Remembering Dave

Dave has a liver met which he would have never known he had except for a routine ct scan. my mother has stage iv colon cancer with four liver mets. Big ones. she'd never know she had them, either, except for a routine ct scan during her treatment. Karen

We're back. it was great to walk into a CLEAN house (the cleaning guy came Friday, our realtor held an open house on Sat.). BUT, I got SICK while we were gone, we're talking running high fever for two days, couldn't get out of bed, sick. Dave did GREAT. lots of energy, did all the driving, took care of me. not getting his chemo this week probably helped alot with that . . . but it was nice to be sick next to the seashore anyway! Faith went to visit her cousins with Dave's parents and it sounds like she had the time of her life - the center of attention of a bunch of neighborhood eight year old girls. can't beat that for a three year old. the realtor had a very successful open house, 22 couples showed, and he's going to be working with one this week to see if they can sell their house and be able to put an offer on ours. Keep everything you have two of crossed that this works out! Returning the hall pass . . . . Karen

gee, thanks, guys. if you read my post under Request a Hall Pass (turning it in) I was sick as a dog the whole time but it was still nice to get away. we had two nice seafood dinners before the fever hit full throttle. and I forgot about the speeding ticket! Yes, it was DISMISSED. The cop that gave the ticket to Dave was absolutely wonderful. In fact, while waiting to go into court, several people remarked on how nice, almost apologetic he was about giving them tickets. He's a captain in the county sheriff's force. I found him before court and he told me he was going in to ask the county attorney to dismiss it. after we were seated, he came up, knelt down and shook Dave's hand, told him it would be dismissed, and told him that he was praying for him every day. He was a kind, sincere, wonderful person and I am going to write the best thank you letter ever written to him, along with a photo of Dave and Faith, so he has a visual to pray over, maybe he can post it in his church or something. It was really a good experience. Karen

Beth, honey, I love you to death, but don't do this to yourself! It doesn't even matter about the cancer, like Snowflake has said, you never know when that damn beer truck is going to hit you! And live like DeanCarl - LIVE each day! and like BetPlace says in her signature line - every dawn is a victory! These are all things that stick with me and help me not be so anxious about my future with Dave. they really do. and if you live like this, in constant fear, not only are you letting the cancer win, but you're missing out on some real life! AND, these thoughts are what's keeping you up at night, more than any physical discomfort. take a deep breath . . . . Love ya, Karen

Like someone above said "LIVE STRONG" as long as you do, the cancer doesn't win, no matter what! and Yes, love the new staging - IIIBC. it's NOT out of your lungs, and we still aren't positive that it's cancer and not some weird fungus, right? hang in there, kiddo! Karen

Dave shaved his head as soon as he started losing his hair - actually he went to a hair cuttery and had them do it - he didn't want to have "chemo hair" - and everything was fine, no problem with the scalp. Karen

Tess, that is just unbelievable. You poor thing. But you probably are right, God has called on you to care for your sick family members, because He knows you can do it. Hang in there, keep us posted. I hope things go smoothly with your dear mothers.

prayers. can't wait to hear a good report! Karen

Hey, Cindi - no Faith in the pool - Faith is going to Dave's sister's house with her MomMom and DadDad while we're gone - so we she play play play for three days with her beloved cousins she loves so much! We figure she'll miss us less going up there - plus Dave's sister's husband is doing St. Baldrick's again this year - those of you who have been on the board for a year will remember Dave did this very worthy fundraiser last year - folks raise money to have their heads shaved to raise money for children's cancer research. Anyway, that's Thursday evening, at an Irish Pub, so Faith gets to do one of her favorite things - hang out in a bar with her cousins, hahaha. No, everyone - his potassium level is fine and has been all along. I just have to wonder if it's partly the decadron and partly the oxycontin. I really don't think he needs much of either right now since his head swelling is getting better and that was the source of his most persistent pain. I told him that way, if he gets more pain from the zometa (for bone growth) then he can take the oxycontin. I am SO looking forward to three or four days of SLEEP. No cute little face waking me up at 6:30 am every morning! I woke up this morning with a back ache and a bad cold, then went for Phase III of my root canal. So I am miserable and ready for a rest! Karen

Hello all, I went in to get my 3rd round of chemo (Topotekan (sp?) ) , however was not able to get it due to my platlets were down to 70 on my blood counts. I have also STILL been having leg cramps during the night to the point that I am up every hour or two massaging them away. The docs have checked everything that they know of and find no reason for the continued cramping. My sodium level is 141, I have been given several different Rx's which have not worked and have also tried Quine Nine (sp?) with magneseum pills from the health and vitamin stores. We are going to play around with the dosage of some of my medication to see if maybe that could becausing it. I am going to cut back slightly on the evil Decadron (steroid) and the Oxycontin (Hillbilly Heroin). I am thinking that with the peas in the brain there is still some swelling and pain although it should get better as the peas continue disintegrate.........and they will go away permanently, have no doubt. They will probably reduce my Topotekan chemo dosage sice I am supposed to get the chemo once a week and so far I have had to skip two weeks due to my platletts being under 100. Unfortunately this means a longer wait between scans. I was supposed to get scanned once every 3 months but if I cannot get the chemo in me it won't have a chance to take hold so we will have to extend the time between scans as much as the time it takes to get the chemo working. I really want to see what is going on with the liver, spine and hips. I got my shot of Procrit and came on home. Needless to say, today was a bad day compared to most due to the way I feel. Just a little worn down from lack of quality sleep I think. Karen and Faith were in a great mood tonight, Faith and I went to visit momom and dadad ( in thier 40' 5th wheel travel trailer parked in our backyard) and poor thing was so tired she would jump off my lap and do something for a minute or two and then come and jump up in my lap and snuggle up for a few minutes until something els caught her eyes for a minute. Karen worked on some Farts and craps........oops sorry I meant Arts and Crafts. Doing something with dead flowers and plastic twigs( you would think we live in CA.......sorry could not resist) I cannot tell you how much we are looking forward to our trip to the Outer Banks of NC. It is likely to be a little chilly still but we are not going to do any swimming unless there is an indoor pool, there better be for the money we are paying. I spent today trying to make sure I was stocked up on all my drugs to take with me and tomorrow will have to double check. everything. I feel as if I have rambled on enough here. I cannot tell you how much support you have all given to Karen and I and I really cannot start to express our thanks to you all. Karen and I are going through a very scarey time with all my latest news but to me it's just another hurdle to clear. And I will. I beat it not once, but twice and I will continue to fight and beat it back. God bless us all, each and every one. David C

Awesome news. Keep it coming. David C

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUCIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WONDERFUL NEWS!!!!!I toasted your b-day with a cup of the best well water in King William County VA. Hip, hip, hooray and hears to many more birthday celebrations. Never say never. David C

Bill - this is something I totally agree with you on. It's absolutely insane that some clinicians write folks off. I experienced this in a very small way this weekend when I took Dave to the ER for excruiating pain and got the most cold hearted blunt physician's assistant that ever walked the earth (more explanation in our post). That is very small next to what you've experienced with your wife's medical care. but I got a taste of it. Fortunately we don't get that with Dave's oncologist. Dave is on his THIRD bout of EXTENSIVE SCLC which is REALLY deadly stuff - agressive, mean, fast growing cancer - and his oncologist promised him he would never give up on him and would keep trying everything. The same oncologist is treating my mother for her Stage IV colon cancer and he's put out with her because she's not fighting hard enough - and he's far from given up on her! Just keep fighting, making your case, and firing those who don't agree with you. Karen is right. Our Lord Jesus and our Father God in Heaven are the only ones who have the final say over our destiny. Not the docs. Hang in there. vent here as you need it. as you have seen, many of us have needed venting in the past, for smaller things, but obstacles are obstacles when you're beating back this awful beast. God Bless, Karen

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A VERY SPECIAL LADY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A STRONG FIGHTER! AND MANY MORE! With Love from all us Chapmans!

welcome back! it's really not the same around here without you! we are so selfish, we just want you back on the board, no matter what! sure hope the new plan of actions kicks the crap out of that obnoxiousness going on in your chest, Frank. You deserve better. You WILL make it to your 100th birthday! Luv ya, Karen

Me 14. Karen

I'll try to give you a call today. Does Dave's empty head help you a little? We love you! Karen

Boy, I can't add much to what everyone else has said, but I will tell you this. Dave read your post and told me about it this morning. He has told me several times since his multiple metasasis returned, that he does not want to be in any pain, ever, no awful pain. He said after reading your post that you did the right thing because you made your dad comfortable and that's what he, Dave, would want. You were THERE with your Dad, all the way. You did nothing wrong. Nothing. You did EVERYTHING right and your Dad, and God, both love you for that. God Bless, Karen

1. Dave doesn't have brain tumors 2. Dave doesn't have brain tumors 3. Dave doesn't have brain tumors 4. Dave doesn't have brain tumors 5. Dave doesn't have brain tumors

I'm keeping my fingers crossed. One year before ready for trial. Karen

New Cancer Drug May Block Tumor Growth Monday, March 14, 2005 By Jennifer Warner A new cancer drug may halt tumor growth by blocking the division of cancerous cells while leaving healthy cells alone, according to early tests in animals. Researchers say if further studies confirm these results in humans, the experimental cancer drug may be a new way to offer highly targeted cancer treatment with few side effects. The study suggests that the drug, known as ONO1910, works by zeroing in on a molecule called PLK1 that is known to play a critical role in the spread of cancer. The molecule drives normal cell division. High levels of it have been found in human cancer tumors and have been associated with more aggressive and deadly cancers. Because cell growth regulation is awry in a cancer cell, a reasonable approach to cancer therapy is to develop drugs that block the function of a critical molecule that is required by a tumor cell to complete cell division, says researcher E. Premkumar Reddy, PhD, of the Temple University School of Medicine, in a news release. The results of the study have prompted the researchers to test the experimental treatment in humans. Experimental Cancer Drug Stops Tumor Cells In the study, which appears in the March issue of the journal Cancer Cell, researchers tested the effects of ONO1910 on tumor growth in mice as well as human cancer cells in the lab. “We found that ON01910 was a potent inhibitor of human tumor growth and also worked well with several existing cancer drugs, often inducing complete regression of tumors,” says Reddy. “Someday it might work either as a single drug or in combination with other drugs." Researchers say the drug stops tumor cells from reaching normal, healthy cells in three ways. “First, it blocks invasion, next it blocks angiogenesis [formation of new blood vessels needed for growth] and finally, it induces tumor cell death,” says Reddy. “It also appears to be very safe." Researchers say the experimental cancer drug did not appear to affect normal, noncancerous human cells, which suggests that it would produce a low level of side effects. The research was supported by grants from Onconova Therapeutics Inc.’s drug discovery program and the Fels Foundation. By Jennifer Warner, reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD SOURCES: Gumireddy, K. Cancer Cell, March 2005; vol 7: pp 275-286. News release, Temple University. News Release, Cell Press.

you're too young for that kind of thing, although unfortunately I know it happens. after losing your mom, you should be getting some sort of break. well, take care of yourself, and make sure you do everything the docs tell you to do! God Bless, Karen

One of my favorite signature lines is on BetPlace (Betty)'s - she says "Every Dawn is a Victory" No kidding. Just keep that in mind. Betty - that line has gotten me through some bad days and weeks recently, I want you to know that. Karen

Dave doesn't have any thyroid issues but he always runs a low temp. I have hypOthyroid, but hopefully not any cancer . . . (knock on wood). Karen

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? WE FINALLY CAUGHT A BREAK! Dave had his third every six weeks brain MRI this morning and the neurosurgeon pointed out how the lima beans are back to peas again with MUCH less edema so he is SURE that Dave doesn't have brain tumors, just radiation damage which is improving!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YIPEE!!!!!!! I was so so afraid that since he had other mets these would turn out to be brain mets, but as our resident poet Ginny said: " more mets does not brain mets make" or something like that and she was right!! thank you each and every one of you for your prayers and support!!! Ha, which makes me almost forget our weekly run to the ER. Dave had EXCRUIATING pain in both knees overnight Saturday so early Sunday morning we went to the ER. this time we got a physician's assistant who pretty much told me off for bringing him in there. Her tone, and almost her words: "your husband has cancer so of course he'll have pain, quit bringing him in there every time he has pain, take your oxycontin and your percoset and stay out of my ER." As you can imagine I let her have it big time. I told her that every REAL DOCTOR who has seen Dave in that ER has told us that BECAUSE he has cancer, to NEVER HESITATE to bring him in for anything, including pain or anything that scares us. They gave him a shot of something in his butt for the pain and did xrays of his lower spine down to his knees and nothing showed up - including the bone mets we know about - so if he does have small mets in the knees they wouldn't have showed up on an xray anyway but at least we know there's nothing else wrong in there. and as the day went on his pain got much better. we were supposed to meet with our real estate agent Sunday morning about lowering the price of the house and having an open house this coming weekend, so I called him and had him meet with us in the ER instead of at our house, which I think was a little freaky for him (he's a lung cancer survivor himself) but he came and we accomplished alot. Open house this weekend - come on you buyers, BUY! that's the report from Chapman Acres! Karen