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!
Monday, October 29, 2012
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:
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| The Walkers support Team ALL-EN! |
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| The Daniels support Team ALL-EN! |
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| The Austins support Team ALL-EN! |
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| Allen's co-workers support Team ALL-EN! |
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| Allen's co-workers support Team ALL-EN! |
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| Grandma supports Team ALL-EN! |
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| Grampa supports Team ALL-EN! |
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| 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!
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| The 2.0 version is new and improved! |
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| He had just started his IV anti-nausea drugs. |
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| Listening to music and catching up on work email. |
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| 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!!
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Germs be GONE!
Today Emily, my Mom, and I spent 6 hours cleaning the house from the top of the ceiling molding to the bottom of the baseboards. It feels AMAZING to have a completely disinfected house! I am SO grateful for all of their help! And, to make cleaning for 6 hours doable, Dianna took the kids out for a full day of fun and spoiling! We are so blessed to have such amazing friends and family to help us out! Oh, and where was Allen during all this cleaning you ask? He was washing the car, and he and David went on a 12 mile bike ride! Yes, with a lung full of fluid, and a mass pushing on his chest, and against The Cancer Ninja's orders! (Sorry Cancer Ninja if you or your wife is reading this. I promise I tried to make him take a nice leisurely ride on the trainer, but he wouldn't listen!!)
Now, back to the germs. Because Allen's immune system will be almost non-existent while he is getting his chemotherapy treatments, it is imperative that we take every precaution possible to keep germs away from him. Everyone in the family has had their flu shot--think about getting one too! With Walmart insurance and a lot of other insurance plans it is FREE. Also, if you aren't feeling well, please try to stay away from him, me, or the kiddos. All shoes will have to be taken off at the back door, and everyone will need to wash their hands before they come in. We are even going to make the kids take a bath and change clothes as soon as they come home from school to limit the amount of germs they bring home. Things like changing the sheets every other day, wiping down all surfaces (including remotes, computer keyboards, iPhones, door knobs, light switches, etc), dusting, vacuuming, and mopping will all be kicked into HIGH gear around the Bates' house. Keeping the house clean will be a constant battle, but we want to do everything we can to keep Allen from getting sick! Being sick means his chemo treatments might be delayed, and one thing that has been drilled into our heads by the doctors is the IMPORTANCE of keeping them on schedule for the best possible outcome. If anyone has any other suggestions on how to keep things super clean, we would love to hear them--we can't be too clean!!
Now, back to the germs. Because Allen's immune system will be almost non-existent while he is getting his chemotherapy treatments, it is imperative that we take every precaution possible to keep germs away from him. Everyone in the family has had their flu shot--think about getting one too! With Walmart insurance and a lot of other insurance plans it is FREE. Also, if you aren't feeling well, please try to stay away from him, me, or the kiddos. All shoes will have to be taken off at the back door, and everyone will need to wash their hands before they come in. We are even going to make the kids take a bath and change clothes as soon as they come home from school to limit the amount of germs they bring home. Things like changing the sheets every other day, wiping down all surfaces (including remotes, computer keyboards, iPhones, door knobs, light switches, etc), dusting, vacuuming, and mopping will all be kicked into HIGH gear around the Bates' house. Keeping the house clean will be a constant battle, but we want to do everything we can to keep Allen from getting sick! Being sick means his chemo treatments might be delayed, and one thing that has been drilled into our heads by the doctors is the IMPORTANCE of keeping them on schedule for the best possible outcome. If anyone has any other suggestions on how to keep things super clean, we would love to hear them--we can't be too clean!!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
The Kids
In true #1 Daddy fashion, Allen did an amazing job of talking with the kids. While we were bathing them last night Allen pulled out an Ironman action figure. In the middle of Ironman's chest is a light-up button, and Allen explained that is where Ironman gets all his power from. He went on to tell the kids that just like Ironman, Daddy had a special power button put in. He let them see it, and explained to them that right now there are bad guys called Cancer in his body, and the doctors are going to use his special Ironman button to put medicine in to fight all the bad guys. The kids thought it was pretty cool.
However, after putting them to bed sweet, sensitive Brookelyn was "scared." She was upset and crying that she was scared about Daddy, and she didn't want to go to school because she was scared something would happen to Daddy while she was gone. We covered her in hugs and kisses and lots of encouraging words. We are hoping she will continue to be open to talk about her feelings and slowly feel better as she sees Daddy is ok. Braedyn had a lot of questions for Daddy too. He wanted to make sure all the bad guys would be gone. This morning they both seem to be better.
So, with that said we need to be careful about what we say and do in front of the kids. We can't have people coming up telling us how sorry they are about what we are going through. That may sound mean and harsh, but it is just reality. We don't want everyone to feel sorry for us anyway; we want everyone to stay POSITIVE and help CHEER Allen on to victory. We need you to cheer the kids on too! Your positivity and support helps us get through the day, and it will help the kiddos! Remember, cancer is something their Daddy has, it is not who he is. On that note, we also wanted to share a great sign we saw in the doctor's office in Houston. It said "CANcer." We love that attitude!
However, after putting them to bed sweet, sensitive Brookelyn was "scared." She was upset and crying that she was scared about Daddy, and she didn't want to go to school because she was scared something would happen to Daddy while she was gone. We covered her in hugs and kisses and lots of encouraging words. We are hoping she will continue to be open to talk about her feelings and slowly feel better as she sees Daddy is ok. Braedyn had a lot of questions for Daddy too. He wanted to make sure all the bad guys would be gone. This morning they both seem to be better.
So, with that said we need to be careful about what we say and do in front of the kids. We can't have people coming up telling us how sorry they are about what we are going through. That may sound mean and harsh, but it is just reality. We don't want everyone to feel sorry for us anyway; we want everyone to stay POSITIVE and help CHEER Allen on to victory. We need you to cheer the kids on too! Your positivity and support helps us get through the day, and it will help the kiddos! Remember, cancer is something their Daddy has, it is not who he is. On that note, we also wanted to share a great sign we saw in the doctor's office in Houston. It said "CANcer." We love that attitude!
Friday, October 12, 2012
Houston, We Have Landed...At MD Anderson
Wow--Thursday was yet another whirlwind of tests, doctors, waiting, and trying to digest large amounts of knowledge in a very small amount of time.
Our first stop was the Lymphoma and Myeloma Center. All these doctors see every day all day long is patients with these two types of cancer. As we pulled up to the building and our entrance, entrance #2 this is what we saw:
Yes! The entrance to our clinic is on Bates Street!! While MD Anderson's address is on Holcombe, there are several entrances (as you can imagine because the place is HUGE) but the entrance that Allen goes in to see his doctor is on BATES STREET! I have to take that as a sign we were meant to come here. I just don't believe in coincidences.
We wove through the maze that is the hospital and found where we see supposed to be. After more basic tests for Allen, piles of paperwork, and a little waiting, it was our turn. We came armed with all the information The Cancer Ninja and Nurse Bigelow filled us with, and I really think that helped. I felt like the nurse practitioner who met with us understood that we meant business and we had brought a lot of hard hitting questions. Then we got to meet with Dr. Serious--the latest addition to Team All-En. He was really good, to the point, and he knew his stuff. There was no joking with Dr. Serious. He had reports and numbers and lots of answers. Everything he told us fell right in line with The Cancer Ninja, and ultimately Dr. Serious agreed on the same regimen as him. That was such a relief. Allen said afterwards that he thought Dr. Serious was bored with his case because he kept showing us the latest number and drilling into us how positive Allen's prognosis was. Kind've like, "Ok guys. He is going to be ok. I deal with WAY worse stuff than this. Be happy you have Hodgkins," but in a nice way of course. Probably the MOST important thing Dr. Serious did for us was to make a personal call to the radiologist there and set up an appointment for us that afternoon.
So after Allen had TEN more vials of blood drawn, we headed to lunch, and then to the radiology appointment. All the radiology department we were sent to does all day, every day is deal with Lymphoma cases. They see TONS of the type of Hodgkins Allen has. That is super sad, yet comforting at the same time because they are so well trained to deal with it. And, when it comes to radiating Allen's chest (where there happens to be major organs like his lungs and heart) that are so important, we need someone who is super skilled in this art-form. Enter Dr. Smarty Pants. Wow-talk about owning a room. I could feel the confidence and knowledge ooze from her. We were told about specialized machines and techniques that are only used at MD Anderson and a couple other major institutions in the US. These allow the doctors to pinpoint the area being radiated even MORE precisely. Dr. Smarty Pants also told us that with radiation only 3% of patients have a reoccurrence. That was an impressive number! There are still a lot of risks though, so we will definitely be discussing all of this with our beloved Cancer Ninja in the next couple of weeks.
Before we left for the day, we were also able to coordinate with the doctors back at home and set up Allen's first chemo session. It will be Wednesday October 17th--his birthday. While chemo certainly isn't the birthday present he wanted this year, it will guarentee that he has MANY, MANY more birthdays to come. That makes it his most important birthday ever!
We also had the pleasure of meeting Aunt Barby and Uncle James for dinner! It was great to see them and catch up. Friday we fly back home and meet up with Honey and the kids. We have missed the kids SO much and can't wait to see them and snuggle them! At the same time, we know that means the big talk about Daddy is coming up. We will be talking with them about everything on Saturday. There will be a VERY important blog post coming up on them and how to handle all of this news when you see them. So, please stay tuned for that. It is so important to us to be honest with the kids, but also to manage their feelings in the way that is best for each of them.
Well, that was a novel! We are so thankful that we can keep everyone up to date using the blog. Remember, you can email Allen directly if you want. (His address is on the sidebar on the blog. If you view the blog from a cellular device, you have to click "View Web Version" at the bottom to see the sidebars.) Oh, and Team All-En bracelets arrive this week and t-shirts probably next week. Watch the sidebar on the blog for information. Most importantly, THANK YOU again to everyone!!
Our first stop was the Lymphoma and Myeloma Center. All these doctors see every day all day long is patients with these two types of cancer. As we pulled up to the building and our entrance, entrance #2 this is what we saw:
Yes! The entrance to our clinic is on Bates Street!! While MD Anderson's address is on Holcombe, there are several entrances (as you can imagine because the place is HUGE) but the entrance that Allen goes in to see his doctor is on BATES STREET! I have to take that as a sign we were meant to come here. I just don't believe in coincidences.
We wove through the maze that is the hospital and found where we see supposed to be. After more basic tests for Allen, piles of paperwork, and a little waiting, it was our turn. We came armed with all the information The Cancer Ninja and Nurse Bigelow filled us with, and I really think that helped. I felt like the nurse practitioner who met with us understood that we meant business and we had brought a lot of hard hitting questions. Then we got to meet with Dr. Serious--the latest addition to Team All-En. He was really good, to the point, and he knew his stuff. There was no joking with Dr. Serious. He had reports and numbers and lots of answers. Everything he told us fell right in line with The Cancer Ninja, and ultimately Dr. Serious agreed on the same regimen as him. That was such a relief. Allen said afterwards that he thought Dr. Serious was bored with his case because he kept showing us the latest number and drilling into us how positive Allen's prognosis was. Kind've like, "Ok guys. He is going to be ok. I deal with WAY worse stuff than this. Be happy you have Hodgkins," but in a nice way of course. Probably the MOST important thing Dr. Serious did for us was to make a personal call to the radiologist there and set up an appointment for us that afternoon.
So after Allen had TEN more vials of blood drawn, we headed to lunch, and then to the radiology appointment. All the radiology department we were sent to does all day, every day is deal with Lymphoma cases. They see TONS of the type of Hodgkins Allen has. That is super sad, yet comforting at the same time because they are so well trained to deal with it. And, when it comes to radiating Allen's chest (where there happens to be major organs like his lungs and heart) that are so important, we need someone who is super skilled in this art-form. Enter Dr. Smarty Pants. Wow-talk about owning a room. I could feel the confidence and knowledge ooze from her. We were told about specialized machines and techniques that are only used at MD Anderson and a couple other major institutions in the US. These allow the doctors to pinpoint the area being radiated even MORE precisely. Dr. Smarty Pants also told us that with radiation only 3% of patients have a reoccurrence. That was an impressive number! There are still a lot of risks though, so we will definitely be discussing all of this with our beloved Cancer Ninja in the next couple of weeks.
Before we left for the day, we were also able to coordinate with the doctors back at home and set up Allen's first chemo session. It will be Wednesday October 17th--his birthday. While chemo certainly isn't the birthday present he wanted this year, it will guarentee that he has MANY, MANY more birthdays to come. That makes it his most important birthday ever!
We also had the pleasure of meeting Aunt Barby and Uncle James for dinner! It was great to see them and catch up. Friday we fly back home and meet up with Honey and the kids. We have missed the kids SO much and can't wait to see them and snuggle them! At the same time, we know that means the big talk about Daddy is coming up. We will be talking with them about everything on Saturday. There will be a VERY important blog post coming up on them and how to handle all of this news when you see them. So, please stay tuned for that. It is so important to us to be honest with the kids, but also to manage their feelings in the way that is best for each of them.
Well, that was a novel! We are so thankful that we can keep everyone up to date using the blog. Remember, you can email Allen directly if you want. (His address is on the sidebar on the blog. If you view the blog from a cellular device, you have to click "View Web Version" at the bottom to see the sidebars.) Oh, and Team All-En bracelets arrive this week and t-shirts probably next week. Watch the sidebar on the blog for information. Most importantly, THANK YOU again to everyone!!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
A BIG Thank You and an Update...
Thank you to everyone who has texted, called, emailed, Facebook posted, signed up for our Meal Train, commented on the blog, thought about us, prayed for us, and everything else that I cannot even begin to list! Your support means more than you know!!
Tonight we are in Houston awaiting Allen's appointment with MD Anderson tomorrow. We are ready to meet the with the doctors there, compare their suggestions with The Cancer Ninja, and get started with chemotherapy next week. I do want to mention one other amazing person that we had the pleasure of speaking with today, Nurse Bigelow. She was assigned to us through The Livestrong site, which works with the Navigate Cancer Organization to pair cancer patients up with qualified medical personel FREE of charge. Nurse Bigelow has had 29 years of experience in oncology. She called us today and went through a lot of the tricky details of deciding on a treatment course and gave us specific questions to ask tomorrow. She will follow our case through until Allen is cured! We feel blessed to have yet another amazing person on Team All-En!
Tonight we are in Houston awaiting Allen's appointment with MD Anderson tomorrow. We are ready to meet the with the doctors there, compare their suggestions with The Cancer Ninja, and get started with chemotherapy next week. I do want to mention one other amazing person that we had the pleasure of speaking with today, Nurse Bigelow. She was assigned to us through The Livestrong site, which works with the Navigate Cancer Organization to pair cancer patients up with qualified medical personel FREE of charge. Nurse Bigelow has had 29 years of experience in oncology. She called us today and went through a lot of the tricky details of deciding on a treatment course and gave us specific questions to ask tomorrow. She will follow our case through until Allen is cured! We feel blessed to have yet another amazing person on Team All-En!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
We are Leaving on a Jet Plane...
Tomorrow we are headed out to MD Anderson. Our appointment is Thursday morning at 9am. Please keep Allen in your thoughts as we hear from the doctors there and create a plan of treatment utilizing both the knowledge of our amazing Cancer Ninja here and the doctors at MD Anderson.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Timeline of Events
To say it has been a whirlwind does not even begin to describe the last nine days. First, we have to say THANK YOU to all the amazing friends, family, and doctors who have held our hands through this crazy, confusing time.
SEPTEMBER 29TH:
A few weeks earlier Allen visited his regular doctor about an enlarged lymph-node under his arm. The doctor was totally unconcerned, and he told us to watch it. He figured it was from a respiratory infection Allen was already recovering from. After all Allen was in amazing health, and was in final stage training for our next triathlon in Dallas. However, when the lymph-node was still there the weekend of the Arkansas vs. A&M game I called in his parents to "put the pressure on" for Allen to return to the doctor. Also, there was a lump on his chest on the same side as the swollen lymph-node. Somehow we managed to talk him into a "quick trip" to the ER (so he wouldn't have to miss work during the week). After a chest x-ray and a CT Scan with contrast, the ER doctor came in to break the news to us: most likely Hodgkins Lymphoma. It was a total shock. How does someone who has completed two triathlons, a 50K bike race, and numerous smaller races in the last couple of months, not to mention grueling training on a daily basis have lymphoma in his chest? Only overachiever Allen.
OCTOBER 1ST:
Today was a whirlwind of getting appointments set up!
OCTOBER 2ND:
Allen had both MRI and CT scans this morning. Then, it was off to meet The Cancer Ninja (alias for Allen's oncologist)! He had been coordinating Allen's care since we contacted him late Saturday night from the ER. We cannot explain how incredibly blessed we are to have him caring for Allen. He has gone WAY above and beyond to push tests through and coordinate the general chaos that is diagnosing Lymphoma. It was comforting to meet with The Cancer Ninja and look at Allen's scans. The hardest part of this process has been the unknown, and with every small piece of information we have felt empowered to move forward. After the appointment, much to his dismay, Allen had a bone marrow biopsy. In true Cancer Ninja form, the doctor stayed late and performed the procedure.
OCTOBER 3RD:
Today was Allen's PET Scan. This test was to look at Allen's entire body to see if the Lymphoma had spread. Poor guy couldn't eat anything after 9:00 am and his test wasn't until 3:15. However, we felt blessed The Cancer Ninja got us in so quickly! Allen had been dreading this test. He had to drink Barium, which he compares to latex paint. But, in true ALL-EN form, he drank it like a champ!! After the test, Allen was RADIOACTIVE! Yes, really! So, he had a nice one night vacation down the street at Uncle David's house. (We figured it would be very difficult to keep the kiddos away from him.)
OCTOBER 4TH:
Allen had been least looking forward to the surgeries to remove the lymph-node under his arm and to put a Power Port into his chest (where he will receive chemotherapy). Well, today was the day. He came through surgery like a rockstar! There was a pretty large incision on his right chest over where the surgeon placed his Power Port and another one under his left arm, so it was tricky for him to get comfortable. And, of course he didn't want to take his pain pills. But, he eventually managed to figure out how to lay in a way that would work for the evening.
OCTOBER 6TH:
Honey and Sashi flew in yesterday and out with the kids today to San Antonio for the week! Thank you Honey and Sashi for taking care of the kids so we can focus on Allen!
OCTOBER 8TH:
Allen's biopsy results came back today. He officially has been diagnosed with Nodular Sclerosing Hodgkins Lymphoma. Of course we didn't want him to have lymphoma at all, but the good news is the type Allen has is EXTREMELY CURABLE! LIKE 85%-90% CURABLE! And the other good news is that Allen's PET scan came back with NO surprises and his bone marrow biopsy came back CLEAN! So, with all that news to discuss, we headed to yet another test this afternoon--The Cancer Ninja wanted to evaluate his lung function. Allen got to sit in a really cool booth and blow in and out of a tube for about 45 minutes. Tomorrow we meet with The Cancer Ninja again, and we are anxious to hear what he has to say now that he has a more full view of Allen and the results of all the tests. He is also coordinating a trip to MD Anderson in Houston for us. Have we said how amazing he is yet?
SEPTEMBER 29TH:
A few weeks earlier Allen visited his regular doctor about an enlarged lymph-node under his arm. The doctor was totally unconcerned, and he told us to watch it. He figured it was from a respiratory infection Allen was already recovering from. After all Allen was in amazing health, and was in final stage training for our next triathlon in Dallas. However, when the lymph-node was still there the weekend of the Arkansas vs. A&M game I called in his parents to "put the pressure on" for Allen to return to the doctor. Also, there was a lump on his chest on the same side as the swollen lymph-node. Somehow we managed to talk him into a "quick trip" to the ER (so he wouldn't have to miss work during the week). After a chest x-ray and a CT Scan with contrast, the ER doctor came in to break the news to us: most likely Hodgkins Lymphoma. It was a total shock. How does someone who has completed two triathlons, a 50K bike race, and numerous smaller races in the last couple of months, not to mention grueling training on a daily basis have lymphoma in his chest? Only overachiever Allen.
OCTOBER 1ST:
Today was a whirlwind of getting appointments set up!
OCTOBER 2ND:
Allen had both MRI and CT scans this morning. Then, it was off to meet The Cancer Ninja (alias for Allen's oncologist)! He had been coordinating Allen's care since we contacted him late Saturday night from the ER. We cannot explain how incredibly blessed we are to have him caring for Allen. He has gone WAY above and beyond to push tests through and coordinate the general chaos that is diagnosing Lymphoma. It was comforting to meet with The Cancer Ninja and look at Allen's scans. The hardest part of this process has been the unknown, and with every small piece of information we have felt empowered to move forward. After the appointment, much to his dismay, Allen had a bone marrow biopsy. In true Cancer Ninja form, the doctor stayed late and performed the procedure.
 |
| Feeling good after having needles in BOTH arms for the MRI and CT scans! |
Today was Allen's PET Scan. This test was to look at Allen's entire body to see if the Lymphoma had spread. Poor guy couldn't eat anything after 9:00 am and his test wasn't until 3:15. However, we felt blessed The Cancer Ninja got us in so quickly! Allen had been dreading this test. He had to drink Barium, which he compares to latex paint. But, in true ALL-EN form, he drank it like a champ!! After the test, Allen was RADIOACTIVE! Yes, really! So, he had a nice one night vacation down the street at Uncle David's house. (We figured it would be very difficult to keep the kiddos away from him.)
 |
| "Hugging" from six feet away because Allen is RADIOACTIVE! |
OCTOBER 4TH:
Allen had been least looking forward to the surgeries to remove the lymph-node under his arm and to put a Power Port into his chest (where he will receive chemotherapy). Well, today was the day. He came through surgery like a rockstar! There was a pretty large incision on his right chest over where the surgeon placed his Power Port and another one under his left arm, so it was tricky for him to get comfortable. And, of course he didn't want to take his pain pills. But, he eventually managed to figure out how to lay in a way that would work for the evening.
 |
| Thumbs up before surgery! |
Honey and Sashi flew in yesterday and out with the kids today to San Antonio for the week! Thank you Honey and Sashi for taking care of the kids so we can focus on Allen!
OCTOBER 8TH:
Allen's biopsy results came back today. He officially has been diagnosed with Nodular Sclerosing Hodgkins Lymphoma. Of course we didn't want him to have lymphoma at all, but the good news is the type Allen has is EXTREMELY CURABLE! LIKE 85%-90% CURABLE! And the other good news is that Allen's PET scan came back with NO surprises and his bone marrow biopsy came back CLEAN! So, with all that news to discuss, we headed to yet another test this afternoon--The Cancer Ninja wanted to evaluate his lung function. Allen got to sit in a really cool booth and blow in and out of a tube for about 45 minutes. Tomorrow we meet with The Cancer Ninja again, and we are anxious to hear what he has to say now that he has a more full view of Allen and the results of all the tests. He is also coordinating a trip to MD Anderson in Houston for us. Have we said how amazing he is yet?
 |
| Testing his lungs. |
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