The News You've All Been Waiting For....

Dave and I met with Dr. Blum this morning and based on his CT scans, he is in a FULL REMISSION. I know, say it three time....Full Remission, Full Remission, Full Remission. He will have to have a bone marrow biopsy at the end of May to determine if there is any marrow involvement, but Dr. Blum suspects there isnt' any at this time.

It's very hard to look back at the year and wrap my mind around what we have endured together. The saying, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, is so true. Dave and I know that the chances of his cancer coming back are close to 100%, but we will continue to hope for new medicines and pray for the fantastic doctors who have treated him.

As for today, I know my husband can no longer use the excuse, "I can't unload the dishwasher...I have cancer." (ha ha) Yes, he really does this! Or I should say, Yes, he really did this!

We will let you know how the bone marrow biopsy goes...but today...we are celebrating life with each other and a beautiful baby!

St. Patty's Day Celebration

Happy St. Patty's Day from our little Leprechaun!!!!

Tomorrow's A New Day!

Dave and I woke up this morning expecting yet another day of treatment at the James. I sipped my coffee on the couch with Marshall and Dave ate his bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios just like we do every day. Around 8:30 we headed to the hospital both in good spirits and thankful for the day together even if needles and medicine were going to be involved.

After Dave's vitals were taken, IV inserted, and blood drawn, we waited to see his oncologist, Dr. Blum. We brought Marshall with us today so we were excited to show him off. As soon as she came in the room, she scooped Marshall up and began to go through the typical baby routine, "Oh he's so cute, so big, look at those cheeks!" You know the drill. I must say, even though, I, of course, know how beautiful Marshall is...I never get tired of hearing other people say it. ha ha

Eventually Dr. Blum hands me my baby back and looks at Dave. I always have a knot in my stomach at this point. After sitting in the same room 6 months ago and hearing Dave's diagnosis...I know I'll never be able to sit patiently to wait what a doctor has to say. I know now what it feels like when the news isn't good.

I always tell the kids I work with at school that tomorrow is another day. That even though today was awful...tomorrow you get a fresh start. Well...today I felt like my words rang true. Dr. Blum told Dave that his CT results were not just good, they were AMAZING! As soon as she said it, I felt my breath catch..."Did she really use the word amazing?" She went on to tell us that Dave was in around an 80% remission and that she hopes he will be close to a full remission by the end of the treatment in April.

At that point, I looked up at my husband, who like me, is rather teary-eyed. What an amazing gift she just handed us!

I hope this reaches each of you happy, healthy and knowing that no matter how bad the economy gets, how many jobs are lost...it doesn't matter if you don't have your health and a life filled with the love of friends and family.

Smart babies, wall paper, and Chemo

I hope this finds each of you staying warm and enjoying what I hope are the end of winter days here in Ohio. Dave, Marshall and I are doing really well. We have been spending pretty much all of our free time working on the new house and, of course, spoiling Marshall. :) We even wallpapered a bit in the living room. It only took me approximately seven days to convince Dave that wallpaper was making a come back. And let me be honest...if you need a challenge for your marriage...pick a wall, any wall, and wallpaper away! May the best man (or woman) win! :)

Marshall had his four month check-up last week and not only did he almost roll off the table while the doctor was trying to examine him...he yanked her glasses right off her face. I think she was a little shocked by how much he's squirming around b/c she commented that his motor skills were "advanced". Now, working in the education field, parents are consistently trying to convince me that their child is "gifted" although they are typically just "average". But let's just be clear on this...Marshall is definitely the exception and we have already notified the counselor (a.k.a...his mom) of his need for grade acceleration. Ha Ha!

Dave has another round of treatment coming up on Friday, February 6th. As always, we appreciate your thoughts and prayers. Your kind words and warm wishes give us strength and courage to push forward!

I uploaded a few pics. Marshall in his first pair of shoes. Marshall and I sleeping in on my first real snow day off school. And Marshall watching football with Daddy.

Have a great week!

News from the Battle front

After getting to enjoy the sunshine of Phoenix for four days, and returning home once again from the Buckeyes bowl appearance... Wednesday didn't promise to be any better. As part of the clinical trial I am currently undergoing I have scheduled CT scans and Dr. Appts. I had to see Dr. Blum, then off to the CT scan. These were pretty routine. On to the good news... I received a call from Dr. Blum's office that the tumors have actually shrunk further from the previous exam. While I don't have a percentage of reduction, this is great news nontheless! I should have the report this coming week and I will update everyone with the numbers. keep me in your thoughts and prayers. And thank you for the continued support that you show by praying for me and strength for my family.

Marshall and Dave Cha Cha

Odds and Ends

I, of course, am behind in updating our blog. It's amazing how much time you don't have after having a baby! As a result, this post will probably seem unorganized and filled with many unrelated things, but nonetheless, we wanted to share them so here it goes.

Dave underwent another round of chemo before Christmas. It was the first treatment I wasn't able to go with him, but somebody needed to stay home with Marshall. I think he secretly enjoyed not having me there to fire away six million questions at the doctors. You know I always go with a list. ha ha! Dave did great...he always does. He is such a trooper when it comes to these long days. He strength and courage continue to amaze me every day. He will have a new full body CT scan on January 7th to see if his lymph nodes have made any progress. I will let you all know the results as soon as we hear.

As you know, this was our first Christmas with Marshall and it's true...everything is more fun with a baby! We laugh that we aren't sure how we spent our time prior to his arrival because all we do now is watch him. Dave and I have been blessed with so many things, but Marshall is definitely at the top of the list!

Marshall and I are getting ready to spend 5 days on our own as Dave and my dad are going out to the Fiesta Bowl!!! Keep your fingers crossed that we both survive!!!

I have attached a variety of pictures and one video. None of which are related. The one of Marshall and I is my first day back to work...before the tears came :( The other is of me and all my boys. Dave, Tug, Dusty, Guy (my brothers) and Marshall. And finally, I attached a video of Dave and Marshall doing the cha-cha slide. And Dave said he couldn't dance!

Hope you each have a Happy New Year's Eve and that you kick off yet another year full of celebrations!

Dave's Treatment, The Buckeyes, and Santa?

Well, Dave has had two glorious months without treatment, but unfortunately Friday he goes back. This will be his first treatment on his own as I'll be home with Marshall. Mom won't let him go to the hospital...too many germs. :) We'll let you know if the doctor gives us any new news. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

On a much more fun note, Dave booked his flight to Arizona today. My dad and him have tickets to the Fiesta Bowl. Four days of Football, Sun, and Golf. Marshall and I are already singing the blues as we are being left behind. ;)

And finally...is that Santa? Who knew he was so cute!

MacBook Computers + Baby Pee =

So...I undressed Marshall yesterday and ran over to run his bathwater. When I returned to where he was lying, I saw that he had peed all over himself and all over my MacBook that was lying beside him. Apparently laptops don't respond well to urine, because it immediately shut itself off. Dave and I began trying to figure out how we were going to explain to the "Genius Bar" at the Apple Store that my baby peed all over my computer. Something tells me it may have been one they've never heard before. The good news is...after 24 hours of it sitting by the heater, it turned back on. So if you are computer shopping this holiday season...go buy a Mac. Apparently they are pretty durable!

You've Heard of the Boy in the Bubble?

Well...he is our boy in a pumpkin! Yes, that's right...it's Marshall dressed as an Indian in a pumpkin. Would you expect anything less from me? :) And believe it or not, he didn't mind a bit! Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving...Ours was FANTASTIC!

A time for Thanks

As we rapidly approach Thanksgiving Day 2008, I wanted to reflect on the year and give a sincere thanks to all my family and friends.  This year, unlike any other before, has truly been a year of jubilation and tribulation.  There are so many things that I am grateful for and to try to list them in an order of preference is, well, ludicris.  So in no particular order I am going to try to say THANK YOU ....

I can above all things else though state that I am truly thankful to have such a loving and supporting wife!  Without her, I am not certain I would have remained calm and kept my insanity this year.  Mandy, you are truly amazing and I hope you know how much I truly love you!  I am thankful for the birth of my son and that he is very healthy, lovable, and just plain stinking fun :).  I am very thankful for my overall health.  We laugh all the time that I am probably the most healthy cancer patient in the world!  I am thankful for the thoughts of encouragement, prayers, gifts, support and everything else that has been shown to my family during our darkest days in being diagnosed.  I am thankful for Dr. Blum and the wonderful team of people at the James Cancer center, and additionally thankful to my PCP and ENT who were resilient in diagnosing me properly (I have read many horror stories of lymphoma patients being mis-diagnosed for years).  In a sick way, I am thankful for my cancer especially that it is a favorable cancer :) .  I am thankful for the many many many friends who have shown support not only to me, but also to Mandy.  Thank you for donating your time, words and kindness and showing support for Team Hall during LTN.  And lastly, I am very thankful for my wonderful family, from my brother to all my new brothers, my Mama Bear and Damnit Dave.  Other than my wife, I have the BEST EVER support group who has to be the most loving and compassionate group on the planet.  I am not sure how to ever truly say thank you to all of them, but to know they have my back is just an amazing feeling.  

So when I awake from my triptophan induced acoma on Thanksgiving Day, know that I am still thinking about what a truly blessed man I am. Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.  

Marshall and Tug

I know Dave and I are Blog Slackers right now, but Dave is in between treatments and we have been super busy. For those of you who don't know...we bought a house. We weren't actually looking to buy a house, but I'm home on maternity leave with a little too much time on my hands. So...I found this house online, we went to take a look, made an offer that day, and moved in two weeks later! We are having a lot of fun with our new space and Dave is loving the fact that he has a "man cave" now. (a.k.a...basement)

The video I've attached is of Marshall totally screwing with one of my twin brothers. (Tug) You'll see him look at Tug, fake cry, look away, etc. You can tell from our laughter that we love this kid more than words could ever express!

Hope this finds all of you enjoying everyday!

A few updates

Sorry everyone for taking so long to post any updates.  I believe the good (for me) and the bad (for updating the blog) is follicular lymphoma is such a slow moving cancer, nothing happens very quickly.  Hope everyone had a great Halloween and got lots of candy!  

As for me -- I had a full body CT scan a few weeks back and the results came back that overall I have 40% tumor reduction YEAHHHHHH!!!  There were some nodes that were significantly down, there were other nodes that weren't down that much, so they take the collection of the results and come up with this 40% average.  Another thing to keep in mind with this is --- the node could remain larger than normal in size but have no cancerous activity.  The only way to know this is to do a PET scan and at the moment I don't know when I am scheduled for another one of those.  I had another treatment following the CT scan and do not have to have another treatment until mid December.  Like I said this is a slowwwww cancer :)

I also wanted to again say THANK YOU to all the supporters who came out to walk with us for Light the Night.  Team Hall was able to raise almost $1,200 for Lymphoma research.  Next year we plan to be better organized and hope to up our goal for the team.  Actually I hope to make our team part of the 2015 club.  (The Lymphoma Society envision that in the year 2015 the great majority of people who have been diagnosed with a blood cancer will be cured, or they will manage their illness with good quality of life.)  More on how we become a part of the 2015 club later.

Marshall is doing great, as is Mandy!  It is amazing to think that he is now 6 weeks old!  Seems like only yesterday we were getting to bring him home!!!  I do have to say it was fun dressing him for Halloween.  Yesterday we took him to vote and he was the hit at the polling place.  Had I thought about it in time I would have gotten him an outfit that read I am voting for O'bottle! 

Team Hall

Last night was the annual Light the Night walk to support blood born cancers. I don't really know how to express in words how touched Dave and I were by the support we felt from our friends and family. As we talked to each one of you last night, and saw your beautiful families, we couldn't help but think how blessed we feel to be surrounded by such amazing people. At the end of the night after everyone had left, Dave and I sat in our car, in the parking lot, feeding Marshall and talking about the night. We were both very teary eyed as we sat in the dark, just the three of us...realizing the sometimes it takes something as bad a cancer to make you realize how good life really is. So thank you...thank you for being a part of a night that meant more to us than you could possibly ever know!!!

I'm a Slacker...I know!

I know, I know, I had a baby and it's like, "Blog? What Blog?" No worries...today is a day for updates. Let's start with Marshall. Instead of telling you all about him, I'm going to post a few pictures. I think they speak for themselves. :)

A Day to Remember

I don't know how to describe what I'm feeling. It's six a.m. and the perfect cool, fall morning. The house is quiet as I sit here with my cup of coffee, snuggled up in a blanket with Marshall sleeping in my arms. The last eight days have been the happiest moments of my life. Dave and I have to laugh because every night we say, "Today is my favorite day I've lived so far!" It's amazing that this little person we created has brought such tremendous joy into our lives.

For those of you who don't know the story of Marshall's arrival, here is the condensed version. Marshall was running a little late, so Dr. Charles decided to induce me on Sunday, September 21st. Saturday night I finished packing my bag for the hospital and pretended to sleep in preparation of what the next day would be bringing. At four a.m. I decided I was tired of pretending and that it was time to get up. As I stood, it was very evident that my water had broke. I woke Dave up and excitedly explained that indeed Marshall was coming today but apparently on his own terms. Funny, I had no idea how true this would be. I took a shower, my husband slept a little longer (ask him about this next time you see him :), and we headed to the hospital.

Everything was going great until around 2 o'clock. I knew something was wrong when the nurse came in and asked Dave and I how big we were when we were born. It seemed a little strange that she was making smalltalk about our birth weights when I was hyperventilating from the pain of each contraction. Looking back I realize she was worried Marshall was too big to make it out the birth canal. Long story, short...by 5'oclock Dr. Charles was explaining to me that although I was dilated to nine, Marshall's position was going to make it impossible for me to deliver him naturally. So...plan B. Frankly at this point, I didn't care if it was plan L, K, or Z...I just wanted him out!

The csection is a bit of a blur, but I do remember Dave's face being right beside mine telling me how great I was doing. And I remember lying there waiting to hear Marshall cry because I knew it would all be okay once I could hear his voice. It only took about five minutes to get him out and then I heard this little voice screaming as he arrived into our world. Dr. Charles quickly brought Marshall around the sheet so Dave and I could see him and then he was whisked off to be checked out. I will never forget how it felt at that very moment to look at my husband and know that regardless of what our future brings, it was at this very moment that made our lives so worth living. Dave was able to run back and forth from where I was lying to where Marshall was lying and then come back to give me all the details. It takes about an hour to stitch a person up after a csection so Dave had plenty of time to describe to me what Marshall looked like...what he didn't say at the time was that Marshall is actually just a miniature version of him :)

Once they were finished with me, I was moved to recovery for an hour and was finally able to hold my son. There really aren't words to describe a moment like this. Dave and I sat there...holding onto Marshall...looking at each other...and realizing we were now not just Dave and Mandy, but a family of three.

Once our hour was up, we were moved to the postpartum room. I was pretty loopy by this point, but I do know that my entire family was in the room awaiting our arrival and that the smiles and tears were abundant. Like I said...a day to remember!

It wasn't just to many DQ blizzards!

Apparently we really are having a baby! I was getting a little worried!

We saw Dr. Charles around noon today and she gave us several options. I know I was looking at her like, "Seriously? You're going to give a pregnant woman options? I can't even decide what to eat for breakfast!" After hearing her out we decided to go home and talk about all of these choices...I'm sure Dave was just about ready to take me to her house and let the doctor help me sort through the quote unqoute options, but he let me talk aloud through each one and we came to a decision together.

So...drum roll please...
I am being induced on Sunday morning at 7:00 a.m. That is assuming he doesn't come on his own before then. I've quickly realized that I have no idea what this process entails and that searching frantically on the internet is probably not the best option. I'm about 2.5 cm dilated and 50% effaced. I have no idea what a balloon catheter is or what it will feel like to have my water broken so if you have induction stories of your own to share, please do! But only if they include blissfully painless memories!

We'll keep you posted on any updates!

Tis the (political) season

Ok still no news on the baby front, other than we are STILL anxiously awaiting the arrival of little Marshall. Mandy has been fighting off a cold, which I feel really bad about because she cannot take anything to help relieve symptoms! So if everyone can chant with me "Marshall, Marshall, Marshall" LOL.

With less than 60 days to go before the general election, we want to encourage everyone to GET OUT AND VOTE this year! Regardless of your political views, and regardless which side you are for, I think it is safe enough to say, this year your vote matters. Here in Ohio, you have until October 6th to get registered. In Franklin County you can register or check your registration by going here (http://vote.franklincountyohio.gov/voter-services/), in Delaware County - (http://www.co.delaware.oh.us/boe/voter.asp). Please check with your state or local municipality about registering to vote (if you are not already).

Also, be certain to tune into the Presidential and VP debates. They are
Presidential Debates
Jim Lehrer, Sept. 26, at Ole Miss.
Tom Brokaw, Oct. 7, in Nashville
Bob Schieffer, Oct. 15, at Hofstra.

Vice Presidential Debate
Gwen Ifill, Oct. 2, at Wash. U in St. Louis

My biggest interest in this election is more about Health care and Education. Mandy's may be different as we all have our own personal agenda's when selecting our leaders. As was mentioned on the Stand up 2 cancer program, insurance only pays for 3% of clinical trials (fortunately my clinical trial fell within that 3%). Ask any oncologist, lab tech, doctor, or nurse and they will tell you this about cancer -- a clinical trial is your best bet to be cured! For this very reason, I eagerly want to hear how each candidate will "CHANGE" the insurance industry to meet this. I am hoping since both candidates have been impacted by cancer in their lives, they are going to push through some ground breaking legislation to remedy this.

Lastly -- The big game is this weekend (OSU vs USC) and without Beanie in the line up for the first time in a long time I don't feel hopeful about our chances. But of course I will still be cheering for them like a mad man... GO BUCKS!

Stand Up

I know many of you have probably saw the advertisements about Stand Up To Cancer that is happening this Friday Night September 5th on all 3 major networks. In case you haven't :) this post is to alert you about this event. I will be posting in the next few days about the advances in treatment for my particular disease. And as you will soon see, it seems for many cancers we are very close to finding cures (including forms of lymphoma). The SU2C site http://su2c.standup2cancer.org/ has some great information about how they are seeking to raise funds for cancer research and finding cures.

If you haven't already, set your TiVo, DVR's, VCR's, or just simply tune in on Friday night.

Labor Day Lies

Dave and I were really excited yesterday because I seemed to be having contractions. They weren't crazy doubling over contractions, but they were strong enough that you could see and feel my stomach ball up tightly and then release after about 30 seconds. They also seemed to be fairly consistent. So, I went to bed thinking...well, maybe tomorrow morning I'll wake up after a good night's rest and Marshall will be well on his way. I mean it is Labor Day! It only seems appropriate to go into labor!

Unfortunately, this day was obviously misnamed because it is around 5:00 and Dave and I are getting ready to make a homemade pizza. Something I'm assuming I wouldn't be doing if I was in fact having a baby! At this point, I'm guessing they were Braxton Hicks contractions. Oh, well...perhaps tomorrow.

At our last doctor's appointment, we were told that I was still 1cm dilated and that unfortunately she couldn't feel his head. So...we are going in this Thursday to see if he is breech or just positioned a little funny. Obviously if he is breech, I'll be scheduled for a C-Section. Although I've seen this video and it looks fairly horrifying, it does have its perks. The first being that it's scheduled! That means I get to show up with my cute pink suitcase at the chosen time and hopefully there won't be too many surprises. They other perk is I don't have to naturally deliver a baby with a giant noggin! I don't know how many of you have taken a good look at my husband's head...but it's really big. Don't get me wrong, it's handsome and all...but still really, really big! Of course, there are plenty of downfalls to a C-Section as well...I'm just trying to look on the bright side.

Chances are Marshall's either as stubborn as his mother or as laid back as his father and neither of those characteristics seem to be making him in any hurry. Dave and I will keep you updated on the pregnancy progress. And...if any of you know how I can get in touch with the person who named this day...I have a bone to pick with him!