I think I prefer Dr. Suess....

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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!