Update for September 30

This week has been one of making arrangements to go to Houston, Texas to try out for the Hyperthermia Clinical Trial. Thanks to John for the constant followup and scheduling, we leave for Houston on Sunday. Initially we'll meet with Dr. Joan Bull on Monday and then begin a series of tests...like catscan, blood work, heart test, chest x-ray, etc. If I'm in near the margins they may do some additional adjustment on Thursday or Friday. If I'm accepted, I could do the initial hyperthermia on Monday or Tuesday. I saw a picture - looks like you're in a body wrap for about 6 hours and are given chemo during the time. You're sedated to some extent to relieve the discomfort. This will be an interesting adventure and at least learn more about this trial.

Thought I'd give a little more info on one of my Healing Team:

Amy Haynes - Master Healer! I'm so fortunate to have Amy helping me out. I'm not a statistic with her, but an individual dealing with cancer. She told me last session that she's avoided taking on cancer patients, but now is getting back into it. She just attended a naturopathic session in Boulder, CO on cancer just last weekend. (She said she was star pupil and sat in the front row and asked all the questions!)

She's done a lot of research in my case and is the one who pushed John and I to look outside Missoula for complementary therapies. She proposed the consultation with Dr. Ralph Moss and from that consult, this particular clinical trial with Joan Bull emerged. While they do hyperthermia in Canada and Europe, Dr. Bull is the foremost leader in the U.S. It's a treatment that focuses on the whole body system and not just the tumor. I had initially thought that Amy's role would be one of more seeing how I was doing each week and giving me the supplements. But she's taken on much more in terms of the research, of calling people and exploring options and being somewhat the strategist in our operation. She's clarified John's and my role - my focus on maintaining my health to the extent possible and to make the decisions about treatments...and John and the boys to help out with research and logistics. That's been so welcome to me since I don't have much capacity (emotionally) for the research and energy to do the contacting and follow-up.

I first went to see Amy in the 1980"s after taking her class in alternative health. She cleared up my continuous sinus infections and then helped me raise the boys thru their childhood years without using anti-biotics for the multiple colds and flus. I've always admired her whole body approach (mind, body, spirit) and the way she uses her intuition as well as medical knowledge. There are so many more tools in the toolbox with natural medicines, acupuncture, etc. than with conventional and primary reliance on pharmaceutical drugs.....although a definite place for those tools as well. Thank you Amy!

Featured Friends - Toni and Bob Ogg These are relatively recent (within the last five years) friends of ours. John got to know Bob thru golfing. They invited us to a weekend at their Whitefish place and introduced us to hiking in Glacier Park. I remember our first hike was to Avalanche Lake. As we were heading back from the 2 mile hike, John tripped on a tree root. As he was falling forward, he grabbed onto Bob and poor Bob cushioned his fall! John maybe surprised them that his athleticism doesn't cover hiking! We were fortunate that they forgave us for this and we've had some marvelous hikes (Highline trail, Siyeh pass, Grinnell Glacier) each year! We've had great conversations, laughs and times together. Bob keeps John's spirits going....going for coffee in the morning. Toni has been a great friend and supporter during this health challenge. She's a wonderful cook and bolstered my menu with vegetable soup, clam chowder, turkey tetrazini, etc. Thanks to Toni and Bob - we are blessed by your friendship!

Update for September 25

Hey, it's me! This is a short blog this week because I'm feeling lazy and going out to enjoy the sunshine!
I finished 2 weeks of GX (gemzar/xeloda) chemo and am excited to have this week off! We finally heard back from our contacting Dr. Joan Bull and the hyperthermia therapy. It's an experimental trial out of the University of Texas. In a couple of weeks I will go to Houston for tests to see if I qualify for the therapy. John's been busy making the arrangements. Otherwise, not much is new. I'll have to post some pictures of our house remodel which is moving along - Mac, my cousin, is doing the work and it's great to have him around. I've enjoyed some visits from Olleke, Janet, Barb, Sherry, and Kathy and have been continuing my other therapies.
I'll write more soon! Love, Kerry

Update for September 17

Happy Birthday, Bonnie - my ever-positive, fun loving sister-in-law! (Although the picture to the left is my featured friend, Olleke.)

This week has been more predictable for me with the chemo and then the nausea setting in in later week. I'm learning my drugs and how to manage so a good week! Thanks to everyone who has suggested books. Ironically, I tossed "Water for Elephants" into my Target basket only to get home to an email from Tom Rhode suggesting the book!

Last blog I gave a list of my healing team so I thought I'd start at the top with a little more info - my Wellness Coach and Wellness Plan:

Wellness Plan and Coach, Pam Gardiner - Getting into this whole life challenge, I soon realized the many aspects of healing - mind, body and soul. How to keep track of it all? I focus on one thing, but other challenges would arise. Thus, I enlisted my coach, Pam Gardiner, to help integrate and bring together all my efforts. Plus, we would identify several themes for each month - like re-introducing a practice of physical activity or researching treatment options. It's been so nice to have a great coach like Pam to listen to my ramblings of activities, concerns and focuses and bring it into cohesion. We follow through on progress and adjust each month. Pam has Wellbuddies Coaching and more information can be found on her website: http://www.wellbuddies.com/ and she writes a weekly blog that I find insightful and humorous - check it out!

My wellness vision is: I celebrate life today and declare the quality of my journey a success because: 1) I enjoy health and well-being supported by a diverse array of practices that address the four dimensions of wellness: spiritual, physical, emotional and mental; 2) I have a strong inner sense of living life to its fullness, being in the moment rather than focusing on the future or any particular end point; 3) I am authentic, able to receive what life offers and to learn from my response; 4) I am enjoying the release of ego that defines who I am by what I have done; 5) I have moved past a tendency toward black-and-white, life-or-death thinking and make a habit of dwelling on the living side of the continuum; 6) I have regular communication with the people who are important to me; that communication fosters connection while maintaining the energy I need to heal; 7) I am able to look directly at, and adapt fluidly to changing conditions - including discomforts and fears - while maintaining emotional stability.

Featured Friend - Olleke Rappe-Daniels - What a friend to make the commitment - "I'll go anywhere, any time to help you with your treatment"! Olleke and I have been friends since the 1980's where we were Forest Service colleagues. While I didn't work directly with Olleke on many projects, we belonged to a women's network that shared our Forest Service and personal life challenges and successes. One of Olleke's successes that we're all real proud is her position of Deputy Forest Supervisor on the Tongass National Forest (17 million acres) in Alaska! She retired as of a year and a half and returned to Missoula where she and Orville enjoy Missoula and their outdoor explorations - volunteering on the sage grouse lek monitoring, hunting, and enjoying what Montana and Idaho have to offer. Now I get to enjoy Olleke's retirement ventures: making the "best cup of coffee", remodeling her kitchen, and exploring the physical fitness side of life. Thanks Olleke!

Update for September 12

Update for September 12 - Whew! I missed a week in posting an update, and realize that it might be a likely occurrence given this journey!

As my cousin Mac was saying, "I think John has a new girlfriend...a Russian girlfriend named 'Nausea'" and yep that was me a week ago...."Nausea"! I didn't seem to have a day off and thus, didn't feel like coming to the computer to update my blog. I also think about things to write about...I wanted to write about my "Healing Team" and perhaps the thought of the time and effort, it would take to write it, also left me with little energy. So, I've recast all that....that my blog updates don't have to be all informative or on topics, but can be as little as just letting you know how I'm doing.

I'm doing well this week. Since Thursday when I received my last chemo, we've also added a new chemo drug in addition to the Gemzar, called Xeloda. I take it in pill form and will do so for 14 days barring particular side effects.

My spirits are good thanks to the attentive care of John and spending time with the boys, Molly, Maddy and friends and family. We've started the football season and having lived in a family of men, I enjoy the season; rooting on the Broncos and the Grizzlies. I continue to enjoy watching funny, entertaining movies...enjoyed Tina Fey and Steve Carrell in "Date Night"! I finished the 3rd Steig Larsson book, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest" (not exactly positive, uplifting, but it has that woman warrior spirit) and am looking for a next read....suggestions?

Healing Team - Here's a shortened version that I can build upon, but I wanted to provide the picture:

Overall Wellness Coach - Pam Gardiner

Body:

Overall Health - Dr. Amy Haynes, ND. Supporter: Dr. Sarah Lane, ND

Oncology - Dr. Linda Ries

Physical Fitness - Cindy Hart - Adventure Boot Camp

Mind/Spirit:

Body Talk - Debra Shorrock

Energy, Psychic Healing - Joanna Lester

Soul work - Anita Doyle

Featured Friend - I was blessed to have a couple of visits from my long time friend, Janet Grove, while she visited from Phoenix while her husband, Dave, did a month long remodeling job for friends, Linda and Rob. Janet is that female warrior energy - in great physical shape and who has a great sense of humor and loves to laugh. We came to know one another in the Forest Service. A most memorable experience was spending a week hiking around on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge Forest (yes, for work!) looking at prospective Research Natural Areas. Janet was the ecologist guru and I the lackey who got out of my desk job for a week's experience and to drive her around. We hiked over trailless boulder fields up to one basin in the East Pioneers; looked for particular sagebrush type in the West Big Hole. In the evenings as we camped, she got out her botany books to type samples of the day and I lay exhausted in my sleeping bag! While she was here in July, we spent a lovely afternoon by the Bitterroot River in the shade of cottonwoods and caught up. Thanks Janet!

Comments/ Suggestions on books?