The Hone Team

Life IS Good

2011-06-30T10:02:00.003-04:00

Can't believe how much time has gone by since my last update. Three years ago, Justin was nearing the end of his chemo treatments. I think this picture [taken in April of 2011] sums up how he [well and us] are doing! I'd say it doesn't get much better than this, but we are expecting Baby #3 in August! We truly feel blessed every single day.

A Little Update

2009-10-15T14:46:00.002-04:00

I had originally planned to update in February which would mark two years since Justin's diagnosis. We have some very exciting news that just can't wait! We are expecting our second child in May 2010. No words can accurately describe just how excited we are. I know that fertility is a big concern for many Hodgkin's patients, especially since many that are diagnosed are a young age. If this is a concern, I hope our story can offer inspiration that it can happen.

Besides Justin's checkups every three months, life really has moved on for us. In some ways it is the same and others it is very different. We are just continually thankful for Justin's good health and have an endless list of things we feel grateful for.

Check Ups Lookin' Good

2008-12-05T12:55:00.004-05:00

First off, we would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving was already here and Christmas is right around the corner!

Justin had a variety of checkups within the last week and I wanted to wait until he got through them all before I updated our blog. Sometimes it seems that there is an endless amount of appointments, but when they all deliver good news, the time spent worrying and waiting is worth it. His latest CT scan was "stable" as well as his MRI of his brain. Funny these words radiologists use, or don't use. But in the medical field, stable is a very good word. Takes some time getting use to. Justin bloodwork also looks excellent. His thyroid is still functioning, but it is a 100% guarantee that sometime soon it will putter out. Nothing that can't be fixed by medicine.

I have decided it is time to end this blog, well kind of. I want to keep it here for those that are looking for answers/experiences since that is what got me through the first few months of Justin's treatment. I plan on coming back once in a while to post updates on Justin's health so that people may see what life is like after treatment as well.

Thank you to all our family and friends that have followed this blog and supported us! Maybe after the holiday season is over, I will start a new blog that focuses on our family!!!

And, He's Done!

2008-10-27T20:33:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is Justin's last radiation treatment. Yay! As far as side effects go, he did pretty well. He did mention a sore throat and heart-burn like symptoms this week. Once he had some sorbet it seemed to help. So overall, uneventful.

Dr. Ezz told Justin that his next scans will be three months from his last radiation treatment. We thought it was three months out from chemotherapy and were mentally preparing for a CT/PET scan beginning next week. There is, once again, a chance that the radiation will light up, leading us down that road of "false" positive. Let me just say this...no more uncertainties! We are going to double check with Dr. Fata and see when he recommends his scans being done. If he agrees with Dr. Ezz, Justin won't have CT/PET scans until late January.

There are check-ups in between, a port to be flushed, and our favorite doctor to visit at U of M [Dr. Junck].

Justin, Jackson and I are going to celebrate at The Whistle Stop! I will use any excuse to go there for breakfast!!!

Six to Go!

2008-10-20T21:41:00.002-04:00

As of today, Justin has 6 radiation treatments left. He was able to make up his missed appointment last Saturday so that he will finish on schedule. Justin has noticed some discomfort in his throat, but not enough to keep him from eating regular foods. The tiredness is there, but again, we are not sure if it is from radiation or the lack of sleep. Going to bed late and getting up early is probably not the best combination! On top of that, Justin has been fighting a cold for the last week. So many of his symptoms could be from that!

Overall, Justin is really looking forward to radiation being done. Me too!

We Have Lift Off!

2008-10-01T14:42:00.003-04:00

Yay! Justin was able to start radiation last Wednesday, as most of you probably know already. Yeah, yeah, I have been a slacker. But it just means that our life is moving on. We aren't consumed with Justin and his health at the moment. So I am sure I am forgiven!

Justin finally remembered to ask about his radiation treatment plan. 20 times in all. So 3 down, 17 to go. I would've been able to say 16 to go, but the MIRO lost their power this morning so he wasn't able to get treatment. Weird. Unless they call him sometime today, he will be behind one day. Not a big deal. Justin said the only hard part about radiation is the early time slot. He seems a bit tired, but I think it is because the appointment is so early. And Justin still puts in a full day of work afterwards!

Today we are taking Jackson to a Retirement Residence so he can pass out candy to the people living there. This will certainly be a hoot. He is going to be a lion this year, and will probably hog all the candy for himself today!!!

Still on Hold

2008-09-29T21:04:00.002-04:00

Radiation hasn't started yet. Justin went for his appointment this morning and they realized that things weren't lining up the way they should. He was sent to a new facility in Farmington for another CT mapping session. Hopefully it will be correct. He is set to start on Wednesday morning. I think we are just anxious for them to get it right, then when Justin actually begins.

Justin's radiation appointments are Monday through Friday at 7:00 am. Yes, in the morning! Justin actually wanted this appointment so that his work day wouldn't be interrupted. For all of us that know Justin, getting up early in the morning isn't the easy thing for him to do! But hopefully this early time will work for him.

I promise to keep everyone posted once radiation begins.

Bike Rides

2008-09-25T19:38:00.004-04:00

Radiation is set to go this Monday. We hope. There have been some scheduling conflicts. It's no big deal, but we keep "preparing" for it to start, and then the time or day gets changed. Oh well. Justin is glad to have an extra weekend.

I just have to report! Today Justin took an 8 mile bike ride. Last week it was 10 miles. How many of us can honestly say that we have done that? So I guess it is accurate to report that Justin is feeling well. He says this is the best he has felt in over a year. So great to hear that.

The Swing of Things

2008-09-12T12:27:00.003-04:00

I feel bad I haven't updated our blog in a while. Really a lot has been going on. But all good things. We have been trying to adjust to getting things in our life back in order. I decided not to return to teaching this year. It wasn't an easy decision. Thanks to all that listened to me go back and forth for about the last 6 or 7 months. I think I was just finally relieved to have made a decision and didn't have to think about it anymore.

As sad as it was to leave teaching, I have had another opportunity bloom that really has been there my entire life; cheesecake! Yes, I am doing some part time work for my dad with his store. Justin has always wanted to get into the "cheesecake business" [and me, for that matter], but we just didn't know how to take the leap. We felt this was the best time for us and are excited at the possibilities down the road. For now, I am grateful that my dad [well, and my mom too!] have given me this opportunity to make it possible to breathe. I was feeling very suffocated by trying to balance work, Justin, doctors, scans, insurance bills, referrals, Jackson...the list continues. Once the summer hit, I felt a bit of relief and knew that I needed to make a change. Teaching is way more then "getting your summers off, plus holidays," and my heart was just not in it anymore.

Justin is quite the opposite of me. He has jumped into work and hasn't missed a beat. Jackson and I barely saw him for dinner this week he was working so much. And he loves being able to give 100 % again.

On Monday, Justin will have a special CT scan and a simulation with his radiation oncologist to get ready for radiation. We are still not sure when he will start, how much radiation he will get, nor for how long. I am sure we will have answers on Monday. We are also hoping that radiation is a "piece of cake" compared to chemo. Everyone keeps saying this to him, but we have heard of some unpleasant side effects. Deep down, I think we just hope that Justin will continue to feel great like he does now!

Light the Night

2008-09-02T13:53:00.002-04:00

The Leukemia-Lymphoma society holds an annual event titled "Light the Night Walk." The walks take place in pretty much every city throughout the year. Feel free to check out the links for more information.

The reason I bring this up is because our friends, Maureen and Stephen, are participating in the walk in Raleigh Saturday, September 13th. I met Maureen through an online support group for Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She and Stephen have been a great source of support! Stephen was diagnosed around the same time as Justin. He just finished his last treatment of AVBD today. Go Stephen!

Maureen and Stephen have kindly made a ribbon in honor of Justin, as well as other family members they know who have been diagnosed with a blood cancer. The gesture has completely blown our minds! So I am putting a link to their website and hoping that if anyone had thought about possibly donating money to the Society, this might be a great way to do it.

Keep posted. Justin and I plan on participating in the walk here in Michigan next year.

The Fun Bunch

And thanks again to the Ragons! It is really difficult to put into words just what this has meant to us!!!

The Rollercoaster of Life

2008-09-01T17:02:00.003-04:00

Oh boy! We were blessed with some great news this past Friday. Justin received a call from U of M. After careful review of his initial PET scan, mid-way, and last scan, they have concluded that the uptake is NOT in his original mass. All of his masses show no uptake. This is a good thing. They will still keep an eye on the area and whatever it is will hopefully resolve itself by his next exam.

So what this means is NO MORE CHEMO!!! Again. It was a bummer that he did have a #13 treatment. I don't think Adam Hubner's wedding was as fun as it could have been, but we had a GREAT time. And his energy returned by Monday. We were able to enjoy a MUCH needed vacation. Once Justin got the call on Friday, I really saw him back to 100%. He said he feels 90% because his upper body doesn't feel as strong as he would like it to. Maybe he'll start lifting weights.

Onto the plans for radiation. We are not sure when he will be able to begin since he has had chemotherapy recently. They usually say 4 weeks to let your body heal. We will find out more this week.

I will post some pictures of our excellent vacation soon!

Crazy Week!

2008-08-19T21:34:00.003-04:00

This has sure been a crazy week and it is only Tuesday! Justin and I had some serious conversations over the weekend after doing some research and decided that in order to make the best decision for the next step, we had to ask some serious questions when we met with the radiation oncologist on Monday and the lymphoma specialist at U of M today. It wasn't easy, but I think in the end we have made the best decision for Justin.

I won't ramble on with all that was said, but get right to our decision. Justin has decided to get two more cycles [4 treatments] of the same chemotherapy regimen he just finished. It is really the best option with all the information we have, or don't have for that matter.

First off, we have no idea if he is clear of cancer. The uptake showing on his last PET scan is relatively high. We asked about a biopsy, but it isn't an option because it is too invasive and there is a high possibility it will tell us a false negative. And whether the biopsy was negative or positive, we would probably have the same list of choices we have now. I don't know if we would choose a different one. So really not worth the risk of what that procedure would bring to be sitting in the same boat that we are sitting in now.

Justin has already responded great to chemotherapy. It is our hope that he just needs a bit more to do the trick. In two months, Justin will repeat the CT and PET scan and we will have to make another decision based on those results. We know what the possibilities are and are hoping that after two cycles his scans will show that he is in remission and can move on to radiation.

I keep reminding Justin and I that this has only extended his treatment longer than we had originally planned. This hasn't changed the end result. It is hard to get passed the disappointment and the fear, but I know we can do this. I know Justin can do this.

Justin will have his #13 treatment on Thursday, and will continue every two weeks from there on out.

This weekend is Adam Hubner's wedding. Justin has been so excited to be a part of his wedding and was already devastated when he couldn't attend the bachelor party a few weekends ago. We are still planning to go and have the most wonderful time! We are also not changing our plans to vacation the following week in Lexington at a cottage with my family. Instead of being disappointed and putting our lives on hold, we have decided that these treatments and scans will have to find a way to work around us.

We still have an appointment with Dr. Junck tomorrow. Justin had his MRI this morning and Dr. Alzoubi read the results. Things sounded good, so hopefully there won't be any surprises tomorrow. We have had enough for one week!

Additional Opinions

2008-08-16T08:57:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I find writing on this blog a bit difficult because I am not sure if I explain things correctly or clearly. So once again I will do my best to explain the results of Justin's PET scan.

The PET scan shows activity. More so then we would like. It is a bit worrisome. Dr. Fata wants us to speak with Dr. Ezz, the radiation oncologist who specializes in lymphoma as well as Dr. Alzoubi who practices in the lymphoma clinic at U of M. We saw Dr. Alzoubi back in February for a third opinion following our trip at Sloan Kettering in New York. He is very familiar with Justin and his case since Dr. Fata has kept in touch with him. Dr. Fata told us that he truly believes that both doctors will confirm radiation as the next step and wants us as well as him to feel comfortable with that decision.

I'll be honest, it was not the news we wanted to hear and has been very difficult to handle. But we keep reminding ourselves that the news could have been worse. Justin and I are disappointed that he did show uptake. We had hoped that the reports would have given him the all clear.

As you can tell, this week we will spend time with several doctors asking loads of questions that will hopefully give us the comfort we need to move to the next step.

Justin is feeling exceptionally well. He said he is a bit tired...but too me he really doesn't seem that way. I think Justin is used to 5 hours of sleep and he still needs about 8 hours, so to him, he is tired! It is great to see him spending so much time with Jackson. They really do enjoy each other and I know it means the world to Justin to be the dad he always imagined. So today, we focus on the fact that he is feeling excellent and we are taking full advantage of that!

Blogging for Blood Cancers

2008-08-11T20:59:00.005-04:00

Blogging only came to me in our biggest time of crisis. I had to figure out a way to inform all our loving and concerned family and friends how Justin was doing in a quick, precise manner. I didn't realize that this blog would lead to a way I could help others. First off, I have found that some people follow this blog that we have never met. Individuals that unfortunately find themselves in a similar situation as Justin.

The Blogging for Blood Cancer Event is another way I am able to help those battling a blood cancer. I don't think you realize just how important not only money, but also raising awareness regarding cancer is until you find yourself or a love one in the situation. Even though I am new to this whole blogging world, I see this as a great way to raise awareness for all blood cancers, including Hodgkin's lymphoma.

I have mentioned this site before, but The Leukemia-Lymphoma Society website is a great place to start if you are looking for information regarding any of the blood cancers or you want information for how you can get involved raising money for the society.

Justin has his first PET scan since his treatment ended two weeks ago bright and early Wednesday morning. Hopefully we will have the results by Friday. Normally I wouldn't post anything until then because I know most of you are here to check for his updates. But I figure it is for a good cause and reason to post a few stories and information throughout this week for this event.

A Holding Pattern

2008-08-05T17:50:00.003-04:00

Technology and medicine have left me stunned through Justin's experience. With all the advancements we have made, there still is much to develop. Especially in the world of cancer.

That being said I will do the best to explain what the CT scan report says. In terms of Justin's original masses, he responded excellent to treatment. One of his masses is completely gone, the other is stable, and the last/largest tumor in his chest still shows at least a 50% reduction. Apparently it is very common to finish treatment and still have masses. That is why it is important to have radiation. Scar tissue can develop around the mass and could hide possible cancer. So radiation takes care of those little buggers.

There is one area of concern, on the right side of his lung. This is the same area that led to the bleomycin being taken out of Justin's treatment. Now there are four tiny masses showing and a CT scan cannot determine what it is. I can honestly say we are not sure what this means. It could be inflammation, infection, damage to his lung...

So we are in a bit of a holding pattern. We need to wait until he has a PET scan next week. A PET scan cannot be done until two weeks from the last chemotherapy treatment due to the risk of false positives. PET scans are very sensitive.

Our holding pattern includes: trips to Cleveland, daddy time for Jack and Justin, the PGA golf tour and anything else we can find to do. This is just our reality. We have learned the importance of patience and once again we will have to practice it. I will let everyone know as soon as we figure out what is going on. Thanks for all your love and support!

One Day to Go

2008-07-27T09:03:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is the last day of Justin's AVBD [minus the bleo!] treatment. #12. Many feelings and emotions arise for this occasion. Of course the obvious is joy, excitement, and RELIEF. There are other emotions that have surfaced that have surprised me though. Anxiety seems to be lingering around. Maybe it is the upcoming CT scan and PET scan that will follow his last treatment. I have heard it described as "scanxiety." The awful stress that comes before hearing the results of checkup scans that seem to never go away.

So please think of us not only on Monday, but for the week that follows. We hope to report back nothing but good news as soon as we get the results!

Jackson's B-day Events

2008-07-26T15:55:00.001-04:00

The Countdown

2008-07-15T10:51:00.002-04:00

I guess we probably have been counting down all along, but this last leg feels like the official countdown to the last treatment for Justin. He had #11 yesterday. The usual drill. His port was stubborn, he had to perform his usual gymnastic rountine which never seems to work and they always end up taking blood from his arm. That is usually the only dramatic part and it really isn't even a big deal. Justin did feel like he was nausea last night. He felt the same way at the same time with the last treatment. I am not sure if it is because he doesn't get the usual anti-nausea drug during his treatment. We were offered extra over-the-counter medicine so he can just use that if the nausea gets worse. And of course he is tired.

We had a great time at the Tiger's game last week and at the season ticket holder's party. It was a perfect day. I know, the Tigers didn't win, but it still was perfect. We couldn't have asked for better weather, Jackson enjoyed the entire 4 hour game, and we have to admit, it was an exciting game. Just a bad ending. But we soon forgot the pitful and embarassing ending when we were standing on the field, getting our picture taken with the Stanley Cup and Paws, and eating great food. Such a memorable day. I will post pictures soon.

Facebook

2008-07-07T10:49:00.002-04:00

Justin feels that when the energy hits, go all out. Some might think conserve, use sparingly. Not him. When he's got it, he uses it. So what has he been using it for? Facebook. We have recently discovered the addiction troubling so many out there. How many friends can you get? Him and I are in a competition now...as we do with so many things! I don't think we will EVER get as many friends as Chris Hone. But who can beat Mr. Popularity anyway?

We had a great weekend in Lima. I was worried about Justin's energy level since the weekend after treatment seems to be a struggle. But everything went smoothly and was enjoyable. Good to see everyone and have a change of pace.

On the agenda this week: Jackson's 1st birthday!!! We are going to the Tiger's Baseball game and since we are season ticket holders we have been invited to a party after the game. We can get on the field too! Hopefully we can meet some of the players and ask them why they are el-stink-o this year. Seriously it will be an honor to meet some of them.

The Old Pro

2008-06-30T17:04:00.003-04:00

Justin had his 10th treatment today. We felt a bit anxious during the treatment and it took us some time to identify why our nerves were more elevated than usual. Justin's favorite nurse, Claire, had the day off. It is funny how one little thing can throw a person off. Well, I guess it isn't a "little" thing. She has offered great comfort to both of us during treatment and I never have second guessed her. But today I found myself double checking everything his nurse did. And there were some changes in his treatment. For some reason Justin did not receive one of the anti-nausea drugs he usually does. After questioning about the missing bag several times, it was explained to us that the insurance companies were giving our oncologist a hard time about their frequent use of a drug not necessarily needed for all patients. No biggie. Justin actually has extra medicine since the last few treatments he has skipped some of his pills since he says they make him too "out of it" and he doesn't feel nauseous. Nevertheless, the two changes made me infectiously nervous and overly cautious. Glad it is over with and Justin can look forward to his very last treatment exactly four weeks from today!

Today a man getting his first treatment sat near Justin and they spoke the entire time about a whole bunch of things, treatment and non-treatment related. Justin was trying to give him some advice about what to expect. I have noticed he has done that lately. I am sure he remembers the nerves he felt during his first chemo treatment and wants to help others to feel a bit better. He's an old pro.

We had a great weekend too. Justin managed to get a surge of energy early Thursday and attended a few Tiger baseball games. My brother and Marissa came into town and we joined them at the game on Friday night, went to the pool Saturday, and of course ate some great food at my parent's house. It is getting crazy with all the grandchildren. But of course it is great fun!

Well, we have some big baseball games to watch this week. I guess I should say that Justin has some to watch. I told him I am too nervous to watch and will just wait for his report. Anyway, the anticipation of this upcoming series is keeping all of our minds busy! Eat 'em up Tigers, Eat 'em up!!! And can someone jinx those darn White Soxs, please???

"Off" Week

2008-06-24T22:09:00.004-04:00

I like to refer to this week as the "off" week since these are the weeks when Justin doesn't have treatment. This week isn't as enjoyable as some in the past. The energy level seems to take longer to come back for him than it has before. It might be because of the steriods. Even though it seems that steriods haven't been in the picture for a while now, side effects can linger for three months. Justin's fatigue could also be from chemotherapy. The doctor told us a while back that the more treatments increases fatigue. It seems that fatigue is side effect everyone suffers from while undergoing treatment. That is the first question the doctors ask Justin when going over any symptoms.

Other then the fatigue, all is well. Justin had a checkup this morning with Dr. Fata and he referred to Justin as a champion. Compliments are always good to hear.

When we were leaving the doctor's office today, we heard a women say to another woman, "You know, I have one good day: the day before I get chemo again!" They were chuckiling about it and Justin chimed right in. He laughed because he feels the same way, just when he starts to feel good, another treatment. We did hear a story about a man who had Hodgkin's 24 years ago, had the same treatment as Justin, and is doing very well today. Justin's spirits seemed to have lifted when he heard that this man feels his treatment is a distant memory and has to actually think before he is able to describe what he went through.

We are getting ready for a visit from my brother and Marissa this weekend. We plan on going to the Tiger's game and hanging out at the pool. We are spending the 4th of July weekend in Lima. We are very excited to see Justin's uncle Mike, Kati and Tori. And of course Mamu and Pa!

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T21:32:00.005-04:00

Hope all the dads out there enjoyed their day! Justin was greeted first thing this morning with a gift made by Jackson. He really wanted to make his dad's first father's day a special one, so he customized a picture frame with a picture of the two of them. Justin loved it! We also were able to have a delightful dinner with Justin's family and show off the new landscaping we have done this week. It was quite a mess and I was glad Justin had enough energy to help me with it. Justin also went to two, yes TWO Tiger's baseball games this week. The best part: the games were back-to-back, both Thursday and Friday. I am so proud of him and so glad that he is feeling so well. I hope it continues for him because he is getting antsy and for anyone that knows Justin that translates to BORED!!! He barely listens to my bossiness anymore, which must be the true indicator that he is feeling much better and things are looking like they were before all this began. So I don't mind. I still worry silly, but we have such a great support system from our families that they keep me in check. Thank goodness.

We have a busy summer ahead of us. We are joining the Methodist church in Birmingham and will be baptising Jack in late July. We are also planning his first birthday party. Good things to keep both our minds busy and focused.

Tomorrow Justin has his 9th treatment or the beginning of his second to last cycle. And even though we are dreading it a bit with all the fatigue it brings, there is a bit of excitement, actually relief, that the end of treatment is near.

At Justin's last check up it was pretty much confirmed that Justin will receive radiation beginning in September. We haven't discussed too much at this point what it will all mean. We definitely will have to jump back into research and find a doctor that specializes in radiation for lymphoma patients. I have read that finding a lymphoma specialist is key since the area of radiation is a bit more complicated. We'll have to enjoy our summer first!

Good News, Again!

2008-06-03T09:41:00.001-04:00

The MRI looks great and Dr. Junck doesn't want to see Justin again until late August! What will we do with our free time???

A Trip Down Memory Lane

2008-05-31T09:28:00.000-04:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Just when you relax

2008-05-29T12:40:00.003-04:00

Justin and I let our guard down a bit over the weekend and actually attempted to relax about this cancer thing. Tuesday's doctor appointment with Dr. Fata put us quickly in check! Dr. Fata was very concerned with the lingering cough which had gotten worse over the weekend and sent him immediately to the hospital for a chest x-ray. Luckily within a few hours we knew that everything was okay, but it was quite the scare. It was just a little reminder that his treatment isn't over. I really hope for the day when this is all behind us, but unfortunately we aren't quite there yet. We are, at least, moving in that direction.

Justin has increased his antibiotics for the week for his cough and today it has practically cleared up. The chest x-ray showed that he does not have pnuemonitis...a good thing. His cough might be allergies, which he has always had, or bronchitis. We'll take it! The alternative was a few days in the hospital. Not where Justin wants to be.

Friday Justin went fishing with one of his customers and Bruce tagged along. It was an hour drive, outside of Jackson, and he had a great time! Of course I pestered him about the sun, getting tired, blah, blah, but was so glad he was able to get out of the house and enjoy himself!

Monday we will travel to U of M for an MRI and a check up with Dr. Junck. We are hoping that the MRI shows a continued improvement of inflammation, or just maybe showing that everything is cleared. I will be sure to post on Monday and hopefully it will all be good news!

No news is good news

2008-05-24T18:39:00.002-04:00

Not much new to report. Which to the average person might seem boring. Feeling that nothing is happening may lead some to search for excitement. Not at the Hone household. These days, "boring" is a welcomed event.

Justin continues to feel about the same, very tired. I know it is frustrating for him not to be able to do all the things he wants to do, but he is quick to remind himself that he only has a few treatments left. True to himself, he even finds positives out of going through treatment. And there are only 5 treatments left. 11 weeks. But who is counting anyway?

I guess we are!

10 Day Vacation

2008-05-13T12:36:00.003-04:00

Justin has announced that he is on vacation! Since we went to see Dr. Fata earlier then his usual one week check-up and his blood work was excellent, Justin doesn't have to go to the doctor again until his treatment on the 19th of May. Oh boy! Things he has been doing on his "vacation":

1) Researching bikes. Justin and I are looking into buying new bikes, plus a trailer to pull Jackson in.

2) Catching up on work. He is actually excited to do this!

3) Installing our fire place doors. Jackson finds it a fun place to play! Time to child proof the house!

4) Watching the Tiger's lose.

Friday he will have to go to the hospital for his Pulmonary Function Test. But that test is really quick and easy.

We had a nice time on Mother's Day on Sunday. My Aunt and Uncle were in town from California. We don't get to see them often, so it was nice to spend time with them and with Kitty Grandma. This weekend we will celebrate Niko's 1st birthday. Can't believe it has already been one year!!! Jackson can't wait to give his buddy his birthday presents!

No Uptake, Phew!

2008-05-09T13:40:00.005-04:00

After some phone calls, Justin and I got the results of his PET scan this morning. The report says no uptake which means no more cancer! Holy cow does it feel good to say that. Justin and I could not stop smiling, neither could Dr. Fata. We knew the second he walked into the office that he was going to deliver good news. He had a big smile on his face and shook Justin's hand, announcing "congratulations." Of course we pestered him with lots of questions and made him repeat several times that the radiologist report was correct.

Justin still has a slight cough. Dr. Fata explained that a) it is not symptoms of Hodgkin's, b) it could be PCP [pneumonia] since that can be a side effect from tapering off steroids, c) the bleomycin from his chemo cocktail could be causing some unwanted side effects. Justin will have a pulmonary function test later this week. They will compare it to the test he took before his treatment began and if they see any problems, Justin will complete the rest of his treatments minus the bleo. We have been assured that this will not effect the overall outcome of treatment since bleomycin is most effective and potent in the beginning of treatment.

In the end, it is all good news. It was very stressful this week waiting for the results. Justin and I made the mistake of going to the hospital last night and requesting a copy of his PET scan report. All the medical jargon kept me up last night on "Google" trying to figure out what the report said and nearly scaring myself silly, or I should say crazy. Once I saw Dr. Fata's smile this morning, I vowed to have trust in him from now on and to stop looking on the internet. Good advice for me and the others out there who like to self diagnose!

We are celebrating tonight by attending our first Tiger game of the season! I think Justin will be their good luck charm!!!

No Results Yet

2008-05-07T17:11:00.004-04:00

When Justin first went to see our PCP [regular doc] to tell him about his symptoms, a frenzy began of tests with immediate results. Now I know looking back maybe they didn't seem immediate but if I count the time now, we had Justin's confirmed diagnosis in less then 14 days. Within that 14 days, Justin had an ultrasound, chest x-ray, CT scan, PET scan, and biopsy which led us to hear that he had Hodgkin's. So you can imagine my surprise when the doctor's office informed me today that the earliest his results for the PET scan would be Tuesday. They promise they will call us if they get the results sooner.

Six days? What normal human being can honestly wait for six days with any ounce of sanity?

Yuck.

Good Old Maize and Blue

2008-05-05T16:21:00.007-04:00

I don't think Justin or I ever thought we would be glad to travel to the University of Michigan. It seems a bit ironic, I think, that we are grateful for the maize and blue. I cringe to say that and wonder what all of you sad U of M fans are going to comment...on to the good news anyway!!!

Justin and I met with Dr. Junck at U of M today for a check up and to make sure he was responding well while decreasing his steroids. Going there we knew there wouldn't be any surprises or shocking news. Justin has been feeling increasingly better with each treatment. Dr. Junck and his assistant were very happy to hear that he was not experiencing any headaches and that any symptoms he has been experiencing improve everyday. They are even more convinced now that he has/had vasculitis as a result of his Hodgkin's. I like that they feel confident. And obviously Justin and I can tell that he is feeling better. On June 2nd, Justin will have another MRI to see if the inflammation has improved. We hope it is completely clear:)

May 24th will be Justin's very last day taking his steroids. We have already noticed a decrease in his appetite and the swelling in his face and neck has reduced. We also noticed today at his appointment that he isn't as weak [strength wise] as he has been in the past. The fatigue has seemed to improve a bit since he is able to sleep better at night. His dry cough still seems to be lingering, but Dr. Fata has Justin on antibiotics until the steroids are done. Hopefully this will keep any infections from getting worse.

Tomorrow is treatment day. It marks the halfway point of Justin's treatment, only 3 more cycles or 6 treatments to go. Thank goodness this is going by fast! We wish Justin was feeling better, but are soooo thankful he feels as good as he does. It has been a long road these past few months and we are really beginning to look forward to the end of his treatment.

Wednesday Justin goes in for a PET scan. This is a test that can tell if Justin is cancer free. We are keeping our fingers crossed ever so tightly that that will be the news we hear. He will still have to receive the rest of his treatment, but it would be such a relief to know the cancer is gone. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers. We will update you as soon as we hear the news!!!

Lima, I Stand Corrected!

2008-04-25T19:47:00.000-04:00

All right, it is spelled K-E-W-P-E-E, not Kupee. I am not embarrassed, even though Justin made fun of me for not spelling it correctly. Well even with my error, more arrived today! Mamu and Pa dropped another bunch off late this afternoon and they only lasted a few hours before Justin and I ate them up! I was surprised I was allowed to have any after my spelling error...but Justin let me anyway!!!

Justin has been feeling better this past week. We think the antibiotics did the trick. No sign of a fever since Monday and the tightening in his chest and slight cough cleared up quickly. Phew! Much relief for both of us.

Justin has also managed a bit of exercise everyday. He tries to at least take a 10 minute walk around our block. A few days this week, he even ran several errands. I think he was out of the house for a total of three hours! It is nice to see him try and get out of the house. We are still talking about going to a Tiger's game, but have made no definite plans when our first one will be. We have been enjoying watching them on T.V. It is good to see Justin get excited about their wins. Like I said before, he never lost hope!!!

Jackson and I will be traveling to Washington D.C next weekend [May 2-4th] to celebrate Marissa's 2nd birthday. It was a very difficult decision to leave Justin, so I am sending him to his parent's house. So if anyone is near their house, I am sure Justin would love a visit...and maybe it would calm my guilt pains for going!!

A Quick Update

2008-04-22T07:38:00.000-04:00

Justin had his 5th treatment [#1 of cycle 3] yesterday. He had to go into the doctor early because he had been running a fever. The doctor isn't sure if he has an infection or if it is withdrawal symptoms from the steroids. Justin also has a small cough. Dr. Fata did not hear any fluid in his lungs, but put him on antibiotics just in case.

I can tell the steroids are wearing off, because Justin has been able to sleep better at night. Only a few more weeks and he should be completely done taking them :)

Our "Normal"

2008-04-16T21:50:00.000-04:00

Things around the house are beginning to return to "normal". Not too sure what that means to us anymore. Maybe it would be easier to describe things as calming down a bit. I know Justin was feeling good about only one doctor's appointment this week.

Justin's pastime: Ebay. He has been very successful at selling many items the past week. I am excited that he is getting rid of all of the old cell phones [I am surprised people want cell phones from 1999...who knew?], but have become concerned that he might move on to other items we still need. I am grateful that he has found something to keep his mind occupied. Hopefully he won't clear our house out completely.

Mamu and Pa [Justin's grandparents] came to visit this weekend and brought Kupees. I think I spelled it right. I don't know, they are hamburgers from Lima. Now I have to be honest, I did poke fun at the entire Kupee obsession when Justin and I were first together, but I do enjoy their burgers once in a while. Mamu and Pa brought us lots of other treats, too. Regardless, it was nice to spend time with them.

Overall, Justin doesn't seem to be as tired from this round of chemo then his first three. He has begun to lower his amount of steroids. The process will take about a month. Justin said he is very nervous about having withdrawal symptoms. Day 5, so far so good. I think the anxiety is really difficult, for both of us. Waiting for the results of his CT scan was hard. We have noticed that both of us get stressed out waiting for the results. CT/PET scans unfortunately will be around for a while, even when his treatment is done. One day at a time...

One "norm" around our house, of course, is Tiger Baseball. Thank goodness we are getting some bragging rights back here in the "D." I am still holding back...three wins in a row is good, but we still have a long way to go. It was nice to see the "D" kick some behind in Cleveland. I was feeling pretty down after such shameful losses in Chicago. Justin says I am being too critical. He never lost hope. He has always been the positive one :)

Jackson of course is doing great. He got another tooth this week, or maybe two more. I have lost count. I think reality has hit me...he will be having steak at his first birthday party.

We'd like to thank all of you for your continued love and support. Justin is glad for all the e-mails and phone calls. And of course, thank you to our parents. You help us so much...I am not sure how we will every thank you for all that you do. It helps make such a difficult situation seem manageable.

Here's to continued good news, more sleep and sanity!!!

Above Average

2008-04-15T16:58:00.000-04:00

The results are in and Justin has once again proved that he is an above average kid! All joking aside, his CT showed a 50% reduction in the mass in his chest. The doctor said that this was very good news. We'll take it!!!!!

Good News, Keep it Coming!

2008-04-09T07:22:00.000-04:00

Good news came our way this Monday at our visit to U of M! Justin's MRI showed significant improvement. We are still waiting for the results from his lumbar puncture, but we believe the doctor will begin to tapper off his steroids by the end of this week. We may never know what caused Justin to have the headaches, etc, but we feel at this point that may be a good thing. Whatever happened, It is at least responding to something [the steroids or chemo].

Dr. Junck, Justin's neuro-oncolgist, is a very nice man. We went to the appointment on Monday with loads of questions and he was very patient answering each one to the best of his ability. He even examined the past two MRI's right there in front of us. We [Justin, his dad and me] were able to see the actual improvement in his brain. Technology just blows me away.

I also have mucho respect for Dr. Junck because he commented on what a great guy Justin is. All of us that know Justin, know that this is true. But on Monday, I added one more reason to the list as to why he is such a great person. One of Dr. Junck's interns/residents performed Justin's lumbar puncture and of course, it was her first time. She made the mistake of announcing this when she entered the room...not exactly what a patient wants to hear. She seemed to struggle a bit to figure everything out and to find Justin's fluid. Justin kept telling her she was doing a great job, saying he was only a little uncomfortable. I could tell it was a bit more than just "uncomfortable." Even when the procedure was done, Justin congratulated her and told her a job well done. That's when Dr. Junck told Justin that he is one of the coolest patients he has ever had. Even though I wish Justin didn't have to be his patient at all, it felt great to hear. I think Justin was just glad it was all over with and we could go home. It was a long day.

Justin finished his 2 cycle [treatment 4 out of 12] yesterday. Chris went with him to keep him company. They were home in time to watch the sad Tiger's lose once again. Justin is beginning to worry about the season. He seems to get more tired at the end of each treatment and cannot spare any energy thinking about why they are not doing well. He thinks Leyland needs to have a meltdown on the players. We keep hoping to see him on the field having a temper tantrum on every player! I mean, you just can't blame one. They ALL need to figure it out.

The "Hone" Advantage

2008-03-30T11:06:00.001-04:00

So, I asked Justin what he wanted to name our blog and thought it would be cool to pick a name related to sports. He thought The Hone Team. It seemed appropriate since we are a team, in this together. Jackson, me and Justin. Sure, Jackson and I don't physically have cancer, but I feel like I do mentally. I am sure his parents, my parents and all other family members feel the same.

Then I really started to think about the name Justin suggested and felt it had an even deeper meaning. Any sports nut out there will tell you that the home team always has the advantage. I have always asked Justin to explain why this is so, and being the sports nut that he is, has many reasons. There are two main reasons I remember. 1) The home team knows all the secrets to playing their best on their own court, field, turf, etc. 2) Fans. Apparently fans supporting a team is key to the amount of adrenaline the team has that ultimately allows them to play better.

Well, Hodgkin's, considering you are the visiting team, you clearly have a disadvantage. You are on Justin's turf right now, and I see no welcoming committee. Justin has the most elaborate team cheering for him. Not only does he have the support of his family and friends , he also has doctors and a chemo cocktail that wants you to lose. No one feels sorry for you. It is time to go.

Information on Hodgkin's Lymphoma

2008-03-28T14:19:00.000-04:00

A great website with information on Hodgkin's: www.lls.org

The cancer itself is pretty rare and great improvements have been made for treatments within the last few years. I guess you could say we "shopped" around a bit to see what the best treatment option would be for Justin. Considering his stage, the AVBD treatment [it's abbreviated, there are lots of words I can't pronounce, let alone spell :)] is pretty standard.

For those of you wondering how long/how many treatments, it is quite a number game that none of us can get straight. Justin will receive a total of 6 cycles. Now each cycle is two treatments. He goes for a treatment every two weeks, with two treatments a month, for a grand total of twelve treatments. If you ask him how long his chemotherapy is, you could get a variety of answers based on the explanation I just wrote. It makes sense why doctors have to spend so much time going to school.

Well, anyway, we like to go by treatments [remember, there is a total of 12 of those]. This past Monday he finished his third treatment, 9 left. So far he has responded very well. He has been extremely tired/fatigue. For every one that knows Justin, it is very different to see him laying on the couch. He even takes naps now [I have heard that nap time was NOT his favorite when he was a child]. Justin's hair has also been falling out. He has contemplated shaving it, but it has been falling out gradually. It hasn't been too annoying to him.

A quiz [for the teacher in me]: How many cycles does Justin have in total? I don't even know the answer and probably would resort to the paragraph above giving every possible scenario. Regardless of the treatment/cycles/etc, the goal is all the same. To say goodbye to this cancer: forever.

A New Journey

2008-03-28T13:52:00.000-04:00

As most of you know, our family has embarked on an unexpected journey. Life some times takes different roads than we plan. Roads that you can't even imagine, or at least try and ignore and tell yourself it won't happen to me.

Justin was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma [stage IIB, bulky] February 9th, 2008. And while both of us knew something was wrong since he has not been feeling well for months, nothing could have prepared us for what we heard in the doctor's office that day.

It has become difficult to keep everyone update with Justin's progress. We hope this blog will do the trick.

How it all began

2008-02-05T15:04:00.002-05:00

Justin and I have found the stories of other people's experiences to be so helpful. I thought it might be helpful to tell his story, hopefully helping those dealing with a similar experience.

It is hard to think back and identify exactly when this all began. Justin was "not himself" for quite sometime but we just didn't realize it. The first time I really noticed that something was wrong was right after we brought Jackson home from the hospital. Justin got a really bad cold which seemed difficult for him to shake. I remember thinking how odd it was for him to feel that way, especially since he had a really bad cold about 4 months earlier and that too seemed to wipe him out. That was July. We then began to notice that Justin was very fatigued. We chalked it up to having a newborn and stress at work. When the drenching night sweats began late fall, we knew something was not right. I began to worry that he was taking on too much stress; a new house, baby, work. I remember "googling" night sweats and looking up on "Web MD" to read that drenching night sweats and fatigue were signs of cancer. I personally shrugged it off; there was no way in my mind he had cancer.

Thanksgiving weekend, Justin frantically approached me to feel this lump near his shoulder and his swolen lymph node on his neck. Again, I just strugged it off and told him it was nothing. But by Christmas I started to worry. Not that it was cancer, but I had diagnosed him with a thyroid problem and knew he needed to see our doctor. We were in the middle of finishing up paper work and testing for our life insurance, so Justin wanted to wait until that went through until he went to the doctor just in case it was something serious. I obliged and we both held our breath when the results of his bloodwork came in the mail. He passed with flying colors. I reasurred him that if something was seriously wrong, the bloodwork would have picked it up. I thought insurance companies covered all corners. So he went to the doctor.

Dr. Lamb, our primary care physician, listened to Justin tell him about his symptoms and ordered a bunch of tests to be done that week. I guess Dr. Lamb lacks a good poker face because Justin said he knew right there it was serious. I kept telling him that it was still his thyroid. But when his chest x-ray came back, Dr. Lamb immediately called Justin and told him he needed to come in for an appointment that day. We rushed there to hear the news that he possibly had lymphoma and were sent over to Dr. Fata who confirmed Dr. Lamb's diagnosis the very same day. After a CT scan, PET scan and a biopsy, his specific diagnosis was Hodgkin's Lymphoma stage IIA. He had a large tumor in his chest and two other tumors around his neck.

This is where Justin's story is not so typical of a Hodgkin's patient and becomes quite a blur for both of us. Justin began developing severe headaches. He did not get out of bed for an entire week, they were so bad. Finally one Sunday, he began vomitting and his right arm and leg became numb. Dr. Fata told us to go to the emergancy room, but on the way I noticed a distant look in Justin's face and I began to ask him questions. He could not answer them. I could see that he was trying to answer my question, but just didn't know how. I called 911 and an ambulance took him the rest of the way.

It was a long 4 day hospital stay with many doctors from various fields in and out. We heard a variety of explanations as to what happened to Justin that Sunday morning. Not one doctor agreed with the other. Justin's headaches did go away. But no one could tell us why. The only thing agreed on was abnormalities they saw on his brain from his MRI. He was sent home and urged to begin treatment ASAP. He did the next day.

That wasn't good enough for us. We were already planning to seek a second opinion at Sloan-Kettering in New York and decided to move the trip up. Sloan basically confirmed his original diagnosis and told us to continued the course of treatment with Dr. Fata but said they would have to look at some more tests that were being sent to them to explain the abnormalities. They were confused about the headaches, loss of speech and numbness in his arm and legs since these were not symptoms of Hodgkins.

We came home on a Tuesday and Friday at 6:00 in the evening we got the most devastating call from the doctor we met with at Sloan-Kettering. She informed Justin that he had brain lymphoma and that he was to go to the nearest comprehensive treatment center for treatment. She said she would call later in the week with a referral to a doctor at the University of Michigan. Well, we were not about to sit around and wait! With the help of Dr. Fata, we set up our own appointments and spent the next week meeting with a lymphoma specialist and a neuro-oncologist. No one seemed convinced with Sloan-Kettering's diagnosis and they urged us to be patient and see how Justin responded to the high dose of steriods he was on and his chemotherapy. Brain lymphoma was rare, especially in patients diagnosed with Hodgkin's.

This was the hardest decision. Who should we trust? What advice should we follow? We ended up following U of M and waiting to see how his treatment relieved his symptoms. Justin responded very well to chemo. The steriods were a different story. Justin was very fatigued, had muscle weakness and a swollen neck and face. But after two months and a repeat MRI, it showed that things were working. Four months later, another MRI showed the abnormalities had gone.

It is remarkable to think back to the month of February and see how sick Justin was. I can truely see now that the steriods and the chemo have worked. He still has a few treatments left, but we are feeling so confident in his doctors and medicine that life seems to be moving back to normal.