We Have a Plan!

I am pleased to announce that I am scheduled to have my liver surgery sometime around June 27th. Although we still have a long ways to go, we are certainly encouraged by this news. Thank you again for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. This experience has taught us a lot about the power of the human spirit:)

Jon

A picture of us at Mike Kaushansky's wedding.
A perfect day for a drive around the golf course with the best looking caddy Jon will ever have!

Jon and some boys at his friend Mike Kaushansky's wedding.

Friday May 25th

Today we received the results of Jon's second CT scan. The CT looks the same. The tumors haven't grown or spread, which is good news. The liver surgeon is scheduling his liver resection the last week of June. Jon is doing well. We are going to have an appointment with a GI specialist on Tuesday and another with the oncologist on Wednesday.

Sunday May 20th

Jon had his 6th chemo treatment on Tuesday. This Thursday he will have a CT scan. Then our next step is to see the liver surgeon with the results. We are anxious to speak with him and see if he is OK with doing the liver resection in the next couple weeks. Overall, Jon has done well through all the treatments. Thanks for your continual support!!!

5th Chemo Run Done

Yesterday we met with Dr. Flynn..he was very encouraging. At this point he didn't expect the tumors to shrink. He thought everything was looking good, with his labs showing a good response to chemo. Today Jon had his 5th treatment and found out that his cancer marker(CEA) is now "2", which is wonderful news. One more treatment to go and then another evaluation for a hopeful liver resection. Thanks for checking in!

Update

Hi everyone- Sorry it has been so long since the last entry. Jon has been doing well. Last week he had his 4th round of chemo. He has been feeling well for the most part. He gets a little tired and worn out the first couple days after chemo and then he is better. Today was a big day...he had his first CT scan 0f his chest/abd/pelvis since before the treatment started. The results came back that everything is "status quo"...nothing new nor changed. The three tumor spots on his liver look the same size. Nothing has spread, and nothing has shrunk. We were hoping to see that the chemo had decreased the tumors a little. We know that he is responding though, because his cancer marker lab has been coming down. Next Monday he has an appointment with Dr. Flynn, where we will discuss these results and our continual game plan. We are still on the track of 6 treatments, and hopefully the liver resection in early June. Hope everyone is doing well...

Happy Easter

We hope that everyone had a great holiday weekend. Jon is doing well. He had his third 3rd treatment last week and didn't experience the severe pain he had with the 2nd treatment. We also learned that his cancer marker dropped down to 10 (which was in the 30's 2 weeks ago). After his next treatment he will have another CT. The plan is still the same...6 treatments and then a liver resection.

Clinic visit with Dr. Flynn

Jon saw the oncologist this am. Dr. Flynn gave Jon encouraging news. All of his labs are normal, he isn't experiencing any concerning side effects, and he is responding well to the treatment. Jon's next chemo treatment is tommorrow. Two cycles of treatment done....four to go!!!

Colon Cancer Walk

Thank you to everyone that came out and supported Jon. It was cold and raining, and the support was appreciated. The "Keep Your Pooper Super...Fight Colon Cancer" shirts were a big hit!!! Jon has an appointment with Dr. Flynn (oncologist) on Monday. He will have his labs drawn before the appointment, and then Flynn will discuss his progress and ongoing "plan". Hope everyone has had a good weekend!

Lab update!!

Before Jon started chemo he had a cancer marker lab test done. It is a number that is followed to see how well his chemptherapy is working. Before chemo started it was 67 and today we found out that after one treatment the number decreased to 30!!! The number was cut in half, and we are very greatful for some good news.

Chemotherapy Day

Jon had his second run of chemotherapy today. We were up bright and early. We were at the clinic at 7:30 am and left around 1:45pm. It took longer today, because he received the bio-therpy drug (Avastin) for the first time. The drug had to be infused slowly for the first administration. Three chemo drugs were also infused. His labs were drawn and everything looked good also. He hasn't experienced any nausea, only some tingling in his knees. Thanks for checking in!!!

Weekend update

Jon continues to do well. Blake was with us this weekend, so he has been "out & about" with him. Last Wednesday Jon had his labs drawn and everything was normal. This week Jon will start his bio-therapy treatment along with the 3 chemo meds.

Get Your Rear in Gear!!!

On March 31st, there is a 5k run, 5k walk or a 1/2 mile kids fun run in support of colon cancer research. Show your support for Jon's butt by getting your own out there! Here is the LINK to more information and details.

Follow-up with Dr. Sielaff

Jon had his follow-up with Dr. Sielaff (liver surgeon) yesterday. Dr. Sielaff re-assured Jon that doing chemo before surgery wasn't a set back, but just a different approach to his treatment. Sielaff is confident that Jon will respond well to the therapy and is planing on seeing Jon in the OR in 3 months for his liver resection. Jon is in good spirits and looks good!!! He is eating well, not losing weight, and hasn't had any side-effects from the chemotherapy. Tommorrow he will have his 1 week post chemo labs drawn.

1st Day of Chemotherapy

Jon had his first run of chemotherapy yesterday. He was there at 7am sharp and left at 1130. He is now connected to a chemo med, which infuses until tommorrow morning. He is feeling okay, with a couple bouts of nausea. He has experienced some tingling in his hands and legs (a side effect of one of the meds). He continues to work on his challenging diet. The colo-rectal surgeon gave him the okay to advance his diet. Aunt Glady and Uncle Dick are currently staying at the house & have been a great help. Thanks for your continual support...

Visit with Dr. Flynn

Today Jon had his appointment with the Oncologist. He sees Dr. Tom Flynn at the Virginia Piper Cancer Institute. Dr. Flynn said he was ready to start chemotherapy with Jon next week. Jon will be on 3 different chemotherapy drugs (Eloxatin, Fluorouracil, & Avastin). He will have his chemotherapy every two weeks. We picked to go in on Wednesdays. When he leaves he will have one of the chemo meds infusing for 3 days, and then go back in to be disconnected on Friday. We are currently reading through all the information on the meds and their side effects. Tommorrow at 2pm we are going to an orientation class about what to be expected over the next 3 months with chemotherapy. After 3 months of chemptherapy we hope that Jon will then be ready to move forward with liver surgery. Thanks for all of your kind words and continual support.

With our "close personal friend"

Jon's opening night of the "Holmes Bar"

Monday Update

Jon has an appointment with the oncologist on Wednesday. We are hoping to start chemotherapy ASAP.

Liver Resection

Jon went in today (2/22) to have the right lobe of the liver removed. This is the lobe in which they saw the 2 spots (Cancer) on the scans. The surgeon went in with a scope first to have a look around and saw 2 more small spots on the surface of the right lobe of the liver that were not seen in the multiple scans he has had done. This, along with an elevation of his liver enzymes (markers of liver inflammation) and a conversation with the oncologist lead the surgeon to believe that Jon should first undergo chemotherapy to shrink the size of the tumors and then have the right lobe removed in about 2-3 months. He will start the chemo soon.