from Nyshie...

Hello,

This update is a mixture of joy and sadness. After a very brief time in bed because of a stroke, my father, Henry, passed away on December 20th at the age of 95. With great thanks to my sister, Liz, he was able to remain at home in his own bed, with my mother at his side and his dog in the bed with him. I can not express in words the incredible impact he had on my life, my children and the world he came in contact with. Simply said, his void will never be filled nor will he ever be forgotten. I love you Henry.

On the other side of my life, my latest CA125 was down to 9 from the previous 11. My new oncologist said the cyber knife apparently obliterated the two small tumors and nothing else has grown enough to pick up with the blood work or on a CT scan. The new game plan: CA125 in 3 months and trying to enjoy life without cancer for the moment. As my daughter Maggie quoted, “Cancer is a word, not a sentence.”

Love,
Nyshie

Christmas 2009!

The Christmas pyramid!
Beth, Maggie, Matt, Ben, Chad & Danny!


Vivian dancing with Grandma


Maggie & Ben


Miss Ila


Beth & Ila


Ben & Matt


Sweet Ila


The wigs showed up again!
Ben & Chad


Ben, Nyshie, Vivian & Chad


WT Ben


Maggie


Danny


Miss Vivian

Fabulous News + NYC!!!

Nyshie's last CA125 was 11, SWEET!!! We (Maggie and Nyshie) flew into NYC a week ago Friday and she got the call as we were gazing at the New York skyline, "11!" Very exciting! Friday night we chilled in Brooklyn with Lil' Nysh at her loft. We walked to a neighborhood restaurant that was beyond gourment pizza, delicious.





Saturday we headed into Manhattan.
Me with the Nyshies in front of a window at Bergdorfs.


Doing the subway.


Me and the Nyshies heading out to dinner and the ballet.


Maggie and Lil' Nysh


Me and the Nyshies after the Nutcracker!

Happy Dance!

As they say, the best laid plans...I was going to wait and not check my CA125 blood level (cancer tumor marker) until January when I have my follow up CT scan, but curiosity got the better of me. I had it drawn 2 days ago and just got a call from the cancer center...it's 12! That's right...twelve! My previous one was 47 so I have to assume (uh oh) that the cyberknife radiation treatment eradicated the 2 small tumors in my abdomen and there is nothing else going on that's significant enough to raise the tumor marker. Although, we're certain I haven't seen the last of this bad boy, I'm doing a happy dance today!

Love you all,

Big Giant Nyshie

Good news!

Hooray!!! I completed the 5 daily cyber knife treatments last Friday and thus far, have had essentially no side effects. No pain, nothing on my skin … I sure hope that thing was turned on. The plan now is to have a follow up visit with the radiation oncologist in 6 weeks and a CT scan 6 weeks after that. I have also decided NOT to check my CA125 blood level until I have the CT. I just want to enjoy the holidays and not worry about it for awhile. My oncologist is in complete agreement with “the plan.” Just a reminder, we’re all certain that at some point more tumors will present themselves and have to be dealt with, but for now…

Life is not good … it’s great!!!

Love,
Nyshie

from the dysh...

I started the cyber knife radiation on Monday, have had 3 daily sessions, 2 more to go. The cyber machine is a little larger than I had imagined, about the size of a mini-van, with a robotic arm that moves all around me shooting laser radiation beams into the tumor. Kind of feels like a Star Wars movie, I’m immobilized on a table and am not supposed to move at all for 1 ½ to 2 hours each treatment. Thankfully, they play great classic rock and the old Ativan keeps me pretty relaxed. Today is the first day I’ve started feeling a little fatigue, otherwise no other side effects. He said the effects could last 3-4 weeks. We’ll probably do a follow up CT scan in 2-3 months to determine the effects of the radiation and to see if any of those other “bad boys” are popping up. Hopefully, I have delayed another round of chemo for an indefinite amount of time. There’s just no way of knowing at this time. Will probably monitor my CA125 every 3 months instead of monthly, as it seems that it doesn’t really make any difference in the big scheme of things.

Paul saw the foot doctor today and he has been released to wearing a hiking boot around the house, the large, knee-high boot in the community and no hiking/fly-fishing/etc. for 4 more weeks. He sees the orthopedist next week about his torn rotator cuff so no new information there.

Between the two of us … I think we need some adult supervision for awhile. Any volunteers?

Love,
Nyshie

Nysh, Paul & Ila