Check out this site and see if you can find Bryon in the recently released study information from Myrexis Inc. This is what the official word is on the drug treatment that made Bryon's recovery such a success!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40785687
Bryon's a SUPERSTAR!! (anonymously of course)
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
The truth about us...
Life is great when you know exactly who you are and what is important to you. I have recently discovered that I do not know myself at all. Back in June I bought a sexy economical 4 door sedan built by Dodge. A car that most people know as a Charger. I got a heck of a deal on it and I love the way you could drive it at crazy speeds and feel like you were only going 40. I am sad to report, however, that I have found out the inevitable truth that we are not Dodge people. It is a nice car, has great gas mileage, and I can even make the payments without complaint, but it just isn't a GM car. I find myself dreaming of screaming down the highway in a Pontiac Grand Prix and enjoying flaws that I have become accustom to over the past 7 years with my first Grand Prix. I guess you could say I love my clunker at heart, but who wouldn't after 220,000 miles and no serious problems. In closing I would like to ask you all to get the word out that a sexy, well maintained, almost new 2008 Charger is on the market. I am asking $15,500 and it has 23,000 miles and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it except the owner has issues...but I've heard all the cool people do.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Quick Blurb
The sun is shining through my window today so I am sure that means good things are coming. Bryon has shipped himself to SLC today to cover the radiologist report with the doctor. Thanks to his wonderful mother Lana who graciously escorted Bryon to the big city, I am able to take Anna to her orthodontist appointment in Pocatello. We seem to be multitasking very well and I hope it pays off with some good new and as a little pain as possible.
Just as an update; Anna is feeling much better after her adventures in the ER. Turns out her tummy is quite upset with her eating habits and it needs more variety than what she restricts herself to. I think the whole experience has taught her a lesson and she seems to be more inclined to eat her fruits and veggies. I even saw her eat half a can of green beans and she was happy about it. She has had a few moments of pain since the ordeal, but at least we know she isn't in any immediate danger. The appendix theory is still up in the air since it is a possibility that it is having some trouble, but until something serious arises there isn't much we can do. I am just glad Anna is more willing to try new foods now, and she seems to be making a game out it. Way to go Anna!
I am excited to say that I will officially be certified as a forklift driver this week. I have passed training even though I was extremely hard on myself through the whole thing. I was told during my review last week that I am doing average to above average for this phase in my employment and as long as I do what I am supposed to do, they anticipate I will be a pro in under 6 months. I already have 2 1/2 months down so I am anxious to see how the next few months go. This week I will be officially alone since my trainer has taken another shift, but I am getting along very well with the boys I work with on the night shift. I say boys, because that seems to be the general attitude of most them. The horse play that goes on when they all get together is incredible.
So, off I go to Pocatello now with Anna and Audrey. Anna gets her first oral appliance and Audrey gets to play video games while we wait...oh goody. We will let you know how Anna fares after the ordeal is over.
Just as an update; Anna is feeling much better after her adventures in the ER. Turns out her tummy is quite upset with her eating habits and it needs more variety than what she restricts herself to. I think the whole experience has taught her a lesson and she seems to be more inclined to eat her fruits and veggies. I even saw her eat half a can of green beans and she was happy about it. She has had a few moments of pain since the ordeal, but at least we know she isn't in any immediate danger. The appendix theory is still up in the air since it is a possibility that it is having some trouble, but until something serious arises there isn't much we can do. I am just glad Anna is more willing to try new foods now, and she seems to be making a game out it. Way to go Anna!
I am excited to say that I will officially be certified as a forklift driver this week. I have passed training even though I was extremely hard on myself through the whole thing. I was told during my review last week that I am doing average to above average for this phase in my employment and as long as I do what I am supposed to do, they anticipate I will be a pro in under 6 months. I already have 2 1/2 months down so I am anxious to see how the next few months go. This week I will be officially alone since my trainer has taken another shift, but I am getting along very well with the boys I work with on the night shift. I say boys, because that seems to be the general attitude of most them. The horse play that goes on when they all get together is incredible.
So, off I go to Pocatello now with Anna and Audrey. Anna gets her first oral appliance and Audrey gets to play video games while we wait...oh goody. We will let you know how Anna fares after the ordeal is over.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Sisters
Anna and Audrey are notorious for fighting and being exact opposites in just about everything they do and say. Lately, I have been taking double takes when I see them together because not only are they not fighting, but they team up and work together to achieve whatever it is they are trying to do. Tonight was the best example yet of my girls getting along. Audrey is definitely the boss, but Anna doesn't seem to mind the directions being forced at her. I told Audrey maybe she should encourage Anna to do her homework instead of play games, and the next time I turned around, Audrey had Anna at the table working on her math.
It was simple subtraction problems 1-10's and Anna had several practice sheets. Anna had one and Audrey had one. Audrey instructed both of them to put their names at the top and begin working. Anna of course was much faster, but Audrey seemed to grasp the concept quite well. We counted on fingers and she was able to understand that if you have 8 apples and you eat 3 of them you come up with 5. She was also doing well writing her numbers legibly and I was proud of both of them for their efforts at working together. Even if it was just Anna's homework and not Audrey's.
It was simple subtraction problems 1-10's and Anna had several practice sheets. Anna had one and Audrey had one. Audrey instructed both of them to put their names at the top and begin working. Anna of course was much faster, but Audrey seemed to grasp the concept quite well. We counted on fingers and she was able to understand that if you have 8 apples and you eat 3 of them you come up with 5. She was also doing well writing her numbers legibly and I was proud of both of them for their efforts at working together. Even if it was just Anna's homework and not Audrey's.
You can tell from the photos they are deep in thought and very serious about their education at the moment. Grandma Westerberg would be so proud.
Prelimanary Results of MRI
Bryon and I just returned from Logan and his appointment in Radiology at the Specialty Hospital. The appt. went well with no reactions to the contrast this time, but Bryon was pretty bummed out that they did not offer to let him listen to music during the scan. I guess when you have been doing this as long as he has you get used to doing things a certain way, but he got to listen to Tom Petty on the way home so it wasn't too tough.
Immediately after we arrived home, we gathered all the expert knowledge we have acquired over the past 2 1/2 years to read the results of the MRI. The actual report has not been written yet, but we were able to score a CD so gives us a visual. According to our not so expert opinions, the growth has remained stable and looks to be the size of a pencil eraser. That's good news if in fact that is what the doctor see's. We were a little surprised to see so much fluid in his head though. It has always been there since they removed the tumor during the last surgery in January of 2009. Maybe it is just that we are not used to seeing such large voids since they are generally full of cancer cells growing rapidly out of control.
At any rate, we feel a slight sense of relief that Bryon most likely will not have to endure another surgery in the immediate future. As for the written report, we will have it summarized by the doctor and be able to visit with him about it next week.
Immediately after we arrived home, we gathered all the expert knowledge we have acquired over the past 2 1/2 years to read the results of the MRI. The actual report has not been written yet, but we were able to score a CD so gives us a visual. According to our not so expert opinions, the growth has remained stable and looks to be the size of a pencil eraser. That's good news if in fact that is what the doctor see's. We were a little surprised to see so much fluid in his head though. It has always been there since they removed the tumor during the last surgery in January of 2009. Maybe it is just that we are not used to seeing such large voids since they are generally full of cancer cells growing rapidly out of control.
At any rate, we feel a slight sense of relief that Bryon most likely will not have to endure another surgery in the immediate future. As for the written report, we will have it summarized by the doctor and be able to visit with him about it next week.
Monday, November 29, 2010
New Doctor's for New Problems
Not much has been going on lately except we are trying desperately to coordinate doctor visits. It seems like every time I turn around I am constantly rearranging appointments so I can be involved with my families health care. Bryon feels fine, but we are trying to keep his MRI appointment, doctor appointment, and port maintenance appointments straight. To add to the confusion, Anna has begun her adventure in orthodontics and is seeing an orthodontist in Pocatello. My poor mother took Anna for her first "fitting" visit and it just so happened to be on one of those lovely days when the snow was flying. I am very grateful to both of my parents that they are so willing to help out with these driving arrangements. Since I have an appointment every Monday in Logan and my days off limited, these little pieces of time need to be budgeted very carefully and their help has made it work.
We now add a new doctor to the pile. Anna has been complaining of stomach pain a lot for the last two weeks. It really got obvious on Thanksgiving that she was not comfortable at all. She would eat fine and play until her stomach decided it had had enough. She went for a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa Westerberg's house and was even able to play at Granny's for a day. Saturday night she attended an Aggie basketball game(she was thrilled that they won) with her dad, sister and grandparents. By the end of her evening she was wiped out and in pretty constant pain. As a mother your heart bleeds for your child when they hurt the way Anna was, but you also have to keep a cool head for your kids sake. I tried to decide how much was drama and how much was real suffering. When the pain got bad enough she was doubled over, I asked her many times if she felt that a visit to the hospital was necessary(I was told that if there was no fever or risk of dehydration and all that stuff, then it wasn't an emergency. Hence y hesitation in this case). She said she would like to see a doctor and we packed up and headed to Logan.
That poor little girl was put through so much crap while she was trying to endure the pain and difficulty of not being able to rest. There were IV's and needles, poking and prodding,urine and blood samples, X-rays and even an ultrasound. By the time we got there and had been put through the ringer, Anna had a fever of 103. Some Tylenol and a Maalox cocktail took care of the fever and dulled the pain for a few hours so she could sleep. She was kept till 7:00am for observation and the doctor admitted she had no clue what was happening, but that there was definitely something wrong. Appendix comes to mind, but there was nothing conclusive that said for sure she was in need of surgery.
So, today we have made some arrangements to go back to the hospital and discuss the weekends events with a pediatrician and decide if the next step is to be the CAT Scan and possible surgery, or if she has some fancy disorder that I can't spell. The radiologist who did her ultrasound noted that her lymph nodes in her abdomen were very inflamed which coincided with her blood work. Apparently there is a word for it, but heck if I can recall it , let alone spell it.
In total, we have 5 doctor visits to complete in the next 9 days. Audrey seems to be the only one without an ailment and is loving the idea of taking care of her family. She has helped out enough that I agreed to pay her for every chore she completed while we were dealing with all this junk. She took to that like a fish to water. She has already earned a dollar for cleaning her room and plans to help with laundry to earn a few more. All in all I think we are busy but doing well. Results of our adventures will be eagerly anticipated, but at least we have the snow to distract us till they come in.
We now add a new doctor to the pile. Anna has been complaining of stomach pain a lot for the last two weeks. It really got obvious on Thanksgiving that she was not comfortable at all. She would eat fine and play until her stomach decided it had had enough. She went for a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa Westerberg's house and was even able to play at Granny's for a day. Saturday night she attended an Aggie basketball game(she was thrilled that they won) with her dad, sister and grandparents. By the end of her evening she was wiped out and in pretty constant pain. As a mother your heart bleeds for your child when they hurt the way Anna was, but you also have to keep a cool head for your kids sake. I tried to decide how much was drama and how much was real suffering. When the pain got bad enough she was doubled over, I asked her many times if she felt that a visit to the hospital was necessary(I was told that if there was no fever or risk of dehydration and all that stuff, then it wasn't an emergency. Hence y hesitation in this case). She said she would like to see a doctor and we packed up and headed to Logan.
That poor little girl was put through so much crap while she was trying to endure the pain and difficulty of not being able to rest. There were IV's and needles, poking and prodding,urine and blood samples, X-rays and even an ultrasound. By the time we got there and had been put through the ringer, Anna had a fever of 103. Some Tylenol and a Maalox cocktail took care of the fever and dulled the pain for a few hours so she could sleep. She was kept till 7:00am for observation and the doctor admitted she had no clue what was happening, but that there was definitely something wrong. Appendix comes to mind, but there was nothing conclusive that said for sure she was in need of surgery.
So, today we have made some arrangements to go back to the hospital and discuss the weekends events with a pediatrician and decide if the next step is to be the CAT Scan and possible surgery, or if she has some fancy disorder that I can't spell. The radiologist who did her ultrasound noted that her lymph nodes in her abdomen were very inflamed which coincided with her blood work. Apparently there is a word for it, but heck if I can recall it , let alone spell it.
In total, we have 5 doctor visits to complete in the next 9 days. Audrey seems to be the only one without an ailment and is loving the idea of taking care of her family. She has helped out enough that I agreed to pay her for every chore she completed while we were dealing with all this junk. She took to that like a fish to water. She has already earned a dollar for cleaning her room and plans to help with laundry to earn a few more. All in all I think we are busy but doing well. Results of our adventures will be eagerly anticipated, but at least we have the snow to distract us till they come in.
Monday, November 22, 2010
The final count down...
The year is rolling to a stop in about 35+ days so I figured a post before then would be good.
Bryon's next MRI will be done in Logan instead of SLC. HURRAY!! He is feeling well and making progress in his speech and cognitive functions. He is having troubles with a few things that make it difficult for me since I am not at home, but I would rather be working and having him learn by himself than having to constantly hold his hand. I think he kind of enjoys the independence as well. After watching a Warren Miller Ski Documentary he decided it was time to pick up a hobby...rather, continue an already existing hobby...snow skiing. I am anxious to see the snow fly since it has been years since we let Bryon loose on the slopes, but I am sure it is a lot like riding a bike. We'll send out a warning when he heads to Beaver Mountain, just to give you all the heads up to get out of the way.
Recently, Bryon started making appointments at Logan Regional to have his vascular port flushed once a month. Seeing how this has been done for well over a year, I joked and said I should do it. Bryon agreed! In about 30 days I will be heading into the hospital with him and I will get a crash course in how to administer Heparin (anti-coagulant) and properly flush a port with saline solution...needles and all! I am so excited that there are not words to describe it...seriously!!
So, the next time we post it should be after the last MRI of 2010 that is scheduled for December 6th. After that we will probably have lots to report about the home nursing try outs, any bets on how much blood will be wasted during my training at Bryon's expense? That should be a long enough break to get you through the holidays and on to the new year. As a side note, for anyone who reads the families private blog, it will be discontinued by the end of the year. This will be easier and more efficient to update only one blog.
Bryon's next MRI will be done in Logan instead of SLC. HURRAY!! He is feeling well and making progress in his speech and cognitive functions. He is having troubles with a few things that make it difficult for me since I am not at home, but I would rather be working and having him learn by himself than having to constantly hold his hand. I think he kind of enjoys the independence as well. After watching a Warren Miller Ski Documentary he decided it was time to pick up a hobby...rather, continue an already existing hobby...snow skiing. I am anxious to see the snow fly since it has been years since we let Bryon loose on the slopes, but I am sure it is a lot like riding a bike. We'll send out a warning when he heads to Beaver Mountain, just to give you all the heads up to get out of the way.
Recently, Bryon started making appointments at Logan Regional to have his vascular port flushed once a month. Seeing how this has been done for well over a year, I joked and said I should do it. Bryon agreed! In about 30 days I will be heading into the hospital with him and I will get a crash course in how to administer Heparin (anti-coagulant) and properly flush a port with saline solution...needles and all! I am so excited that there are not words to describe it...seriously!!
So, the next time we post it should be after the last MRI of 2010 that is scheduled for December 6th. After that we will probably have lots to report about the home nursing try outs, any bets on how much blood will be wasted during my training at Bryon's expense? That should be a long enough break to get you through the holidays and on to the new year. As a side note, for anyone who reads the families private blog, it will be discontinued by the end of the year. This will be easier and more efficient to update only one blog.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Honorable Mention
Business first: The next MRI will be in the first weeks of December at a new hospital that is covered by our insurance. Dr. Jensen at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital will still be Bryon's primary physician. Hurray...now on to more exciting news.
Bryon and I have been asked to participate in an interview with Myrexis; the drug company formally known as Myriad and the creators of Azixa.(The wonder drug that Bryon's trial was based on.)Typically when a company has success in a clinical trial they tend to publish the results and make it public what happened during the trial. The purpose of the interview would be to get a patients perspective regarding how the drug (azixa) changed their life. Myrexis would like to get a quote or two from us which they would include in the articles made in a formal report of the drug trial.
I received this request in my email today and didn't know what to think of it, but it sure makes me proud of Bryon and how strong his faith must have been in order to keep going when the cancer got tough. He really is a trooper and I hope he is proud of himself for all that he has done for himself, his family, and other patients needing to be treated. Even if he decides not to participate in the interview it is a huge deal to be considered for something like this and it proves he really is a super hero. My hero!
Bryon and I have been asked to participate in an interview with Myrexis; the drug company formally known as Myriad and the creators of Azixa.(The wonder drug that Bryon's trial was based on.)Typically when a company has success in a clinical trial they tend to publish the results and make it public what happened during the trial. The purpose of the interview would be to get a patients perspective regarding how the drug (azixa) changed their life. Myrexis would like to get a quote or two from us which they would include in the articles made in a formal report of the drug trial.
I received this request in my email today and didn't know what to think of it, but it sure makes me proud of Bryon and how strong his faith must have been in order to keep going when the cancer got tough. He really is a trooper and I hope he is proud of himself for all that he has done for himself, his family, and other patients needing to be treated. Even if he decides not to participate in the interview it is a huge deal to be considered for something like this and it proves he really is a super hero. My hero!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
A New Adventure Begins
We are so fortunate to live in a time when health care and technology are as advanced as they are. The MRI machine alone is a miracle worker and it doesn't even treat anything! What I am trying to say is that Bryon's tumor is still at bay and considered stable. We have been warned it will return someday, but Bryon has already lived long enough to be in a time and place that will give him the best opportunity for treatment and a healthy future. The doctor has stated that the drug trial is officially over since their is nothing left to experiment on and that Bryon will not be eligible for the drug in the future. Not to worry though, there are drugs now on the market that are as effective or more so than the drugs he was receiving. The new drugs are based on the additive that Bryon was on in conjunction with his traditional chemo. So things are looking up for Bryon and all the others we know with this strange tumor. I hope everyone knows that a person can live with this tumor now, it isn't an immediate death sentence anymore, like it was only two or three years ago. Bryon is moving on to a new adventure of living living with a tumor, and he improves every day. Speech, motor function, memory, attention span; it is all getting better with time and the proper attitude.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
City Kids
Bryon and I are going to Salt Lake for our regular MRI and doctor visit. Bryon will get his MRI on Monday afternoon and then we will hang around till Tuesday morning when we will check the results with Dr. Jensen. This should be an interesting visit since we never got to see the last MRI. We will be able to compare the last one to the latest and see if there is ANY change at all. Bryon was very worried earlier this week, as was I, but now we are anxious and waiting to see what our future holds. As always, no news is good news so don't panic if nothing gets posted right away. We have lots to do so I will get around to do the new posting as soon as I can, so don't touch that dial as we will return after a brief break.
Monday, September 20, 2010
What a big boy!!
To anyone who has not been in contact with Bryon the last two years, this news will seem rather odd. I am just so excited to report that Bryon recently made a HUGE breakthrough in his speech recovery!!
It happened on Wednesday morning before school when I was telling Anna to ride the right bus home after school. If she rode the normal bus, she would be home later and not be able to make it to gymnastics. Bryon was in the kitchen making breakfast and he made a quick addition to my speech at his mother's expense. Without waiting for the ball to drop he simply said "If you ride Granny's bus you'll never make it home."
My jaw dropped and must have had a grin from ear to ear because my face still hurts. It is offical, Bryon made a joke and followed through to the punch line without forgetting, pausing, or stuttering!
Of course he was way too groggy to care for this news, but I have publicly announced this news with him in front of friends and co-workers several times and he smiles and holds his head high. Congratulations on getting your wit back, babe!! We love you so very much!
It happened on Wednesday morning before school when I was telling Anna to ride the right bus home after school. If she rode the normal bus, she would be home later and not be able to make it to gymnastics. Bryon was in the kitchen making breakfast and he made a quick addition to my speech at his mother's expense. Without waiting for the ball to drop he simply said "If you ride Granny's bus you'll never make it home."
My jaw dropped and must have had a grin from ear to ear because my face still hurts. It is offical, Bryon made a joke and followed through to the punch line without forgetting, pausing, or stuttering!
Of course he was way too groggy to care for this news, but I have publicly announced this news with him in front of friends and co-workers several times and he smiles and holds his head high. Congratulations on getting your wit back, babe!! We love you so very much!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Quiet Blog
It is weird when you forget about your own blog because there is nothing of value to report. As it is, Bryon has enjoyed his summer with his family. Lots of activities and adventures to share, but none so amazing as the fact that he is healthy. We are so astounded by his recovery and how well he functions from day to day. So I guess in a few words, everything is going great and the MRI is coming up on October 4th. There are no signs that the tumor has resurfaced, but even if it has, it would have to have made tremendous growth to start causing any interference with brain function.
I know there are other people out there who are not so lucky in their fight with cancer and that they have made their own choices for treatment. I just want you to think about it if it were you, for a moment. So what if there is no cure for what you have, that does not make you a goner. Every bit of treatment can extend your life a little more so you can build a bridge over the gap from dying, to dealing, to cured. That's all Bryon did was try to make it to the cure and he may have done it, but in doing so he may have cured others with his endeavors. Clinical trials are so important to our medical knowledge base in treating disease of all kinds. I am thankful for all the prayers and well wishes from everyone, but I would also like to thank Bryon for doing the trial that may have saved his life as well as many many others.
Sorry, I got all gushy there for a moment. It won't happen again...till the next post probably.
I know there are other people out there who are not so lucky in their fight with cancer and that they have made their own choices for treatment. I just want you to think about it if it were you, for a moment. So what if there is no cure for what you have, that does not make you a goner. Every bit of treatment can extend your life a little more so you can build a bridge over the gap from dying, to dealing, to cured. That's all Bryon did was try to make it to the cure and he may have done it, but in doing so he may have cured others with his endeavors. Clinical trials are so important to our medical knowledge base in treating disease of all kinds. I am thankful for all the prayers and well wishes from everyone, but I would also like to thank Bryon for doing the trial that may have saved his life as well as many many others.
Sorry, I got all gushy there for a moment. It won't happen again...till the next post probably.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Results for August 10th, 2010
After the MRI on Tuesday we were informed that the doctor was out of the country and we couldn't see the results until his return next week. Being the impatient and resourceful person I am, I was determined to contact his nurse and force her to give us the results. To wait a week for such dire information is gruesome and inhumane. We had to wait an entire day(and a little bit more), but as of "some time before noon" on Thursday we were notified that there has been no change in Bryon's condition. He is still without a visible tumor and has been instructed to continue life as normal. No treatments and plan on follow ups every two months unless something should change. How freak'in awesome is that!!!?? What a way to start the day. Thanks again for all your prayers and faithful devotion to Bryon's blog. We want to continue to hope and pray for the same good news for Kris Cole as he continues his fight with cancer. He is doing well and remains active in life which is what we all want to hear. What blessings may come with faith, hope, and friends.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
MRI Scheduled
Bryon received an email today confirming his next MRI on August 10th. He has also been scheduled to see the doctor about the MRI, but a week later. Results of this scan are highly anticipated by several groups so an update will be posted as soon as we know the results. We have asked that the doctor call us at his earliest convenience to discuss the scan so we are not having to drive down to hear the news.
No symptoms or indications that there is tumor growth has presented itself in the past 2 months. With this in mind we anticipate another clean scan, but nothing is certain. I have had several nightmares about it's return and it comes back with a vengeance. I tend to over react, over think, and over compensate just about everything so I will assume my brain is just protecting me in case the scans come back with tumor spots.
Anyway, that's the latest and greatest. Thanks for watching.
No symptoms or indications that there is tumor growth has presented itself in the past 2 months. With this in mind we anticipate another clean scan, but nothing is certain. I have had several nightmares about it's return and it comes back with a vengeance. I tend to over react, over think, and over compensate just about everything so I will assume my brain is just protecting me in case the scans come back with tumor spots.
Anyway, that's the latest and greatest. Thanks for watching.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Thank You!
I just want to put in a quick bit here about our fundraiser/party/concert. It was AWESOME! If you didn't make it, you sooooo missed out. We had enough food, enough people, and raised enough money to make it totally worth it. The only thing we couldn't get enough of was the band. Stay For The Summer is so good and everyone was ready for more, but the band had run out of songs. I didn't care and every one seemed to recover just fine. Kris seemed to have a blast, but was slightly embarrassed when we presented the money to him. Thanks to everyone's generosity we raised $860.00 and as of today I have had more people pledge to make more donations. People are so wonderful when it comes to helping others. No one had to pay to participate, but I don't know a single person who didn't give something. There was so much support and kindness it almost felt a little like church...till The Side Kicks started to play. They managed to turn it into a concert once all the emotional stuff got done. Thank you Randy and fellow band members.
So, if you didn't make it for a legitamate reason I am sorry you missed the show. If you just didn't feel like showing up, or thought it wouldn't be any fun, well it was a blast and you missed out!
Thanks again to everyone in Cache Valley who helped make this the best party I have ever planned.
Thank you: Walt & Rosanne Povey & Family
Schreiber Foods
Cache Valley Radio
Stokes Grocery
Thuerer's Meats (sp?)
Mad Max's BBQ
Hansen Glass & Paint
Anyone who brought food...it was delicious.
My memory is awful, if I missed anyone please know I am very grateful to you even though I didn't type it.
So, if you didn't make it for a legitamate reason I am sorry you missed the show. If you just didn't feel like showing up, or thought it wouldn't be any fun, well it was a blast and you missed out!
Thanks again to everyone in Cache Valley who helped make this the best party I have ever planned.
Thank you: Walt & Rosanne Povey & Family
Schreiber Foods
Cache Valley Radio
Stokes Grocery
Thuerer's Meats (sp?)
Mad Max's BBQ
Hansen Glass & Paint
Anyone who brought food...it was delicious.
My memory is awful, if I missed anyone please know I am very grateful to you even though I didn't type it.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Summer Concert Event
Who: Stay For The Summer & The Side Kicks
What: Benefit party and social for Kris Cole
Where: 293 S. 2nd E. Weston, ID
When: July 10, 2010
6:00pm for food
7:30pm for the concert
All this can be yours with a donation to the Kris Cole 'Fight the Fight' Fund.
Bring yourself a drink, a blanket, and your wallet. This is going to be a hell of a good time while raising money for Kris. Look forward to dutch oven potatoes and ribs and brisket while they last. You may bring your own meat since there will be a grill available. If you can't make it to the shin dig but would like to donate, please email Sara at sarakay@plmw.com or call 208-747-3907. We still need side dishes(green salad would be fine), plates, utensils, cups, beverage dispensers, and more meat for cooking.
Younger (teenage) participants are invited since the music being performed serves more to their tastes. I describe it as punk rock, but the drummer said it is more "edgy" than that. Whatever that means. There may be an acoustic session provided by members of Stay For the Summer if I can talk them into it. Please invite anyone and everyone so this can be a success.
What: Benefit party and social for Kris Cole
Where: 293 S. 2nd E. Weston, ID
When: July 10, 2010
6:00pm for food
7:30pm for the concert
All this can be yours with a donation to the Kris Cole 'Fight the Fight' Fund.
Bring yourself a drink, a blanket, and your wallet. This is going to be a hell of a good time while raising money for Kris. Look forward to dutch oven potatoes and ribs and brisket while they last. You may bring your own meat since there will be a grill available. If you can't make it to the shin dig but would like to donate, please email Sara at sarakay@plmw.com or call 208-747-3907. We still need side dishes(green salad would be fine), plates, utensils, cups, beverage dispensers, and more meat for cooking.
Younger (teenage) participants are invited since the music being performed serves more to their tastes. I describe it as punk rock, but the drummer said it is more "edgy" than that. Whatever that means. There may be an acoustic session provided by members of Stay For the Summer if I can talk them into it. Please invite anyone and everyone so this can be a success.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
End of an Era
Bryon had his routine MRI this week. It was relatively uneventful...with the exception that they have declared him cancer free. The doctor stated that the drug trial is no longer necessary at this time due the fact that there is no tumor to treat. Bryon needs to be seen every two months for MRI's and checkups, but he has been cleared for take off on the runway to remission.
On a side note: Now that Bryon is able to concentrate better on other things we would like to once again extend an invitation to EVERYONE (and their unruly friends) to the benefit concert happening on July 10th in Weston, ID. It will benefit Kris Cole fight his own personal battle with his tumor. Food will be provided as well as entertainment by Stay For The Summer for those who come to donate, if you just come to rock out that's OK too...I guess.
A mass invite will go out when the event is closer, but in the mean time if you would like to donate a dutch oven full of potatoes, green salad, meat for smoking or grilling, or money for food that would be greatly appreciated. Please email Sara at sarakay@plmw.com.
On a side note: Now that Bryon is able to concentrate better on other things we would like to once again extend an invitation to EVERYONE (and their unruly friends) to the benefit concert happening on July 10th in Weston, ID. It will benefit Kris Cole fight his own personal battle with his tumor. Food will be provided as well as entertainment by Stay For The Summer for those who come to donate, if you just come to rock out that's OK too...I guess.
A mass invite will go out when the event is closer, but in the mean time if you would like to donate a dutch oven full of potatoes, green salad, meat for smoking or grilling, or money for food that would be greatly appreciated. Please email Sara at sarakay@plmw.com.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Benefit Concert & Social
Great News!! We are throwing a benefit party for Kris Cole! The party location will be given as soon as final arrangements have been made, but we are going to have food, conversation and even a band. Can't beat that, can you? Cache Valley's very own local group, Stay For The Summer, will be performing for your listening pleasure, and food will be served. How much food is yet to be decided, but please plan on attending the concert and donating some funds for Kris so he can continue his cancer treatments! ROCK ON!!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
MRI Series
I have finally got the hang of the MRI discs given to me about a month ago. These pictures are the series of MRI's sent in to the drug company for review and ultimate determination of their drugs effectiveness against glioblastoma tumors a.k.a. the results of poster boy Bryon Gundersen.
I will do my best to explain each photo, but no guarantees you will all be able to see what we see.
These first two pictures are from January 16, 2009 or the day of the second surgery. These are post operation pictures so all you can really see is the hole where the tumor was and the chemo wafers that were placed directly on remaining tumor tissue.(those are the little black lines you can see.)
In March, we had an MRI to start the drug trial. The chemo wafers have dissolved and done a nice job at keeping the tumor nice and small. All you can see now is the hole where the tumor once was and an area of fluid that fills the void.(that would be the big black spot on the thing that looks like a brain.) All the scans from here down are viewing from the top of Bryon's head.
In May, the MRI showed some growth around the void left from surgery. Tumor cells light up with the contrast material they gave Bryon before the MRI. Any tumor growth you see will be the lighter ring around what used to be just a black space. You can see it is growing almost all the way around the area.
OK, so I messed up on September's MRI also, but again you can see what they were looking at. This was the largest the tumor got after surgery in 2009, at 23.4 mm the doctor was beginning to get a little nervous.
November, we held our breath. Not much change in size this time, but it was still borderline. If the tumor had grown much more than this Bryon would have been kicked out of the trial and forced to try other avenues of treatment.
December rolled around and we were preparing for some bad news. To our surprise and relief the tumor had actually shown some reduction. Exact measurements are not available, but what a relief to know we weren't headed for surgery again for the New Year.
So, from this point on I have no more pictures, but there is nothing to see in them anyway. Bryon's MRI's have shown no growth and the doctor feels there is absolutely no mass anymore. It wouldn't be much fun to look at a black hole in someone's brain now would it? Of course the doctor's official opinion is that there is some tumor still there, but he is definitely blown away by the progress made by Bryon and this drug trial. As for the drug company, they have no idea what to do at this point. They have not had anyone with this type of success, therefore they never considered what to do when there was no longer any tumor to treat. A conference is being held to discuss what to do with Bryon, but treatment continues till the experts can figure out what is best.
I will do my best to explain each photo, but no guarantees you will all be able to see what we see.
These first two pictures are from January 16, 2009 or the day of the second surgery. These are post operation pictures so all you can really see is the hole where the tumor was and the chemo wafers that were placed directly on remaining tumor tissue.(those are the little black lines you can see.)
This second photo I put in just to give you an idea of how deep they had to go to get out as much tumor as possible. It is the darker gray smudge on the right side of the photo the extends from the top of the brain, and goes almost all the way down to the brain stem, or the black spot at the bottom.
In March, we had an MRI to start the drug trial. The chemo wafers have dissolved and done a nice job at keeping the tumor nice and small. All you can see now is the hole where the tumor once was and an area of fluid that fills the void.(that would be the big black spot on the thing that looks like a brain.) All the scans from here down are viewing from the top of Bryon's head.
In May, the MRI showed some growth around the void left from surgery. Tumor cells light up with the contrast material they gave Bryon before the MRI. Any tumor growth you see will be the lighter ring around what used to be just a black space. You can see it is growing almost all the way around the area.
I messed up on this one, but you can see how the tumor had grown a bit between May and July. Again, the tumor is the lighter material you can see in the middle.
OK, so I messed up on September's MRI also, but again you can see what they were looking at. This was the largest the tumor got after surgery in 2009, at 23.4 mm the doctor was beginning to get a little nervous.
November, we held our breath. Not much change in size this time, but it was still borderline. If the tumor had grown much more than this Bryon would have been kicked out of the trial and forced to try other avenues of treatment.
December rolled around and we were preparing for some bad news. To our surprise and relief the tumor had actually shown some reduction. Exact measurements are not available, but what a relief to know we weren't headed for surgery again for the New Year.
February was significant! The radiologist was nice enough to point out where the tumor was on this scan. Obvious reduction and it was really exciting to just about everyone involved. The arrow points to a little dot that looks like a pimple...to me anyway.
So, from this point on I have no more pictures, but there is nothing to see in them anyway. Bryon's MRI's have shown no growth and the doctor feels there is absolutely no mass anymore. It wouldn't be much fun to look at a black hole in someone's brain now would it? Of course the doctor's official opinion is that there is some tumor still there, but he is definitely blown away by the progress made by Bryon and this drug trial. As for the drug company, they have no idea what to do at this point. They have not had anyone with this type of success, therefore they never considered what to do when there was no longer any tumor to treat. A conference is being held to discuss what to do with Bryon, but treatment continues till the experts can figure out what is best.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
What do we do now?
For awhile now we have been telling you how great Bryon is doing and that things are continuing as normal. We had our eight week MRI this past Monday and stayed overnight to see the Dr. on Tuesday.
After viewing the slides Dr. Jensen just chuckled and said "Exactly what am I supposed to measure? There is nothing there! I have never seen anything like this before."
We asked a few questions about Bryon's current medications and he has been instructed to stop taking his seizure medication, as a seizure is most unlikely in his current condition. That type of medication makes a person feel very "weird" as Bryon puts it, but really any drug could do that. He is very excited that he has one less drug on the menu.
I dared to ask the question about when will we take Bryon off the medication to see if the tumor is truly gone? Dr. Jensen admitted that no matter how awesome the results are, a person cannot be on chemo forever. He is going to discuss it with the drug company and see what they want to do. He is also going to press that if the tumor comes back, Bryon must be able to restart the treatments. We felt it was a reasonable proposal since it would really test the drugs capabilities. Regular chemo treatments are generally done for one year and Bryon is now a good month into the second year of the same treatment. Keep in mind, also, that remission is not possible without going ten years without re-occurrence after treatment. That's a long time for such an aggressive cancer.
In the previous post I mentioned that we would like all readers to list names of cancer victims. Unfortunately, we have another one to add to the pile. Bryon's 1st cousin and good friend was recently diagnosed with melanoma. It was one of those bad moles that we all ignore, and he was sent to the Huntsman Center on Monday and Tuesday for tests. Even though he may be out of the woods, the doctor he visited suggested that the entire Jacobson family (Bryon's mother's side) get a check up. Bryon has had two uncles, his mother, grandmother, and now his cousin with some type of cancer. Let this be a friendly reminder that even though some cancers are not genetic, you may be in a family that is prone to cancer in general.
After viewing the slides Dr. Jensen just chuckled and said "Exactly what am I supposed to measure? There is nothing there! I have never seen anything like this before."
We asked a few questions about Bryon's current medications and he has been instructed to stop taking his seizure medication, as a seizure is most unlikely in his current condition. That type of medication makes a person feel very "weird" as Bryon puts it, but really any drug could do that. He is very excited that he has one less drug on the menu.
I dared to ask the question about when will we take Bryon off the medication to see if the tumor is truly gone? Dr. Jensen admitted that no matter how awesome the results are, a person cannot be on chemo forever. He is going to discuss it with the drug company and see what they want to do. He is also going to press that if the tumor comes back, Bryon must be able to restart the treatments. We felt it was a reasonable proposal since it would really test the drugs capabilities. Regular chemo treatments are generally done for one year and Bryon is now a good month into the second year of the same treatment. Keep in mind, also, that remission is not possible without going ten years without re-occurrence after treatment. That's a long time for such an aggressive cancer.
In the previous post I mentioned that we would like all readers to list names of cancer victims. Unfortunately, we have another one to add to the pile. Bryon's 1st cousin and good friend was recently diagnosed with melanoma. It was one of those bad moles that we all ignore, and he was sent to the Huntsman Center on Monday and Tuesday for tests. Even though he may be out of the woods, the doctor he visited suggested that the entire Jacobson family (Bryon's mother's side) get a check up. Bryon has had two uncles, his mother, grandmother, and now his cousin with some type of cancer. Let this be a friendly reminder that even though some cancers are not genetic, you may be in a family that is prone to cancer in general.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
What a remarkable brain you have!
Here is some 'for fun' news that we received on Monday. The drug company is having a conference to talk about their trial drugs awesomeness with other health care professionals. The clinical trial patients files and MRI's will be presented for many doctors and researchers, just to show off how great it is doing in phases I and II. Bryon's MRI is going to be front and center since he has shown the most progress in reducing tumor size and increased brain function. His name will not be mentioned, but he is the official poster brain at this conference.
On the way home yesterday, Bryon mentioned he had just drank the worst Coke he had ever had. The chemo is apparently getting to him a bit, and it isn't that surprising after being on it for the past year. His body is adjusting to it well now so his weight loss is not as dramatic as it used to be, and he can bounce back quite quickly when his white cell counts are not too low. His counts are lower this week, but not terrible, so he is up and moving while fighting the fatigue.
In my next post I hope to start up the online auction as mentioned in previous posts. Please tell as many people as you can about this blog so we can get some major support for our friends.
Do unto others as you would have done to you. Cancer is a continuous battle and no one should have to suffer from it's terrible tolls on income and mental and physical strain. Prayers are always welcome. If you know anyone who is fighting cancer, has passed away from cancer, or has managed to beat their cancer please leave their name in the comments for us so that we may forward prayers to them as well.
On the way home yesterday, Bryon mentioned he had just drank the worst Coke he had ever had. The chemo is apparently getting to him a bit, and it isn't that surprising after being on it for the past year. His body is adjusting to it well now so his weight loss is not as dramatic as it used to be, and he can bounce back quite quickly when his white cell counts are not too low. His counts are lower this week, but not terrible, so he is up and moving while fighting the fatigue.
In my next post I hope to start up the online auction as mentioned in previous posts. Please tell as many people as you can about this blog so we can get some major support for our friends.
Do unto others as you would have done to you. Cancer is a continuous battle and no one should have to suffer from it's terrible tolls on income and mental and physical strain. Prayers are always welcome. If you know anyone who is fighting cancer, has passed away from cancer, or has managed to beat their cancer please leave their name in the comments for us so that we may forward prayers to them as well.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
NEW TOPICS!
I know it has been way too long since I gave you an update, but you'll be happy to know everything is smoothing out quite nicely. The second MRI was no different than the first, and the drug company paid for it along with an echo cardiogram that is required yearly. Treatment continues and Bryon feels like maybe he is ready to take on household responsibilities. I am grateful for that since I have been begging him to let me get a job for the last two years and he has finally granted my request. I turned in an application today and was told that I was more than likely to be hired on graveyard at Schreiber Foods. HURRAY FOR HEALTH BENEFITS!!
Our predicament now is that Bryon still has to go to SLC on Mondays for treatment. If I get the graveyard shift I will be able to take him, but was wondering if we could get any volunteers to to help out if needed? We have wonderful family members who said I should go ahead and get the job and we'll work the rest out later. It is now officially later, for me anyway, so if you feel you need to get out of town on someone else's dime and car let me know.
AUCTION NOTICE!!
There will be no more auction items put out for Bryon's cause. We feel that we are no longer the ones in most need of help and would like to use the online auction and remaining items to better serve a friend who is just starting the same journey as Bryon. Kris Cole is 19 years old and has recently been diagnosed with a stage 4 glioblastoma tumor. He has had one surgery and is currently undergoing radiation therapy. When the radiation is complete, he will have a month off and then start a clinical drug trial at McKay Dee Hospital in Ogden, UT. Anything auctioned on this blog will go directly to his travel expenses and needs during this difficult time. I also want everyone to know you can donate $5.00 at Hansen's Glass & Paint store in Preston, ID and receive a black bracelet that says'Fight The Fight KC #24' on it. It is an awesome way to show your support for all cancer patients who are fighting for their lives. If you have any items you would like to donate please email me or leave a comment on this post. Thanks for everything, and stay tuned for further updates on Bryon and Kris.
sarakay@plmw.com
Our predicament now is that Bryon still has to go to SLC on Mondays for treatment. If I get the graveyard shift I will be able to take him, but was wondering if we could get any volunteers to to help out if needed? We have wonderful family members who said I should go ahead and get the job and we'll work the rest out later. It is now officially later, for me anyway, so if you feel you need to get out of town on someone else's dime and car let me know.
AUCTION NOTICE!!
There will be no more auction items put out for Bryon's cause. We feel that we are no longer the ones in most need of help and would like to use the online auction and remaining items to better serve a friend who is just starting the same journey as Bryon. Kris Cole is 19 years old and has recently been diagnosed with a stage 4 glioblastoma tumor. He has had one surgery and is currently undergoing radiation therapy. When the radiation is complete, he will have a month off and then start a clinical drug trial at McKay Dee Hospital in Ogden, UT. Anything auctioned on this blog will go directly to his travel expenses and needs during this difficult time. I also want everyone to know you can donate $5.00 at Hansen's Glass & Paint store in Preston, ID and receive a black bracelet that says'Fight The Fight KC #24' on it. It is an awesome way to show your support for all cancer patients who are fighting for their lives. If you have any items you would like to donate please email me or leave a comment on this post. Thanks for everything, and stay tuned for further updates on Bryon and Kris.
sarakay@plmw.com
Friday, March 5, 2010
Are you serious?
We received an email today from the trail coordinator, Travis, who communicates with the drug company regarding Bryon's treatment protocol. He said the drug people were pleased with the MRI results from two weeks ago, but they wold like a confirmation of it's results. This means on Bryon's week off of treatment he gets to go to SLC for a second MRI (that lasts only about an hour). That's nice and everything, but who is going to pay for the scan? OH RIGHT! I forgot...we do. Who is going to pay for the gas to get there? We will. Thanks to a change of insurance companies, University of Utah is now out of our network too. Yes, they cover some expenses, but if it is not medically relevant then we get the full bill. I guess every miracle has it's price. I'd rather pay for it the rest of my life as long as Bryon is in it with me.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
F.Y.I.
Here is some of the information I was able to scan on to the blog. More MRI's will follow as they become available.
The above MRI shows Bryon's head in August 2008 while under growing radiation therapy in preparation to take the oral chemotherapy drug called Temodar. It was the easiest form of chemo and the one with the least amount of side effects, but also showed very ineffective on treating the tumor. Bryon would have surgery to remove the tumor in January 2009 after it re-grew to a size just larger than a quarter. The tumor has been outlined in black. You are viewing his head from the back, and you can see how far up the tumor had to grow to reach his skull.
The above MRI shows Bryon's head in August 2008 while under growing radiation therapy in preparation to take the oral chemotherapy drug called Temodar. It was the easiest form of chemo and the one with the least amount of side effects, but also showed very ineffective on treating the tumor. Bryon would have surgery to remove the tumor in January 2009 after it re-grew to a size just larger than a quarter. The tumor has been outlined in black. You are viewing his head from the back, and you can see how far up the tumor had to grow to reach his skull.
This is the previous MRI that the drug company was using as a base to compare how much the tumor would change every eight weeks. This was the first time the tumor reacted to the MPC (the acronym for the trial drug) and had showed significant reduction in size. Shape of the tumor is never consistent, but general location has stayed the same.
What is a glioblastoma anyway?
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and most aggressive type of primary brain tumor in humans, involving glial cells and accounting for 52% of all parenchymal brain tumor cases and 20% of all intracranial tumors. Despite being the most prevalent form of primary brain tumor, GBMs occur in only 2–3 cases per 100,000 people in Europe and North America. According to the WHO classification of the tumors of the central nervous system, the standard name for this brain tumor is "glioblastoma"; it presents two variants: giant cell glioblastoma and gliosarcoma. Glioblastomas are also an important brain tumor of the canine, and research is ongoing to use this as a model for developing treatments in humans.[1] Treatment can involve chemotherapy, radiation radiosurgery, corticosteroids, antiangiogenic therapy, and surgery. [2]
Glioblastoma has a very poor prognosis, despite multimodality treatment consisting of open craniotomy with surgical resection of as much of the tumor as possible, followed by concurrent or sequential chemoradiotherapy, antiangiogenic therapy with bevacizumab, gamma knife radiosurgery, and symptomatic care with corticosteroids. Other than the brainstem gliomas, it has the worst prognosis of any CNS malignancyWednesday, February 24, 2010
Oh, by the way...
Bryon had a clean MRI yesterday. First time in 2 years. No biggie.
CONGRATS BRYON!! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!
MRI series and info coming soon (we hope) so stayed tuned.
CONGRATS BRYON!! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!
MRI series and info coming soon (we hope) so stayed tuned.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Computer Genius Wanted
I am so psyched about getting Bryon MRI's on the blog. I have a whole string of them that I would like to put on here for everyone, but I hit a few bumps right before I hit the brick wall. First off, my scanner, that I have only used once in it's entire existence, has died prematurely. No problem I have found there are other people who are willing to lend me their equipment. However, the MRI discs have special programs on them that do not want me to share the photos, so we are trying to print the photos out and scan them back into the computer...the discs didn't like that either. Maybe it was my email? my computer? or just me in general, but I know this can be done. Does anyone have any clue as to how to help me accomplish this?
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
February 3, 2010
It has been some time since the last post, but always keep in mind that no news is good news.
Bryon's chemo cycle started over again this past Monday, and we happen to find out some interesting news by trial and error. Bryon has been complaining that he feels more yucky than usual on his double chemo week. It is to be expected, but not when you have the best anti nausea medicine available. Turns out, it is in fact the anti nausea pills that are causing him to feel crappy. Not that he would like to try the alternative of going without them, but it is nice to know cause and effect. We have also learned Bryon is now becoming allergic to the MRI contrast. When conducting the last MRI, the process was interrupted when Bryon evacuated the contents of his stomach on to the floor (up chucked). No big deal, there are other contrasts to try, put one done for now.
As Spring is not quickly approaching, we find ourselves swimming in a pool of redundancy. Cabin fever has swept over us like a plague. Any kind of sunshine we can soak up gives minor relief. It is not that we don't have things to do, but rather we just don't want to do them. Several friends and family members have express their own concerns about their fever issues. It is nice to know that no one is suffering alone. Plenty of house work and unfinished projects are all around us. We may just have to buckle down and get it done. Then everything would be completed and we really would have reason to complain.
The next post is pending on my ability to run a scanner. I have a few MRI's to show off and even the actual measurements of the tumors growth pattern. Cross your fingers that I am able to work out this technical conundrum.
Bryon's chemo cycle started over again this past Monday, and we happen to find out some interesting news by trial and error. Bryon has been complaining that he feels more yucky than usual on his double chemo week. It is to be expected, but not when you have the best anti nausea medicine available. Turns out, it is in fact the anti nausea pills that are causing him to feel crappy. Not that he would like to try the alternative of going without them, but it is nice to know cause and effect. We have also learned Bryon is now becoming allergic to the MRI contrast. When conducting the last MRI, the process was interrupted when Bryon evacuated the contents of his stomach on to the floor (up chucked). No big deal, there are other contrasts to try, put one done for now.
As Spring is not quickly approaching, we find ourselves swimming in a pool of redundancy. Cabin fever has swept over us like a plague. Any kind of sunshine we can soak up gives minor relief. It is not that we don't have things to do, but rather we just don't want to do them. Several friends and family members have express their own concerns about their fever issues. It is nice to know that no one is suffering alone. Plenty of house work and unfinished projects are all around us. We may just have to buckle down and get it done. Then everything would be completed and we really would have reason to complain.
The next post is pending on my ability to run a scanner. I have a few MRI's to show off and even the actual measurements of the tumors growth pattern. Cross your fingers that I am able to work out this technical conundrum.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
JANUARY 2010!!
Holy Crap! It is a new year! Bryon and I have the same old schedule as always and I am so excited! For the first time in almost 2 years we can say with some certainty that we can plan out our lives past next week. Bryon is feeling crappy from his chemo yesterday, but I am feeling recharged and ready to return to some old habits. I feel like returning to the gym and de-stressing in the hot tub!
We have decided we will need something to do this year instead of sitting around waiting for things to happen. I have arranged for Bryon and I to do some work at the Westside Nursery across the street from our house. There is no commute and it is sit down easy work so Bryon won't have to worry about working himself to death. There isn't any money in it, but I agreed to be paid in flowers and knowledge. Clint and Cheryl Buttars are happy to receive the help and are some of the nicest neighbors anyone could have.
So, now that the holidays are over we are trying to delay the bite of the gardening bug. I am more worried about it's affects on me, but I can tell Bryon wants to get out and feel useful again. Exercise doesn't hurt anyone, but the lack of it will kill you.
We have decided we will need something to do this year instead of sitting around waiting for things to happen. I have arranged for Bryon and I to do some work at the Westside Nursery across the street from our house. There is no commute and it is sit down easy work so Bryon won't have to worry about working himself to death. There isn't any money in it, but I agreed to be paid in flowers and knowledge. Clint and Cheryl Buttars are happy to receive the help and are some of the nicest neighbors anyone could have.
So, now that the holidays are over we are trying to delay the bite of the gardening bug. I am more worried about it's affects on me, but I can tell Bryon wants to get out and feel useful again. Exercise doesn't hurt anyone, but the lack of it will kill you.
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