Chemo Round #9

Went in and although my platelet count was still below 100 (85), they went ahead and treated me anyhow. They just gave me 50 mg less of one medication and left out another completely to prepare me for surgery. It's amazing what leaving out a bit of the treatment does. I feel relatively good, despite aching muscles and a bit of neuropathy.

New Do

This is what happens when your two year old gets a hold of scissors. Twice in one week, she gave herself a beautiful haircut. Like her new bangs?

She climbed up behind me as I was typing yesterday and I thought she was just playing with my hair until I found 4" long pieces of own hair fall to the seat. As if I'm not losing enough hair as it is! Since it was from the back, I can't tell how obvious it looks. At least there were no obvious bald spots.

A New Haircut

Kumquat Tree

After tasting Tiff's kumquat fruit, I've craved the sweet n sour taste and decided to get a tree of my own. So good!!

Chemo

Went in for my 9th treatment, but when the platelet count came back at 65, they turned me away. It's too low, especially if I want to have surgery in two weeks. So...I'll go back in next Monday to see if I can be treated then.

Liver Specialist

Eric and I met with Dr. Bilchick, the liver specialist, in Santa Monica. I prayed beforehand that we would feel at peace with what advice we’d be given and know how to proceed – and boy, were we ever assured. After reviewing the scans and my records, he met with us and expressed his amazement at how well my body is responding to treatment. He said that he looked at my first scans and thought, “Whoa. This is scary.” He was worried for me since the entire liver was cancer infected and because of that, surgery wasn’t a possibility. Then to look at my recent scans, he thought he could have been looking at a completely different patient. He went on to explain how chemotherapy doesn’t guarantee to fully rid the body of cancer, just shrinks it. Surgery, however, can get rid of it. So to be the most aggressive, he wants to sandwich a surgery between chemo treatments.

One of the medicines in my FOLFOX treatment is called Avastin, which cuts off blood supply to the tumors so they can’t grow. It also cuts off blood supply so that it would prevent the liver from regenerating, so that particular medicine will not be administered in my next couple chemo sessions. It needs to be out of my system completely before surgery, so we're waiting until the first week of April to operate, then continue chemo afterwards as well (hopefully just as preventative care).

The extra superb news is that he plans to fly to Miami, FL this weekend to meet with the top four liver specialists in the world! He said that these men are the ones who created liver treatments and wrote the books on the procedures that doctors use. Dr. Bilchick is so intrigued by my case that he asked if he could hold onto my scans to present as a case study with the other top specialists. Of course!! To have the input of the most brilliant minds in liver treatments is amazing. He said the timing of my visit couldn’t have been better. I am so lucky! With all the cancer patients in and out of their offices, I imagine it’s hard to surprise the doctors, which makes me feel so great to see big smiles on their faces. Even they are intrigued and amazed at my progress. If only I could convince them of the truthfulness of the gospel and a wonderful thing called priesthood power!

As for my stomach pains, Dr. Bilchick is almost certain it is scar tissue and nerve regeneration. One my chemo medications (Oxalyplatin) makes my nerves extra sensitive, which could be adding to my hypersensitivity. He suggested I do what I can in way of pain meds until surgery. Then he would cut into the top of my incision, remove as much scar tissue as possible, and cut over to the right to work on my liver. We filled a prescription for lidocaine patches to be put at the sight of pain for 12-24 hours at a time. They’re supposed to act as local anesthetics, but so far today they haven’t helped so I took an oxycodone pill as well. I’m feeling much better now. Those pills are scary strong, but get the job done in the way of offering relief.

From the beginning of my cancer diagnosis, I’ve felt that my mission on earth is not complete. I was scared, not knowing what pain and suffering I might have to endure, but I’ve never given up hope that this trial will pass. I believe that now, more than ever. I don’t know who, what, where my life’s mission is meant to affect the most, but my character is developing in ways it wouldn’t have as quickly as it has if it weren’t for this experience. I’ve learned a great deal about love, service, faith, and sacrifice – and know I have much more to learn. Like the rubber band principle that explains that when a rubber band is laying on a table by itself in the exact size and shape it was made, it serves no purpose. But when it’s stretched and pulled, it suddenly becomes of value. I’m being stretched and hopefully being pulled to become valuable to someone somewhere, whether it be my family or elsewhere.

Welcome Home, Shadd!

Sunday we were able to drive out to Corona to listen to Shadd's sweet homecoming talk. It's obvious he loved his spanish-speaking mission in North Carolina -- the people, the service, and especially the Lord. I'm glad our kids have a great example like Shadd to follow.

Kaden's Baptism

March 7, 2009 was a very special day for our family. It was wonderful to be surrounded by friends and family as Kaden entered the waters of baptism, choosing to become a member of God's church. Thanks Dad, Mark, Connor, Tyson & Peyton for speaking, and thanks to Shayne for concluding the services by sharing your beautiful voice.

Kaden's Birthday Party

I won the LazerStar birthday package at the youth fundraiser, which we used for Kade's birthday party. The kids had a great time!

Family Visit

Much of what made Kade's birthday weekend special was having the Wilcock family, Aunt Heather, and Boulter grandparents visit for a couple days. The kids were exhausted and are finally catching up on sleep, but it was worth the fatigue to play and enjoy one another like they did.

Round 8 of Chemo

I just found out my CEA blood count has droped to 0.9! Hooray!!!

This round of chemo is going surprisingly well. I've gotten just a few bouts of nausea that passed just as quickly as they came. I feel strong and am doing well. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that one of my medications was cut in half due to a low platelate count of 80k (they want to see it over 100k).

I got to sit down with my oncologist to review scan images from a couple weeks ago. The first scan before any chemotherapy showed a black liver, covered in cancer. Now I have only two tumors on the liver -- one on either end, one of which is already dying. Surgery might be an option at this point, so I'm meeting with a liver specialist in Santa Monica next Tuesday to see if he recommends surgery or continued chemo treatments. If surgery, then I have to be off chemo for about six weeks and pray that the tumors don't grow significantly (or at all) during that time.


I'll keep you posted!

See you soon, Hector.

Our brother-in-law, Hector, lost his short battle with cancer on Wednesday, February 25th. He is survived by his astoundingly faithful family: wife Cory, sons Quintin and Anders, and daughter Sophie. Eric said that Cory presented a beautiful eulogy of Hector and that everyone is doing well, despite the heavy sadness that accompanies the passing of a loved one. I can't help but think of what Neal A. Maxwell said about death -- that it is not an exclamation point, merely a comma. Nevertheless, dying is a new, individual experience. What experiences will Hector be having now?

How fortunate we are to know that our families will be united again and that we can live with one another for eternity, sharing the blessings that can only come from a loving Heavenly Father. Our prayers are constantly with the Grillone family. We love you! Love you! Love you!