The Life of Bryon

Another brain scan

2011-12-23T13:06:00.003-07:00

Well it is here again, dum dum dum, it's time for another scan of my brain. I had it done last week and now it will be the Tuesday of the next week before I know what it says.

I had a scare that had me going in a month early for an MRI. So if you are praying send one up for me.

Also, Kenny Jacobson has been brought into our group with a stage 4 melanoma.

Cancer sucks!!!!

Bryon the Superstar

2010-12-28T16:34:00.002-07:00

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)

The truth about us...

2010-12-15T20:44:00.002-07:00

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.

Quick Blurb

2010-12-07T11:51:00.002-07:00

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.

Sisters

2010-12-01T20:17:00.003-07:00

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.

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

2010-12-01T15:16:00.002-07:00

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.

New Doctor's for New Problems

2010-11-29T09:49:00.002-07:00

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.

The final count down...

2010-11-22T00:01:00.003-07:00

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.

Honorable Mention

2010-10-23T05:26:00.002-06:00

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!

A New Adventure Begins

2010-10-07T13:21:00.003-06:00

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.

City Kids

2010-10-03T11:12:00.001-06:00

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.

What a big boy!!

2010-09-20T11:09:00.002-06:00

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!

Quiet Blog

2010-09-14T12:28:00.004-06:00

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.

Results for August 10th, 2010

2010-08-12T17:20:00.002-06:00

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.

MRI Scheduled

2010-07-21T00:38:00.002-06:00

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.

Thank You!

2010-07-13T22:37:00.002-06:00

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.

Summer Concert Event

2010-06-21T17:31:00.006-06:00

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.

End of an Era

2010-06-17T16:07:00.003-06:00

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.

Benefit Concert & Social

2010-06-09T21:41:00.002-06:00

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!!

MRI Series

2010-04-25T21:59:00.016-06:00

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.)

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.

What do we do now?

2010-04-21T19:35:00.003-06:00

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.

What a remarkable brain you have!

2010-04-13T15:43:00.004-06:00

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.

NEW TOPICS!

2010-04-07T16:28:00.002-06:00

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

Are you serious?

2010-03-05T13:45:00.002-07:00

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.

F.Y.I.

2010-02-27T21:56:00.004-07:00

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.

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 malignancy

Oh, by the way...

2010-02-24T12:25:00.001-07:00

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.

Computer Genius Wanted

2010-02-18T17:20:00.002-07:00

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?

February 3, 2010

2010-02-03T19:38:00.002-07:00

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.

JANUARY 2010!!

2010-01-05T10:38:00.002-07:00

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.

December 30, 2009

2009-12-30T14:26:00.002-07:00

After a long year of travel and treatments, we have finally received the next best thing to a perfect year end event. Bryon's MRI showed his tumor has shrunk down to the smallest size since surgery in January. Dr. Jensen is very happy with the results and informed us that Bryon is the poster boy for his drug trial. Bryon is the longest lasting patient on the trial and currently is one of only two remaining candidates on the trial in Utah. Our trial coordinator, Travis, is going to email us the measurements they have been recording all year long and any other information regarding Bryon's participation in the trial. We are excited to share this news with everyone, since it has been a year of such uncertainty. When we receive all the information it will be posted for you to see how Bryon has progressed since surgery. You may even be able to compare MRI's from post surgery to the present. The MRI's are a real window into how incredible this news really is.

Bryon is very tired, but relieved to hear the good news. The cold weather wears him out very quickly and he is not very active with such temperatures looming outside. He does want to express his gratitude to all of his friends, neighbors and family memebers who helped us out over the last month.

Thank you to the neighbors who visited and kept Bryon in touch with the outside world. You are the kind of people that make us feel welcome anywhere, anytime.

Thank you to family for always being a beam of support and a light to reality when things get foggy. From Sunday dinners to extended phone calls, family is where the love begins.

The whole Gundersen family wishes to extend a huge hug of appreciation to Bryon's co-workers at Schreiber Foods. The volunteers from Schreiber's came to our home and spent much of their valuable time fixing and mending the basement of our home. It is now a comfortable place to be and easier to maintain. Although they are not finished, the projects and kind gestures have meant the world to us. Even though Bryon has completed his speech therapy, he is speechless when is comes to recalling all of the kindness that has been shown to him and his family.

We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and we wish you all the happiest of times in 2010.

December 27, 2009

2009-12-27T16:08:00.002-07:00

Nothing new to report other than we survived the holidays. Bryon is looking forward to a trip to Salt Lake on Tuesday for an end of the year MRI. We requested a clean image, but we will have to wait and see what the doctor has to say. Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and that your New Year will bring great things.

December 8, 2009

2009-12-08T20:13:00.002-07:00

Holy cow, is it December already?! Well, I think a quick update is in order. Bryon did finally finish his speech therapy, and was given an open invitation to sharpen his skills at the USU speech institute anytime in the future. He met all of his goals and has improved by 80% or more in most categories. There was only one area where he was improved by 76%, but that too exceeded our expectations.

Bryon is able to visit Schreiber's occasionally and enjoys seeing his work buddies. You know you have a good job when everyone you work with becomes your friend, even when your not at work. He misses the job, but admits that being able to improve his speech and fine motor skills was more important. Bryon is still unable to drive, even with his improvements, his attention span is still not where is should be. In a few months he will take a driving test in Salt Lake, it will tell him what he will need to work on to become a safer driver.

As of Monday Bryon started another chemo cycle. It is the same old story as usual, we are pretty used to it by now. The holiday season is fast approaching and we are counting our blessings. The fact that we get to be together every day, and not just on the weekends or holidays, is our greatest treasure. Having time to enjoy each others company and make memories with the girl's is more than Bryon can ask for. Now that we have some snow on the ground, our holiday is pretty much complete.

If the blog is not updated further down the road, Happy Holidays to everyone! Thanks for all your love and support all year round.

November 30, 2009

2009-11-30T19:16:00.002-07:00

Sorry to be such a fuddy duddy, but you know how it is around the holidays. Bryon is doing well since his last round of treatment. He has a week off and it's a good thing. He needs time to get over another head cold. They seem to hit him harder than they used to, but he is such a trooper. He has done the dishes voluntarily the last tow days and was able to muster up the energy to enjoy an Aggie b-ball game. We have become home a little more home bound since starting a few projects on the house, but we don't mind. The projects keep us busy and it makes Bryon feel like his electrical knowledge has not gone to waste.

Bryon will be completing his speech and occupational therapy this week. After speaking with the therapists, Bryon is very pleased to announce he has achieved and even exceeded his goals set at the beginning of his therapy almost 8 weeks ago. He has improved in most areas by 80% or more and is so close to be considered 'independent' by hospital standards he can taste it with a tooth pick. Congratulations Bryon!

Bryon will start another round of chemo on Monday and have his last MRI of the year on December 29th. If all goes well, he should be able to continue on the clinical trial in 2010. Bryon wants to thank everyone for keeping in touch and sharing your thoughts with him. Believe it or not he does read the blog and is so glad to have this convenient connection with family and friends.

November 17, 2009

2009-11-17T17:21:00.002-07:00

Treatment went great this week. We had good driving weather and it got done early in the afternoon. Bryon was able to go to the Point Restaurant and get his own lunch for a change, and then we headed out well before rush hour. We kept a steady pace all the way to Preston which gave us a total return travel time of two hours. We will not disclose how fast we were going, but we made it to the Health Department just as the H1N1 vaccines were starting. Bryon and I got through the line and headed to Dayton to pick up Anna. Then we drove to Weston to pick up Audrey. Both parents and children made the return trip to the Health Dept. to travel through the vaccination line a few more times. You can never be too safe when it comes to the flu.

Everything seems to be running as smoothly as possible. The only hiccup we have now is that both of the girl's are getting sick of staying at the same house for sleepovers when mom and dad leave. Anna is going to try a night at her friend Brinlee's house(thanks Jill!), and Audrey's sleep over location is yet to be decided. I am glad that is the only thing I have to worry about when I take Bryon to SLC.

Thanks for reading and for all of your continued support.

Apron for Auction

2009-11-11T13:39:00.002-07:00

This darling apron is handmade and comes with two oven mits! Bidding starts at $15.
Thanks, Ashley M. for the donation.

November 10, 2009

2009-11-10T22:24:00.002-07:00

Here is a quick update on Bryon since last week. He has started a new cycle of chemotherapy and is feeling the side effects as we speak. He is tired and worn out, but happy to take his antinausea medications. We are looking forward to the next treatment since it is much shorter and not near as difficult to endure.
Bryon wants to attempt some pheasant hunting this week if we get some snow, we will have to wait and see. He has also mentioned how neat it would be to see Tran Siberian Orchestra in concert, but it might just be easier to hear it all in the comfort of our home on CD. The sounds of the season have begun and we are looking forward to decorating with tacky colored ribbons and gaudy figurines. Feel the joy.

and the survey says...

2009-11-03T19:48:00.003-07:00

I love that line from Family Feud. I don't know why but it is kind of catchy...to me any way.

So, to make short of a long story this is what happened after the MRI. Dr. Jensen and Dr. Yuko as well as Travis the trial coordinator all met with us in the exam room. There was some complicated debate about whether or not Bryon was still eligible for the trial. However, thanks to our super hero Dr. Jensen, Bryon will be able to continue treatment on Monday. The scan showed a small decrease in the tumor size, about 2 mm to be exact. This is extremely good news considering we saw growth in the previous scan. Dr. Jensen is going to meet with the drug company on Friday and fight for Bryon to stay in the trial. He strongly opposes the method being used to calculate the tumor growth. He says it is counter productive and not medically relevant to what is really going on. Thank you Dr. Jensen for fighting for Bryon.

Treatment begins again on Monday and the next MRI is scheduled for December 29th. Kind of like deja vu really, since the last time we got bad news it was the same date one year ago. Things are looking good and we'll keep on truck'in.

MRI Day!

2009-11-02T21:45:00.002-07:00

Not that we are super excited to have another MRI, it is actually quite stressful, but at least we will know what's been going on. Bryon suffers silently most of the time since he has a hard time describing things in words. He has manged to tell me about his headaches the last few weeks. It may be nothing, but it is not like this man to have pain between the ears. I firmly believe that steel head fishing was good therapy for him, even though we all came home tired and ornery. We will go to Salt Lake on Tuesday, November 3 to have a scan and shortly after we will review the scan with Dr. Jensen.

Just a re-cap: If the tumor has grown 20% or more he is no longer eligible for the trial and will have to be referred to other methods of treatment. If the tumor is significantly larger (whatever size significant means.) surgery is always the best medicine. Thank heaven and prayers that we have seen little to no growth on the scans since surgery in January.

An update will be posted as soon as Bryon gets home from his appointments.

October 25, 2009

2009-10-25T15:42:00.002-06:00

Bryon is preparing for another trip to Salt Lake for week 3 of treatment. He has not been doing so well with his speech and occupational therapies. The past two weeks or so he has been fighting off a bad case of bronchitis and has had to postpone a few of his sessions. As of today, he is feeling better, and is taking some antibiotics to help get him well again. After his treatment on Monday he will make a U-turn and head to Salmon, ID for a week. His families annual fishing trip, that has gone on for over twenty years, takes place this week. Bryon is anxious to fish, eat, socialize and just be away from things for awhile. No updates will be done on the blog this week as no one will be around to do them, but once the Gundersen's come back from vacation there will be much to talk about. Bryon's next MRI is scheduled after his return from fishing so cross fingers and toes then pray a bunch so it comes out clean.

October 15, 2009

2009-10-15T12:15:00.010-06:00

Just a quick update on Bryon. He started another treatment cycle this past Monday and received the nasty once a month chemo, Carboplatin. In addition to that he was also well enough to get his flu shot. Now he is suffering from both treatments. In the long run he will be better off, but it is hard to watch him go through such misery just to get back to being healthy.

On the bright side of things, Bryon was able to do some minor retail therapy. We have been without a dinning table for several years and we finally broke down and bought one. It was the Kmart special, but it was so fun to sit together last night and have a french toast dinner at the table. Bryon also got some much needed pants and a warmer shirt to wear under his t-shirts. He gets chilled very easily and this should save him when he goes out for some fresh air. The purchases were needed so much more than we can put in to words. I want to thank my cousin and his family for helping us put these needs to rest.

Overall, Bryon is surviving. He has been able to go places with his family and see people he hasn't seen in a long time. His is very happy with his decision to stay home. Things always seem to have a way of working out and we are very blessed to have things so good in a bad situation. Thanks to everyone for your help and loving support.

Here we have Audrey eating her lunch on the new table! Yum!

Butterfly Bows

2009-10-07T14:33:00.002-06:00

This pair of bows is aprox. 3 inches wide and double stacked with grosgrain ribbon. Perfect for your toddler's pigtails or to clip to a baby headband! $10.

Halloween Blocks

2009-10-06T22:31:00.000-06:00

Wooden blocks to add to your Halloween decor! Starting bid $15

Awesome New Auction Item!!

2009-10-04T12:07:00.006-06:00

Hold on to your to do list ladies! We have an auction item that can help you get it all done! No more begging and pleading with the hubby to take care of those honey dew's, we have the remedy.
Mackay Wilson (my cousin Mary Beth's own live in 'Bob Villa') has offered his handy man services to the highest bidder. I have seen some of his work first hand and know for a fact he is capable of taking on some pretty big tasks. If you need to hang a shelf, dry wall, or lay some tile Mackay is your man!! Hours are negotiable and should be discussed with Mackay...not the auctioneer. The services are only available to local bidders not outside of the Cache Valley area. Materials for any projects performed are not provided by the laborer, this offer is for labor work only. A handsome laborer if I may add, but keep in mind he is happily married. His contact information will be available after the winner has been determined.

Thanks for this auction item Mackay and Mary Beth! Bidding starts at $50

Great Outdoors Blanket

2009-10-01T14:33:00.002-06:00

Great outdoors baby receiving blanket, measures 43 1/2 x 42
Thanks to Camille for the donation.
Starting bid $25.00

Perfect for Any Little Princess

2009-10-01T14:32:00.001-06:00

This darling little blanket measures 40X46. Special thanks to Camille for the donation.

Opening bid: $25

Darling bib and burbcloth

2009-09-29T12:36:00.003-06:00

**Remember to include your email when you bid**

This hand made set will look darling on your baby! Special thanks to Andi for the donation.

Opening bid: $15.

September 28,2009

2009-09-28T10:57:00.002-06:00

Well, we made another trip to the city today. We are still in the hospital waiting to get the ball rolling as usual.

The last week went by so fast with Bryon home and and feeling well. He tried to stay active and involved and we have so much fun driving to Logan together for his speech therapy. He starts Occupational therapy this week to help him work on control his hand and legs tremors. This means we will be in Logan 3-4 days a week for the next little while. The speech therapist explained Bryons evaluation to us. She said that due to his lack of an attention span and delayed reaction time, his driving priveledges have been revoked. This is only until he can get his mind to multitask, and therapy should help a lot with that. If this is really the case then we should all have our licenses taken away....I have been accused of lacking some focus in my time and I seem to function.

In the mean time Bryon is getting excited about the family's annual trip to Salmon, Idaho for a week long fishing trip. We won't be able to take a trailer this year, but since his whole family goes up together, I am sure someone will have room for him. The kids are excited about it too, because they get to do trick or treating to all the trailers in the parking lot. They get more candy from the handful of trailers at Cache Bar than you would combing the entire city of Weston, ID. It will be good for Bryon to get back to what he loves and that's bringing in a wild steel head trout. By the way, Bryon isn't going to work anymore so he won't turn down any invites to go fishing unless hunting gets in the way. I found it very funny that we trust Bryon with a gun, but his employer doesn't trust him with a screw driver.

I just want to ask everyone to please pass this blog on to anyone you know and encourage them to participate in the auction. Donated items are wonderful and much appreciated. If we can get people bidding too, that would really boost things for my cousin. She has already bid on two items in her own auction, maybe we should show a little support for Christina. Thanks for all your efforts cousin, they don't go unnoticed.

Well, it is almost lunch time and I had better get back and see if Bryon wants food! We will update the blog if something should go out of the ordinary.

New Auction Item

2009-09-22T10:46:00.002-06:00

Unique Custom Wood Signs!

These pictures are just a few examples of what the artist has already done. All were done free hand so each sign is unique. You can request a smooth wood or genuine barn wood. Custom sayings or family names accepted. If dried flowers are available they can be applied to the sign as well. Biding will start at $15.

September 22, 2009

2009-09-22T10:11:00.005-06:00

This week was slightly different...thank heavens for change! No blood draw and no EKG's during treatment. This made for a very speedy stay in the hospital. We were in by 8:00 am and out by 1:30 pm. Bryon was so happy that he got to go to the Point Restaurant in person that he had me by some of their fabulous chocolate cake. He ate Buoy Soup and a mango smoothie. I took a picture of him while he was finishing up, he was having a very good day.

The new trial protocol also requires a new trial coordinator. His name is Travis, and he is every bit as silly as Chris was, our last trial coordinator. He doesn't have it all down yet, but he is trying and that is what counts. We appreciate all he does to make our stay comfortable every week.

As for long term, Bryon officially called it quits at work today. He was too exhausted to get out of bed and came to except that life could be better for him without work. We are excited to have him home and see him do things that make him happy, not tired.

Recent happenings...

2009-09-19T13:23:00.003-06:00

Bryon has given his current situation a lot of thought. He has concluded that working a full time job is no longer possible. It is not fair to his employer and it takes a lot more out of him than it gives back. So, after he made this decision he said he would work until he can see his doctor, which should be able to recommend long term disability. Then he will be able to stay home and be a lot less stressed. Bryon is not sick every day all the time, but he has limited amounts of energy to give. When he is rested he can function quite well for an hour or so, but shortly after, he resigns to the couch where he sleeps for 3-4 hours just to recuperate. We wish him luck in this new venture and am very glad to see he made it this far.

***Scroll down for auction items. Check back for new items added often***

The Porcelain God

2009-09-17T07:31:00.003-06:00

***Scroll down for auction items. Check back for new items added often***

I don't think Bryon, or myself, had any idea how things would work once his health really went downhill. The last few days have been very frustrating and stressful. Bryon has been very good at taking his meds so he isn't sick, but the fatigue alone has hit him like a truck. He can sleep all day and be wide awake for an hour and be able to sleep another 8 hours with no problem. You can see when he is awake that he really wants to be useful, but his legs just want to fall out from under him.

The real worry, as of today, is he has lost his appetite and made a mad dash to the thrown of the porcelain God and forcibly sacrificed what little he did have in his stomach. (he threw up.) He immediately came home and is now resting. This is the longest he has been away from work, except after surgery, and even though his co-workers are concerned he is starting to walk on a thin line with his employer.

What can you do? He is the sickest I have ever seen him, but the worst part is knowing it is self inflicted in order to prevent worse things from happening. This cancer is becoming more than just headache to us, and I wish I had a magic baseball bat to knock it out of the ball park.(Bryon's head.) I have vented a little and rambled a lot, and that is not what this blog is for.

I want to thank everyone who is participating in the online auction. There will be new items coming soon, so keep checking in to see whats available. A great big thank you is also thrown out to everyone who reads this blog. Just knowing your checking in on Bryon is very comforting to him and he loves your comments.

What a conundrum!

2009-09-15T22:34:00.003-06:00

I was reluctant to take a photo of Bryon this week since he decided to shave off the beard. It isn't that he looks bad, but he does have his father's chin, and it tends to make him look quite juvenile.

In addition to the baby face, he had sores under the facial hair. They were red splotches that did not appear to be infected, but unsightly none the less. The doctor looked at them and explained his skin is probably more sensitive than it used to be and has over reacted to being dry. This also explains why he breaks out so bad when his skin is oily. So, he has to put his modeling career on hold for awhile while his skin regroups, but his blood cell counts are a different story.

We were told Bryon would become immunosupressed (spell check just isn't up on the medical terminology, so I apologize for spelling errors.), but he has done so well that it was kind of a shock when they said his counts were low. What this means is the white and red blood cell counts are low enough to suppress his ability to fight infection and cause severe fatigue. He is supposed to avoid large crowds (basically work), anyone who is potentially sick(or wear a mask instead), and report immediately to the ER if he has a fever of 101 degrees or higher. His numbers are not bad enough to give him a booster shot at this point, but we would like to avoid it anyway. The shot would create panic in his bone marrow, causing it to produce more blood cells. The worst and most common side effect of this drug would cause serve aches in his joints and bones throughout the body. The only time they would give him the booster is if absolutely needed it. For right now, he is still able to be in the medical study, even though he is also having troubles with blood clotting. We will just have to keep a close eye on him and wait to see how this affects his day to day life.

Bryon is considering going on disability while I (the wife) go to work. I am not tremendously excited for him if that is his decision. I do feel that work gives him something to focus on and a reason to get out of bed. I also feel that if he were to stay and run the home, he would be doing his family a great service without putting his health in jeopardy. There are always choices in these matters, and this one is totally up to him.

As for now, life goes on, but much bigger decisions are yet to be made. It is a tense time, but like the seasons, it may be time for a change.

September 9, 2009

2009-09-09T07:59:00.003-06:00

Just a quick update on Bryon and recent events. Bryon went to Salt Lake yesterday to have his 8 week MRI and doctor visit. Even though there was some massive confusion about where the MRI was supposed to take place, it happened and we were able to move on. Doctor Jensen was able to see Bryon this week and was very optimistic as usual, but someone should inform him that an extended period of silence while reviewing the images only creates stress in those sitting in the room with him. After much debate, he decides there is little to no change and treatment may continue. Bryon and I had our own opinion of what changes were there, but thank heavens that our medical opinions on this matter are irrelevant.

So, life continues and we will keep pretending we have a normal life. Just a quick side note, however, I am incredibly busy since my kids started school. It makes it very difficult to update to blogs when news happens. I am going to keep this blog as current as possible, and only update the family blog when I have time. Both blogs will remain, but I am sorry if they do not always reflect the latest gossip.

Filling a void...

2009-09-03T08:35:00.002-06:00

OK, I am sorry for the lack of updates, but after school got started, I really got busy.

Bryon has a two week break from treatment right now. He gets his regular 4th week off and the week after he will go in for the all important MRI and visit with the doctor. He had a major blow to his ego last week when he was approached by human resources at work. A few of his co-workers had safety concerns about Bryon being around the machines, and asked that something be done about it. It was not a complaint, but merely that they love him and don't want him to be electrocuted. Understanding this, I spoke with Ben in HR and explained Bryon's current obstacles in speech and mental processing. He said Bryon will work on day shift in general labor for 90 days and if their is some improvement he can eventually go back to being a tech, but if there is no change he will be there permanently and take a $3 pay cut. Now, being the man that Bryon is, he took it pretty had for the first 24 hours before his new shift. He soon came around to the idea and realized he has the power to change his situation. Starting today he will go through more therapy to address his issues and try to regain better communication skills.

So, it has been a slow moving week, but we are loving the time we have with Bryon on a normal schedule. It is the first time in his married life that he has worked days. It makes the need for a kitchen table much more pertinent. Even if he can't improve and has to remain on this shift, the pay cut will be hard to swallow, but we will love being around him more often. If anything, he might get more rest and he might gain some weight. There is an upside to everything.

August 18, 2009

2009-08-18T22:49:00.002-06:00

This was week two of Bryon's treatment cycle. Things went off without a hitch and I am happy to say no one got sick this time. Bryon slept more than usual, but managed to muster the energy to down a cheeseburger, then drift off to dream once more.

Bryon has his good days and bad days. The physical ills are on a more regular schedule than the mental ruts he seems to fall into. He has mentioned that he feels worthless and asks 'why me?', but we all know the answer to that. Bryon is a very determined individual who has been given this trial only because he is strong enough to overcome it. He is very useful since he is determined to go to work every night and provide financial support to his family as well as himself. His loving support to other family members brings peace and appreciation to their troubled hearts. He brings smiles to his kids faces every day, who ask for him urgently when he is not around.

Bryon used to tell me that the one thing he loved most about me was my big heart. No matter who it was, I hated causing them any grief. I have changed a lot since then, and Bryon reflects his description of me so long ago. His heart gets bigger every day and we are so lucky to have him in our lives. I am so happy he was able to attend the Westerberg family reunion and share his light with every one. He thinks so much of others, and yet, all we can do is think of him and what he must be going through.

I love you so much Bryon, and so does everyone else who takes the time to think about you every day. You are of great worth and this terrible cancer has been dealt to you because you are strong enough to get through it. Every week is another week lived, and we are grateful.

August 11, 2009

2009-08-11T19:30:00.003-06:00

This week's adventure in Salt Lake was mildly, uneventful...for Bryon. Thanks to the new hospital cafeteria, the menu has changed for breakfast. Hallelujah!! We had french toast with bacon or sausage, a whole wheat bagel (talk about getting your carbs!), and milk and orange juice. Bryon downed his just fine, but half way through mine I got a wee bit queasy. By the time I had finished the bacon and toast, my stomach had had it! I immediately laid down to rest and no sooner had I got comfy did my stomach roar in retaliation. I was hit with food poisoning. For the majority of the day I was bed ridden or evacuating my innards in one form or another. So, in short, I got nothing done that I had planned on. My pedicure will have to wait till next week I guess.

On the way home Bryon wanted to go down the Fruit Way. He was just aching for some cherries. I thought I would be on the look out for any deal I could find. The first fruit stand that was open had our business. Five pounds of cherries for under $5! Bryon was ex tactic and feeling confident he could finish it all off by himself. I found a large bucket, nearly full, of pickling cucumbers. It was the last one and obviously picked over. I asked how much they were and the under age sales man said it was $18!! Holy Crap! Even the hospital isn't that big of a rip off. I brought the bucket over to him and asked him if it looked like $18 worth of vegetables to him. He said they only have them priced that high because people in Salt Lake will pay it. He said that since we were not from the city, being nice, and knew better than to pay that much he sold the whole thing to me for $7. Now I have a fridge full of cherries and cucumbers and not the slightest clue on how to get rid of them.

The whole family will give the cherries a run for their money, if our stomachs allow, but does anyone know how to make dill pickles?

August 3, 2009

2009-08-03T19:12:00.002-06:00

We, the Gundersen's, want to thank everyone for supporting us through our difficult time. The support has been overwhelming and the ongoing efforts to keep us afloat take our breath away. We are extremely humbled and grateful that anyone would think that much of us. Thank you friends and family.

I think I prefer Dr. Suess....

2009-07-16T14:29:00.003-06:00

Our adventure with treatment with this week was long and awful. Too bad we have a blog and can take the time to tell you the whole boring story!!

To recap; last week Bryon took part in his regularly scheduled MRI. The only difference in that trip was that we would not be able to see Dr. Jensen, Bryon's neurosurgeon. Dr. Jensen had to participate in a more urgent matter and we were asked to reschedule for Tuesday, July 15th. I tried to work it out with the doctor's nurse, Melody, a way to get a visit in on Monday when we come for treatment instead of having to be in Salt Lake for two days. Melody explained that there had been a mix up and we were never supposed to be rescheduled, but she would see what she could do.

Sunday night, I had made arrangements for the kids to stay with friends and family, and Bryon and I were going to leave that night and stay in Ogden. Before we could leave, I was unable to contact the family Audrey was going to be staying with. We went to their home and no one answered the door. Troubled by this, we went home and tried to figure out a new strategy. Luckily another neighbor was trying to get a hold of me and graciously agreed to let Audrey spend the night. After we had dropped Audrey off at the neighbors and Anna at her Granny's house, we were finally on the road. Our cell phone was MIA, so we had no way to contact anyone...keep this in mind for later.

We slept fine that night and woke up ready to head to SLC. When we arrived at the hospital it was 7:11 AM and we were anxious to get going. The nurses took one look at us and said, "your not supposed to be here." They had not received any information that Bryon did get an MRI, this meant they could not confirm if the treatment was working well enough for him to continue with it. Nurse Michel got on the phone to contact someone who could resolve the issue. After about an hour, the doctor on call named Julie, arrived and got Bryon approved for treatment.

The next step was to draw blood and make sure the cell counts were good. That part does not take long at all, but the lab had other ideas. There was another delay in the lab which meant another hour goes by without treatment. Then the pharmacy had a delay with the medications, good bye to another hour of their day. Finally all was ready to go, but it was already 1:00PM when Bryon finally got started. He had a scheduled release time of 9:00PM that evening. Oh joy.

Now, remember we haven't seen the scan so we are still waiting to hear what is going on with it. Sara was able to drag down Julie and ask what was on the scan. She explained there were some changes, but it was normal. The previous scan had no visible tumor, so if they can see something now it is officially growing. To the health care people this is good. They can chart the growth of the tumor while on their drug. Bryon and Sara, however, did not get any explanation on how much it had grown and what to expect in the next 8 weeks.

To clear her mind, Sara went and tried to do some study work on the internet at the learning library. This was her perch most of the day, but she managed to relay some information via email since she was unable to call home. Since the girls were at Granny's house, they needed to know when their parents were coming to pick them up. Some how, through Facebook, Granny found out there was trouble in SLC. Aunt Janie had tattled since she had seen the post on the web. Now every one was in a panic!!

By the evening time, Bryon was resting and Sara was getting his prescriptions filled. It couldn't go smoothly or it wouldn't have been a Monday. The pharmacy said everything would be ready 15 minutes after they were called in. Sara went to pick them up an hour later and they informed her that they were out of one medication and, regardless, both medications had to be paid for in full with cash. The insurance company had problems with their computers and would not pay for anything till they were back online. GRRR!

To spare you any more details, the day was down right crappy, but if it wasn't for crappy cancer we wouldn't have crappy cancer treatment days. (Some photos were taken just so you can get an idea of what goes on during treatment.)

The new hospital...it has been under construction for quite some time in case you were unaware.

"Hey your not supposed to be here?"

Labs, labs, labs....where the *&@# are the labs?

Fresh lemonade for the hard working technicians at the University Lab.

Bryon eating breakfast, and Dr. Julie trying to take his vitals.
Bryon has 3 ECG's throughout the day to monitor his heart.

Now don't move or the ECG won't be accurate!!
Waiting around was the longest part of day...quite boring as you can tell.

What fun, huh?

July 7, 2009

2009-07-07T07:37:00.003-06:00

Today, Bryon goes in for his 8 week MRI. We will not have an appointment with the doctor today so we will not know the results for about a week. Darn it!

The Gundersens would also like to give a huge thank you to the Swann family for putting on a yard sale. The benefits from that sale went towards hospital bills and food storage. Thank you Josh, Amber, Austin, Jeffery, & Jake. You are all such a big part of our lives, and we love you so much.

Funderaiser Updates!

2009-06-24T21:53:00.003-06:00

Check the left side column for updates on the yard sale and Scentsy Party!

The Scentsy party will be held Wednesday July 15th from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. at 743 East 800 North (that's Sandy's house) in Preston. Come and bring a friend or even two (if you have that many)!

New Trials

2009-06-19T13:24:00.002-06:00

Bryon's treatment's continue as usual. There have been no physical complications with the chemo or his new port. He struggles to keep up with work since several of his co-workers have been ill and no one is available to come in for him. He is also finding it difficult to accept that he is still recovering form his surgery. The speech and physical abilities are coming back steadily and we are very happy with his progress, but Bryon seems dissatisfied. Like anyone else, he wants to be better, or at least be more like himself before the surgery. He struggles daily with the knowledge he has a terminal illness and he can't ever escape the little reminders. Everything is planned around his treatments, how he might be feeling, or whether the tumor grows back in a different place. It is all about the tumor, not about Bryon anymore. No matter what the treatment does for him, I feel the loss of control over his own life is slowly draining his ability to function. We encourage him to get out and go fishing or have time for himself doing what he wants, but that rarely works out for him.

I would encourage anyone who is up for a day of fishing they would feel free to invite Bryon to get out with them and throw a line in. A four wheeler ride, or a drive up the canyon would do him some major good. He loves his family, but being with them all the time is not really the best medicine. He needs a manly moment, and possibly a vacation from EVERYTHING.

June 1, 2009

2009-06-01T22:07:00.002-06:00

Bryon's treatment today was very special. Anna Kay got to go on the trek to Salt Lake with her mom and dad to see what goes on. She was a willing partner in crime as she hung around with her mom all day for entertainment. What a joy it was to just sit and play and talk with Anna. She has grown up so much, and we are so impressed with her ability to excel, considering her upbringing.

When traveling to the Point Restaurant to get lunch for Bryon, Sara and Anna ran into some unexpected friends. The first was Dr. Jensen, Bryon's surgeon. He was getting lunch between surgeries and gave 5 minutes of his time to explain some of his more recent thoughts on Bryon's case. He said that he had spoken with another doctor about Bryon specifically. He mentioned that when he last spoke to Bryon they had decided not to decide on how long this current treatment would last. After speaking with his colleague, they have decided to continue treatment for one year, and will see what comes of the tumor by that time.

The other friend was actually a family member of sorts. Brad Fisher is Bryon's great uncle and owner of Best Tire in Cornish. He was visiting the Huntsman Center with his wife Lynn for her 6 month checkup. It was good to see a friendly face and someone who is going through the same kind of run around for a loved one.

The Gundersen's made it home safely and were happy to be reunited with little Audrey. Bryon feels great but will not go to work tonight. Even though he felt well enough to go last week, he very exhausted by the weekend. He would much rather be awake and able to go fishing with his brother than have to stay in bed.

Thanks Anna for being a friend to your mom today, she loves you very much and can't wait to spend more time with you this summer!

May 26, 2009

2009-05-26T22:21:00.002-06:00

Today was an awesome day in Salt Lake. The treatment went very quick and Bryon got some good rest in. We would have made it home in record time, but it was such a beautiful evening Bryon suggested we drive through Weston Canyon to get home. It was well worth it. Once we got home and picked up the girl's, Bryon decided he felt good enough to go to work. He got dressed, grabbed a Coke, and headed out the door! How awesome is that?!

Dr. Akerley, who is over the clinical trial, stopped in for the first time in 10 weeks. He said he couldn't believe how good Bryon looked, acted, spoke, and moved. He said his balance was right on and he couldn't really tell a difference between hand functions. The right one is gaining strength and is keeping up with the left very well. With nothing but positive comments and the sun shinning, it made for a wonderful day for Bryon. His goal now is to get back on top of his projects at work. He missed quite a bit of time since the port got put in and he doesn't want Schreiber's to stop relying on him. It is still a second home to him.

So, Congratulations Bryon!! You are finally able to do things on your own terms with smile on your face! Rock on!

May 19, 2009

2009-05-19T20:53:00.002-06:00

Bryon had his first treatment on Monday, using his new port. He received a Power Port on the right side of his chest last Wednesday, it will be used to put medications into his body and to take out blood samples as needed. The theory behind it is that he will no longer have burnt veins from the chemo, or have to be poked several times with a needle to find the vein.

The treatment went very smoothly and Bryon is very pleased with how painless the process was. The nurses who administer his treatments were very relieved to see the port also. Believe it or not they don't LIKE to poke people with needles. If you have a medical professional who does like to poke you then get a new one. He still has about 8 stitches holding the port under the skin, but they will be taken out in the next couple of days.

The clinical trial doctor also took a look at the suspicious mole on Bryon's neck. She kind of chuckled and said it wasn't a priority since he was already on chemo. The only reason to have it biopsied is if it gets bigger, very quickly. Since Bryon sees a doctor every week, he does not feel like he is in any immediate danger. Overall, Bryon is a new man with high hopes for his, now, extended future. Even though he feels better mentally, the drugs keep him limited physically. He has missed a lot of work in the last week, but will be returning to Schreiber's this evening. Loaded with pain meds and anti nausea pills he should fair pretty well. Most healthy people need those just to survive 8 hours at their own place of employment.

Good job Bryon, and keep on trucking!

May 13, 2009

2009-05-13T21:22:00.002-06:00

We have little bits of news coming in, so we had better get them posted. Bryon came home today, after having a port put in his chest. There are a few stitches in there that we were not expecting. Turns out he's a bleeder. Anyway, everything went well, except when the doctor became fixated on one of Bryon's many moles. He asked that Bryon see a dermatologist as soon as he can, especially considering his tendency for cancer growths. You think they could give us good news and let that be it for once. Oh well, we know it is just maintenance. The treatments are successful and tolerable, so we will stay this course until the wind changes and pushes us in a different direction. Get well soon Bryon, there's is life out there waiting for you!

May 12, 2009

2009-05-12T16:22:00.003-06:00

Just a quick note to all...Bryon's MRI looked AWESOME!! There was some contrast on the last scan 8 weeks ago that is not visible now. The doctor and staff were extremely excited to tell us this wonderful news. HURRAY!

Another Day of Treatment

2009-05-04T22:31:00.003-06:00

Today, Bryon had another dose of experimental treatment. It marks his 6th week in the clinical trial and so far he is doing great. The worst part of the day came right at the beginning, when the nurse attempted to start an IV. They tried in the left arm twice and had no luck. So, reluctantly, they tried in the right arm. They struck blood, but not before deciding Bryon was dehydrated and very cold, this made it much more difficult to find a vein. His arm hurt terribly the rest of the day, but they got the treatment done. We are crossing our fingers now in hopes the veins do not burn again. It was terribly painful to endure last time and it still hasn't fully healed. After today, the doctor has decided it is best to put a port in
Bryon's chest. Even if this chemo isn't working he will still have some kind of chemo treatments later on, so it just made sense to put one in and prevent undue torture.

Next week is the week we have been waiting for. The plan is to get the MRI and doctor visit done on Tuesday, stay the night in SLC, and then have the port put in on Wednesday. This is a big deal since it tells us if treatment is working, how fast the tumor is growing with treatment, and what the plan will be from here on out. We are trying not to get too worked up, but it is pretty hard since it is all that is on our minds. Bryon is feeling very good, his speech has improved significantly in the last week and he has no noticeable problems with his vision. These are all signs the treatment is working, according to the trial doctor.

We want to thank Josh Swann for doing the new layout of this blog. He has made it much more functional and easier to get the scoop on Bryon's whole story. He and his family are close friends to us and we love them for all their support.

There will definitely be an update after the trip to Salt Lake next week, so stay tuned!

Light At The End Of The Tunnel

2009-04-28T19:58:00.002-06:00

This marks the sixth week of Bryon's treatment. Monday's treatment sailed by without a hitch and he even got home before dark. His arm is still sore and needs some time to finish healing, but the treatment has not caused any problems with the left arm. That means "so far, so good" and we will continue to hope it will hold up.

The significant thing happening now is that we are 2 weeks away from the MRI and doctor's consult. The MRI should be conclusive enough to decide if the experimental drug is working or not. Bryon has one more week of treatment, and then we will know. If they decide to continue with this course of treatment, they may put a port in Bryon's chest. For convenience and to save the veins in his arms any further trauma.

Even though Bryon is able to work, the future is still unknown. If he has a bad week on the chemo he could miss several days. The financial stress has plateaued, but being on edge is not the best for anyone. The warm weather helps, and being able to do family activities has made life feel a little more normal. We are thankful for the little things(our kids), our friends & family, and the many blessings bestowed by our Heavenly Father.

Now, pray for sunshine so we can get our yard work done.

Week 5

2009-04-22T15:33:00.002-06:00

This week the post is not done by Sara as she is enveloping herself in yard work and house work at this time----some much needed theraputic relief, I'd say. So if this post isn't as entertaining and witty as Sara, I am so sorry :) She shall return!

Once again no news or not much news in this case is very good news. So this week's treatment went without a hitch. It was a very good day. The drive was good, and they even got done in record time which was amazing with an added treatment of the original chemo Carboplatim and a delay with the pharmacy. The burned vein arm was not touched so everything was done in the left arm.

To put a little humor in the day, Sara and Bryon were trying to decide what to eat in terms of hospital food, again.....hmmmmm the same day of the week which means, the same food to choose from.....again. Then all of a sudden Bryon's nutritionist who says that she is there to make him happy, suggests that they can choose from the grill (well why didn't we know about the grill a long time ago?). So Bryon jumps at the chance for hamburger and fries...not once but twice; once for lunch and once for dinner. The grill must be better than the cafeteria.

So to close things off for this week, Sara and Bryon wanted to make mention to give a big thanks to Aunt Karla and cousin Junior for the Jeff Dunam tickets that were so graciously offered. Junior bought tickets for them to go to which happened to be the same day that Bryon got out of surgery a couple of months back. Since Bryon was just not feeling up to it at the name, Aunt Karla took them and she found out that Jeff Dunam was going to be in Pocatello in the near future!!! She is even providing extra money for dinner for the two of them. Thanks for the date night!

Week 4

2009-04-15T00:22:00.003-06:00

Not much to say about Bryon this week. It is week 4 in the treatment process and that means he gets the week off. The much needed rest has been good for him since it gets him back to a semi normal schedule. His confidence has been better this week and he has been much more like his old self.

The right arm has been slowly healing over the past week, but not gaining much ground. The burned veins are not visible any more, but he feels pain whenever he stretches his arm, puts on his shirts, or if his wife grabs him by mistake. Darn woman! Things are mostly positive since the spring weather brought sunshine in the windows for a brief time.

There will be some minor changes to this blog coming in the near future. Don't panic if it looks much different by next week. The order of postings will change to help introduce people to Bryon who have not visited the blog before. His introduction will be the only post listed on screen and you should be able to select the latest post on the right hand column. If anyone has any other suggestions, we welcome them always. Thanks again for supporting Bryon and his family with your prayers.

Just in time for Spring!

2009-04-12T09:17:00.002-06:00

Sara would like to think she has a green thumb, so with the welcoming of spring weather she started some tomatoes from seed. Unfortunately, she got a little carried away and planted more than she could ever care for in her own garden. Now, she and Bryon would like to share the wealth with you.

By the end of May, these plants will be up and ready to plant in your own garden. There were 288 seeds planted,and so far half are up and on their way. Most of the plants are beef steak varieties, but there is a beautiful Yellow Brandy wine in there somewhere. These are 'hard to find' varieties of heirloom tomatoes. The colors range from black to white and of course there are a few good red ones in the mix for the less adventurous tomato connoisseur.

When the plants are ready to go to a good home they will be available to anyone who wants them. Donations are welcome, but not required. Remember, even though there is potentially 288 plants available, not all of those seeds may sprout, so they will be given out on a first come first serve basis unless you have already asked for a plant to be reserved for you. Feel free to invite friends and neighbors, who may not visit this blog, to join in and welcome a tomato plant into their garden. Thanks for all your support, and please consider giving these plants a good home.

Week 3

2009-04-07T22:32:00.000-06:00

This week has gone much better than most for Bryon. There was no car accidents, tickets, icy roads, or chemo induced vomiting. He sailed through his twelve hours of treatment on Monday, and was feeling very well up to today.

Tonight he called in sick to work after he had developed a rash on the IV sight. The nurses trade arms every other week so that the medication does not do too much damage to his veins, but he still runs the risk of having trouble. After speaking with the trial coordinator, Chris, we were told that the rash was a tell tale sign of burned veins. When a person receives massive amounts of medications through an IV, especially chemo, it can burn the veins. It is extremely painful and shows up as a rash on the arm. The irritation follows his veins up and down his arms and it is very hot to the touch. Bryon says it burns, but itches terribly at the same time. He will need to apply an ice pack to his arm for about 48 hours to sooth the irritation. Then, he will have to use a hot pack for about 24 after that.

Bryon will stay home tonight but is in good spirits. He and his family have gotten used to things going wrong so this was no surprise to us. There is still rumors of fundraisers being planned for the first part of June so stay tune for the latest info. Thanks for visiting with us this week!

Week 2

2009-04-01T21:04:00.000-06:00

This post was done the old fashioned way by simply copy and pasting from our other blog. I only did that because of the amount of time I don't have to fill up two blogs with the same information, only worded differently. Forgive me, but at least your up to date.

So, when it rains, it pours at the Gundersen home. So many silly little things have gone on in just the last 5 days. I am not going to dwell on the specifics much. I am really just worn out from it all.

Saturday, due to an act of heroic parenting, I sprained my ankle. Audrey was indoors crying, I was outdoors breathing and getting educated on tree pruning. I ran quickly to see what all the fuss was about and I jumped over a rock and landed in the sandy confines of my driveway. My ankle rolled, my body fell, and I just cried for mommy. Turns out it wasn't broken, and if I applied pressure on it, it would heal faster. As of today I have lost my limp.

Monday morning, Bryon and I drug ourselves out the door at 5 AM to make the journey down to Salt Lake. The morning weather wasn't all bad, and Bryon said he felt confident to drive. We hopped in the truck and were on our way. The roads weren't bad till we got into Ogden. They started getting icy and I was a bit concerned when I noticed a warning sign just before the Roy exit, but it was too late. The back end of the truck started to fish tail and I just braced myself with my eyes closed. When it was all over, Bryon and I looked at each other and asked how we had crossed 3 lanes of freeway traffic and not hurt anyone, or ourselves. The only damage was a dent on the front passenger side where we had demolished a reflector pole. Had there been no damage we would have just gone on our way, but someone had to pay for the stupid pole.

Since we were delayed several hours, the treatment did not get started till 10 AM. Even though we were now present and accounted for, the lab was running late. So, Bryon's blood tests took about an hour to come back. The whole process lingered until 9 PM. By then, the nurse told us to just stay the night as guests of the hospital. The room was no charge.

In addition to this post I would like to announce that there will be a benefit breakfast coming up soon. The event has been taken over by Amy Gittens, who is a dear friend to the Gundersen family. The date has been pushed back to some time in June, but will happen none the less. Also, remember to pass on info to Amber Swann if you want to help with her yard sale in May. She is gathering items to sell and explains that it is a good way to clean out your basement or garage. I fyou live in the Boise area she needs your help. Please leave comments on the blog as this is the best way to get in touch with anyone involved in fundraisers. Thank you everyone for your loving support.

Bryon's Kryptonite

2009-03-26T21:51:00.000-06:00

This week has gone very well for Bryon since his treatment on Monday. He admitted to feeling a bit yucky the first couple of days, but went to work none the less.

Tonight, as he prepared for work, he said he felt kind of sick. The doctor's told him to take anti nausea medication any time he felt the need. He was being a bit brave and took the pill only after he started feeling sick instead of before. The poor guy vomited on his work clothes on all over the kitchen floor. If that wasn't bad enough, he tried to call in sick to work and couldn't remember the number he was supposed to call. The numbers in the phone book were no good, so he looked up the numbers for a co-worker. He spoke with the lady of the house and found out his friend was already at work. Not thinking straight he forgot to ask for his friends cell phone number. With a little encouragement from Sara, Bryon called back to his friends wife and got the contact info he needed.

After much effort he finally got himself excused from work. Next, a shower and some toothpaste, and Bryon should feel a bit better by morning. Let's just hope this is the worst he will have to endure for this month.

Hurray for today!

2009-03-23T21:55:00.000-06:00

Today, March 23, 2009, marked the first day of Bryon's clinical trial. The trial was conducted at the University Hospital and overseen by Dr. "can't remember the name." He was very nice and informative, but couldn't scare Bryon enough to make him forgo the treatment.

The weather was absolutely brutal, so to save some sleep and stress, Bryon and his wife stayed Sunday night in Salt Lake. The trip the next morning to the hospital was white out conditions, as a winter storm rolled over the state. They made it to their appointment on time, however, right at 7:30 AM.

Meals were provided by the hospital, as well as a bed for Sara to camp out on during the day. Treatment began after a sermon of side effects and and disclaimers. This would be the longest day of the treatment because of all the explanations and tests. The nurses ultimate goal was to have Bryon out by 7:00 PM.

Bryon received several ECG's and gave multiple ounces of blood throughout the day. They confirmed Bryon was anemic before the trial even started and warned him to eat his vegetables. It was not terribly concerning, since they went ahead with the experimental drug and the Carboplatin (chemo) anyway. MPC is what they referred to the trial drug as, and it took 4 hours to be pumped through Bryon's veins. Then, after drawing more blood, they pumped in the Carboplatin. No matter how fast the chemo goes in, Bryon still has a four hour waiting period to make sure he has no ill affects from the MPC. It made for a very long afternoon.

The good news was, during the final assessment, the doctor concluded Bryon handled both drugs extremely well. He said that however Bryon tolerated the drug in the next 24 hours, is probably how it will affect him throughout the rest of the trial. This process will happen two more times, minus the Carbotplatin, and then Bryon will go in for an MRI. They should be able to tell by then if it is working. This is a very exciting time and we hope Bryon's body will tolerate the drugs well enough for him to function. Going back work seems to have lifted his spirits, but he will have to be careful around others as he is more susceptible to illness while on this chemo.

Clinical Trial Pre-screening Day

2009-03-18T12:35:00.000-06:00

Tuesday, March 17, 2009 Bryon went to Salt Lake City to have his health screen. It is required in order to qualify him for the clinical trial that starts on Monday. The whole process made for a long day though.

Bryon went to his first night of work since surgery Monday night. He stuck it out for 7 hours, then caved in and came home for two hours of sleep. His wife, Sara, woke him up and dragged him down to Salt Lake where the first appointment took place at the Imaging and Neuroscience building. He was very early, but anxious to get the process started. Another couple who was there, also dealing with brain tumor issues, kept Sara and Bryon company while they waited for their turn. Michael and Patrice Miller were kind enough to share their 10 years of experience with the Gundersen's which made the day seem a little brighter.

After the MRI, the next appointment was at the Cardiovascular Lab at the University Hospital. They were running about an hour late so, immediately they new Bryon would be late for his final appointment with the doctor. The lab tech was named Steve, and he conducted Bryon's echo cardiogram. He did not indicate anything was wrong with Bryon's heart and held a very pleasant conversation with them, since it took nearly 25 minutes to complete.

The final appointment was with Dr. Randy Jensen at the Huntsman Center. Bryon was the only one left besides two nurses and the clinical trial coordinator, Chris. Bryon was asked to give a few blood samples for testing, a urine sample, and participate in an EKG. All of the tests on his heart are to verify he is the best candidate for the trial, and that his heart was not weakened from previous chemo treatments. After all the poking and prodding, the doctor came in for a visit. He was very impressed with the days MRI. He said it was best you could have to start the clinical trial with. He also stated that Bryon's involuntary leg tremors were actually micro seizures from continued healing in the brain. Bryon also has intermediate problems with vision in his left eye, but that too would go away as things start to heal up.

Overall, the day gave positive results and Bryon will make the journey, once again, on Monday to start his new therapy. We wish you the best of luck Bryon, and hope we can give you all the support you need to continue through your adventure.

In reference to the previous post, the auction is being done by cousin Christina. A few people have inquired as to what items will be needed for the auction. Please feel free to comment on this blog and ask questions. This is our best means for communication right now. Thanks again for your continued support.

Bryon's Story

2009-03-15T18:41:00.000-06:00

In April 2008, Bryon suffered a seizure in the last hour of his graveyard shift at work. His concerned co-workers called for an ambulance to take him to Logan Regional Hospital, where he was taken to get a CT scan and blood work done. After his wife arrived, and the results were in, the ER doctor informed Bryon that he had a mass in his brain on the left frontal lobe. This most likely caused the seizure, and he immediately referred Bryon to a neurosurgeon at McKay Dee Hospital in Ogden, UT.

Dr. Winters ordered a contrast MRI that revealed a golf ball sized tumor and explained that surgery was the best option. The surgery was scheduled, and took place in Ogden Regional Hospital, about one week later. The scar was the shape of a horse shoe and held together with metal staples. Bryon’s face swelled with the increased amount of fluids, and he was taking steroids to try to reduce the swelling. The drugs made him short tempered and vicious towards his f amily. He even ripped a bathroom drawer a part when he couldn’t find his tooth brush.

The surgeon assured the family that the tumor, from what he could tell, was a stage 2 tumor and did not appear to be aggressive. There was also a small calcium deposit that had developed on top of the tumor. This was a good indicator that the tumor was not aggressive and that it had grown over a period of several years

rather than months. Some tumor matter was left behind during the surgery, since the doctor did not want to interfere with his patient’s speech or motor skill unless there was no other option. The pathology report would be the deciding factor when it came in. It didn’t take long, but about a week after surgery, the report was a stage two astrocytoma diagnosis. Since brain tumors are very difficult to diagnose, the tumor was sent to the University Hospital in Salt Lake City. There, a tumor board consisting of doctor’s practicing at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, gathered to discuss the pathology report. Their decision was a terminal diagnosis of a stage four, glioblastoma. An aggressive tumor that gives the patient a very short life expectancy without treatment, Bryon’s tumor was now a major threat to his life.

Once again, Bryon was referred to a new doctor. This time it was a Dr. Glantz at the Huntsman Center. This doctor was supposed to suggest and direct the next course of treatment which was radiation and chemotherapy. Before he made the definite decision to do these therapies, he referred Bryon to yet another doctor. Dr.Shrieve did not impress Bryon or his wife and they were extremely disappointed that no one would return their phone calls. When trying to get some idea of when treatment would start, the staff for Dr. Glantz became rude or totally unavailable. Needless to say Bryon had to find himself another doctor.

By this time, it was about a month and half since surgery and no treatment had been done on Bryon’s tumor. Feeling desperate, Bryon and his wife sought out a local oncologist at the Logan Cancer Treatment center in Logan, UT. This facility had just opened and Dr. Ben Jacobs was well known in the community. He was appalled to hear of the delay in treatment and without fail, got Bryon the coordination between doctors’s that he so desperately needed. Dr. Whipple was his radiation oncologist and directed the 6 weeks of radiation treatment, and Dr. Choucair from Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, UT directed the chemotherapy treatments. The chemotherapy was a pill called Temodar, and was taken everyday while on radiation. Then Bryon went on a cycle and only took the drug 5 days out of every month.

Treatment continued on through the fall and into the early part of winter. Bryon was healthy enough to go to work and support his family of a wife and two children. In December, he was scheduled to have a contrast MRI to see if any progress was being made. One week after Christmas, Bryon and his wife went to Dr. Choucair’s office and was told the chemo had been ineffective and the tumor had grown back. Surgery was the best option, until another treatment plan could be decided. At that point, without any further treatment Bryon was told he would have three months to live, and six months if his surgery was successful.

The second surgery happened in January 2009 at University Hospital under the direction of Dr. Randy Jensen. This surgeon was confident he could remove the entire tumor and place chemotherapy wafers in the remaining tumor bed to slow the progress of new growth. It was a success and the post surgery MRI showed all the residual tumor had been removed. Chemotherapy wafers take six to eight weeks to dissolve so no other treatment could be done until that time.

In the mean time, Bryon was recovering from his ordeal. His right side was greatly weakened and he had lost the ability to speak. While in the ICU, Bryon vomited from the anesthesia and due to steroids in his IV his blood pressure went through the roof. The first night was touch and go, but he made it through. After several more days of vomiting and not having any food twelve hours prior to surgery, Bryon’s sodium levels were dangerously low. Nurses put a feeding tube through his nose and fed him a high sodium puree until he was strong enough to eat on his own. Before leaving the ICU, Bryon managed to say the words ‘yes’ and ‘no’ which made communication of pain much easier on him. His entire stay in the hospital was 7 days.

Upon returning home Bryon endured 6 weeks of physical, speech, and occupational therapies to speed up his recovery process. Ironically, Friday March 13^th, Bryon graduated from his therapies and was released to return to work. At the time this post was written, Bryon had not yet gone back to work, but eagerly waits to see his friends and co-workers at Schreiber Foods in Logan, UT. He has been enrolled in a clinical trial at the University Hospital and will receive treatment once a week for a few weeks, then gets a one week break. The process will repeat itself until they know it is working or if he needs to find another course of treatment. Dr. Jensen feels this could make or break the one year life expectancy he has at this time.