Monday2/28/12

Another very good day. It seems we are always waiting for the something else to go wrong so we get suspicious when everything is progressing right along.  Thanks to all of you who have kept us in your thoughts and prayers it really means so much and I will be thanking you all for graciousness for as long as I live.  More hope Every day!

Monday

Everyday is better than the next.  No night sweats last night and only 3 total pain meds today.  We even got a game of pitch in which I won.  He is walking and joking more without pain.  I think we are all in shock a bit and disbelief as it has been a rough month and a half.  He deserves to have some good days.  Through the power of prayer and the support of all of you we are going to kick the heck out of this disease.  I would like you all to continue to pray for John however don't let us forget all of the others struggling with this monster.  Fight like hell!!!!

Today was the best day.  John was able to make it out to on of the boys games and while nervous about going he was so happy he went.  He loved seeing all of the boys and parents.  He said that it made him very happy.  Thank you to all of you for making him feel so normal.  Hoping for more good days!

Saturday

John is currently playing video poker.  This is day 2 on the meds and many aches and pains are gone and he has been resting the one major side effect has been dry mouth from the radiation.  Once again we have been overwhelmed by the communty as they held a fundraiser today and our family members said it was amazing.   will post pictures on the blog and soon as someone gets me some.  I have been reading up of course on how quickly we might see results from the zelboraf drug and most say about two days.  He is up went outside and hopefully will make it to the boys game for awhile tomorrow.  I am going to try and organize a race at some point called outrun the sun so will be looking for volunteers.  We as a family have a new cause and will commit to it 100% until they find a cure!!!!! 

TGIF

Today we received the Zelboraf and john took his first dose.  We are excited to see if he begins to feel better quickley.  Thank you for all your blessings things are moving now and hopefully we are on the healing path.  John has been lighter hearted and joking more.  I don't want him to be afraid anymore and I want him to feel good again. 

Thursday 2/23/12

Yeah!!!!John slept all night and is still sleeping today.  I think the steroids being reduced have made a difference.  I spoke with the Medical company this morning we will have the Drug in our hands tomorrow morning before 10:00 am.  Thank God!  I am hoping this will bring John some long awaited comfort.  I am going to try and get back to work in the next two weeks as I do not want to lose all of my days in case something else comes up.  This is a great day so far!

Tuesday

Tough Day...Ready to get the chemo Drug.  Thank you Cheryl for everything including my sanity.

Monday 2/20/12

Today was a good day... The drug company called and told us our copay for now will be 20 a month.  thank Goodness.  I just hope this doesn't change.  I am hoping that it comes sooner than Friday as the company said it should We just want it now.  As a parent you never know what your children are thinking until they actually say it Mike says," Mom you never take care anything, Matt replies yelling,  are you kidding she is taking care of dad and she can't even go to work, so she takes care...  It makes me tear up  abit as I write this.  I worry about our kids... John has therapy tomorrow so He should be pretty tired also since his steroids have been cut in half we are hoping he begins to sleep for longer periods of time.

So for the time being it is the waiting game... Thank you for all your support.

Sunday

Today was a good day however John's hips are still really hurting.  He is putting up with the pain like a champ and taking as many baths as possible as this gives him comfort.  We are going to try and get him up more often this week even if he balks at it.  We are also hopeful that we will receive the chemo meds before the end of next week as we are all anxious.  He has been taking visitors in the afternoon as we are trying to get him to stay up during the day and not all night.  Once again thanks for all your support Kingman is an outstanding community. 

Oh and of course Lexi being the jokester got her dad some hair.  What a good daughter as are all his wonderful children.

SAturday

2/18/12

John had a morning and afternoon. He stayed ued if he begins up all afternoon so I am hoping that he is able to sleep tonight.  He still is having the night sweats so it is a bit irritating to him.  The one noticable differnce are his spirits.  He seems much happier and motivated to get moving.  I thisn he will be even be  more excited once he begins the tratment.

For now we pray for no pain and sleep.  We are hoping he feels good enough for visitors on Sunday!

Good night

Las Vegas

2/17/12 

We were all a bit aprehensive on the ride to Vegas praying that he would have a certain genetic Mutatation that has been most successful in fighting melanoma.  Yeah our prayer answered The Doctor said John should have have immediate results that could hold off the cancer for several months and he should begin to feel better.  While this is no cure we are cautiously optomistic.  The Doctor and nurses at this facility are so caring I just really am impressed by the compassion .  So we await the day the chemo drug will arrive which is called vemurafenib a realitively new drug.  The nurse said if this were a diagnosis 3 years ago we would not have these chemo drugs.  The good news are the side effects are minimal.  This will be a long journey however I just can not thank Kelly Shuffler and Becky collins enough for leading us to this Doctor.  Hope Springs Eternal.  Today good news.  John is very tired today after  the trip, however I look forward to the days when he is laughing and on the baseball diamond coaching the youth of Kingman and our boys and wanting to go to laughlin to play. 

Thank you!

Just want to thank KAOL Faculty, Staff, and Kids,  Your gratitude is greatly appreciated and we as a family are overwhelmed with the kindness of Kingman Comminity.  As John said today," This is why I defend this town and choose to make my home here."  The families support one another.  Once again Thank you. 

We will update you upon our return from Vegas.  Pray for us please.  Thank you.

2/16/12

John finished his last radiation treatment treatment today and is tired.  We will meet with oncologist  on Friday to see what the plans are.  We are trying to keep John eating which has never been a problem until now.  He will eat cookies and mac and cheese just trying anything.  We are trying to keep spirits high however the unknown is a difficult thing.

Diagnosis

I also wanted to post the medical diagnosis.  John had a stroke which led to the diagnosis of Metastatic Melanoma that is widespread.  Two years ago John had a stage 2 melanoma removed from his back.  The Mayo Clinic removed it did a sentinal node test and said everything was clear.  He didn't have any scans follow up was to check yearly with dermatologist which is what he did.  Do not take this disease lightly as there is no cure.  If we could change anyhting we would have demanded a scan.  Please wear sunscreen and get any moles checked that you are worried about.  We hear so much about prostate cancer and breast cancer I wish there was as much literature  about melanoma out there however you can be sure our new cause will be get more information out about this deadly disease.

Wednesday 2/15/12

2/15/12

Today is the first day of this blog.  This is just to keep everyone up to date on John's progress so that I don't have to repeat it as it is very difficult for me.  First I need to sincerely thank all the Staff at KHS for the wonderful gifts and dinners your thoughtfulness has been overwhelming.  To the staff at Manzanita we feel the same thank you for supporting the boys and our family with the wonderful dinners.  To the Students and staff at KAOL Middle School we appreciate putting on a fundraiser likewise to all others doing fundraisers for our family.  Words can not express my feelings towards this community and its giving nature. 

I will use this to document how John is feeling and what we are doing medically as we are about to embark on a difficult journey and our family will need your prayers and suppport.  Which you have already given so freely.

Tomorrow is John's last radiation treatment and on Friday we will be meeting with his oncologist in Las Vegas to determine a plan of action.  He has been exhausted as the radiation techs told he would be.  By the way the Kingman Cancer Center is fantastic.  The staff has made this scary nightmare a bit more bearable with their kind hearts.  As for physical and speech therapy that is going well as many of you know when John had his stroke he lost some of his left vision.  It is coming back slowly and we have taken to video poker on my sisters IPAD to make him look to his left.  I am trying to make him eat however his appetite is not very strong.  John still has his great sense of humor and is staying as positive as can be expected.  For all of you baseball parents your children have been a huge motovational push for him as he had very high expectations for this year. As for his friends and workmates please continue calling and visiting as you are keeping him going.

I will try as much to update as possible as I do stay pretty busy with my patient.  I am thankful that I work for a district that allows employees to have sick days roll over as no one is ever ready for something like this.  The same goes for John's employer, Cascades Tissue has been truly amazing.

That is it for now.  Thank you again and good night.