
a foot in both worlds - - hope for the best (miracles
do happen) and prepare for the worst (don't be an
ostrich with your head in the sand.)
Bottom
line is that our surgeon wants the tumors to be as
small as possible before operating but we don't know
if this chemo will shrink the tumors or just stop
any more growth. We had a lengthy discussion about
what if she needs to take out how much intestines
and having Jade be "short gut" as they call
it and not have enough intestines to process his food
and nutrition. Basically he would have to have TPN
(food/nutrition) through his central line/port at
night while he slept, for the rest of his life. Anyways,
I won't bore you with all the various options but
we definitely have a lot of decisions trees in our
heads of: if this, then that or that, then this. Sigh.
So we'll continue to take it week by week, day by
day and even hour by hour at times and see where we
end up.
Our
oncologist, Dr. Albritton, is now gone and on Monday
the 16th Jade will meet with our new lymphoma oncologist
and start another two weeks of chemo. As I said in
the previous email, Dr. Albritton has been wonderful
is going to stay in touch with us and willing to have
us come to Boston for consults as we need at decisions
crossroads.
Jade
has been doing ok the past couple weeks. He still
takes the Immodium AD every two hours just about round
the clock to help control the diarrhea. He really
has to force himself to eat since nothing sounds great
or tastes good. He is quite tired this wknd so we
hope that he'll be able to rest and take some naps
and have a quiet couple days.
Garrett
is thrilled that tomatoes are ripe in the garden.
I planted some little grape/pear tomatoes for him
and he stands at the edge of the garden and picks
and eats them as well as strawberries. He's still
sad the peas are gone but is excited to see the pumpkins
and corn growing. The corn has tasted quite good but
Jade only had one ear a few weeks ago since corn really
isn't the food of choice when you have diarrhea. (Sorry;
a little graphic, but true nonetheless.)
I'm
actually looking forward to the Olympics the next
few weeks. I seem to turn into an Olympic junkie when
they're on and think that'll be a wonderful diversion
mentally once chemo starts again on the 16th. I was
reading an article in the paper today by Bud Greenspan
who talked about part of the Olympic pledge for athletes,
"Ask not alone for victory. Ask for courage.
For if you can endure, you bring honor to yourself.
Even more, you bring honor to us all." I just
loved that. What a goal to strive for. Good for me
to keep in mind: Courage and Endurance not simply
Victory.
Jade's
birthday was this wknd and today is the one year anniversary
that he was released from LDS Hospital following his
bone marrow transplant. Wow. Big sigh. It's been interesting
to think back to that this wknd amid the chaos.
Thank
you for your courage and endurance with us this past
year and longer. We are touched and grateful for your
friendship, strength and resilience.
Take
care and if we manage to actually leave town I'll
let you know what life is like outside of Dodge. Once
we're back I'll get caught up on emails and laundry
and then get the popcorn and lemonade ready for the
Opening Ceremonies and Olympic events. I always love
to hear "Fanfare of the Common Man." I think
it's just great that such a majestic song is composed
on behalf of the "common man." That's cool.
Love
ya'..........................Tanya and co.
P.S.
From one "Common Man" to another!
