Thursday, February 28, 2008

Cinderella has a new stepsister!!

hey everyone! this is aubrey!! as some of you know my school is doing the Rogers & Hammerstein version of the musical Cinderella. Anyway, I tried out a couple of days ago and today was the final cast list. AND I'M AN EVIL STEPSISTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i am SO happy because that's EXACTLY the part i wanted! Also, one of my best friends is Cinderella (she's so lucky!) so since we're both leads, all of our rehearsals will be together! and another one of my good friends is the evil stepmother! yay :D okay, well, that's all. but i just wanted to post this because i'm really excited that i got the part that i was hoping for!!!
love,
aubrey <3

p.s. i'm getting Chinese food tonight to celebrate-it's my favorite!

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

No Brain Activity!


Hi! I met with my neurosurgeon and neuro-oncologist today to discuss the results of my latest MRI brain scans. They were happy to report--and I was even happier to hear--that once again the MRI scans showed no active brain mets (tumors). Dr. Malkin is even going to wean me from the antiseizure medication I've been taking since the craniotomy. That's fine with me. One less drug in my system is certainly a positive.

This is good news. I'm sure anyone who has ever had a brain tumor understands the anxiety that precedes each MRI scan and the relief that follows each good result. Although all of the melanoma tumors scare me, I have a particular dread of the brain mets. The only ones I had came on so sudden and have left me with a permanent disability. And I consider myself lucky to have it. The tumor that immobilized my left leg, had it been in a different spot, could have immobilized my writing arm. Or my vision. Or my ability to think and reason. Or my ability to control my emotions and make decisions. When I stop to think about what might have been, I thank God it wasn't and I pray to God it doesn't happen again.

We had a second bit of good news today: a couple of our cul-de-sac neighbors, Dr. Ben and Ellen Van Horn, called at about 5:00 pm and told us they were bringing over home-made pot roast for dinner. I had been planning to crack open a can of Ragu and boil some cheap spaghetti, so you can imagine how happy I was to receive Ellen's call. Ben just brought it over, and it's permeating the house with that scrumptious potroast aroma. Mmmmmm! That means this blog is over.

Jeff

PS. I'd better explain the picture. This is a photo that one of Aubrey's friends took while sleeping over at our house. I liked it and thought some of you might too.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Clinical Trial Followup

Hi!

Today, I had my follow-up visit with Dr. Richards regarding my antiCTLA-4 trial. We took all of the kids so they could see the doctor's office, meet the doctor and nurses, and gain a better understanding of what I do each time I meet with an oncologist. They all get an A+ for their behavior and patience. Afterward, we met our good friends Katie Clancy and MC Davenport for a meat-free lunch at Bennigan's (it's a Friday in Lent, remember?). We all enjoyed ourselves and made it back to Milwaukee before rush hour, which meant minimal drive time.

So how did the visit go? Well, the doctor first reminded me that it often takes a full 12 weeks of treatment before he sees results. Then he said my tumors appeared to be stable. The subcutaneous nodes were more numerous; many were bigger than before but some had gotten smaller. This I had expected as I can monitor the subcutaneous nodes on my own. Internally, many of the abdominal tumors had grown, but the CT scans did not reveal any new ones. The CT scan report also mentioned "many of the lesions have low attenuation centers that presumably represents necrosis." That means they appear to be dying from the inside out. I believe it is this statement that led the doctor to say he expects to see more shrinkage in the coming weeks.

The doctor and nurse both presented a cautiously optimistic attitude about the whole business, and Dr. Richards specifically said that he saw nothing that caused him immediate concern. He said all we can do now is wait and watch to see whether my immune system responds to the antiCTLA-4 antibody. Hopefully it will. I will return to his office in six weeks for a checkup of my subcutaneous nodes. Six weeks after that, I will undergo more CT scans and the doctor will decide whether I have shown a positive response and therefore qualify to be given a "maintenance" infusion of the antiCTLA-4 antibody. A positive response means the tumors have shown collectively less than a 20% growth over the 12 week period.

It's not bad news; it's not great news either. I certainly don't feel hopeless about the situation, and I don't want anyone to assume from this information that my days are numbered. Indeed, during our visit Dr. Richards specifically stated, "I think it's only going to get better and better." One thing I've learned through this experience is that these doctors deal with facts and don't dally with the truth. I do not think he would make that statement if he did not believe it. The doctor was happy that I have been eating well and feeling more energetic. I feel good about these things, too. I try to be as honest as I can on this blog, and I am being completely honest when I say I feel better than I have in at least four months and that I do feel optimistic about my chances of holding this disease at bay for a long time. And I'm talking decades, not just years.

In that same spirit of honesty, however, I have to admit that I have a difficult time getting enthused or feeling especially pleased with the type of review I had this morning. It isn't easy to read a CT scan report that states (note: all measurements are compared to CT scans taken 11/29):

". . . again seen is a pancreatic head lesion that is probably stable, measuring 1.9 x 1.3 cm. . . . The right adrenal gland is normal. There is a large left adrenal mass . . . (that) measures 4.3 x 4.9 cm compared to 4.4 x 4.4 cm. There are numerous nodules along the inferior margin. There has been interval enlargement of the right renal lesion, which now measures 5.5 x 4.5 cm compared to 4.7 x 3.8 cm. Multiple masses are again seen in the region of the gastrohepatic ligament and in a peripancreatic location. The celiac artery and portal vein are displaced. The most anterior node measures 4.1 x 3.3 cm and is slightly larger. Some of the other nodes are stable. The lesion posterior to the pancreas has enlarged, measuring 4.8 x 3.0 cm compared to 3.2 x 2.0 cm. There is a larger left flank mass situated at the level of the lower pole of the left kidney and invading the quadratus lumborum and left flank musculature that measures 4.7 x 5.5 cm compared to 4.6 x 4.9 cm. The extraperitoneal midline mass inferior to the xiphoid measures 2.7 x 2.2 cm compared to 2.0 x 1.7 cm. The right perinephric mass appears slightly larger, measuring 3.6 x 1.9 cm."

You don't have to be a medical professional to get the gist of what's going on: a lot of bad stuff is happening inside me. If I'm not leaping for joy after receiving such a report, I trust you can understand why.

On a lighter note, the weekend is almost here and the kids are making plans. Regan is plotting to have a playdate (if she gets her chores done!) and Aubrey wants to go shopping with the money she earned helping me do our taxes. I'm sure Jack will spend much of the next two days outdoors with the neighbor boys, and Kelly and I will try to get away for a couple of hours of adult conversation. I hope you all are able to rest a bit this weekend and that your favorite actors/actresses/films win Oscars (if you're into that kind of thing).

Jeff

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Who needs a mobile rack?

Hi! All's quiet on the Tosa front this week. I did my taxes--always a joy--and my annual office cleanout. In doing so, I came across a couple of mobile racks that I no longer need (my desktop PC, which has been modified and remodified countless times during the past six years finally kicked the bucket a few months ago and I'm just too lazy to try to revive it this time). A mobile rack, which is also known as a hard drive drawer or hard drive caddy, enables you to treat an internal hard drive like a portable device. They're useful for securing a drive while you're away from your computer, but also prove handy for moving multimedia files between two or more desktops. I'll gladly give one or both to anyone who wants them. Preference will be given to anyone who is willing to come pick them up! I also have a 15-inch CRT monitor, an ergonomic keyboard, several mice, a pair of desktop speakers, and other desktop computing goodies (all used but functioning) free for the taking as well. I foresee a low demand on these items so if you want them let me know ASAP; I plan on taking everything to the computer recycling center in a week or two. You can contact me by leaving a comment on this blog post or posting a guestbook entry at http://www.doddfamilyfund.com.

Take care,
Jeff

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

More Snow



Hi! Yesterday we received another four or five inches of snow. Kelly hates the stuff, but I really don't mind it. It's pretty as long as it's clean, and in my opinion it sure beats temperatures in the -0 range. Thanks to my neighbor, Charlie Runge, for getting out his snowblower and cleaning off our driveway last night! The Murphys just got back from Belize late last night and I'm thankful Mark had at least one evening to sit inside and watch the snow fall instead of being out in it shoveling away.

I recently became aware of several donations that have been made to the Dodd Family Fund in the past several months. Katie, my good friend who set up and runs the Dodd Family Fund, has been utterly swamped and simply wasn't able to keep up them. Since getting married in October, she has moved her residence from Chicago to the mountains of Wyoming and taken a honeymoon to Costa Rica. Not only that, she has been traveling back and forth between Chicago and Wyoming (where her husband is from) in an attempt to serve the clients of her law practice in Chicago. And she has been busy dealing with the results of a burst pipe in her Chicago condo that caused significant damage. She wants to get the repairs done quickly so she can put the condo on the market. If anyone is interested in purchasing a Chicago condo on the north side (sorry, I don't know the Chicago neighborhoods as well as I should so that's as specific as I can get), let me know and I'll try to get you some detailed information about it. I've been there and know it's very nice and big inside and right across the street from a school. My purpose of bringing this up, however, is not to sell Katie's condo but to thank all of those who have made donations to the Dodd Family Fund recently. I don't know who all of you are, but Kelly and I are very grateful for your generosity and continued prayers.

Finally, I want to post a couple pictures of the kids we took recently. I thought they were funny and figured some of you might too. The first is Finn standing in his crib; he likes to stick out his tongue now for some reason. And the second is Regan after a morning session at the "Spa-'Brey" (Aubrey's room).

Jeff

Saturday, February 9, 2008

The Fourth Treatment Recap

Hi! I had my fourth (of four) antiCTLA-4 treatments yesterday. It went smoothly so there really isn't much more to say about it. I have to do some CT scans over the course of the next two weeks and then meet with my doctor in Chicago on February 22nd. That's when I'll learn whether the treatment worked, the extent to which it worked, and whether I will be continuing with the clinical trial or looking for something else. I also have MRI scans in the coming weeks and I meet with my neuro-oncologist and neurosurgeon in late February to find out what the brain mets are doing (hopefully nothing!). Needless to say, the prospect of getting so much information in the coming weeks has me feeling a little anxious. This is the first time I've asked the doctor for a prescription for medication that can help me sleep at night. I've been tossing and turning for several nights recently, and I know it's because I'm nervous about what the scan results will say.


My good friend, Tony Popanz, was my chauffeur this time around. Tony was one of my roommates when I studied in Ireland as a college student. He is also one of Aubrey's godfather, and Kelly and I are godparents for his daughters. Even though Tony has provided a lot of help to us in the past year, I really haven't been able to visit with him at length. Either I've felt too sick to be much of a party to the conversation or we have been preoccupied by babies. Our trip yesterday was a real blessing to me because it gave us the opportunity to shoot the breeze like a couple of old friends.


As if the day couldn't get any more enjoyable. I had a lengthy phone conversation with my Dad. My Mom was spending the night at my Grandpa and Grandma's, so Dad was batching it at home when I called to let him know how my treatment went. We ended up talking for nearly two hours. It was a real treat to get caught up in a long talk with my Dad. We used to do most of our talking while doing odd jobs together around the house or yard. I haven't been able to do many of those things since my craniotomy, and I've missed spending that time with him.


So all in all, a good day. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Jeff

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Good Neighbor Award

Hi! I hadn't planned on posting a blog entry before my treatment tomorrow, but I just couldn't resist sharing a brief recap of what my neighbors, the Murphys, have done to go over and above the call of neighborly duty. Way over and above!

Ever since my diagnosis, Mark Murphy has used our snowblower to clear our driveway when it snows. He also uses it clear his own driveway, so it works out well. Especially for us. And especially after we received 12 - 14 inches of snow yesterday. Unfortunately, one of the snowblower's tires broke just as he was finishing up. Oh, and I should mention that this all happened at approximately 9:00 pm last night. I should also mention that Mark and his wife Jennifer were planning to drive to Chicago at midnight to catch a plane to Belize (the Milwaukee airport was shut down yesterd and so they had to find another flight and this was the best they could do).

So yes, the situation so far is that my neighbor, who is heading out on a romantic getaway with his lovely wife, has graciously put off his packing/preparations to snowblow my driveway. Then it breaks. I expect most other men at this point would simply park the snowblower in my garage, explain that they need to finish packing for a trip, and leave feeling good about their neighborly efforts so far. Not Mark. Nor his wife, Jennifer.

Mark removed the wheel and took it home. Then Jennifer called and explained that, because Mark had fixed this wheel once before when it broke last winter, he knew just what to do. He was going to give instructions to Jennifer's father (who, along with her mother, are babysitting the three Murphy boys while Mark and Jennifer are out of town), and he would be happy to fix the snowblower for us.

And not only that, Jennifer had contacted other neighbors to help with our shoveling while Mark wasn't around to do it.

And not only that, she had arranged for someone else to take Regan and Jack to school (oh yeah, the Murphys do that for us everyday too!).

And not only that, but their nanny would be happy to watch Finn in the morning while Kelly attends a meeting and I head off to my treatment in Chicago.

How do you even begin to thank someone for such generosity? The best I can do right now is hope like crazy that Belize is warm, the drinks are cold, their flights are smooth, and that they return wholly rested and rejuvenated. Thank you, thank you, thank you Murphy's!

Jeff

Friday, February 1, 2008

Brothers

Hi! After watching Finn all day, I'm always ready for Aubrey, Regan, and Jack to come home from school to give me a hand with the squirmy boy. The older three really are a big help, and Finn loves being entertained by his sisters and brother.

I took this picture yesterday when Jack was carrying Finn to the basement to play. Not only is it a good photo of both boys (and I know there are several of you out there who particularly enjoy the pictures of Finn) but it also serves as an illustration of just how much a person's parenting practices evolve with the birth of more children. Kelly and I would never have allowed a 6-year-old to carry Aubrey around like this when she was 8 months old. But that was back when we were first-time parents still figuring out how to do things and worried that we always had to do them "right". By the time you get to your fourth child, you realize it often isn't about what's "right" but what's "easy." Finn was happy, Jack was happy, I was happy. Aren't families wonderful?
Have a happy weekend!

Jeff