This is fantastic news. A great holiday season for all who care so deeply for Glen and his family and company!  

Jim Kelley

I Am A UCSF Tumor Board Graduate!

The news is great! Even though my scans continue to be a little "squirrly", the consensus by the tumor board is I no longer need to be monitored by them. It is sufficient for my progress to be followed by Dr. Yom, Dr. Courey and Dr. Dubey. Even better, I get to go a whole 8 weeks without having a scan, a scope, a finger in my mouth and down my throat, etc. This is wonderful news!

Let me fill in a few details. Joyce and I met with Dr. Mark Courey and his "Fellow" yesterday. They let it out of the bag that Dr. Yom had done a preliminary "read" of my MRI and that she sent Dr. Courey an email that said it looked "good". One of the things I love most about Dr. Yom is her honesty with me. To my knowledge she has never minced any words with me, even when times were there toughest during the middle of treatment. Also, the appointment with Dr. Courey was very brief, yet thorough. He ended it by saying that he would see me in two months. Hold it, why would I see him in two months? Well, he explained to us that when someone reached my level of recovery, that he liked to see them every two months for a year, followed by once every three months for a year, followed by once every six months for a year and then once every year, for well forever! I was hoping to hear this, but really didn't expect it until today. Joyce and I met with Dr. Yom this afternoon and as always she we discussed my case open and honestly. She stated that I was a 9 after my first MRI, had reverted to a 6.5 after the PET-CT Scan and that I had returned to about a 7 now. I am used to Dr. Yom being "conservative" in her appraisal of my wellness, but this was a surprise after what we heard from Dr. Courey. THEN SHE EXAMINED (SCOPED AND THE FINGER DOWN THE THROAT THING) ME! Well immediately after sticking her finger down my throat her whole demeanor changed. She revised her numerical appraisal of my status to at least an 8 and she said she was "HAPPY".

Any time Dr. Yom is happy, we are very happy.

Be well!

Getting Started With a Big Week

This morning I had an MRI at the UCSF - China Basin facility. Other than a "blown out" blood vessel on the first try at the IV, the MRI was "uneventful".

I do have a feeling about this scan. I don't know what it is, but I just really have been feeling very positive about the results. I haven't had to see any "cancer" doctors in 3+ weeks and I am just feeling like we will be getting good news. It is kind of a weird deal, but I really think I am making progress because I am not expecting to make progress. I have been attempting to live each day as it comes, cherish those days when my energy is high and my pain is low and just get through those difficult days. The result, as best I can tell is I am having less difficult days. Dr. Yom and Dr. Dubey both told me separately at my last visit with each of them that my pain was something that just might not go away. It took me a few days to process, but I just decided that I wasn't going to let it rule my life. I decided that if I have pain, I would just medicate (Vicadin or Oxycodone) around it. And I began to eat more things and just medicate. Well, funny thing is after we got home from Oregon, I quit needing the Oxycodone. And I occaisonally forget to take a Vicadin and I get through it.

I am enjoying many more foods and even tasting some of them. Frankly, I have been nervous about being in social settings that involve food / eating. This past Friday we had our Holiday lunch for TY at Flemings in Walnut Creek. I did have a little pain that night from the rough textures, but all in all it was great. Then Joyce and I were invited by some of our friends to join them for cocktails and dining out. Both of these times have added to my confidence. I just look forward to the day (I hope) where I will be able to enjoy the taste of food as I once did.

So, tomorrow we see Mark Courey and Wednesday we get the results from Dr. Yom. The results will be what they will be. I truly believe this and am at peace with it! But I just have a feeling. I just hope it is not indegestion from all the new foods I have been eating!

checking in

Several people have recently commented that they have not seen a post recently. I guess I could say that the good news is we have been busy with "life" and also that there is no new news to speak of at this time.

So what have we been doing you ask? We had the pleasure of joining our friends the Johnstons from Monterey in Oregon over the Thanksgiving holiday. We headed to Eugene in time to meet some of Niels' dorm friends and take them to a much appreciated hamburger dinner. Blair stayed in the dorm with Niels and attended classes with him on Wednesday. They had a great time together. Glen and I spent Wednesday purchasing our feast materials and then we all headed to the coast for a wonderful four days of rest and relaxation. We love the Johnstons because they don't care if we stay in our pajamas till 4pm! It was a great vacation and so wonderful to have Niels with us.

Upon our return to Walnut Creek we just started right back into the hectic life. Glen is working longer hours now. Work is pretty busy this time of year. He is very worn out when he gets home, but I think that the work is satisfying. Blair continues to stay busy with school and friends. She's looking forward to the possibility of doing some more volleyball coaching this winter.

I had quite the extended birthday celebration. First, Glen, Blair and I had a quiet evening at home on my birthday. We all enjoyed being back at home after our week on the road in Oregon. Then my dear friend Diane surprised me with a "surprise" party at Left Bank. It was wonderful to gather together a group of women who all have a special place in my heart for their role in both my professional and personal life. And Diane really made it a great evening. Finally, last weekend I had the most wonderful birthday celebration in Healdsburg. Several of my friends joined me for an extended "girls" weekend in a rented house in the vineyards. We did what girls do...laugh, shop, spa, drink wine, eat, laugh, shop...you get the picture. It was such a great weekend. Again I am struck by the continued kindheartedness and thoughtfulness of our friends. It seems that their generosity of spirit and caring is boundless.

Friday is a big day for us as Niels will be arriving home for the holidays. We don't expect to see much of him for a few days, but that is fine. When he's home, we will cherish every minute. I know that Fred is looking forward to the return of his bedmate. He loves Blair, but his first roommate was Niels and boys will be boys (even "dog boys")!

Next week Glen repeats his MRI, sees his UCSF surgeon, and meets with Dr. Yom. It will be a busy week for him in the city. We continue to be hopeful that this will be the appointment in which we get the "see you in 3 months" message. Keep sending your positive energy this way! We'll let you know how it goes late next week.

Happy Holidays to all,
j

It is a JOURNEY!

Joyce and I went to see Dr. Yom this morning. As most of you know I had a PET-CT Scan on Monday. Our greatest hope was that the results we'd receive would be a "Clear" scan. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

A little background will help to define where I am now. When I had the MRI done at the 8 weeks mark, it showed that the primary tumor (Tongue Tumor) was progressing very well and that it led us to believe that the Tongue Tumor was "gone". What did show up on the MRI was an irregularity with the three Lymph Node Tumors. So, the PET-CT Scan was scheduled to check on the Lymph Node Tumors. One other thing we learned today, MRIs are more effective in looking at the Tongue Tumor, while the PET-CT scan is more effective with the Lymph Node Tumors.

So, specifically the PET-CT Scan showed that the Lymph Node Tumors are fine (healing as expected), but that the Tongue Tumor did not look good (not progressing as expected). We are disappointed with the lack of a clear report, but understand that my health is truly a journey. What this means is that I will not get a 3 month reprieve from my doctors, but will have another MRI at the 16 week mark (Mid-December) and that I will get to see another member of my medical team that I haven't seen since the diagnostic stage - ENT Surgeon, Dr. Mark Courey. Upon reflection this is a good thing as it will mean another set of eyes will be looking at me. I trust Dr. Yom completely, but as she said this morning, it is a good thing to have all my medical team following my progress.

I have learned that medicine is so much more of an art than a science and that you can often get conflicting information. We are very hopeful that the MRI is correct for the Tongue Tumor and that the PET-CT is correct for the Lymph Node Tumors. It is the likely result and what we are counting on.

Be well!

family...

I was just reading Diane and Jim's blog (it's linked on Glen's blog) and I was so happy to see that they'd had a successful trip to Yosemite...and I was a bit envious I must admit! It got me to thinking...I should tell you all about our trip to LA to see my family!

None of us have been down for way too long, so with the long weekend and all, it seemed like the right time. We picked up Blair from school on Friday (okay...a bit early), jumped in the car with Fred and were in LA by 7:00 pm. It was wonderful to share dinner with my whole family (well, most of the LA ones anyway). My sister Chris, made an old-time family favorite for dinner, Karen and Page opened their doors (again) to us all and we really just kicked back, relaxed and caught up. Saturday was an absolutely gorgeous fall LA day - just a hint of a Santa Ana wind, clear skies and such a fresh smell in the air. (They really have cleaned up the air there!) We hung out in Karen and Page's back yard most of the day. Fred became quite proficient at "fetch" with my dad and me. (That's something, because my dad really doesn't like dogs...but they love him!) After another evening of football on tv (that Cal/SC game) and a leisurely meal we headed to bed early in preparation for a run home on Sunday. And that was it! Quick. but worthwhile. And it's a good thing we went last weekend, because I hear that LA is not fairing too well this weekend!

So...Monday is Glen's next big day. We're not sure when he will get the results of his PET-CT scan. But you'll be the first to know when he does!

Enjoy the incredible weekend (at least it's amazing here!) We're getting ready to clean out the garage....ahhhhh....life returns to "normal"...slowly, but surely!

j

sooner rather than later...

Hello Friends of Glen!

Glen is scheduled for his PET-CT scan on the 17th of November. Not sure what the schedule will be for the reading of the information and the receiving of the report...but keep him in your thoughts for another "all clear" report on the 17th!

And yes, he is slowly recovering every day. We actually went to LA for a quick trip last weekend. It was great to see my family. We usually make a quick run during the summer, but for obvious reasons that didn't happen this year. Glen did quite well traveling so we know that he will totally enjoy our Thanksgiving with the Johnstons in Oregon at the beach. Can't wait to see Niels!

Stay tuned after the 17th for another report!
j

quick note

Just wanted to let everyone know that Glen did go see Dr. Yom on Thursday to try to figure out a way to lessen the throat pain. Of course she took the opportunity to examine his neck/throat. One thing she is very clear about is that she trusts the "feel" of her exams more than some of those fancy tools the hospitals use. She told Glen that in one week since his last exam, his lymph nodes feel completely normal. She also scoped him. (That's the really fun "camera down his nose" tool---eeewww!!!) It too looked mostly normal, or what he says is his "new" normal. That's what we wanted to hear!!!!! She had told us last week that the nodes might be swollen because they are doing their job...apparently, she was right...again!

So...now we wait for the PET scan-probably later this month....
j

PS We're watching the Cal v Ducks game right now...not quite sure who to root for (actually Glen is rooting for Cal - it's me who's conflicted)...such a dilemna...

And there's more good news...

Glen received a call today from Dr. Yom. She said that there was no reason for him to come in tomorrow because the Tumor Board (the head radiologist had returned) agreed that there was no reason for surgery at this time!!!!!! Glen requested that he have a PET scan 12 weeks after treatment (late November) so he can be sure that he has that clean bill of health that he's been working so hard to achieve.

So...while Glen is not going in to see Dr. Yom tomorrow to hear about the tumor board recommendation, he is going in to see her to discuss the throat pain he is experiencing. He has a constant sore throat. (He says this word "sore" does not adequately describe the pain.) The only thing I can compare it to is a really bad case of strep throat that won't go away. So he's going in to see her tomorrow to discuss his pain management options. He's thinking that as the mucous dissipates, the throat is more exposed and it just will take time for it to heal, but in the meantime he's trying to get back to work and his life and the pain is very wearing on him. "It's just the next phase of the recovery" according to Glen...oh my, he's becoming so patient!

So...this too shall pass, but in the meantime, let's celebrate the big victories!

Thanks to all!
j

October 23, 2008

I will start at the end, then fill in important details below. In Sue Yom's opinion I AM CANCER FREE.

Ever since the end of my treatments (September 2, 2008), October 23, 2008 has been a day I have focused upon. 51 days post treatment and today we received our first difinitive information on the effectiveness of the long hard ordeal called treatment. I appologize for the possible disjointed nature of this email, but I am exhausted both physically and mentally.

When we met with Sue Yom this afternoon the first thing she told us was that the Tumor Board was unable to meet due to the unavailability of the head of radiation oncology. So any prognosis delivered today was Sue's personally. However, she is the most knowledgable of my case and she was the one that has physically treated me. So, she has the most knowledge and will be the one presenting my case to the Tumor Board. Her bias is one of patience versus aggressiveness.

I have also learned in the cancer world that they speak in double negative language versus affimative statements. For instance, they would not state at this stage of my treatment that I am cancer free. They would say something like there is no evidence of cancer in my throat. As an accountant I very clearly get the distinction. It is one that is used in my profession.

And the lst preamble - I will biforcate the two areas that I was diagnosed with cancer; my tongue and the three lymph nodes in my right neck.

So, what was the news we received today. There is no evidence of any cancer in my throat. It is still abnormal due to the swelling that still exists on the right side, BUT NO EVIDENCE OF CANCER. The three lymph nodes have reduced in size to the largest being less than 1 cm.

We spent an hour and a half with Dr. Yom and we love her for that. We were able to get a ton of questions answered, the last of which was did she think I was cancer free and if so when could she tell me diffinitively. Her first answer was she could tell me in 5 years. I said I wasn't looking for "cured" at this point just her opinion as to whether the treatment was effective in eliminating the cancer from my body. She said that she could tell me that at the 6 month stage with relative certainty (March 2, 2009). BUT, IN HER PROFESSIONAL OPINION I AM CANCER FREE. Now there are various caveats, but Sue has always been very honest with us and Joyce and I have learned to trust her. After all, I have put my life in her hands and quite literally they have saved my life. For this I will be forever greatful.

The Tumor Board will meet next Wednesday and we will meet with Sue again next Thursday. It is possible that the Board, as a group, may decide that I should have surgery on both my left and right neck to remove the lymph nodes. Sue does not support this, but they make decisions as a group.

I am overjoyed by the news today and want to thank each and every one of you for your support (in whatever fashion) over the course of the last 5 months (to the day - I was diagnosed May 23, 2008). I am certain that I could not have survived this ordeal without your support. I love you all.

waiting...

We've had comments from people that they don't like checking in and not finding anything new. It's just that there really isn't anything new to tell you! Glen has spent the month of October slowly regaining his strength and "re-entering" the world. He is eating a wider variety of foods, though his throat revolts most of the time. He is spending more time doing things - he's cooked a little, runs some errands, went to the golf course yesterday for about an hour, celebrated with the firm at a "two-fer" baby shower and generally is rejoining us all...slowly.

As you know, tomorrow morning he goes in for his mri and then on Thursday afternoon we get to meet with the incredible Dr. Yom. Glen actually went and saw her last week because he had to have bloodwork done and he wanted to ask about his sore throat. She basically told him to live with the throat pain...it will eventually go away and endure the mucous...it continues to be annoying. Dr. Yom was very pleased with his progress...she scoped him and did the physical manipulation of the lymph node in his neck. That news has made this last week a bit easier to get through.

Now as you know, I've gotten in the habit of filling you in on the kids. Blair found her homecoming dress today so she go to the dance next weekend! She's doing great in school. We are very proud of her attitude and successes. Her job coaching volleyball at the middle school has just ended. It was a great opportunity for her. We hear from Niels - mostly by text - but he seems to be enjoying school. He says that homework is not too bad, he really is enjoying his art history class and he's playing a lot of sports with his friends. He even asked me not to send junk food because they were all trying to live a fairly healthy lifestyle! What have they done with my son???!!! We, of course, can't wait to see him at Thanksgiving.

That's about it. I will tell you that right before I started this post I reminded Glen that everything was going to be great on Thursday. He said, "I hope so" and reminded me that it's okay for him/us to be nervous and sad...we can handle it...it's part of life. So until Thursday...keep those healthy thoughts headed Glen's way...and check the blog late Thursday or early Friday.

Best to all,
j

A Little Update Before the Scan

I thought I would take a minute to provide a brief update. As you all know I have an MRI on Monday (20th) followed by a meeting with my doctors on the 23rd. The UCSF Tumor Board meets on Wednesday mornings, thus the reason for the 3 day wait between the scan and the meet. I know it will be hard wait, but I do think I have acquired some patience through this process. Frankly, I find that my mind does not stray to far from the 20th/23rd. Thanks you for all your wonderful thoughts toward the scan. We will do our best to post the evening of the 23rd to let everyone know what we believe will be great news.

My life has started to return to me. I hestitate to use the world normal, as normal for me pre and post May 23, 2008 will likely share very little resenmblance to each other. Sure, I will do many of the same things, but this illness has had a profound effect on me and I sense that the way I view the world has changed in a fundamental way. I view this as a tremendous gift. I hope I am courageous enough to utilize this gift.

I am now spending a little time back at TY. It has been wonderful to be around the TY team again. I have been focusing on cleaning up various stuff that accumulated in my absence. I hope to return to client based work as my health allows.

We'll chat again soon,

Glen

News?

I am blown away by how many people are checking Glen's blog. (Or could it be that a few of you are just hitting it to mess with me??!!) What an incredible testament to Glen that so many friends, family members, colleagues and associates are keeping up with him. Would it be redundant for me to reiterate...we are blessed?!

I wish I had some really exciting news, but we are just sort of in the "take it day-by-day" holding pattern. Glen continues to make progress toward "perfect health." One exciting thing (and this will tell you about the level of excitement in our lives right now!) is that the irritating hang nails he has had for months seem to be clearing up! The doctor has told him that he just has to deal with them until his body begins to heal itself. So we take the fact that they are healing on their own to be a good sign that the rest of his body (the inside) is healing as well. WoooHooo!

I don't think that I have mentioned some of the wonderful remedies people have shared with us during these months. A good friend of Glen's brought by a large jar of pure coconut oil. It had been recommended by a friend of his as the only thing that saved his skin during radiation. All I know is that every time I open that jar I want a pina colada on a beach! The dear Vietnamese custodian at my school brought me a newspaper article from his community recommending that Glen drink pure aloe vera. Obviously, Vietnameses is not my first language, so Hien read the whole article to me and told me that he would find the stuff if Glen would drink it. Glen has been using aloe vera, but externally. Recently I saw that Trader Joe's carries 2 different styles of aloe vera to drink. I guess Hien had a viable remedy! Glen has also received tools for pain relief (use your imagination or perhaps think back to college) tons of reading material to help him spiritually and emotionally. Some of it just good plain fun reading, others were more serious in nature. Videos, magnets with "isms" to cheer him up, plants, flowers, meals, meals, meals, a homemade blanket, diet supplements...the list goes on and on...At the beginning of this I kept a list of all the wonderful things people had done and brought so that we could write thank you notes. I must admit that not only did I not keep up on that list, I lost it. So...please know that we are ETERNALLY grateful for your support throughout this entire 6 month blip in our lives.

Another group I feel that I have not thanked is the wonderful people I work with at Cambridge. My friends/colleagues have been incredibly supportive and understanding of my personal situation these last few months. At one point I walked into a meeting thinking that I had my act together and I burst into tears. Everyone in the room just wanted to know what they could do to help both at home and at work. No "sorries" for some of the stuff I let slip through the cracks. They all just figured out what needed to be done and kept everything moving forward. I must especially thank my friend/principal, Marie. She has been so forgiving and supportive. She has made it easy for me to do what I have to do to take care of Glen and the family. I know that it has made her job even more challenging to "cover" for me from time to time. She is truly a wonderful amiga. I cannot think of any school I'd rather work at than Cambridge. We have the best kids, families and staff. A HUGE Coyote Howl to you all! Thanks from the bottom of my heart...

I should probably update you on Niels and Blair. Niels seems to be loving UO. He called Glen the other day to check in. It appears that he's attending class and spending lots of time playing soccer, basketball, and beach volleyball. We're trying to give him his space, but we do miss him around here. Less than 8 weeks till we see him at Thanksgiving! Blair is doing well with her volleyball team. They record is 1 and 1, but she points out that the loss was to an 8th grade "A" team (they are a 7/8 "B" team) and they took them to 3 games, so it is a moral victory! She also would like us all to know that she has the highest grade in geology! (I hope our geologist friends, the Quillins read this!) She has moved into Niels old room (it's bigger and brighter) and is getting ready to paint it...purple...help me please! Niels will have her old room when he returns. I guess we should probably repaint it too! The work never ends. Oh...you're asking about Fred? Yes, he is "wonderdog" and keeps us all laughing. The other night I sat on the couch next to Glen to cuddle and congratulate him on his shrinking hangnails. Fred was outside, but saw the "move" and came bounding in the door, leapt up on the couch and planted his butt firmly on my lap, facing away from us. He's such a mama's boy. Okay...enough about the children...

Okay...anything else you want to know? Don't hesitate to check in and ask. Enjoy the wonderful fall weekend. I'll see if I can get Glen to post soon.

XXOO
j

Goals

It's been an intersting couple weeks. Glen wrote a bit about his difficulty last week - one of the most difficult days of the entire experience- at least for me. It's so hard to watch someone struggle and know that no words or actions will help. Glen has demonstrated such strength of character throughout this whole ordeal. Even in his darkest moment he pulled himself through by reaching out to the experts who he knew could help him (his therapist and the ever-positive Dr. Yom). As he continues his physical and mental recovery he takes the bull by the horns and I'm reminded of a statement he made at the very beginning of this experience - he has cancer, cancer does not have him.

Part of his need to pull himself out quickly came from the knowledge that Niels was heading to college in less than a week (from last week's "attack"). Glen desperately wanted to be well enough to manage the trip to Eugene and celebrate in Niels' new life. A week ago I didn't think there was much of a chance that he could make the trip, but you know Glen...don't ever bet against him. He did everything he could both physically and mentally to prepare himself for success and by Sunday night he was determined to join us. He called his mom and let her know he wouldn't need her to come down and stay with him....he was going to Eugene. We spent Monday and Tuesday with last minute preparations. (Truly all preparations were last minute because Niels left all of the packing till Tuesday!).

Wednesday morning we said our good byes to Blair and headed north. She wrote Niels a long letter and sent him off with a picture of the two of them. It was hard to leave her behind, but she did take wonderful care of Fred and the cats for us. (She tells us that Fred went to Niels' bedroom door and kept knocking to get in and check on him.) Glen did a great job on the long drive (8 hours) and even did some of the driving. Actually the first time he had driven since mid July was on Tuesday!

Thursday was move in day for Niels. We went to Niels' favorite travel breakfast place, Denny's and Glen enjoyed some pancakes and eggs. We drove to UO and got in the long car line for a parking place. Luck was with us and we immediately found a spot. We joined the hordes of excited freshman and nervous parents carrying load after load upstairs. Luckily for us, Niels' dorm has an elevator! He's in the newest dorm at UO. The rooms are spacious with loft beds to create even more space. It took us no time to set him up and off we went to Costco for the last minute important items - tv and refrigerator packed with water bottles! By this time Glen had had it and we took him back to the hotel while we made one more trip back to UO to unload the new items. I went back to the hotel and suggested that we take a ride out the Mc Kenzie river to pass the afternoon. We had already spent too long boo hooing about Niels and needed to get out and enjoy the fresh air. The tears were full of gratitude for the years we had raising him. We are so proud of him and excited for his future, but as you all know...it's such a major rite of passage and we know that he'll never be "ours" the way he was when he lived here in our home.

Friday morning we picked up a dozen doughnuts and returned to the dorm to give him a final hug and kiss. His roommate, Warren from San Antonio, came out to meet us. We thought that it was really cool of him to come out so early in the morning. It was great to meet him before we left and we appreciate his show of friendship toward Niels. Apparently the roomies have finished decorating because we noted the "Obama" poster in the window! We hugged Niels and shed another bucket of tears and then jumped in the car headed south. It was a long and bittersweet trip.

Blair was home waiting for us and we were so glad to see her. Poor thing...she's worried that our new "project" will be her and she's not so sure she wants so much focus! Truly we are so blessed by two great kids. As I keep saying...this is everything we've worked for...did it have to get here so fast?

I guess in closing I have to thank Niels for providing Glen the impetus to speed up the recovery process. I don't know that that's exactly what happened, but he sure has been improving daily this past week. Eating continues to be problematic, but he's trying more and more foods and is having some success. He will go see Dr. Dubey (oncologist) on Tuesday for an update on his recovery. He's taking on more tasks and responsibilities including helping Blair out by driving her to her new job in the afternoons! She is coaching 7th and 8th grade intramural volleyball at the middle school! We're very excited for her as we know how much she loves the sport. She will be challenged by those pre-teens, but it's all good!

Continued thanks to you all for keeping up with Glen through the blog. We are continually amazed by the response. You are all very dear to us - even if we're not sure who exactly you are out there!

j

It Has Been Awhile

I can't believe how long it has been since my last posting.

First, thanks to the anchor of my life, my wonderful wife Joyce for her postings and communications with all of you during this absence. Without her, I simply could not have made it this far. I love her as deeply today as any moment during our 19+ years together.

I learned over the past month that getting through treatment was only the first step in the journey with cancer. The two weeks following treatment, during which the chemo and radiation were still working their way through me were actually physically more difficult than treatment itself. I think I have progressed past the most difficult period and now it is just a matter of being patient as I slowly but surely complete my recovery. Each cancer treatment program is different and each cancer patient's reaction is also different. So there are no hard and fast rules (yeah this is very difficult for me). Howevere, I have been told I can expect to feel approximately one-third to half my normal self by the 30 day mark (approximately October 1st). I will then hopefully continue to get better and feel somewhat normal by the end of the year. So please bear with me as I begin to resume my normal activities.

The mental aspect of recovery for me has been something that came at me completely unexpected. In summary it culminated in a severe anxiety attack in the middle of the night this past Wednesday night. I have a new respect for those individuals that suffer from such mental difficulties. I won't bore you with the dreadful details, but I was able to see my phsychologyst and begin a path of therapy that is allowing my mental recovery from cancer to track my physical recovery.

Joyce and I visited Dr. Yom last Thursday. Her examination revealed that I am ahead of progress. We are all hopeful that the MRI I have on October 20th will reveal all that we hope.

I want to thank all of you that have stayed in touch with me whether by texting, phoning, emailing Joyce or simply checking the blog. You all mean the world to me.

Joyce and I are taking Niels to University of Oregon on Wedneday to drop him off for college. So many emotions. I am sure we will have to stop several times on the way home to laugh and cry. Part of life's journey that I am so looking forward to rejoining.

Be well,

Glen

hmmm...

I will post later with more news and information, but I see that people are still reading this even if there are no comments! I thought maybe I was writing it for myself!

Note the new "counter" in the top right corner!
Check in later!
j

two steps forward...

It's been another week or so and there is no major news to share. Glen finished his round of hydration at John Muir last week. Galen, Joyce and the Quillins were kind enough to provide transportation. This week Glen will continue to stay hydrated the old-fashion way...by drinking water and vitawater and gatorade-whatever works! He's feeling pretty good about keeping up with that.

Tuesday will be 2 weeks since his last chemo treatment. Overall there are improvements in his general condition, but his throat and that nasty mucous are still causing him major discomfort. (Sorry, I have to give a few gross details...skip to the next paragraph if you're faint of heart/stomach!) These are the last two conditions that seem to be holding up his recovery. Both of these conditions make it hard for Glen to eat. The mucous (caused by the radiation I think) upsets his stomach and the throat makes it painful to swallow. He is really making an effort to begin to re-introduce food though. Yesterday he had some wonton soup and tomato beef chowmein, plus something else for lunch (I forget what). But-and here's where the "one step back" comes in-today he has not been able to eat "real" food. So...he will continue to try and we will continue to find things that "sound" good to him and seem palatable.

Now - talking about "two steps forward"...we're very excited to share that yesterday Glen and I went to the movies! We saw the very entertaining Coen Brothers movie, "Burn After Reading." It was great to be out on a "date" and Glen did very well. Then today Glen and Niels went up to the club and hit a few balls around! I'm told that Glen hit about 10 balls and then reclined on the grass in the shade while Niels hit some more. That's very exciting news, especially for you golfer friends!

I also forgot to mention that he stopped by the office earlier in the week and checked in with his very hard-working colleagues at TY. They have been awesome through all of this and I know that Glen was very happy to see them. It was also very emotional for him as he really felt how much they care about him and want him to return to his "corner suite." Thanks to everyone at TY for your incredible support and extra-strength efforts to keep all the plates in the air these months. Also, the orchid is beautiful, but I'd better get it back to you so "someone" can make sure it stays in its current condition!

This week will be another step forward as I spend most of my day at work, Blair will be at school (she's doing very well!) and Niels will enjoy his last full week of work. While we are all otherwise occupied, Glen will be at home testing his independence skills. We will worry that Fred (the big red dog) will not be enough entertainment and company and that he will not be able to make sure Glen takes his meds correctly. (Fred is a very bright dog according to his mom, but he has not learned to tell the difference between two little white pills.) So, if any of you readers have a few minutes to text Glen or even to stop by to help with the transition, this would be a good week . You can call my cell if you want to "schedule" a visit or give Glen a text/call to check in with him. Don't be shy!

Keep picturing those two steps forward for us!
j

Update

It's been about a week since I updated. No huge news to provide. Glen has continued to receive IV hydration. This week we were able to make arrangements for him to get that at John Muir which is right around the corner from our house - so very convenient. He has also done a great job drinking his Ensures so his weight seems to have stabalized. For the first time in awhile he made himself a small slice of french toast for breakfast. That is a good sign! His facial skin is recovering nicely from the duress of all the radiation and chemo. He has been very proactive about not letting things get out of hand there.

What else? Glen wanted me to mention that he is coming up on 2 weeks out of radiation and he has "celebrated" one week out of chemo. This means that the effects of those two treatments are working their way out of his system. We have been told repeatedly that this can take a few weeks. And that is the hard part. Glen desperately wants to feel better and start to get his life back, but he is being forced to be patient. He did say that he can feel some improvement in the condition of his mouth, but that his throat is still problematic. He has never succumbed to heavy pain killers (he is taking one, but at a minimum dosage), so he is really trying to remain strong through this and not put himself in too bad of a "drug" state.

So, how's Glen "doing" you ask? That's a hard one to answer. There are times when he feels hopeful and able to face the task of recuperation and there are times when he doesn't feel up to the task. He is struggling to stay strong mentally and emotionally.

Many people are wondering when Glen will be up and about and back to his old self...you know the Glen I'm talking about...I don't think there's any concrete answer to that. We are still on the day to day plan. He has been told that it will take 2 weeks to begin to feel better. (One week to go for that plan and we like the sound of that, but he is afraid to get his hopes up.) Other doctors have said that it will be a month before he feels better. He has been told that it will be 6 months before he feels like his old self, up to 2 years for the return of his tastebuds, and a year or 2 until his salivary glands recuperate-though they will never recover to their previous glamour!

We continue to be blessed by the incredible support of medical staff, family, friends, acquaintances, and strangers. Galen was here the last couple days providing some diversion from the day to day drill. Glen's mom, Joyce is coming back today so that I can head to a conference in Sacto. Friends are stopping by, sending texts and cards, dropping off gifts of all sorts (thanks for the "poster" and the bag of goodies Diane and Jim!) and even dropping of the "extra" lasagna from time to time. I am so often overcome by the kindness and generosity of our wide circle of support.

Now, did I mention that I am home writing this long post because of another family member? Niels is home today after having his wisdom teeth pulled this morning. When I walked into the recovery room I flashed on him there when he had some teeth pulled at the age of 6 (I think). All of the years in between flew by in my memory and I became a bit emotional. After a moment, with a twinkle in his eyes Niels cracked them open, looked at me and said, "Mom, are you okay or do I look that bad?" I sat there and tried to wipe my tears, but couldn't quite stop. He looked back at me again and said, "Okay, now you're freakin' me out. Am I ever going to get a girlfriend again?" Gotta love those kids for keeping it real. He leaves for UO in two weeks. He asked if I was going to be alright and reminded me that we would see him just 2 months after he leaves. I didn't say it, but did he mean "JUST"? I know that it will be an eternity and yet just a moment - you know what I mean. We are so happy for him and so looking forward to hearing about his new life...

Okay, enough already. Thanks for reading. (Are you still here?!) We look forward to continuing to hear from you all - those from recent memory and those from our "past" who have reconnected via the blog. That has been such an unexpected positive outcome...hearing from "old" friends.

"Talk" soon,
j

OMG!!!!!

HE DID IT!!!!!!!

It was a long day starting with a one and one/half hour commute to UCSF. (Darn, all those school kids are back in school and their parents are apparently back to work!) Glen arrived at 9:30 for his pre-chemo lab work then we wemt down to see Dr. Yom. She likes him to check in with her to make sure that his weight is okay...imagine us begging Glen Thomas to eat! That's something new! She was not thrilled (you won't believe how skinny he is), but has ordered that he get hydration 3 times a week and that he eat more. He has agreed to drink those yummy Ensures just to make sure he is getting the calories and nutrition he needs to keep his weight up. The problem for him has been a complete lack of an appetite (Glen?!) and mild nausea that just makes food sound icky. Dr. Yom gave us some new ideas to help with the appetite so we are really focused on keeping that feeding tube at bay.

After our time with Dr. Yom we headed to the fifth floor for his bout of infusions - benadryl, saline hydration and his LAST Cetuximab/Urbitux!!!! Glen is DONE with treatment! He is now (this is his quote) working on feeling better every day. It's a bit of a struggle for him to be patient because he wants to feel better NOW and we have been warned that the next 2 weeks will be really rough, so for now he will have to be satisfied with no more treatments and a couple trips a week to UCSF for hydration(or we might make arrangements for him to get that closer to home). Knowing that this too shall pass is what keeps Glen's feet taking the next step forward.

Okay, infusion was not our last stop. We headed back down to the 4th floor to meet with Dr. Dubey. She also wanted to check Glen's progress and we actually discussed his post treatment plan (mri in 8 weeks, bloodwork, hearing test, etc.). Due to some confusion with his appointment schedule, we had to wait awhile and Glen was really ready to get home, but he's a trooper and he even cracked some jokes with Dr. Dubey. Will he ever learn?

We are now home (after crawling back along the freeway with all those returning parents) and Glen's mom (also a Joyce as I mentioned before) is here. Dr. Yom was quite happy to know that "the mom" was coming because "things usually improve with Mom is around!" We are going to tag team him and make sure that he's eating enough calories...look out now! Thanks to Glen's dad Bill and their beloved dog Frosty, for letting Joyce come and help Glen (and the rest of us) through this last segment of his "Path to Outstanding Health!"

Huge hugs to you all for your incredible outpouring of support and love...we never would be here without you all!
xxoo
j

Phew?!

There are no words for what we are feeling today. Glen came out of his last radiation appointment completely spent. It was emotional and exhausting. He is done with that and on Tuesday he will be done with chemo. Two weeks for the residual effects to begin to clear and then he will begin to feel like himself again.

We're looking forward to a 3 day recovery period before his final treatment. Happy Labor Day to all!
j

Hotel Kabuki

Here we are in the home stretch. And what a wild ride it will be. Glen woke up in the night with his face "on fire." The vicadin didn't cut the pain. By the time we got to UCSF for his regular radiation appointment he was dealing with it, but absolutely miserable. (I'll let him describe the misery to you in more detail when he's ready.) Dr. Yom was there to save the day...in more ways than one. The first thing she did when she saw Glen's red and puffy face was go to her computer and google something that she wanted to share with Glen. When she found it - she had Glen read it. It was a report that the greater the skin reaction to the Cetuximab, the greater the odds are that it's working. So that was a moment of glee - in a weird way. Then she asked him what he was taking for pain and couldn't believe that he was only taking 1 or 2 vicadin. She said, "That's for a sprained ankle, not radiation!" She prescribed some heavier duty pain meds and off I went to the pharmacy. (It's almost a daily visit I think.) Dr. Yom saved the day again because when I got there and the pharmacist said he couldn't fill the prescription (I'm sure he had a very good reason) and told me to go back to my doctor's office for another one. Yah right, drive back to UCSF at 4:30. Anyway...the incredible Dr. Yom convinced him that he could fill it and voila - Glen is feeling much better now...if you know what I mean. Actually, his word was "numb," but I told him that numb was a good thing for the next couple weeks. After that he can start moving out of numbness and into the "colored" world (my reference to Oz).

Phew...now where was I? I really was just going to tell you all that we would be spending our night tomorrow (Thursday) at Hotel Kabuki in Japantown. We have actually had a reservation there for Thursday night for the last month, thinking that it would make it easier on Glen not to have to go to SF twice on Friday. Hotel Kabuki lets patients check in early and check out late so Glen can get some rest. But up to now, he hasn't wanted to stay (I think he likes the normalcy of his own house, bed, kids, etc.). However, since it's his LAST radiation treatment on Friday - we thought we'd make it a "date" and make it easier on ourselves. So we won't be answering emails till Friday afternoon. You can reach us by cell/text until then.

"Talk" later,
j

A week of "lasts"

I thought I'd do a quick post and asked Glen if he wanted me to "say" anything for him.  He said, "It's a week of "lasts"...last Monday, (second to the) last Tuesday, etc. all the way to the LAST radiation on Friday.  Be thinking of him at about 12:30 on Friday when he goes in for his LAST radiation treatment.  What an accomplishment!Last weekend Glen was feeling the difficulty of what he'd been through and was having a hard time looking forward through the remaining weeks.  He had an incredible appointment with Dr. Yom where she really listened to him and let him just sort of "feel" what he was feeling.  She knew that he was struggling and she was concerned about his spirit, but she was so incredibly encouraging and caring.  Her inspiring words really helped Glen refocus and we went home feeling much better. Glen was really re-energized to finish up strong-well as strong as he can be after what his body and mind have endured.  Amazingly though, Dr. Yom wasn't through.  She emailed Glen at 1:00 AM on Friday night/Saturday morning with more encouragement.  She said she was really concerned and wanted him to know that he is making INCREDIBLE progress medically and he really needs to stay strong mentally.  Can you believe that???!!! A doctor staying up worrying about her patient and then emailing him a long email in the middle of the night?   OMG!   We are blessed by fabulous, caring medical experts, supportive, caring friends, business friends, family and even acquaintances and strangers.  Thank you all!  We are in the final stretch and are racing (though at a non-Olympic pace!) to the finish line.  joyce

explanations...

First...to those of you who are trying to text Glen...he left his phone at UCSF this afternoon so he will have to catch up with everyone tomorrow.

Second, he had a great conversation with Dr. Yom today. She "scoped" his throat and is very pleased with the progress. She expects that he'll start feeling more like himself 2 weeks after treatment ends (Sept 2) and a full recovery thereafter.

Third, I know I posted some photos and you all are wondering - what the heck? I spent hours trying to post a slide show and/or just some photos and that was the best I could do. Techy I'm not. So the top photo (I think) is of Glen and the kids at Johnson Hall on the UO campus. For those of you who are in the know...that's the Admin building they used for Animal House! Not a good sign for Niels-or maybe it is!

The other pictures are from our trip to NYC-Sheryl Crow from the Today Show concert, Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square from our hotel and Niels with Steve Carrell...sort of...

I may try to get photos up again. Wish me luck!

Hi, I Haqve Missed You

I think it has been over a couple of weeks since my last blog, so I thought I would take a few "good moments" and send a "hoarse" shout out to everyone.

First of all, thanks to Joyce for all the wonderful things she has been in this journey. I simply know I could not be getting through this without her. I will never be able to repay her in any real way, so I guess she will just have to be stuck with me loving her in my unique, oh so fallable, ways. I LOVE YOU HUN!

I feel all the positive energy flowing from each of you out there. It is providing me the energy I never thought I would need, let alone have, to fight this cancer. The past few weeks have been all-consuming. I appreciate your text messages as I find it easier to reply versus talking on the phone.

I truly hope I will be able to find a way to repay those of you that have helped me get to this point. Your visits, short or long, all of the wonderful text messages, wonderful meals for the family, it goes on and on. Your acts of kindness to me are as humbling an experience as I have ever faced. I care and love all of you deeply. (I need to stop, as writing this is making me cry and frankly it hurts physically to cry right now.)

On to status - I completed my 26th radiation treatment today. That means I have 9 more treatments over 7 days. This includes two more dreaded Fridays. But, I know I can do this. Around 1:30 PM on Friday August 29th, I will receive my final radiation. I believe I will get to take "my mask" with me on the final day. I am trying to decide how best to dispose of this wretched thing. I also have 2 more doses of Cetuximab, August 26th and September 2nd. I will likely experience a residual effect from the accumulated radiation and final Cetuximab that should dicipate by the 8th or 10th or September. Then my body can begin to heal. I am really looking forward to this. The day to day progress of getting well.

I will be back at you when I can!

Be Well!

 

 
 
 
 

Blog Tricks and more...

Well, as I've mentioned...everyone has been so kind to offer their support of all kinds and I'm getting that help from all around! (All kinds of people have offered to fix our running toilet!) Chris York, Glen's partner just turned me on to a cool addition for Glen's blog. You can add "gadgets" to the blog so that our readers can have quick access to other cool things.

Note that you can now subscribe to Glen's blog so you don't have to remember his address. I've also added a link to the ThomasYork blog. Chris got that going a couple weeks ago. Very techy firm, don't you think?

I'm also adding the blog address of a friend of ours who is going through a very similar challenge. Her name is Diane Fidelibus. She and Glen have connected and text each other sharing their successes and challenges. She has a blog that her husband, Jim is running. Take a look at her story if you have a minute.

Glen is currently at his second to the last chemo treatment. He'll be home this afternoon and will take a nice long nap. He's struggling a bit in these last two weeks so any texts or visits you make will help to break up the day. He had a visitor the other day and he gave him a big smile. It's the first smile I've seen in a few days...other than when he's cracking his bad jokes with the doctor.

Stay in touch everyone. Glen needs you now. (And the kids and I do too!)
j

Sundays

Well...Sundays are a little better than Saturdays.  Glen is feeling a little better today.  We're anxiously awaiting the arrival of Galen to hang out with us.  He's going to take Glen for his appointment tomorrow and I will go to work in the morning to do some prep for the beginning of the school year.  Galen's even going to try to fix the toilet that's running!  With the drought and our water rationing we can't afford to lose that water!  (And to those of you reading in So.Cal...you ARE stealing our water!  Pay up!)  Like I said...we appreciate support of all kinds!  Stay tuned...j

Saturdays are hard

Oh...Saturdays follow Fridays and Fridays mean 2 rounds of radiation. Saturdays are tough for Glen. He woke up feeling okay (all things being relative), but as the day progresses he just starts feeling worse and worse. He has trouble eating (no appetite) and he's restless and just wants to feel better. I liken it to having the flu and just being miserable all over...only with a few really bad areas (mouth, throat and stomach-though no vomiting).

We look forward to a better Sunday so that he can regain some strength for Monday and...

Keep him in your thoughts for a better Sunday...
j

Only 2 Fridays to to...

It's been great having our friend Steve Sagehorn here these last 2 days.  He just  has a way of making us laugh.  If you know Steve, you know what I mean!  For example, I was printing his boarding pass today and found a different time for his flight than he had told me.  He figured it out...but this is just how Steve's life goes.  I can't figure out how he's going to get to Dubai on Sunday when he can't even figure out how to get to Boise!  (Did we ever tell you about how once quite a few years ago he missed his flight to Whitefish when he was meeting us there?  He took a flight to Spokane and then had to rent a Uhaul to drive the 4 hours to Whitefish. We had driven from I don't know where to meet him there and enjoy his condo overlooking the lake. He didn't want to inconvenience us and keep us waiting all day, so he told us to break the door down to his condo because he "wanted a new one anyway"...and we did!  That's Steve!)  Anyway...I digress...Steve is a wonderful friend and we appreciate his effort to come down here leaving his 6 month old baby and wife Tracy for three days before he literally heads to Dubai (for work) for 2 weeks.  Thanks Tracy and Cole.  It's always entertaining to have Steve around and we love him!

And speaking of great people...thanks to the entire ThomasYork (TY) team for their ongoing support and incredible ability to step up to the plate while Glen takes time away from the office. Blair and her friend Claire Edelmann and I joined the TY team for a fun company party today. We played those horrible "teambuilding" games... and had a BLAST! Maybe they aren't so horrible after all! How about those "Mamma Mias" and "Black Pearl" teams???!!! Nothing like a little friendly competition to get to know people! (And oh yeah...the Mamma Mias rocked the hula hoop game!)

But seriously, thanks to Glen's partner Chris and the rest of the incredible folks at TY for making it possible for Glen to let go of his day to day work routines and focus on his health. It's really a blessing for him and I think that it's really helped him to get through this horrendous treatment program as well as he has. He wouldn't be doing as well as he is if he were trying to keep all the plates in the air still.

So before I get sappy...only 2 more full weeks of treatment to go (thus the title of this post) plus one day of chemo on Sept. 2nd...but who's counting? Keep those thoughts and calls and emails and texts and comments on the blog coming. I've talked to quite a few people recently who say they check the blog "religiously." We're glad that it's helping you stay in touch with what's going on with Glen. I hear many of you are still struggling with commenting. You don't have to have a gmail account. You just have to make a little account in order to comment. If you look way back in July, I explained how to do it.

Thanks again to you all for all of your support of all kinds. We are truly blessed.
Happy weekend everyone,
j

PS I just want to mention that as the "kids" of our friends and Niels' friends start heading off to college, we are thinking about all of you. What an exciting and bittersweet time for us parents. I know this is what we all "signed up for," but did it have to come so soon???!!

so far...

so good...I thought you all might want to know that Glen is not feeling any undue nausea at this point. The 4 anti-nausea meds he's on seem to be working! As they told us...there are not any real new advances in chemo treatments for cancer...but there are new and better drugs to treat the side effects. The only side effect he's feeling now that we did not expect, is his case of the hiccups. This cisplatin seems to give him some indigestion that results in a raging case of hiccups. He took a Zantac to try to control the indigestion thereby controlling the hiccups. Seems to be helping some. BTW - you might think it could be funny to watch him hiccup for 2 hours (as he did with the cisplatin 3 weeks ago), but it is actually quite annoying for him so it's not a laughing matter for us.

Well, back to the Olympics and the A's game. (Yeah they won last night!)

"Talk" later,
j

The List

Well, I'm happy (and Glen is even happier) to say that we are done with Sisplatin (sp?) and can check it off the list!  Glen flew through a very long day in the Infusion Center receiving his Benadryl, saline, anti-nausea drip, Cetuximab and Sisplatin and I may have missed one or two others. :(  He was able to sleep through some of it, chat with his "neighbors" and power an Ensure shake.  Radiation only took about 15 minutes after the chemo treatment so we were on our way home by 4:00 (I think).  Just a regular "work" day at UCSF.  What were all of you doing?  Probably working!  Now we just hope that he sails through the effects of Sisplatin as successfully as he did last time (no nausea) and then look forward to shorter Tuesdays for the next 3weeks!

Glen came home this evening and promptly fell asleep on the couch (good thing we just got that extra cable sports package!) and took a 2 hour nap.  I told him that there's no such thing as too much sleep right now.  He is currently watching the A's game (how depressing is that?!) and switching back and forth to the Olympics.  (Wasn't it nice of the IOC to arrange the "tournaments" during his treatment?) Blair is anxiously anticipating Michael Phelps' swim in awhile. Wasn't that 400x relay AMAZING!!!!!????? I think I woke Glen up with my screaming at the tv (he was in bed long before the event).

Besides our daily trek to UCSF we're staying pretty busy here. We're looking forward to a visit from Steve Sagehorn on Thursday and Galen Schmidt on Sunday. Dave Bing will be transporting Glen on Wednesday and next Wednesday Jim Kelley will have the honors. Glen enjoyed a visit from Mike Quillin yesterday. Your phone calls and texts and emails (to me) are all much appreciated. They really do help the days go by and give us something to look forward to, as well. And can I just say...the dinners have been fabulous! Talk about having something to look forward to...THANK YOU FRIENDS!

Stay tuned...
joyce

Half way there!!!!!

Well, halfway almost! As of tomorrow Glen will be half way through his treatment. He has done an INCREDIBLE job of getting through this treatment program. When I go back and think about when we first heard about the clinical trial and how we were so excited that he might qualify I think...wow - we were a bit like deer in headlights and really didn't fully fathom the severity of the side effects. BUT as I watch Glen work through the side effects with such strength and determination I am amazed. And we are so excited by the results he is experiencing. The doctors are also very positive.

Glen's week has been pretty successful. He seems to have figured out how to manage his oral care to the point where he is actually eating "real" food. On Friday when we were in the city all day for 2 radiations he actually ordered eggs and pancakes for breakfast at the diner across the street. This weekend he has eaten meatloaf, mashed potatoes, chicken soup with rice, pancakes, and more! This is a really good thing. He's sleeping for 6 hours at a stretch, plus a short nap or two in the afternoon so that really helps him recuperate. When we met with the OT (Glen refers to her as the "lovely Joey) on Friday she was very pleased with the fact that he seems to have maintained pretty much the same swallowing capacity as he did before treatment. He will see her again in two weeks. (He's looking forward to that!)

Tomorrow Glen will meet with his oncologist, Dr. Dubey. She has not seen him for a couple weeks so we look forward to getting her feedback on his progress. She has been away on a cruise to Alaska. Can't wait to hear what she thought of that. It's on our list of things to do someday.

Glen will probably see Dr. Yom (radiologist) tomorrow as well. She has been away on a little camping trip. She expressed her chagrin at leaving her patients, but Glen assured her that she needed her time away too. He even took her a little gift to let her know that she deserved a break. She laughed when she saw the bag of glow in the dark bracelets and the "headlamp" that I used in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day walk a few years ago. She wasn't looking forward to camping, she's more of a "room service" girl, but we know that she will have a story or two to share.

Thanks to both Jims for their posts last week. It's great to have the perspective and "voice" of others who are working with Glen through this blip in his life. It looks like next week we will have the pleasure of a visit (and transportation to UCSF) from Galen and another "old" college friend, Steve Sagehorn. Can't wait to have them here to provide some more laughter!

Blair had her 16th birthday last week. She had an enjoyable day getting more ear piercings (yikes!) and going to Beni Hana with her "soul sister," Marina. They had a great time there. It's a family tradition to go to Beni Hana for the kids' birthday dinners. Since we couldn't do the "family" thing this year, Blair worked out an alternate plan. I'm sure we'll celebrate a little later when Glen is ready.

Continued thanks to all of you who have been calling, "commenting" and keeping Glen in your thoughts. Also, thanks to those of you who will be dropping off dinner for us!

Hugs to all!
joyce

Courage

There is a word that keeps coming up whenever I talk to anyone surrounding Glen's care and the challenges he is facing right now and that word is COURAGE! We can easily add a few more like 'attitude', the positive variety, and 'f'ierce' and 'vulnerable' and lots more. But the one that stands out is 'courage'. Comes from Latin 'cor' (heart) as I understand it. Thank you for being you and meeting this challenge with such deep determination and heart! Glen, you are such an inspiration to all of us. Much love and gratitude to you and for you being in our lives.

Jim Kelley

My Day with Glen

This post is from Jim Gebhardt:

I wanted to take a moment and let you know how Glen is doing from a friend's perspective. I had the priveledge of taking him to his chemo and radiation treatment yesterday at UCSF. What an amazing place? The environment is new, bright and chearful as are everyone I met yesterday involved with Glen's care. And then there's Glen himself, who, from the moment he walks into the building he's saying "Good Morning" to all his favorite faces as he makes his way up to the infusion center (which is where he has his chemo treatment) with the same enthusiasm as if he's saying "Good Morning" to the Starter at the 1st tee Bandon Dunes. Having witnessed both, I can't tell the difference ~ how amazing is that! Once in the Infusion Center he has his usual playful and often sarcastic bantor with the specific nurses that provide his treatment and in the process brings some sillyness to an otherwise very serious setting. I'm sure the nurses feel like he is a breath of fresh air!

As Dr. Yom (his Oncologist) said during his check-in with him prior to his radiation session: "You are a very special person to us - Thank You." Glen, who consciously is working to improve his ability to "receive" did a nice job of accepting Dr. Yom's comments. It was an emotion filled moment. The modesty in all of us rarely allows oursevles to feel that we are special but as we all know Glen, Joyce, Niels and Blair are ALL truly special people.

Given all that Glen is going through he looks great. The sores in his mouth are impacting his ability to talk and eat (and we all know how much Glen loves to talk and eat...:). The more he can eat the less weight he should lose and then the faster his recovery should be. So getting the sores under control will be a hugh improvement in his day-to-day.

He has his routine down pat and his attitude is great! His care at UCSF is truly amazing and matched by the care he receives at home from Joyce and his family. With all that love surrounding him I'd say his path to outstanding health is well underway!!!

All the best,

Jim

Heading into Week Three!!!

I made a decision a week ago to not bring my computer home with me. One of the side effects of my chemo medications is a "touch" of anxiety. This led to some fairly restless days where I wasn't able to rest well. You see, I would want to work at my computer answering emails, working on projects, etc. and not be able to. This would make me anxious as my emails grew. So, ever the prioritizer, I decided my health is first, last and always at this time. So my computer stays at the office for the interim. I will let you know if that changes. One good thing is I have been able to get to my office Monday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings for 1 to 2 hours. I love my office and the people there. They foster within me such a wonderful sense of pleasure and joy and they are doing such a terrific job in my mostly absent state. My gratitude to them goes beyond words.

Before I get to an update on my health, I want to ask everyone to place someone I have come to know in the past month within their positive thoughts, energies and prayers. Diane Fidelibus lives within our little Walnut Creek - Indian Valley community. I hope I am not divulging any confidences, but Diane had cancer some 18 years ago. She discovered almost at the same time as me that she also has oral cancer. Due to prior treatments, Diane cannot receive radiation therapy and will therefore be having surgery this Wednesday. I am hopeful that she will have a less radical form of surgery and that she will come through this with flying colors. BE WELL DIANE!!! I have so enjoyed our sharing moments.

Today I received my 12th of 35 radiation therapies. At weeks end I will be at 17 of 35, or half way. I will also have received 4 of 8 of the Cetuximab and 1 or 2 of Cisplatin. One moment at a time, one day at a time.

I want to thank Joyce for her wonderful blogs while I was recovering this weekend. I am learning that Saturday and Sunday are important days for me to build strength for the coming week. This past Saturday was a difficult day for me as I was dealing with 3 different things happening in my mouth. My throat is becoming dry (dead saliva glands) and sore from the bombarding radiation; the third dose of Cetuximab decided to display its side effects through ulcers on my inner lips and gums and I developed a raging case of Thrush. This made it nearly impossible to eat unless I numb my entire mouth. This has taken some practice. Plus Joyce has helped me find foods that I could gum down my throat. Well, I now have a way to deal with this and feel great for it.

I think NYC was great for Blair, Niels and Joyce. They all got to do something they wanted to do (maybe Joyce will blog with more details?), plus it allowed them a break from this disease which has consumed our family for the past 2 1/2 months. It was also great for me that I got to spend 5 days with my Mom. Everyone knows there is nothing like having Mom take care of you, but we had a chance to talk about some things that we haven't discussed in years. I love her dearly. I also want to thank Dad for sharing her with me. Thanks Dad and I love you too.

My Mom and I met with Dr. Yom after radiation last Thursday. She scoped me again and it seems my primary tumor is half it's original size (YAHOOOO!!!) and that it has receded from my voice box. Dr. Yom was especially pleased with this as she stated it was a concern of hers. I know I have said this before, but UCSF Med Center is an awesome place. I feel in such great hands. Plus Dr. Yom makes me laugh a lot.

One last thing, Joyce mentioned how inspiring, heartwarming, humbling, etc all of your comments and emails have been for me. I continue to be amazed and in awe of the outpouring of positive thoughts and energy from each of you. Please know that you all have touched me in a very special way. Thank you!!

I will try not to be so long between blogs.

Revised!

Good Afternoon!

Glen just read my post (and your comments and emails that were sent to my address) and has some revisions to the treatment schedule. I thought it should be accurate so here you go...

As of today, he has completed 3 rounds of cetuximab, but he has 5 to go (not 4 as previously stated). The really good news is that as of Tuesday, he will be half way done with cetuximab! Yeah!!!!! I think I'll have a glass of wine on Tuesday to celebrate! (...as if I needed an excuse!).

The other correction is that he will have his last radiation on August 29th (hey that's THIS month!) and his last cetuximab will be on Sept. 2nd. So...stay tuned for more good news!

As for Glen's weekend activities...he's been eating a bit more today-squeezed down two scrambled eggs, a few Ensure shakes with banana, chocolate sauce and protein powder, a spoonful of honey, a bunch of water and he's looking forward to pudding and jello with whip cream for dinner! Well, at least he's going to try those tasty treats! He's also promised to walk around the block after dinner and he's currently taking a shower! Wow-what a day! The good end of day news is that he thinks he's turned the corner and his mouth is recovering from last Tuesday's chemo. Now he'll have a couple days to prepare for the next round. And so are the days of our lives...(You have to be of a certain age and gender to get that one!)

Keep your comments coming-he hangs on your every word of encouragement! Even the ones with the bad jokes! Actually, especially the ones with the bad jokes!

"Talk" soon,
j

2 weeks down...

Glen is on his way to complete and total health...it's not an easy path, but it's the road he's traveling and we are on our way together.

As of today he has completed 3 rounds of the clinical trial chemo (cetuximab) - he has 4 to go (I think). He has completed 1 of the 2 rounds of cisplatin. The final dose of that treatment will be August 12th. He luckily has not suffered from nausea to this point, but the cetuximab is really messing with his oral health. He has developed several of the expected or possible side effects of that treatment and is experiencing difficulty eating and speaking. He has found the humor in being told that he has to eat...after a lifetime of being told to "not eat so much!" Now he just wishes he could eat without pain.

He has completed 2 weeks of radiation with 6 doses per week (2 rounds on Fridays). His last radiation treatment will be on September 2nd. On Thursdays he meets with the radiologist, Dr. Yom. She has been pleased with the shrinkage of the tumor and that is just the news we want to hear! Both she and Dr. Dubey have been helping Glen with pain management. They are incredibly caring and personal physicians - and they both have a great sense of humor!

Last weekend our "best man," Galen came down to hang with us. It was great to have him here - both for his help and for his great sense of humor! He took Glen to treatment on Monday and then took Niels and Blair and me to the airport on Tuesday. Thanks Galen and Janet for your friendship (I hate to think how many years!) and support.

We returned yesterday from NYC. I want to thank Glen for encouraging us to make the trip. We missed him very much, but did appreciate the opportunity to take pleasure in the city - enjoying the sights (saw a Yankee game, walked the Brooklyn Bridge and many of the neighborhoods including Soho, Greenwich Village, etc.), sounds (saw the Conan O'Brien show taped - thanks to our friend Sue Edelmann and Blair and I also saw Sheryl Crow on the the Today Show) and tastes of the city (felt like we traveled back to Italy one night and came upon one of the "top 10" Thai restaurants in the nation!). We were fortunate to have Glen's mom here to care for him and shuttle him to UCSF. We owe her a huge thanks for allowing us to take our vacation without worrying about Glen's care. Also, thanks to Jimmy G. for bringing Glen to the airport to pick us up.

Glen has not brought his computer home from the office so he may not be writing any more posts for awhile. He is using his energy (what little he has) to stay focused on the task of getting through this treatment. As he said from the beginning - he has to get really sick in order to get well. While it's fairly easy to say that, it's not easy to live through...but he will get through this with your continued positive thoughts, energy and prayers.

So...you're stuck with me writing the updates...unless I can get Niels or Blair to give it a try. As always, thanks for checking in with Glen and letting him know you're "there" for him through your comments. I will print them out for him to read as he's able.

Love and thanks to all,
joyce

A Touh 3 Days

I received two treatments of radiation on Friday and I was still assimulating the first big dose of Cisplatin / Cetuximab. As a result I had a weekend that was filled with uneasiness and restlessness. We tried to make it as niormal as possible, including going to the A's game on Saturday. Not such a good idea, but we do live and learn. I will definately take it more cautious moving forward. I am feeling a little more "normal" this morning, but am still suffering from a anxiety and restlessness.

In my last blog I forgot to thank my brother Steve and sister-in-law Pat for coming down to Eugene during our visit. It was great to see them. I love them dearly and thank them for all their support.

Dr. Yom took a look at my tumors last Thursday and said they had definately shrunk. I can feel it as well. THAT IS MUSIC TO MY EARS!

Here's to a great week of treatment and recovery.

Be well,

Quick Update

Hopefully one of us will get on and give more info and some photos soon, but in the meantime...

Glen has finished his first week (4 days) of treatment. He has not really suffered from nausea - YEAH! but has been very tired and not so perky the last day or so. On Fridays he has 2 doses of radiation and it seems to really wipe him out. Duh. Hopefully the rest he is getting this weekend will help him to rebound for the next week of treatment and give him the energy to do some of the things he likes to do - work! watch baseball! maintain his "personal" baseball team (with Niels)! hang with friends and family!

Kids and I go to NYC on Tuesday. Thanks to his mom (also a "Joyce") for coming down to take him to his treatments and provide meals and company. Thanks also to Galen, our "best man" for coming down today to take him to UCSF tomorrow. And while I'm thanking people...it was great to see his brother Steve and sister (in-law) Pat in Eugene last week. They made quite the trek from Pendleton to join us for dinner!

Since Glen will be spending less time on email/phone, please continue to post comments to his blog. It's really very uplifting to read your comments.

Love to all,
j

The First Day and . . . a Few Thoughts on Oregon

First of all, thanks to Joyce for posting a blog that so touched my heart. It says everything I could ever want to express, and more. I have always felt Joyce and my job as a parent was to guide Blair and Niels in the acquisition of the skills that are necessary to make decisions that will lead to them enjoying success in life while they explore their passions. You see, I love my job and am already missing terribly the day to day interaction with the wonderful team at TY and our wonderful clients / Friends. One of the numerous gifts I have been given in the process is understanding this. I intend to receive this gift and make it work as I transition to outstanding health. Spending time at UO has felt like home in this regard. There is just this sense that the people up there are encouraged to be themselves and they view a major portion of their role as the facilitator of these discoveries. Most of you know I went to Chico. I love that place. I felt the thing they did best for me was to learn accountability of self. Sure, there were numerous opportunities to party. And trust me, I chose to take advantage of them. But, on balance, I spent "enough" time on studies to gather a solid academic education. The thing I learned at Chico that many students at other institutions didn't, was the social, balance, accountability education. It has been invaluable in my life! I REALLY BELIEVE THAT UO WILL DO A BETTER JOB THAN CHICO DID FOR ME, AND THAT IS AMAZING. As a parent, it doesn't get any better than that for me.

I also left UO with the confidence that Blair has been able to see just how wonderful a college experience can be. I know she will enter school next year with a renewed committment to creating opportunities for herself. I love you Sis and I am so excited for your future.

I really didn't mean to get on such a riff, and I don't intend to sound preachy. I just wanted you to hear how excited I am for Niels and Blair. AND JOYCE AND ME!

Simply put, today's treatment could not have gone any better than it did. Joyce and I arrived at UCSF a little before 7 AM. They drew my blood and and ran the tests STAT so I could begion my chemo at 8:30. Well, each and every one of my levels that they track, white cell counts, red cell counts, magnesium, calcium, etc. came back very normal. As a cancer patient, I love it when someone tells me something is "normal". I want to thank Jime Kelley and Jim Gebhardt for guiding me to Dr. Michael Defino. I know these results would not have been so great without his guidance and Jim and Jim's support. Thanks Jim and Jim, I love you guys. Also, a huge thanks to Joyce, Blair and Niels for tolerating my change in diet and being willing to explore new ways. I know it is not easy, especially for teenagers. Mr. Kelley also led me to Michael Wagner. He practices healing touch. I have only seen him once (so far), but I am also certain that his work to help facilitate energy ovement around my body has been invaluable in my ability to reamin calm and receive treatment. I am counting on it helping me through the likely numerous side effects to come. Thanks Jim, I only know how to repay you with my deep love and care for you and your family.

Back to the details - Receiving the great lab news we proceeded to spend from 8:30 to 3:00 PM being infused with benadryl, cetuximab, hydration, a cocktail of anti-nausea drugs, cisplatin and hydration. We followed this with a trip to the basement for radiation. All along the way they were willing to laugh with me at my stupid jokes. I know I have siad this before, but they are an amazing group of care providers. I don't know who is the CEO of UCSF Med Center, but whoever it is they have done a marvelous job of creating an environment that I am hopeful to replecate at TY. I have been provided anti-nausea drugs that we are hopeful will mitigate the nausea. I am hopeful and continue to follow their many suggestions. My last comment about todays experience is about the other patients that I shared the treatment room with. I think it would help to provide a brief description. This is a room of approximately 20' X 20'. On either side of the room are 3 recliners and in between each recliner is the rolling stand for the infusions. There are three such areas in the "Infusion Center". So, if you 3 or 4 people in one of these areas, the traffic is managemable. This morniong was such a time, but in the afternoon we had 4 pretty amazing people (plus me) receiving treatment. We were able to have some pretty terrific conversations. I am very hopeful I will be able to get to know some of these incredbly courageous people a lot better. I wish them all great health and god speed!

Be well,

And we're off...

In more ways than one we have several new beginnings here. Our weekend to Eugene was a fantastic beginning for Niels as he prepares to head out into the world of higher education. It's also a new beginning for the 3 of us staying in Walnut Creek as we adjust to daily life without his physical presence. We will miss him, but are so proud of him and excited for what is ahead.

Eugene was also a beginning for Blair. She really felt the excitement around the whole "college" experience and is ready to rock her junior year! We look forward to supporting her as she "struts" her way to the end of her high school years. (Inside joke-we were brainstorming all of the synonyms for "walk" when we were "meandering" through UO today - she thought we were being ridiculously nerdy!)

Tomorrow is a new beginning for Glen. Actually, last Monday was the beginning-beginning, but somehow tomorrow feels more like the real beginning of his "path to outstanding health." We head to UCSF at 5:45 am for labwork, infusion (a cocktail of 2 meds, plus Benadryl, anti-nausea meds and who knows what else). This five hour chemo treatment will be followed by his first radiation treatment.

We are as prepared as we'll ever be. We know it will be a long day and a longer 6+ weeks, but we also know that it will be time well-spent! So many wonderful things have happened in the 2 months since Glen's diagnosis. We head down this road knowing that the sun, the moon, the planets, and the stars are aligned and and his results will be outstanding!

Thanks to you all for staying in touch and sending us your strength and love.
Joyce

A Quick Note . . .

Joyce and I went to see Dr. Dubey yesterday to check me out before my big treatment on Tuesday. No unusual side effects, so we are on track for Tuesday. We had great fun with her and laughed a lot. I hope that can continue . . .

The whole family is headed this morning up to Eugene and introDUCKtion. We are going to have a blast and learn a ton.

More after treatment on Tuesday.

Be well,

First Treatment

First of all, thanks to Joyce for helping all of us with posting comments to the blog.

Well, another long day at UCSF yesterday. I had my first infusion of Cetuximab. They started me off with an IV drip of Benedryl. That was a fun "ride". They administer that first because the primary side effect from Cetuximab is acne on your face that make a 16 year old proud. The other "Very Likely" side effects include weakness, headache, fever, dry skin and low magnesium that could lead to muscle cramps or weakness. So far, my only side effect has been a headache that set in last night at 2 AM and overall tiredness. There are many other "Less Likely" side effects that I won't bore you with now. I will be receiving Cetuximab weekly through September 2nd.

The other part of my treatment will begin next Tuesday. That will include Cisplatin and radiation therapy. I will receive 3 infusions of Cisplatin over the course of treatment and radiation every weekday through August 29th plus an extra radiation treatment every Friday. The Cisplatin "Very Likely" side effects are too numerous to list here. One key is to drink enough water to make sure the poison and dead cancer cells get washed through the kidneys. As Dr. Yom says, the kidneys are the septic tank of the body. My mantra heading into Tuesday is "PEE CLEAR!" So if you see me around it just may be in a local toilet going to the bathroom one of 20 plus times a day. Please remind me to drink my water.

Now that we have defined the treatment it seems "doable". My mind is right and I am as physically ready for this as I can be. It is nice to have the scope of the treatment in mind and to have an end in cite.

Many of you know that my son Niels will be a Duck at the University of Oregon this coming fall. I am so proud of him and couldn't be more excited for this phase of his life to begin. It is with great sadness and happiness that I experience this transition. One of the things we were hoping for is to experience introDUCKtion this coming weekend up at Eugene. Well, thanks to Dr. Yom, we will be able to do just that. Thank you Dr. Yom.

Blair has been in San Diego at UCSD since Saturday with Marina and Ashley Peterson. Blair and Marina are there at a volleyball camp pursuing one of their passions. I know it has been great for her to get away, but I miss her a ton.

I will likely not make another posting to the blog until after Tuesday. Wish me luck.

Be well,

hey bloggers

Hi friends and family!
It has come to our attention that some of you may be struggling with how to make a comment on Glen's blog. It seems to be a bit of a challenge for people of a certain...age or generation! So Glen suggested that I post the directions to make sure that we could all participate in the techy world of the 21st century!

The good news is that if you're reading this you have already figured out how to get to his blog. Congratulations! Now to make a comment you go to the bottom of any "post." (A post is any message from Glen or a few other people who have clearance for postings.) At the bottom of each post you will see "# comments". After that you will see an envelope. To make a comment you click on the word "comments." (You use the envelope if you want to forward his blog to another party.)

Once you have done that a new screen comes up. There is a box in which you can write your comment. Under the box is a word/character verification box that you simply re-type in the provided box.

Finally, you must sign up to be a google blogger in the "Google Identity" boxes. (This is assuming that you do not have a blogger address with another entity - thus the other options under the Google Blogger section.) The dot is already filled in green indicating that you will create or use your google blogger account. Your username is your email address and then you must enter a password (that you will remember for your next comment!). The last step is to click on "Publish Your Comment."

Voila! You are officially a blogger! Congratulations. We look forward to reading your comments in the future.

Joyce
PS Glen will provide an update on his first treatment very soon. So that you're not in suspense, I will say that it went very well. He is a trooper!

As Glen prepares for his first treatment tomorrow - I reflect on special times our family has shared. This photo may be 2 years old, but it celebrates one fabulous vacation together. We always enjoy our vacations - and always seem to be planning the next one. Currently, there is talk of London for Christmas, of course Scotland for Glen in April and we have planned Thanksgiving with the Johnson's in Oregon (gathering our two freshman after their first months at college). Right now we are planning for a healthy Glen and anticipating our travels of the future.

Thank you all for your positive thoughts and encouragement. Your love and support is making such a difference for us all.
Joyce

What a Week!

As with most of my weeks lately, it began and ended with my health. I previously told you about Monday and Tuesday and the items up in the air. Well, they all ended up working out very well. I received an email early Friday morning from Frances (Clinical Trail Coordinator) that I was accepted into the RTOG 0522 Clinical Trial (Yeah!). She also informed me that I was randomized into Arm 2, which includes both Cisplatin and Cetuximab (Triple Yeah!!!). I have not spoken with the doctors yet about the results of the biopsy, MRI or heart scan, but I am assuming that they all turned out "normal" (Yeah!).

Every year for the last 10 years or so I have taken a golf trip with three of my best buddies (Jim, Gregg and Tony). Well truth be told, some years we have taken even two or three trips, but please don't tell Joyce as I always tell her these extra trips are "bidness". Anyway, these trips have been all over the US and even to England and Ireland in 2006. This has become a wonderful tradition among some pretty terrific friends. These traditions evolve and one of the recent evolutions is to make a "big" trip on "big" birthdays. The person we are celebrating for gets to choose, with input from the rest. Well, 2008 is my 50th, so we were scheduled to go to Scotland in September. Mind you, these trips only get altered for some pretty big reasons. In February we learned that Jim's wife Beth was pregnant with their 4th child. This is their "gift" child as they had no plans to add a 4th. I am so happy for them. So, in early April we decided to reschedule for April 2009. Well 2009 happens to be Gregg's 40th (big birthday), so we will be celebrating many things including Gregg's 40th and my outstanding health! But, this left us with a problem. What will we do for 2008? Just so happens that Gregg, who lives in Boston, was going to Hawaii with his girlfriend. So, he came out a few days early and I got to spend a couple of fabulous days with my buddies playing golf. Guys, thanks for so many wonderful and interesting memories. I love you guys!

Friday late afternoon I received a call from Frances. She explained to me the process to come. I will be receiving my first dose of Cetuximab Monday morning. Cetuximab will be administered once a week. A week later I will begin Cisplatin and radiation therapy. TREATMENT IS BEGINNING - TIME TO GET MY MIND RIGHT! No doubt I am frightened, excited, nervous, hopeful, anxious and CONFIDENT!

I have been able to get in a rhythm with this blogging and make a posting every three days or so. The feedback I have received has been very positive. I will do all I can to keep it up and maybe even post more often. I appreciate your feedback very much.

Be well!

Update

WOW!

The past two days has been such a whirlwind of activity over at UCSF. On Monday Joyce and I were at UCSF from 6:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The day began with me giving blood and turning in my 24 hour urine sample (I will have to share that story later when we all need a good laugh). It followed with a meeting with the speech pathologist (Joey Thornton - swallowing), meeting with Frances Zhang (Clinical Trial Coordinator), simulation, chest x-ray, meeting with Sarita Dubey - Medical Oncologist, Vascular Access Port flush and tour of the Infusion Center and finally Thyroid Ultrasound and biopsy.

In the middle of all those things, we decided to attempt to take part in the Clinical Trial. That essentially would mean that I would receive the standard protocol treatment plus extra radiation and possibly an extra drug. We will know whether I make it into the trial by the end of this week. We will also know which "Arm" of the trial I am "randomized" into. It all comes down to, of all things, my thyroid. They discovered a nodule on my left thyroid when they performed the contrast ct scan ten days or so ago. They biopsied it on Monday. The doctors think it is a cyst or something similar. If it comes back not cancerous, then they will let me in the trial. If it is cancer, then I will revert to the protocol treatment. Timing is still TBD.

Yesterday was Joyce and my 19th wedding anniversary. We spent the morning with me having an MRI and an ultrasound of my heart (seemed very easy compared to Monday). We did sneak in a lovely breakfast in San Francisco. Breakfast has always been one of those things we love to do. It has been so wonderful to have Joyce back with me at the doctor meetings. She wasn't able to be with me due to some of the trainings she was doing. Joyce is the rock of our family. I know this hasn't been easy for her, but having her by my side has been so important to me keeping a positive attitude and facing this challenge, My confidence level when Joyce is with me soars. Happy Anniversary Hun, I love so much. I look forward to us having a very special 20th anniversary! A good friend reminded my last week that Joyce and my anniversary is actually July 4th, 1985. That is the day we met in The Madison Bear Gardens in Chico. So, July 4th is very special to me for another reason.

There has been so many wonderful responses to my blogging so far - THANK YOU! I will keep it up.