Hiza's Blog

Memorial Slide Show + Postcard Update

2011-03-23T13:33:00.000-06:00

Some of you asked about the slideshow that was shown during the memorial service.

https://picasaweb.google.com/jahiza/KristinMemorialSlideshow
https://picasaweb.google.com/jahiza/KristinMemorialLobbyPosters

Additionally, it is still very important to our families if you would take the time to fill out some post cards, the information can be found here:
http://jhiza.blogspot.com/2011/03/postcards-post-care-memories-impact-and.html

Thank you for everyone's support to both the Hiza and Horgan families, it's nice to know we have such a good network of family and friends.

Donation Information

2011-03-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

In lieu of flowers, food, and other items, there have been two funds setup for charitable contributions.

1) The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation is a fund that was setup to assist the families of cancer patients with financial and emotional support to reduce the amount of stress and increase their quality of life. The information and donations can all be made online and is here:

http://www.tcjayfund.org/

or by check at:

The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation
PO Boxs 50798
Jacksonville, FL 32240-0798

or

2) A scholarship for high school seniors is setup in her name to assist student athletes that need financial assistance to acheive their collegiate goals for Aurora Public Schools students, the district she taught in. Checks can be made payable and sent to the following:

Aurora Public Schools Education Foundation

Educational Services Center 1

15701 East 1^st Avenue, Suite 100

Aurora, CO 80011

(303) 326-2042

or online at

https://www.givingfirst.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Cart.New&Organization_ID=27657&CFID=2851198&CFTOKEN=69368445
Please select Program in the dropdown, and then the donors can specify in the comment box that the funds should be directed to the Memorial Fund for Kristin Hiza.

Please indicate on checks for both in the Memo section to put "Kristin Hiza". The same is true for online donations at both sites.

Kristin's Celebration of Life

2011-03-07T18:38:00.000-07:00

It is with a heavy heart and slow hands that I type this. Last night on March 6, 2011 Kristin Diann Hiza (Horgan) passed away. She was at peace and not in pain, which was our greatest concern of the unknown. We appreciate all of the support we have been given.

The memorial service will be held at Aurora Public Schools Professional Learning and Conference Center on Saturday, March 12 at 1pm. The map is HERE.

Updates to follow with the charitable contribution information.

Postcards (Post-care) - Memories, Impact, and Experiences of Kristin

2011-03-05T15:28:00.003-07:00

So, thanks to some smart thinking from people who care about Kristin, they came up with the idea of having people to contribute things that you've learned from Kristin, things that remind you of Kristin, vacations you've gone on with her, concerts, funny quotes, anything that reminds you of Kristin on a postcard. Find a postcard (or two, or three, or four, or whatever) that symbolizes your relationship/memory with her, personalize it with a message, and post it to the house. This is a way to have an evolving scrapbook of Kristin's impact on people's lives that we will store.

Please send postcards to:

Kristin/Justin Hiza
2711 Quitman St
Denver, CO 80212

Snapfish has a cool service where you can create a postcard out of a photo, so you can personalize what the photo is.

Click here to use their site to create a personal photo postcard. I think it's like $0.75, so cheaper than most postcards anyways.

It's been awhile

2011-02-10T13:30:00.004-07:00

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to get a posting up. Luckily, I have a husband who is willing and up to doing that for me.

After 37 consecutive days in the hospitial, I am home, but unfortunately, it's not for reasons I'm stoked to share. Unfortunately, the coil that they put in my stomach did the job for one thing (like it stopped it from allowing me to bleed to death from the inside) but I can no longer be on blood thinners or ele I bleed, in which case is life threatening emergency because I am bleeding from the ulcer at the GE Junction which is where the caner started. I am stable right now, meaning I am not bleeding nor clotting, but there is nothing they can do for me. They will do no more chemo or treatment because there isn't anything treatablee left..

This is the hardest think I've ever had to say, and they talk about being at "peace"with it....well I'm not there yet, but can work on getting there. It's a battle, and one I have to oercome, just like the rest of the battles I've fought until now.

I have all of Juustin's, and all of my own famiily here right now. I ask that you please respect that.. I know that this is going to bring on round of visitors #2, and I just hope everyone can respect family first. I know I've avoided my cell phone, and I hope you can see why.

I'm not sure how long I'll be home, and it's likely I'll end up back in the hospitial.

Love to all.
Kristin

The Coagulation Battle

2011-02-07T17:38:00.002-07:00

Over the past couple days there have been some changes in Kristin's health. Friday night she had a rough night where she had some bleeding in her BM. Her hemoglobin and hematocrit levels had dropped some, and they had to give her 4 units of blood. They then went in and did an Interventional Radiology procedure where they more or less "go look for the source" via dye and a camera. It has to be bleeding at a certain rate for them to detect it, and they weren't "sure" if they got it or not (they "clogged" up an area), because they didn't see anything actively bleeding. Due to this, they took her off of her blood thinners.

Based off of some blood tests the next 24 hour period they determined that they would put her back on the blood thinners. Her brothers flew into town and we all watched the super bowl yesterday, and kristin prepared for the game by having a good day of rest, and was ready to watch the game by night. An exciting game, and most of us were rooting for the Packers. I came back in to the hospital this morning, and she had to have 2 more units of blood after we left, which means she is bleeding internally again. The decision was made to take her back off of the blood thinners again. At this point the decisions are getting harder. She has to stay off of the blood thinners because it is more dangerous for her to bleed than it is for her to clot.

All in all, a lot of emotional conversations today, time is getting shorter.

Chemo 11.3333333333 Update / Hair

2011-02-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

So after last round of chemo's ass kicking, the decision was made to split this one into thirds. Instead of getting a full dose every 3 weeks, she will get 1/3 of a dose every week. Probably a good thing, as Kristin has been drained even from that dose that she got on saturday. She had a good week before chemo of starting to walk around more, the migration to pain killing drugs that she can take at home (pill vs intravenous), etc. She has started to eat a bit more before the chemo, so "preparation" for going home has started. Her goal today is to walk around more.

Unfortunately, however, we talked with our Dr today and it's not likely that she will be going home before her next treatment on saturday. She needs to be to the point where her PTT tests only have to be taken once a day. Today they are going to go from every 8 hours to every 12 hours, so she's headed in the right direction. Once she is at home, a nurse will come over once a day to draw blood for this test.

We cut her hair last week as well, since it was starting to fall out. She looks great, and hasn't put much stock into "having hair" or not. As she said, "I've got bigger things to care about than hair", so at least she has things in the right perspective.

She's been here over a month now, so hopefully she can get out of here soon. Maybe next week sometime is the goal now.

Hospital hangout

2011-01-24T22:58:00.000-07:00

Well, Kristin is still at the hospital. Things change frequently enough that blog updates once or twice a week feel already out of date. I read the last posting and try to assemble the pieces in my head around what has happened when. Nothing major, just lots of little things that change a lot.

Since the PE, her blood has not been as responsive to the Lovanox, and she is now on a Heparin drip via IV full time. There are a few suspicions as to why one of which is the possibility her body isn't absorbing it as well because she has lots of fluid in her tissue in her abdomen which might not lend it to being distributed in her blood stream as effectively. So yea, she still has some abdominal swelling in her upper thighs, stomach. Part of it is from sitting, part of it is just how it has been lately. She has started to feel better lately, and is going on daily walks (which they think might help her body re-absorb some of the fluid).

The did another CT scan to see if they could get any more clues that might be GI related, but nothing major popped out, so it's kind of the same story there. She is still on a liquid diet (in addition to her TPN IV).

We watched the NFC/AFC Championship games this past weekend with her parents and got to see the Packers hang on against CSU lead Haney's comeback attempt after watching the Bronco's favorite lost child, Jay Cutler, play poorly before ultimately leaving with an injury.

We were talking tonight and I commented how she's "in jail" both mentally and physically right now, and what an awesome job she's been doing. As hard as it is watching the person you love the most battle with not being as active as she once was (which obviously is an important part of our lives), she has been great and is an inspiration.

Thanks for everyones kind words, thoughts, cards, comments, etc!

Pulmonary Embolism #2, but this time, in Denver!

2011-01-18T20:33:00.003-07:00

I'm confident that a break has got to coming our way, I can only pray it's sooner rather then later. Yesterday afternoon I was napping, Justin was working on his computer in my hospital room, and I received a surprise visit from one of the chemo nurses from over at the clinic. She came to give me a foot rub, as she did at Chemo when I was feeling down, which was such a sweet gesture. Part way through her visit I had a coughing fit, nothing new, I'd been having them, and Kim left. My coughing fit turned into an all out coughing rage with this intense pain in my left rib cage. I litereally started to freak out, yell because I knew what it was - another pulmonary embbolism (a blood clot that had traveled to the lungs.

What does this mean? Keep he good thoughs coming. I'll update more and when I feel less drugged tomorrow :)

Bagels and Eggs

2011-01-17T21:52:00.002-07:00

aSo I'll pick up where Justin left off, but will keep this short, as I'm not far from falling asleep tonight. I've been here 2 weeks today! When they got in my esophogus (Justin used the term endoscopy), they found food remnants that were causing the blockage/not being able to swallow - the bagel I'd eaten a few days prior and scrambled eggs I ate the day before. GRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSS! No wonder it hurt so badly to swallow, though. They removed the leftovers, but since they were in there so long, they created a yeast infection in my throat. So I was put on antibiotics for that.

Next to come were the dreaded mouth sores that can accompany chemo, and boy, would I never wish them on anyone. You could google an image if you'd like, but I'll spare you the details. I was already placed on a clear liquids diet because of the yeast infection, but couldn't dream of eating with these nasty sores, so I am eating food through a bag via one of my lines. I dream about what it is each night they bring it in :) I progressed on to a full liquid diet with my bag of food, which means milkshakes, smoothies, soup with the chunks strained out, pudding, is really all I can eat. Luckily since This big old bag is feeding me, I'm not that hungry for much more. What feels the best is super cold, slushy things I can drink through a straw. Juices, water, smoothies over ice with no lumps - pretty boring, but providing some nutrients.

My next road bump came when I developed a rash all over my body - one that is expected with this form of chemo because of the hit it delivers to your platelet count, but the other was unknown. I was on about 4 different antibiotics because of the pneumonia, the yeast infection, and 2 other infections that they were taking precautions by giving me because my white blood cell counts were so low I was susceptible to every and any germ that came by. Well, The rash remains, as they are working to figure out which antibiotic is causing it, but they can't just go pulling me off all of them - that wouldn't be safe. So that's the next mystery to solve.

Tonight, well, tonight I was the lucky recipient of yet another pulmonary embolism. I've been coughing with the pneumonia, but just today the cough changed, and the stabbing in the side, inability to breath thing kicked in. I told the nurse I thought I had a PE because I knew what it felt like, showed here where it was, etc. They got me down and rushed in for a CT scan and sure enough, right where I pointed, that's where it was. It's terribly painful, so the pain pump I am wearing is getting many more pushes today then it ever has.

It's been a hell of a two weeks, but I've had some amazing surprises come my way - my friend,Vail, flew in all of the way from Mexico to see me. I can't remember if Justin mention but my brothers and their ladies also surprised me, as did some college friends, and Lex from California! I was in a really bad place last weekend, but things are starting to pick up thanks to the amazing support network I have on hand, including my parents who have moved here and my loving husband. Bet he never thought he'd see me on a commode :)

As far as when I'm leaving, there is no plan in place. There is, however, rules and restrictions on my visiting hours/times. As much as I love the surprises, I can't have any more. Reason being is they are only allowing me 4 people in the room with me at the same time, and hours are between 10a.m. 2 p.m. and then again from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. You need to literally sign up to come visit, as obnoxious as that sounds. You can contact either justin or I via email, text, (phone calls are hard to return, to be honest) with a day or two that could work for you/time you wanted and then we could let you know if it's even available. I don't want to schedule anything past this weekend, to be honest, because I'm trying to be optimistic about getting home by then. Also, you can NOT come if you've just gotten over being sick, have a sick kid at home (because you could be carrying it and not know it) or if you feel at all sick. Please respect this.

For all of you who have called either Justin or I and we haven't called back, please know that the calls still mean a ton, but we're working hard to even have time together, esp. during the week. We love you all, and I'll be home before you all know it!!!!

Wow, right? That's how we feel.

Jan 11 Update

2011-01-11T20:05:00.000-07:00

No endoscopy today, her white blood cell counts were too low. Instead she had a CT scan to see how things were doing, and additionally to take a look at the pneumonia that has started. I think the pneumonia was caught really early in the process (she had a first cough sunday, and they were researching it monday and found it), so they put her on antibiotics immediately. They don't seem overly concerned about the pneumonia, which is comforting.

It is now thought that she might have a Clostridium difficile infection, which they are in the process of testing for. They put her on the antibiotic for that anyways, so that they are 24 hours ahead of it if she has it. The "good" part about possibly having that is that it would explain some of the diarrhea, stomach bloating, and abdominal pain.

If her white blood cell counts are high, the plan is endoscopy tomorrow to see what the difficulty with swallowing is. They hooked up a PICC line today so that they can give her nutrients and other things because it can't all go through her Power Port. She had a Neupogen shot today to boost her white blood cell counts.

She is still getting her butt kicked by chemo, but is looking much better today after a good amount of rest, and a nice pain pump.

More to follow soon.

January Update & Springfield visitors

2011-01-11T19:49:00.000-07:00

Well, where to start. We rang in the new years by Kristin going to sleep at 10ish and I fell asleep in the reclining chair with a cat on my lap at 1130. First year I hadn't made it to new years! Unfortunately a couple days later landed Kristin in the hospital, where she still remains. She has had some pretty severe pain in her abdomen as well as swelling. They have drained her abdomen a total of 3 times now each of them yielding differing amounts of fluid, but none of them being "ultimately relieving". They help a little bit, but not a ton.

A lot of people have asked if the beads have "worked" or "not", and the fact is that we don't know the answer to that for another month or so. A PET or CT scan is planned in a month-ish to take a look. The doctors don't look sooner than 6-8 weeks after they are inserted because essentially they aggravate the tumors and wouldn't get an accurate reading.

Kara was nice enough to organize a miniature Springfield College reunion as a surprise to Kristin. Mel, Liz, and Tamara flew in/drove down to hang out for a few days and chat, which I know Kristin appreciated (as did I, Kara).

She started a new mix of chemo drugs and had a round of that this past Saturday. We are hopeful that they can help relieve some of her abdominal pain. The new drugs we only need to have every 3 weeks instead of every 2, so there is a little more downtime between them. The downside is Kristin is getting her ass kicked right now moreso than any other drugs she's had. She has been a tired cookie, resting most of the day with likely a couple more days of the same. Her parents have been staying in the hospital room with her during the day, and I come down after work to see her, so she has no shortage of loved ones around. Her grandmother also flew in from Long Island to see her this past weekend (and today as well).

Tomorrow has another endoscopy scheduled to take a look at why swallowing is getting painful. She is at least enjoying wearing a children's top and small men's hospital pants instead of the enormous gown!

Keep thinking positive thoughts......

More clot surgery and Chemo #10

2010-12-30T14:49:00.006-07:00

Yup, you read it right ... another go around with blot clots! My body is just a clotting machine, most likely attributed to my cancer as the main source. They had even just upped my dosage of blood thinner, but on Christmas day I felt them coming on again in my left leg. I did all that I knew to do, and called the doctor the day after Christmas. Dr. Spencer had me scheduled for an ultrasound and then any necessary procedures by first thing Monday morning. The clots were in my stents, this time inside of the top one, and the veinous area below my 4 stents is just "a mess", so the Dr. put it, as it has just sustained so much damage, this may not be the last one.

I was given the option to just prep for surgery Mon. night, so I got some fluids in me, all of my blood work done and came back Tues. for surgery and got to spend the night at home. Same routine, a roto root, a check of everything around it, and then an overnight stay in ICU for monitoring. With all of the discomfort I have had in my abdomen, the doctor also tried to drain my abdominal cavity, but they only got 350 ML out of my belly, so we've kind of ruled that out as the source of my abdominal pain/swelling. No one knows why it's happening, but they are trying to figure it out. It's terribly frustrating, to be honest. The pain is getting old, as is this routine. I can't sit up straight, put my laptop on my lap, go from sitting to standing without pain and help...I imagine it feels like what a really pregnant belly feels like. I'm also now on an oxygen tank, jut because my levels are low per the hospital. I can totally pinpoint what it is - the fact that my abdominal region is so swollen, I have adjusted my breathing to take more shallow breaths due to pain. If it's going to be awhile on the oxygen, I'll need to get a fancier travel one then I have, because lugging that one around behind me or Justin having to push it is no fun. Let's hope for the not long term option!

I was able to be discharged from the hospital wed. and at chemo within 10 minutes. Sounds like quite the way to spend the day, but better to get it out of the way for sure! Had Justin, Tim, and Danlella even got to come for a bit. Chemo went as expected, and I'm on day #4 post chemo today. Lots of fatigue and stomach cramping, but nothing out of the norm.

Not feeling good for the last few months is starting to take a toll on me in all aspects. This liver pain/abdominal pain and the fatigue that is just constant is harder then anything I've ever dealt with. It's wearing on my emotional status, obviously my physical status, and is just more challenging each and every day. The focus needs to be on getting past this obstacle, and I'm really working hard on that.

It was so nice to be able to spend Christmas with my brother and Justin's family. Tim ended up stranded here a few extra days between two snow storms, but I'm not gonna lie - I didn't mind! I've included a link to all of my Christmas pictures at the bottom of this entry. My folks get here again on Jan. 10, right in time for chemo #11. As of right now, my next scan (for sure PET, maybe CT, too) is set up for the end of Jan. I'm also headed back to see the GI Doc the 12th to follow up on my swallowing issues.

Really hoping that 2011 brings some better luck my way then the end of 2010 did. It's not been the easiest year, and I couldn't have made it as far as I have in this process without all of your love and support, so please keep it coming!

christmas album

XOXO Kristin

Liver zappers are in!

2010-12-17T13:06:00.008-07:00

I'm home from the hospital one day after my SIR Sphere surgery, and things went well. The surgery itself lasted about 1.5 hours, and you don't really feel much. I was so drugged up going into it, to be honest, I slept through a good portion of it, and was just woken up by the doctor asking me to hold my breath, breathe in, cough, etc. I couldn't see much on the monitors during surgery because of all of the stuff covering me. I did, however, get a man that came in and used a geiger counter (?sp) after the surgery all over me and all over the room, and as you can see, I did get a pretty bracelet I have to wear for a week. I also got to be put in a glass enclosed room during my recovery time with a big sign out front warning pregnant women and children to not enter :) I felt really special. Dr. Spencer was pleased with the percentage of beads that she got "in there". Her best so far is 93%, as some get caught up on the sides of veins, etc., and she got 92% in me! She was also able to get the full dose in as well, which means I don't have to do this again in the next few weeks!

I didn't really sleep much after the surgery, but came home and relaxed with my parents. I woke up in the middle of the night pretty nauseous, and I've got some abdominal cramping that's just sort of constant/causes me to walk hunched over, but it's OK. Yesterday Dr. Spencer actually told me that the tumors will grow before they shrink, so I should expect my abdomen to get bigger. It's definitely bigger - you can see a big bulge (bigger then before) in the upper right quadrant of my abdomen, which is kind of wild. I'll just keep thinking positive that it's all working, so if I end up with a giant beer belly for a bit, that must be why!

My Mom and Dad are here through Mon. night. Mom is busy doing laundry and just helping us keep up the house and her and my Dad are going to bake Christmas cookies this afternoon! Nothing like a ticket to eat a dozen christmas cookies a day if I want to - trying to keep the weight on! Not sure if we'll do much this weekend. We had hoped to watch the Giants vs. Philadelphia with some friends that are Eagles fans, but since I'm supposed to sit 3-6 ft. from everyone and avoid small children, period, for a week, we figured that wasn't our best idea, so we'll just watch it at our house. Our next outing may be bowling for a friend's birthday on the 23rd. Not sure I'll bowl, but we'll see how the old abdomen feels! Chemo returns on the 28th, so I've got a break for a bit. I guess the ol' liver needs a pretty substantial timeout after this, so chemo would just aggravate it a whole lot, and we don't need that!

Thanks, once again, for being such amazing family, friends, and a support network through this next step in this process. We have received so many messages, cards, emails,and just positive thoughts and vibes from all aspects of our lives, and it has helped us all get through this next step more then we can express. It has helped everyone in my entire family, and we are truly grateful. We couldn't do this without everyone's support and love.

Love,
Krisitn and Justin

Getting ready for my SIR Sphere

2010-12-11T12:45:00.006-07:00

As I sit at home and miss my first good weekend of ski season (I guess it's the first of many I'll miss out on this year), I'm trying hard not to focus on the things I can't control, and focus on what I can. Not being able to ski on the brand new skis I bought and only rode once at the end of last ski season totally sucks, but... not much I can do about it. Even if I wasn't on the blood thinners as heavily as I am, there is no way the fatigue I have right now would put me up for skiing. I'd probably end up in the hospital with a broken arm or torn ACL, and we sure don't need that right now! It's very frustrating to not be able to do anything active....I tried to live a pretty active lifestyle before all of this went down, and now, going to COSTCO and Target is enough to make me have to come home and rest. Dam chemo drugs!

I'm having my 2nd surgery on Thurs. this week. Having this waiting time stunk in some ways, but in a positive light, it's allowed not only myself, but family and friends who had questions about what exactly they are doing to me to research the procedure, learn more about what it is, what the goals of the surgery are, etc. The goals of the surgery are to decrease my pain, stomach distention, and to shrink, stop the growth of, and hopefully kill all of the tumors they can in my liver. I was excited to find out that the Dr. who did my first surgery for SIR Sphere, Dr. Nutting, was the first Dr. in the United States to perform this procedure (it's out of Australia). He recruited and trained my Dr. who has done all of my leg surgeries and his partner, Dr. Spencer, to bring her to his practice so he could use her skills in "roto rooting" and to teach her how to perform this specific procedure to really bring their practice to the top of the field of Interventional Oncology. I feel so lucky to pretty much have fallen into the hands of such amazing doctors thanks to the work of my friends that researched oncologists in the area when I first got sick. I'm in some of the best hands in the country for this surgery!

My pain level has pretty much stayed steady. I still look like I'm a good 3-4 months pregnant with my stomach distention, can't put on a pair of jeans because they won't fit around my sticking out belly, and my abdomen is rock hard, but not in the way you'd like it to be like a 6 pack! I am really looking forward to the pain and discomfort decreasing over the next few weeks.

As far as what we're up to these next weeks, we've got some more time scheduled with friends and family all of the way up to the holiday. We'll go visit Justin's grandparents tomorrow, and then my parents will be out here on Wed. - Tues. to take me to and help out with any effects of the surgery. I shouldn't have too many side effects. They tell me they'll be similar to a chemo treatment, with some nausea, a few days of stomach cramping, and fatigue. I'll be sleeping in my own bed, as I have to stay away from Justin for 7 days and will limit my physical contact with everyone for that week that I'm glowing radioactive! My brother, Tim, gets here a few days after my parents leave for the holiday, which we'll spend with Justin's Dad, Step Mom, and family. I'm really looking forward to everyone coming out to visit.

I'll sit at home in front of the fire the rest of the day, maybe watch a movie. It's so crazy that it's almost mid -December here in Denver and we've sill yet to see a significant snowfall, with temps still lingering in the 60's for a few days here and there. It's cooler today, and we may have snow by Wed. Right in time for my parents to arrive from Florida for some good old winter weather!

My next post will come after my procedure for sure, likely next week. Thanks for reading and keeping up, and lots of love to everyone.

Kristin

surgery updates

2010-12-01T12:03:00.017-07:00

From Christmas tree and Christmas

I am going to have surgery for my liver! Woo hoo! The original two denials have been over turned and I'll be getting the SIR Sphere Procedure. It's hard to explain, so you can try to read up on it if you like - just google it,or try this link for some basic information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIR-Spheres. It's the one where they will insert radioactive beads into my liver to radiate the tumors in my liver directly (I can't have external radiation - there are too many tumors, nor do I qualify for a liver resection/partial resection because of the extent of my disease). I have to have 2 surgeries because they can't do it all at once. This means I'll miss my chemo on 12/14, but this procedure takes the place of a chemo, really. I anticipate both of the surgeries will be done before the holiday. Plus, I got "hammered" as my doctor politely put it, at chemo on this past Tues., and man, do I feel it. I'll get an off week next week... I'm now referring to off weeks as "better weeks" because they are not off :)

I also had another venogram on Thursday (yesterday). This one was just to "check stuff out" and they used angioplasty on the very bottom 2 stents in my groin which was causing me more discomfort. There wasn't another clot, so that was good news! It was the first time I've been able to go home the same day I've gone to Interventional Radiology at the hospital!

18 weeks into this, the side effects of chemo hit hard...much harder, no denying it. Yesterday, between the chemo pump I was still wearing, side effects from chemo on Tues., and surgery, I was wiped out. I was told about the effects accumulating from the start, so I just have to do what I can to fight the side effects via drugs, napping, etc. and just know that the chemo is doing its job.

I'll write again when I can... likely will be next week after my Mom leaves or if the first of the two surgeries happens next week, sometime after that!

Thanks for all of the thoughts and prayers for this procedure to come through! I'm convinced they help, and please keep it up :)
Love,
Kristin

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-28T17:52:00.005-07:00

From Christmas tree and Christmas

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! We got back from our trip to Omaha yesterday (Saturday) evening around 5, and we had a great time. The drive wasn't too bad at all - took us about 7.5 hours each way. We actually took my "new" car on the trip, mainly because it had the snow tires on it already, just in case we hit some mid-west weather, which we didn't. We arrived Wed. afternoon and spent Thanksgiving with Justin's Mom and her husband, Brein, his Aunt Janelle and Uncle Jody, his little cousin, Lauren, and his brother and sister, Savannah and Levi. We had a yummy meal... meals for that matter! I can't say I did my usual amount of cooking, but we did bake some pretty tasty breakfast breads and a breakfast casserole for the morning meals! My stomach didn't quite appreciate all of the new, rich foods, because I had some real trouble come Saturday, but I'm hoping most of it was self induced as far as just eating food my poor stomach and digestive system wasn't used to. It's better today, but not back to the way it was feeling, for sure. I've yet to get on the scale, but I may be the only one of us that cheers that I've gained weight over Thanksgiving!!!!

I think I'm having some side effects of that other white blood cell shot. I have some back pain that I can't connect to anything, and that's one of the side effects people have told me about. It's better then the lung and chest pain I had with the other drug, so I'll count my blessings. I can't beat this fatigue, either. I tried to bowl while in Nebraska, and while it was so much fun, it was just so depressing to feel fatigued from bowling!!!! I didn't do that bad... as a matter of fact, I got 2nd out of 9 in one game (lost to Lauren!) so obviously I can still do it. I try not to let the fatigue bother me, but truth be told, it really stinks to go from such an active lifestyle to one that is a challenge to bowl. I feel sort of like an invalid, and honestly, it's not because I don't want to do stuff... I'm just so tired so fast. I keep telling myself that it's just temporary, and that I will get back to being more active, although it may never be at the same level because of my legs, but I will take what I can get, when I can get it!

We got our Christmas tree up today, as you can see from our picture. Fran has taken a liking to sleeping under the tree (check out the glowing eyes under it). Lets just hope that her and Roger don't pull all of the ornaments off of the tree or start climbing it! It's a good thing I'm home during the day - at least I can catch them and hopefully get it under control fast! As you can see from the picture, our fireplace insert is kickin' and we LOVE it!

My Mom gets here on Wed., and aside from welcoming the visit and being excited to see her, she'll be a huge help, as always, while she is here! I can't thank everyone enough that has made food, helped us out with stuff around the house.... it's been such a big help to us. When I'm so tired, it's so nice to pull something from the freezer that a friend or family member has made and to not have to fuss over dinner. I have chemo on Tues. 11/30, 12/14, and 12/28 this month. Of course, all of that can change if the SIRT Sphere stuff comes through. I should hear something in the next few days. Please keep your fingers and toes crossed, pray - whatever it is you do, I'll appreciate it, as will my liver :) I've still got the liver pain.... It's strange to say that, but it's pain in my right side right below my ribs, and my abdomen overall is in pain. I sure hope that this procedure can be approved soon and we can get this show on the road! It's the first time I've had pain from the cancer (minus my blood clots that lasted months) in quite some time, and it's a real bummer. Acupuncture and Percocet, when needed, help, but I'd like to work on just fixing the problem vs. masking it.

I hope all of you - my friends, family, friends of family and friends - had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am so thankful that I even got to go anywhere for Thanksgiving, but more importantly, I'm thankful to have so many people in my life that love and care about me, and are supporting Justin and I and our families through all of this.

Love,
Kristin

Chemo #8 down

2010-11-20T17:19:00.004-07:00

It's amazing how adjusting my drugs have affected the effects of chemo. I've been on 4 drugs through now (pardon my spelling) : Leukovorin, 5-FU, Dexamethazone, and Oxaliplatin, as well as the white count booster called Nuelasta. Well, they subbed out the Oxaliplatin with the last chemo for 2 more drugs called Herceptin and Iriniotecan. The Oxaliplatin was for sure the drug giving me the worst of the side effects (the stomach issues to the max, the neuropathy and cold issues), but those seem better this time. My doctor assured me that subbing the drug out is OK, and it's not putting me more "at risk", or anything like that, so I'm rolling with it. In addition, subbing the Nuelasta for what is called Neupogen (another WBC booster) seems to have helped some. I still had some bone pain, mostly in my back, but it's nothing like the lung and chest pain the Nuelasta gave me.

We had a bit of a scare earlier this week and thought I had more blood clots. Packed my sleepover bag once again, went to get an ultrasound at Littleton Hospital, but this time got sent home for the first time EVER! The pain in my left leg/groin is likely connected to the stents in my leg. I've added a picture (see above) to help you understand what they look like. There are 4 in a row, each about 2.5 inches long, in my left leg, running from my groin to belly button, so my surgeon thinks that the discomfort I felt that I thought was a clot was related to the compromised blood flow/damaged valves in my left leg, plus, the presence of the stents. Before the stents were in, my veins looked like mushy, collapsed wet noodles. Now, they have a more normal shape to them like the picture because the stents are inside. I'm OK with that being the issue and living with some discomfort, so long as it's not another clot! They also temporarily took me off of the appetite inducer, which is kind of disappointing, because I'd gained 8 lbs in 2 weeks, but they want to monitor to make sure it's not causing a potential clot. I was pushing 109 lbs., so I've got to keep it up and try not to lose any ground that I've gained. I hope to start the inducers again once Dr. Acharya is confident it's safe.

I had chemo Wed. this week instead of Tues., mainly because of the upcoming holiday. I felt fairly decent Wed., Ok Thurs., but terrible Friday. The fatigue just gets worse and worse. My poor friend, Kara, drove me to get my pump disconnected and to get some IV fluids while I slept on her the whole time! I think I slept for like 20 hours on Fri. I guess it's what I needed, and there is no need to fight it. Justin built a great fire today for me to sit and relax while he raked leaves, chopped wood for our fireplace, and just did some miscellaneous chores around our house. What a fabulous husband and partner I have to go through this with - I couldn't ask for more.

My next wave of visiting/visitors starts this week, and I'm really looking forward to it. We will be in Omaha from Wed. - Sat. for Thanksgiving with some of Justin's family, then, my Mom arrives the week after Thanksgiving. My brother, Tim, surprised me with a last minute Christmas trip, so he'll be here over the holiday! We'll go see Justin's Dad down in S.E. Colorado with him for Christmas. Then, both of my parents will be out in Jan., followed by my other brother, Todd, and his wife in Feb. I am looking forward to each and every visit.

No word yet from my insurance co. on whether or not they will approve the SIRT Sphere procedure. We're on appeal #3, which we should have an answer on in another week. It's so frustrating. My oncologist wants it done by the end of Dec., so time is really ticking. I've got a great advocate writing letters with me, making calls on my behalf, so just keep your fingers crossed that it comes through. He is confident it will, so that's all I can be at this point. There are other options to treat the tumors in my liver, but my doctors think this is the best one with the least side effects at this point, so we'll just keep thinking positive thoughts. I've still got quite a bit of pain on my right side (where your liver is) so I'd really like these tumors to shrink to hopefully stop causing me this pain.

Aside from some more football and resting this weekend, that's all that is on our agenda. Justin and I wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving, and I'll post another update once we are back from the mid west!

Love to all.
Kristin

A good off week

2010-11-14T17:36:00.007-07:00

Overall, this has been one of the better off weeks I've had in a long time. I am attributing it to two factors (but it's all my speculation). 1: I didn't get the Oxaliplatin chemo drug last week, which I now know is the main one giving me side effects. 2: I didn't take the Nuelasta shot post chemo last week, so I think that helped. I've still got liver pain, as weird as that sounds, and my stomach is terribly distended. I look like one of those kids on a Sally Strothers commercial that is all skinny with a giant, puffed out belly. I joke about it, but it's not very comfortable at all. My pants don't fit, so I mostly have to wear lounge type pants, and I just have to be good about eating small meals all day long. Drinking is also hard because it fills my belly up even larger, but I'm trying hard, as hydration is still an issue. Now I'm drinking more gatorate/powerade mixed with 1/2 water just to keep my electrolytes up! I'll be getting regular IV fluids 2 days post chemo from now on, and can always go in if I am feeling dehydrated and get more, so that's an easy fix! I've put some weight back on, so I feel good about that. Still not near normal, but some is sure better then none!

This weekend was our friend, Matt's, 40th birthday celebration. Matt and his wife, Kate, were the masterminds behind the bracelet sales. We kind of had a "staycation" where we stayed at a hotel just downtown and had a nice dinner Fri. night and a cocktail party on Sat. night. My cocktail of choice was Gatorade and water! It was super fun, and good to see everyone. It helped so much that most people have read the blog, because it just made it easier to enjoy my night without having to talk over and over about some of the same stuff related to my cancer!

In other good news, we should have a "new" car in the next few days. After finding some major lemons that our mechanic told us were terrible ideas to buy, we found a really great 1998 Subaru Forester that has had everything redone/replaced, and it's in great shape! It even has heated seats, which, believe it or not, sold Justin more then me! We hope to pick it up in the next day or two and get it registered and ready to go. I'll be so glad when car shopping is over - what a pain in the rear it is! I'll post some pictures of the new ride once I get it!

My doctors are currently appealing (for the second time) the denial by my insurance co. for the SIR Sphere procedure. I should have some more news on that this week as well. Fingers crossed that they come through and approve the procedure so we can get the tumors in my liver under control! Chemo #8 is on Wed. this week, and then I'll wear my pump until Friday. One of the new drugs I am on, called Herceptin, can only be given every 3 weeks, so I'll be getting that one a week from this Tues. before we head out to Omaha for Thanksgiving. I'm hoping it gives me minimal side effects for an 8 hour car ride, but worst case scenario, I sleep while Justin drives and I'm good after a day or two in Omaha. I'm really looking forward to our road trip and getting out of town for a bit. Instead of the Nuelasta to boost my White Blood Cell count this week, they are trying me on a new drug called Neupogen, which is given over 3 days in shot form vs. 1 like the Nuelasta was. It can have similar side effects, but I'm just praying it doesn't. I guess if it does, at least it happens while I'm on chemo, so the effects can just go along with chemo ones and hopefully not linger any longer.

I'm still going to acupuncture 1x/week and it really makes me feel great. We've worked on a mix of fatigue treatments and now liver treatments. My acupuncturist treats a lot of cancer patients, and he's super! He even treats a few of my friends and he's just a great guy who is focused on what is ailing me each week, and we just work on what is my biggest issue each time.

Aside from that, there isn't much going on. Jeff's coffee sales were a huge success, and we have some sitting on our front porch that is making our house smell delicious! Our new fireplace insert ROCKS, and it's so nice just to sit in the recliner in front of the fireplace with the weather getting cooler, and it really heats almost our entire upstairs, so it'll be great this winter. I hope to maybe get into school, at the very least for their holiday party to visit with my class and kids. I bought them some cancer books so they can read and learn about the disease, so it's easier when I get back and they know more about what is going on.

Wish me luck with chemo this week and keep my liver in your thoughts and prayers. I've got some yummy food coming from friends and family, and I'll be sure to get lots of rest to help me recover!

Here is a link to some more pics from this weekend! It was a blast!

Matt's 40th Birthday

Love,
Kristin

November Test Results

2010-11-02T14:38:00.004-06:00

As I sit and wait for chemo #7 to start after a long day, I figured I'd update the blog with the results of my tests. I had a hitch in my chemo today after a trip to the hospital for another CT scan this morning. I have/had terrible pain in my right side all night and called the doc this a.m., which is how I ended up there for the scan. I was then sent over to my doc to review the results and move on with my treatment.

There is what I am calling a mix of news at this point. Everything in my lungs, lymph nodes, esophagus/stomach area has shrunk or is no longer visible. My liver, however, has more tumors and more growth this go around. What that translates to is that for some reason, my liver isn't responding to the chemo. A big part of it may be the blood clot->blood flow deficiency issues with all of that drama, or it could be that the liver tumors just don't like this chemo drugs - it's hard to tell. What that means is that I've got a few things coming my way: some more chemo drugs to add to my cocktail, and the SIR Sphere procedure (where they insert the radioactive beads into my liver to basically give me radiation from the inside out). It's a 2 time outpatient surgery. No idea when it's coming, but it's likely that it's in the next few weeks.

The pain in my side is directly related to my inflamed and unhappy liver. Aside from some painkillers and hopefully shrinking those tumors, there isn't much they can do about it. My doctor is also fully confident that the true origin of my cancer is indeed my stomach (at the top, so the GE junction), as they ran a genetic test/tumor marker test that came up positive, and that test is linked to gastric cancer.

What does this mean for the future? Well, I won't be going back to work as planned on Monday. I've got way too much going on, and I'll just miss even more days with the surgeries, so Dr. Acharya deemed it best that I don't go back yet, and to be honest, I know she's right. It's hard, because I wanted to go back mainly for some mental stimulation, but I know it's the right choice for me and my body. I have more appointments to make with the interventional radiologist/oncologist, Dr. Spencer, who I really like. I'll be spending time with my favorite nurses again over at Littleton Hospital (we enjoyed our brief reunion today!) and just hoping and praying that we can get this stuff in my liver figured out. Just remember that the stuff in my liver is gastric cancer, not liver cancer. It's just that the gastric stuff has metastasized (spread) to my liver and is now growing there.

I just wanted to share the update. Hopefully chemo treats me well this time... I talked them out of the devil Nuelasta shots for my white blood cell counts and instead will be put on a 3-day shot given before chemo to "boost" my white blood cells next time around. I'm super thankful that my doctor listens to my concerns and issues and takes what I ask her to do to help me feel my best seriously.

Think positive thoughts for me and my liver :)
Kristin

Halloween off week

2010-11-01T11:32:00.003-06:00

Well, no one ever said that I don't like to keep things interesting! I wish I'd started a mileage log for how many times I have to drive to Littleton (about a 30 min drive) to the doctor or Littleton Hospital, because the miles sure are racking up! This past "off" week wasn't as "off" as I'd wished it could be. I think that once every 3 weeks for chemo would really be more ideal to truly have the time to heal that I want. At the same token, I'd like this stuff to be over with sooner rather then later, so the two week cycle fits better with that. I had some issues with dehydration this past week, which meant more trips to the doctor for fluids, blood work, etc. The main problem is that my stomach is so distended and bloated that even drinking water makes it feel like I just ate a huge steak dinner, so it's really hard to take anything in. They've added an appetite inducer to my medicine regiment to try to help with making me want to eat more, but it doesn't address the bloating issue. I may just have to come to grips with the fact that my stomach is just going to feel bad every time I eat or drink something, because there doesn't seem to be much else that can be done.

I also decided this past week that I'd spice things up a bit with a car wreck :) It was my fault, and I'm fine, but the car not so much, so we're trying to figure out what we're going to do with that. I've got a rental, and the insurance company has been great so far, so we'll just have to see what happens. Nothing like adding a little more drama to my life, right? Got to keep it exciting :)

Halloween was lots of fun, and after some back and forth ideas about our costumes, we came up with 2 great ones, so you'll have to check out the pictures below. I know it's not often that you see Justin clean shaven, so take advantage of taking a peak!

It's back for chemo #7 tomorrow. In addition to receiving the results of my most recent PET scan from last week, they are also going to add another drug to the regiment starting tomorrow. This one was just recently approved by the FDA for use with the liver (which is where I have multiple tumors), as it has primarily been used to just treat breast cancer patients. You've got to carry a specific gene to be able to take this drug, and lucky for me, I do! I think the PET scan results will tell lots about what comes "next" as far as treatment, duration of treatments from here on out, etc. I also have a follow-up with the Gastro Intestinal Doctor this week to maybe see if they want to do any more testing or follow-up tests to see how things are coming along.

Love to all from both of us.

Kristin and Justin

Halloween 2010

Chemo #6

2010-10-22T15:16:00.007-06:00

While my shirt has some R rated language, I love the message it sends :)

They aren't lying that this gets harder, both physically and emotionally.... I don't think the 2 days in the hospital pre-chemo helped, to say the least. The legs are on the mend, but aren't perfect. It feels a bit like I've been kicked in the gut/hip flexor area pretty hard, so I'm just sore, which is what I was told to expect for a few days. I've got a bionic vein now, though - 4 stents holding one of them open, so this had better work this time around!

As far as the chemo goes, it's the same side effects, they're just getting worse in intensity. Fatigue like nothing I've ever experienced, stomach cramping, and really bad neuropathy (nerve pain and impairment) in my hands that is also starting to effect my feet. I can barely wash my hands because it stings like it's freezing cold, let alone get something out of the refrigerator. I'm wearing gloves around the house to help with the tingling in my hands, which really is pretty funny to watch. Good thing our fireplace insert is being installed today - maybe a warm fire will help with some of it!

I've got a PET scan scheduled next week, so we may get some more information about how the chemo is going here soon. The PET scan didn't show a ton last time, so we'll see how this one goes. They're also assessing the effectiveness of the blood thinner I am on via some blood work, and I'll be back at the doctor a few times next week to get some more labs drawn to monitor my white blood cells, etc. I'm working on getting some genetic testing done here in the next few weeks, too, just to provide my brothers with some options if this is something that they should start looking into for their future health. Additionally, I may be a candidate for what is called a SIR Sphere procedure (you can search it on the internet if you'd like), which is just another treatment option for addressing the tumors in my liver, but I think moving forward with that will depend on what the PET scan shows. I'll be glowing radioactive here soon with all of these tests!

Lots of medical information in this blog update...I hope next week is a good off week and I can really take the time I need to recover in between treatments. This was a tough round of chemo, and a tough 2 weeks.

Here is a link to some pics from the Broncos game last weekend if anyone wants to look - we had a great time!

Broncos vs. Jets

Surgery update number...wait I forget how many

2010-10-19T17:34:00.000-06:00

Kristin had what is hopefully a final "tune up" on her left leg/abdomen yesterday and today. Basically below her existing stent in her left leg the veins were still restricted because of the scarring that had occurred due to the damage from her original clotting.

They cleaned out some more small clots that occurred below her stent, and put in 3 more stents that basically run from her groin to her belly-button. They went in behind both of her knees and had to also run a catheter to drip some "clot buster" overnight. She actually has more pain from where they went in for the procedure (behind her knees) than anything. Hopefully that will be the end of the clotting and pain in her legs. The pain was much less this time, she wasn't sure "what" it was other than the fact her leg felt a bit more fatigued than the other.

She will have her 2nd night in the hospital tonight, although this one won't need to be in ICU, just a normal room. Tomorrow is chemo, hopefully her legs don't bother her enough because chemo is obviously crappy enough without other pain. Everything went as planned, no major surprises, planned discharge tomorrow AM.

Th-th-th-that's all folks!

More roto rooting....

2010-10-17T09:21:00.004-06:00

Tomorrow I'm having one more "roto rooting" procedure in my left leg. The stent they put in to keep my vein open is about 5 mm off from where they want it to be, so they'll roto root a new clot that they found in there via an ultrasound, add a stent or two, and hopefully send me on my way. The docs assured me, as best as they could, that this one won't be anything like the last, and I should be sent on my way tomorrow afternoon. Fingers crossed that I can go home and go for my sixth chemo on Tues. I'm not really having any pain with the clot this go around - just what feels like fatigue in my left leg. I'd probably never have thought twice about it had I not had to go for the doctors appointment and ultrasound.

I had a rough go around with the shot that I take to boost my white blood cells called Nuelasta. It's got some side effects of its own, less the chemo, and they hit me pretty hard this time. The biggest effects are more fatigue (as if I needed any more after the chemo) and bone pain. It hit me hardest in my chest region, which after I told the doctor, led me back for another CT scan to be sure I had no more clots in my lungs. Thankfully, I didn't, and it's just the side effects of the Nuelasta. Kind of stunk, to be honest, because I was really looking forward to feeling good on my "off" week, but instead felt pretty crappy all week. Luckily, I've only had to take this shot every other chemo cycle because my white blood cell counts stay so high for a long period of time after each shot, but I'm going to try to talk to the doctors about an alternative so this doesn't happen again!

Justin and I are headed to the Broncos vs. Jets game today. We're doing a tailgate with some of Justin's family and some of our friends. We've got a great weather day for a football game and tailgate in the low 70's, so I'm excited. It won't be sweltering heat like the first game we went to this season! What a great way to spend the day before I head back to the hospital and then for maybe the halfway point of my chemo treatments (#6) on Tuesday!

Lots of love,
Kristin

Chemo #5

2010-10-10T08:22:00.003-06:00

Well, those chemo docs and nurses aren't lying when they tell you that the effects of chemotherapy are cumulative... seems #5 hit a whole lot harder then the side effects before. I felt pretty miserable early Wed. a.m. while I was trying to sleep and it really carried over into Wed. It just really takes a toll on my stomach, I'm incredibly fatigued, and it just makes me feel "generally unwell" (I laugh, because in the stuff they gave me to read about the medications I'm on, this is what it says - it's an understatement!). I haven't experienced intense nausea, but some, and I am quick to stay on the nausea meds, just incase! I'm also working with an acupuncturist and a naturopathic MD to try to get my digestive system under control. I'm on some natural supplements, enzymes, and probiotics to help. Seems fiber and my GI tract are no longer friends, so eating things like nuts, seeds, brown rice, and most veggies are out for now. It's funny... I used to love vegetables, but I'm loathing them right now. I crave fruit, and noodles of any type (hooray for Asian inspired dishes with rice noodles, curry, etc.). I'm attempting a gluten-free diet as much as I can, and was trying to go no dairy, but I've gotten conflicting information about what to do and not to do regarding that (calories are important right now, and dairy is loaded in them), so I'm doing what I think is right: taking in all of the information I can read and learn through conversations with experts and doing what works for me and my belly. I've received tons of advice about my diet, and I'm on overload right now :) Going with what feels right - literally.

I think another thing that is making me feel crappy is this shot I have to take to boost my white blood cell count. It boosts it like 10,000 times higher then it was when it started, or at least it has every time I've taken it, and there are some side effects that come along with that as well. The doc told me I could swim in a sewer and I wouldn't get a bacterial infection with a count like that! While I won't be doing that, it's good to know!

I feel better today then I have since chemo, so I'm rolling with it! Have watched the baseball playoffs all week (and sported my new Jorge Posada shirt along the way!), and am gearing up for some football today. My two fantasy teams are truly stinking it up... gotta love that Ray Rice can't get it don't this year like last and the fact that I constantly play the wrong receivers each week! I will cheer the G-MEN on today via my brother's Slingbox since they aren't on TV while simultaneously watching the Broncos, dressed in my Giants garb on the couch. Sounds like a perfect Sunday to me! I did send Tom Coughlin some bracelets (G-rated, of course!). Keep your eyes peeled to see if he and some of the other coaches wear them in the coming weeks! Figured it can't hurt, and they are in Giants colors!

Love,
Kristin

Pre-chemo #5

2010-10-04T17:01:00.004-06:00

Greetings to all that are reading, following, thinking about, praying for, and helping out Justin and I!

I had a great "off week". I was able to go over to my elementary school and even got a chance to visit with my class. Having the the same kids I had in 4th grade again in 5th I knew most of my class, and it was great to see them for the first time this year. The best question and comment I got came in the form of "What made you sick?" to which I responded "No one really knows!", and then I got "You cut your hair, but I like it better long!" (for any of my co-workers that are reading this, that came from Garnik - go figure). It was great for both them and I to have a visit together!

One of my Springfield College room mates, Cynthy, came out to visit from Virginia this past weekend. We spent most of the weekend at Kara's house (another Springfield room mate) with her and her twin girls that are two, and really just had a great time catching up! I know it was hard for Cynthy to leave her little man for the first time for the weekend since he was born, but I was so glad she came, and hope she'll come again after her 2nd is born in January!

I managed to get out for a walk every day last week. I have to admit, it's both exciting and frustrating at the same time. The excitement comes from the fact that I CAN get out and walk, and the frustration comes from watching everyone run past me at the park. It's hard to believe that I went from running to struggling to walk for 30 minutes. As hard as it is, I know it's baby steps, and I need to just be thankful that I can walk, and know that when I get my stamina back, maybe I can run a few miles again.

Chemo tomorrow. I can tell that the effects are definitely getting worse, which is what they told me would happen; More fatigue, less appetite, but nothing that they didn't warn me to expect. I got a card from my Mom this week that sums it all up. The front says "Chemo sucks!". The inside says "But if it sucks the cancer right out of you, then yay, chemo!" That's about right :)

Love to all from both Justin and I!

Kristin

Coffee Fundraiser

2010-09-28T12:02:00.002-06:00

Our friend, Jeff, who made the coffee favors for our wedding is so thoughtful, and is selling his coffee in our honor! Check out his blog for information on how to order!

http://anticancercoffee.blogspot.com/

First 1/3 is complete!

2010-09-25T15:33:00.008-06:00

4 down, 8 to go.... at least of these initial treatments! Today is the first day I'm feeling better this go around (Saturday). This time, the effects of chemo seemed to hit me hardest days 2 and 3, which were Wed. and Thurs. Same story - incredible fatigue, stomach turmoil, and nausea. I'll take the intensity increasing over the duration dragging things out even longer for sure.

My Mom and Dad were here until today, and it was a huge help, to say the least. Lots of cooking, clean laundry, and just some TLC directed our way - it was great! My dad even went old school and made me a Cookie Monster birthday cake using the old pans he used to use to make our cakes when we were kids. He also managed to find a recipe for sugar-free frosting that was delicious! I wasn't super exciting company for a chunk of their visit, but they got to meet Dr. Acharya (my oncologist), and we delivered some Cheryl's Cookies to the staff at Rocky Mountain Cancer Center and the great staff over at Littleton Hospital Interventional Radiology (where I had my 5 days of surgery). I think they were thrilled to see me walking in and not laying on an operating table, in addition to their excitement over the sweets! My Mom had to spend her birthday taking care of me, but truth be told - I'm really glad she did!

The legs are on the mend, and I couldn't be happier! They may look like bird legs, but they are pain free, which I hope equals clot free, and it's the first time I've felt like I am walking normally/pain free since May! I am so excited, and hope that in the next week or so I can get out walking around our neighborhood, even riding my bike to get these chicken legs back up to acceptable status! I've got a follow up with the surgeon in mid-October, at which time I'll have more testing done just to be certain that my drains are unclogged and doing their job!

I also had a consultation with an acupuncturist this week. He rocked, and I'm looking forward to going back for sure. There are some similarities between Western and Eastern medicine, but some conflicting ideas for sure, so I've just got to work to find the happy medium. The biggest difference I'm finding is the diet restrictions/guidelines each offers. I'm going to attempt to start on a gluten and dairy reduced diet to see if it can help with some of the digestive issues I'm having. While I know that most of them are chemo related, I figure it can't hurt to try to reduce those items in my diet to at least perhaps help with some of the issues my stomach is having. I think the hardest things to cut out/back on will be the cheese and milk products, but I've heard that there are some good alternatives out there (at least for the milk), so I'll give it a shot.

No big plans for the "off" week....One of my college roommates, Cynthy, is here visiting next weekend, so that's something for sure to look forward to! We'll visit with our other college roommate, Kara, and maybe even Tamara while she's here! I'm looking forward to it. Lots of visitors have come through in the past 3 months, and it's been great to spend time with so many of my family members and friends - it's a huge support!

Lots of love to all,
Kristin

Blood clots - BE GONE!

2010-09-20T09:52:00.003-06:00

After one more visit to Littleton Hospital on Friday evening with what I am calling Elephantitus of the leg, fingers crossed that the clots are gone! My right leg looks and feels great, and is almost back to normal (minus any muscle mass I had accrued over the years!), but the left is still on the mend. It makes sense, as the left leg was the one that had more extensive damage as a result of some of the blood clots from the past, and that is the leg that now has a stent in it. It did, however, make some significant improvements by Sunday, and what perfect timing it was, because we were able to make it to the Bronco game that we had tickets for! Holy hotness is all I have to say! We had a fantastic tailgate with some friends that were attending the game as well - Justin was a bbqing machine, and we were so thankful that we brought the tent to try to stay out of the sun! We had great seats - just 7 rows back in the endzone, and to top it all off, I got my first ride in the "chariot", a.k.a. my wheelchair. While I think I could have walked into the stadium, it may have taken me quite some time, and I'd have had a very swollen leg as a result, so we decided the chariot was the way to go. Justin had more fun driving it then I did riding in it - almost too much fun!

We did receive some encouraging news in the hospital. The chemo seems to be doing what it's supposed to, because the nodules in my lungs are gone, all of my swollen lymph nodes have decreased in size between 25-50%, and although the tumors in my liver are still numerous, they, too, have also shrunk in size. I won't have another scan for another month, at which point it will be a PET scan vs a CT scan. PET scans can show metabolic activity, where CT scans can not. My blood tumor markers are also coming down, which aligns with what the CT scan is showing. My doctor was very pleased, and Justin and I are happy to know that we're in good hands, and that the medicine is doing what it's supposed to do!

Chemo #4 tomorrow. My Mom and Dad arrive later tonight, and will be here through Saturday. I get to celebrate my 33rd (yikes!) birthday with them, some friends, and then my Mom is also here for her birthday on Friday. Although it may not be a birthday celebration like any I've ever had before, I'm very grateful to be able to spend some time with family and friends that are making this challenging time that much easier on Justin and I.

Love to all, and no comments about the horrible performance by my G-MEN yesterday, nor the poor performance by my fantasy football team by any of my league friends :)
Kristin

ICU Tour 2010

2010-09-13T16:38:00.000-06:00

Well,

Kristin's legs were bothering her really badly last week again (crutches, not much walking) and talked to her oncologist, who determined that she should go into the hospital to get a procedure done that "unclogs her veins". Thursday morning she went in for the start of the procedure. They basically "roto root" her veins, with the doctors going in and taking a look around to see how things were and where they needed to start. It turns out that both of her veins in both legs were almost 100% clogged. It was so bad that the doctors said that the blood was trying to return to her heart by making other, smaller veins bigger and overall just creating a lot of pressure in her legs. They commented that Kristin must be "really tough, too tough sometimes" at which I chuckled and nodded my head. She's a trooper, that's for sure.

Basically she has had 5 straight days of surgery in the morning with the general theme being: continuing to clean out her veins in her legs to increase blood flow, and monitor how the vein walls are behaving after they remove clots. They use a couple of techniques to remove the clots, they have a "dentist like cleaner/vacuum" they go in with, balloons that they use to expand her vein walls (she said was extremely painful), as well as for 4 of the nights having a catheter in her legs with a drip of "clotbuster" medicine in it. Each morning, they checked to see how the previous day's work looked, and focused on what they would work on that day. They were encouraged to see that the clots were continuing to break up each day, and that the work they did the previous day held up. She had to have a stent installed in her left leg (to keep the shape of her vein walls). They also determined that her progress was good enough with no more clot production that they took her filter out (via her neck). She also had to have 2 units of blood (transfusion) because her red blood cell count was low. They stated they weren't overly concerned about this, sometimes chemo and the work they did stirred things up.

They are continuing to monitor the coagulation in her blood and it has been positive. They have slowly migrated her from the "clot buster" medicine, to heparin, and eventually back to lovanox. She walked for the first time today (sausage toes and cankles included).

The doctors and nurses have been great, they have treated us (and more importantly Kristin) very well and they always have positive things to say about her attitude and will. I have had multiple people comment to me how strong and positive she has been. Her oncologist stopped by to visit her today, and will likely stop by tomorrow as well.

At this point, she is still on schedule for her next round of chemo next tuesday, and hopefully will be able to come home tomorrow. I know that I'm looking forward to it, but not likely as much as she is. It will be good to have her at home, but I'm even more excited about the likelihood she will be able to walk around pain-free. It's been far too many months of her not being able to get around, I'm excited.

Thank you everyone who has contributed towards the fundraising, it has been a big help. Special thanks to Matt and Kate Peterson who have organized it, it means a lot to have friends like we have.

More updates to follow, thanks all!

-Justin

friends, love, and more

2010-09-01T19:24:00.005-06:00

I can't even begin to sum up my last "off" week - it was filled with friends, friends, more friends, time with the one I love the most in Steamboat... it couldn't have been better (well, maybe if I could have had just a tad more wine and a juicy steak....)

Lex was here from Sun - Wed. and we had a great visit. There is just something to be said about visiting with one of your oldest friends! I say friends because Daniella was also able to spend all 3 days with us. For those of you haven't known me quite as long.... the three of us have been friends since grade school, and also moved out to Colorado together 11 years ago. Lex's new city itch has taken her from Denver to Minneapolis to now San Francisco as the years have gone by, but we've remained the greatest of friends. The three of us spent our time eating (a favorite past time and a necessity for me right now!), reminiscing, at the movies, the museum, visiting with Daniella's amazing 3 kids, and just really sharing the love that only such special friends can. It's official, though - there were far fewer libations involved in this visit then we've ever had in the past:)

I had a bit of a setback pre-Steamboat trip - more blood clots:( They had changed me over to a 1x/day shot, but apparently my body rejected that medication about 2 weeks in, and, in turn, I got yet another clot, but back to my right leg this time. It's quite painful, and I was forced to return to the walking sticks. We got the OK to head up to Steamboat anyway with the old meds in hand, but had to ammend the agenda. Luckily, I have a husband who doesn't mind dropping me off at the door pre-parking and carrying my purse while I crutch around! No hot springs for me, and the whole walking thing wasn't going to work as planned. Regardless of the return of the bum leg, we had a fantastic time, and some much needed Justin and I time. We got to go out and celebrate our anniversary at an amazing restaurant, and I suprised Justin with an anniversary cake made by the same lady that made our wedding cake in his favorite flavor - spice cake. Instead of walking around town, we drove around and checked out the real estate we'll never afford, hung by the pool, and even managed to meet up with friends that were also in Steamboat for the weekend. Crutches and all, we had a fantastic time. It's time, however, for the blood clots to stop. I am officially done with them, to say the least.

I head back to chemo tomorrow. It's kind of a downer after such an amazing, almost vacation like week, but it's the most necessary evil I've ever known! Justin's Aunt Janelle is coming in from Nebraska for work and visit/ take me to chemo and be on what I'm going to start calling "food police" duty on Tues., and I'll have one of my awesome sister-in-laws hanging with me, too! My family and friends are truly amazing people. I couldn't do this without each and every one of you.

Love,
Kristin

Tim's visit and chemo #2

2010-08-26T11:16:00.014-06:00

2 down, 10 more to go! After a bit of a glitch, I got my 2nd chemo treatment yesterday - just a 1 day delay. Chemo was supposed to be on Tuesday, but the chemo nurses had all sorts of problems accessing my port when I went for treatment. What can happen is you can get at sheath that forms behind the port, regardless of how well they flush it or inject it with a blood thinner after each time they access it. The way they figure out that the port isn't working is when they try to draw blood and none comes out, (blood draw is standard operating procedure before they can give you chemo). This was the case with me on Tuesday, so they tried all sorts of tricks. They literally inverted me so the blood can rush up towards the head, which didn't work, then they injected me with some sort of fancy drug to try to fix it, and that didn't work, either. They then just had to check to see if port perhaps had moved - kind of a big deal if it did because you don't want to pump your full of chemo drugs if it's not going into your bloodstream! So, I was denied chemo, and I was sent to the hospital (now #5 on my hospital tour!) to get what is called a dye study, where they just inject a dye into the port to watch it via live x-ray and see if it's going into the proper place. The second I layed on the table, they got blood from the port (go figure) but they x-rayed and ran the dye study anyway... all was fine, so they just put me on a drip to kind of clean out the area behind it and sent me on my way to return for chemo Wednesday, with my fancy pump of more chemo drugs until Friday!

Justin's Mom has been here since Tuesday, taking me for chemo and feeding me lots of fruits, veggies, and creative good for me meals! She even juiced me some carrots and apples to make sure I'm getting plenty of nutrients! I've gained 2 lbs., which doesn't seem like alot, but it really does feel good to know I'm not losing more weight just yet. It's hard to eat when you aren't hungry, and I'm not used to eating every 2 hours, but I'm really trying! Protein powder and flax seed powder are my new condiments of choice :) I'm crossing my fingers that my weight can maintain and not drop again, but I am already having some post-chemo issues. My stomach is just completely out of wack. Lots of cramping, and lots of irregular stuff going on, but my husband put it best - "It's the chemo working on the cancer!". I know that's true, so I just have to fight through it. The only other side effects I'm experiencing is this weird sensation in my throat when I drink something that is remotely cold - it feels like my throat is closing up, and if I touch anything cold, it's feels like really intense pins and needles! They had told me that was an expected side effect of the Oxaliplatin, one of the chemo drugs, so it's nothing out of the ordinary, and really only lasts for a few days. I'm also just downright exhausted, which isn't something uncommon, either.

I had a great visit with my brother, Tim, last week, and his timing couldn't have been better! I started walking without the crutches, and am really getting around fairly well across short distances! One day while he was here, we took a drive up Mt. Evans - the longest paved road in the United States! It's a 14 mile drive each way with awesome views, but man - it sure was scary at times! We got to see some giant mountain goats really close up which was great, and Tim got his first taste of some serious altitude while chasing them uphill to snag a good picture! I got out and walked around a bit to take pictures and enjoy the views with Tim. It's amazing how I went from feeling so in shape to feeling like I've never worked out a day in my life, but I guess that's what 2 months of sitting on your behind does! I know it will get better, and I hope that at some point soon I can get back to some sort of exercise.

After Tim left, Justin and I and our friends, Anne and Sean, went to the Broncos pre season game which was alot of fun, too! We didn't get to see "The Savior" (a.k.a. Tim Tebow) play because he was injured and we did have to watch the Lions beat them, but we had a great Tailgate and had lots of fun at the game! It was such a relief to be able to get out, crutches free, and just do something fun. Justin and I are really looking forward to our upcoming trip to Steamboat over Labor Day weekend.

I see the next few days filled with napping, some reading, and some bad television. I'm resting up for my visit with my friend, Lex, next week! We may go try on some wigs, just in case I start to lose my hair - she's the perfect one to wig shop with (even though I know she'll try to get me to buy something blue or pink and totally out of control). I'll be sure to take lots of pictures!

I can't give enough thanks to everyone that has bought bracelets to show their love and support for us. It's absolutely amazing to me how many people from my past and present have just come out and fought with us during this challenging time. People that I haven't talked to in probably 15 years, people that we've never even met that are supports to our family and friends, and people in our everyday lives are thinking of us and pulling for me.....Justin and I are so thankful.

Some pics from Tim's visit:

Tim's visit

Lots of love,
Kristin

Bracelets Info

2010-08-23T10:22:00.001-06:00

A few people have asked, so I thought I'd share. Kate Peterson is heading up an initiative to fund raise by selling bracelets. The proceeds will go towards medical bills. There are 2 versions of the text on them:

a- "Find a Cure"
b- "Find a Cure F**K Cancer"

There is currently a wait on ordering (a) right now. FYI

If you are interested in either, they are $5 each. Her contact information is:
katevincent23 at msn.com

Thanks to everyone who has contributed!

In it for the long haul

2010-08-16T16:54:00.003-06:00

So far, things are looking good post 1 chemo treatment. Had a Dr. appt. today and white bloods cells are up in a great range, I'm a little anemic (to be expected) but things are going well. My mission is to keep my diet in check so I can maintain a healthy weight (I've got to put back on a few pounds) but I'm working on it, because I know how important it is :)

In talking with the Doctor today, we got a bit more information regarding the long-term plan with my chemo/treatment. They basically evaluate me at the end of 4 cycles via a CT scan and some blood tumor markers and use that information to determine the "next step". That next step for 4 more months (6 total months months) is going to be chemotherapy, regardless, but the type (meaning the drugs they use/dosage, etc.) is what could change. At first, Justin and I were a surprised by this, because 6 months is a long time for chemo, but when Dr. Acharya explained it, it made perfect sense. The goal is to get the cancer to disappear, or at least shrink as chemo goes on. The way they determine if this is the case is using the CT scans and blood work they run at stages along the way. If it does shrink, they don't just send you on your merry way and say "congrats - you beat cancer!". Cancer lives in your body in millions of cells, and they need to continue the chemotherapy, regardless, to try to kill off those cells to prevent it from coming back. She equated it to the whole marathon vs. sprint thing (something I know a bit about!) and you just have to sort of take it with time. I'll be on this whole 2 week chemo cycle for a total of 6 months, at which point they will again re-evaluate my individual situation.

We feel we are in great hands with Dr. Acharya. She has been in regular contact with a GI Specialist over at University Hospital to determine the best course of treatment for me, and I can't tell you how much we really like her and her staff.

Justin and I are going to make it a point to really just enjoy ourselves, particularly on the "off" chemo weeks... maybe head up to the mountains this weekend to celebrate the 2 year wedding anniversary that we have yet to officially celebrate, bought some tickets to see the Broncos in a few weeks, and really just are trying to maintain normalcy in our lives outside of that window of time where I may feel sick.

I also hear the bracelets that Matt and Kate made are selling like hotcakes! We are so thankful for all of the love and support we are receiving. Don't forget the colors are Giants colors :)
Love,
Kristin

Fantasy football research as a distraction.....

2010-08-13T14:35:00.004-06:00

So I stop getting so much grief, yes.... I am working on my fantasy team research in my spare time :) Maybe that will help me finish at the top, or even win this year! With the #5 pick, I've got some decisions to make here soon before our draft on the 31st! I need a new team name.... I'm taking suggestions!
My chemo side effects have been manageable thus far. It's kind of weird sitting here waiting to feel bad, to say the least, because you just don't know what's going to happen. I've some stomach issues and a bit of nausea along with it, but I know it could be worse. I'm following all of the advice I was given about nausea medicine, which was not to wait a second if I feel nauseous and just take the medicine. Along with just being really sleepy and what feels like muscle soreness/having been punched in the gut a few times in my stomach, I feel OK.
Today is a super hard day, specifically because I should be at my brother's wedding in NY, and instead, I'm stuck on the couch with my leg elevated for day 9. I had a dream last night that I was able to walk and completely freaked out and flew to NY with my bridesmaids dress. It hadn't been altered, and I've lost some weight already, so the dress was waaayyyy too big, and in addition, I didn't have an appointment for my new, short haircut, I had no makeup to wear...... It was funny at first, but the more I've sat here today, the more sad I've become about missing Todd and Crystal's wedding. I was so excited to be a part of the party of the year, and I just wish there was a way I could be there with them. I am so thankful that they came to visit me last week - it really did help.
Speaking of my new short hairdo...I thought I'd share a picture for anyone that hasn't seen it yet! I can't find the one where Ryan photoshopped the non-dilapidated shed in the background (which was hilarious!) so the one with our shed that's literally standing on it's last leg in the backyard is what you all get! I actually really do like it, and even if I don't lose my hair with this specific chemo (which Dr. Archarya told me is possible) I am so glad I did it, mainly for the manageability piece, and honestly, when else would you ever do something so drastic?
I hope that this blood clot stuff resolves itself here soon, because I'm done with this sitting around. You can only watch so much ESPN, Foodnetwork, HGTV, and E! TV before you've seen the same Sportscenter 3 times in one day or you already know what house the couple will pick on House Hunters just from the title. My brother, Tim, will be here next week, and I sure hope to be able to get out and walk, at least around the lake, with him. Baby steps - kind of like this whole process......
Love,
Kristin

Chemo #1

2010-08-10T18:28:00.006-06:00

So today was my first round of Chemo.... it's nothing all that exciting. You go, get some blood drawn, and then sit in a room that is filled with comfy recliners and funny/kind nurses that just check your IV if it beeps, switch things out if your orders call from it, and send you on your way! They've started me on a chemo cocktail as I'm calling it. I get one chemotherapy drug and a "system flusher" (kind of counteracts the bad stuff the chemo does and flushes your system for the 2 hours I sit there) and then I also wear a super cute fanny pack home with another chemo drug that pumps into my system over the next 46 hours. It's connected through my Matrix port in my chest, so you really don't notice it, although Roger did try to bite the tube today, which may have proven more disastrous to him then me if he got the drugs in his mouth! I give myself a booster shot on either Thurs. or Friday afternoons to help my white blood cell counts get back up and start fighting, too.

I feel OK so far. They tell me I will feel "generally unwell" (a hilarious term in all of the literature) on days 3,4,5 after chemo. It'll make the weekend less desirable, but on the plus side, Justin is off on the weekends, so it works out fine. I plan to stay on top of the nausea meds and just hope to fight off any of that crazy stuff that chemo can do to you as best as I can by just doing everything I am told. One side effect of the chemo meds they give me at the actual office is increased sensitivity to cold, and the feeling like your throat is closing off if you take in something cold. I know will make anyone that knows me laugh, because I'm super cold to start with all of the time. Well, we get home from chemo today, and out of habit, Justin filled up my hospital water bottle, and I sat on the couch and took a big swig! Sure enough, felt like my throat was frozen shut! It actually made me laugh for doing such a "me" thing right away!

As far as the blood clotting issues I've had as of lately that have had me off of my feet, I'm healing, but it sure is slow. I'm using crutches to get around, and can't really go all that far before the blood pools in my leg and makes it pretty painful, so I'm right back to being elevated on the couch. More of an inconvenience then anything else, and after a week of having to lay flat on my back, I've had about enough. It has improved daily, so I'm just going to hope that it continues to get better daily so I can get out and about between chemo treatments. Plus, I can't wait to put on my super sexy compression thigh highs .... between that and the fanny pack, I'm not sure how Justin will handle it!

The rundown on the treatments is I go once every two weeks on Tuesday, the pump comes out on Thurs, I follow up with the doc on Monday, and then return to Chemo the following Tuesday. I should catch a good 5 -6 day break where I feel good, can get out, take a walk, do some fun things and not be cooped up here laying on my back (although lucky for me, the sox/yankees series did fall during this time!). Obviously, if bloodwork comes back showing low platelets, rbc, wbc, etc. counts, that schedule adapts. That cycle will continue x4, and then they'll re-evaluate the situation and decide where to go next.

Overall, I feel pretty good. I think Justin would agree with me that I'm not good at sitting still, so this week of laying flat on my back has given me some serious cabin fever and a case of the crazies, at times, but it's getting better. Feeling like you can't do anything for yourself sucks, plain and simple, and it's just felt like it's another bump in the road that I didn't necessarily feel like hitting :) We know it's just that - a bump in the road, and it's just something that we've got to work through. Luckily, we've got such amazing family and friends supporting us along the way, it really helps. Whether we speak to you personally, listen to a message you've left, read a text, or a post you put up, we really do appreciate it and need it, regardless of if we communicate back right away, or even at all. Your love and support will be a critical force in helping us get through all of this with the fight we need, so keep it coming!
Love,
Kristin

Kristin & Cancer

2010-08-10T15:41:00.001-06:00

I'm not sure how to start, so I'll just get to it. Kristin was diagnosed with cancer on July 13th (the day after our 2 year anniversary) while we were on vacation in Maine. We wanted to share this information in a manner that people can receive updates without Kristin or myself having to repeat it 100 times and can focus on our end of the task at hand.

On May 16th, 2010 Kristin ran the Colfax Marathon. She trained hard, and was happy that she finished, and sad that she missed her goal by a measly 4 minutes as well! After the marathon she developed plantar fasciitis in both of her feet for a couple weeks. Immediately following this, she developed (what we thought at the time) leg cramps in both of her legs. They did not go away at all, not with stretching, not with hydration, nothing. After a night where the pain was unbearable we went to the ER in Denver on July 6th. They thought (as did we) that it was muscle related. They did some basic blood work and looked for muscled related diseases, of which they found none. We went home later that morning with no real "update".

On July 9th we flew to Boston for a couple purposes. Initially we were attending a friend's wedding on the cape, to be followed by a week in Maine to enjoy the sights. By this time Kristin had developed a consistent cough and legs were still in pain. She was a trooper and was frustrated with no one finding out "why", so she just sucked it up.

The morning of the 11th, after the wedding, she had a bit of a pain in her left chest area that she thought maybe she had been coughing so much that she pulled a muscle. We then drove up to Maine, where we proceeded to watch the World Cup final in Portland, ME and then drove an hour north to see our friend, Jim, and stay the night there. At dinner, Kristin was in considerable discomfort, and later that night when she was trying to go to sleep, she could not take it, and we went to the ER. They did some blood tests and determined that she had some clotting somewhere. They started with a chest CT scan, which revealed that she had blood clots in her left lung. They immediately started an ultrasound on her heart to ensure that no blood clots were there as well (which they weren't).

After discovering the lung blood clots, they wanted to determine the extend of the clotting (and why). They immediately put her on blood thinners and did an ultrasound on, more or less, her entire body. They found that the pain Kristin had been experiencing in both of her legs was because of blood clots. Her right leg was 100% occluded and her left leg was pretty bad as well. They also discovered that she had them in her abdomen. When looking at the CT scan of her lung, they also imaged the top portion of her liver. While looking at this they discovered that there was some liver discoloration that they wanted to look at further.

They then did a CT scan on just her liver to get a better look. They discovered multiple "spots" on her liver and wanted to do a liver biopsy to determine why. After doing a biopsy on her liver (and waiting for results), they determined that she had carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP). Basically cancer that they couldn't determine the source from yet.

Kristin had started to feel a little bit better and decided to brave the flight home on July 16th (moved our flight date sooner) so that we could be home.

After a couple weeks of trying to figure out where it had been coming from (PET scans, more biopsy, etc) it is being called GI Junction cancer. Basically where your stomach meets your esophagus. It has also been determined that it is malignant since it has spread to her liver and parts of her GI tract.

She has taken a leave of absence from work and starts chemotherapy soon. Thank you for your kindness, thoughts, and prayers.

Zenoss MysqlMonitor Pack

2009-01-29T09:52:00.004-07:00

At work, we use Zenoss to gather data to monitor and trend our infrastructure. We have a bunch of MySQL instances that need to be monitored, so I started to experiment with the Zenoss pack titled MySqlMonitor. While the base installation has some good functionality for gathering mysql stats (as a result of executing a

show status;

command, I wanted it to do a bit more.

-how many seconds behind the master the slaves are
-if replication is running (Slave_IO_Running, Slave_SQL_Running)
-key_reads/key_read_request ratio (noted by MySQL and other performance sites that it should be < 0.01)
-key_writes/key_write_requests ratio (0.1 < x < 1)
-Query Cache hit rate(([Qcache_hits]/([Qcache_hits]+[QCache_inserts]+[Qcache_not_cached]))*100).

I also setup some alerts to trigger if Slaves were not running via the output of the

show slave status;

Let me know if anyone is interested in this, and I can post relevant files.