Re-Staging results...

We just received the results of my re-staging tests at MD Anderson last week in Houston (Dec 19, 2007). These re-staging tests are used to determine the current state of my cancer and also determine if my current chemo protocol is working.

The bottom line is that by all tests performed, the chemo is working and most of the cancer has been greatly reduced or eliminated all together. Additionally, the cancer has not spread to other parts of my body (bone marrow, spleen, kidney, lungs, brain, liver, and other lymphnodes below my diaphragm).

Obviously, this is great news and I am incredibly blessed by how this is all going. I know it is due to all the support from the doctors, my family and friends who are praying for me daily and sending all the positive thoughts and encouragement. God has been so good to me so far and I am in His hands for the duration.

Have a great New Years and be thankful for all your blessings as I am!

Also, I have added a new video at the bottom of my blog. It is from my current stay here at Harris Methodist Fort Worth.

Take care!!!!

Start of Cycle 3...no rest for the holidays!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas yesterday. It was great to be home and spend time with Daniel and Sandra and my sister's family in Keller. I almost didn't make it home as I was in Houston on Christmas Eve in the hospital!..but they let me out and we drove back to Fort Worth on Christmas Eve! This Christmas had special meaning to me as I sat in the hospital and pondered the possibility of not being home. I realize now what others feel like when their "normal" Christmas experience is disrupted and they face the possibility of not being with family and friends. I thank God that I was allowed the treasure of spending time with my family at Christmas this year.

Today, I have started my first day of cycle 3 chemo treatments. I feel great and am looking forward to getting this cycle going and completed soon. Hospitalization is required for this treatment and I will be in the hospital Thursday- Tuesday (New Year's Day). Mainly this is due to the non-stop nature of this type of chemo. I am still on the "hyper CVAD" protocol for this cycle. Please pray that I would not have any reactions to this round and be able to tollerate the hospital stay.

Take care and I again appreciate all the prayers and encouragement!

Christmas Eve...going home.

I am being "released" from the hospital (MD Anderson) today! Amazingly, my blood cultures did not show any Bacterial infection throughout the weekend. The doctor does not know why, but thinks that somehow the original blood draw on Tuesday may have pulled some bacteria from my skin and therefore was not in my blood. I think this is such an answer to prayer. Even though I had to stay here in the hospital for 3 days, I do not have an infection in my PICC line which would have delayed my chemo protocol because they would have had to replace it. I praise God for this! We are able to go home for Christmas and I will hopefully be able to start my cycle 3 chemo on Wed this week in Fort Worth.

In the Hospital again...

Some blood cultures drawn on Tuesday identified a growing bacterial infection in my blood. It is not a serious infection at this point, but my doctor felt it important to get some IV antibiotics going quickly to stop the infection from getting serious. Since I was in Houston for some tests, I was checked into MD Anderson and will most likely be here through Sunday (Dec 23rd).

This all started on Tuesday when I started running a fever of 100.5 - 101. I went to my Dr. in Fort Worth Tuesday afternoon and he ordered some blood tests to be drawn. On Wed morning, we drove to Houston to begin several hours of tests for my restaging. These tests included a PET scan, CT scan, Chest X-Ray and Blood labs. I felt really bad most of the day, but was able to complete all tests succesfull. Then, on Thursday, the Dr. called and indicated my bacterial infection and instructed me to check-in at the MD Anderson Emergency Center. I was checked in and started IV antibiotics that evening.

The doctors do not know the source of the infection and are trying to determine the type and how to treat. They say it takes up to 2 weeks for these to heal and I don't know yet how this will impact my chemo schedule next week. I think they will be delayed.

I will keep everyone posted on any new news. Thanks again for all your prayers and encouragement. I am trying to stay positive. Sandra and Daniel are here with me. Daniel is staying with some good friends (Thurmans) and Sandra is spending most of her time with me in the hospital.

Low WBC

It has been several days since my last post and several people have been asking me about my status. I must confess that I have not felt like doing anything lately. I have had a cold all week, which really is not that serious, but just makes me feel run-down. Then, on Friday, my white blood cell count dropped to 0.6 (normal is 8-12). This means I am very susceptible to any infection or virus. I am taking daily medicines which are designed to boost the production of WBCs, but it generally takes several days. I am projecting that by Monday I will be back up over 4 which is a safe range. So far, I have not had much of a fever. I DON'T want to have another Thanksgiving late-night emergency run.

Our current schedule is Wed - Fri (Dec. 19-21) this next week we will drive to Houston to run tests to do a "re-staging". This will determine how effective the chemo has been and what stage my cancer is in at this point in time. Based on these results, my chemo protocol might change. We are really praying that the chemo so far has been very effective and that the doctors will provide a positive report on Friday.

We will then return to Fort Worth on Friday (Dec. 21) to get ready for Christmas. I then will start cycle 3 chemo on Wed, Dec. 26th here in Houston. This round will be the same 7 day hospital protocol as cycle 1. This time, I will be doing it in Fort Worth, so it will be easier on the family.

Take care...

Back home after 6 days

I finally made it home today from 6 days in the hospital. I went in thinking it would only be 3 days. They kept me for observation due to a few blood levels they needed to check. I had several people come to see me over the weekend. Pictured here is my father-in-law, Bob Goldstein (Candy, his wife is taking the picutre) and two of my nephews, Wesley and Sam Holt from Houston. I am relaxing in the wonderful hospital bed.

My big concern now over the next several days is monitoring my drop in White Blood Cells. It will most likely drop to 1.0 (normal range is 8-12). This will remove most of my infection defenses. I should peak (lowest) around Friday or Saturday and then hopefully recover rapidly by Tue or Wed. I will keep you posted.

We will be heading to Houston next Wed-Fri to run tests and meet with my MD Anderson team to restage. These tests will see how the chemo has performed against the cancer. We are praying that it is working very well and that it has also not spread to any other parts of my body.

Thanks again for all the emails and notes with regard to prayer support and encouragement. It truly means the world to me and gives me the strenght and courage to meet each day's challenges (of which there are many). I know that progress is being made and all of you are part of the success I am having. Please know that I appreciate it greatly.

Take care..more later.

A few more days in the Hostpital

Looks like I have at least one more day here at the hospital. I have finished chemo for this cycle, but they are checking on one blood level (Methotrexate levels) to make sure it is normal before releasing me.

I have felt really, really tired today, so I have tried to rest and sleep most of the day. I am looking forward to going home soon.

I will be a risk of infection this week through Sat or Sun, so I pray I will make it through without any problems.

Cycle 2 - Day 2

Well, I am back in the hospital again for cycle 2 chemo. I will be here till Sunday Dec. 9th having all kinds of fun with more drugs you can't pronounce, and eating food that I am not sure Duke (my 8 year old Golden) would eat. I am just now checking the internet to see if Rocco's Pizza delivers to Harris Methodist. But, hey on the bright side, you do get all the free cable TV you can handle and I do have some good movies from home I brought to watch.

I still feel good and have not had any side effects from the last 12 hours, so I am hopeful it will continue. The nursing staff is very attentive and are eager to help with any issues that may come up. I praise God for all they do and how they help make this process tolerable.

I wish Bob and Candy Goldstein & family all the best as they celebrate Christmas together here in Fort Worth this weekend. I wish I could be there with you all and plan on it next year!

Take care...

Cycle 2 chemo started today...

I started Cycle 2 Chemo today in Fort Worth at the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. It was an out-patient treatment, so after the 4 hour infusion, I was able to come home.

Tomorrow I will check into the Harris Methodist downtown hospital for the 3 day in-patient treatment. I feel pretty good today and seem to handle the Rituximab drug very well. The next 3 days will be two new drugs which hopefully I can handle well.

I have been able to gaim some weight this week and weighed in at about 140 lbs., which is great. I know I will loose about 3-5 lbs by this weekend because I don't eat well in the hospital. I am spoiled to homecooked meals.

We have been decorating our house this week for Christmas and enjoying being at home. I will say that typically this time of year in years gone by, I have always felt that time really flew by. For some reason this year, time seems to be a bit slower and I have been able to really soak in this time of the year. I have really enjoyed it dispite my health issues, I feel extremely blessed and thankful for all that is going on. I pray you are able to do the same.

Take care...

PS. I appreciate all who have supported Sandra so far in her "marathon project". She starts her official training this Sat (at 7am...that will be fun).

Sandra's Big Challenge

Have any of you ever heard of "walking" a marathon? I did not know this was possible, but have come to realize it is a common event for many people and is a tremendous accomplishment. Last week, Sandra announced at dinner that she was going to "do a marathon" and raise money for Lymphoma research. I could not believe what she was saying....a marathon?

So, she has decided to take the challenge and train for walking in the Vancouver Marathon on May 4th, 2008. As part of this event, she will be specifically raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (Team in Training) for the next 5 months. There is a sidebar link to their website for general information about this organization.

Sandra has never done anything like this before and I am honored to have her try this as a way to support me in my battle against Lymphoma during the same time period. She is very excited about doing this and I will hopefully be able to be finished with my chemo in-time to attend the event and cheer her to the finish line!

Her goal is to raise $4,400 in 5 months for the event. To find out more, you can visit her website which describes the event and also allows you to donate on-line. http://www.active.com/donate/tntntx/sandratanner

Go Sandra Go!...

End of first 17 day cycle

Friday marked the end of my first 17 day chemo cycle (which started on Nov 14th in Houston). This first round included the initial 7 day hospital infusion, followed by a second 1 day infusion on Day 12, then in-home medications through Day 17 (11/30). I have felt good through out this process and am now preparing for the next cycle which begins Dec 6th in Fort Worth.

As you can see from this recent picture, my hair is starting to come out. I decided to get it cut to hasten the event. I am not sure if I like a hairless Jeff, but I don't have much choice! I will be looking for some good hat choices as my head is already cold from the weather!

In talking to some of you recently, there seems to have been some early confusion on the staging of my cancer. I wanted to make sure everyone understands where that stands. From the initial diagnosis at MD Anderson on Nov. 8th, I have been staged at 2E. This means it is only in my chest region and not below the diaphragm. It had also not spread yet to the bone marrow. None of the other lymphnodes in my body had shown signs of cancer. At the end of my 2nd round of chemo (Dec 19-21) I will get restaged. This restaging will allow the doctors to see the progress of the chemo treatments and if cancer has spread to other areas.

This week I will enjoy time with family and try and "fatten up" a bit. I have lost 10 lbs. the last 4 weeks due to the chemo and change in my eating habits. The holiday cooking should help that along! I continue to be encouraged by all the support and prayers from everyone. I continue to get daily emails from people who have read my blog and are following right along with me in this journey. I pray this process will encourage you wherever you are in your life. I know it has changed me for the better and as I look at life with renewed energy and focus. We all only have a short time on this earth, and we need to make the most of every day! It is a daily thing for me and I look forward to what each day brings.

Take care!