Sandy Update; Freezing Wx and Return Date

I haven’t updated you on Matt’s mom, Sandy, for some time now. Here are the highs and lows…

• 11/18/06 – Completed radiation but white blood count (WBC) is too low for chemo.
• 11/20/06 – WBC is good enough for chemo for following week. All chest tumors are now gone. Skin is red and peeling like crazy and mouth and nose are sore and red.
• 11/27/06 – WBC still good and got chemo. Still peeling but still no chest tumors.
• 12/12/06 – WBC too low for chemo. Still red and sore from radiation.
• 12/18/06 – WBC still to low for chemo.
• 12/20/06 – WBC borderline for chemo but doc approves it.
• 01/03/07 – There is concern that the cancer has spread to the other good breast. Biopsy and MRI next week. WBC is extremely high – got chemo but now there is a lump in right arm.
• 01/17/07 – 2 of 3 biopsies are positive for cancer. MRI results were improvement in the left armpit area but spreading to the right breast and armpit area; also cancer in the left chest. Doing old IV chemo and a new IV chemo and a new drug that technically isn't a chemo but is an antibody type drug that doesn't allow the cancer to form new blood vessels to feed it (I recently heard about that in the news.) Off of oral chemo. There are plenty of new side effects with the new meds, but she’s is feeling pretty good regardless.

It was a surprise to everyone that the cancer has spread, and although it is a downer, it certainly has not crushed their resolve to fight this thing off. She still has the will and as long as we all do and keep on praying and sending our best wishes to her, she’ll make it. Please keep praying for Sandy, Mike and the rest of the family.

As for me, I’m feeling fine. I have really not been very anxious at all recently regarding more seizures. But I have made a few changes in the way I conduct day to day things. For example, I no longer walk right next to the drop off to the tracks on the Metro. I stay a good distance away from the end of the platform until the train slows down. The last thing I need is to have a seizure and fall onto the tracks like that dude in NYC did! And now that I'm physically feeling better again, I've started working out in the gym again doing weights and cardio. Sure feels good to get moving again!

We got about 1.5 inches of snow yesterday – it started around 1pm and stopped around 8pm. Then we had freezing rain during the night. It is nice to finally get some snow here. Many of you heard about all the snow and ice in Austin last week. My good friend Jill took some pictures. Click to see those pics: Austin Blizzard 2007. She also came to DC back in Dec for a conference and we had a chance to hang out a bit. Click this link to see those pics: Jill in DC. We had a really good time. Jill, it was great to see you again!!

Lastly, Holly and I have picked a date to leave DC and head back to Austin. We’ll be driving out of DC on Saturday, March 3, 2007… more details on that to follow soon.