Next step starts tomorrow…

Right now I'm watching USA Hockey vs. canada...hopefully I won't get too distracted...

The next step for me, radiation, starts tomorrow at 11:15am at St E's. Tomorrow they have to get the proton thingy's set up, so it'll take 45-60 minutes. But from Tuesday on it will only take about 15 minutes. I will go five days a week for six weeks. It will be a localized radiation therapy, as opposed to total brain radiation therapy (lack of a better term), since she got it all This is a good thing...the side effects of a localized radiation are far more minimal than those of the total brain radiation. I pretty much am certain I'm going to be fatigued more so than usual. I may notice dry mouth and I will have to drink water or Gatorade all day. My taste also might get screwed up. On the bright side, I don't have to do chemo. It is what it is and I can handle it...but just the same six weeks can't get here soon enough.

Speech and occupational therapy are going very well. My speech is improving every day. I still get hung up occasionally trying to find a word, especially later in the day when I'm tired, but it's drastically better.  OT is also going well. My fine motor skills (typing) are still not up to par...but I have full movement and strength in my right hand. I'm confident I'll be back to my old self eventually

Check out the sweet shirts a few of my co-workers created. Click on the t-shirt link at the top of the page. Thanks to all who's had a hand in this!

Thanks again for all the kind words of support and love...it means a great deal to us to have so many wonderful people in our lives.

Be well...TB

And we thought his head couldn’t get any BIGGER…..

There is a NEW link on the Travistuesday site...TEAM TRAVIS T-Shirts!  Check it out!

New Chapter….

We met with the Radiation Oncologist  yesterday and it looks like Travis will be able to receive his treatments here in Lincoln

He is going to have a CT scan today at 1:00 to start the mapping process for radiation therapy.  Dr. Yiee is hoping to start treatment on Monday.  Travis will start another round of steroids (which they say has worse side-effects than the radiation alone)  on Sunday and have to take them the duration of radiation to prevent brain swelling.  They are estimating at this time his treatments will be Mon-Fri for 6 weeks.

Travis is improving at Out Patient Therapy at Madonna every day!  He will be tested again at the end of this week and I think he will go down to 2 or 3 days a week instead of 5!

Travis  has been helping out here at home a lot more.  We are currently trying to potty train the boys and it can be quite a challenge yet very humorous at the same time   I just hope we win this battle soon as-well

Thanks again for all of the encouraging words and continued support

Be Well,

Karla

Great news…

Met with Dr. Aizenberg today to get sutures out and received some great news...

THEY GOT WHOLE TUMOR!!!! TOTAL RESECTION!!! Pathology determined what they initially thought to be small piece of tumor actually was brain swelling

So many emotions are running through me I'm shaking!!

This doesn't mean I'm cancer free...there are cancer cells still left which we need to kill with radiation. But this is a huge step in the right direction

To think...this went from being in-operable to TOTAL RESECTION...I'm speechless...

To the amazing and talented Dr. Aizenberg, THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!!!

Good to be home

That's an understatement...being at home is exactly where I need to be.

I want you to know how much strength I have drawn from your love and support...words can't explain. I hope you all know how grateful I am to have such wonderful family and friends like you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I apologize this so short; it's frustrating not being able to type (it's coming along...slowly but surely ).

Be well...TB

Kickin’ him Out :)

Travis is kickin' Ass and taking names ...so they are kickin' him out of here tomorrow at 10a.m.   YaY!  Travis will do intense outpatient therapy starting on Thursday....so he has  a whole day OFF tomorrow to rest in his favorite recliner.

Travis will be open for visitors this weekend at home

Thanks again to all of you for all of the Support and Love   We are so excited to have him home!  The boys are going to bring on a huge headache!!! (but a good kind)

Smiles

Karla

Visits….

Our visit to Daddy tonight was a little scary at first (nurses freak 'B' out!) but once the boys saw the HUGE fish tank with Nemo and Dori in it they settled right in and were able to play with Daddy.  Leaving Daddy there was a whole different story for Daddy and the boys

Travis has a big day ahead tomorrow with assessments and such....he is not quite ready for visitors.  I know several of you are wanting to come and cheer him up but adjusting to his new surroundings is going to take some time.  He has been reading your comments and it is very uplifting and the jokes put a smile on his face ...and that is GREAT to see so please don't stop the positive Mo-Jo, Vibes and/or Prayers

I will let you know as soon as he lets me know he is ready to see all of you

Thanks so very much for  understanding!

Be Well,

Karla

“Like a Virgin”….

Well we are headed to Madonna....but not the Madonna I wish I were going to see!!! (I love me some good 80's music)

Travis has been approved for 3- 4 days inpatient care at Madonna....room 125 as far as I know....he is excited to see the boys and they are ready to see him!!!

Be Well,

Karla

Waiting….

We are patiently waiting for insurance to clear and/or decide whether or not Travis goes to inpatient or outpatient rehab at Madonna.  I guess I thought this part was already done (I have been wrong before ).

I shall contiue to do my best to keep everyone updated....right now I wish someone would update us!!!

Happy Monday

Karla

Tomorrow can’t come soon enough….

I am up in Omaha for a visit and Travis has once again improved dramatically!  He had already eaten breakfast and gone for a long walk before I got up here.  He is looking forward to watching the Superbowl game with his brother-in-law Dean and Buddy D-Funk (a.k.a Dana Valish).

Trav is supposed to be discharged tomorrow morning.  No set 'time' for that as we all know hospital discharges can be a lengthy process.  Once he gets to Madonna I will bring the boys to see Daddy   It has been a whole WEEK and they need to see him just as much as he needs to see them.  I can't wait ....brings tears just thinking about it   (tears of JOY)

I think once he gets settled in at Madonna he will be ready for visitors. 

Once again Thank you for all the Love and Support....

Smiles,

Karla