My cup runneth over with angels!

"A day is made more beautiful when touched with kindness."

To my many angels...

• Joel and Jeris:  for sending the lovely floral arrangement during my recent surgery.  Joel...I knew one day you would admit I was the "stronger" one!  :)  xo

• Karen:  for your unbelievable support and for being a best friend during a trying time.  Your thoughtfulness continues to amaze me and I thank you for everything you do for me, as well as my family.

• To My Chicago Mom's Group:  for sending the most beautiful bouquet of flowers while I was recovering from surgery.  They brightened my entire week.

• Candace and Melissa:  thank you for the gorgeous flowers, as well as the "love" necklace.  I certainly feel that I am surrounded by love every second of the day.  

• Colleen:  thank you for your visits, your touching emails, the delicious chocolate platters, and the comfy "love" pajamas!  

• Aunt Dana:  for sending me such heart-felt and touching cards, as well as the beautiful throw....it has been a blessing to have your love wrapped around me while I have been healing this past month. 

• Ryan and Stephanie:  for sending the recordable books...the boys absolutely LOVE them!

•  Jen Ikens:  for organizing a dream come true for me....a one-on-one dolphin encounter with the boys (something I had on my bucket list and had promised the boys we would do one day).   Everything imaginable was thought about....from a private tour/session with just our little family of four, to being on the deck with the actual dolphin trainers, feeding the dolphins, learning training techniques and then actually having the boys participate, to having a professional photographer and videographer available to tape our entire session.  I am beyond grateful.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

• Dana:  for the touching "wishnest"...thank you for sending me such special wishes. 

• Jeris and Paula:  for cutting your hair and donating it to "Locks of Love" in my honor.

• The Flagg Family:  for sending a beautiful bouquet of flowers....it put a smile on my face and brightened my day.

• Jennifer, Shirley and Merla:  for not only making my day, but for making my mom's day as well.  I am so thankful for your recent visit....it was so nice to laugh and simply be in your company.  I love you all.

• Shawn:  thank you for driving all the way up from St. Louis to visit for the day/night.  It felt like not a second had elapsed and we were right back at being college roommates all over again....something rare and special, where only true close friends can do that.  Your laughter warmed my heart and your presence made my day!  I love you.

• Jenny B.:  for sending the delicious dessert with Jennifer,  as well as the goodies for the boys.  So extremely thoughtful of you...thank you.  

• Dinah and Sheryl:  my favorite oncology nurses....thank you Dinah for coming all the way over to the hospital to give me a humorous book during my last hospital stay (lord knows I needed a good laugh)....and to Sheryl for your hugs and your amazing ability to make me laugh during times when it is the last thing I think I can possible do.  I am so blessed to have you in my life.

• Diane:  to my childhood/life-long friend who came up to visit today....I so enjoyed getting out of the house for lunch and just catching up. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

• The "Meal Train" Families:  from girlfriends to families in Zevy's classroom....we are extremely grateful for your weekly meal deliveries.  Thank you for your unbelievable kindness.

• And to all of my friends and family who continue to keep me in your daily prayers.  Your cards and emails are a bright spot in my day and I truly cherish them.

Peace, Love & Miracles

Long Overdue Update...

I realize this is a long overdue update....it has been almost two months since my last post!  A lot has gone on including 3 trips to the ER, my very first ambulance ride, 4 actual hospital stays, multiple hospital visits, multiple scans, open (Cholecystectomy) gall bladder surgery, as well as radiation treatments.

Trip to Florida - Disney with the boys

Oct. 5:  First trip in an ambulance during our stay at DisneyWorld, trip to ER due to vomiting and severe abdominal cramping (discovered a week later they were gall bladder attacks).  Luckily I was only admitted for 24 hours and was still able to enjoy all of the favorite parks/rides with the boys.  

Disney Halloween Party

Cohen - exhausted and loving Mickey!

Character Breakfast at resort

Oct. 8-11:  ER trip #2/hospital stay #2 - after returning from Florida due to gall bladder attacks, CT scan

Oct. 14-17:   Hospital stay #3 - Interventional Radiology - gall bladder embolization preformed by Dr. McDreamy (cut off blood supply to the tumor, due to the vascularity of its nature) and then immediately went into the operating room for an Open (Cholecystectomy) gall bladder surgery.  This is considered major abdominal surgery and I will admit it was the worst pain I have ever experienced.  Fortunately time heals all wounds and a month later I only have tenderness at my incision from time to time.

Another CT Scan was performed during this hospital stay....and it showed a "huge" reduction in my liver masses due to the TheraSphere procedure which was performed the month prior.   Dr. McDreamy confirmed it was "uncommon" to see such a reduction in only one month and stated I had a "very good response".  The maximum shrinkage is apparently the most 4-6 months post TheraSphere....so we are keeping our fingers crossed that the little beads continue to work their magic for several more months. 

Oct. 28:  Hospital visit - discussed gall bladder pathology report.  A golf ball size mass was in my gall bladder (thankful the organ is no longer in me).  Discovered what one doctor said was "two forms of cancer in my gall bladder".

1. Adenocarcinoma of the gall bladder (extremely rare type of cancer - they now believe this is my primary)
2. The doctors feel the Adenocarcinoma of the gall bladder then mutated into the "Small Cell Poorly Differentiated Neuroendocrine" cancer I had initially been diagnosed with seven months ago.  At this point, the mets (in my liver) are still believed to be the neuroendocrine cancer that simply mutated.

On a side note, my doctor informed me that my case continues to be more unique as time goes on....considering there are NO reported cases of this ever happening.  Leave it to me to be that one unique person.  

Oct. 30-Nov. 2:  ER trip #3/hospital stay #4 - gall bladder symptoms were gone, although I was still extremely fatigued, loss of appetite (had lost about 12 pounds in the last month), and just generally feeling crappy.  Had multiple scans trying to figure out why I wasn't getting better, including another CT-Scan, a Brain MRI, and a Spine MRI (which lasted 2.5 hours, purely brutal due to being strapped down and locked in place.  Will certainly request being knocked out if I ever have to have another one).  Brain MRI showed I had several small lesions on my brain.  Met with a wonderful doctor (who I like to believe is one of my angels) who informed me of my next step along this journey....radiation of the brain.  During a dark time, she took the time to nurture me and my family.  She cried along with us, gave me words of wisdom when I desperately needed it, expressed that she expected I "would have good results" with the radiation, and she is simply one of the most compassionate doctors I have been fortunate enough to meet.  So grateful she is part of my team. 

Nov. 8-21:  Part of a clinical trial for brain mets, where I undergo 10 days of radiation, as well as take an oral chemo pill twice a day.  Side effects are loss of hair (although I am still sporting all of my stubborn pixy cut), burns due to the radiation and fatigue.

  

Waiting for my last radiation treatment - 11.21.11

So....that is my last two months in a nutshell.  Thankful to be done with my radiation treatments....so I can truly enjoy spending quality time with my entire family this Thanksgiving holiday.  

Still believing in peace, love and miracles.

Dawn Berlynn

dawnbfox@hotmail.com