Treatment Day 5

HIP, HIP, HOORAY! Chris did it! He has successfully completed Week One of treatment. He received his final dose of IL2 this morning at 6 am. Believe it or not, we actually got up at 2:30 this morning to walk the halls before his blood draw at 3. We wanted to make sure his platelet count would make one more dose. Sure enough, it did! The final dose knocked Chris down hard. It took him most of the day to recover. From what we understand, it will take the weekend and part of next week to really get him back to full strength. We've made friends with some of the other patients on the floor. Their stories are encouraging. Our next door neighbor Steve is on his second round of treatment. After his first CT scan, his tumors shrunk 64%! This evening Chris and I went out to walk the hall and bumped into Steve and his wife Sue. Chris and Steve walked and discussed their aches and pains. They've had very similar side effects. I walked with Sue and shared our comparative stories as caretakers. There is no one better to understand what you are going through than someone else going through it. I have to take a moment to thank our biggest support group of all. My mom, dad, Chris' dad, and stepmother for everything they did this week and will do in the weeks to follow. Without them, I wouldn't have had coffee, or food, or someone to be with Chris while I went to the bathroom. We are so very lucky to have such wonderful, supportive parents. I'm going to end this now because Chris and I are celebrating our last night here with a movie and the fireworks from the Bison game! Please keep checking the blog. I plan on writing next week while we are home. And then of course, I will continue to update our progress during our hospital stay the week of July 9th. Thank you for all your comments! I read them every day. Chris reads them every evening. Your love, support and words of encouragement are helping carry us through! xo, Teresa

Treatment Day 4

We've almost made it through our first week of treatment! Thank you for all your love, support, and prayers. Chris was able to get his platelets high enough for a morning dose of IL2! The recovery was rough. The rigors weren't as difficult as they've been in the past, but the fever and exhaustion took this round. The side effects lasted most of the day. Around dinner time, Chris began to come around. I have to say, he is a great source of entertainment when on pain medication. He doesn't even realize he is providing a bit of comic relief during this stressful time. I've been writing down the funny things he says because I know he won't remember. I want him to know that he made me laugh. His Irish skin now has a sunburned look. And like a real sunburn, it will begin to itch and peel when we get home. Since the dose, his platelets have depleted. We've been walking the halls to try and get them to reappear. His fantastic doctor, Dr. Pili, believes his platelets are hiding out in his spleen. Walking is a way to possibly get them to stop playing hide-and-seek. Those that know my dad know he is a father first and a coach second. Therefore, Coach Giancola has come out of retirement and has gotten his son-in-law walking laps around the unit. He yells, he cheers, he is very motivating. Chris walked for 20 minutes before his most recent blood draw and was able to get his platelets up 13,000 units! (I don't know if units is the correct medical term, but I thought it sounded appropriate). From what I understand, when Chris was younger, he worked very hard to be a fantastic athlete. He always went the extra mile to perform at his best. Tonight, he will be giving it that extra mile to prepare his body for one final dose! He is determined to kick this cancer out of our life. Keep thinking and praying for us as you go to bed. Pray for platelets, platelets, platelets. Pray that Chris' body continues to be strong. And then think of us as you wake up, praying that we are getting our last grueling treatment for the week. Then we can go home and appreciate all that we've been given. We couldn't do this without you! xo, Teresa

Fate

I can remember the first time I began to think about fate. I was a senior in high school, getting ready to head off to college. I had chosen to go the University of Michigan. A very large (and expensive) college, where I would know no one. I was nervous and excited about the entire process. As I packed my bags to go, I kept thinking about other girls in the country doing the exact same thing at the exact same moment. I also remember thinking, that these girl would end up becoming my friends for life. It was an overwhelming thought, but one that became very true. My nearest and dearest friends are four beautiful women I met my freshmen year at U of M. We came from all over the country, and we are spread all over the country again, but our friendship will last forever. Take a look back at your life and see the ways the stars aligned to bring you where you are today. It's a pretty cool concept if you ask me. Even though I used the phrase, I really don't think it has to do with star alignment. I strongly feel that God has placed situations in front of us that provide an opportunity to make decisions. Those decisions lead us to excatly where we are supposed to be at any given moment. Some may say its luck, others may say its pure coincidence, but when I look back at how I got to where I am today, I can only believe in fate. I wrote how when I left Chicago I was positive it was the wrong decision. We all know it was not. It happened for a reason. Most know Chris and I met at our annual Union Scholarship party, but I don't think many know the course of actions that lead to that meeting. Chris was diagnosed with kidney cancer the year before I met him. I had heard his name at work on numerous occasions due to the fact that my co-worker Stan, was a very good friend of his. I knew that Chris had gone through a health scare and although my heart went out for this man I never met, I never really thought much about it. The following year, Chris celebrated his one-year anniversary of being cancer free. Our school district is a large sponsor for Relay for Life and our local paper did an interview with Chris on his ordeal. I was a new homeowner and thought it would be very mature to subscribe to the local paper, even though I never took the time to read it. I vividly remember that warm spring afternoon, standing at my kitchen table and for some reason, I opened the paper. There staring me in the face was this picture of a cute guy. I decided his picture was cute enough that I should sit down and take the time to read his article. As I read it, I began to get this feeling that I needed to meet him. Many of you know, I had my own medical struggles as a child and I really felt like I could relate to some of the things Chris was saying in this article. But as I thought this, I also thought how in the world would I ever meet him? I put the idea into the back of my brain and continued on with my day. It was only a few days later that I found myself sharing a drink with a friend at a local establishment. I brought up the article and to my surprise, this very insightful friend thought we would be perfect for each other. Unbeknownst to me, they had gone to high school together. He knew that we had many common interests and would make a fantastic match. The only problem, he didn't know Chris well enough to get the two of us to meet. Once again, I put the thought to the back of my mind. If you know our love story, you know that I did go to work and quietly fish for information. No one knew much. I refused to ask his friend Stan. Quite honestly, I had no desire to be "set up." I'd done that a few times before with absolutely no success. Once again, I put the thought to the back of my mind. When I went to the union party, as I did every year, I had no intention of even running into him. It didn't even cross my mind that he'd be there. I was just excited to get out for an evening with my friends and have a few drinks. But as you know, we did meet that fateful day. Then unexpectantly at a bar, two days later. A bar I went to often, but Chris never did. I never saw Chris out in Lockport in the three years I had lived there. Yet, I saw him twice in three days! Coincidence or fate??? You know which one I think! As you all know the rest is history. But what about where we are today? Sometimes I think God did this to remind us of how strong we are. Like I've said before, I'd fallen into a hypochondriac state. I think someone above is reminding me of what's important and that I do have the power and strength to overcome anything. Chris and I were both strong, independent individuals before we met, but he waited until we were one dynamic unit to put such a difficult task in front of us. God knew what He was doing when He "aligned the stars" to make our paths cross. I also think it was fate that has brought all of you into our lives. We wouldn't be able to get through this without the loving support of our friends and family. So today, think about the fate that has brought you to where you are. The good, the bad, the ugly. The happy and the sad. The moments that have happened in life that have made you who you are. I know I'm amazed at the person I continue to become because of the moments that are placed in front of me. xo, Teresa

Treatment Day 3: Part 2

We just found out that Chris' platelet count is still too low for the next dose. We'd really appreciate prayers and positive thoughts that his platelet count increases by morning! We are here to fight and we don't want to go home without truly giving it our all! xo, Teresa

Treatment Day 3

It's been a roller coaster of a day, but that seems to be our life pattern. Chris has been working very hard over the last 24 hours. Beating cancer is a full-time job. Someone should really compensate him for his hard work. If there were an evaluation system, I'd have to rank him as a highly-effective patient. That was a joke for all the teachers reading this blog. I apologize to our non-teacher friends if you didn't get it. Chris received his ten o'clock dose last night. I was quite nervous because this was our first evening dose. After the horrible rigors that occurred earlier in the day, I was afraid to be his only support. I have to commend the nursing staff. They truly are amazing. Without them, this treatment would not be possible. We warned our evening nurse Theresa (ironic, right?) of the difficult time we had with the previous dose. She decided that she would have the Demerol on hand, so she could administer it the minute Chris began to shake. It gave me a bit of comfort to know she was ready. Chris took the dose like a champ and even fell asleep after it was administered. I sat frozen, watching him. And for one hot second we both thought, maybe he won't get them this time. Of course, we were wrong. We are discovering that Chris is quite symptomatic to the IL2. I'm praying that this means it is working, but of course there is no way to tell. We will have to wait 6-8 weeks for the ever so nervewrecking CT scan to tell us our fate. Once again, I digress. Chris got up to use the bathroom and the first shake appeared. We immediately called Theresa and she was in our room instantly. She had the Demerol adminstered in record time. Denise, his aide, came armed with a warm blanket. It seemed to help with the chills. Chris did shake, but it lasted only 15 minutes and then fell asleep soundly. The other side effect that continues to reoccur is a fever. And in my professional opinion, it isn't a typical fever. He truly radiates heat from the inside out. I cover him with cold compresses, actually my dad has gotten quite good at this too. We have to constantly change them because the minute they touch his skin they become warm. Ladies, you can relate to this. When I remove the wash cloth it reminds me of the hot compresses they put on your feet when you receive a pedicure. My hands feel like icicles during the process, but no pain no gain! After the side effects subsided, Chris and I got a decent night sleep. We woke up to the joy of another IL2 treatment. The side effects were the same, but this time the recovery was long. Chris began retaining water and his skin remained warm for hours. Two foot massages later, his feet were still swollen. He slept a lot. I honestly didn't think he'd recover for the next treatment. And like most women, I was right. His platelets dropped too low to receive the 2 o'clock dose. Not that I wanted him to miss the dose, but it did give him time to recover. It also gave me time to go home grab a nap, a shower, and a Tim Hortn's sandwich. While I was gone, Chris was left with the men in the family. DJ, my dad, Chris' dad, and let's not forget his nurse Jim. They hung out, watched the Patriot, walked a few laps, napped and drank plenty of water. His spirits are back up and we are hoping his platelets are too. Blood was just drawn and once again, we wait. We are wishing and hoping and praying that his body is ready for another dose! As his doctor said, you're here to get IL2, and that's what we are going to do. Next week, you rest. Prayers tonight that we are up having the rigors with a side of Demerol. We need them to shake the cancer to Timbuktu!!! xo, Teresa

Treatment Day 2

Tuesday is coming to an end. It wasn't too long ago that I walked into school saying, "Happy Hump Day! We've made it halfway through the week!" Tomorrow that saying is going to have a whole new meaning. It's been another long day. There is a lot more sitting than doing. Last night, I ended my blog awaiting the dreadful 10 o'clock treatment. As I'm learning through this process, life is unexpected. It doesn't always happen as you've planned. Chris got a slight fever. To our chagrin, we found out he'd have to skip the dose. Chris and I have a strong faith in God, and as most know, so does our Italian family. It was time for me to take out my Rosary, wrap it around my wrist and set to praying. On a side note, the wrist wrapping comes from my lovely, very religious, Italian grandmother. She prays the Rosary daily at 3:00, but I digress. I also set to making sure Chris drank as much water as possible. I was determined to get the fever to break. And break it did! While we weren't up all night sick from toxic drugs, we were up every hour on the hour using the bathroom! We were back on track. Our day began at sunrise with a dose of IL2. The side effects were a little more severe, as we knew they would be. The rigors have appeared to be a consistent nightmare. Words will not be able to describe these awful, uncontrollable shakes. However, with the morning dose, Demerol put them and Chris to bed quite quickly. To sum it up, the morning dose was pretty uneventful. Some shakes, some sweats, a nap, and we were good to go. The time ticked slowly waiting for the next dose, which we knew we'd probably get. All vitals pointed to Go. And came it did. The tremors began about 45 minutes after the drug emptied into Chris' chest. They began small, but progressed to a point that was unimaginable. Our fabulous nurse Jim, administered Demerol the moment Chris mentioned he was beginning to tremble. Unfortunately, it took a good 30 minutes for the Demerol to actually work. That half an hour was the longest of my life. The most amazing part of the grueling ordeal was the focus and fight I saw in my husband. He was determined not to allow the muscle spasms to take control of him. I was proud of the man I married six months ago, but I'm bursting with pride today. Tuesday will continue here on Five West as the day turns into night. We will wait to see if the doctor will give Chris his 10 o'clock dose. Please say a prayer for us as you climb into bed. Pray that we will continue to have the strength to get through this week. Pray that in the end, this will all have been worth it. xo, Teresa

The "Expected" First Year

I've heard so many people say, "the first year of marriage is the hardest." There are finances to discuss, chores to divide, drawers to share. It's supposed to be a year of discovering who the other person is and figuring out how to mold your personalities into one family unit. But after being married a few months, I said to my handsome new husband, "I don't know what everyone was talking about. Being married to you has been easy." Chris is the ying to my yang. I'm a neurotic hypochondriac and he is the calm voice of reason. He looks at the glass as half full while I tend to look at it as half empty. Throughout our relationship, I constantly waited for the other shoe to drop. Life was perfect and I kept thinking, it cannot continue this way. No one can have everything. I was head over heels in love, I had a terrific job, a beautiful home, and a couple of adorable dogs (though some may beg to differ). How could things continue in this wonderful way? No one ever gets it all! Looking back now, I'm upset with myself for worrying so much. Worrying didn't change anything, it only made me waste precious moments that I should have enjoyed more than I did. I truly believe in the saying, "everything happens for a reason." Usually that reason doesn't make sense until much later, after the fact, when you have enough clarity to look back on a period of time and say, "ahhh that's why things had to happen that way." To give a quick example, when I left Chicago and moved to Lockport, I thought I made the wrong decision. I had every intention of moving back after a few months. Obviously, I didn't. Looking back now, moving to Lockport happened for a reason. The reason: Chris! It's from that experience that I know years from now we will say, "oh thats why we had to fight that horrible battle during our first year of marriage." With life experiences come life lessons. Through this ordeal, I'm learning to appreciate the little things and I'm trying not to sweat the small stuff. Life is too short to waste your first year (or any year) of marriage fighting over the finances, or which way to fold the laundry. Try to find happiness in the little things. I'm happy to be spending time with my husband, in a hospital room, while he kicks this cancer to Timbuktu! I'd follow him anywhere. The rest of life will fall into place when the time is right. As long as we have each other, we can do anything! xo, Teresa

Treatment Day 1

We are all checked in and calling Roswell Park our home for the next 5 days. I don't really know how I will distinguish between the days. Chris will receive treatment every 8 hours, so in reality, the days lump into one very long week. I will consider this Day 1 because to all of you at home, the day is coming to an end. Dinner is ending, dishes are being washed, baths are being drawn, the first day of summer is officially over. Our day has been slow going. We arrived at Roswell bright and early this morning. Chris registered, had an EKG, and then was sent to radiology to have a central line inserted in his chest. He returned to his room, which we tried to make as home-like as possible. We then waited for the dreaded first dose of medication to arrive. At precisely 2pm the toxic bag of fluid entered our room. It took 15 minutes to administer and during that time Chris felt great. He found a new app for the iPad, some golf game that he, my brother, and my dad have quickly become addicted to. About an hour and a half after the drug was given, the side effects slowly began. First, he had some chills from the inside out. Very slight and they only lasted about 20 minutes. He then became quite flushed. And now 5 hours later, he feels like he has the flu. A bit nauseous and warm all over. His blood pressure dropped slightly, but it is now back in normal limits. I'm going to force him to walk a few laps of the floor in a little bit (he isn't too happy about that right now), but that's my job! In three hours, he will get another dreaded dose and I know we will have a long night ahead of us. They certainly don't let you rest much in the hospital. Luckily for me, many friends have armed me with books and magazines to help pass the time. That's it for now! Keep coming back to visit...I've got the itch to write and plenty of time to do it! xo, Teresa

The beginning...

I've been contemplating ways to keep our family and friends both near and far in touch with our unexpected journey through our first year of marriage. I didn't want to post this trip all over Facebook or another form of social media. The reason being, the "friends" we have on those sites aren't truly friends at all. They are acquaintances, people we've met along the path we call life. We have so many wonderful, loving friends and family that we want to keep informed, but I didn't want to have to keep repeating the information to the separate groups. This whole blogging idea seemed like it might be the best way to get in touch with everyone and give myself some therapeutic relief. Everyone can grab a wifi connection and get a quick update on how Chris and I are doing through this ordeal that we will one day refer to as "Our First Year of Marriage." It's an unexpected first year, that's for certain. And I plan on touching upon that in later posts. Feel free to comment, give positive words of encouragement, share your own story, or just read and be with us in spirit! Thanks for coming along with us on our ride! xo, Teresa