Good Morning Everyone -
If fighting cancer, like any other war, is a series of battles, then we have not fared all to well in the initial encounter. You see yesterday was a setback. It turns out that Magda's Hodgkin's has progressed to Stage 4. Results from both her bone marrow biopsy and the PET scan indicate that the cancer has spread to Magda's spine as well as made its way in to her bone marrow.
As an aside, those of you who have heard about Magda's ongoing struggle with her back, turns out that it was the Cancer all along. Crazy huh?
What this means is that we just need to fight a little harder. In fact, after consulting with an Oncologist at NYU Medical Center, and our local doctor, we have stepped up the schedule and Magda is starting her Chemo regimen at 9:00 am this morning. Magda is actually excited to get started.
I can not tell you how proud I am today to be Magda's husband. In spite of what some of you might think, I am the weak link in this family chain. Magda is the iron and steel that makes our little family the unbreakable team that we have become. This woman is an absolute wonder to me. 3 years of commitment and dedication to Nathaniel, the birth of Jacob, hours of pain from her back, building a new house, feeling sick and not knowing why, and on and on an on... Yet, she actually looks forward to tackling this disease head on.
She said to me yesterday, I MUST BE HERE FOR MY BOYS! And she will!!!
Many of you have read about Nathaniel's journey and even taken part in this magical trip he has lead us on.. Well now we set sail again. This time armed to the teeth with even more determination than before. Nathaniel still at the helm, Magda directing our path.. Jacob probably down in the galley eating us out of house and home, and as usual, I'm just along for the ride...... (to be continued!)
p.s. Smile... We are!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Friday, February 23, 2007
Lets Try Blogging
OK, I figured by now many of you have heard that Magda has diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Instead of blast emailing you all updates, not knowing if this is something you want to get email at work or at all, I figured I would join the blog movement. So here goes.
Please understand, if no single person reads a single post on this website, it will still serve the cathartic purpose for which it is most intended. I need to vent and here is where I will do it.
So, where are we at? On Monday of this week after all initial tests were pointing to some sort of Lymphoma, doctors completed a biopsy by removing a lymph node from Magda's neck. She now has a pretty good size scar but that should fade with time. Results confirmed her diagnosis. Hodgkin's Lymphoma (Nodular Sclerosis type) GRADE II which is a little more aggressive (I know, the hits just keep on coming)
On Thursday Magda had a quick surgery to implant a "Power Port" in her chest. This will enable Dr's and nurses to quickly administer chemo, draw blood, give other meds, all without having to stick her in the arms a ton of times over the next 6 months to a year. It is a device implanted under the scan. Kind of looks like Magda has a small heart shaped IPOD hidden under her skin.
After that Dr's needed to do what is called staging the disease. There are 4. 1 Being the earliest and 4 being the most far along. Problem is Magda has symptoms of everything from stage 2-4. So in for more testing. On Wed. they did a Bone Marrow biopsy and I do not recommend anyone taking this on voluntarily. OUCH! Magda was a trooper. Ill save further description. Then today Magda underwent what is called a PET Scan to see if cancer had spread into other areas of her body. Primarily her spleen, which would indicate stage three or into other organs and bones of the body which could indicate stage four. Oh yeah, if they find it in her bone marrow from the bone marrow biopsy then we are at stage 4.
The good news, it appears the treatment for all 3 stages would be largely the same. Starting next week Magda will begin Chemotherapy. SIX MONTHS WORTH. Followed by radiation treatments to the area most effected which right now appears to be the area just below her left shoulder above her heart. Ill let you look up the stats on survival at the various stages. Point is we don't really care about the stats. MAGDA WILL MAKE IT NO MATTER WHAT!!!!
That's the gist of it right now. Magda is tired, uncomfortable and a little sick of the poking and prodding but know what needs to be done. I am so proud of her you have no idea. Now I know where Nathaniel gets his warrior spirit.
I'll do my best to update the blog as often as I can and visit as often as I can. Magda will read along with me and may post herself from time to time. Please visit often and share thoughts prayers ideas humor you name it we want to here it.
Thanks for the initial flow of love. It is already helping
Please understand, if no single person reads a single post on this website, it will still serve the cathartic purpose for which it is most intended. I need to vent and here is where I will do it.
So, where are we at? On Monday of this week after all initial tests were pointing to some sort of Lymphoma, doctors completed a biopsy by removing a lymph node from Magda's neck. She now has a pretty good size scar but that should fade with time. Results confirmed her diagnosis. Hodgkin's Lymphoma (Nodular Sclerosis type) GRADE II which is a little more aggressive (I know, the hits just keep on coming)
On Thursday Magda had a quick surgery to implant a "Power Port" in her chest. This will enable Dr's and nurses to quickly administer chemo, draw blood, give other meds, all without having to stick her in the arms a ton of times over the next 6 months to a year. It is a device implanted under the scan. Kind of looks like Magda has a small heart shaped IPOD hidden under her skin.
After that Dr's needed to do what is called staging the disease. There are 4. 1 Being the earliest and 4 being the most far along. Problem is Magda has symptoms of everything from stage 2-4. So in for more testing. On Wed. they did a Bone Marrow biopsy and I do not recommend anyone taking this on voluntarily. OUCH! Magda was a trooper. Ill save further description. Then today Magda underwent what is called a PET Scan to see if cancer had spread into other areas of her body. Primarily her spleen, which would indicate stage three or into other organs and bones of the body which could indicate stage four. Oh yeah, if they find it in her bone marrow from the bone marrow biopsy then we are at stage 4.
The good news, it appears the treatment for all 3 stages would be largely the same. Starting next week Magda will begin Chemotherapy. SIX MONTHS WORTH. Followed by radiation treatments to the area most effected which right now appears to be the area just below her left shoulder above her heart. Ill let you look up the stats on survival at the various stages. Point is we don't really care about the stats. MAGDA WILL MAKE IT NO MATTER WHAT!!!!
That's the gist of it right now. Magda is tired, uncomfortable and a little sick of the poking and prodding but know what needs to be done. I am so proud of her you have no idea. Now I know where Nathaniel gets his warrior spirit.
I'll do my best to update the blog as often as I can and visit as often as I can. Magda will read along with me and may post herself from time to time. Please visit often and share thoughts prayers ideas humor you name it we want to here it.
Thanks for the initial flow of love. It is already helping
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