December 30, 2009

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.