This week was a busy one. On Monday Relay for Life in Barry County had it's kickoff. Tom was a guest speaker and I was at the front table greeting and selling tickets for the "Taste". It was a success!
Cody finished his meets for Wrestling and on Saturday had a tournament. He finished the 3rd in his class out of 8 schools that participated. Not bad for his first year in wrestling...great job Cody!
Saturday evening we had our 2nd Annual Cancer Suck Euchre Tournament. We had 44 participants and the room was packed. It was a night of laughter and fun. We were so blessed to have people come out to support our cause. Our first place winner was from Jonesville MI. congrats Scott. We had comments already about who will come (and win) next year!
Sunday our church celebrated our 6 year birthday at Voice of Hope. People stood up and talked about their experience in the life of our church. It was great and encouraging to hear how God has walked with so many and how we in turn effect each other. I believe everyone who got up declared our church a "family". When Tom got up his testimony brought about some tears. Another member, who just last week lost her dad to cancer, got up to speak with her husband and there were not many dry eyes in the audience. Thanks family for being there for so many!
I received the news this past week that Tom's calcitonin levels have dropped to 981. It is hard to understand why these levels go up and down but we celebrate every time it drops! Thank you God!
1 Corinthians 4:20-21 "The Kingdom of God is not just talking; it is living by God's power. Which do you choose? Shall I come with punishment and scolding, or shall I come with quiet love and gentleness?"
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Traveling Companion
Tom received a call a week before he left for Detroit. A longtime friend, Todd had decided to tag along with him. Sunday morning they headed out at 6:10 a.m. Tom had his MRI on Sunday morning. Monday, they headed back to West Bloomfield for a CT and Bone Density scans. Tuesday morning they went to downtown Detroit and met with the doctor for the results. Tom was told that the scans came back with good results. The scans did show that there was a spot in Tom's chest. The doctor said that he was not too concerned at this time. It could have shown up due to the way the drugs were pushed or the position Tom was in during the scan. He stated that he would like to watch for it on the next scans in June.
The guys had a good time hanging out together. I am so grateful that Todd was able to go with him. A big thank you for the rest of his family also that had to give up their dad & husband so Tom would not have to go alone.
The next time Tom will be heading down to Detroit is April 5. This will be during Spring Break for the kids. We will have to decide if this will be a family trip.
Psalms 43:5 "Trust in God! I shall again praise him for his wondrous help; he will make me smile again, for he is my God!"
The guys had a good time hanging out together. I am so grateful that Todd was able to go with him. A big thank you for the rest of his family also that had to give up their dad & husband so Tom would not have to go alone.
The next time Tom will be heading down to Detroit is April 5. This will be during Spring Break for the kids. We will have to decide if this will be a family trip.
Psalms 43:5 "Trust in God! I shall again praise him for his wondrous help; he will make me smile again, for he is my God!"
Sunday, February 13, 2011
A hard week
We made an unexpected trip to Chicago last weekend. My brother was driving down to MS with his boss to pickup the jet they fly. He was in a tragic accident in IN and flown into Chicago IL. He and his boss did not survive. Last weekend was emotionally draining. We went from being in a hospital in Chicago to another one in Detroit in a matter of days.
On Tuesday Tom & I got up at 4:00 a.m and were on the road by 5:00 so that Tom could get through his clinical trial. He needed to do this to continue with his medicine as you can't get his drugs through any pharmacy. The people at Henry Ford Hospital were trying to accommodate our request to get through quickly & be back on the road ASAP. They rushed us through and did a pretty good job, except that he was poked 4 times instead of just the once. His arms are still black & blue almost a week later. Tom will be heading back to Detroit before March 8 for all his scans once again.
It amazes me how strong my husband is. He was continually by my side and assisted with anything the family needed done. On Tuesday on our drive we talked, laughed and cried during our trip to Detroit. I wrote down some of my fondest memories and would share them with Tom. I think it was good for us to go through this process together as part of our grieving. I also wrote a poem in Dan's memory. Tom wanted to share these with the family & friends. I knew that as much as I wanted, I could not stand up and put to words what I had put on paper. On Thursday night he decided to speak at the funeral. He did such a great job! I am not sure how he got through it but it made us laugh through our tears. I am so proud of the man that I married. I could not imagine going through this without him.
Instead of the verse that I usually write, I would like to share the poem that I wrote in memory of Dan Van Dyke December 6, 1966 - February 4, 2011:
To My Big Brother
As we grew I looked up to you
My brother and my friend
It's so hard to say goodbye
This can not be the end
As memories fill my mind
The years that have flown by
You lived your life to the fullest
As you jetted through the sky
In life you brought laughter
Your smile filled the air
You will be so dearly missed
I'll never forget our time we shared
God called you home & I'm sure the Angels did sing
As you were given your forever wings
-Valerie Andrews
On Tuesday Tom & I got up at 4:00 a.m and were on the road by 5:00 so that Tom could get through his clinical trial. He needed to do this to continue with his medicine as you can't get his drugs through any pharmacy. The people at Henry Ford Hospital were trying to accommodate our request to get through quickly & be back on the road ASAP. They rushed us through and did a pretty good job, except that he was poked 4 times instead of just the once. His arms are still black & blue almost a week later. Tom will be heading back to Detroit before March 8 for all his scans once again.
It amazes me how strong my husband is. He was continually by my side and assisted with anything the family needed done. On Tuesday on our drive we talked, laughed and cried during our trip to Detroit. I wrote down some of my fondest memories and would share them with Tom. I think it was good for us to go through this process together as part of our grieving. I also wrote a poem in Dan's memory. Tom wanted to share these with the family & friends. I knew that as much as I wanted, I could not stand up and put to words what I had put on paper. On Thursday night he decided to speak at the funeral. He did such a great job! I am not sure how he got through it but it made us laugh through our tears. I am so proud of the man that I married. I could not imagine going through this without him.
Instead of the verse that I usually write, I would like to share the poem that I wrote in memory of Dan Van Dyke December 6, 1966 - February 4, 2011:
To My Big Brother
As we grew I looked up to you
My brother and my friend
It's so hard to say goodbye
This can not be the end
As memories fill my mind
The years that have flown by
You lived your life to the fullest
As you jetted through the sky
In life you brought laughter
Your smile filled the air
You will be so dearly missed
I'll never forget our time we shared
God called you home & I'm sure the Angels did sing
As you were given your forever wings
-Valerie Andrews
Thursday, January 13, 2011
A Long Days Drive
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?"
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?"
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!
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