Big day!

We had a big day here at our house!
Allison pulled herself standing on the side of the couch


Feeling good today I had a tough night last night but I am feeling better now.

Thursday and still standing

Well it is Thursday and I am still standing. I am very tired but I will sleep a lot on Saturday, i really think that I am still gettingback in the swing of things. I have a CBC that I need to get done tomorrow, which is routine. I will get CBC every week.

Here is a list of medications that I am taking as of now
Uric acid - Everyday:
Allopurinol

Neausea - As needed:
Compazine
Zofran

Bone pain – As needed:
Ibuprofen

Chemo – Every other Friday:
Doxorubicin
Bleomycin
Vinblastine
Dacarbazine

Raising Funds to help out

We are selling the following items to help raise funds for Melissa and Vince to help out with the added expenses of her treatment, parking, gas and insurance deductibles.

Please email me with your order. Include item number and quantity you would like. mcjenms@msn.com


#1 - Socks
$2.00 a pair
85% Cotton/15% Polyester Ankle Socks
Soft & Comfortable w/ cushioned toes
4 Purple Ribbons adorn the top
Sized 9-11 (fits smaller sizes)








#2 - Charm
$1.00 each
7/8" High Quality Charms
Sterling Silver Plated
Purple Enamel
Each charm comes with silver attachment ring and lanyard hook








#3 - Link Bracelet
$5.00 each
7.5" Bracelet featuring purple intertwined leather
Sturdy silver ornate hardware
Toggle Closure Bracelet
Purple ribbon charm
Silver "Together we can make a difference" Heart charm




#4 Rope Bracelet
$5.00 each
Silver 7.5" Rope Bracelet with intertwined purple string
Sturdy silver toggle clasp
Purple ribbon charm
Silver heart engraved w/ "Together we can make a difference" with impression of ribbon

Back to work, back to work

Well today was my first day back to work. It was so nice to be back! I feel good today, tired but good.

Side effect so far:
Nausea
The top of my scalp hurts
My bones are achy
Fatigue
My hair is already starting to come out, not too bad yet

Check-out time!!

Melissa will be discharged from Swedish today at around 12:00 PM. We will need to pick-up some medications from the pharmacy and then she will get her $6,000 shot before she goes home. She is excited about seeing our girls.

She is feeling a little fatigued, and had some mild nausea this AM. Hopefully her appetite will return soon.

The doctor reports that it is difficult to see if her mass has subsided upon examination, but her blood chemistry results are good enough for discharge.

Thanks to everyone!

Vince

The end of the first round

Today was uneventful, as being in the hospital and being sick can sometimes be. Melissa is feeling a little sick, and is getting some anti-nausea medication for her trouble. Hopefully this won't continue long. On Saturday she may be able to go home. She'll need to get a shot to increase her white blood cell counts (a time released medicine). Then, she won't need to report back to the hospital until next week (as long as everything goes as planned). Thanks to all of the well wishers and visitors from today.

Vince

Melissa's chemo day

Melissa is getting IV fluids now and is preparing for chemo as we speak. She is upbeat and prepared, although a little anxious. Dr. Milder was here to visit this AM and answered questions and put her slightly at ease. We'll be here overnight and hopefully we'll get to go home tomorrow. Before we leave, Melissa will need to get a shot to boost her white blood cell counts. More to come.

This is what we woke up to this morning

Waiting for the nurse to come in

The view from Melissa's room

Melissa's port

Melissa and me just hanging out

Thursday was an easy day!

Today was a fairly easy day, all I had today was a PFT- pulmonary function test. They wanted the test to get an idea of what my lung capacity is now so they have something to compare it to later.

One set of Band-Aids off and two to go

Finally some good news!!

Just got off the phone with the nurse at the doctors office and the bone marrow test is NEGATIVE!!!! I have a 90% chance of being cured; I like those odds better then 75%!!!

Tuesday is done and now it is Wednesday

Tuesday went well I am very sore from getting my port but other then doing well. My back isn't hurting to bad anymore still a little stiff but tolerable. today is my one day off from getting anything done, however I do have to start taking this medicine today that is suppose to lower my uric acid, Vince has to go down to Swedish to get it, we lost the prescription yesterday while we were at the hospital and the doctor faxed it should have had him do it some where up here oh well what are you going to do.

Today we should be getting the results of the bone morrow test. I will post those once we get them.

Here is a picture of the port still bandaged- the top bandage is where they accessed to get the tube in and the bottom is where the port is.


Yesterday we also were able to get a copy of my PET/CT scan here is the best pictures to show where the mass is in my chest


The bright orange is the mass taking over my left chest.

UPDATED - Light the Night Walk for Melissa! - LETS MAKE THIS BIG!!!!

I apologize for not getting the plans to you sooner. This walk seems a little unorganized and I have not really been up to date on the overall plan.
What needs to be done by each person that plans to walk:
Go onto the website and register
http://register.lightthenight.org/LTNRegistration/app
You will need to choose – Join team
Search by team name – Seattle Children’s (be sure to hit the search button)
Click on – Join

You can enter that you are walking in honor of Melissa Powell

I wanted to try and plan a potluck gathering before the walk at the 5:00 registration, did not have a lot of people respond to this so I don’t think we will. If you would like to help by bringing water and drinks for those walking that would be great. We will meet by Evan’s pool/Playground around 5:00-5:30 and get registered. You will need to register at the official registration locations.
After you register watch for an email from the walk officials on further instructions.

Information I recently received -

Hello Seattle Walkers,
As we near the date of the walk...Saturday September 20, 2008 there are some things you should know:

1- You can turn in money anytime by dropping it to the office during business hours, M-F 9-5pm or you can mail it to the office 530 Dexter Ave N, Ste 300 Seattle, WA 98109. Please put your name on the memo line so we can make sure to credit your fundraising efforts.

2- Festivities begin at 5:30pm on Sept 20th, including registration. Please make sure to bring your envelope that was inside your walker manual. Please fill it out, put the money inside & seal it. This will make your registration process a little smoother. Just a reminder that all FUNDRAISING participants will receive an illuminated balloon and that we encourage each participant to fundraise to the minimum of $50.00.

3- The Remembrance Ceremony is at 6:00pm & the walk starts at 7:00pm

4- There are shuttles from the Park and Ride on NE 65th under the freeway, the Bathhouse Theater & Aqua Theater parking lots, please use them as the Green Lake Park parking lot is open to the public at all times & parking in there can get sticky. We cannot save any parking spaces, sorry.

5- Keep fundraising, money can be turned in until October to be accredited towards your incentive prizes. Remember all the funds raised go toward our mission: to cure blood cancers & improve the quality of life of our patients & their families

Monday is done

Got my bone marrow taken today we will have the results on Wednesday. They did it from both sides of my pelvis because with Hodgkin’s it is unpredictable as to what side it will affect, they normally take it from one side or the other. I also go my MUGA scan done today again we will get the results on Wednesday. Thought that I would a couple of pictures
This is where they went in and removed my lymph nodes

This is where they took my bone marrow from

This is Melanie snuggling with mommy after my second surgery when they put in my drain

If you come to our house you will notice something different. It is very important that I not get sick so we have set up some sanitation stations

On to fight the battle

Well got some good news and not so good news. First we found out that as of right now they are classifying my cancer as stage 2. They are considering it stage 2 because according to the PET scan and CT scan the cancer is in my left lung and in my lymph nodes around my left shoulder area. According to the PET scan majority of my left lung has colapsed due to the mass putting pressure on it, the mass has actually pushed my heart into the right side of my chest and is pushing through my ribs on the left. To be sure that it is only in stage 2 I will go in on Monday for a Bone Marrow test, if it is in my Bone marrow then it will be classified as a stage 4, the doctor feels that there is a 10% chance that it is since it is not showing in my abdomen but we will cross that road when we come to it. I will do 4 rounds (2 months) of chemo and then I will have another PET and CT done to see how the cancer is responding and make a plan for the rest of my treatment.

Some questions were brought up were:
Q: Will this affect my fertility?
A: During chemo yes, but there is a good chance since you are young and healthy of it returning after chemo and radiation. It may cause you to go into early menopause later

Q: Although it is likely I had it before I was pregnant with Allison will it affect her?
A: No, we have never seen this pass on to a child like that

Q: Will I lose my hair?
A: Yes

Q: I she gets a fever should she come to the hospital?
A: Yes if it is 100.5 or higher

Q: if the bone marrow test shows it is in my marrow will it change the treatment or prognosis?
A: No, not at this time we will still treat it the same as stage 2. The prognosis will change to 75% of recovery.

Q: What are the chances that one of my siblings will be a match?
A: 1 in 4 as long as you all have the same parents

Q: Should they get tested to be a match now?
A: No

Q: What would the test for them be to see if they are a match?
A: Blood test

Q: Will they go in and remove surgically any mass that is left behind after treatment?
A: no they find it is not effective to attempt to remove it surgically

Q: How will they know if I am responding to treatment?
A: Six months after treatment we will do another PET and CT scan.

Q: if the PET and CT scan show no mass at the end of 6 months will I need radiation?
A: Yes, we will do radiation for 1 month 5 days a week.

Q: Should I be isolated from the girls to avoid getting colds from them?
A: No just wash their hands and be sure to wash your own.

Schedule next week
Monday
Bone marrow test and Heart scan MUGA scan

Tuesday
Port placement

Wednesday
Nothing

Thursday
PFT- Pulmonary function test

Friday
Admit over night for my first round of ABVD- a Chemotherapy drug mix.

Young, healthy and strong and nothing can beat Melissa

I apologize for this being so long -
1 week ago tonight my daughter broke the news to me that she had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, okay I was fine with that until she added that it is a form of cancer, yes she said that word, “cancer”. My defense mode set in and I instantly thought “okay we can beat this, she is young, healthy and strong and nothing can beat Melissa”.

Her doctor told her to tell everyone not to go and google it and get all confused by the information out there, so I will be honest I did google it, only clicking on the link for Swedish hospital (figured it was safe to read their site since that is where she was going), I was good, I would have normally clicked and read everything there was to read. I didn’t because what I read was more than I was able to face, cancer, my daughter, my baby girl, all grown up with babies of her own has cancer. Ok again my defense mode kicked in and I again thought, “okay we can fight this, she is young, healthy and strong and nothing can beat Melissa”.

On Wednesday she went in for her tests, it struck me about noon that, “oh my god, my daughter is having cancer testing done” there was that word again, it was so much easier calling it Hodgkin’s Lymphoma I had not called it cancer. I couldn’t get my thoughts off her all day, hard to focus on my work or anything else around me, only to go home where I found myself sitting home alone, yeah imagine that our house was empty and no one home but me, let me tell you the quiet gave me time to think, I had not done that since she gave us the news. I sat here in my living room thinking about the last 21 years, living in this house and 23 years total of watching my baby girl grow up, thinking about the number of times she walked through the living room door carefree, healthy, and full of laughter and smiles.

The tears came to my eyes and I cried, I am as some know not one to cry (or admit to it anyway), but my daughter stood in this very room and told me what every mother hopes to never hear, “I have cancer”.

Today’s visit with her doctor made it all a reality (I will let Melissa post the update), but the word cancer did not seem so scary, while she has a tuff road ahead of her she will be okay, we will all be by her side as we were today sitting in the room listening to the doctor explain what we never thought or wanted to hear, our daughter, sister, wife, granddaughter, sister in law has cancer. Together we will fight it and together we will get her life back for her, this will not beat her because she is young, healthy and strong and nothing can beat Melissa.
I love you Melissa and Vince and we will get you through this. - Love Mom

Thank you to everyone for your supportive words and ongoing prayers; with all of your support we will be stronger to fight this.

Went well

The tests went well yesterday and we will get the results tomorrow. I did get my drain out which was great!!! It has been so nice to have a day without having to worry about it. Check in tomorrow evening and we will have more posted.

CT and Blood work

Today I am going in for my CT and blood work. We won’t know anything until Friday when we meet with the oncologist but it helps to feel like we are doing something and not just sitting around waiting for Friday. Today I will also get my drain in my arm taken out!

A diagnosis.....

Friday August 8th was supposed to be a happy day a day to remember when we got married. Friday at 4:40 I received a call from the doctor that did my biopsy. They diagnosis is Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Hodgkin's lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system. Right now we don't know what treatment I will be undergoing. I have an appointment on Friday to discuss what my treatment plan will be. Please check back in on Friday for an update.

Thank you
Vince, Melissa, Melanie and Allison

Roadblocks…

Last week I went to the doctor about a lump that I have had in my armpit. He wanted to do surgery as soon as possible to get it out and biopsy it; he thinks it may be lymphoma. Well last night I went it in, everything went well, he removed 2 swollen lymph nodes and a blue one because he wasn’t sure why it was blue (turns out it was because of my tattoo) until we got home and my armpit swelled to just about a size of a baseball. I called the doctor and he wanted to see me back in his office first thing this morning. Well I formed a fairly large blood clot that we needed to get out. So I went in to surgery again (2 surgeries in the last 24 hours!) now I have a drain in my arm to keep a clot from coming back. I will have this for 10 days or until it stops draining. I will be out of work until the drain comes out.

We will have the results from the biopsy by next Thursday. It has been one of the hardest things to try and grasp the diagnosis of lymphoma. I know that we haven’t gotten the results but how can this happen to me? I am a young mother with 2 little girls that I NEED to help raise, why does this have to happen now? I need to be there for my husband, my girls, my family. I am trying to stay strong but it is so hard sometimes.

Well I will update when we know more.