Situation Report #16

WE'RE BACCCCKKKKK!

Did ya miss us?  We missed you.  We have started hearing from people, "No news is good news...right?"  Then, when Dave the owner of Mission Hill Creamery stopped by today with three delicious pints of his organic ice cream, to check in, I thought I'd better get people caught up.  Dad does love the ice cream and the thought that if we lay low he might bring more just to check in, did cross our minds.  Alas, that would not be becoming. SO...

SORRRRRY!  WE ARE INDEED STILL HERE.

There is so much going on in the coming months, you will tire of us.   Here is a "prelim" to the show starting at the end of this week.  Yes, this is a drama.  Who are we kidding, it might end up a dramedy.  This family can't help it.  

Dad finished his 6th and final round of KIMO!  It was a punch, but no where near a knock out.  If there is one thing that I have personally gained from this situation.  It's this. 

I used to think CHEMOTHERAPY just looked like this:

He who should not be named

  Come on admit it.  So many of you think the same thing.  Well, I've got news for you.  It can also look like this:
 

Fishin' with Hubba

                               

 

Bench time

Hubba knows bait

Learning to catch grasshoppers

The COMPLETE family photo

Dress up!

Captain of the fryer.

The proud son and General Mom still barking orders.

A Cabin Thanksgiving with neighbors

"I'll sing you a true song of Billy the Kid..."

Moms birthday with all the grand kids

Chocolate and Love the world is whole.

I knew my dad was strong.  Hell, let's get real, he acts like a wolverine that can't find anything but plants and berries to eat; which has served him well these last few months.  The only thing I can think about is dad on the kimo drip for hours at the doctors, eating out of a giant sack.  Candy bars, chips, a burrito, olives, some crudites with dip and all washed down with a pot of coffee and a couple Cokes.  Meanwhile, the patients around him just staring perplexed.

DAD:  "CHIP?"
FELLOW PATIENT:  "Umm, no thanks." 
DAD:  "OLIVE? SNICKERS?"
FELLOW PATIENT:  **blank stare** 

Of course, I walk away for a few hours and come back to dad holding court.  His eyes are twinkling blue.  The air in the room seems lighter than when we walked in hours earlier.  He is smiling from ear to ear and so are others in the room.  They've been Eddied.  Dad don't use up your energy on people you will probably never see again I thought.  How selfish of me, he needs them.  A social animal, nothing like the aforementioned wolverine.  Perhaps I should change my comparative animal?  Nah, a wolverine. Just one that ate a caribou that afternoon.  

Last week dad took every test and poke possible.  This Wednesday they go over the results up at Stanford.  Is dad still a candidate for a STEM CELL TRANSPLANT?  If yes, then he will be hospitalized on Friday morning to get prepped and then zapped with a largest dose of  kimo yet.  Released in time for his 65th birthday on Monday, December 12th.  Then we start asking St. Nick for stem cell production to increase.  

Nerves are high around here.  Does this feel like Voldemort all over again?  That's right.  I just dared say his name.  
         

BRING IT ON!!!

AAR Chemo 4 by Ed

I have really appreciated everyones prayers and faith. Adm Quast even ordered me up a Mass at the mission in Carmel. The meetings at Stanford went well, they have a plan and all I have to do is follow orders and we should get to the far side of this objective. Chemo 5 begins this week.

So what did I learn??

Every once in a while you get a sanity check, and this one came from Major Shannon Gainey, USMC. It reminded me of what is important, and it is never yourself.

Shannon spearheaded the reception plan for all the wounded Marines coming out of Iraq to hospitals in Morone, (sp) Spain and Landstul Germany. It ended up being a precursor to the wounded warrior program. She coordinated donations to the comfort of the wounded, coordinated with families to ensure they had the best information about their Marine, and ensured the Marine Corps was ready to recieve them state side. The results of her effort was outstanding.

Shannon is a reservist. She had left her job as an LA Police Officer to serve during the war in Iraq. She was in Santa Cruz on a 600 mile bike ride in support of wounded veterans coming home from war. She knew I was in trouble and stopped to take care of another wounded warrior. She has been taking care of wounded warriors ever since she started the program in Europe. To her, it is not a sacrifice, but a duty for those that have sacrificed. It reminded me that those lucky enough to be called to duty can reorder their lives so that "honor, courage and commitment" is not a phrase, but a way of life. We should seek tasks and objectives that will call us to duty. My duty right now is to survive for my family and friends, but there are future tasks that need to be done.

So thank you Shannon


Semper Fi

Ed

Situation Report #15

So sorry this update has been a long time coming. You can rest assured that no news is good news. We are all just trying to take a deep breath and enjoy dads remarkable ability to push through this. Dad had a big appointment with the Stanford bone marrow specialist (Dr. Laport) on 9/28. We were waiting on a schedule of events from the nurse before updating everyone. The schedule came today! Its a relief to know whats ahead but has also put crazy butterflys in my stomach for the same reason. So here's the game plan:

Dad will be getting a stem cell transplant of his own stem cells the beginning of January. He is scheduled to be admitted to the hospital on the 5th. We are told that this procedure has a 90% success rate...we'll take it!! Dads new "day one", or birthday as they call it will be January 11th. The aftermath will be the tricky part with the concern of infections. Dad will be in lock down for 6 months until he gets a thumbs up from the doctors. This 6 months will be spent 1 month in the hospital, 2 weeks staying nearby the hospital in a hotel and finally back to Santa Cruz for the duration. The time spent outside of the hospital comes with a binder full of do's and don'ts which would make your head spin. We may just want to get a little Darth Vadar action going just to be on the safe side! I think it would suit dad just fine.


The preparations for the transplant will be starting the middle of November with the Oncologist performing restaging tests. We are hoping for a free Thanksgiving week so the family can go up to the cabin for one last hurrah. The entire month of December starting on the 6th is devoted to getting those stem cells ready for harvesting. He will be in the hospital on the 10th, but out in time to celebrate his 65th birthday on the 12th. Every day of December until those babies are out of there is scheduled with one thing or another. Its going to be a busy month. Looks like the stem cell collection will be a few days before Christmas. Hopefully the collection will only be a couple days which will offer Dad a relaxing Christmas, New Years and welcoming the newest grandchild due on the 23rd (Analicia & Dexter's #2) :-)

As we all know a schedule is a guideline that will most likely need revisions along the way. Especially when there are two months of scheduling! Regardless, it feels good to have a plan to wrap our minds around and get mentally prepared for the challenges ahead.

I hope you all enjoy the upcoming holiday season and count your blessings daily.

Aloha,
Heather

AAR Chemo 3 by Ed

Folks

I am still exceeding expectations when it comes to the anticipated side effects of chemo therapy. This is a good thing. That said, this stuff really tires you out, and if my sentences are not complete, I will blame a phenomena called "chemo brain".

I was able to spend some time at the cabin last weekend. I had some time to spend with my family. It was centered around a box of T-shirts that said "fishing with hubba". I appreciate my children's concern (unsaid) that I may not be able to have this time in the future. Sooooo, lets make memories for my grandchildren and me while I am able. There is a little lake nearby, soooo fishing we went.

What did I learn?

I spent most of my life sharing with Marines small techniques that might save their lives or make them more effective. It was usually something that I had learned from those WW II or Korean Veterans that populated the Corps when I enlisted in the Marine Corps. This sharing was always important because we never knew if they were going to be in combat the next day.

Teaching my grandchildren to fish is a survival skill. As a little guy in Oregon, my cousins Nick and Wink, taught me how to fish. Nick and Wink taught me how to catch grasshoppers for bait on our way to Monger Creek. Well sure enough, on our way to the lake with the grand kids, I noticed that there were grasshoppers in the tall grass. So we had a class on how to catch grasshoppers and how to put them on your hook. In short order Nate (Carabine to me), was catching hoppers like a pro. Ben, 2 1/2 yrs, demonstrated how to bait a hook. Savannah was swing on the end of a rope over the lake. They were demonstrating the kind of self reliance that we wanted our Marines to have in unfamiliar environments.

I was just as proud of them as my Marines. I still have some techniques to teach them, and it is important that I survive in order to do it. So Hubba is going to stick around.

Semper Fi

Ed

Situation Report #14

Hi All...Heather here :-) I feel the need to preface this update with my name so you will all understand why this update will not be filled with pictures, stories and witty comments...just the facts man. I went to the Stanford appointment with dad and mom yesterday, so I have been tasked on this update.

Overall it was good news. The doctor had a shit eating grin on her face when she told us that ALL of dads lymph nodes have shrunk to under a size they would consider abnormal. His spleen has also reduced in size. Basically dad has already beaten the odds in that 30-40% of patients do not respond to Chemo. He is responding and not feeling to bad to boot. The chemo is CHOP-E, the E is another component they have taken from a German study and they are pleased with the outcome. He will not be entering into a clinical trial through Stanford. They have one starting in a month that they would consider him for but the timing is not right. Dr. Advani feels like the plan they have in place is his best option.

Here is the plan of attack:
He will have four more chemo treatments for a total of six. The chemo treatments should be completed by the beginning of November. In the meantime Dad will be meeting with the Bone Marrow transplant doctors. They want to be up and at'em right when the chemo is completed so he can start the transplant. The transplant will be of his own stem cells which is good news. We thought he may need a donor which can be a challenge to find. We will have more info on the transplant after we have that appointment but they did say he will be hospitalized for 7-10 days during the procedure of taking out the bone marrow. The replacement of the stem cells can be an outpatient appointment. That too is good news as we thought he would be hospitalized at Stanford for the entire time.

We are told that without the transplant he has a 33% chance of survival but with the transplant it increases to 66%. We like those odds much better and in fact are the best odds we have heard to date! So dad left the appointment with a smile on his face and hopped in the truck with Mom to spend the next week up at the cabin before his next treatment.

So those are the facts and I'm sure Analicia will come in here and edit something or put in a picture because she won't be able to stand it!! have at it girl.


OK-Picture added by demand of Bonnie. She's the picture person! I couldn't pass up the opportunity to post this great picture of dad from 1976. Thanks Bonnie.

Situation Report #13

We are finally GOING to DISNEY WORLD! 

Does that mouse have a doctorate?

Well, not really.  Dad has his first offical appointment with Stanford Medical tomorrow.  Kind of feels like we are going to Disney World minus the whole happiest place on Earth part.  It might be the smartest place on Earth.   Six in one hand half a dozen in the other, both are awesome.

Dad had a CT Scan yesterday.  The two rounds of Kimo has knocked the cancer down quite a bit.  The reality is this cancer is known to get knocked down and then just comes back with more attitude in 90% of patients.  How ya like them odds?  Hence the "rare aggressive cancer" verbiage.   The reason Stanford has waited for dad to finish a few rounds of Kimo is because:

1.  If you have been following along they were not so sure dad would be "available" for further treatment.  That's when we pulled the rabbit out of our...hats.

2.  Now they will have to start getting creative.  Ideas we have heard are taking healthy stem cells and/or bone marrow while the cancer is down then truly going full big wave surfer Mavericks-style Kimo on dad. Then they put the healthy stuff back into dad to give him the good guys he needs to win.

There are also possible clinical trials.  Hopefully, all this will be discussed tomorrow and I will have a full report with all kinds of cool things.  I promise to wear my "house of the mouse" ears during the report.  I would wear them to Stanford but we don't want them to realize the Lesnowicz family is crazier than hell.  We did however promise our local doctor to act our usual selves because we need to be "accepted" and he thinks our shiny attitudes might win us a seat on the cancer cure tram.  Look alive people, Toot Toot!!

Speaking of shiny attitudes there is a quote I like to live by "Perception Creates Reality".  I've had time to pause, reflect and ask myself what does that really mean and how did I come by living by such a concept.

When I was little we moved from Quantico, VA (my dad had just finished TBS) to Lawton, OK for a few months of artillery training.  We moved into a trailer park packed with young families.  Dad went off to work only to come home a few nights in a row to my sister and I moping around the tiny trailer, "None of the kids want to play with us."  Oklahoma seemed to have a tornado of little kids and we just couldn't get sucked in.  The next night dad arrived home but this time with a BRAND NEW Fisher-Price boat.  That's right, it was still IN the box and it wasn't anyone's birthday.  A rare sight.

He excitedly sat my sister and I down and said, "Okay girls, you are going to go out front with this boat and act like you are having the time of your life."   He walked us out there on that little piece of cement, held up that box and shouted  "OH WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE? WOW".  You could feel the sides of the tornado take pause.  They must of thought the Queen of England had sent us something straight from Buckingham Palace.  I know I was convinced.  My sister and I jumped with glee.  We took that boat out of the box and played with dad.  Man, that was one awesome boat.  It had avocado green sides, diving board and even a captains chair.  When we looked up dad was gone, replaced by a gust or two of that tornado.  One by one the kids came over.  We had our friends and before we knew it we were an accepted part of mother nature's weather patterns.

I imagine now that dad was looking through the small glass window.  Smiling to himself about the fact that he had just won over a pack of 4-7 year old's, no small feat.  He probably turned to mom and asked "What's for dinner Mar, I'm starved."  Mom, I am sure, was thrilled just to have those two mopey kids out of the trailer.

You see, the gift wasn't the little green boat, as I had thought for so many years.  The gift, was the idea that I could win people over, even crowds for that matter, with the right tools and attitude.  If you go in with the right perception you can create reality with it.

So, what came of the little green boat you ask?  Well, she traveled to a dozen duty stations all over the world.  Floated the high seas of more night time baths then can be counted.  Maybe she isn't the exact same boat the Queen had sent but in my eyes she looks as good as the day she arrived from the palace 35 years ago. 

The "Manipulator of the Seas"

My two year old was playing with her today.  He lifted her up and said  "Mommy, a boat."  I paused, knelt down and smiled at her.  I lightly coughed out the sudden lump in my throat "Yes darlin' a boat, just a little green boat." 

   

AAR on Kimo 2 by Ed

Bottom Line: I am feeling way better than I should be, and there are a few in the "Kimo" chain expecting the a cumlative effects to engage. That may be the case, but like a good Marine, I will take what I can get for rest and relaxation, defined as a hot cup of coffee, before the shootin starts.

So, what have I learned during this rd of Kimo??

It's about leadership, I have put a lot of stress on the team and they are doing their best to keep it together. My job is to cooperate. It is REALLY hard to get in the back seat. A wise person once told me that good leadership begins with good followership.

I got doctors at the wheel, Mary running the logistics, Analicia is the CommO, Heather is the Adjutant, and Matt is intelligence. Then I have you all that have faith in me and I cannot disappoint you. So there it is. This is going to be a bit like watching paint dry while the Kimo gets me ready for the main event. The CommO will keep it interesting.

My lesson: When you have assemble a good staff, stand back and let them do what they do best. Reserve guidance for when requested.

Glad you liked the hats.

Semper Fi

Ed