Update on Dad

Hello Everyone,

Your prayers, love and support are working!!  Dad has used up another one of his many lives and surprised everyone with his miraculous recovery.  It looks like he is going to kick this thing.  The antibiotics did their magic to the meningitis. He has one more week of the antibiotics to complete the dosage. They detected a gall bladder infection which was addressed last week.  It may come to the removal of his gall bladder, but not until after he has regained some strength. 

I will tell you that its amazing what a weeks time will hold.  We went from sending Matt home from overseas to be by Dads deathbed to Matt watching the Broncos game with dad in the hospital on Saturday.  I visited Dad in the hospital today and he doesn't appear to have lost much if any of his brain function.  He is slow but eager to get out of the hospital.  The doctors said he needed to be up and walking before they would release him...what do you know? he walked two laps around the ward and up a few steps. He has a long road of rehabilitation to get his strength back up but he is ready for the challenge with a renewed spirit.

He is not completely out of the woods but we are all happy that he is with us keeping up the good fight.

Thanks again for all of your prayers.

Heather

PRAY FOR OUR WARRIOR

We need your prayers!!!

Dad was rushed to the hospital on Saturday with a serious infection.  He has Streptococcus pneumoniae bacterial meningitis.  Dad was transferred to Stanford via life flight from Santa Cruz on Sunday.  Dad really is in the fight now!  Yesterday the concern was that he wake up from his state of confusion and inability to speak.  Today we see an improvement from yesterday.  Dad recognized mom, said "hi" and gave a little wave.  He also said he wanted a Pepsi and gave one of his patented sideways "Ed" glances when we said "no".

He is in the thick of it.  When asked what I should put in the blog he said "holy shit!".  So he is still in there between his in and out of consciousness.

Dad is tough but he needs all the good juju he can get.

Please pray for the strength to fight this most recent battle.

Heather

Every little things gonna be alright - Com From Ed

Friends - Wisdom Jacket kicked me in the butt and said COMMUNICATE.  I finally finished a battery of tests last week that gave us some definitive information (not much is definitive in this fight as it just goes one day at a time).   

Sooooo First, where have I been?? 

Sitrep 21 had me approaching the end of my hospital treatment and the possibility of being able to go home vice living in Palo Alto near the hospital.  They call this moving to clinic.  That is when we found out that we were in two fire fights.  I walked into a L-shaped ambush.  I found out that I had to survive the transplant as well as the cancer.  Most of August was spent in and out of the hospital with graft versus host disease (GVHD) in transplant talk. 

Then the last trip had me in the Stanford emergency room and ICU with a staff infection and a viral infection.  Heather and Analicia drove me to the hospital and were doing paper/rock/scissors to see which one was going to call Mary to tell her I was dead.  It was a close one.   After several weeks they let me out of the hospital, but strapped a couple of IV machines to me for 24/7 antibiotics.  I got to come home, but it required in-home nursing care for a while.  So now we hit October/November.  Still a few flair ups but I have been able to stay out of the hospital and I finally got to go to clinic. This means I only have to go to Stanford once a week as long as there are no further “complications”. 

We also got the definitive test (bone marrow biopsy and PET/CT Scan).  I am in total remission.  No sign of any cancer.  The transplant fight will continue, but that is getting better as long as I follow directions.  It looks like lots of restrictions until the Spring of 2013.  So looking at the stats of AITL Lymphoma, I just joined the 60% that survive past 5 years.  So, all is in harmony.  I have to get off my butt and start getting some strength back.  My biggest problem is sleeping too much.  

Heather and Analicia are much more entertaining than I am.  Hopefully, we can get  them back them on the blog.  Heather’s sitrep 22 captures the situation.  They have  been on their cousin’s campaign staff for a seat on the Santa Cruz City Council and she just won.

I usually like to leave you with something learned or observed. 

So who and what is Wisdom Jacket??

Wisdom Jacket is a call sign originally used by Major General “Dutch” Schultz as a battalion commander in Viet Nam.  Colonel Shultz was my CO at the Basic School.   Several years later he was the inspector general of the Marine Corps, and I was on I&I duty in Denver, Colorado.  We had the case of a young Lt. gone missing.  His car was still in the parking lot and none of his belongings touched.  The Marine Corps had handled it by the book, he was AWOL.  Turns out his body was found over a year later just several hundred yards from Barrett Hall, a suicide.  He was a missing person, a Marine we should of looked for.  Bottom line, we screwed it up for the family.  Major General Shultz was there at the memorial service in Colorado Springs to take responsibility for the Corps.  He taught me that a families’ grief is nothing like the grief we feel for lost friends and fallen warriors.  His empathy and demeanor showed me there are many sides of a warrior.  Wisdom Jacket was a true poet warrior.

Several years later, I was the Executive Officer of 3^rd Bn, 3^rd Marines in Hawaii.  My CO was LtCol Chuck Krulak.  His Commander in Viet Nam was Dutch Schultz in the 3^rd Bn 3^rd Marines.  He adopted Wisdom Jacket as his call sign.  I learned from him that there are no simple anserws, take the bigger picture.  You might see something undiscovered with a smaller lens.

When I was the battalion commander of 3^rd Bn 11^th Marines.  I adopted Wisdom Jacket as my call sign in honor of these men. We were in Somalia and we had a patrol ambushed.  One Marine was dead.   My on scene commander of the reaction force was asking for guidance.  He was calling for Wisdom Jacket.  I had blood in my eye and wanted to start a fight for the sake of revenge.  All of a sudden the question was, what would Dutch do?!  The enemy had already melted away.  To start the fight now would be with innocent bystandards.  We retrieved our patrol and our fallen Marine.  And left peacefully into the night.

What this talks to is the value of having mentors and calling on them when you are facing tough decisions.  I call them my ghosts. 

However, it is more important for mentors to remember that what they teach and the values they reflect in their leadership may haunt the battle decades later.

Semper Fi

Ed Lesnowicz

PS: My birth day is 12/12/12.  Happens once every century, and 8 months ago it was doubtful I would make it.  I guess that is why my Marines dubbed me “Fast Eddie” because of the unexpected.

Sit Rep #22 - Thanksgiving

Hello Friends and Family,

It has been too long since there has been an update to the blog and we apologize for keeping you all in the dark for so long.  Here on Thanksgiving day we have much to be thankful for.  Even though our immediate families cannot spend Thanksgiving together due to colds and flus, etc which dad cannot risk catching, we will be together in spirit. 

It has been a long road since the last update.  Mom and Dad lived in San Jose over the summer to meet the required distance from Stanford.  This distance was challenging for the family but we were so grateful to have Stanford close by unlike some families we had met who had traveled across the country for treatment.  There were daily then weekly visits to the hospital.  There were ups and downs with infections and minor complications.  Nothing that the doctors were not able to jump on right away and tackle.  Its been a roller coaster ride and Mom and Dad were at the end of their rope come August.  Dad had one last test of his patience and then they released him back to Santa Cruz to be home.  Being back home has made all the difference in morale around here.  Dad has made steady progress to recovery.

The last scans which were completed a few weeks ago show that the cancer is not showing and the stem cells are winning the battle of taking over Dads system.  They are slowing taking him off his medications of prednizone and the immuno suppressant drugs that he has been on for so long.  These reductions are the next step in recovery.  Dad needs to take over where these drugs were helping him out.

Its still a long road to recovery.  Dad's body is weak and he is tired but his spirit is not broken.  He will continue to fight for the future that he deserves. To celebrate more wedding anniversaries (44 aready!) and birthdays, admire Matt in his successes, watch grandchildren grow, and the seasons pass.

We are all thankful for Dad on this day for the fight he has given and continues.  We are thankful for Mom and her perseverance and determination in caring for Dad along this journey.  We are thankful for our families and the support and love received from all.

ENJOY YOUR THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!! 

AND DON'T TAKE THAT WHICH YOU ARE THANKFUL FOR GRANTED

Love, Heather

Go Stem Cells Go - Sit Rep 21#

I'll start this off with a goodbye.  Not goodbye for good but goodbye for now.  Dad went off to Stanford for his stem cell transplant.  Should that be capitalized?  Well, we do want it to work...STEM CELL TRANSPLANT.

The kids had a few gifts to get dad through.  Savannah is sure her Love Froggy will do the trick.  Nate, well, he's a baseball man so a ball will do.  Hubba Hubba!



Long story really short.  Dad checked in.  They tested anything and everything that moves.  He earned one of those rubber wrist band things for lapping the hospital floor more times than anyone else.  I'm pretty sure I saw him elbow an old lady for it and yell URAH as he was making the last turn.  Good times while waiting for Aunt Chrissy's stem cells.


Speaking of which.  Aunt Chrissy got into town to donate her stem cells.  Dad's in the hospital with a life threatening disease.  Before we knew it he was hit with that huge KIMO that knocks out your ENTIRE system.  So, we decided...PARTY!

Our Santa Cruz Family

GO STEM CELLS GO!!!

Yes we sang.  "For She's a Jolly Good Fellow"

Man, that all seems so long ago.  

Silence fell after all of that.

We waited.  

Praying for dad to make it through those rough days.  "Just waiting for the shoe to drop."  Dad would say.  It was rough but honestly the shoe never really dropped.  It might of felt like it was dropped some days but someone caught it before it hit the floor.  Usually, an awesome Stanford nurse.  The kids couldn't come into dads room for weeks but he had a reminder.

I never I thought I'd be so grateful that a baseball is a sphere. 

As the last few weeks have gone by there have been ups and downs and sideways.  Mom has been holding on really well.  She has to be over in the Stanford Hospital area for the duration.  We have been trying to all go up there to visit their apartment.  My 5 month old needs her Avo as much as Avo needs her 5 month old.  Now we are just waiting to see if the stem cells....

Only a good boy can't spell dame.

They have released dad from the hospital.  So, as we speak mom and dad are sitting in the apartment.  Making trips to the hospital.  A random blood transfusion one day.  Kidneys acting crazy the next.  Low this.  High that.  Pass the pills.  Mom learning how to give an IV!  Yes, she needs your prayers.  I would say dad is balancing on a tightrope, his body trying to find it's equilibrium.  Walking toward a test that will hopefully show Aunt Chrissy's stem cells taking over.  We want that to be over 30%.  Keep in mind this transplant cures 60% of patients with AITL.  This is the plan according to Nate.

Sit Rep #20

Well, here is the deal.  I say deal because plan sounds like we know it will all roll out a certain way.  When you get dealt cards, you play them the best you can.

Yes, my husband has a file of photos for his online poker intimidation. **eyeroll**
             

               FAST EDDIE IS ONCE AGAIN CANCER FREE!

This time they are jumping straight into the stem cell transplant with his sisters stem cells.  Doctors said this was the best PET Scan they have seen for him.  Over the last few months they have been changing his Kimo to find the right mix.  This last one, worked. As all of you have been following along this aggressive cancer is only hiding.  We PLAN on chasing it out of the bushes.  PULL! 

"Bird Shooting" - Okay I felt bad about any other bird getting a shot.

 

What next?

My aunt will be traveling up from southern California for a round of NEUPOGEN SHOTS and a STEM CELL HARVEST.  At that same time dad will be given the highest dose of Kimo yet.  ALL his immunities will be taken away.  They actually sing you Happy Birthday because ALL of your cells are new.  Risky? YEP.  Our only chance to beat this thing? YEP.  This is all set to start on the 19th of April.  

Since dad is using a donors stem cells the hospital stay and recovery are much harder.  They have to do a daily test that checks whether or not his sisters immunities are taking over.  Which is what we want.  At the 90 day point they do another PET Scan to see if the cancer is still in remission.  They will have to be up at Stanford until roughly the 8th of August.  My dads blood type and DNA will change to match his sisters.  CRAZY RIGHT!  We will keep you updated more often in the coming weeks.

We heard some interesting news up at Stanford yesterday during the preliminaries.  A General also had AITL, the SAME chemo worked on him and he had a stem cell transplant last year.  Last year?  He is still around and cancer free one year later!  Hope I tell ya.  It feels good.  The only thing they have ever told us that MIGHT be linked to AITL is being in Vietnam.  Seems that one link pops up quite a bit.  We wonder if that General was in Vietnam too. 

Okay Folks.  This is it.  We are going BACK to Disneyland in one week.  Dad will be hanging on your prayers and comments.  I will be manning the blog station.

Sit Rep #19

Hello All!  We have been sitting around here "watch'in paint dry" as dad claimed the last few months would be.  No, not really.  The idea of having time to watch paint dry sounds luxurious.  Here is an update of the current situation.

1.  Doctors changed dads KIMO a few times.  This current one is every three weeks and seems to be working.  The cancer symptoms are not rearing their ugly heads at the moment.

2.  There will be a CT Scan on the 19th of March to see if the cancer is knocked BACK out.

3. Dad is holding up well.  His hair is coming back in slowly.  Kinda looks like a baby penguin.

 We are not sure what is up with that but don't worry the eyebrows were the first to come back and they look like their not gonna leave again without a fight.

4.  Because the cancer came back so quickly in December doctors have decided that they need to do a stem cell transplant with a donor, not dads yucky stem cells that were harvested a few months ago.  Yes, I just called dads stem cells "yucky" and that might be the technical term.

SOOOO.....

That left us these past two months lookin' around for someones stem cells that are purty.  

LET'S PLAY THE MATCH GAME!!

 
There are donor databases to find matches.  This process takes months and even then they may not find someone that is a match. Your best stem cell match can be found in your siblings. Turns out Fast Eddie has a couple of sisters that have endured his shenanigans for over 6 decades. Now we had to ask for their ACTUAL DNA to prove their devotion.  Sadly my Aunt Debbie that lives 'round the bend was NOT a match.  

Pretty much the feeling around here

SOOOO....
Dads youngest sister Aunt Chrissy.  She lives in San Clemente and cares for my dads aging parents.  Really she already devotes her life to helping them when not working.  Now we want your blood lady.  Well, we have been waiting weeks for the results.  She passed the first tests and Stanford says "looks good".  Today we found out.  She is a 

"PERFECT MATCH"

Stanford is going to give us the schedule for the stem cell transplant after dad goes through another round of Kimo.  We should know more by the first of April.  Now we go back to watch'in paint dry.