Cancer Free!!

20 March 2015

We are delighted to let everybody know that the CT came back with good news!  We have not heard from the doctor yet, but we sat down with a radiologist that we know from church and he went over the full report with us.  The cancerous lymph nodes under my collar bone that were too deep to take out look normal now.  The nodules in my lungs measured the same, which is what we wanted.  The nodules did not respond to chemo which means they are most likely not cancer.  The liver looks good and my spine looks good.

I feel so grateful that the harsh chemo and radiation treatments worked - it was worth the sickness and pain.  I will be taking Tamoxifen for the next 5 to 10 years which supposedly blocks the cancer regrowth.  The pill messes with my emotions and makes me sad and grouchy most of the time, but the doctor keeps saying that the benefits outweigh the side effects.  I am not sure if my family would agree!

Mark gave me my first haircut - just a little trim over my ears and in the back.  Some people say that I am 'Rocking this hair style!'  Some say that I look like Jamie Lee Curtis.  I say that I am excited to have some hair even if it is very short and grey--it's my very own and I love it!

Everyone has been so supportive!  We can feel all the love and prayers being sent our way from our friends and family and know it has helped us through this past year.  We have had so many miracles and tender mercies along the way.  I remember the first time I talked to the oncologist after we got the biopsy of the tumor back and she explained the entire treatment plan.  I thought there was no way in the world I could endure all those chemicals and radiation week after week, month after month.  But I did it and I tried to smile my way through it as much as I could.  It was a long journey, but I can now say I am in remission and it feels wonderful! Thank you all so much for loving me and supporting me--I could not have done any of it without such a wonderful support team!  Until next time...

Love,

Wendi

Recovering, and Phase IV begins--

OK, I know, it's been a while, but we're all busy, right?

The holidays were GREAT with Kayli and Jenna here, but of course, it passed too quickly.  Schnell vorbei.....

Wendi went home with the girls to get them started back at USU and BYU.  She was wondering if the trip might be too much, too soon and she was right.....but went anyway.  How could she not go, right?

It was a busy time getting Kayli settled in a new apartment and with a new semester.  She had most of her valuables and important documents stolen from her apartment in the Philippines, so they had to get a driver's license and things like that.  Can't hurry the DMV!  Thanks to Grandpa and the truck, they moved her stuff from Ogden to Logan and Wendi stayed an extra day or two to see Derek n Jess and others in Provo.

Since she's been back in Germany, we've had an appointment with the Oncologist.  It went well and we like this guy.  They don't recommend a CT right away to check things out.  He said we could do one in a month or so, or even wait about 6 months.  The one month wait is to allow the body to heal after being hammered by the chemo and radiation all those times.  We go back to his office in a few weeks and we'll reassess.  We have a follow-up appointment with the German radiation folks in about 10 days, so we'll see what they say.

Probably the biggest cancer news is the prescription we received at the Oncologist.  If Phase I is an operation (my terminology), Phase II is chemo, Phase III is radiation, we just entered Phase IV this week.  The pill is called "Tamoxifen" and it doesn't have a great reputation.  Phase IV lasts - recommend sitting down for this part - 10 years.  Well, kinda.  It used to be five years, but they now recommend 10.  It is some kind of hormone blocker pill, taken every day, that prevents a reoccurrence.  Most patients that Wendi has talked to have not gone the full five years, but some period of time less than that.  It has some tough side effects, different for everyone, of course.  So far this week (first pill taken on Monday) Wendi has had bouts of super tiredness, sleepiness, insomnia, 'fogginess,' low-grade headache, dizziness, stomach aches/cramps and such.  It seems to be a little better as the week has progressed, so we'll see how it goes.

We're not great at posting on the blog when there is a lot going on, so we may be even more sporadic in Ph IV as we just press on with life and do our best.  We'll try to post monthly (?) and, of course, when we have an appointment or scan or something.

We've settled in to the new semester and have had a great time at all the basketball games for Kade at Youth Sports and Alex on the Ramstein JV team.

Jenna might turn in her mission papers tomorrow!

Thanks, everyone, for your support---

Marküs

Heart-attacked on last day of radiation

Winter wonderland in our town

Notre Dame

From the Trocadero

We went to the top and had a great view from the top of the Arc de Triomphe

All Scheduled Treatments Complete, Finally....

Well, Thursday marked Wendi's last radiation treatment at the Radiotherapie center at the hospital in Homburg.  She was in good spirits and has done remarkably well the past two weeks, and the past nine months, for that matter.  She was diagnosed on 1 April, so that's a long haul!

We were really quite concerned back on 7 December when she had been in bed for the entire weekend and we were looking at two weeks to go.  I wasn't sure if she would be able to go in that Monday, let alone for 10 more sessions.  We're not quite sure what happened that weekend, but it was definitely the low point of radiation.  She slowly got better each day and finished pretty strong yesterday.

We have an appointment with our Landstuhl oncology department in January.  We also have a follow-up at the Homburg hospital.  At some point, she'll get another CT to check things out, but it's recovery time right now.

OK, it might have helped some yesterday that Kayli was able to go with us - yes, you read that right!  We swooped in to Frankfurt on Thursday evening and were there waiting when a tired, smiling, spent, but wonderful Kayli got off the Air China flight from Beijing.  What a fun experience for our family!  She is doing great, btw.  Some have asked if she's been a little 'awkward,' but I think she's very much the Kayli that left, except, if you thought she liked to take a hot shower before she left, watch out, baby!  A sink in the bathroom, a big refrigerator, no bugs, a washer and dryer (!), a hot shower (any shower actually - it beats a bucket...), etc.  We love having her home.  Both her and Kade speak in church tomorrow.

Jenna should get in this weekend.  The staff here at USAFE is 'min-manned,' so we hope the world situation can be somewhat calm for the next couple of weeks and we'll get some good family time.  The boys are off school, Alex has a break from basketball, and we plan on firing up old family videos and catching up on things.

Our good friends here have been wonderful!  Our front door was heart-attacked again and well-wishers have stopped by to help us celebrate.  We are very blessed!  Thanks to all of you again, for your love and support.  It means the world to us.  Looking forward to, and wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

1 Week to go

So, today marks Wendi's 20th radiation session.  With five to go, we are getting closer to being done.  She's done incredibly well!  For the first couple of weeks it was pretty straight forward.  We kept hearing how much better/easier it was than chemo.  It's all relative, I guess.  I drove her there a couple of times, then she drove herself most days of the first two weeks.

Then it hit!  Wow, she had a very difficult weekend last week.  She was really tired after Friday, the 4th, and when the weekend hit, she didn't move much off that couch.  She was exhausted, nauseous and achy all over.  When it lasted through Sunday night, we were a little worried.  We wondered if she could even go in for another session that Monday.  Turns out, she was doing a little better Monday morning, so we went in as normal.

We spoke to the doc - who has been very nice and accommodating - and they did a blood test to see if they could uncover anything.  Her numbers were a little off suggesting an infection or sickness of some kind.  She improved through Thursday or so and then plateaued.  She finished the week and is hanging in there.

Our good friends have helped with some of the driving days and have been a good support to her.  She has some great support companions here.  We're going into this weekend much better off than the last.

We are so excited to have Kayli and Jenna joining us this next week!  We hope all of the flights work out great for both of them.  What an exciting week - finish this 9 month ordeal of chemo and radiation, Kayli return from the Philippines, Jenna may show up (if she can get on a flight), a happy birthday to Derek tomorrow, and Christmas!

Not yet for Radiation

Wendi had a nice birthday and we appreciate all the well-wishers and thoughtful people out there.  Our door was wonderfully heart-attacked!  It was a bummer that she was to start radiation on her birthday – kinda puts a damper on the festivities.  

The Bottom Line, though, is we did not start radiation last Thursday, as planned.  We went into Homburg and they only did some kind of measurements.  They explained that they weren’t real happy with ‘the plan’ they had come up with for where to radiate and they wanted more time.  We’re not sure what all that means, except a delay.  Starting on a Friday was not recommended, so we start tomorrow, Monday, November 17^th at 2pm.

We assumed that by now – two weeks post-chemo – Wendi would be feeling like mountain climbing, but she’s still dragging a little bit.  Much better than she felt a week ago for sure, but not as great as we’d hoped.  It really does take time to kick all that junk out.  She will come to all of church today for the first time in quite a while.  It will be great to all be together today!

On a brief family note, we’re proud of Alex for making the JV Basketball team for Ramstein High School.  There is no “C” team or Freshmen team, so it is pretty difficult to do and many try.  He is one of only two Froshies, so way-to-go Alex!

Kayli is mostly registered for spring semester at USU and we are looking forward to having her here for Christmas. 

Happy Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving everyone.

A variety of recent pics of the family---

Mark and Wendi sneak away to Dublin for quick trip

The men on Daddy's 2-yr anniversary in Germany

Heart-attacked on Wendi's Birthday!

Done with Chemo!

On Thursday we went into Landstuhl Hospital for Wendi's last chemo treatment!  Even though she knew it was the last one, she was still dreading it.  We didn't have any parties or anything, but we probably should have.  That was a long road and we are glad it is behind us.

Next up is a visit to the radiation department of the German hospital in Homburg this Tuesday.  So far, Landstuhl has had everything we've needed, but they don't do radiation therapy.  They will do a CT of their own to check everything out, but mostly to decide where exactly to point the radiation weapon.  Her first visit to Homburg for treatment is the 12th.  Then begins a series of 25 visits, Monday through Friday for 5 weeks.  We went there for a pre-visit last week and the facility is great and the people were nice.

I'll be attaching a couple of pics from the oncology folks at Landstuhl.  They treated us very well and we appreciate their excellent care.  They were consistently patient and helpful.  Wendi came through it like a trooper, but swears she will never do it again.  Hopefully, she won't be faced with that kind of terrible choice.  The weekends are usually her worst times after her Thursday chemo's, so we'll see how she is doing today.

We watched some of the European volleyball championships this weekend and Ramstein did OK.  Not quite as fun as last year when Jenna and the team won it all.  That was so much fun.

Working on a Good Tumbling Routine.....

Yesterday we went to the German hospital in Homburg for a pre-visit with Wendi’s Radiation doctor.  All the chemo has been at the Army hospital here, but the one treatment not on base is radiation.  We were impressed with the hospital – much nicer than the one in Kaiserslautern.  Everyone was nice and they all speak “a little” English (which translates to “very good” English).

They want to do another CT before we start, so that’s fine with us.  That is scheduled for 4 November.  Of course, they want ALL the data from our sordid cancer history, so that means all of the CD’s with scans and the text from pathology and such.  Then we would start the treatments on the 12^th of November.  Treatments are 25 sessions total, everyday except for weekends, so 5 weeks long.  That puts her last session on the 17^th of December, the day that Kayli gets home.  Hopefully, we’ll be able to stay on schedule.

I said above that they speak very good English and it is true.  However, there are a few instances of phrases or points lost in translation.  One of the docs was explaining that Wendi could exercise at a level that feels comfortable and didn’t irritate the radiated area.  The activity he suggested was gymnastics.  We’re not sure if he meant something like ‘calisthenics,’ but we have great mental images of Wendi on the parallel bars and nailing that exit off the pommel horse!

We’ll find out for sure, but each session only lasts a total of about a half hour.  Most of the time is spent on set up.  The actual blasting of radiation takes about 7 minutes. 

So today, Wendi has another chemo session and is not looking forward to it.  She’s on the home stretch, but can’t wait for this to be over.  Last one is one week from today!

On the long weekend we snuck over to Normandy and had a great, short visit seeing the D-Day landing sites.  It was a GREAT thing for us to see (boys loved it and will remember that forever) and pay respects to those brave soldiers who sacrificed for us.  This is the 70^th anniversary year.

The boys have had a very good soccer season that unfortunately ends this Saturday.  We had a fun game up at Spangdahlem - our first base 23 years ago - where the soccer field is right next to the flightline, so I’ll include a pic of that too.

Thanks everyone!!

Marküs