Half way there…

Hi All...

I hope this finds you well. Did you get outside today (for you NE peeps)? It's pretty special what some sunshine can do...that and the energy spent outside by my twins They LOVE it that the 'sun came back'!

I'm just past half-way with my radiation treatments; 17 down, 16 to go. I have to admit it feels really good knowing I'm on the downhill with this thing...but it's really starting to take it's toll on me. I started losing my hair last week and it's pretty noticeable. You can really tell where the radiation is entering/exiting my noggin. I still can't sleep for more than a couple hours at a time...and when I wake up, it's usually for good. Nothing like starting your day at 2 or 3 am Enough complaining....it could be so much WORSE.

Well...I'm exhausted and am going to sign off for the night. Reminder: MAY 15th, BARRY'S BAR & GRILL...more details to come via FB and travistuesday.com.

Until next time...be well and happy....TB

The good news keeps coming…

Today I am being discharged into out-patient therapy from the Day Rehab Program. I will see a speech therapist once or twice a week (I'm told there is homework), basically it's far less intense; and I have completely been discharged from occupational therapy. The things I need to work on I can do on my own...needless to say I'm pretty stoked.

I feel like my speech is improving every day, though Karla and my folks/family tell me they can barely, if at all, tell a difference. I think it has more to do with getting my confidence back than anything. I've come a long way, and I have long way to. But I'm finally starting to see the light at the end of tunnel. And that my friends, is a nice feeling

This past Friday afternoon I went into the office to pay a visit to my friends/co-workers...it was simply amazing to see everyone! The love and support I have received from them far exceeds anything I could have imagined...I am eternally grateful.

Radiation...it is what it is so far. Just had my ninth treatment this morning...but I think the fatigue factor and the steroids I'm on is affecting my sleep. I'm going to bed right after the boys (9ish...abnormal)...which is all fine and well because I feel so drained...but the steroids won't let me fall into a deep sleep (common side effect). I can't sleep for more than and hour or two at a time.

As mentioned by Karla in the previous post, please save the date May 15 and join us at Barry's Bar & Grill for celebration!! Plan on 7pm...more details to come.

Have a great day and be well...TB

SAVE THE DATE!!!!

There will be a grand CELEBRATION Saturday May 15th to honor not only Travis and his ending treatment but to Thank all of our friends and family for their tremendous support

So mark your calendars for MAY 15th 2010 party will be at Barry's Bar......details to follow!

P.S. for all of you whom have purchased Team Travis T-shirts there is a way to link photo's of you sporting your new duds on Travistuesday.com (hover over the t-shirt link and a drop down will appear)...if you can't figure that out just upload them to Facebook and 'tag' Travis in the photo and we will upload it to the Gallery here on Travistuesday   Can't wait to see all the creativity

((HUGS))- Karla

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