Stop the Presses!

I have always wanted to say that!

But in this case it is not the presses, but the blog. I know I stated that I would not be posting anymore updates, since we have NED...but I lied!

This morning, our little community paper had the Dolly Momma pictured as the "cover girl" and I just had to post it!

Replay on Relay

First of all, I have to confess that having the Longo genetics ensures that we never have a dull moment. We are the kind of people that sing and dance like no one is watching…and the scary part is it is all natural!

We had a STUPEDNOUS time at Relay for Life on April, 20th. Now, I won’t lie…it is a lot of hard work and since this was my first year as a team captain, there were a few minor set backs.

But in true Longo fashion, we have the ability to take a total cluster and turn it into something magnificent!

Take our campsite for example. I had no idea that we were confined to a 10x10 square. So imagine our surprise when the wingman brought his tent and (one again…in true Longo fashion) it spilled over and infected everything around it! :o)

If only we could bottle the essence of Longo, there would be no need for Prozac! And for the record, marriage does not cure the Longo crazy genes. Even though my last name has changed, once a Longo…always a Longo. And those who come into the family via marriage will experience a genetic mutation that will inevitable suck them into the inner sanctum. You can run, but you can not hide! ;o) Whoaaaaaaaa……Longo!

After a little architectural make-over at our campsite, we ended up with something pretty darn spectacular…and we took first prize for the Best Campsite for the event. Not bad for our first year.

We managed to raise close to $2000 for the American Cancer Society, but the true meaning of the evening occurred when momisan walked the Survivor Gauntlet and received her medal...I would not have missed that moment for the world!

As you can imagine..the wingman and I got pretty weepy. We shed a lot of tears that night – tears of joy. I think both of us would agree that it has not been an easy road. And as I stated at the beginning of this blogging journey, if you are strong enough to embrace it…Cancer will bestow an insurmountable basket of blessings at your feet.

While I would have preferred not to have had this experience, I am grateful for all the memories and priceless moments I (and the wingman) were privileged to share with momisan and pop. While I was compiling everything for my archive, I was amazed at where we have been and how far we have come – I have so many wonderful memories and conversations that I will cherish for the rest of my life. And if I ever forget, I have the immortal words and photos of The ChemoSabe Chronicles to remind me of how blessed this family was the year Cancer came calling yet again.

Rather than take this blog down, I have decided to leave it as a virtual monument to all those who are fighting Cancer. Each and every one of you has an unwavering strength and hopeful spirit that inspires others…and I wish you peace, love and good health as you continue your journey.

It seemed only fitting to end this blog on a high note and I can not think of a better way than to share our experiences from the relay.


Click Here to View Our 2007 RFL Video!



(be sure to have your speakers on...but not too loud)

Thank you to all those who have kept this family in our prayers!

Blessings to you all…

ChemoSabe

Priceless

Whew! It’s been busy…busy…busy around here lately.

Momisan is doing well and pop is on the mend. He hasn’t been feeling well for the past few days, but he’s moving along in the right direction.

I took momisan to a dermatologist appointment last week. She still has that rash on her legs and a tad bit of swelling…and then or course there was the freak-out when her dermatologist told her that she was removing some spots that could become cancerous.

They say once you have cancer, you develop something called “cancer head.” It’s that thought that lives in the back of your mind that each and every time you go to a doctor they will tell you that it is cancer, or related to it.

It’s not only common, but completely understandably. So when momisan's dermatologist mentioned those spots could be pre-cancerous, she got a little upset. But after speaking with the doctor and explaining it to momisan that the spots were not cancerous, and they were removing them as a preventative before it got to a pre-cancer or cancerous stage – all was right in her world.

As for me, when the dermatologist asked to see my legs because apparently the spots are heredity, I told momisan that she could stop adding to our medical history any time now…any time. But thankfully, no spots here!

Well tomorrow is the big day – Relay for Life and much like the MasterCard commercial, being there as they announce momisan's (and pops) names during the survivor ceremony will be priceless. She is really stoked about wearing her survivor t-shirt, getting a medal and making a lap (as small or as large as she can) around that field – I have already packed the Kleenex for myself and the wingman. It’s going to be a joyous celebration that I would not miss for the world. Go Momisan!!!!

I still have a lot to do before tomorrow, so I am going to cut this blog entry short. I have the video camera all charged up and I will be sure to share momisan's victory lap – she has definitely earned it.

Special shout out to mom’s nurse Nancy and her sister Cindy…tomorrow we will relay in your honor as well. Keep the faith; continue to fight and now that there are people in Texas praying for you as you continue your journey.

Blessings to you all…and three cheers for the Dolly Momma!!!

Val

God is like GPS!

With age comes maturity and a new perspective on how we view the things and people that surround us. It’s odd, but now that I am in my late thirties, it seems like everything makes sense. All those lessons that mom and pop Longo taught me growing seem to have taken center stage. I find myself pondering the meaning of life.

Momisan has often said that we were put on this earth for a specific purpose and I think she is totally right. I believe that God has a master plan for each and every one of us. He knows exactly what our purpose is before we are born. Sometimes it takes us years to figure out what that purpose is, not because God has forgotten about us, but because it is not our time…it’s not the right time for that specific purpose to come into play.

I think the majority of us share common goals as we travel through this life. Most of us want to be good-hearted individuals who are faithful friends, supportive spouses, loving parents, respectable children and siblings and good neighbors. But I think that each and everyone one of us one defining moment that allows us to shine so bright, that it is blinding. That’s God’s specific purpose coming into play.

For me, I think my specific purpose started to unfold August 2006. That’s when we found out that mom had Cancer and the crazy train was about to depart the station. As I look back on all the decisions I had made in my life prior to that moment in time…it’s nothing short of a miracle. Rather than take a higher paying position in the fall of 2005, I decided I wanted to go back to school and I was fortunate that I could do that. During that time, I met a wonderful woman who was starting a virtual real estate business and was looking for an assistant. That’s everyone’s dream job…to be able to work from home and have a schedule with enough flexibility that you can compensate for family emergencies or just take advantage of a gorgeous day outside.

It’s like someone knew what was going to happen in August 2006…it was all part of God’s master plan.

I once blogged about a charismatic minister, Joel Osteen and even though he has a nondenominational church in Houston, I just love to hear him speak. There is something about his message that just resonates in my head. So I have his podcasts sent to my cell phone each week.

This weeks topic was exactly what I blogged about above. God has a master plan for each and every one of us and while we sometimes go the wrong way, if you listen and follow your heart, you will do the right thing that will lead you down the right path. Of course, Pastor Osteen was a little more humorous in his explanation. He said God is like GPS. He knows your starting point and where you need to go. Now we may not always listen to the direction, which usual tends to throw us off course, but God simply re-calculates and finds a new route for us. I think that is pretty darn cool if you think about it.

Now that we have NED in momisan, I am sure God is re-calculating my route. Now, I have no real idea where this new route will take me, but I am sure if I listen with my heart, rather than my head, it will come through loud and clear.

Next week, we will be celebrating all the blessings we have received over the past eight months by participating in a Relay for Life. I extended an invitation to another family whose relay was rained out thanks to all the freaky weather we had on Friday and whose cancer fighter was unable to participate thanks to chemo side effects. This family has also suffered through the ups and downs of this journey called cancer. And while we only know each other on a casual level, we share a common bond thanks to cancer. And on relay night, it makes no difference how well you know or don’t know someone …everyone comes together with one voice and one heart to celebrate survivorship, remember those who were stolen by cancer and to hope for a cancer-free world.

Please say an extra prayer that we have good weather next Friday, with no repeats of this past Friday’s torrential rain, tornadoes and huge hail.

Also, on a non-cancer note…as many of you know, we are a law enforcement household. So not only do I worry about my husband, his brother and my brother, I have a tendency to worry about all those who protect and serve. During Friday’s storms, a young Irving police officer lost control of his car and it hydroplaned into a concrete pole, killing the officer. The officer was heading to an assist call for a fellow officer. Please keep this officer’s family and department in your thoughts and prayers.

Val

We Have NED ...'nough Said!

I hope every one had a blessed and joyous Easter holiday surrounded by family and friends.

My husband James and I spent Easter with his grandma in San Angelo. While it was a bit hard to leave momisan behind (I am so use to seeing her and talking to her on an almost daily basis), but if we wanted to spend time with James’ family, now was the time to do it…while mom was healthy and doing well. We had no idea what her doctor would say yesterday, so when it comes to Cancer, you have to ““carpe diem” – seize the day!

Momisan and pop were in goods hands. Andy was staying in town incase they needed anything and they had planned on going to church together on Easter Sunday. So I felt a lot better about leaving town. Besides, my husband has been wonderful for the past eight months, and his granny is 87 and such a remarkable woman and I know it is important for him (and I) to spend time with her while we can.

We had a wonderful visit, despite the fact that it was snowing for Easter! Yes indeed...the weather in Texas can be extremely unpredictable and it was just odd to see snow and temperatures hovering near 29 degrees while visiting west Texas. I called mom and each day she or pop gave me an update on the weather and how things were going. Apparently it was just as cold in Dallas as it was in San Angelo.

We got back to Dallas around dinner time on Sunday and on our way home I called mom to remind her of our doctor’s appointment this morning. The first words out of her mouth were, “I miss you.” I see that twelve step program in her immediate future! :o)
She told me all about her day and how she had shared a very special moment with my wingman, Andy, at church - she had a wonderful weekend!

She proceeded to tell me about something that transpired while I was gone and while I won’t go into all the details, I would like to kindly remind people who are around Cancer patients to not guilt them (or have others guilt them) into doing anything that they are not ready to do. If a Cancer patient says that they are not ready to do something, leave it at that and move on. By goading them on it does nothing except upset them and remind them of things that they can not currently do. Not to mention that it then falls upon the support team to lift them out of that funk.

When I got home, there was a message on our answering machine from the Dolly Momma herself. I won’t divulge the message in its entirety because as I stated at the beginning of my blog, there are some things that are given as gifts and not meant to be shared. But I will tell you that the voice leaving the message was tearfully explaining how much it means to her to have me as her daughter and how she feels like the most loved mother on the face of the earth…I have got her so fooled! ;o)

You know you are A number One momisan – you are the heart and soul of this family and we intend to keep you around for many more years.

I arrived at Casa de Longo around 9:00am yesterday and I found momisan rocking in her chair looking pretty darn good. She had on make-up and busted out the “hottie” wig and she was in good spirits for the oncology meeting.

Before we headed out for Medical City, we had a little time to kill and we started talking about family. It’s been a rough eight months for momisan, and when Cancer throws the spotlight onto your family, there is no where to hide. I shared with mom my thought for the day. Family, like any other relationship is a living, breathing thing. You get out of your family exactly what you put into it…it’s that simple. If you want love, compassion, patience, acceptance and any other positive, you had better make darn sure that you invest those same qualities into your family – otherwise don’t be shocked when you get the opposite. Of course the Dolly Momma tossed in the old, “reap what you sow” words of wisdom and she is absolutely correct. Family is the greatest assest one can have, especially when battling Cancer - think of family as a savings account - you have to "put in" in order to "take out" otherwise you'll find yourself over drawn and in the negative column ...and those are the times that you will need that "investment" the most...during the difficult phases of life. So make time to invest in family. ;o)

As we piled into the car, we started discussing the only two scenarios that were possibly yesterday. Either Dr. Munoz would say that everything looks good and no more treatments or we would be gearing up for another round of chemo.

We patiently waited for Dr. Munoz to come into the consultation room and when he finally came through the door, he was reviewing the novel known as mom’s medical folder. He put down the file and asked mom how she was feeling. Mom told him good and they chit-chatted for a few minutes. The he looked at mom and told her she was done. After one major surgery, three rounds of chemo, twenty five radiation treatments and one lengthy hospital stay…she was pronounced NED (no evidence of disease)! Thank you Lord for answering our prayers!

Did I mention that we are NED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, before I proceed, for those not familiar with the crazy train called Cancer, NED does not mean that she is cured. It simply means that at this time all signs of the disease have disappeared after treatment and it can not be detected using current tests (PET scans/CT/CAT scans.) If this response is maintained for a long period, it is called a durable remission. The longer a patient is in remission the better the prognosis or outcome. However, as with other cancers, the disease could still possibly return and long-term follow-up is necessary.

But NED is FABULOUS!!! That is what momisan’s doctors have been fighting for…getting her to NED! This is what her family has been fighting for, NED! This is what her friends have been praying for, NED!

Did I mention we have NED!!!!!!!!!!!!

So as we started to comprehend exactly what Dr. Munoz was saying, the tears of joy and thankfulness started to flow. And as Dr. Munoz started to pass out the Kleenex he told momisan that she was a beautiful woman and he did not want to see her for three months – at which time we would do another scan to determine if we still had NED.

As we headed towards the exit of the oncologist office, the entire staff came out to celebrate our victory. There were hugs and tears just about everywhere you looked. And as I squeezed each member of our Dream Team, I could hear bits and pieces of a conversation momisan was having with another patient. And as I worked my way toward her, I heard her say…”I never would have thought the youngest one would have saved my life. She has been with me since day one and is my angel.” Well…that made the tears flow even more! :o)
And then she started talking about Andy…sorry wingman – I lost it after that and didn’t really hear what she said – but I am sure it was good…it’s all good, my brother!

Did I mention we have NED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I continued to work my way through the staff, my cell phone rang – it was my wingman, Andy. And through my tears, I uttered three little words…’We have NED!”

Of course, I forgot to tell him what NED was. So I had to elaborate, “We did it Andy…momisan has no evidence of disease and there are no more treatments at this time.” Well…as a founding member of Team Loco, you can imagine how he took that news. It was difficult to tell who was crying harder.

Then I called my husband, who has been my rock for eight long months and told him, “Momisan is NED!” Of course, he thought I said she was mad, but after I explained to him the conception of NED, I heard his voice crack as he asked to speak to the Dolly Momma.

As mom and I made our way to the car, she was squeezing my hand so hard that the blood stopped flowing! And as the elevator descended, tears flowed down my face. I thanked the good Lord for keeping our family together. While I am more of a spiritual person than religious, I do believe in God. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior and I believe that He did not forget us. He answered our prayers and sent his Spirit to momisan resulting in NED.

We crossed the parking lot doing our NED victory dance and as we headed towards home, I told mom that I wanted to take her to a nice lunch to celebrate.

As we sat in the restaurant reflecting upon the past eight months, our thoughts turned to those still fighting. We raised a glass to show our solidarity with each and every one of you and your families. Be strong, keep the faith, find comfort in the arms of those who love and support you and keep fighting the fight. We will continue to pray for each and every one of them and their families that they may receive the same good news that turned out to be our Easter blessing.

Words can not express the depth of our gratitude and love for all those who have prayed for this family for the past eight months, rejoice knowing that He heard and answered. Now this does not mean that your work with Team LoCo is complete, we still need those prayers to get pop to NED...so keep them coming. I know...I know...no rest for the weary! :o)

As I dropped momisan off at her house and headed home, I had to stop the car because my eyes got so watery, I could not see the road. I was overwhelmed by the miracle to make good on my promise – I vowed at the beginning of this crazy train ride that whatever came our way, or whatever happened, we would face it together - no man left behind – win, lose or draw, we would leave this battlefield together…and we did. We left on our terms, not Cancer’s and that’s the most blessed way to go!

Did I mention we have NED!!!!

Next week, we will be celebrating this victory by participating in the Relay for Life benefiting the American Cancer Society. I am already contemplating ending my blog (that has chronicled this journey) on that event. I can no think of more fitting finish then one that focuses on celebration, survivorship and hope.

High Ho Cancer …AWAY!

ChemoSabe

(I just had to add this photo – momisan was looking for a new wool coat, so I left her try mine on. Keep in mind that mom is 5ft6 and I am 6ft1 – is it me or does she look like Uncle Fester.

Which is pretty darn funny considering my cell phone ring tone for family is from the old Adam’s Family series…and for anyone that knows us, they will laugh at that comparison because it’s true…we are all about the fun people…all about the fun!)

(Momisan after hearing that beautiful word - NED!)



(Celebrating her victory over a nice piece of Tiramasu)

Happy Easter!

We hope that each and every one of you has a blessed Easter holiday. Spend time with family and rejoice in all your blessings …even when times seem hard. We celebrate all the love, prayers and well wishes that have come our way this past year.

Happy Easter and Blessings to you all!

Team LoCo and family

From Dolly Momma to Thoroughbred

Yesterday was a pretty decent day at Casa de Longo. I stopped by for a visit and momisan looked pretty good today. Emotionally, we take it day by day, but physically…today was a gold star day. I had stopped by to see if mom was going to send anything to Uncle Bob’s funeral and if she needed any help.

When I got to the house, I found mom in the kitchen sorting through her meds and when she saw me standing there, she walked over and gave me a big ol’ hug. I could not help but notice how here hair is growing in. The chemo definitely changed the texture. She used to have really fine hair, but it is much thicker than it was and the color is going to be pretty cool when more of it grows in.

She is just so darn cute! She was telling me that she had gotten up and read the “glob” with her morning cup of coffee. She is techno challenged but that’s what makes it so adorable. You should have seen how excited she got when we set up “mom cam” – she thinks it is so cool to see each other via a web cam and have a real time chat. I think everyone should have a web cam and Microsoft Messenger – especially Cancer patients and their family. Like I have often said, a picture is worth a thousand words and it’s a way for everyone to stay connected and see the progress first-hand.

There are days when I wish I had a pocket-sized “Dolly Momma” just so I can squeeze it and hear those priceless momisms throughout my day.

Speaking of the Dolly, she resembles more of a thoroughbred than a wise sage. Shortly after chemo, she had developed a rash on her leg. Her primary doctor thought is was a reaction to some of the medication she was taking. So he gave her some ointment and that seemed to do the trick. However shortly after her last hospital stay, we noticed that the rash had spread to the other leg and while it was not painful, she did say it was rather itchy.

It turns out that the rash is from excessive fluid retention – who knew that all those fluids (which are important for hydration) would produce a rash. So if you are a Cancer patient and you develop a mysterious rash, find a good dermatologist. It can be treated with a prescription ointment and some Ace bandages that compress the legs. This helps to reduce the fluid and alleviate the rash.

Mom says she looks like a race horse! And ya know…she is right.

And here is how I would imagine that race would be called …

They’re in the gate and they are off
It’s Cancer and Momisan
Cancer and Momisan are neck and neck
It’s Cancer on the turn
Momisan is keeping pace
On the straight away it’s Cancer and Momisan
Momisan is gaining ground
Cancer is fading back
Coming in to the homestretch its Momisan and Cancer
Momisan and Cancer
Momisan leads by a furlong
At the finish line…it’s Momisan!
Momisan takes the win!

…and the crowd goes wild!

For all of you who are betting individuals, here is an insider tip – put your money on Momisan. For those that love her and believe in her, the pay off is going to be BIG!

Find your inner race horse today. It doesn’t make a difference if you are in the lead or trailing, just keep the pace and head towards the finish line.

Blessing to you all!

Val

(The legs of thoroughbred!)

Coulda Shoulda Woulda

It has been a rough few days at Casa de Longo. My mom’s oldest brother, Bob, passed away. This is the same brother who recently celebrated his 90th birthday with a party - the one mom could not make because she was in the hospital.

My dad called me on Saturday and asked me to come over. I don’t think anyone really had the heart to tell her. It was probably the hardest thing I have had to do. I think we were all afraid that she would feel guilty because she was the only sibling not there at his party. That was one of the things she said when we had to cancel the trip, she said that she felt deep down in her heart, that she needed to be there. It’s going to take her awhile to realize that she can’t beat herself up for not being well enough to attend. Sometimes illness robs you of the ability to do the things that you desire most – one can not be faulted for that. But I understand where momisan is coming from.

I called Andy and he came right over with the girls and we spent the evening with the parents and mom shared some of her fondest memories of her older brother. It’s amazing how much she remembers – there’s eighty years of memories in that brain.

Andy went by to check on mom this morning and I went by around lunch and spent the afternoon with her. She was upset when I got there, but that’s another chapter in a completely different book – it’s just a pity that she has to read it now when she is grieving for the loss of her sibling.

Mom and I were discussing mortality today. I think anytime someone close to you passes, it is natural to take inventory of your own life. She asked me if there was anything that I wish she would have done differently. While there were times that we did not always see eye-to-eye, everyone has there disagreements and no family is perfect, I told her that I would not have changed one, single thing. She has been a wonderful mom and while we have grown closer over the past fifteen years, this battle with Cancer has cemented our bond. Even Andy sees her in a different light and knows that Cancer has given us a special gift that we will cherish and share forever.

I have no idea what the secret of life is. Every one has a different interpretation. But mom made a comment today that made me think. She said “You only get one ride on this attraction called life, so you had better do your best to get it right the first time.”

I don’t think mom meant that you had to be perfect, because no one is perfect, but I think she meant that you do your best to do the right thing so at the end of the day, God forbid if something were to happen, you are not standing there saying “coulda, shoulda, woulda.”

Our prayers are with my mom’s extended family for the loss of a brother and for my Uncle Bob’s family as they deal with the loss of a husband, father and grandfather.

I pray that my mom will find peace in the next few days and that she comes to realize that even though she did not get to be with her brother on his birthday, that he understood and he knew what was in her heart just as much as she knew what was in his.

Live your life with kindness and love and be there when you are needed most so at the end of the day you don’t have to worry about “coulda, shoulda or woulda.”

Blessings to you all – We love you!

Val

Gone to the Dogs

One would think that taking care of mom and having the nickname, ChemoSabe, that I would be able to manage my own emergency at Conley’s Corner, but noooooooooo!

I awoke in the early morning hours on Wednesday to the sound of my husband yelling, “Honey, Come here. Ryker is bleeding.” For those of you that do not remember, Ryker (aka “The Killer) is our oldest furbaby. I just about broke my leg running down the stairs to get to the kitchen. That is where I found my husband trying to wrap the bleeding leg of our dog.

Of course, I am trying figure out what the heck happened. And my husband said that when he let him outside, he though he had cornered a cat or something. Now, I am by no means a wound expert, but this did not look like a cat attack to me. It was more of a laceration than a bite/claw wound.

As we pin the dog to the ground and blind him with the beams from flashlights looking for other signs of injury, we are debating on what to do with him. Do we take him to the doggie emergency room? Do we wait until the morning and go to our regular vet? I had no idea what to do. At 10:30pm, the options are pretty thin. While his wound was not gushing blood, it was bleeding and of course I was worried that he had been attacked by a wild squirrel or some other rabies carrying critter.

But after we looked him over, cleaned up the leg to the best of our ability, and got the bleeding to stop a bit, we opted to wrap it up and take him to our vet first thing in the morning. Our boy wasn’t in pain and he managed to limp up the stairs and curl up on his pillow in our room. Needless, to say, I did not get a good night’s sleep because I kept checking on him to make sure he was breathing and wasn’t bleeding to death – I know…I am such a worrier! Imagine how many sleepless nights I had with momisan!

In the morning, I call the vet and they were sympathetic to my motherly meltdown and told me to bring Ryker in ASAP. When we got there, they tried to look at his wound, but he would not let anyone touch it, so they opted to sedate him and get it all cleaned up. Now, before I left, they asked me to stay while they “juiced” him up with a sedative. And as the medication started to work its mojo, my boy started to go all limp in my arms – which brought me to tears. It’s been a rough year, people….I am an emotional wreck!

On the way home, I stopped off at Casa de Longo to visit with mom and as soon as I walked into the door, she asked what was wrong. I filled her in on the events that had transpired at Conley’s Corner and she reassured me that Ryker would be okay. For the record, mom loves “my boys” and they her. They say that dogs can learn up to one- hundred vocabulary words, and “grandma” is on the list. They get all excited when they hear her voice or see her. Dogs are very astute.

I spent a few hours visiting with momisan and I was there when her nurse Nancy came by – such a sweet lady! And it just so happens that she brought the ‘Dolly Momma” some great news. I had blogged a few weeks ago requesting extra prayers for Nancy’s sister, Cindy. She is undergoing some pretty intensive treatment for breast Cancer and Nancy shares our blog rantings with her. Well, it turns out that the Cancer in her sternum has decreased! Who says miracles don’t exist or prayers are not answered. We will keep on praying for Nancy and her sister, Cindy. We have made them honorary members of Team LoCo. Keep on fighting and know that there are people out here who are praying for you and wishing you well as you continue on your journey.

I left Casa de Longo a little after lunch. But little did momisan know that I would be sneaking back later in the evening. The wingman, Andy, had called me the previous night and said he was going to swing by the Longo household to do a little gardening for mom. I asked if he needed any help and he said if I had the time to come on by.

My second visit to Casa de Longo was around 3pm. I arrived to find mom sitting in the living room and as I filed past her with flats of flowers and veggies, she asked what I was doing. I told her that Andy and I had secretly plotted to swing by and plant a little “Spring Love” in her garden. She got all sniffley.

Andy and pop took the back of the house and he tilled the soil and dropped the tomato plants in for mom. I took the front and planted the flowers in her pots and flowerbeds. I am happy to report that mom is feeling much better. She had no problem dictating the proper placement for her flowers…she’s such a little Mussolini…but we love her to pieces and knew that she was a little disappointed that she wasn’t able to do some spring plantings. So we gave her a small garden for her to tend to. For those of you who receive tomatoes from the annual Ida Longo co-op program, I am sad to report that this year; the bumper crop will be significantly downsized. We may have to utilize a lottery style system or have a smack down in the backyard – last man standing gets the tomatoes! :o)

If you thought the Food Fairies were cool, you should see how quickly those Plant Pixies can work their magic!

I left Casa de Longo and headed to the vet to pick up “my boy.” I had a consultation with the vet and it turns out that Ryker had a pretty sizeable laceration that required seven staples. And as they brought him into the room, leg all wrapped up and wearing a fashionable cone to keep the leg from getting licked and scratched, one would have thought that we had been separated for months.

It’s Saturday morning at Conley’s Corner and I can say that I am definitely experiencing sleep deprivation. The dog can not go outside and run free. He must be limited to short walks and to make matters worse it has been raining. So each and every time we take him out, we have to wrap his leg in a Ziploc bag and tape it up. The cone is also proving to be a bit challenging for him. He gets stuck quite a bit, so it’s hard to leave him unattended at night. My life has literally gone to the dogs.

Last night, as I was changing his bandages, momisan called to see how “her boy” was doing. I explained to her that he was okay, but taking care of him takes a little flexibility on our part. Of course, that comment begged mom to ask, “Who was a better patient”?

I told her it was hard to compare since I didn’t have to cram her legs into a Ziploc bag or adjust her cone to keep her from biting/licking her stitches! ;o)
She just laughed and said to give “my boy” an extra belly rub and tell him that grandma loves him.

So as I blog my latest entry, I can not help but look down at the fury little face with a tail wagging a mile a minute. That’s his way of saying, “thanks for taking care of me.”

Just goes to show how compassion, love and care can be interpreted by all of God’s creatures, big and small.

Spread some love today!

Val

It’s all about the cookies

Submitted by wingman Andy:

It has been a while since I’ve written anything for the blog. Like many of you have read already, there were a few setbacks, but all in all it is onward and upward! As the family continues the battle of illness for both mom and dad, it is sometimes easy to cross that line of going from helpful Hanna to pain in the ass! Unintentional of course!

Anyone will tell you that the key to kicking Cancer or any illness is a good medical team, strong mental fortitude and non-wavering group of family and friends and family. We are blessed to have all three in our corner.

Looking inward though, you sometimes need to not only hear what Cancer Warriors are saying, you have to LISTEN to what they are telling you too. Each person has his or her own mixture of personal time and family time that they go through. There are going to be times that are reserved for private meditation, as well as public displays of emotion. Times to be alone, and times to be with those that mean so much to them. These times are going to change as the days and weeks continue on.

I had one of those moments yesterday with a visit at Casa Longo. Mom was found in the front living room, looking quite well, finishing her mediation time. We had a good talk about a lot of things, but she managed somehow to bring it full circle about Nanny Poppy Day!

For those that don’t know what they are, it is the Monday when both Rachel and I work and mom and dad get to visit the grandchildren. Notice I didn’t say “baby sit” as mom will be the first to tell you she doesn’t “baby sit”, she spends quality time with her grandchildren. Mom is always talking about wanting to get her “groove back!” And part of that groove has always been that special bonding time with her grandchildren. “Don’t you dare take my nanny and poppy days away she said.” “I’ll tell you if I can’t take care of them!”

So as I dropped them off yesterday, there was a gentle rain falling (thank you Lord we sure needed it). And as the girls ran to the door, there was pop holding it open for them before they reached the screen door to come inside. I warned them both not to be a pain, then drove off to finish my tour with the department, hoping they would not be too much for either of them. After all, children will be children and they can be a handful at times even for someone who is not dealing with Cancer.

When I got home from work later in the evening, as we sat eating dinner, I asked the girls how their nanny and poppy day went. GREAT they both said together! Nanny baked us cookies! Cookies I asked? Yep, and muffins too!

Looks like the groove is coming on slowly but surly.

Pass the cookies please!

I Am Like The Grinch!

I have always been a big fan of Dr. Seuss and I will confess that every year I make my husband watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas, he will deny it, but he loves it as much as I do.

My favorite part is when the Grinch becomes filled with the spirit of Christmas and his heart grows:

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!
“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.”
“Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!”
And what happened then…?
Well…in Who-ville they say
That the Grinch’s small heart
Grew three sizes that day!

By now you are probably thinking that I have dipped into mom’s meds because why on earth would I be thinking about Christmas in March!? Well, it is the only way that I can accurately convey how I felt today.

I stopped off at Casa de Longo to check up on momisan. She has been feeling a little off for two days, so we made her promise to see Dr.Z (her primary doctor) – turns out she has a bladder infection. This is the last thing she needs because it makes her feel like she is taking two steps backwards in the wellness department.

But she said that the most amazing thing happened to her while she was there. She sometimes gets a little upset when she does not see a consistent pattern of wellness and recovery, which is completely understandable. She wants to feel like herself again and sometimes becomes a little impatient. So as she waited for the results on her lab work, one of the nurses whispered to her, “we are going to take good care of you Mrs. L." "My mom had Cancer and sadly didn’t finish her fight, but we are going to do everything to get you through yours.”

It was all I could do to keep my composure when she told me that. There are people out there who have lost a loved one to this disease, and while they could easily loose faith and hope…they choose to pass it on to give strength to someone else who is fighting this battle.

Much like the Grinch, my heart grows each and every day because of all the people who have a ferocious desire to see us win this war on Cancer. I have such unconditional love for all those people that keep us going with their faithful and supporting spirits – it’s amazing!


I have often said that I would not wish Cancer onto my worst enemy, but I sure wish I could bottle the unconditional love, support, hope and faith that we feel in order to pass that on to others. There is an incredible bond that unites us all…and it’s a shame that it can not be felt unless you become part of something that you would prefer not to experience in your lifetime.

Thanks to all the folks who make my heart grow each and every day through your kind words and actions.

We love you all and you are part of Team Loco…whether you like it or not! :o)

Momisan is doing well and she became a bit peppier before I left this afternoon. She is really excited about her Relay for Life and she’s planning on being there to celebrate with other survivors and to encourage them to stay strong and continue the fight.

http://www.support-teamloco.com

Val

Also…
I happened to catch the news conference with Elizabeth Edwards today. Please keep this family in your thoughts as she must now embark on yet another journey to fight Cancer. While they stated that her Stage 4 Cancer is not curable, please pray that they can treat her so that she will have many more years to be with her family – especially for her children.

Tag Team Relay!

I am sure by now you are all wondering if everything is okay since I have not blogged in a few days.

I am happy to report that everything is going super! Momisan continues to get stronger each and everyday. Her nurse Nancy has taken very good care of her and all her wounds are just about healed. Mom’s physical therapist is another miracle worker. All those exercises she has her doing are really paying off. I have noticed that momisan moves much more quickly and does not seem so stiff and in pain. So thank you Nancy and Cathy for keeping her on the road to recovery.

Today I arrived at Casa de Longo to take mom to her one month follow-up with her radiologist. I can not believe it has been a month already!

We arrived at Medical City, early (we always do) and spent a few minutes catching up with everyone. They all said momisan looks great and they love the way the hair is starting to grown in – she looks smokin’ hot!

We updated some paper work and signed those pesky HIPPA forms again then proceeded to meet with Dr. Macko.

We filled the doctor in on all the “special” events that have taken place over the past thirty days and at the end of our recap, she looked at mom and said, “You’ve been through hell…but you look wonderful!” That’s the kind of stuff you like to hear.

Dr. Macko gave her the once over and took a look at her handy work after 25 radiation treatments. She said that the area was a little red, but all in all, momisan was healing nicely and it was time for them to part ways. Dr. Macko gave mom her walking papers today because the radiation treatment has done what it was intended to do. Sadly, we can remove one doctor from our “Dream Team” list. Their work is done and mom is a walking testament to that. Besides, they have other people to heal, so we wished them well and will pray that they will have many more success stories for other families.

That leaves TeamLoco in a little bit of limbo until April. So we have decided to celebrate how far we have come on this journey, by giving back.

We are organizing a Relay for Life Team that raises funds for the American Cancer Society. I have often said that even though this has been a difficult path to walk, we have encountered a bounty of blessings along the way and we wanted to honor those gifts by giving something back.

We are gathering members for Team Loco. Our team will participate in a Relay for Life on April 20th – April 21st in nearby Frisco, Texas. The Relay for Life is a magical evening that brings together cancer fighters, supports and caregivers so that we may celebrate, remember and hope.

During this event our team members will walk from 6pm (April 20th) – 6am (April 21st). There will be a special Survivor’s Lap that we hope mom’s therapist will have her ready for. (hint…hint…)

You can learn more about the event here: Frisco Relay for Life

You can show your support by joining Ida’s team and walking with us or by making a general donation to the American Cancer Society in her honor. Please visit our web site for more details or to donate and support Team LoCo: Team Loco – Proudly Supporting Ida’s Fight

I often find myself reflective in the evening, especially after momisan has received a positive medical update. I am amazed at how far she has come. It’s nothing short of miraculous if you think about. She is one in a million and I hope that her journey inspires just one other person to keep fighting.

It seems appropriate that on this leg of our journey, we take some time and give back. For all the support, love and prayers that we have been given, we should pay it forward to someone who might need it more. That’s why we formed a relay team – to celebrate all those blessings that the good Lord has bestowed upon us during this walk.

When we relay on April 20th, we do it for each an every one of you for supporting and praying for this family during the past year.

God Bless each and every one of you who have been there when we have needed you most.

…and please support Ida’s Fight at: Team Loco – Proudly Supporting Ida’s Fight

Val

Either You Have It or Know Someone Who Does.

What a gorgeous day we had in Texas today. Clear, blue, sunny skies with just enough breeze to make you stop and take notice.

I arrived at Casa de Longo around 10:25 this morning. Momisan had a follow-up with her primary care physician and we thought we would grab a cup of Joe after the appointment. As I entered the house and made my way to the kitchen, I could sense that mom was a little off today – she seemed a bit sad. I asked her what was wrong and she sad she woke up fine, but was just having one of those days. Come to find out later that she had been catching up on some of her blog reading…and let’s face it folks, some of the stuff we have shared will bring a tear to anyone’s eye.

As we walked towards the front, I told mom not to worry, there was still plenty of time in the day to turn it around. And as she stepped off the porch and headed towards the car, she stopped and looked up and said, “It’s beautiful outside.” – just goes to show that even the smallest things can change the course of your day.

We arrived at Dr. Z’s office and he gave mom the once over – kicked the tires and looked under her hood and then he looked at me and said, “She takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin.” …and he should know since he has been taking care of momisan for twenty-eight years! He said she looks well. She’s moving with less stiffness thanks to her physical therapist and her wounds are healing nicely. No changes in her medication and he said that her job now was to rest and eat well in order to battle some of the fatigue and to get her strength back.

As I escorted mom out of the doctor’s office, I forgot that he wanted to see her a few days before we went to visit the oncologist in April, so I told mom I was going back in to set an appointment…since doctor’s offices are sometimes so darn hard to get into. As mom sat down in the waiting room, I went through another set of doors and proceeded to chat with the nurse about setting the appointment. As we were talking, she told me that she can’t believe that my mom has Cancer and is doing so well. We started talking about hospitals and treatments and when I told her that we drive to Medical City in Dallas, she stated that you could not have picked a better facility. That’s what everyone says about Med City – it’s a hospital for healing and they do some remarkable work there.

I started to head back towards the waiting area when a lady standing behind me introduced herself and said she too had Cancer and she also went to Medical City due to their phenomenal reputation. We talked for a few moments and I wished her well as she continued her journey and I promised to say a few extra prayers for her and her family. And as I started to work my way to momisan, it hit me. When it comes to Cancer, you either have it or you know someone who does – that’s how prevalent it is.

Perhaps I am much more acute since Cancer has pretty much taken over our daily schedule, but it seems every place momisan and I go, someone will come up to us and tell us that are fighting the same fight or know someone who is – it boggles my mind!

Then I think about all the people out there that are just like me, or just like my brother Andy or pop. The people out there that are doing the best they can to support and care for all these people with Cancer.

Behind each of these Warriors is a sea of people dedicated to their care and support, without thought or hesitation. Together, we are the ChemoSabe Nation.

As I reflect upon yet another end to a day, I am thankful for the time momisan and I shared today and the positive report from her primary care physician. And tonight, when I lay my head upon my pillow, I will say an extra prayer for all those individuals who didn’t ask to be a part of the ChemoSabe Nation, but who do it without hesitation or regret. My wish for all of you is that you have the love and support you need to continue on the journey that you were called to do.

Blessings to you all!

Val

Peace and Love

I awoke extra early today anticipating the 11:30 performance of Cirque de Ida at Casa de Longo. Today was the day that mom started her physical therapy and I had envisioned seeing some pretty fancy contortionist’s moves and perhaps a backward spin from the ceiling fan in the living room.

But alas, this was not to be! But I did get to meet mom’s therapist, Cathy. A very nice young woman that had mom doing laps through the living room and kitchen – it was an indoor track. Mom looked good today. Still physically tired, but emotionally, this was a red letter day. It is important to keep them moving, whether they are eight or eighty, the only way to keep a Cancer patient strong is to ensure that they get some type of activity.

Her therapist said she is doing remarkable well and I confided that I was a bit disappointed that she didn’t move mom like a bendy straw. She just laughed and said, give us until next month. “The first month is usually the meet and greet and working on some basics.” She continued, “The second month is when I really crack the whip.”

I think that was a big pick me up for momisan to have her therapist give her the “gold star” for the day.

During my visit today, I also got to meet her nurse, Nancy. Again a very nice woman who comes in and checks momisan over and ensures that her wound and infection are both healing nicely. She also said mom is doing very well and she is pleased with her progress.

Nancy and mom struck up an interesting conversation about Cancer and the various stages. It seems Nancy’s youngest sister was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 breast Cancer that has invaded her sternum. She is undergoing radiation and she said that it is difficult for her family to see their sibling in such pain. My heart really went out today and she got an extra hug. Please pray for her sister and all those who are undergoing treatment for Cancer that their pain is minimal and their remission is quickly achieved and sustained for many…many…years.

I lent mom and pop our DVD of the Da Vinci Code. They had not seen the movie yet and I figured they would really enjoy a good movie based on conspiracy and intrigue. While I know it’s fiction, I can’t tell you how many times I blew up a picture of the Last Supper in Photoshop to see if that could have been Mary Magdalene seated next to Jesus. It’s hard to tell since everyone had long hair back then. But as long as mom and pop enjoy the movie…that’s really all that matters.

Speaking of conspiracy and intrigue, I added a little bit to my home office this week. One of my birthday presents was a high-end web cam. Now, while I mostly use it for work and online video conferencing, I just may turn it into MomCam after hours. Pop has two, one in his office and the other is strategically placed on his laptop…they can run….but they can’t hide!

We are scheduled to follow up with mom’s primary care physician tomorrow. And that is a very important thing for a Cancer patient to do. We have so many doctors and nurses who specialize in the treatment of Cancer, that they always suggest following up with your primary doctor every few months since they are the ones that you will go back to once your Cancer treatment is over, with the exception of regular follow-ups and scans with your oncologist.

In the meantime, I was thinking about taking mom to the airport after hours to compete with the Hari Krishnas. Who would not want to hear the words of wisdom and inspiration straight from the Dolly Momma?

She is doing well and she is getting plenty of love and care. We thank you all for your prayers, love and continued support.

The Dolly Momma says…”Peace and Love Be with You!”

Two More to Forty!

Well, today is March the 12th and it is another day that will live in infamy. It was 38 years ago today that the stork decided to drop that special little package, earmarked for Ida Longo, on the front door step.

Now, I had a relatively quiet birthday today. I hate to celebrate on a weeknight, so we'll have a few "birthdatinis" this Friday. I had a singing phone message from my brother, Andy. I had friends call and email me their smartass comments about turning another year older and how I had two more years until forty ... and then I got “the look” from mom.

I had already planned on being with mom and pop today since we had scheduled to have her drainage tube removed last week. And to tell you the truth, I had forgotten that it was my birthday with all the hospital chaos. I arrived at Casa de Longo around 11:15 this morning and mom was wielding a birthday card in her hand with such excitement I had to duck before she cut my jugular!

We ran through our pre-flight checklist – cane, insurance cards, doctor’s phone numbers, list of questions and her handi sticker for parking. Once we knew we had everything, we loaded up and headed out. We had to go back to the hospital that mom didn’t particular care for during her recent stay. Since they put the tube in, they were the ones who had to take it out. We got her all signed in and waited for her name to be called.

Here is where I first noticed, “the look.” I looked over and caught mom starring at me. Maybe it was because it was my birthday and she was probably taking a little walk down her maternal memory lane, but her eyes started to tear up – there is a lot of love and gratitude in those peepers. I leaned over and asked why she was crying and she said no particular reason – LIAR! I know what she’s thinking!

She proceeded to tell me that when I opened my birthday card, that there was a yellow note that I had to read separately. Of course I asked, “Am I going to need Kleenex”? And she just shook her head in affirmation. Have I mentioned that I hate it when she makes me cry? But she proceeded to tell me that if she didn’t tell me, then I would not know what is in her heart. I told her that she was mistaken. I can tell by “the look” what is in her heart – there are no words written or spoken that can compete with “the look.” I get it momma and I understand – the feeling is mutual.

As we proceeded to wait for the calling of her name, she closed her eyes a bit to rest. I told her that hopefully we would not have to wait too much longer to check in. To which mom replied, “I have spent the past seven months checking in.” I looked at her and said it beats the alternative, “checking out.” She started to laugh and mentioned something about “always knowing what to say.” Yep, that’s one of my many job functions that I embrace – CEO of Smartass Retorts! :o)

Her medical pager finally went off and we were ushered back to the CT room were they would remove the drainage tube. We got momisan all settled in on that little bed that passes through the giant donut and then proceeded to the hall way to wait. As pop paced up and down, I saw a gentleman in a white coat cross the hall and say, “Ida Longo.”

I have mentioned before that mom had “chemo brain.” I on the other hand have developed a super sensitivity to those words, “Ida Longo.” I am always eavesdropping on the other side of the door to make sure that they are taking good care of momisan. Now, because I am not bashful, I poked my head into the door and asked the doctor if everything was okay. He said, “Yes” but they could not remove the tube because it was still draining. I informed him that momisan was a cancer patient who had undergone a lymphectomy and regardless of whether the tube was left in or removed, it was still going to drain some. He looked rather irritated that I had questioned his white coat authority, so I told him to call her oncologist for further direction. Why is it some doctors hate to be questioned?

After fifteen minutes, mom emerged from the CT room a bit shaken and with some pain. Dr. “Personality” explained that he went ahead and removed the tube after speaking to her oncologist and gave us a brief synopsis of what to watch for and he disappeared down the long, white hallway. The thing with Cancer patients, especially those that have undergone surgery, chemo and radiation is that their bodies react a bit differently to treatment. So while mom’s continuing drainage might be an issue for a surgeon, for an oncologist it is a common occurrence. So my advice for anyone supporting a Cancer patient is ask those questions regardless of how irritated the “little white coats” become, especially if you are using an unfamiliar physician.

We had a technician wheel mom to the parking garage and everyone piled in for the ride home. Mom got comfy and I ran out to get a cheese pizza for lunch. We ended the day on a high note – me, mom and pop sitting on the porch, eating a slice al fresco.

As my birthday nears its conclusion, I was contemplating what I would wish for. Thirty years ago it was a pony, Babies and one of those Easy Bake ovens. During the past few years, I realize that I no longer wish or really want for anything tangible. I guess that is a sign of maturity when you realize that your house is in order and you don’t really want for anything – life is SUPERB!

One would think that there are not too many things on my eighty year old mother’s “must see” list. She has done a lot and seen so much more. I remember on my thirtieth birthday, before I had met my husband, I would sometimes wonder if mom would see me married…I know she thought the same thing too! Thankfully, we crossed that off the list three years ago. Now I would be lying if I said I did not think about her being around for at least one grandchild on the Conley side of the tree – that would just put her over the edge of uncontrollable euphoria. And yes, I know at 38, my window of opportunity is closing! I can’t help it if it took James so long to get here.

So that is my birthday wish tonight, God…as selfish as I know it sounds. Please let my mom enjoy many mores years on this earth to witness the birth of another grandchild. That is the greatest gift I could ever receive, to see my mom hold my baby like she held me thirty-eight years ago, today.

Val

(Looking a little tired today, but holy cannoli...look at that hair growing in. The texture has changed and it's a very nice "salt and pepper" mixture.)

ChemoSabe Rides Again!

"A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty Hi-Ho, Cancer…Away! Return with us now to those thrilling treatments of yesteryear. ChemoSabe rides again!"

Okay, so perhaps I “adjusted” the original Lone Ranger intro to suite my needs, but what do you expect…after all, these are the ChemoSabe Chronicles. ;o)

Today I arrived at Casa de Longo to take mom to her oncologist. I figured pop could use a little break and Mom and I were well overdue for a lunch date…even though she sees me, Andy and pop everyday, sometimes it’s good just to get out and mingle with non-Longos. :o)

We arrived at the Dream Team’s office only to be greeted like the prodigal son. There were hugs and kisses and numerous conversations to bring everyone up to speed on what has been going on since her last radiation. What should have been our follow-up visit after completing radiation was more of a shortened version of the classic board game Clue as we tried to figure out why momisan was draining fluid. It was nodes, in the Pelvic Room with Lymph Fluid!

It turns out that my super sleuthing was correct. Mom does indeed have a condition called lymphocele. Since her surgery required that the lymph nodes be removed from the pelvis, there is really no place for that fluid to go. It should be absorbed by the body, but due to the radiation, it may have temporarily impeded the body from doing that. Which in turn caused the pelvic mass of fluid – it was like a lymph system traffic jam.

Her oncologist said that as long as the drainage tube was in, the fluid would continue to drain. But if we remove the drainage tube, the body may now have the ability to absorb the fluid and the only way to tell was to remove the drain and then watch her carefully for any signs of swelling. The condition may or may not be re-occurring, but we won’t know for a few months.

Before we could schedule a time for momisan to have the tube removed, her oncologist wanted to confer with the infectious disease doctor one last time. He would not give a directive for removal until he knew that there was no sigh of sepsis, infection or any other bacteria in the fluid or in her blood. If the lymph fluid was just that, clear lymphatic fluid, then we could take the tube out with no worries. I am happy to report that her oncologist confirmed that everything is good and we have scheduled the procedure for Monday afternoon. The interventional radiologist should have her in and out by dinner time as it is a relatively simple and quick procedure.

As far as her Cancer treatment goes, she will indeed have to have another round of chemo. But right now, her body needs time to heel from battling this infection. Even her oncologist said she looks a little tired so the best thing to do was to post-pone the final round of chemo for thirty days. I am sure mom was a little disappointed that she had to have another round, but she knows that she has come too far to turn back now.

Someone once asked me how someone her age, can fight so hard…and the answer is simple. She does it for me. She does it for Andy. During her most recent hospital stay, she told me that she often prays to God to get her through another day because of all the time and love that we have invested in her. It’s not that we didn’t do it before she got sick, but for those of you who have traveled down this same path, you know that your love and devotion is magnified to a much higher level – a level that you didn’t think existed. That’s why she fights. In her mind she feels that she owes it to us. She fights to see her granddaughters play softball or to come over for Nan and Pop day. She fights in the hopes to see another grandchild soon. Now, I don’t say that to imply that we are expecting anything in return or feel that mom owes us something, or to portray us as some horn tooting, Cancer martyrs; but for anyone who has ever been beside someone fighting Cancer, you know that they get from day to day by fighting for something or someone that they love – Mom fights for us and I think that is one hell of an honor.

I am sure I will be on pins and needles for the next thirty-days. Mom and I talked about having to post-pone her treatment and I think she was concerned that she might have to start it all over again. She also posed the question that by waiting; it might cause the Cancer to rear its ugly head again because we have not yet completed the entire treatment plan that was developed for her in the beginning. But her oncologist said that since we completed three rounds of chemo and 25 radiation treatments and her last CT scan was clean, that the odds are currently in our favor. Our biggest hurdle is mom’s age. You can’t pound an eighty year old woman with treatments because as strong as she is, her body needs a break. So please join us in saying a few extra prayers this month that the good Lord will keep her in a holding pattern and just allow her to rest and get stronger to face her final round.

We ended the day by grabbing a little lunch and as we were discussing the days events, we were soon surrounded by the cops…okay, just one…Andy. He stopped by to join our little lunch gang and once again, I sat back and pondered my world. My head was replaying something mom had said earlier in the day – “A lot of wonderful things have come out of this journey” and you know, she is right. As I have often said numerous times before, the things that we consider as a curse sometimes hold the greatest blessings. Today, I am a better daughter, wife, sister and human being. All of our relationships have changed. Some for the better and some...well, let's just move on. The most important thing is that majority have proven to each other that when times are tough, we will be there to comfort, inspire and love one another…that’s what family does.

I have often heard people say that we should live our life with no regrets. For some that means having more material things than living life by the “Golden Rule.” Some believe he/she with the most toys in the end wins. But the truth of the matter is that those who are always trying to simply do the right thing are the ones who truly understand that is the only way to live life with no regrets.

For the next thirty days, momisan will get some rest and her body will have time to recover. Who knows, maybe in a few weeks we will take her on a little road trip (close to home) just to add a little fun and adventure into the mix. As always we thank each of you for the phones calls, emails, personal visits, letters and cards – Casa de Longo is looking like a Hallmark annex but mom can feel the love and well wishes from each and every one of you.

Blessing to you all!

ChemoSabe

Our Boy is a Killer

I had a Wild Kingdom moment in my back yard yesterday. My husband, James and I have two beautiful puppy dogs. We thought we would see if we could keep them alive before we added kids to the mix. :o)

I am happy to say that “our boys” are healthy, loved and probably spoiled. One dog, Ryker is like a little sentry. He is always on guard and looks rather menacing with those pointy ears and perfect posture. Then there is Ruger. We call him our special needs dog because he hasn’t a care in the world and can entertain himself for hours with his squeaky tennis ball.

Well, before I headed over to Casa de Longo for my daily visit, I decided to let “the boys” out to frolic and take care of business. Within minutes, I was on the back porch trying to wedge my way in-between Ryker and a huge Grackle (one of those giant black birds)…let’s just say that the bird lost.

I was horrified that my seemingly loving four-legged furbaby was a killer in disguise. But as I later explained to mom, I could not be angry with him, because certain breeds of dogs are genetically imprinted to hunt – no matter how domesticated they get.

This afternoon, “the killer” and I were sitting on the back porch and I started to think how watching him stalk his prey was very similar to fighting cancer.

Even though cancer is sometimes not diagnosed immediately, somewhere along the line you see something or some event occurs that grabs your attention – much like the bird (hopping along) that peaked Ryker’s interest. Then, you find yourself playing the waiting game. While you may not hide in the tall grass like my dog, you do become much more vigilant and watchful to see exactly what you are dealing with. You are basically sizing up your opponent, much like my furbaby and his Grackle.

Now, once you know exactly what you are up against (size and grade of the tumor and any sign that it has metastasized) then you are ready to move in for the attack. Much like my puppy dog, you have two approaches fast and furious or slow and cautious. There are some cancer patients that have extremely aggressive treatments while others have a more delicate course of treatment. But either way, the end result for each is the same…to take Cancer down, fast and with some type of finality. Much like the Grackle, I would prefer that momisan’s Cancer stay down for the count and not show any signs of life once we are finished with her treatments.

As I continued to watch my “killer” sun himself on the porch, I was thankful for his ability to remind me, in his own furry little way, what an amazing attack team we have. Our treatment plan is aggressive and while we have had a few set backs, we have made significant progress in moving this Cancer into remission.

Last night, mom’s nurse came by to change the dressing on her drainage tube and she gave mom the once over and then asked her if she was sure she was eighty. Mom said, “Yes, indeed” and her nurse said that she is in remarkable health. I reminded mom that eighty is the new sixty! And that, my friends is what gets us through those long days. When her medical team reiterates what we already know – that she is strong, healthy and making great progress on her road to recovery. As a side note, don’t shake her hand, she has gotten freakishly strong since the chemo and she has developed a G.I. Kung-Foo Grip! :o)

Tomorrow is a new day and hopefully we will have an answer as to why there is still an excessive amount of lymph fluid draining from her body. We can’t more ahead until the cause of the drainage is found and a course of action is taken to stop it. So please continue to pray that her oncologist will be able to ease the drainage tomorrow so we can all pile back onto this Crazy Train and make out way to our final destination – remission.

Val

Here is the “Killer” innocently posing with his family. From left to right: Val, Ryker aka “Killer”, James and Ruger.

It’s not Personal…It’s Cancer

First of all, I have to give a shout out to mom and Team Loco. We achieved landmark status today…we have been Googlized! That’s correct, if you go to Google and type ChemoSabe into the search box, our little blog, The ChemosSabe Chronicles, appears on the first page of results. Mom is a superstar in cyberspace and that would explain some of the lovely and encouraging emails we have gotten from others in different states across the U.S. - people facing cancer that find some similarity and humor in our parallel universe.

My mind was pondering in the shower this morning (I do some of my best thinking there) on how we sometimes interpret things too personally. For instance, when I visited momisan yesterday, she said she had received a few phone calls asking why she didn’t call to let someone know she was sick or in the hospital. Sometimes when you are in the midst of flying IV tubing and trying to dodge a nurse on a mission, wielding a pointy needle…you just forget. As her child and part of Team Loco, I sometimes forget.

We try and keep everyone in the loop as best we can. We field phone calls, emails, blog and rely on others to spread the word because the truth of the matter is there are not enough hours in the day to make 30 or more separate phones calls to keep everyone up to speed. For those who have taken a similar journey, you will understand that there are days when you are taking care of someone and days when you are catching up on all those things you have put on hold to either be a caregiver or a supporter. Most people are extremely understanding. But if you have not gotten an update from me, pop or Andy, please do not be offended. It’s not Personal…It’s Cancer.

I am happy to report that yesterday I found momisan and pop sunning themselves on the back porch at Casa de Longo. I stayed for a short visit and mom told me that hey had enjoyed a backyard picnic with the latest grub dropped by the Food Fairy (bbq pot roast with some homemade coleslaw). Today is her follow-up with the radiologist that sutured in her drainage tube, so we are hoping for some good news on that front.

For those of you that read this blog, I am sure that you understand the reasons why we share it with you. It is not to impress you, but to inspire you. If we can help just one person or family facing cancer understand that they are not alone, then we have accomplished what we have set out to do. When you have moments of doubt, if you can recall the 80 year-old lady in Texas that is putting up one hell of a fight, and that gets you to another day in your journey, then we are happy to share our story. If you find laughter and joy in the midst of sorrow and fear, then giving you a glimpse into our silly side is worth it. When you feel alone, know that there is unity with those who walk the same path. When you find hope in the midst of defeat, then we are happy to share our progress as well as the set backs. And when you can find your blessings within the swirling waters of chaos, you will know why I consider this journey a privilege and priceless experience between me and my mom.

It is definitely not a journey for the faint of heart or the self-absorbed. You have to be an unsolicited “giver” if you expect to walk with a patient and be of any benefit to them. I for one am proud to be a card caring member of Team Loco!

Thank you all for your prayers, love and encouragement.

Val

Flying Food Fairies!

I have received a few emails asking if my mom’s infection has any correlation with her surgery to remove her tumor back in September. So I thought I would clarify incase someone else is facing the same symptoms.

When she was diagnosed with endometrial cancer back in September of 2006, her gynecological oncologist removed everything, including the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are fascinating little things. They are part of the immune system and they are the body’s filter. The lymph fluid contains large quantities of the “infection fighters” - white blood cells. The nodes and lymph fluid filter out bacteria, infection and foreign materials that can be hazardous to the body – pretty nifty, huh?

For most people diagnosed with cancer, the only way to find out if the cancer has spread is to examine the lymph nodes. For those diagnosed with endometrial cancer, this is how the cancer is staged and graded. But here is where things can get a little bit tricky. Sometimes, no matter how cautious a surgeon is, when the lymph nodes have been removed, a few stragglers may be left behind. The nodes are microscopic and very hard to see with the naked eye. If nodes are left behind, the lymph fluid collects in them causing a condition known as lymphocele. Now, in most cases, the lymph nodes left behind will be reabsorbed by the body, but in mom’s case, her left behind nodes apparently missed that memo, so the fluid just continued to collect in those left behind nodes until they formed a large mass.

So, that is the reason that she still has that lovely drainage tube. It allows the lymph fluid to leave the body and in a few days, the remaining nodes should collapse and be absorbed. Now, lymphocele is predominantly found in those who have undergone renal transplant or any type of gynecological surgery for cancer. So if you fall into one of those two categories (or no someone who has) be on the look out for fever, chills, abdominal pain or any visible signs of swelling in the pelvic region.

While there is no concrete correlation between mom’s lymphocele infection and her surgery, the doctor does believe that some of the nodes were left behind which served as the catalysis for this latest medical episode. No one is at fault. There is really no way to tell who will fall victim to lymphocele and who will not – just be vigilant if you are in a caregiver position.

Now that we have that all cleared up, we have had two good days at Casa de Longo. Mom is slowly returning to her routines, even though I think there are days when she probably does too much too fast, but for those that know her that will not come as a surprise. Her nurse came by and she was amazed that at the age of 80, mom’s only real illness has been the cancer – it’s good genes! Mom really liked her nurse and she was extremely helpful in getting the physical therapy and follow-up appointments all lined up for mom.

It’s a relief to have her back home. She has come along way in two days and I really think that has a lot to do with being in one’s own environment. I am a firm believer that when we are surrounded by things that are both familiar and comforting to us, we have a tendency to feel much more relaxed and I think that definitely aides in the healing process. Besides, it makes it much easier for Andy and me to check on her (and pop) a few times during the day.

I am also glad to report that our “Meals on Wheels” deliveries have resumed. It’s not that mom and pop can’t cook for themselves, but a few times a week, I always make a little extra, as does Andy. It’s hard to take care of someone who has a major illness, especially when it spans a few months - everyone needs a break now and then. So during those times when momisan doesn’t feel like cooking, we try and give them a cooking reprieve.

Tonight’s delivery was chicken stew with fresh herbs, veggies and baby red potatoes and flaky biscuits. When I arrived at Casa de Longo, I knocked on the door (I avoid the bell for fear mom is resting) and after a few moments, I let myself in. (sorry you gave me that key…aren’t you? ) ;o)

I found the living room empty and as I tip-toed my way to the bedroom to check on mom, I found the cutest sight…mom and pop were napping! Even though we are in a holding pattern until pop’s CT scan for his ocular cancer, I am sure he gets tired like the rest of us.

I left a note on the counter and put dinner in the fridge and quietly snuck out of the house like a giant church mouse! Mom called me three hours later and said that the most amazing thing had happened…Food Fairies had come while they were sleeping and they had left a lovely meal in the fridge for which her tummy was truly thankful for. Now before anyone thinks my mom has been hitting her meds too hard, she didn’t really see Food Fairies, she knew it was me…but it was totally cute when she called. :o)

Here’s a big round of applause for all the Food Fairies who manage to drop care packages to cancer patients and/or their families. Every random act of kindness and support that is shown to a family struggling with cancer is both priceless and appreciated.

Find your blessings this weekend!

Val

Home or Bust

Thank You Lord that the past ten days finally came to an end today.

As I stated in a previous blog, it has been a very rough week for me (Andy and Pop too) with mom in the hospital and lovely family drama that has me on the verge of being the recipient of a peptic ulcer – it’s pretty safe to say that I hit my breaking point this week.

But I am happy to say that we finally got our blessing today – we took mom home…drainage tube and all. That’s the one reminder she has of her hospital visit, but as soon as those lymph nodes close up and stop draining, the tube will be removed. She’ll be on antibiotics for two weeks and will work with a physical therapist to work out the kinks she has from being in bed for ten days. All other Cancer treatments are in a holding pattern until she is fully recovered from this infection and gets some of her strength back.

She is all settled in at Casa de Longo and she is looking forward to a good night’s sleep in her own bed.

As I have stated in so many of my other blog postings, we celebrate every single step that moves us in a positive direction…and today was no different. As the nurse wheeled mom to my truck, everyone admired her “Home or Bust” sign. And as we drove home, mom grabbed my hand and told me that she was “leaving the dance with the one that brought her.” Do you hear that, Cancer? We are going to two-step, electric slide, waltz and Samba our way to the end!

Here’s to a good night’s sleep in ones own bed surrounded by their own stuff!

Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes, tomorrow is another day filled with new blessings and adventures.

Val

(With a son and son-in-law in law enforcment, we never want for a police escort!)

What a Tease!

I got a call from pop this morning and he said there was a little confusion between mom’s doctors – go figure!

The attending physician had every intention of discharging her today, but he forgot to confirm with the infections disease guru. Mom has more staff than the President of The United States!

The infectious disease guru came by to remove the drainage tube that he sutured in after her CTI aspiration. He said that there was still more fluid draining that what he would like to see, so he would not sign off to let mom go home. I know she was disappointed, but we explained to her the importance of making sure everything was cleared up before we took her home. As a matter of fact, I thought for sure she would have been much more upset about the mix-up, but she took it in stride.

She looked well today and she is able to do so much more for herself. She gets in and out of bed with minimal assistance and she seems much stronger with each day that passes…and that’s GREAT news.

Pop spent the morning with her and Andy stopped by for the mid-morning visit. I take the lunch and mid-afternoon visit.

As I unpacked her non-institutional sustenance today, (thank you Jason’s Deli) mom told me that there had been a new nurse in to take care of her. She proceeded to tell me that when the nurse introduced herself, she asked mom what her name was and mom had replied, “Momisan.” For those of you that don’t know, that is what my husband calls my mom. I just found it so funny to hear strangers enter the room and say, “How are you, momisan.” Tomorrow, it would not surprise me to see her staff backing out to leave the room, bowing and saying, “Arigato, Momisan”!

Just goes to show that even mom can keep her sense of humor in difficult times.

Hopefully, we will be able to take her home tomorrow. But as I finished making her a turkey from a latex glove (spending so much time in hospitals, one learns to entertain themselves), she said it had been a good day…and you know what…tomorrow will be even better!

Val

Day Light Come and Momma Go Home!

Did you ever have those days when you just wanted to move to a tropical island?

Can I just say what a crazy, pain in the rump the past three days have been? We have had drama on and off the courts and if one was to rate it on the Fujita Scale it would be an F6,but as mom was telling me today, this too shall pass.

I spent the day with her yesterday plucking crazy eye-brow hairs. She’s so cute..gosh forbid someone should see a uni-brow! They thinned out after chemo, but now it seems like the hair is growing quickly.

Today was indeed a new day. The follow-up CT scan shows that we are making progress in clearing up that lovely staph infection and I am glad to report that they finally took out the catheter and she actually had a decent meal. Let’s just say that this hospital food is by far the worst she has eaten and that’s bad for an Italian…we are foodies! So today I snuck in some eats from Jason’s Deli. She had a nice big bowl of veggie soup and a half a turkey sammie. She said it’s the best food she has had in days…and pop enjoyed his smuggled in Reuben.

We had a nice long visit today, and I am glad to report that momisan is back. She seemed a little off yesterday, but was rather spunky today. I think she is just glad to be going home tomorrow.

I will meet up with pop at the hospital and follow them to the house and help in getting her settled in. I am sure a nice long shower and a good sleep in her bed will do wonders.

In the next few days we will be following up with her oncologist and we will know for sure whether the journey for this family has come to an end or if we have one other stop to make before this crazy train pulls into its final station. So please continue to pray for good news on the oncology/CT home front. But if we have to continue with treatment, we are strong and have vowed to see mom through until the end.

I started this blog with a simple observation that Cancer has the ability to bring a family to its knees and shake it to the very core, but sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to know what you and others are truly made of. Someone once asked me how we have managed to do this for seven months. The answer is simple…family. And by family I mean immediate and those special individuals that have known us for so long that they qualify as extended family. Friends who have offered to take mom to appointments or drop off meals or just spend some time with her so Andy, pop and I could recharge and regroup to fight another day.

In the end, that’s really what it is all about – the ability to count on others to lessen the complications in your life so you can focus on the bigger picture. So once again for all those near and dear to mom (and us) we thank you for your prayers, kind words, generous offers and commitment to being with us for the long haul.



Val

Life's Little Playbook

I arrived at the hospital just a little before lunch today and mom looked beaten down. She had a rough morning, emotionally and you could tell that it had taken its toll on her. It would be great if we all had the capability to implement the “blocking” feature found in Outlook into our every day lives. That way we could use it selectively to filter the negativity and junk and be left with things that are positive and uplifting – how cool would that be! But until Bill Gates figures that one out, I should be thankful that I can at least use it on email. :o)

Mom had spent most of the morning, upright in a chair, and when I got there she was about do for a nap. She didn’t sleep too well the night before because the doctor had stopped by for a visit at 1:00am – how do they expect anyone to rest and get well if they make their rounds at such an ungodly hour?

She’ll be going for another CT scan in a few days. That’s the only way that they can tell if the antibiotics have been working on the infection. But her doctor said that she will most likely be in the hospital until Wednesday. We are going to start to interview some home health care agencies in the next few days. It’s important to have those in place before she gets home. They will have a nurse come by and check on her so she can relax in the confines of her own home. They will serve as another set of eyes until she is recovered.

Thankfully, it was a quiet afternoon. The highlight of mom’s morning was a visit from Deacon Ray. He is the most kind and gentle spirit that one would ever hope to meet and mom has known him for a long time, mostly through her church affiliation. She was so thrilled to tell me that he had stopped by to visit and her eyes lit up when she told me he had greeted her with a kiss on her melon. Thank you Deacon Ray for making her day!

Speaking of hair, you should see those follicles. As mom and I were standing in the bathroom, she said a lot of people were telling her that the back was growing in nicely, but she was disappointed that she couldn’t see what they were talking about. Once again, cell phone to the rescue. I took a snap shot of the back of her head and showed it to her. In true mom fashion she said, “Oooh that does look nice. I may not color it when it grows back.”

I am happy to report that her new nursing staff is WONDERFUL. They are all so sweet and attentive. As I left today, one of them pulled me aside and I thought she was going to yell at me because we were having way too much fun last night. But she said the nicest thing. She said that it was wonderful to see her children take such an active part in her care and that she brags about us once we leave – yep…that’s my mom! It’s odd to hear someone say that because frankly I don’t think we really think about it – we just do it. But if you pass by some of the other rooms, her comment makes perfect sense. Sometimes I feel sorrow for those older patients that have no one that comes to visit them. They rely solely on the staff to take care of them physically and in some cases emotionally.

We have gotten so many wonderfully messages of encouragement and thanks through this blog. It’s amazing how many people read it, some in the same situation as us and some that just find our adventure interesting and at times a bit humorous. Since mom is not into all things Internet, we made her a hard copy book of all the entries and messages (both public and private) that we receive through this site. They are all in a binder that she’s been reading for several months and reflects on at her leisure. She has even gotten to the point where she puts the book on loan and gives it to her friends to read – it’s like she is the public library!

Since this blog has been a journey about Cancer from diagnosis to remission, some have asked what will happen to it once mom is well again. I have already made arrangements to have the entries and photos made into a book for mom and the “wingman”. While we have no desire to repeat this process, it will become a cherished possession and testament to mom’s strength and resolve…and if I happen to find myself in a difficult situation, it will serve as my “Playbook” that they can be overcome.

Tomorrow is a new day, sleep well tonight!

Val

Mom Comm

Good Morning, All….

I thought I would post a blog update before I went to see momisan this morning. She is still in the hospital, but I am thankful that we have at least turned the page to a better chapter in the past few days.

She continues to recover from that CTI Aspiration and the doctor dropped by yesterday and said some of the infection has been identified as “staph.” So they have changed her antibiotics to treat it more aggressively and the infectious disease doctor will be following up with us on Monday.

Mom is doing the best she can with the current circumstances. I imagine she would feel much better if she wasn’t tethered to an IV pole or kicking the catheter bag out of the way, but we remind her that each day she is making a little more progress and pretty soon we will be able to “cut those chains that bind her” and take her home.

She is eating and drinking and for the past two days they take her out for a run around the floor to stretch the old legs and we move her to a chair throughout the day so she doesn’t feel so bed ridden…it’s all good!

We have returned to a semi normal lifestyle, but that is by Cancer standards of course. We don’t stay at the hospital all day; we work in shifts and via cell phone. It’s the funniest thing ever because Andy and I will call each other with daily updates just like the nurses do when they give report. We have dubbed our cell phone adventures as MOM COMM – and mom finds it rather amusing that she has her own mobile command unit.
I can’t imagine what we would do without cell phones!

I once blogged about the duality of Cancer, the fact that even during such a trying and difficult time, you find the most amazing blessings. Mom and I were talking about family yesterday and how the relationships and personalities within that dynamic have changed over the past seven months. My brother Andy has always been close to mom, and that’s because he and mom had a very special bond when he was younger. My dad was away at sea, so by the standards of that time, he became the man of the house and they took care of each other and that bond is still very much intact today.

I, on the other, was the last of the chillin’, and while not always perfect as I child (who really is) my bond with mom developed later in life, around twenty. Mom likes to tell people that she didn’t think I had it in me to take care of her, not because I was unwilling or incapable, but because I am the most squeamish person on the face of the planet. I will be the first person to tell you that I don’t deal well with pain, suffering, needles or anything really hospital related, but then again…I never really had to. I have never been in a position where one of my parents had been so ill that they could not do for themselves. So, if you really think about it, you never really know what someone has in them until they are called to the plate and have the courage to at least pick up that bat, whether they swing and miss or knock one out of the park is irrelevant; you just have to get off the bench.

Over the past few days, I have made a lot of observations about the changing dynamic. I see the way that my husband has put his arm around my brother and told him that he was here for him. I have seen the two of them take my nieces fishing for an hour, just to keep a certain order and balance in our lives during this difficult time, only to have my brother call me and say “You should have seen James with the girls, He’s going to make a good father.” – these are the things that give me peace and remind me that there are blessings to be found in adversity and illness.

Last night, we inadvertently converged at the hospital at the same time – Andy with his family and me with mine…we try not to do that because it turns into a cataclysmic force of nature and it’s a miracle we don’t get thrown out for laughing too loud. But as we tucked momisan into bed, with Andy singing show tunes behind a giant curtain, I couldn’t help but notice the smile on mom’s face. The woman is all about family and she finds great joy in knowing that we “get it”. All those years she has been telling us to be kind, be loving and family is always first has come back to her in an immeasurable amount. And that fact that she can witness how we have implemented those teachings into our own families is why I think she was smiling.

Thank you all for your continued words of encouragement, prayers, visits and well wishes – we are making progress each and every day!

Val

(Don’t worry; she didn’t snatch a baby from the nursery!
Before we left last night, Kristen (Andy’s youngest daughter) wanted to leave her baby, Annabelle with Nan so they could have a sleep over and Nan would not be lonely.)