Only 2 more weeks, 9 more treatments. Meet with her Radiation Oncologist doc today and he said everything seems to be right on track and the MRI she will have on Oct 26th will give them an idea of if she will need additional radiation treatments and that after her last treatment on the 7th of August we are to set up appts with an endo doc, neuro opth doc and ped rad onco doc. Then to follow up with him 3 times a year and have MRI’s each time. Andrea is feeling very tired most of every day and has lost 3more pounds this past week – she just cannot eat. But her spirits are up with all the continued emails, cards, prayers and support – we really appreciate it. Andrea, Andrew and I enjoyed the tiger game very much, even though they lost – for sure a once in a life time experience. Today Andrew went home so he could go back to work and now Andrea will rest until her 3:00 with Rohan (bio chem grad helping her with science). Then at 7:00 her friend will be joining us for the week, she is really looking forward to it – mom just doesn’t cut it, friends are much cooler. Will update progress again next monday.
Archive for July, 2009
July 20th
Categories: Andrea | July 20th, 2009 | by diane | no comments
Well we are more than half way now – 16 down and 14 to go. As usual the radiaiton oncologist know what they are talking about – on thursday (treatment 14) Andrea started experiencing hair loss, loss of appetite and everything she does eat tastes burnt. But that did not let it stop her from enjoying a visit from Grandma Jo, having dinner with her band director or going home to surprize her 4H club at the fair. She went from a busy weekend to a busy monday – shopping and a birthday lunch with Grandma Jo before she had to go home, a 2 hour meeting with the U of M student (who just wrote his medical entrance exam) and now reading some mail and answering emails. We also were lucky to score 3 box seat tickets to the Tigers game this sunday. The pitcher (his name escapes me) that just injured his arm and has the next 15 days off – gave Ronald McDonald House 3 tickets for thurs, sat and sundays game – a parking pass too. So we are both looking forward to attending the game on sunday and hoping brother will be able to join us. Wish everyone could come to the game with us. So hope to have such good news for you all next monday and thank you to everyone for your continued support and reading the blog. Take care.
Monday/July 13
Categories: Andrea | July 13th, 2009 | by diane | no comments
Ten down, 20 to go… Andrea will have two treatments on tuesday(10:05am and 4:40pm), due to the missed treatment from being closed on July 4th holiday. At the end of this week she will be half way. Met with the docter today – she told him she was bored of inside activities and tired by 7:00 at nite. He said go ahead and do some outside activities/but only 20 minutes of sun exposure and that tired is normal and may progress as time goes on and to expect hair loss in the 5 beam areas, but should grow back because her treatments are deep in the skull. Brother came over on saturday and we went to a movie and out to eat at Pizza Hut. Today they rented kayaks and went for a one hour trip and Andrea was pooped, but no sunburn. Now they are relaxing and looking up things on the internet. brother is hoping Andrea will want to play tennis before he leaves. Grandma Jo will come over on tuesday and Andrea is hoping to drag her to the Harry Potter movie on Wednesday – then that evening Andreas Band Director is taking her out for dinner at “Joes Crab Shack”, she can’t wait, and will show him her saxophone – that she is doing very well on. Another highlite was when she received a package in the mail from our neighbor and her daughter – she was so surprized and greatful. So all is going well.
#8 of 30
Categories: Andrea | July 9th, 2009 | by diane | no comments
Todays treatment went well. Andrea is grouchy today/tired. I will no longer be posting to the blog everyday, just consider it no news is good news. I will however post once a week/most likely on mondays. The reason for this is there really is nothing medical to report, until (if and when) she starts side effects – and those can show up anytime from 2 weeks into the treatment to 5 years from now. We are hoping non of them ever happen. So for now I can only report Andrea is in good spirits and taking this like a trooper of course.
#7 of 30
Categories: Andrea | July 8th, 2009 | by diane | no comments
Today Andrea is tired/sluggish – hoping it is just a down day and not a side effect coming on. She is starting to miss home/friends and her horse and dog. Fair will begin this weekend, I know she really wishes she was there. Next week Andreas band director and his wife plan to visit Ann Arbor and take her out for dinner and her grandmother is planning a visit for a few days next week also – this will give her something to look forward to. She received her first mail today at Ronald McDonald House (thank you brother). Just need to keep her mind busy.
#6 of 30
Categories: Andrea | July 7th, 2009 | by diane | no comments
Todays treatment went well – on July 14 Andrea will have a treatment at 10:05 am and again at 4:40 pm, this is to make up the July 3rd treatment (due to radiation/oncology being closed for the 4th). So we will be back on schdule and return home after the last treatment (30) on August 7th. Andrea met with the U of M teacher this morning and give her the Physical Science textbook. She will giv e the book to the student volunteer and then we will meet with him this weekend, only 3 more chapters to go then all the tests when we return in August. Her student volunteer is a Bio Chem Engineer in Livonia and is taking some additional classes this summer, nice of him to volunteer. Andrea loved her pottery class yesterday and already made two bowls on the wheel, she will return today. Not much more going one, just normal routine. Thanks for checking in on Andrea.
#5
Categories: Andrea | July 6th, 2009 | by diane | no comments
25 more treatments and counting – had the regular room and team today. Everyone was upbeat, recharged and sunburned from the holiday weekend (except us), even spoke to someone who celebrated at Torch Lake – like we used to (great fire works there). Received a call from our neighbor/friend today – Now we will relax and have a snack before going to Pottery class at 1:00.
Radiation Process
Categories: Andrea | July 4th, 2009 | by todd | no comments
Here are a couple pictures of Andrea getting set up for one of her radiation sessions. She lies on the table, they raise it and then put her mask on and snap it down to the table. The machine rotates around her taking two x rays to line up and then begins delivering the 5 beams of radiation. The mask is very tight and leaves waffle marks on her forehead, chin and nose for up to 30 minutes after. So far she has had 4 treatments and will have 26 more. She will not show short term symptoms for at least 5 more treatments, we are hoping for none. We are keeping her busy, so she has things to keep her mind occupied. Health and Science homework of course, saxophone lessons, a little shopping, pottery class next week and an art fair event the week after – and to keep her mind off missing fair with her 4-H club and open horse shows. She looks most forward to emails and phone calls from friends and family – please keep them coming.
fourth treatment
Categories: Andrea | July 2nd, 2009 | by diane | no comments
Different room and team, so took longer than usual. Mom said I didn’t have the waffle pattern on my face either – she is just hoping they did it right. We went to a movie today and then my first sax practice. It was alot of fun, only 1/2 hour long – but I did well and will have another lesson next week on Thursday at 4:30. Now I have 3 days off. Have a happy fourth of July.
third treatment
Categories: Andrea | July 1st, 2009 | by diane | no comments
27 more treatments to go. Todays went well, I don’t feel much different yet. Mom, my friend and I went out to Dominos Farms – not much to tell, just U of M doc offices now and a small petting zoo with two really cute foals. So we headed out for a road trip to Julies Music Store, that didn’t really compare to Marshall Music – so hunted one of those down in Novi. I purchased a cleaning rod for my Sax and a book to take to my first lesson on Thursday at 5:30. Then mom wanted to take us to a Sonic (her and dad went all the time when stationed in texas). It was real good, can’t wait to go back sometime. Now we are resting and will go to bed by 10:00 again tonite – my friend will leave in the morning and Mom and I will really miss having her here. Hope she had fun visiting. Mom took pictures of me on the table prior to radiation today – don’t know if she will post them on the blog or not. Hope everyone has fun plans for the fourth – we saw an advertisment for a parade in Ypsalanti, maybe we can go. Happy 4th of July. Oh, and tonite Dominos Pizza brought pizza to everyone at Ronald McDonald House – we didn’t eat any, we had just ate Sonic.