Back in the hospital

To all: First thankyou for all the good advice, and obvious laughter, about my sudden weight gain. More importantly Deana and I are back in the hospital. Deana had blood in her stool, and it was painful to urinate yesterday. We called the doctor and he gave Deana a antibiotic. This morning when Deana woke up, I wasn't their I was at the gym, she began vomitting. I took Deana's temperature and she had a 100 degree temperature. Deana and I went into the clinic for a scheduled appointment at 0845 hrs. They drew Deana's blood, got the results and immediately admitted her into the hospital. That is where are now. I will let you all know if anything changes.

Clay

Tuesday 18:30 Left Coast time

All

D came home today. She is (according to your mother) doing really well. She is up and about, went to soccer practice with Brandon this afternoon.

love

d

Not getting out today

To all: Deana was scheduled to get out today. I use the word was because we are still at the hospital. Due to the reaction Deana had to the chemotheray the doctors have decided to keep her for a few days and monitor her. Deana still has the rash/sunburn, itchy eyes, and swelling. Deana is more comfortable with being in the hospital at this point anyway so everything worked out. I have an extreme case of cabin fever. I have gained 15 pounds since the beginning of this whole mess and have to adjust my gun belt. I cant wait to get out of the hospital. I will update when I have more news.

Allergic Reaction

To all: Deana is doing as well as to be expected. She was doing good for the first three days of chemotherapy. I think she got her hopes up that this go around was going to be simple. Side effects take 24 to 48 hours to show up. They are here now. Deana is tired, has a rash that acts alot like a sunburn, her face and eyes lids are slightly swollen, and her eyes itch on the inside. Deana could handle this on a normal day but I believe because her hopes were so high initially she has taken these new symptoms fairly hard. I apologize for not blogging sooner. This chem session has been long and fairly intense. I will try and keep you guys more update than I have been. Initially they were going to try and let Deana out tomorrow but now I am not so sure. I will let you know.

Don't know which is worse that tie or that bald head

Thought you might get a kick out of my latest hair style or lack there of.

Love

d

podunk maine here we come

Everyone
- just a friendly reminder - Matthew and I are driving up to maine (madawaska - say that three times fast:) for shawn's wedding. Leave tomorow am and we'll be back sunday night. Send thoughts our way we do not fall asleep driving. (and that tonya doesn't cry every day over missing lilly-bug). Actually should be lots of fun, looking forward to some r & r time with matt.

Hope everyone has a good weekend, and that deanna's first couple of days on this next round have been ok. Love to all.

Tonya

ps - hey new yorkers, dont forget our triathlon is next saturday the 2nd - if you would like to come cheer on us colemans. Its coleman vrs coleman so it should be good clean fun :)

Who can say they've been to the highest point in NY?

Oh Yeah - WE CAN!

Ken and I just got back from our trip upto the top of Mt. Marcy - here's a pic to prove it...

We'll tell the bear stories and the rest to anyone who sits around long enough to hear them - fair warning...

Tonya - got some details on the Team in training stuff, you can walk it if you want, but for each of us to get airfare and such we have to raise $1500 (we think, Ken researched this before) We looked at the list and like April's Country Marathon, June's Rock in Roll Marathon, and Sept. Virginia Beach. We figured that for TN or VA we could help fundraise Clay out, and maybe pay for ourselves or something like that... any comments from the peanut gallery???

This is test, from Dad at Pete's Place! That comment was unneccesary he is just showing off.

Top 100

S

You and Bruce can say you paddled in the Top 100 in the Great Race!

love

d

fundraiser / run for fun :)

Hey babe - aka clay - Can you provide me with some more information on this leukemia run? I know you are just trying to get a potential head count at this point - but I need a few more details before I commit!!!

In april of 2007? Can I walk - or do we have to run? (if I am prego - I will walk if I can). How much as a group or individual do we have to raise? Is it for deana specifically or for the foundation (or is it that the foundation is helping you out now and we are returning the favor?) Even if I cannot participate, as long as I can fly - I will definitely be there for support, but would love to walk the half if allowed. (hopefully matt too)

Well bro - no rush on the answers, I was just curious and tyna wasn't positive (nor, do I think, was she expecting my onslaught of questions).

Hope all is well on the washington front. And for my sake come april I hope I am pregnant, then I can play the I have to walk card and not admitt that I cannot keep up with my little brother. (nor am I admitting that now - once upon a time I could and I am still believing that - heheh)

tonya

Birthday Kudos

Hey dad - Happy Happy Birthday, I'd sing, but none of us really wants that...

The Great Race was a ton of fun, Ken and I came in 12th in our division (out of 24) - I did indeed have a personal best for me, and can't really believe I finished it in 27 minutes... One more race this season, at least that I know of... Ken biked his leg of the race in 32 minutes (Matt's dad beat him by 2 minutes, but he beat his uncle by 3...) and my friend kayaked the 2 miles in 27 minutes for a pretty sweet overall time...

In case you haven't heard, our name was 'I'm the slow one' - it seemed to fit (hee hee) and we'll definitely be back next year...

Ken and I will be backpacking Mt Marcy this weekend, we actually hope to get to the top this time, and if we do, I'll post the view...

My heart goes out to you all, and you're always in my thoughts and prayers

Happy Birthday !!

Happy Birthday Daddy :)

60 good years and counting right? heheheh.

Hope you have a fabulous day daddy.

Race results. Tonya ran a 24:30, while my 11 year old nephew almost ran me down with a 24:52. (craziness - kid's got youth on his side what can I say.) Tyna had a awesome time of 27:24, which I believe is a pr for here by almost 3 minutes. Hugh kudos in her direction. Sonya and Bruce kicked some serious butt as well, with a canoe time of 29 mintues for 2 miles- which is very good for a first showing (and considering Sonya is a girl - they beat lots of two boy teams). So today is wednesday and my almost 30 year old legs are still sore - seriously its pathetic. But I am not 16 anymore. (nor can I run like it.)

Well I best get back to work. Hope everyone is doing well. If you need to chat and or vent Clay you've got my numbers. Stay strong.

Love all around

Tonya

08/14/06 20:20

Evening

Talked to Pete just a bit ago. D is still in the Hospital. I will let him post to let you know what is going on. Pete just tie onto the back side of this one.

love

d

Race Results

So where are the race results?

love

d

8/12/06 07:30

Morning

Feel sort of like the news guy, if it ain't bad news we don't broadcast it.

All is as well as can be expected. D. is home, taking solid foods and resting up. She is up and around, the only upset tummy that I hear about is when she has to take her meds.

s

08/11/06 08:00 Left coast time

Spoke to Carol and Pete both yesterday. D. is home again, eating solid foods and feeling better. She is up walking around, (patch must be working). The Sunday Chemo is now the Monday Chemo. I should have blogged last night, but was too lazy.

Clay -

Glad to hear that Deana was starting to feel a bit better yesterday. Motion sickness ... boy, we can both commisserate with her on that one ... that type of nauseau is the absolute worst, because there isn't a reprieve when you do throw up. AND the dizziness is terrible. Will this rare reaction (the poor lady can't seem to catch a break) happen with every chemo treatment that she has in the future? Let's pray not!

Spoke with Mom on the phone for a bit of time yesterday and I got to chat with Bailey. She said that she was playing with some new toys and that she had some new sneakers (purple ones). I couldn't believe how vocal that she was ... I still remember her as that little tyke piggy tails that snuggled up the morning that you left. When Grandma and I were talking, Bailey comes up and says, "Grandma, Tell Brandon that I am too a princess!" I thought that I was going to split a gut. That one is a corker, isn't she! Wonder where she gets that from?

On the phone, I mentioned to Mom that you should look into your car loans and mortgage to see whether or not you have disability associated with them. There is a possibility (perhaps remote but worth looking into) that Deana's illness will allow you to draw on it. When I had my ectopic pregnancy a few years ago (OK, OK more like thirteen years ago) and had been disabled for more than thirty days, the insurance kicked in and made payments on my car loan until I could work full time. If the bank says that Deana wasn't working, you could probably get proof that she had just been hired by the airlines. Hey, it may be a long shot, but ya' never know.

I'm thinking of both of you often and praying for you both constantly. I wanted to share a quick little story with you. A few years ago, I was having a really difficult time with a child ( a colleague's son) ... he had lotsa learning disabilities and was struggling to keep up in my classroom. His mother decided to pull him from my room and put him in an inclusion room. It wasn't meant as a slap in the face, but it really hurt. I have a bit of an ego (wonder where I get that from) and I knew that I, if just given the chance, could have had a positive impact on him. To make matters worse, a fellow colleague (whose a royal pain in the ass, but shall remain unnamed) needled me about it. Poked at me about how it's never happened to her ... blah, blah, blah. Anyways, that evening I had to attend a conference in Watertown that was being held in the basement of a church. I cried nearly all the way to Watertown and was feeling pretty sorry for myself (I know that this seems petty in light of what you and D. are going thru, but hang on ... there is a point) I wiped my tears and entered the basement, as I walked in, there was a HUGE poster of a sunrise. On the poster were the words "Be Still and Know That I AM GOD" Needless to say, I got the message. Even funnier, I have been back to that same church's basement, but the poster wasn't there anymore. Coincendence ... I think not. That same verse has helped me thru other difficult times, and it had been reverberating in my mind since your nightmare has started.

Well, I am going to give Grandma Ruby a jingle this morning and maybe go for a visit. Talk to everyone later.

Love ya - Sonya

TEST

8/9/06 15:40

Afternoon

I spoke to Pete at about 3:00 PM. D. is doing better, she has a patch (behind her ear??) that seems to have reversed the affects of the motion sickness. She is on liquid foods untill this evening, when she can go to soft foods. By morning they hope to have her back on solid foods. She has Chemo again on Sunday. That one is out of the 4 day cycle, He did not know when the next 4 day would start. He was not sure if she was going to go home again or not. I expect to talk to him later, and will post again if any thing new is afoot.

08/08/06

Morning

Anyone who was wondering what was up with Clay and D. can read his comments under my post of 8/6/06 11;00.

Clay:
I think you when enrolled yourself you may not have set your self up having the ability to "create" posts. Give me a holler this evening and I wll try to lead you thru it while I am logged on.

presciption help for clay :)

I have some suggestion for the two of you to try.

Ok. Morning meds - allopurinol, acyclovir and mucinex.

I believe that is inclduing the two that are twice a day. Have deana trying taking them with food and even a glass of milk. Chocolate, strawberry - even a starbucks frappiciono (my drink of choice since my invisaligns - available at your local grocery store :). Milk products can be very coating and might help with any nausea associated with the meds.

Lunch time - levaquin and prilosec.

These two are very low key in terms of nausea. Food ok, but no milk or dairy products (2 hours before or after).

Dinner time - acyclovir, mucinex and fluconazole.

The repeat two, and her last. Again food a glass of milk product of choich may be helpful here.


Hope this helps guys. Spreading them out might help them to be better tolerated. D - even try some ice cream girl. Any exucse for me to have some ice cream is a good one. I find that cold products can help dissipate nausea - plus the milk in ice cream is coating (and calcium - a justifable treat almost every night tonya was pregnant!).

Talk again soon. If anyone actually talks with caly today - let him know my "expert" advice is out here. He sounded a little frustrated this morning so maybe this might help.

Ken and I were so glad to hear from Sonya that D got to go home last night - we also joked that it was probably safer there than at the hospital...

Clay - as to the sleep thing - trying to shut down can be incredibly difficult, and I can not perceive to be in your shoes, but there are several relaxation techniques out there if you want to try them - in fact walking through them with D might help you both sleep a bit better as she battles her body and you battle your mind (kind of like self hypnosis - I do this with my Forensics class).
I couldn't keep back the tears as I read what you had written about asking why - I think you've now received every answer - but here is one more anyway... It isn't about being strong enough, good enough, pure enough, 'without sin enough', nobody did anything wrong, nobody deserved this... why not you? Sweets, as scared and angry as you are right now, on the flip side of that you need to use that fear and anger - be in the doctors faces, demand the tests and treatments, don't let them "wait it out". I talked to a family member who is friends with a very well known doctor in this area and he told me that when his father went through everything, he had his wife be his father's advocate - to do the demanding because their friend (the doctor) told him that's what you need to do. Doctors are human to, and they sometimes want to give it a few weeks to just see, get as much information as you can, help D listen to her body, if she needs a break, okay, but if she is describing symptoms to you, help her vocalize those and demand answers, get as much detailed information as you can, stay away from the general. Why not you, because you are her advocate, and if you just can't be at some point, we all will be.

She's receiving so much blood - do you need donations in her name??? Just tell me when and where... I love you all...

catching up

Well, I must say that reading all the prior blogs was quite entertaining this morning :) I laughed and cried, and then smiled. Daddy you crack me up !!! I wish so very often that we were all closer together. But, thanks to technology this might just help to bridge the gap. Chemotherapy is spelled with ch (fyi!!) not a k. Not that it actually makes a bit of difference, but someone did ask.

I am actually at work so I best not stay long and get in trouble. But I wanted to sat hello. Clay when you call me this morning, I actually have my phone numbers with me so I can give you or mom any you need.

As for the question of why - I would also just like to add that I have always believed that life does not throw anyhting at you that you are not strong enough to handle. Which I thinks means that as a family the meeks' have always been very strong, because life has thrown us lots of curve balls. But that also means little bro - that someone must think that your family is strong enough to survive this. And I agree. But if you ever need a shoulder, find solace in knowing that you have lots to lean on.

Love everyone lots.

8/6/06 11:00

Morning

Spoke to Clay at length this morning. D. had a rough night, all of the medications that were causing to her to bound up (yuk) were finally overcome by the one they were giving her cancel them out. She was up most of the night. She needed another two units of blood. They are not giving her whole blood, red blood cells only. The comment he made about the low plalet count referred to the little hole they had poked in her arm for the IV. They had removed the IV and D. knocked the little wad of cotton and bandaid off. Pete says blood was dripping like a faucet. She had another round of Chemo this morning 05:30. Clay was on his way to the house to get cleaned up and see the kids.

Out of the woods ...

Hi everyone. We just got out of the woods. We went to Soft Maple (about 25 mintues from home) and the kids had a great time riding bikes, swimming, and kayaking. I kinda feel a bit out of the loop though, so this blog is a great idea. Talk to everyone soon :0)

For Tyna

Tyna

It is easier for me to follow the threads if I just comment. I can, as you can see create a new one! Is Sonya still in the woods?

For D

I believe in you-
in the things that are important to you
and in the way you choose to live your life...
I believe that you can accomplish anything
you set out to do, that you have many talents
and the wisdom to use them well...
I believe that you have what it takes to overcome
obstacles and to grow from every experience
life brings your way...
I believe in your courage, your compassion,
your integrity, and your strength.
I believe in your goodness...
I just believe in you...

Sweetie, this poem was given to me a long time ago - I thought maybe it was time to pass it on...
I'm here for you if you need to lean for a moment, a minute, a day...
Just remind yourself that we all believe in you, believe in yourself...

Let's get this party started...

Okay everyone - Ken helped me set this up, so if you don't like it you can blame him (hee hee hee) And since it will help to have a name to a face, I'll post a pic of him as well - for those of you who haven't seen his handsome mug...

The boys and I are doing very well, getting ready for back to school. I have one more week of teaching at Syracuse, a few weeks to regroup and then it is back in the classroom with me. Devin got the chance to 'hang' with his new teacher, Mrs. Bingle, last night while camping with Aunt Sonya and Uncle Bruce. He thought I was kidding about that at first, then he wasn't sure it would be a good idea, but it seems to have worked at pretty well. Zach is getting a new first grade teacher (we think its Mr. Steria, but we're not sure) and he will tell anyone who sits still for 5 minutes (and proudly at that) that he got a hole drilled in his tooth. He got a hole drilled because he had a cavity that found its way to the root and abscessed (nasty little thing...) and I haven't been able to convince him this is a BAD thing - we don't WANT cavities and holes in our teeth - but he is six and it seems very cool indeed...

The training continues for the 5K I'm running next weekend - Tonya thinks she can beat me - I may be old, but I think I can take her... Ken is the fast one on the bike, so he has to make up for my time anyway, and a colleague is kayaking the last leg - I'll post pics as soon as I get them. I love you all, hope to hear from you soon, enough said!

Saturday the 5th

Spoke to Clay at 10:00 AM
4th of 8 chemo session completed this morning 5 AM. Nausea has set in. 6 units of blood yesterday, none today. White platet count still really low. Maybe able to go home after the 8th as Doctors feel home is cleaner than Hospital. Wonder if he knows Carol is there? Clay sounds tired, he is still staying at the hospital, stays much longer they are going to start charging him for a bed. If anyone has specific questions, put them here and I will do my best to get answers.