Tom was up and at 'em on Tuesday heading to Detroit by 6:00 am:
Tom is back on the Chemo drug. The labs show that his potassium, magnesium, and calcium levels are still low. They have put him on yet more drugs to bring these levels up. Tom talked with his primary doctor and asked to be put back on the drug Maxide (that they had also taken him off ) as the side of surgery returned quickly after he stopped using this drug. Tom has struggled for the past couple mornings as his face blew up like a balloon so bad that he could barely see when he gets up. I've noticed he is struggling with his breathing also as he sleeps. We still do not have the results of his Calcitonin level.
Tom is adjusting very well to his role of Mr. Mom. I must say I enjoy coming home to dinner on the table and relaxing as he cleans the kitchen. The dogs are having a hard time getting used to Tom being home at night. They've lost their spots on the bed. This past week the Sleep Lab threw Tom a little luncheon. He truly works with a group of caring and generous people. Tom was blown away when the physician he has worked for the past several years got up and thanked Tom & complimented him on his quality patient care.
Luke 12:25-26 "And besides, what's the use of worrying? What good does it do? Will it add a single day to your life? Of course not! And if worry can't even do such little thing as that, what's the use of worrying over bigger things?"
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
Exelixis’ XL184 Granted Orphan Drug Designation and Assigned the Generic Name Cabozantinib
This is the trial drug that Tom is on. It now has a name other than XL-184! Click on the title to follow link.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
New Year's Set Back
The Andrews' family enjoyed the holidays. Christmas and New Years were both busy as we enjoyed spending time with family & friends. Our Ohio friends came to visit and we spent some quality time with them. The kids enjoyed seeing their long distance pals. On Sunday Tom quietly celebrated another birthday.
In the past few days Tom has noticed some new or different side effects which required him to call his doctor in Detroit. His doctor has removed him from the experimental drug and ordered him to Spectrum Health asap for blood workup. Tom is experiencing numbness and tingling in his arms, legs, and face. He has also had some temporary paralysis in his hand. This appears to be some type of metabolic problem, possibly related to low calcium or blood sugar levels. We will not know for sure until we get results from the tests. Hopefully it is as simple as a new prescription to get Tom back on track and the doctor will allow him to return to the study. To add insult to injury Tom has been battling sore throat & ear aches again. He seems to be more susceptible to these type of viruses. On Tuesday, January 11 Tom heads back to Detroit to discuss the next steps with Dr. Ali. Long range forecast is predicting another storm to hit on that date. Gotta love that drive.
In this new year many people make resolutions that are hard to follow through. I have decided that this year I am just going to enjoy the people & relationships around me and not take a day for granted as we never know what tomorrow will bring. I have looked back over this past year and seen many trials, challenges, and hope. Though I have started getting up early again (since mid December) to workout. I have other focuses that are far more important. I have been reminded to simply Live, Laugh, Love.
1 Timothy 4:8 "Bodily exercise is all right, but spiritual exercise is much more important and is a tonic for all you do."
In the past few days Tom has noticed some new or different side effects which required him to call his doctor in Detroit. His doctor has removed him from the experimental drug and ordered him to Spectrum Health asap for blood workup. Tom is experiencing numbness and tingling in his arms, legs, and face. He has also had some temporary paralysis in his hand. This appears to be some type of metabolic problem, possibly related to low calcium or blood sugar levels. We will not know for sure until we get results from the tests. Hopefully it is as simple as a new prescription to get Tom back on track and the doctor will allow him to return to the study. To add insult to injury Tom has been battling sore throat & ear aches again. He seems to be more susceptible to these type of viruses. On Tuesday, January 11 Tom heads back to Detroit to discuss the next steps with Dr. Ali. Long range forecast is predicting another storm to hit on that date. Gotta love that drive.
In this new year many people make resolutions that are hard to follow through. I have decided that this year I am just going to enjoy the people & relationships around me and not take a day for granted as we never know what tomorrow will bring. I have looked back over this past year and seen many trials, challenges, and hope. Though I have started getting up early again (since mid December) to workout. I have other focuses that are far more important. I have been reminded to simply Live, Laugh, Love.
1 Timothy 4:8 "Bodily exercise is all right, but spiritual exercise is much more important and is a tonic for all you do."
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Winter in the D
At 4:30 am on Sunday morning Tom and I looked out the window and saw rain. I opted to get more sleep, but my experienced husband said, lets get moving we don't know what we'll run into around Lansing. His prediction was correct and we had a white knuckle drive all the way to Detroit. We arrived on time but exhausted. Tom's first scan was his MRI and then we spent the afternoon shopping for each other for Christmas deals...and we got them :)
We settled down at the Henry Ford Guest Housing Sunday night and were sleeping soundly when at 12:02 am the fire alarm went off and we needed to evacuate the building. Tom was not patient with me as I was getting dressed because I refused to stand outside in my silk nightgown in a blizzard. After about 1/2 an hour of total confusion we were allowed back up to our rooms with the explanation of the "Residency floors fire alarm was accidentally pulled!" I felt sorry for the parents of the 6 infants I saw walking around.
Monday we bounced back & forth between West Bloomfield and Detroit hospitals. It was sunny but bitterly cold. After all the contrast & radioactive meds that Tom was given, he was ready to head back to the room. I have to say that all the time spent waiting between tests and driving between hospitals was exhausting!
Tuesday morning we were called into Dr. Ali's office early as he needed to leave the hospital before our appointed time. Luckily we were just across the courtyard and ready to go when we got the call. Dr. Ali met us at the reception room and ushered us into a room to hear the results. He said that he was pleased with the results from the scans. All the tumors were stable and there was no new areas of growth. Dr. Ali commented about Tom's weight loss, he was down another 4 pounds this month. He is almost back to what he weighed in High School. As long as the blood work shows that his levels remain satisfactory they will not worry about his weight loss yet. They talked about the severity of the side effects to the drug and decided to keep Tom on the current dose. I find it interesting how this drug effects patients differently. Tom is the only patient in the Detroit study who is showing rapid weight loss as well as his cool new hair color.
We were told that this study will be completed at the first of the year. It is our understanding that while the drug company moves towards FDA approval Tom will still be allowed access to the drug. We are hoping that this will mean less trips to Detroit. The drive home void of stress, we just couldn't wait to get there!
The side effect of the chemo along with the 12 hour night shifts have become too much for Tom. His doctor is placing him back on disability effective December 29 (he never wanted Tom to return back to work in the first place). This will be Tom's last weekend of working nights. While I know he struggles with this decision he has finally accepted that his doctor, friends, and most of all his wife are right. I am looking forward to having my Mr. Mom at home again.
Psalms 95:6-7 Come, kneel before the Lord our Maker, for he is our God. We are his sheep and he is our Shepherd. Oh, that you would hear him calling you today and come to him!
We settled down at the Henry Ford Guest Housing Sunday night and were sleeping soundly when at 12:02 am the fire alarm went off and we needed to evacuate the building. Tom was not patient with me as I was getting dressed because I refused to stand outside in my silk nightgown in a blizzard. After about 1/2 an hour of total confusion we were allowed back up to our rooms with the explanation of the "Residency floors fire alarm was accidentally pulled!" I felt sorry for the parents of the 6 infants I saw walking around.
Monday we bounced back & forth between West Bloomfield and Detroit hospitals. It was sunny but bitterly cold. After all the contrast & radioactive meds that Tom was given, he was ready to head back to the room. I have to say that all the time spent waiting between tests and driving between hospitals was exhausting!
Tuesday morning we were called into Dr. Ali's office early as he needed to leave the hospital before our appointed time. Luckily we were just across the courtyard and ready to go when we got the call. Dr. Ali met us at the reception room and ushered us into a room to hear the results. He said that he was pleased with the results from the scans. All the tumors were stable and there was no new areas of growth. Dr. Ali commented about Tom's weight loss, he was down another 4 pounds this month. He is almost back to what he weighed in High School. As long as the blood work shows that his levels remain satisfactory they will not worry about his weight loss yet. They talked about the severity of the side effects to the drug and decided to keep Tom on the current dose. I find it interesting how this drug effects patients differently. Tom is the only patient in the Detroit study who is showing rapid weight loss as well as his cool new hair color.
We were told that this study will be completed at the first of the year. It is our understanding that while the drug company moves towards FDA approval Tom will still be allowed access to the drug. We are hoping that this will mean less trips to Detroit. The drive home void of stress, we just couldn't wait to get there!
The side effect of the chemo along with the 12 hour night shifts have become too much for Tom. His doctor is placing him back on disability effective December 29 (he never wanted Tom to return back to work in the first place). This will be Tom's last weekend of working nights. While I know he struggles with this decision he has finally accepted that his doctor, friends, and most of all his wife are right. I am looking forward to having my Mr. Mom at home again.
Psalms 95:6-7 Come, kneel before the Lord our Maker, for he is our God. We are his sheep and he is our Shepherd. Oh, that you would hear him calling you today and come to him!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
November Visit
Has another month flown by? Life is not slowing down anytime too soon. Katie is down to her last game this Saturday. We take a breather in December before the 2 younger ones begin again in January. Tom is counting down the last days of working weekends. Starting in January he will be on his old schedule of Monday-Wednesday nights. Hopefully this will be easier as we will all be gone and the house will be quiet for him to rest. Tom has not done much EMS and I know that he misses it and the people he works with. We will be gearing up for the holidays really soon starting with our 21 year tradition of setting up the x-mas tree over Thanksgiving weekend. Tom says he needs a little Christmas right this very minute.....you know the tune!
Yesterday Tom went solo to Detroit. He had a good visit with the Dr. Ali. No changes again and they were pleased with his lab results. Tom was able to meet up with the other MTC patient while he was there. They talked about how their lives had changed and the challenges they face with the disease and effects of the chemo. I think it's great that they are able to encourage one another and share as they can't in depth with the rest of us who can only sympathize. This other patient has been on this chemo for over 2 years, that in itself is very encouraging!
Tom is scheduled to get his Scans December 12 & 13 and then on the 14th he will hear the results. I plan to go with him this trip for 3 days of medical fun! Hopefully he will feel up to shopping while we are there as I really liked the Novi mall! The contrast that Tom has to take for these tests can send him for a loop so we may just have to relax at the hotel. That may be ok also as we don't usually get much time to rest up.
I hope that everyone has a great Thanksgiving and will take the time to reflect the meaning of being thankful. We all have so much that we take for granted. I am thankful for all of you who take time to connect with and pray for our family. I know I've said this before, but I don't know how I would get through life without all of your support. I can't speak for Tom but I know he has been so overwhelmed by all that people have said & done for us.
2Corinthians 4:8-10 "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don't know why things happen as they do, but we don't give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. These bodies of ours are constantly facing death just as Jesus did; so it is clear to all that it is only the living Christ within (who keeps us safe)"
Yesterday Tom went solo to Detroit. He had a good visit with the Dr. Ali. No changes again and they were pleased with his lab results. Tom was able to meet up with the other MTC patient while he was there. They talked about how their lives had changed and the challenges they face with the disease and effects of the chemo. I think it's great that they are able to encourage one another and share as they can't in depth with the rest of us who can only sympathize. This other patient has been on this chemo for over 2 years, that in itself is very encouraging!
Tom is scheduled to get his Scans December 12 & 13 and then on the 14th he will hear the results. I plan to go with him this trip for 3 days of medical fun! Hopefully he will feel up to shopping while we are there as I really liked the Novi mall! The contrast that Tom has to take for these tests can send him for a loop so we may just have to relax at the hotel. That may be ok also as we don't usually get much time to rest up.
I hope that everyone has a great Thanksgiving and will take the time to reflect the meaning of being thankful. We all have so much that we take for granted. I am thankful for all of you who take time to connect with and pray for our family. I know I've said this before, but I don't know how I would get through life without all of your support. I can't speak for Tom but I know he has been so overwhelmed by all that people have said & done for us.
2Corinthians 4:8-10 "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don't know why things happen as they do, but we don't give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. These bodies of ours are constantly facing death just as Jesus did; so it is clear to all that it is only the living Christ within (who keeps us safe)"
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Monthly visit
Fall is here! It is Tommy's favorite time of the year. He is enjoying watching his youngest boy playing Football and trying to make it to his daughter's basketball games. While Tom is unable to eat, he still joins us at dinner time. It has been nice to have laughter at our dinner table again on the few nights the family can actually sit together. It's memories I hope we can all cherish for years. I am so grateful for the times we have.
This trip Tom had company. Thank you to his friend Chris who took the time to take Tom to Detroit and did not get him lost! :) The boys had a few hours to kill so they found their way over to Trader Joe's in Grosse Pointe. My wine rack is now stocked for the holidays.
Dr. Ali. was pleased with the way Tom's body is handling the chemo. His platelet's were low and they once again wanted to take him off the Maxide, but we've been there with the face swelling and the difficulty breathing so Tom convinced them to keep him on. He was having some cramping in his legs and was told that this is a side effect of having low potassium. It was decided to keep everything the same for Tom. If things do not improve by his next visit in November, Tom may be put on yet another medication.
Psalms 126:4 "May we be refreshed as by streams in the desert"
I actually have a book titled that and it has helped me through some tough times. Thanks again to my friend who gave it to me and to others that hold our family in their prayers. Life is tough...pray hard!
This trip Tom had company. Thank you to his friend Chris who took the time to take Tom to Detroit and did not get him lost! :) The boys had a few hours to kill so they found their way over to Trader Joe's in Grosse Pointe. My wine rack is now stocked for the holidays.
Dr. Ali. was pleased with the way Tom's body is handling the chemo. His platelet's were low and they once again wanted to take him off the Maxide, but we've been there with the face swelling and the difficulty breathing so Tom convinced them to keep him on. He was having some cramping in his legs and was told that this is a side effect of having low potassium. It was decided to keep everything the same for Tom. If things do not improve by his next visit in November, Tom may be put on yet another medication.
Psalms 126:4 "May we be refreshed as by streams in the desert"
I actually have a book titled that and it has helped me through some tough times. Thanks again to my friend who gave it to me and to others that hold our family in their prayers. Life is tough...pray hard!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
The Rat Results
I read the title to Tom and he stated "Sometimes it's good to be a rat!"
Tom came home today after being in Detroit since Sunday. He had a Bone Density test, MRI, and CAT scan. This morning he met with his doctor to go over the results. The doctor was very pleased with the scans and told Tom that he his bone scan showed that the cancer is stable. The cancer will not shrink in the bone so stabilizing it is the best result. The scans over his soft tissue (lungs and liver) shows that the cancer has shrunk. Dr. Ali talked with Tom about his side effects and determined that Tom will stay on his current dosage again. Tom has some blistering in his feet. He also has numbness in the fingers but Dr. Ali said that as long as it is not effecting his writing then he feels Tom should continue with his medication.
Tom will be back to Detroit on October 19 for a 4 hour visit. Then head back again on November 16. He will have scan sometime in early December. Then on December 16 he go over those scan results at his last visit for the year.
Thank you to all who have prayed over Tom and our family. On Saturday when I was explaining to the kids that Dad would be gone again for more test I was asked some questions. I told Katie and Cody that these scans show how Dad's cancer is doing if it grew or stayed the same. Katie pipped up and said "Or shrinks". I smiled and said, "Yes, that too. But I was afraid to say it out loud. Let's hope that is the case" Today Tom got to tell her that was! It was a great to see her face light up!
God makes a promise-faith believes it, hope anticipates it, patience quietly awaits it.
"But we have the true hope that comes from being made right with God, and by the Spirit we wait eagerly for this hope" Galatians 5:5
Tom came home today after being in Detroit since Sunday. He had a Bone Density test, MRI, and CAT scan. This morning he met with his doctor to go over the results. The doctor was very pleased with the scans and told Tom that he his bone scan showed that the cancer is stable. The cancer will not shrink in the bone so stabilizing it is the best result. The scans over his soft tissue (lungs and liver) shows that the cancer has shrunk. Dr. Ali talked with Tom about his side effects and determined that Tom will stay on his current dosage again. Tom has some blistering in his feet. He also has numbness in the fingers but Dr. Ali said that as long as it is not effecting his writing then he feels Tom should continue with his medication.
Tom will be back to Detroit on October 19 for a 4 hour visit. Then head back again on November 16. He will have scan sometime in early December. Then on December 16 he go over those scan results at his last visit for the year.
Thank you to all who have prayed over Tom and our family. On Saturday when I was explaining to the kids that Dad would be gone again for more test I was asked some questions. I told Katie and Cody that these scans show how Dad's cancer is doing if it grew or stayed the same. Katie pipped up and said "Or shrinks". I smiled and said, "Yes, that too. But I was afraid to say it out loud. Let's hope that is the case" Today Tom got to tell her that was! It was a great to see her face light up!
God makes a promise-faith believes it, hope anticipates it, patience quietly awaits it.
"But we have the true hope that comes from being made right with God, and by the Spirit we wait eagerly for this hope" Galatians 5:5
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