Today is Friday, April 11th

Things are moving more quickly all of a sudden and I'm completely stressed out.... worried and just plain faklempt...

We received Tracy and Toni's Stanford schedules yesterday.   Next Friday which is also Good Friday, we're at Stanford all day for testing and evaluations prior to the all clear.   We're hoping for the Angels to fly Toni but that remains a ? mark so, Toni has booked a flight for next Wed. just in case.  The Angels won't fly on the weekend so, Toni would return home the following week if they come through at all.  We're hoping!!!!

T will be admitted on the 30th and will expect to be in the hospital for approx. 30 days.  Toni will be needed back on the 3rd through the 8th and allowed to fly again on the 10th.  Although Toni is a retired nurse;  the daily Neupogen shots will have to be administered on an out patient basis at Stanford for 4-5 days so, she can be monitored.  The transplant will take place tentatively on the 8th.

That's all we know right now.

My business has picked up and I'm trying to spend some quality time with T before he's admitted.  He's been having some very bad nights which in turn tires him out and makes sleep very fleeting for us both.

Patience and gratitude... permeate my thoughtful consciousness whenever I can get past the stress...

Keep the white light streaming please...

Today is Monday, April 7th

Things are shaping up quickly all of a sudden... T's been fighting something and that translates to bad nights... but for the most part with his newly found abstinence his sense of humor has kicked in big time... makes life worth living.  T's wit was a big factor for me almost 21 years ago and I'm so thankful it's returned once again...

Last week when Tracy was having his bone marrow biopsy; Bruno wandered by.  We embraced and then, since I was frustrated with the continual dodging of opinion for best treatment option;  I pursued it with Bruno, our trusted compadre.  The reality of our litigious culture inhibits sharing opinions and our relationship with the trial doctor is too new.  Bruno, however, has sustained a relationship through thick and thin for almost 4 years now....so I took the big leap... and Bruno responded... BMT (bone marrow transplant) tried and true with lots of experience whereas Penn is brand new and has not been tested thoroughly... no real stats for long term results.  No brainer according to Bruno... I voiced my love for T and that it would be easier if I didn't care so much.... We were astounded that the BMT could be done on an outpatient basis BUT Bruno's 'delicate flower'  T was adamant about not relocating to a residence 30 min. from the hospital. T had decided that he'd lie if need be so, he wouldn't have to leave his lair.  Psychologically, Bruno agreed that T has to be in synch.  So, Bruno went on his way and I was satisfied that my Italian lapsed Catholic but neverending guilt complex had been assuaged... my own personal confession and reconciliation by the high priest... Bruno... at least someone would know the truth.

So fast forward to Thurs. and a phone call from the BMT coordinator and we're breathing again...  Apparently,  T's treatment has been moved up and changed.   BMT would like T's sis, Toni to be at Stanford for her extensive day of testing on the 18th which also happens to be Good Friday.  They'd like T to go through his tests that day also and then,  Toni would be needed approx. a week later for her Neupogen treatments and ultimately, the harvest...and all of Toni's medical treatment would be covered by Blue Shield.  Meanwhile T would be admitted on the 28th for up to 30 days... phew!  and Toni could either stay for the 3 weeks or go home and come back... whichever works for her.  Best news of all today:  After exhausting every possibility for transportation and / or lodging coverage I've just spoken with the Corp. Angel Network.  They are affiliated with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and they can and will try to transport Toni from Fla. to Ca.  We just have to work out the logistics... unbelievable!!!!  Tracy now says he has to go get his sis so he can ride on a corporate jet....  the devil...

so don't give up on anything.... everything is possible... keep the white light streaming please....

Today is Tuesday, April 1st

April Fool's Day!!!

No joke tho... it's raining!!! Yahoo!!!  Keep it up!!!

Let's play catch up... Last Wednesday, we finally spoke with the folks at Penn.  Tracy's bone marrow biopsy yesterday will determine his fate... all comes down to whether he's in remission or relapse.  If there are 5% or more leukemia blasts in his bone marrow he will go to Penn.  If not, it's transplant time... BMT.  Good news?  he has choices and Toni, his sister is a BMT match.

So, in the wake of the next phase of the saga ... the Reeds invited us to share their respite in Gualala for the weekend.  We drove up the coast on Thurs. and returned on Sun.  It was a cozy spot on the bluff with a view of the ocean and we totally enjoyed it.  Galleries and shops in Mendocino on Sat. even saw Van Craeynest ring in the same shop that started me on my quest for my wedding ring set so long ago....  the rest of the time we rested, watched the storms and streamed " House of Cards"... saw the entire 1st season again and hooked the Reeds and set us up to watch the 2nd season.

The view to the side of the cottage

Deanna, Gary & me

Gary, Deanna & T

We had just arrived and T took some photos...

It was a great respite!  Mon. we went to Stanford for T's biopsy and  we should have the results by the end of the week....today,  I'm back to work.  Looks like we'll be reviewing offers on my listing on Wed.

Stay tuned.... keep the white light streaming please...

Today is Tuesday, March 25th

Another week has elapsed and we're still in the dark... except that we now know definitively that Penn won't accept T unless he's relapsed.... and the bone marrow transplant can only be done if he's in remission... so there you go....  Penn was supposed to get in touch by tomorrow but we feel like that's a dead end for now.... T was given chemo yesterday and he's doing well.  Next Mon. will be the telling point..... bone marrow biopsy...

I, on the other hand, am crazed... between preparing for my tax apt. tomorrow and waiting for the phone to ring.  I am tired and cranky...

New listing at 1920 Maciel Ave. in Live Oak - a development opportunity at a little over 2 acres.


My Sereno office cleaned up the San Lorenzo river basin area in Santa Cruz on Sat. morning.  It was fun!  really quite surprised at the amount of cigarette butts but no needles...

Sandy, Marilyn, Shannon & I

Sereno Soquel & Aptos 

Spent the rest of the weekend preparing for my tax apt... argh!!!

Today is Wednesday, March 19th

Argh....  no chemo on Mon.  Screwed up schedule by the coordinator and then, the trial guidelines would allow an infusion if T's liver numbers were 3x normal or up to 100.  T's were 108.  So, there we go another week down.  Frustrating, enervating and just plain depressing...

T's trying to keep a good attitude but it's not easy.

Had a nice weekend with a visit by the clan on Sat. night... they brought corned beef & cabbage and appetizers and desserts and we proceeded to play "Crimes against Humanity" and laugh our asses off....  as we consumed multiple cocktails... T was bartending and made a fab margarita!!!  T was on a roll cracking jokes and dropping some of the best lines in a humor duel with the Whit and the Reed...  It felt soooo good to relax and laugh!!!

We've been crazy trying to distract ourselves from the fact that we haven't heard from the Transplant folks or the Penn study.... so being the squeaky wheel... I finally decided to call Patrick the first person at Penn that I had spoken to and left a voicemail for him and then, I sent an email to the Dr.

Well, this morning about 7:30 we were called by a colleague of Patrick's verifying our number and saying that they'd tried several times to call to no avail....  she said that she'd 'reach out to the clinical administrator.'  and after I asked what time she thought she'd call by... she said she hoped it would be by 2:00 EST.  Well we waited... I passed on our sales meeting and we tried to keep our minds distracted.  I also left another message after our fax line rang (it reverses the last two numbers )... thinking perhaps they'd transposed our number.   Well, I just received an email from Patrick saying that they had been trying to call and had in fact transposed the number.  So, hopefully, tomorrow we'll actually talk to someone first thing in the morning....

one can only hope!!!!

Here's our buddy, Frank with a dungeness beauty that landed in my cooler last Fri.  I couldn't resist....

Today is Tuesday, March 11th, 2014

Another week has gone by.. we were assured Penn received T's file and told it's with the doctors.  We're awaiting word of a possible sibling match for the bone marrow transplant and we've finally decided that we have to increase our activities cause we're going stir crazy...

Having said that, yesterday T had his 2nd Inotusamab infusion and he's pretty punky.  The drs say he will continue on this drug until he either relapses or it's not effective... I guess that's pretty much the same thing.

So in the spirit of branching out... returning to life... we had dinner with the Halls at the Hindquarter on Sat. mmmm ribs and we took a ride up the coast Sun.  It was one of those gorgeous days filled with big puffy clouds as we loaded up the blue bomber with chairs, lunch and our pooch, Riley...even brought a book.  We returned to Scotts Creek, the source of T's unnamed virus back in 10/99 but we never ventured near the creek... the beach is easily accessible and not too far north of Davenport so, it was foreboding BUT we finally left those bad memories behind...

That says it all....

Today is Monday, March 3rd

Interesting weekend... here are some photos from Rio Del Mar Beach at Platforms on Sat.

Tracy, Riley and I were shocked at the lack of shore and we kept having to run from the waves which actually crashed over the sidewalk in several places.  Fun adventure in between the raindrops.

I look forward to the annual award ceremony with all the glitz, glam and fun.  This year however, the Oscars were boring I'm sorry to say... I adore Ellen but she fell flat... the format wasn't her TV show and most of the gowns were just ok.  altho'  Kate Hudson, Jennifer Lawrence and Sandra Bullock were fab.  Gotta say the Jimmy Kimmel show with Kevin Spacey was way more entertaining than the awards...  I could watch Kevin for hours...  speaking of "House of Cards" is sooo good.  we're savoring it an episode at a time rather than last year devouring it all in 2 days.  Netflix streaming at it's best!!!

So, we're at Stanford again and we ran into Bruno when we arrived.  After a hug and a kiss, he responded with an "I told you so" when I related that I'd finally called Penn.  He's cautionary about it but when asked if it doesn't cure T, is transplant still an option, he said "absolutely".   All of this is so confusing but my gut still keeps telling me Penn is the solution.

So, due to problems with getting all the required paperwork prior to release of the chemo;  we wait as T dozes.  However, I've just been told that T's file has been sent to Penn. this morning.  Thank God for that!  I won't have to shoot anyone just yet....  only half kidding...



Anyway, keep the white light coming and don't be afraid to leave a comment... T & I love it!!!