Friends of George- the blog.

2011-10-27T11:46:00.000-07:00

Today we have a Guest Blogger! His name is David Haas- a contributor to the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance blog. He contacted me with a strong desire to share some very important information for those who are fighting cancer, surviving cancer- and their caretakers. I hope this information is helpful to you:

Exercise is Important for Cancer Patients and Survivors
by David Haas

The benefits of exercise for maintaining good health are well accepted. Experts working in conjunction with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) agree that exercise also has several benefits for cancer survivors and people undergoing cancer treatment. The panel of researchers convened in 2010 to establish exercise guidelines for people with various types of cancer. Their key message is that cancer survivors and patients should avoid inactivity. The benefit of even modest levels of exercise, such as brief walks, leads to improvements in health.

  Clinical studies demonstrate that exercise conveys the same health benefits to cancer patients that it provides to the general population. According to the ACSM panel there is abundant evidence that exercise significantly improves your quality of life because it enhances physical functioning and reduces fatigue caused by cancer treatment. Exercise also reduces your risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A cancer diagnosis generally leads to depression, stress and feelings of illness from the cancer or the treatments. People who exercise have more self-confidence and optimism.

  Exercise also improves body composition and body image in patients with various cancers. Treatment for breast cancer can cause excess weight gain. Exercise is instrumental in helping those patients lose the excess fat, control weight and achieve a healthier body mass index.  

Regular physical activity is also beneficial in patients with cancers involving the head, neck or gastrointestinal system. This class of cancers causes loss of muscle mass and weight. These changes can make physical activity a challenge. Physical exercise increases your level of fitness, muscle strength, lean muscle mass and energy levels.  

You should consult your physician regarding the ACSM panel’s cancer-specific exercise recommendations. The ACSM panel modifies various exercises based upon the risk of the activity causing health problems, such cardiovascular side effects and fractures. Patients with cancers that reduce lung capacity, such as mesothelioma, may find that short walks improve their disposition, appetite and relieves minor body aches.  

The American Cancer Society, ACSM, the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the YMCA are helping fitness professionals meet the unique needs of cancer survivors and patients. You can contact one of these organizations to learn more about their training initiatives and to learn whether there is a certified trainer in your area.

2011-09-28T10:53:00.000-07:00

It's been a crazy year, 2011. George has had one setback after another.... exhausting and discouraging. We try to maintain a positive attitude, but it's hard sometimes. The crazy thing is- MOST of these setbacks aren't even cancer related!! The latest one is an after-effect of chemotherapy and radiation: Radiation Recall. It's awful.

Anyway!

On the upside.... George recently came across a book that is very encouraging and full of hope- and we thought we'd share it with all of you to share with anyone in a cancer situation.

You can find it on Amazon.com. Worth a read!! It could save someone's life!!

2011-08-17T14:28:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

Time for another update on George....

He has opted to stop the chemo after nearly a full year of taking it. His body was reaching its limit of tolerance, he was feeling worse and worse on it, and so he finally made the decision that he couldn't take it anymore.

Thankfully, the doctor concurred and felt it had reached its maximum effectiveness, so there was no "duking it out" to get him off. haha! He felt such a relief to not have to take it anymore.

It's a little scary- the next step... but there are other options available for him, and research continues, so we stay hopeful.

He has revved up his nutritional/supplemental approach and is trying to rebuild his body and immune system. Overall he is feeling better- some struggles that are keeping him from being as productive as he'd like, but we are working to get him feeling better on those matters soon.

We spent a few days at a lakehouse with his oldest daughter and her family, and had a fun, relaxing, much needed time of play.
Cancer's a drag- but every now and then you can kick it aside..... and just laugh!

Laughter and Play are great for the soul!! :-D

Keep playing, friends! and laughing! in spite of it all.....

2011-06-22T15:27:00.001-07:00

Last year about this time, George and I were facing the decision to begin chemotherapy- a decision we had always dreaded, and always thought we'd choose not to.... however, life and circumstances and the will to live can change a lot of preconceived ideas about things, and it's very true that you never really know how you will choose to respond to anything until you've faced it yourself.
His PSA was at 147 and rising fast. Our wonderful doctor at Cleveland Clinic made it very clear that if we didn't do something drastic soon, George's days would be numbered.
So, here we are- over a year later.... I think about 15 chemo treatments later (he goes once every 3 weeks for an infusion)....
and his PSA is 8!!!!!!!!!!
Chemo is not a walk in the park... and my husband has lost a lot of his thick, curly hair, his face is always puffy, his eyebrows are sparse, he hardly has any facial hair, his long beautiful eyelashes are short and sparse and his eyelids puffy, his nails have thickened, his skin has aged... essentially- he looks about 10 years older in a mere year's span.....
However, he's ALIVE and tolerating things pretty well, so we really can't complain about all the "minor" cosmetics things.
and for that- we have to be very, very thankful.
:-)

2011-06-20T08:02:00.000-07:00

We made it another year for our FIFTH Cancer Survivor Riverboat Dinner Cruise on the Ohio River!! Hooray!!

Our good friends joined us for their 4th year.....

2011-05-13T15:09:00.000-07:00

Hello!
Well- here it is May already!! Can you believe it??
Quick update on George- he is still toughing out chemo treatments. For the most part, he handles it pretty well. He does have some ups and downs, as would be expected. Over all- he's a real trooper- and as he says "I'm still here!" :-)

This is how he feels a lot of days:

On April 20th, we celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary!! We opted to stay local and celebrated at LaComedia Dinner Theatre in Franklin, OH. We saw "7 Brides for 7 Brothers" and had a great time!

A dear family member celebrated his 40th birthday this year, and his wife threw him a Disco Birthday Bash. We showed up in style....

George had been having some increased pain in his leg, and we were really worrying that it was a tumor area getting "ugly" again... but after an MRI we had some great news- he needed back surgery! I know, that's not usually good news, but when you get a NON-cancer diagnosis for something you fear IS cancer-related, and it can be FIXED, you tend to get excited anyway. :-)

A couple weeks after the surgery, he is already noticing a huge improvement. Yay!

So... I think that's about it for now. He's not feeling great this week- but after a month of chemo, then back surgery, then chemo again, you can't blame him. Please pray he is feeling better soon, and that he can SLEEP- that seems to be an issue lately, and it's starting to really take a toll on his quality of life right now.
Thank you for all your care, support, and prayers.
xoxo.

2011-02-02T09:20:00.000-08:00

Well, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Sorry it has been so long since I've posted anything (that's a recurring theme, isn't it...)

We have had a rather eventful few months. Between my graduating from school to be an esthetician, and George's chemo, and then the holidays, I have gotten behind.

We had a lovely Christmas Brunch with George's daughters and their families.

Then, we took a Christmas Vacation of a lifetime! A 2 week cruise to the Caribbean. Blue skies, sunshine, clear water, warm sand... just what the doctor ordered- and a really nice break from reality.

George needed to get a couple spots radiated before the cruise, as he was starting to get some pain.

The chemo seems to be having an effect in reducing his psa (down to 12 from 147!) but the bone tumors are very persistent- and painful.

Since getting back, he's had 2 more chemo treatments, but the pain is escalating. So it has been determined that he is a good candidate for a treatment known as Samarium. It feels a bit scary, but it is supposed to relieve the pain and hopefully reduce the tumors. It is a radiation therapy that is administered via I.V.

Actually, he was supposed to be getting a bone scan today, and then the treatment tomorrow- and was really looking forward to getting it done so he can start experiencing the promise of relief it holds!- but Winter had other plans, and we have to reschedule. :-( We are both feeling bummed by that, but trying to stay positive.

On a happier note- George turns 60 on February 4th! He is very excited and thankful to be able to celebrate not only another birthday- but another entry into a new decade!! 60 may feel old to some... but to him it means LIFE, and life is good.

George embraces life, and all it offers, with such a cheerful spirit, it's inspiring. We have a lot to be thankful for, in spite of the heartaches that life sometimes brings.

We are looking forward to spring and continuing some projects on this old house of ours'- having things to look forward to and live for is where the joy is found.

Blessings to you all!

2010-09-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!!
Sorry for the delay in the updates here lately- we have been so busy!! I feel like I hardly have time to check emails much less post anything on my blog.
But- let me bring you up to speed...
George is tolerating his chemo treatments very well- much better than expected, I think. I wasn't sure what to expect, so of course I always imagine the worst.
He has lost some hair- as you can see his thick head of hair has thinned considerably- BUT it's not all gone, and we look forward to its return when he is finished with treatment.
He had a port implanted last week to make his labs and treatments go easier. The picture here is just after getting the port put in, and then wheeled down to chemo to give it its first go-round.
Look how cheerful he is in spite of it all! George's attitude is great. The medications he is on are making him a bit moodier than usual, which can be challenging, but overall he is enjoying life and thankful for every day of it. I am thankful for him- and that he is still with me.
The good news is that his numbers have dropped by nearly half since starting the treatment!!, so that is very encouraging. Please keep him in your prayers for continued improvement.

We had a super special treat over Labor Day weekend- George's sister and her husband visited us, and we were able to treat them to a riverboat cruise and then enjoy the fireworks later that evening on board.

We have been working on our house a lot, too- that has kept us both busy, and good therapy for George. It's important to him to continue to do the things to our old house that we both have wanted to do. It brings him so much joy!
Now we are planning our Christmas trip- I will be finished with school and he will be finished with his treatments and we will be very ready to celebrate!! We are looking at taking a cruise someplace sunny and warm. We can't wait!!
Thank you again, everyone, for praying and keeping up with us- I will try to do better at updates from now on.
Much love~ George & Gina

2010-08-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

George had his first chemo treatment on Monday.
He seems to be tolerating it fairly well so far. Some fatigue, a bit of a sore throat, some bone pain... but no nausea- and we're hoping that stays away!!
His attitude is good- he is able to keep up a fairly good pace, but is resting as needed. By the end of most days, he's pretty worn out. Between the residual from the radiation, and then the chemo, it's no wonder.
But- so far so good! I will keep everyone updated as time goes by.
His next treatment is August 30th.
Thank you for your prayers!!

2010-08-04T18:19:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Sorry it has taken a while for another update.

Life has been busy! George has completed his radiation treatments to his chest, and has noticed a significant reduction in pain, so that's great news!

We also learned that the spot on his spine has been determined to be an arthritic spur, NOT cancer, so that's one less spot to worry about!! hooray!! We'll take whatever we can get....!

On this Monday, August 9th, George will have his first chemotherapy treatment.
Please pray for many things regarding this:

minimal side effects
his hair won't fall out
he'll tolerate it well
it won't disrupt his daily routine much
and most of all, that it will do what it's supposed to do!!

His treatments will probably go until December. I will continue with regular updates to let you know how he is doing.

Thank you all sooo much for all your thoughts and prayers!!!

UPDATE

2010-07-17T07:19:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone! Sorry it has taken me nearly a week to get an update on here- it's been a busy week!!!
Well... we don't always get exactly what we ask for, do we?? But somehow we still have to trust that God has our lives in His hands in spite of it all.
George's scans came back not so great after all. He has multiple new "occurrences" ranging from his skull to his lower spine.
So, that was a bit disheartening... but let me tell you about our trip.

We drove to Cleveland on Sunday after church, stopping at Columbus on the way up to enjoy a lovely downtown lunch. Here is George at La Fogata Grill (highly recommend the Fajita Salad!!). We enjoyed a couple shops- one of which is a lovely little Turkish shop with all sorts of beautiful things to tickle your fancy! I got a pashmina and a necklace.

Once we got to Cleveland, we checked in at the Cleveland Clinic Guest House- right across the street from where all his appointments would be happening.
After getting settled in our room, we decided to drive down to Lake Erie to watch the sun set.
There is downtown Cleveland in the background.

George hanging out on the rocks.

After sunset we got a couple soft serves and walked out on the pier. A nice man offered to take our picture for us.

So after a lovely evening enjoying the beauty of Lake Erie, we got a good night's rest, and George headed over to the Clinic first thing Monday morning. He had scans from 9-2. It was a full day- complete with lovely things such as Barium. UGH.
After his scans came back, we met with the doctor, and he highly recommended that now is the time for George to consider chemotherapy. He took the time to "debunk" some common myths people have about chemo, which was very helpful in giving us more peace of mind about opting to go this route.
So, at the end of this month, George will begin a series of chemo treatments, once every 3 weeks, for about 6 months. He is starting a round of radiation next week in order to treat an area on his sternum that is causing pain, as well as the spot on his spine.
Keep him in your prayers as we chart these new waters- pray especially that he tolerates the chemo well- that he has minimal side effects- and most of all, that it is effective.
Thank you all so much for your prayers regarding his scans. We just have to keep trusting that God is taking care of George- and He is. We know He is. After all- 10 years later, I still have him!!!

This is us at a hot air balloon show we went to last night with his oldest daughter and her family.

George with his oldest daughter, Tessa.

2010-06-16T18:44:00.001-07:00

Scans are on July 12th. Pray for GREAT scans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another Year!

2010-06-12T18:39:00.000-07:00

Yay! Yet another year to attend the National Cancer Survivor's Day Riverboat Cruise on the Ohio River. We had another great day with our good friends who are also survivors.
Here are some pictures for you to enjoy of our day.

A quick little update- George is feeling pretty good after radiation. Still experiencing some fatigue, but the pain has pretty well subsided. He is on a low-dose pain patch, so that helps.
We have been to Cleveland Clinic again- there was a possibility of getting George on the latest breakthrough in prostate cancer treatment- Provenge. However, we're not sure he's entirely considered a "candidate"- but it's not being completely ruled out. There are other things the doctor there (who is actually the Head of the Prostate Cancer department) would rather see him doing. There is a possible clinical trial- if not that, then a possible secondary hormone treatment, depending on scans being stable. If scans are not stable, then the word chemo has come up.
PRAY FOR STABLE SCANS!!! Oh, heck- pray for GREAT scans!!!!! why limit God?!?!?!
We are sort of in a wait mode right now because we haven't gotten a call back from the doctor yet. WHY doctors do this to you, I will never know. But once he is scheduled for scans, and those are reviewed, then we will know what steps are going to be up for consideration.
So, like I said- PRAY FOR GREAT SCANS!!!
Thank you all for your support and prayers!!

2010-04-14T10:05:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

Well- quick update.... George is currently undergoing radiation therapy for his hip area again. The most recent bone scan did show a good bit of progression and after a couple MRI's it was determined he would need to do some radiation. He also started getting some increased pain, so he was quite anxious to get started.

He is on week 2 of a 3-4 week course. He goes in once a day to get "zapped". We are actually pretty happy about the form of radiation treatment he is getting this time- it is called tomotherapy. It is supposed to be the cutting edge of radiation- it is very precise, and can be used to retreat areas (which is what his situation called for).

After this treatment, he will also do a round for his leg- there is a spot on his femur that needs attention.

Overall, however- he feels pretty good! He is noticing less discomfort since starting the radiation, so that is encouraging.

All you can do is just keep trucking along, dealing with things as they pop up, and just hope for the best!! His attitude is great!!

Keep him in your prayers- and me, too.

2010-02-04T06:18:00.000-08:00

HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
GEORGE!!!

2010-01-08T15:29:00.000-08:00

An overdue thank you-
a very special friend of ours' who is SO sweet to George gave us a beautiful bit of Christmas Cheer! She made for us the very pretty wreath you see hanging on our house.
Thank you, Debbie!! We love it!!

2010-01-06T16:36:00.000-08:00

We had an interesting turn of events today! George went to his first visit with the Orthopedic Oncologist this morning. After x-raying his leg and hip, and discussing symptoms, the doctor decided that George doesn't need to do anything right now! The one possible problem is that the doctor did not receive copies of the recent scans (even though we were told they had been sent- and received!) so he didn't have that information to help his decision. George is going to get those put on a CD on Friday and send them to the doctor, and then we'll find out if he still feels the same. If so, then George doesn't have to do any treatment right now- which would be FANTASTIC!!
This could mean that the bone scan was showing other activity- such as remineralization of the bone caused by the Zometa infusion he gets monthly- and not necessarily new tumor sites.
Pray the verdict remains the same! That would be a GREAT start to 2010!!

2009-12-31T12:59:00.000-08:00

We are looking forward to 2010 and all it has to offer-
and have faith it is going to be a great year!!!

Love to all!!

2009-12-27T13:12:00.000-08:00

The Williamson Clan at Christmas

George got what he wanted! Can you guess what it is??

2009-12-18T04:57:00.000-08:00

Well, just in time for Christmas, we get a not-so-good bone scan back. bleh! It looks like the disease has made some pretty good (BAD!) progression in George's right hip/pelvis, some in his left, and a spot on his upper right femur. We had to go in yesterday to discuss this with the doctor. The GOOD news is that his spine is unaffected.
To take a closer look to see what it is that is really showing up on the scan, he got a bunch of x-rays yesterday, and has a CT scan coming up on Tuesday.
He has a referral to an orthopedic oncologist here in Cincinnati.
Radiation is most likely, there could be some surgery depending on what the additional scans show.

All in all- not the best news, but it could have always been a lot worse, so we'll focus on the positives.

Please keep George in your prayers in the upcoming weeks: that the scans reveal less disease than the bone scan indicated- wisdom for the doctors in how to proceed with treatment- wisdom for us in making decisions- success with every treatment used upon him.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support- and Merry Christmas!!!!!

(p.s. George has now entered his 9th year since diagnosis of surviving the "big C"!! hooray!!)

2009-12-02T16:15:00.001-08:00

It's DECEMBER!!!!! wow!!! Christmas is just around the corner!!
We had a great Thanksgiving. George's oldest daughter hosted and everything was beautiful and delicious.
George is feeling pretty great- keeping busy- and that makes him happy.
Here he is enjoying time with his brother-in-law:

2009-11-02T14:36:00.001-08:00

Can we believe it's November?!?!

George is happily building us a privacy fence- and thankfully the fall weather is cooperating with him!!
I am so thrilled he is healthy and able-bodied and can accomplish the things his mind can conceive!!!

Happy Fall, everyone!!!!!

2009-10-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything- but things are going really well here! George is feeling good!! We've been working on a lot of things around the house and that is keeping us busy.
Not much news- and I think that is a good thing!!

2009-08-26T05:06:00.001-07:00

Richard passed away this morning at 12:26. Please keep Kori and her boys in your prayers.
Thank you.

2009-08-24T06:21:00.000-07:00

Update on McCulley Family...
Hospice has been called in for around the clock care. It seems Richard may only have days to a week left in this life. Please keep his wife, Kori, and their two sons in your prayers as they traverse this terrible road and face a future without him.

Please consider contributing to their fund in an effort to ease the financial burden for Kori. Thank you.

2009-08-03T19:24:00.000-07:00

click here...

AUCTION FOR A GREAT CAUSE!!!

2009-07-31T19:14:00.000-07:00

HOORAY!!
George's scan came back with nothing of concern!! "Uneventful"!!!! That's a great word.
Thank you for the prayers!!!!

2009-07-25T12:20:00.001-07:00

UPDATE:
George's lab came back with pretty good numbers- the doctor is pleased with them. That last lab report turned out to be either a fluke or a mistake. So- YAY!!! he goes in next week for a CT scan. I will update with the results of that. Pray for all-clear!!

2009-07-23T11:17:00.000-07:00

George had his follow-up with his Oncologist today, and the gist of it was- he looks good, he feels good, no new concerns. Just basically positive and that George is holding his own well! hooray! There is one lab result from last month that is a bit of a concern/questionable, and we're waiting to find out the latest one to compare. We should know tomorrow.
He also has a CT scan next week to take a look at what is happening inside. So pray that is clear!!

Otherwise in life, we are excited about several upcoming projects on our big old house- the exterior has been sorely neglected for a while, so we are finally going to give it a bit of a face lift. Fun!
No big travel plans in the works right yet- we may just enjoy being home for a while and focusing on our house.

Beauty tip of the month to all you ladies- ORGANIC OLIVE OIL (E.V.)!!! rub it on your face, your hands, your feet, your hair- anywhere!!! It is amazing. Truly. My skin is turning sooo supple!!! It is full of natural antioxidants and other good stuff to actually nourish your skin. Find a pretty dark green or blue bottle to pour some into and keep it in your bathroom or by your bed. The Greek and Italian women knew what they were doing!!

A Friend in Need!!!

2009-07-16T19:11:00.001-07:00

Hello Everyone!! I would like you to PLEASE visit THIS WEBSITE and read my friend, Kori's, plea. And then, please do what your heart leads you to do- and pass the word along as well.
Thank you so much!!!

Celebrating 8th Year!!

2009-06-08T11:57:00.001-07:00

We celebrated George's 8th year into his survivorship by attending the annual Cancer Survivor Riverboat Dinner Cruise on the Belle of Cincinnati yesterday.
What a fun day- and perfect weather!

2009-05-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

Today we are mourning the loss of Matthew, the young man I shared about earlier.
He put up a good, hard fight, but lost last night.

Please keep his mom, Diane, in your prayers- as well as the rest of his family.

Matt- we won't forget you, man.

2009-05-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

George had his second infusion of Zometa yesterday, and we just sort of held our breaths while we waited to see what his body's reaction to it would be....
NOTHING!! He has had no side effects and feels fine!!
HOORAY!!! that is so awesome because after the whole ordeal last month, we were nervous about what to expect.
Not a whole lot to report. He is doing well and we want it to just stay like that for a very long time!! We like it when we have nothing to report!!

2009-04-20T17:01:00.001-07:00

Today George and I have been married for 18 years!!!!!
We are so happy to have another year to celebrate- and with George feeling so good to boot!

He is completely off all pain killers- even over-the-counter. The pain in his hip is pretty much nonexistent. His cellulitis is GONE. His energy is nearly completely back. He is definitely feeling like his old self again. He has a spring in his step again. What a relief!!

He goes in on May 1st for his next infusion of Zometa. We are interested to see how he responds to it since last time we had so many things hitting him at the same time that we don't know for sure WHAT his true side effects were. We are hoping it will be reasonably bearable!

It's nice to report good news!! Please keep him in your prayers for continued good health!!

2009-04-08T16:58:00.000-07:00

A week since my last post, George is still continuing his rebound. He's had a few days that might be considered "set backs" but I think they were mostly the result of overdoing it the day or two prior! All in all he is feeling MUCH more like his "old self".

He is now finished with his round of antibiotics for the cellulitis, and it is clearing up amazingly well.

He still feels some joint/bone pain from the Zometa but that is supposed to be his signal that it is working- it doesn't seem to be affecting him as much.

His hip where the tumor was/is (let's say WAS) hardly bothers him at all unless he is over-strenuous (such as walking all over a super grocery store...)and he is rarely taking pain killers, but when he does it is over-the-counter only.

So far, so good- and we keep moving toward GREAT!

2009-04-01T16:57:00.000-07:00

Well I'm happy to report that George is on the mend! Still feeling some pain here and there and still feeling pretty exhausted after small tasks, but finding it easier to get up and going every day. He's even getting on the elliptical for a few minutes a day to help build his stamina back up.

The cellulitis is clearing up quickly thanks to the antibiotics- and we're keeping our eyes open for any new occurrences. Apparently that stuff is nothing to fool around with!!

Please keep him in your prayers for full recovery!

2009-03-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a little bit of a rough week!

George had his Zometa infusion on Wednesday. He was already feeling very fatigued as a result of the cumulative effects of the radiation. On Thursday, he started feeling just plain awful. Cold chills that he couldn't shake and extreme fatigue.

He also noticed a sore that looked like a bite on his right leg that all of a sudden started to look pretty bad. It had redness radiating out from it like fingers and new sores were popping up around it. We thought maybe it was a brown recluse spider bite, but then we were pointed in the direction of a possible staph infection (!!).

On Saturday morning, after a night of freezing cold chills that wouldn't stop and feeling really lousy, we decided he needed to go to the emergency room- especially if it was indeed a staph infection.
He spent the day at the ER getting bloodwork done and receiving antibiotics via IV for what turned out to be cellulitis. He was also sent home with a prescription for antibiotics.
Whew!
He is starting to improve- the antibiotics seems to be helping to clear up the infection on his leg. He still doesn't feel very good, however. He is pretty worn out and feeling quite discouraged after a week of this. He is very anxious to be back his "old self".

It's been a little frustrating because since he had three different factors coming into play all at once (radiation, Zometa, infection) you're just not sure what is causing what.

On an up note- his hip is feeling much, much improved and he is now completely off the morphine! So we are at least moving in the right direction.

2009-03-25T18:58:00.000-07:00

George got his first infusion of Zometa today.

He has noticed a little more improvement in the pain department in his right hip today as well- he is able to go longer without using a "push" of the pain med.

Things to pray for:

pain continues to subside as tumor shrinks from radiation
normal energy levels will resume- he's operating at about 60% of his usual self.
side effects from Zometa won't be severe. he is noticing jaw pain, which they said could happen. it can also cause bone pain (which is so interesting, since it's supposed to help the bones...) and flu-like symptoms (which he is experiencing as well).

2009-03-21T18:12:00.000-07:00

George is finished with radiation!!! hooray!!! only 2 weeks, so not as bad as the last time he had radiation (about 6 years ago... over 7 weeks!!!) but it's still an ordeal of every day driving to the hospital, and feeling tired, and dealing with pain medication...
but it can always be worse, and we try to stay positive!!
He can still drive.
He can still fairly maintain his normal routine.
He can climb steps.
He can smile. :-)

He did notice today that the pain in his hip is noticeably improved. It's not entirely gone, and it does still bother him, but any improvement at all is a move in the right direction, so that is very, very encouraging!!

He goes in on Wednesday to get his first infusion of Zometa- the drug I had mentioned before that is supposed to help with bone rebuilding and tumor suppression.

Do unto others...

2009-03-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

We know that without the love and kindness and generosity of so many of our family, friends, and people we have never even met, we would not have been able to get George to the treatment center when we did.
While we were there, we met a brave young man named Matthew. His mom, Diane, is refusing to give up on Matthew or let Matthew give up on himself. He has a long, hard fight ahead of him, and the cost of cancer is overwhelming.
Diane and I got to know each other well while her son and my husband were being treated. I shared with her about the website and the crazy cookbook fundraiser we did for George- and after a lot of work, she has just launched one for Matthew.

Please visit www.friendsformatthew.com and please, tell everyone you know.

Let's help another fighter!!!

Quick Update!

2009-03-14T15:44:00.000-07:00

I wanted to thank everyone who is out there keeping George in prayer. That means so much to us!!
He has completed his first week of radiation.
So far, he hasn't noticed any significant decrease in pain, but we stay hopeful and optimistic that it is soon to come!
Meanwhile, he is using painkillers that are half-way doing the trick, but also creating some annoying side effects (like, hiccups of all things!).
Overall, his spirits are good and he's doing his best to maintain his normal schedule with working and other obligations. In fact, as I type he is installing a neat organizational gadget in the kitchen!
He's not a man that's easy to get or keep down!!

Another bit of news is that he will be seeing a doctor regarding a newer medication that is supposed to help rebuild bone that's been invaded by cancer as well as help suppress any new tumors from popping up, and killing off any existing. We are very interested and excited about giving this drug a whirl! I can't remember the name of it- I will update about that when I get that information. ******

He has one more week of radiation (10 treatments total). He goes in on Tuesday to see the doctor and get an xray so we will have a better idea of how the tumor in his iliac bone is responding thus far.

Thank you again for your prayers- and don't stop!!

****** The drug is called ZOMETA.

Welcome- and an urgent prayer need!

2009-02-23T12:29:00.000-08:00

Hello, Friends and Loved Ones! I decided to create this blog so that I can keep you up-to-date with George's progress as he vigilantly fights his battle with cancer.
As most of you know- he was treated at the Issels Medical Center in Santa Barbara, CA during the month of October.
Many of you were VERY generous benefactors in helping us achieve our goal of $20,000 that was needed to be able to afford the alternative treatment he received there, and that was accomplished through a "silly little fundraiser" that I know was God-inspired: a cookbook sale. I cannot thank all of you enough, for the rest of my life, for allowing him the opportunity to have treatment there. I never want him to have to look back and think "if I'd only...".
The treatment he received there was very good, and it also helped validate the many steps we have already taken toward good health and healing.
As a result, we were able to enjoy our holidays and a small trip to Mexico in February without the heavy hand of cancer bearing down on us.

Unfortunately, this cancer is a relentless killer, determined to get the upper hand.
Last week, George was told that the spot in his hip has enlarged, and he had a spike in his psa. He also is experiencing, for the first time, pain as a result of the cancer.
The decision has been made for him to have the spot radiated, in hopes of stopping the cancer before it has a chance to cause him great harm, and spread further into his bones.
He will begin treatment on March 9th.
Please pray for SUCCESS with this treatment!!!

Thank you so much for visiting our blog- and I will try to keep it updated fairly regularly.