2012 has certainly been full of the unexpected. However, we have definitely grown closer as a family as a result of the challenges that have been placed in front of us. Allen and I have always said we make a great team, and the events of the past few months have proved that in so many ways. 2012 has also shown us how blessed we are to be surrounded by the most amazing family, friends, and co-workers who have gone out of their way to help us with food, the kids, cleaning, supportive emails and texts, and an ear to just listen. Thank you to all of you for everything!
We know 2013 is going to be the best year yet! Allen will finish his treatments in April and be CANcer FREE, a new baby will arrive in early May, and we celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary shortly after!
Midnight is past our bedtime these days, but we will be celebrating the ball drop in spirit! We wish everyone on Team ALL-EN the best in the New Year!!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Tomorrow Marks HALFWAY and Awesome ALL-EN Photos
Tomorrow marks Allen's 6th of 12 chemotherapy treatments, and a BIG milestone...HALFWAY! We have been looking forward to this mark for a while, and it feels so good to be finally reaching it! If you want to send Allen and quick good-luck note, you can email him at: 4teamallenbates@gmail.com.
Over the past couple of weeks, we have gotten some GREAT Team ALL-EN photos and wanted to share them with you all:
 |
| Our elf, Lucky, is ALL-EN! (See his hat?) |
 |
| Brookelyn and her friend, Trinity, are ALL-EN! They were playing in "snow" aka shaving cream at their school Christmas Party. |
 |
| Evan is ALL-EN while helping decorate his Christmas tree! |
 |
| Rob is ALL-EN from the duck blind! |
 |
| Uncle Jacky is ALL-EN...and ready to fight!! |
 |
| Miss Jill (Brookelyn's AWESOME art teacher) is ALL-EN! |
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Baby Bates
This isn't directly related to Team ALL-EN. However, we mentioned the baby having a cyst in his brain in a previous post, so we wanted to update everyone.
This afternoon we went in for a Level II Ultrasound (with a nurse from UAMS in Little Rock and a Genetic Counselor teleconferenced in--which was pretty crazy) at Williow Creek. The nurse with us performed the ultrasound while the teleconferenced medical professionals watched. The good news is that while the baby does still have one cyst in his brain (apparently before he had two--one is totally gone) it is very tiny and they think it will probably disappear in the next few weeks. Additionally, all the baby's other major organs looked great! We were so THRILLED to learn the good news. Thank you to everyone who has kept Baby Bates in your thoughts over the past couple of weeks!
This afternoon we went in for a Level II Ultrasound (with a nurse from UAMS in Little Rock and a Genetic Counselor teleconferenced in--which was pretty crazy) at Williow Creek. The nurse with us performed the ultrasound while the teleconferenced medical professionals watched. The good news is that while the baby does still have one cyst in his brain (apparently before he had two--one is totally gone) it is very tiny and they think it will probably disappear in the next few weeks. Additionally, all the baby's other major organs looked great! We were so THRILLED to learn the good news. Thank you to everyone who has kept Baby Bates in your thoughts over the past couple of weeks!
 |
| Here is a sneak peek of Baby Bates! |
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Chemo Treatment #5
Allen started his morning as usual, with a nice run!
His fifth chemotherapy treatment was on Friday, and he is feeling really good this weekend (which means he got put to work in the baby's new room)!
On Friday, of course we were elated after Allen's great scan reports from The Ninja, but the reality is we do still have a long road ahead. That road includes several more chemotherapy treatments, and the fifth of twelve was next on the agenda. Things started really well, with his port actually cooperating pretty well. And while his treatment started, we enjoyed reading all the well-wishes on Facebook and through email and text messages. Thank you! We loved reading them together and felt like everyone who has been on this long journey with us so far was celebrating with us!
However, about ten minutes into his pre-meds he started feeling burning in his chest. Of course the poor nurses, who I think probably draw straws to see who has to take care of the high-maintenance port Allen, were very concerned that there was a leak in his port. This is especially concerning considering that Allen gets Adria, a chemo drug that is VERY toxic if it gets out of his veins. So, Allen went off to his friends in x-ray (this is the fifth time Allen has had that silly port x-rayed)! Luckily, after some tense waiting (and worrying that SURELY he wouldn't have to go back for more port surgery) Allen's nurse got the green light that his port was fine. From there, things went like they should and he finished up. We are so excited that the next chemo treatment marks the HALF-WAY mark! Woo hoo!
On Friday, of course we were elated after Allen's great scan reports from The Ninja, but the reality is we do still have a long road ahead. That road includes several more chemotherapy treatments, and the fifth of twelve was next on the agenda. Things started really well, with his port actually cooperating pretty well. And while his treatment started, we enjoyed reading all the well-wishes on Facebook and through email and text messages. Thank you! We loved reading them together and felt like everyone who has been on this long journey with us so far was celebrating with us!
However, about ten minutes into his pre-meds he started feeling burning in his chest. Of course the poor nurses, who I think probably draw straws to see who has to take care of the high-maintenance port Allen, were very concerned that there was a leak in his port. This is especially concerning considering that Allen gets Adria, a chemo drug that is VERY toxic if it gets out of his veins. So, Allen went off to his friends in x-ray (this is the fifth time Allen has had that silly port x-rayed)! Luckily, after some tense waiting (and worrying that SURELY he wouldn't have to go back for more port surgery) Allen's nurse got the green light that his port was fine. From there, things went like they should and he finished up. We are so excited that the next chemo treatment marks the HALF-WAY mark! Woo hoo!
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Praise The Lord! And, thank The Cancer Ninja!
Allen is in REMISSION! We want to shout it from the rooftop, sing it as we dance on the kitchen table, make t-shirts that say it in big letters, jump on the bed while yelling it, and just hold each other and smile the biggest smiles we have ever smiled!
Rewind a few days:
Allen's PET was scheduled for Wednseday the 12th; however, when we went in that morning, the machine was broken! It was certainly a bump in the road, as we had been preparing ourselves for this moment for quite some time, but the technician was super nice and promised us that she would do everything possible to make sure Allen could be scanned the evening of the 13th. The good news was that now, Allen wouldn't be radioactive for my birthday! (Never thought I would type that sentence! Who ever thinks about their husband being radioactive?!)
So, we regrouped and waited a VERY long day Thursday before heading in for his scan at 4:00. Once there, the nurse broke it to Allen that he would have to drink Barium again. Poor guy, if needles aren't bad enough, he had to endure that TERRIBLE drink (he says it tastes and smells like latex paint)! But, of course Allen is a trooper and he took his "cocktail" and headed back in for his scans. About and hour later (by this time Braedyn ans I were the only ones in the waiting room--even the front desk lady had gone home) Allen came out and said that the machine was broken again. We didn't know whether to laugh or cry! Really, the odds of this had to be incredibly small! So, Allen stood like a statue (apparently you cannot move or the dye will go to your muscles and give you a false positive scan) while Braedyn, at a safe distance, told him all about the latest and greatest games he had downloaded on his iPod. Finally, the technician came back, held both hands up with her fingers crossed, and led Allen back to get his scans. Surely, the third time was the charm! And, this time it worked!
We headed home that night (in separate cars) so anxious for the results. Allen's family dropped off dinner for the kids and I, and Allen headed over to The Bates Motel (aka, Uncle David and Emily's house). It was such a LONG night waiting!
But, oh was the waiting worth it!! Our appointment the next morning with The Ninja was awesome! Allen's scans showed that there is no more fluid in his left lung at all, that all his lymphnodes have DRASTICALLY shrunk down (even the Ninja was happily shocked by their response), and whereas before the doctors only had to magnify Allen's scans 5 times to see the bright light of the CANcer reflecting on the screen, now they had to magnify his scans 20 times to even see small swirling sections on the scans (not CANcer activity just normal considering how large Allen's mass originally was). Allen asked The Ninja what all this meant, and The Ninja replied, "You are in remission!" The best four words we have EVER heard in our lives!
We certainly still have a long road ahead. Just because Allen is in remission doesn't mean he stops treatment. He will finish the last seven rounds of chemo and will have 17 radiation treatments after that to make sure the CANcer is GONE for GOOD! However, this news is the boost we so needed to get us over the hump and let us know that all the hand washing, anti-social activity, pill popping, port wrestling, fatigue, and general state of worry is SO WORTH it!
We thought Mrs. Scott, Brookelyn's Kindergarten teacher from last year said it best, "Praise The Lord! And, thank The Cancer Ninja!"
Rewind a few days:
Allen's PET was scheduled for Wednseday the 12th; however, when we went in that morning, the machine was broken! It was certainly a bump in the road, as we had been preparing ourselves for this moment for quite some time, but the technician was super nice and promised us that she would do everything possible to make sure Allen could be scanned the evening of the 13th. The good news was that now, Allen wouldn't be radioactive for my birthday! (Never thought I would type that sentence! Who ever thinks about their husband being radioactive?!)
So, we regrouped and waited a VERY long day Thursday before heading in for his scan at 4:00. Once there, the nurse broke it to Allen that he would have to drink Barium again. Poor guy, if needles aren't bad enough, he had to endure that TERRIBLE drink (he says it tastes and smells like latex paint)! But, of course Allen is a trooper and he took his "cocktail" and headed back in for his scans. About and hour later (by this time Braedyn ans I were the only ones in the waiting room--even the front desk lady had gone home) Allen came out and said that the machine was broken again. We didn't know whether to laugh or cry! Really, the odds of this had to be incredibly small! So, Allen stood like a statue (apparently you cannot move or the dye will go to your muscles and give you a false positive scan) while Braedyn, at a safe distance, told him all about the latest and greatest games he had downloaded on his iPod. Finally, the technician came back, held both hands up with her fingers crossed, and led Allen back to get his scans. Surely, the third time was the charm! And, this time it worked!
We headed home that night (in separate cars) so anxious for the results. Allen's family dropped off dinner for the kids and I, and Allen headed over to The Bates Motel (aka, Uncle David and Emily's house). It was such a LONG night waiting!
But, oh was the waiting worth it!! Our appointment the next morning with The Ninja was awesome! Allen's scans showed that there is no more fluid in his left lung at all, that all his lymphnodes have DRASTICALLY shrunk down (even the Ninja was happily shocked by their response), and whereas before the doctors only had to magnify Allen's scans 5 times to see the bright light of the CANcer reflecting on the screen, now they had to magnify his scans 20 times to even see small swirling sections on the scans (not CANcer activity just normal considering how large Allen's mass originally was). Allen asked The Ninja what all this meant, and The Ninja replied, "You are in remission!" The best four words we have EVER heard in our lives!
We certainly still have a long road ahead. Just because Allen is in remission doesn't mean he stops treatment. He will finish the last seven rounds of chemo and will have 17 radiation treatments after that to make sure the CANcer is GONE for GOOD! However, this news is the boost we so needed to get us over the hump and let us know that all the hand washing, anti-social activity, pill popping, port wrestling, fatigue, and general state of worry is SO WORTH it!
We thought Mrs. Scott, Brookelyn's Kindergarten teacher from last year said it best, "Praise The Lord! And, thank The Cancer Ninja!"
 |
| Dont' you love Allen's hoodie?! Says it all: Stupid CANcer!! |
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Wrapped in Love
We have mentioned many times how wonderful our friends and family are, and how much we appreciate all their help and support. However, we wanted to send a really big thank you to our friend (who also happens to be The Cancer Ninja's wife...yes, she is equally as amazing) who invited me to attend the Wrapped in Love event last night.
Wrapped in Love is held each year at The Bentonville Nazarene Church, which is also where Braedyn attends preschool. They sell tickets for women to come, enjoy dinner, and revel in the true spirit of Christmas - love and giving. The premise is that each woman who comes receives a gift to "pay forward" to someone who needs it. They explain that you may have no idea who the gift might help and that you may not come across this person for weeks or months, but at some point the person who the gift is truly meant to help will cross your path and you will know it. What an amazing concept! You can check out their Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/Wrappedinlove.Bnaz?fref=ts
It was a beautiful evening full of hope. Prior to the event, my friend mentioned that the church would like to hand out ALL-EN bracelets and say a little about Allen and his journey with CANcer. We were of course honored that she asked, and excited that even more people would be pulling for Allen along his journey!
Throughout the evening, the event emcee spoke of love and giving, and recognized different people in the huge crowd for their selflessness. It was touching to see so many women giving of themselves for others. We truly have a one of a kind community here in Northwest Arkansas!
As the evening began to wind down and most tables had received their gifts to share with others, (I got a pancake griddle to pay forward and am thinking of giving it to TASC - a local group who helps single mothers - because I can just imagine a mommy pulling it out to make her kiddos breakfast Christmas morning) I was utterly and totally shocked to hear them ask me to come to the stage. The emcee told everyone of Allen's diagnosis and explained that on the tables were little boxes with ALL-EN bracelets in them. She asked everyone - all 250 of the guests - to put them on and continued on to explain that Allen has his PET Scan Wednesday morning. She asked each person to hold Allen in her thoughts during that time and throughout his journey. To see so many people putting on a bracelet that stands for so much for our family meant more than we can ever begin to say.
CANcer SUCKS. But, we know that it has been put in our lives for a reason and for a bigger purpose. We know that we are in the best possible place in the world to fight it (heck--Allen gets his chemo at a facility called The HOG--what could be better for a Razorback fan). We know that we have the best doctors and nurses watching Allen's every scan, blood draw, and test. And, we KNOW that we have the most amazing friends and family wrapping us in love.
Wrapped in Love is held each year at The Bentonville Nazarene Church, which is also where Braedyn attends preschool. They sell tickets for women to come, enjoy dinner, and revel in the true spirit of Christmas - love and giving. The premise is that each woman who comes receives a gift to "pay forward" to someone who needs it. They explain that you may have no idea who the gift might help and that you may not come across this person for weeks or months, but at some point the person who the gift is truly meant to help will cross your path and you will know it. What an amazing concept! You can check out their Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/Wrappedinlove.Bnaz?fref=ts
It was a beautiful evening full of hope. Prior to the event, my friend mentioned that the church would like to hand out ALL-EN bracelets and say a little about Allen and his journey with CANcer. We were of course honored that she asked, and excited that even more people would be pulling for Allen along his journey!
Throughout the evening, the event emcee spoke of love and giving, and recognized different people in the huge crowd for their selflessness. It was touching to see so many women giving of themselves for others. We truly have a one of a kind community here in Northwest Arkansas!
As the evening began to wind down and most tables had received their gifts to share with others, (I got a pancake griddle to pay forward and am thinking of giving it to TASC - a local group who helps single mothers - because I can just imagine a mommy pulling it out to make her kiddos breakfast Christmas morning) I was utterly and totally shocked to hear them ask me to come to the stage. The emcee told everyone of Allen's diagnosis and explained that on the tables were little boxes with ALL-EN bracelets in them. She asked everyone - all 250 of the guests - to put them on and continued on to explain that Allen has his PET Scan Wednesday morning. She asked each person to hold Allen in her thoughts during that time and throughout his journey. To see so many people putting on a bracelet that stands for so much for our family meant more than we can ever begin to say.
CANcer SUCKS. But, we know that it has been put in our lives for a reason and for a bigger purpose. We know that we are in the best possible place in the world to fight it (heck--Allen gets his chemo at a facility called The HOG--what could be better for a Razorback fan). We know that we have the best doctors and nurses watching Allen's every scan, blood draw, and test. And, we KNOW that we have the most amazing friends and family wrapping us in love.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Team ALL-EN Support!
Time for some more AWESOME pictures of people in their ALL-EN bracelets!
Thank you SO MUCH for all of your support! It is so uplifting to see everyone wearing their ALL-EN bracelets! Allen's big PET Scan is this Wednesday morning. We are hoping for a completely sterile and CANcer free scan, so please join us in putting those "good vibes" out there. And, keep the wonderful pictures coming!
 |
| Pork Chop is ALL-EN! |
 |
| Santa is ALL-EN! |
 |
| Evan Soos is ALL-EN! |
 |
| The World is ALL-EN! |
Saturday, December 8, 2012
The Twelve Days of CANcer Christmas
Well, it has been a tough past few days at the Bates' House--Allen hasn't been feeling well, and unfortunately the ultrasound left us with many unanswered questions.
With that said, our philosophy has always been "laughter is the best medicine." And, we have been doing a lot of laughing around here lately--sometimes it is the smallest things that make us laugh until our stomachs hurt. The other day after coming home from the grocery store, arms full of various medical "stuff" for Allen we joked about the "presents" I came bearing (things like netti-pot saline, distilled water, epsom salt, and various vitamins). From that conversation came, "The Twelve Days of CANcer Christmas." Grab an eggnog and sing along with us! (We only included the last verse, as we figured we would spare you all twelve verses written out in full, but feel free to bust out the entire song.)
With that said, our philosophy has always been "laughter is the best medicine." And, we have been doing a lot of laughing around here lately--sometimes it is the smallest things that make us laugh until our stomachs hurt. The other day after coming home from the grocery store, arms full of various medical "stuff" for Allen we joked about the "presents" I came bearing (things like netti-pot saline, distilled water, epsom salt, and various vitamins). From that conversation came, "The Twelve Days of CANcer Christmas." Grab an eggnog and sing along with us! (We only included the last verse, as we figured we would spare you all twelve verses written out in full, but feel free to bust out the entire song.)
The Twelve Days of CANcer Christmas
(sung to the tune of the Twelve Days of Christmas)
On the twelfth day of CANcer Christmas my true love gave to me,
twelve treatments working,
eleven bleach wipes wiping,
ten pills a popping,
nine nurses nursing,
eight hairs a falling,
seven claims a filing,
six stitches healing,
FIVE WHITE COUNT CHECKS,
four calling friends,
three stool softeners,
two PET Scans,
and a CANcer Ninja on duty!
And remember, Allen's big scan is on 12-12-12! We think that is going to be a GREAT day!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
A Tough Day
Today has been a tough one.
Allen woke up not feeling well--no fever but just feeling icky. (It was obvious he felt pretty terrible when he decided not to run on the treadmill.) However, he headed into work.
The kids went off to school, arguing about whether the baby would be a boy or a girl, but both excited to find out what it would be this afternoon at the ultrasound appointment.
Then, about 11:00 Allen called. He was coming home from work to rest because he still felt terrible. So terrible, that he didn't think he could make it to the ultrasound appointment.
After picking up the kids early from school and dropping some food off at the house for Allen, we headed to the ultrasound. It totally stunk Daddy wasn't there to share in the fun. However, the kids were so excited to find out if they were having a brother or a sister that we kept the appointment.
The ultrasound started off pretty well, with Braedyn asking literally 100 questions. Poor technician--thank goodness she had two little ones of her own and understood. But, once she told us the baby was a BOY, Brookelyn lost it. She cried the entire rest of the scan, all through the doctor's appointment, and the whole thirty minute drive to dance class. She REALLY wanted a little sister. So then there was the incessant question asking Braedyn, the hysterical Brookelyn, and Mommy all in the little room with the poor technician. It was quite the scene.
After the ultrasound, we had an appointment with the doctor. By then the kids were fighting and throwing magazines at each other, Braedyn was trying to look in the big, red trashcan marked "BIOHAZARD", and Brookelyn was still inconsolable. (Luckily, the doctor has four year old twins of her own so she is used to a little chaos.) She came in and asked a few questions and then dropped a bomb. The baby has a Choroid Plexus Cyst in his brain. It was hard to process while also yelling at Braedyn for pulling out all the paper robes and slamming the stirrups up and down on the end of the exam table. But, it sounded terrible. The doctor explained that we shouldn't worry. Both the Nuchal Screening we had done at 11 weeks and the Quad Screen we had done a few weeks ago came back negative, and a Choroid Plexus Cyst in isolation (ie. without other indicators) usually results in a completely healthy baby. She went on to say that her son had one as well and is perfectly healthy and normal. In a few weeks we will have a Level II ultrasound to check out the baby in minute detail. In shock, we left.
It is a lot for us to process right now. Allen still feels terrible, although luckily still no fever. Mommy is still dealing with 24 hour/day sickness. Now, the baby may have a problem. All we can do is wait. Wait for the next test for Allen (next Wednesday), wait for the pregnancy sickness to go away, and wait for the ultrasound that will tell us more about our baby boy. For two people who like to be in total control, waiting is SO hard.
Allen woke up not feeling well--no fever but just feeling icky. (It was obvious he felt pretty terrible when he decided not to run on the treadmill.) However, he headed into work.
The kids went off to school, arguing about whether the baby would be a boy or a girl, but both excited to find out what it would be this afternoon at the ultrasound appointment.
Then, about 11:00 Allen called. He was coming home from work to rest because he still felt terrible. So terrible, that he didn't think he could make it to the ultrasound appointment.
After picking up the kids early from school and dropping some food off at the house for Allen, we headed to the ultrasound. It totally stunk Daddy wasn't there to share in the fun. However, the kids were so excited to find out if they were having a brother or a sister that we kept the appointment.
The ultrasound started off pretty well, with Braedyn asking literally 100 questions. Poor technician--thank goodness she had two little ones of her own and understood. But, once she told us the baby was a BOY, Brookelyn lost it. She cried the entire rest of the scan, all through the doctor's appointment, and the whole thirty minute drive to dance class. She REALLY wanted a little sister. So then there was the incessant question asking Braedyn, the hysterical Brookelyn, and Mommy all in the little room with the poor technician. It was quite the scene.
After the ultrasound, we had an appointment with the doctor. By then the kids were fighting and throwing magazines at each other, Braedyn was trying to look in the big, red trashcan marked "BIOHAZARD", and Brookelyn was still inconsolable. (Luckily, the doctor has four year old twins of her own so she is used to a little chaos.) She came in and asked a few questions and then dropped a bomb. The baby has a Choroid Plexus Cyst in his brain. It was hard to process while also yelling at Braedyn for pulling out all the paper robes and slamming the stirrups up and down on the end of the exam table. But, it sounded terrible. The doctor explained that we shouldn't worry. Both the Nuchal Screening we had done at 11 weeks and the Quad Screen we had done a few weeks ago came back negative, and a Choroid Plexus Cyst in isolation (ie. without other indicators) usually results in a completely healthy baby. She went on to say that her son had one as well and is perfectly healthy and normal. In a few weeks we will have a Level II ultrasound to check out the baby in minute detail. In shock, we left.
It is a lot for us to process right now. Allen still feels terrible, although luckily still no fever. Mommy is still dealing with 24 hour/day sickness. Now, the baby may have a problem. All we can do is wait. Wait for the next test for Allen (next Wednesday), wait for the pregnancy sickness to go away, and wait for the ultrasound that will tell us more about our baby boy. For two people who like to be in total control, waiting is SO hard.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Chemo Treatment #4
Friday Allen went in for his fourth chemotherapy treatment (of twelve). He had his labs drawn first--his white counts are lower than the last treatment, but higher than the treatment before that. The numbers are considered "critical." However, The Cancer Ninja warned us that his numbers would be very, very low during the entire treatment; it just means we have to maintain our vigilance when it comes to germs.
Then we got to meet with The Cancer Ninja. He patiently answered all of our million-and-one questions, and let us know that Allen's VERY IMPORTANT PET Scan would be set for December, 12th: 12-12-12. We think that is a lucky number! (And, it happens to be my birthday.) Unfortunately, Allen will be radioactive after his scan, so he will have to spend the night down the street at Uncle David and Emily's house. We will receive the results of his scan at Allen's regular appointment December 14th. We want the PET Scan to show that all of CANcer is GONE and that any area that previously showed CANcer cells is now STERILE and DEAD!
Chemo treatment #4 went well. Of course it started with port issues--but it just wouldn't be normal for us without them. Thankfully, the nurse was able to work with Allen to get the port functioning properly. Allen did very well during treatment and spent most of the time working on his laptop and listening to music.
He has felt pretty good this weekend, managing to get two long runs in
and plenty of football watching time! He is a little more tired today than he has been, but he also logged more miles than he normally does. We are hoping for an uneventful week and good nights sleep so he feels rested for work.
Thank you again to everyone for their support!
Then we got to meet with The Cancer Ninja. He patiently answered all of our million-and-one questions, and let us know that Allen's VERY IMPORTANT PET Scan would be set for December, 12th: 12-12-12. We think that is a lucky number! (And, it happens to be my birthday.) Unfortunately, Allen will be radioactive after his scan, so he will have to spend the night down the street at Uncle David and Emily's house. We will receive the results of his scan at Allen's regular appointment December 14th. We want the PET Scan to show that all of CANcer is GONE and that any area that previously showed CANcer cells is now STERILE and DEAD!
Chemo treatment #4 went well. Of course it started with port issues--but it just wouldn't be normal for us without them. Thankfully, the nurse was able to work with Allen to get the port functioning properly. Allen did very well during treatment and spent most of the time working on his laptop and listening to music.
He has felt pretty good this weekend, managing to get two long runs in
Thank you again to everyone for their support!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
We're ALL-EN!
We have received so many awesome pictures of people with their ALL-EN bracelets on! Thank you! Here are some of the latest ones:
We are so blessed to have the most amazing friends and family supporting us! Tomorrow marks Allen's fourth chemo treatment. We are hoping for good blood count numbers in the morning and easy access to the port for a smooth treatment. The fourth of twelve treatments will mark 33% of the way through the chemo part of Allen's path to CURE! It also signals that his all important scan will be soon! We aren't sure when The Cancer Ninja will schedule his scan, but we know it will be sometime in the next two weeks. Any thoughts and prayers for a completely STERILE, CANcer FREE scan are greatly appreciated! We will keep you all updated as we know more! If you want to email Allen a quick note, you can send it to: 4teamallenbates@gmail.com.
 |
| The Razorbacks are ALL-EN! Woo Pig Sooie! |
 |
| Baby (Brookelyn's doll and best friend since she was one) is ALL-EN! |
 |
| Washington DC is ALL-EN! |
 |
| The Honey Island Swamp Monster (in NOLA) is ALL-EN! |
 |
| Mr. Buddy, Brookelyn's AMAZING counselor at school, is ALL-EN! |
 |
| Aunt "B" and Abby are ALL-EN! |
Thursday, November 22, 2012
SO Thankful...
We have SO much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving! We are thankful to the doctors and nurses--ALL of them: The Cancer Ninja and his staff, the ER doctor who preliminarily diagnosed Allen, Dr. Serious and everyone at MD Anderson, Nurse Bigelow with Livestrong, and all the wonderful, kind nurses who have conducted Allen's many scans, blood draws, chemo treatments, and were smiling faces to cheer him on! Each one has touched our lives and continues to do so as Allen fights this battle.
At the same time--and just as important--we cannot express our gratitude to all of our family and friends and friends of friends and Walmart/Sam's Club Associates who have helped us over the last almost eight weeks. The countless meals, donations, juggling kids, kind words and emails, ordering and wearing your ALL-EN bracelets, and ears to listen have meant more than we can truly ever express. CANcer sucks but all of you make it beatable.
And of course, we are thankful for our two smart, funny, and michevious little hooligans and the new little Bates that we will welcome in early May. Wow--we are certainly the luckiest Mommy and Daddy around!
If these last two months have taught us one thing, it is to be thankful, and today we are more so than we have ever been! CANcer has certainly put our priorities in order and shown us we are stronger, braver, and more loved than we ever knew!
At the same time--and just as important--we cannot express our gratitude to all of our family and friends and friends of friends and Walmart/Sam's Club Associates who have helped us over the last almost eight weeks. The countless meals, donations, juggling kids, kind words and emails, ordering and wearing your ALL-EN bracelets, and ears to listen have meant more than we can truly ever express. CANcer sucks but all of you make it beatable.
And of course, we are thankful for our two smart, funny, and michevious little hooligans and the new little Bates that we will welcome in early May. Wow--we are certainly the luckiest Mommy and Daddy around!
If these last two months have taught us one thing, it is to be thankful, and today we are more so than we have ever been! CANcer has certainly put our priorities in order and shown us we are stronger, braver, and more loved than we ever knew!
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Three Down, Nine to Go!
Yesterday marked the third treatment, which means Allen is now 1/4 of the way finished with chemotherapy! Before treatment, he had a great appointment with The Cancer Ninja. Allen's white counts are still very low, but they had improved from the last blood draw. That shows that while his body is being hit very hard by the chemo drugs (which we want because we obviously want them to get rid of all the CANcer cells), it is still able to bounce back and start recovering before the next round of chemo is administered. The Cancer Ninja was really pleased with how well Allen is able to endure the drugs with very little side effects, and was also happy with how much his mass has shrunk in his chest! Of course he is only looking at the surface (no scans yet), but the change really is remarkable! The biggest test will come after Allen's next chemo treatment; he will have a PET scan to look inside his body to see how the CANcer is responding to the drugs. As we have mentioned before, we want this scan to show NO ACTIVE CANcer AT ALL--aka for all areas to be STERILE!
After our awesome meeting with The Ninja, we headed over for chemo. Of course Allen's port gave us trouble again. Poor Allen, it is stressful enough to have to go through all of this, it would be nice if his port would just work as it is supposed to! But, after a group effort from several of the amazing nurses and some gymnastics on Allen's part to get in the absolutely perfect position, the port did its job. Four hours later we headed home to de-germ and let Allen get some rest. He felt great last night--no nausea or side effects.
This morning Allen hopped on the treadmill (of course)
and had a great run--something tells me after he is cured he might just leave me in the dust at our next race!
After our awesome meeting with The Ninja, we headed over for chemo. Of course Allen's port gave us trouble again. Poor Allen, it is stressful enough to have to go through all of this, it would be nice if his port would just work as it is supposed to! But, after a group effort from several of the amazing nurses and some gymnastics on Allen's part to get in the absolutely perfect position, the port did its job. Four hours later we headed home to de-germ and let Allen get some rest. He felt great last night--no nausea or side effects.
This morning Allen hopped on the treadmill (of course)
 |
| Three treatments down! Someone asked him if he thinks the chemo is making him stronger?! |
To end this post, we wanted to share a quote that we found early on in Allen's diagnosis that has really stuck with us both:
Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think! -Christopher Robin to Pooh
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Team ALL-EN Photo Challenge!
Allen's awesome co-worker took some amazing photos of her ALL-EN bracelet in unusual places while on a trip to Europe. Check these out:
So, we thought it would be cool to challenge all of Allen's supporters out there to take pictures of their ALL-EN bracelets in neat or unusual places! You can email your pictures to leahbates1212@yahoo.com, and we will post them on the blog and the Facebook page!
 |
| Can you spot the bracelet in this photo? |
 |
| On a statue in Germany! |
 |
| And look, Margaret Thatcher is ALL-EN! |
We can't wait to see what you all come up with!! Thanks for continuing to support Allen!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Team ALL-EN Pride! We LOVE it!
Thank you for all the awesome pictures showing everyone's support for Allen!
 |
| Allen's co-worker spotted The Pope supporting Team ALL-EN! |
 |
| Michelle and Clara are ALL-EN! |
 |
| Joni is ALL-EN! |
 |
| Poppy Larsen is ALL-EN! |
 |
| James is ALL-EN! |
Send us pictures of you wearing your ALL-EN bracelets! We love seeing them and posting them on the blog!
Allen is continuing to do well day five post chemo treatment number two. In fact, he is eating us out of house and home; his appetite is unquenchable and his cravings are hilarious! Our main concern (that seems to consume us) right now is germs. Everything humanly possible is being disinfected on a daily basis around the house, but we are still very anxious. We don't want anything to delay his treatments--we want to kick this CANcer to the curb as fast and as thoroughly as possible! He will have a VERY important scan after his fourth treatment and we are already beginning to think about that as well. We are focused on having that scan come back CANcer FREE! So, direct your energy, thoughts, prayers, karma, chi, etc. on Allen having a CANcer FREE scan coming up in a little less than a month!
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Cocktail Hour (Really Four Hours)
Written yesterday when I couldn't get it to post from the Oncology Center:
Allen is sitting here injesting a myriad of "cocktails" well before happy hour. Chemo round two has officially started, and his port functioned just fine this morning. He had great blood return right away, which made his nurse very happy! Before cocktail time, we met with The Cancer Ninja, and Allen got a great report. His white count is critically low, (as to be expected) so we do have to be VERY vigilant about germs and sickness. Anyone who is feeling the least bit under the weather needs to stay AWAY from Allen. We are meticulously watching Brookekyn and Braedyn for any signs of sickness, and they have already become accustomed to no shoes in the house, endless hand washing, and baths as soon as they get home from school. We don't want anything delaying Allen's treatments!
As I have mentioned before, we have been BLOWN AWAY by everyone's incredible support! Here are some more pictures of our amazing Team ALL-EN supporters:
Keep the wonderful pictures wearing your ALL-EN bracelets coming! We love to see them and post them here!
Ok, and now an update from today:
Allen woke up feeling GREAT this morning! He is probably SICK of hearing me ask if he feels ok, but I can't help asking just to make sure. Of course he hopped right on the treadmill and started running. He ran at a faster pace than he had been training at pre-diagnosis and logged several miles in no time. It is wonderful to see him feeling so strong, having a great appetite, and being so positive!
On another positive note, Allen's results are becoming more physically visible. When feeling his left lower pectoral area pre-treatment, several lumps and bumps could be felt (including the one that freaked us out initially). Well, this morning when we felt they were GONE! It feels like normal chest tissue now! He also had a very large mass toward the center of his pectoral area, and while that one isn't gone it certainly sticks out noticebly less and feels as if it might be breaking up more! These results are so uplifting and promising to us! Allen's great attitude and commitment to cure is paying off, The Cancer Ninja and his staff's hard work is paying off, and everyone's thoughts and prayers are working! Our goal for this week is to keep Allen healthy and away from crowds and germs. We are also hoping that he is able to rest after work (oh yes, of course he is working--can't keep him away from the office) so he can keep his strength and appetite up. Also, this week Allen is starting infrared massage therapy; we are excited to see him reap the benefits of this amazing service!
Thank you again to everyone who has brought us meals, helped out with the kids, contributed to the maid service, prayed for us, thought of us, cleaned Allen's desk at work, sent Allen notes, and a million other things I can't even begin to name here. All of you are helping us through this one step at a time!
Allen is sitting here injesting a myriad of "cocktails" well before happy hour. Chemo round two has officially started, and his port functioned just fine this morning. He had great blood return right away, which made his nurse very happy! Before cocktail time, we met with The Cancer Ninja, and Allen got a great report. His white count is critically low, (as to be expected) so we do have to be VERY vigilant about germs and sickness. Anyone who is feeling the least bit under the weather needs to stay AWAY from Allen. We are meticulously watching Brookekyn and Braedyn for any signs of sickness, and they have already become accustomed to no shoes in the house, endless hand washing, and baths as soon as they get home from school. We don't want anything delaying Allen's treatments!
As I have mentioned before, we have been BLOWN AWAY by everyone's incredible support! Here are some more pictures of our amazing Team ALL-EN supporters:
 |
| Woody and Jessie (aka Emily and Uncle David) are ALL-EN! |
 |
| Allen's co-workers at Sam's Club are ALL-EN! |
 |
| Jim and Becky Boyd Newberry are ALL-EN! |
 |
| Gene Simmons (aka Sashi dressed up for Halloween) is ALL-EN! |
Ok, and now an update from today:
Allen woke up feeling GREAT this morning! He is probably SICK of hearing me ask if he feels ok, but I can't help asking just to make sure. Of course he hopped right on the treadmill and started running. He ran at a faster pace than he had been training at pre-diagnosis and logged several miles in no time. It is wonderful to see him feeling so strong, having a great appetite, and being so positive!
On another positive note, Allen's results are becoming more physically visible. When feeling his left lower pectoral area pre-treatment, several lumps and bumps could be felt (including the one that freaked us out initially). Well, this morning when we felt they were GONE! It feels like normal chest tissue now! He also had a very large mass toward the center of his pectoral area, and while that one isn't gone it certainly sticks out noticebly less and feels as if it might be breaking up more! These results are so uplifting and promising to us! Allen's great attitude and commitment to cure is paying off, The Cancer Ninja and his staff's hard work is paying off, and everyone's thoughts and prayers are working! Our goal for this week is to keep Allen healthy and away from crowds and germs. We are also hoping that he is able to rest after work (oh yes, of course he is working--can't keep him away from the office) so he can keep his strength and appetite up. Also, this week Allen is starting infrared massage therapy; we are excited to see him reap the benefits of this amazing service!
Thank you again to everyone who has brought us meals, helped out with the kids, contributed to the maid service, prayed for us, thought of us, cleaned Allen's desk at work, sent Allen notes, and a million other things I can't even begin to name here. All of you are helping us through this one step at a time!
Monday, October 29, 2012
Lab Results
Today Allen had an appointment to have his blood drawn. They want to look at his numbers to see how low different levels in his blood have dropped. The overall take-away: His numbers are GOOD! While they have dropped, the nurse explained that it is a positive sign. It shows the medicines they are giving him are attacking his body--namely the CANcer cells! His white blood cells are low (2.0 whereas normal range is 3.3-10.5), but he isn't neutropenic so that is AMAZING!
He felt good this weekend--a little tired, which is to be expected as he had chemo Monday and didn't miss a day of work all week! But, he ran and biked and had great workouts!
Looking forward to kicking CANcer's butt on Friday at chemo!
He felt good this weekend--a little tired, which is to be expected as he had chemo Monday and didn't miss a day of work all week! But, he ran and biked and had great workouts!
Looking forward to kicking CANcer's butt on Friday at chemo!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Send Us Your ALL-EN Pictures!
We LOVE to see all the people supporting Team ALL-EN! Check out these pictures:
 |
| The Walkers support Team ALL-EN! |
 |
| The Daniels support Team ALL-EN! |
 |
| The Austins support Team ALL-EN! |
 |
| Allen's co-workers support Team ALL-EN! |
 |
| Allen's co-workers support Team ALL-EN! |
 |
| Grandma supports Team ALL-EN! |
 |
| Grampa supports Team ALL-EN! |
 |
| Drew supports Team ALL-EN! |
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT! Please send us your pictures to leahbates1212@yahoo.com, so we can post them!!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Our Diet
Since finding out Allen has CANcer (we loved the way they spelled it at MD Anderson), we have revisited the way we eat. While we have eaten healthy for quite a while--ever since watching Food Inc. about four years ago, we have really kicked it up now. That means that while we haven't eaten meat for the last four years (although we do eaten chicken on occasion), we are now cutting out dairy as well. Yes, we are now vegan--and yes that does mean NO cheese. Neither of us thought we could live without cheese; however, after doing a lot of research with the help of Auntie Jenna, (Brookelyn's Godmother) cutting out ALL animal products seems to be the right choice for us. There are PLENTY of ways for us to get all the nutrients we need from sources other than animals, so don't worry about Allen's nutrition slipping! We have also decided to go all organic. The research we read has led us to feel eliminating pesticides from our food, as well as GMOs (genetically modified organisms) is the best choice for our family.
Now, with that said, we are also realists. We cannot feasibly eat all vegan--all organic--all the time. But, what we can do is the best we can. The other night we went out to pizza. Instead of ordering it the way we would have a few weeks ago, we ordered it with gluten free crust, without cheese, and topped with veggies. And, we are happy to report that we LOVED it! It was totally delicious! Ozark Natural Foods and The Fresh Market have also been amazing! It is certainly a learning curve, but slowly we have been able to recreate most of the meals we love using organic products from those stores. It can be tricky because we have also eliminated refined sugar, and SO many products have sugar!! But, again we are slowly getting the hang of things. Allen also got a juicer for his birthday, which has been great! Fresh squeezed organic orange juice (yes, we bought a case--39lbs of organic oranges last weekend) is like dessert! And, of course the kids love helping Daddy make juice! This brings us to the topic of drinks. In our house it is now water, water with lemon, or fresh juice. NO MORE SODA! Interestingly enough, the night Allen was preliminarily diagnosed in the ER with Hodgkins he started having night sweats (a symptom of Hodgkins). He also gave up soda that night, and we immediately started changing the way we ate. Allen mentioned the night sweats to The Cancer Ninja, and he explained that after the treatment started they would go away within a couple of weeks. However, the night sweats DISAPPEARED only a week after they started! They shouldn't have gone away until weeks after treatment, but his were gone almost two weeks BEFORE treatment started. He went from soaked at night, not being able to sleep, to sleeping perfectly. We have to believe that the drastic improvement was caused by his diet choices! That is more than enough to prove to us that the changes we have made are working and an important part of his path to CURE!
On the topic of food, we wanted to say a special THANK YOU to everyone who has brought us and/or the kids dinner and signed up to bring us dinner! It is so sweet of you all to think of our family! With that said, we also know bringing dinner with so many diet restrictions can be scary--heck, I still feel stressed out at dinnertime, and I should be used to cooking this way by now! We have had so many emails, calls, and texts, asking for ways people can help. Leah's mom has set up a maid service to come clean the house from top to bottom several times a month. This service will help us to make sure that we are as germ-free as possible, which is obviously important to keeping Allen healthy! If you would like to help out with the cost of the maid services, there is a button on the sidebar of the blog (remember you have to click on the "View Web Version" button at the bottom of the page) where you can do this.
It has been a great two days post chemo. Allen is feeling great--he even asked me if I was SURE he got the chemo drugs! His morning runs have been empowering and left him feeling strong! All of your amazing thoughts and prayers are working!!
Now, with that said, we are also realists. We cannot feasibly eat all vegan--all organic--all the time. But, what we can do is the best we can. The other night we went out to pizza. Instead of ordering it the way we would have a few weeks ago, we ordered it with gluten free crust, without cheese, and topped with veggies. And, we are happy to report that we LOVED it! It was totally delicious! Ozark Natural Foods and The Fresh Market have also been amazing! It is certainly a learning curve, but slowly we have been able to recreate most of the meals we love using organic products from those stores. It can be tricky because we have also eliminated refined sugar, and SO many products have sugar!! But, again we are slowly getting the hang of things. Allen also got a juicer for his birthday, which has been great! Fresh squeezed organic orange juice (yes, we bought a case--39lbs of organic oranges last weekend) is like dessert! And, of course the kids love helping Daddy make juice! This brings us to the topic of drinks. In our house it is now water, water with lemon, or fresh juice. NO MORE SODA! Interestingly enough, the night Allen was preliminarily diagnosed in the ER with Hodgkins he started having night sweats (a symptom of Hodgkins). He also gave up soda that night, and we immediately started changing the way we ate. Allen mentioned the night sweats to The Cancer Ninja, and he explained that after the treatment started they would go away within a couple of weeks. However, the night sweats DISAPPEARED only a week after they started! They shouldn't have gone away until weeks after treatment, but his were gone almost two weeks BEFORE treatment started. He went from soaked at night, not being able to sleep, to sleeping perfectly. We have to believe that the drastic improvement was caused by his diet choices! That is more than enough to prove to us that the changes we have made are working and an important part of his path to CURE!
On the topic of food, we wanted to say a special THANK YOU to everyone who has brought us and/or the kids dinner and signed up to bring us dinner! It is so sweet of you all to think of our family! With that said, we also know bringing dinner with so many diet restrictions can be scary--heck, I still feel stressed out at dinnertime, and I should be used to cooking this way by now! We have had so many emails, calls, and texts, asking for ways people can help. Leah's mom has set up a maid service to come clean the house from top to bottom several times a month. This service will help us to make sure that we are as germ-free as possible, which is obviously important to keeping Allen healthy! If you would like to help out with the cost of the maid services, there is a button on the sidebar of the blog (remember you have to click on the "View Web Version" button at the bottom of the page) where you can do this.
It has been a great two days post chemo. Allen is feeling great--he even asked me if I was SURE he got the chemo drugs! His morning runs have been empowering and left him feeling strong! All of your amazing thoughts and prayers are working!!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Chemotherapy--Take Two!
He did it! Allen was able to receive his first chemo treatment today! He had surgery last Friday to repair his port, which turns out to have been completely severed. Here he is last Friday receiving his new, improved port--Ironman 2.0 (if you remember Allen used Ironman to explain his power port to the kiddos):
So, today going into treatment it was natural that we were both apprehensive about having port problems again. Our nurse, Katie, was amazing! We have been so blessed to have such wonderful people caring for Allen! She did have some problems with Allen's port early on--not too sure why Allen insists on being so difficult?! But, after a lot of flushing, two x-rays, and some "gymnastics" on Allen's part to get into the perfect position to allow his port to flow, we had SUCESS! Allen received his anti-nausea medicines first, and then his chemo cocktails. His regimen is called ABVD--we like to think it stands for Allen Bates' Victory Dance because we know he will be doing a victory dance really soon when he is completely CURED! The A drug is also referred to as the "Red Devil" because not only is it actually red, (yes, RAZORBACK RED) but it is the most dangerous drug Allen takes. It is very strong and can cause major damage if it gets outside his veins. It also causes his mouth to burn, so he eats a lot of ice while they administer this drug. Next was the B. They did a quick test dose of this drug because it can cause lung problems. He responded great! Finally he got the VD, which comes in a funny brown colored bag because it doesn't like the light. Here is Allen during his treatment today:
We are finally back home! Well, I am back home and he is off to the office. Yes, he has been itching to go in and get to work! Allen's next appointment isn't until next Monday to check all his levels. Please keep him in your thoughts--we need GOOD numbers! We are also hoping that he doesn't have to deal with nausea or too much fatigue. Remember, if you want to email him words of encouragement, you can reach him directly at 4teamallenbates@gmail.com. He enjoys reading the notes everyone sends! Thank you again to everyone for all your kind words and help! It means so much!
 |
| The 2.0 version is new and improved! |
 |
| He had just started his IV anti-nausea drugs. |
 |
| Listening to music and catching up on work email. |
 |
| Here is a shot of his cocktails. |
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
When we went in for chemo today, there was an issue--the nurse couldn't get a good blood return from Allen's power port. Hoping that it was a minor issue, she tried a few fixes. However, ultimately she had to inject Allen with a dye that showed up on x-ray to get to the bottom of things. Unfortunately, the problem was a big one. Allen's port is defective. So, after many long conversations and help from The Cancer Ninja (who was on vacation and took time out to help us--he really is the best doctor EVER), Allen now has surgery to replace his port tentatively scheduled for sometime on Friday and chemo has been rescheduled for Monday. We were joking that the big kids' consignment sale is coming up this week, and I have signed up to work an ungodly amount of hours to shop early on Friday--Allen still wants to go after surgery (he loves a good bargain), so I told him he will probably still be so doped up that he will let me buy WHATEVER I want. Hmmmm...maybe this delay wasn't such a bad thing after all. :)
In other, more positive news...LOOK what Allen woke up to today:
His amazing co-workers surprised him by decorating the house this morning! We are so lucky to have such thoughtful friends! Thank you again to everyone for all their emails, calls, texts, food, flowers, and prayers! They are all appreciated and mean so much!
In other, more positive news...LOOK what Allen woke up to today:
A Third Ring to the Bates' Circus
It is with GREAT pleasure that we announce that a new Bates will be arriving in early May! Apparently our two ring circus wasn't crazy enough--someone thought we needed THREE rings to be a complete circus.
If we have learned anything over the past weeks, it is that there is a grand plan out there greater than any plans we may have thought we set in place. And, while our plates are certainly full, we are embracing everything as it comes. We are constantly reminded of another Hodgkin's survivors wife's wise words, "this is a marathon" and not a sprint. Well, we have done marathons--heck we have done triathlons. WE GOT THIS!
If we have learned anything over the past weeks, it is that there is a grand plan out there greater than any plans we may have thought we set in place. And, while our plates are certainly full, we are embracing everything as it comes. We are constantly reminded of another Hodgkin's survivors wife's wise words, "this is a marathon" and not a sprint. Well, we have done marathons--heck we have done triathlons. WE GOT THIS!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
TEAM ALL-EN Bracelets are HERE!
Look what arrived last night:
We are so excited! If you would like to order a purple (the color for Lymphoma) ALL-EN bracelet, click the blog sidebar for information. Remember, if you are viewing the blog through a smartphone, you will need to click on the "View Web Version" at the bottom of the blog to see the sidebars. Bracelets are $3.00 for the first one and $2.00 for each additional shipped to the (same) address you provide. We have both adult and child sizes, so please specify your preference. Thank you all for your incredible support!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)