dear 2014, part ii (for mary)

dear 2014,

i realized today that i didn't include all of the key points in my letter to you yesterday.

here is the one major key point that i inadvertently left out. you need to stay the hell away from my friends with melanoma. period. don't bother them, don't scare them, don't make them worry about you more than they already do. are we clear?

if we are clear (which i know that we are), you can imagine my disappointment in you today when i found out that you have been messing with my friend mary. the fact that you would allow melanoma to show up again in her leg with lumps is absolutely not ok. the fact that you will require her to have a PET scan on the 17th to see if the melanoma is anywhere else is not ok. the fact that you will likely require her to have her fifth surgery in five years is not ok. the fact that treatment may have to be something that becomes a reality for her is not ok. all of it. not ok. by a long shot.

so, since you have already allowed melanoma in to her leg, let me know make something absolutely clear to you. that is it, no more. you will give her the all clear for everything else on the 17th so that her leg is the one focus. you will allow this to be done through surgery (which isn't a great option, but we will take it over the other options) and then she will move on and continue kicking melanoma's ass. got it? i know you do.

to combat your unexcusable behavior, i am going to spread a little kindness mary's way. yep, i am launching a happy mail campaign for mary. you and your mean ways of allowing melanoma back into her life (not like it isn't there every single day in her thoughts regardless) can suck it. big time. we are going to send so much positive love to mary that there is no way you are going to be do anything but follow my orders (please reference second paragraph above). to use one of my new favorite terms, we are going to unicorn the hell out of this melanoma experience and show it we mean business (josh/jill - i know this is your favorite sentence of this entire blog because i used the word unicorn;))

so, get ready 2014, mary is going to kick melanoma's ass and we are going to help her do it. did i mention that you can suck it? (of course, when i say suck it, i mean that in the nicest possible way).

glad that we had this chat 2014, i feel like there were things left unsaid in my letter yesterday. but now i feel like we are on the same page. right? right.

no more melanoma scares please, it is only january 2nd, and we are already over it.

love, me

+++ peeps -- if you would like to be part of the happy mail for mary campaign, here is how it works. i will assign you one week, and you will send mary some fun mail (a card to make her laugh, a card to cheer her on, the winning mega-millions lottery ticket, etc.). all you need to is send one piece of happy mail the week you are assigned to. so, if you are interested, leave a comment on the blog, text me, email me, message me, send me smoke signals -- and i will be in touch with her address info. we will send happy mail until she kicks melanoma's ass which i know she will do asap. tnx. xo
+++ peeps -- here is a great update on chaser and the work he was going doing today:

Back to the Grind :) 

For most of us it was time to get back to work today, and Chaser was no exception! He went back to therapy and school today after a week and a half off. Mom shot some video of him pushing the hanging bolster in PT- you did us proud buddy! (I posted it on his Facebook page ... https://m.facebook.com/ChaseLykken?v=timeline&filter=1&m_sess&__user=1247225804 ) He was one little tired boy today when I got home from work, and I don't blame him. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers- We appreciate all of the support!

God is Good!

+++ peeps -- patty had a good day today and kerry and bentley got to spend some very special time with her. please continue to send patty and their entire family a lot of prayers and love.

+++ peeps - i also want to share the good news and latest updates on my friend mike who is doing well with his chemo treatment and got good news from his last scans. please continue to send him lots of prayers and love.

 

Round # 5 of Chemo is here

Written Dec 29, 2013 8:53pm

Today is Dec. 29 and I had Round # 5 of my chemo on Friday, Dec. 27. This is only day two of the first week, and it is not possible to predict how the three weeks after Round # 5 will go. As now scheduled, I will have my sixth and final round of chemo on Jan. 17. Sometime after that they will give me another PET/Scan and withdraw bone marrow again from my hip. These diagnostic tests will let my oncologist draw conclusions about this treatment. So by sometime in early Feb. at the latest, I should have a better idea about the future.
Please continue the prayers, not only for me, but for all of the sick throughout the world. May you and your families have a Happy and Blessed New Year!
Mike

Good news!

Written Dec 21, 2013 9:03am

Dec. 21, 2013
Late this past week I learned that the CT Scan that was taken of my neck on Dec. 13 shows no signs of tumors or any "mass", so my neck is clear of any cancer now! The next milestone test will be to tap my bone marrow again after round # 6 of the chemo and see if there is any cancer in my bone marrow. We will wait and pray for that to happen in Jan. 2014.
Many people do not have the good news that I am sharing with all of you today. I am convinced that the prayers of so many of you have contributed to this outcome. Thank you so much!
I hope that the research that continues will provide a positive outcome for many more cancer patients in the future. So, let us also remember all of the cancer patients who are warriors and all of the doctors and scientists that are cancer warriors and pray for them, especially over this holiday season.
Mike

+++ peeps -- have a great weekend, make the first weekend of 2014 a good one. xo
+++ kim chase -- congrats on being a grandma this year, that is awesome;) so happy for you guys! xoxo