Honey: Announcement

After a party on Saturday night, a nice relaxing sunday and a reasonably productive Monday I'm back to work. By work I mean a wonderful two and four year old taking over my life and wanting to type for me. I am not allowing that as much as I try and they dislike that. I'm on to business.

I have an announcement that is pretty heavy for the heart. Meet the family:

The family summer 2006

I want you to meet my dad Honey:

2008 Playing Games

Honey and I on Thanksgiving 2008

In May 2009 he battled Non-Hodgkins Mantel Cell Lymphoma. Cancer. Stage 4. He went from normal to Cancer throughout his entire body in three weeks. His cancer developed in a way that it was the third case in the nation that they have seen. The team of doctors at National Institue of Health (NIH) took him on a journey through experimental drugs to try to fight his case. He stayed in the hospital from the day he was diagnosed through the course of chemotherapy and into recovery. The experimental treatment is known to work to clear the body of cancer. They don't have any studies where the cancer hasn't come back. After a long road in the hospital, December 2, 2009, he came home clear of cancer.

Taking Christmas Photos 2009

For the past three years at every holiday meal we take time and talk about how special we are to have been able to fight such a long, hard battle. Behind the scenes a lot more has happened. The cancer caused his leg to fight his own skin causing a few years of healing (I'll spare you those pictures because they are pretty gross.) By summer 2010 one of the most awesome things was seeing Honey up and moving after gaining most of his strength back. Dad went from the big man that when you hug him you can barely reach your hands to clasp them to being able to hold both your elbows. He may have been physically small but his heart was bigger than ever. Thankful for the opportunity to continue to be with us and celebrate life. And that is what he did.

Dancing 2010 Memorial Day

Strategy Playing Beer Pong Memorial Day 2010

Memorial Day marked a time where he was able to get up and moving on his own. Leg still healing, he never failed to be life of the party. Although his strength wasn't anywhere close to normal and he was still so small in my arms. Dad always had this silly humor. After his experiences, it only got better. For example, he drew eyeballs on the ping pong balls we were using to play beer pong in order to "visualize the cups in mid air", to hit the target. He also kept the balls in a very special place. We have a drinks fridge and he made sure you had everything you needed. Balls in the butter drawer, beer on the bottom shelf, and cups right next to the cooler.  :]

Brothers Wedding October 2010

10.10.10 my brother got married. Honey was able to escort Mom down the aisle and give me kisses before the ceremony started. He was feeling back to normal as be big burly man as my Dad. We spent time with a lot of family that we had not seen since he got sick.

Family Photos Christmas 2011

December 2012 marks three years the cancer has been gone. January 2013, Mom reveals the concern that something is starting. Honey has always been just like my Great Grandmother, MaGrace, and very independent. "I can do it by myself." 

My best friend Casey Williams came up to see me and the only thing she insisted on doing for the two days she was here: Go see Honey and GiGi. After driving up from Raleigh, NC to Baltimore, MD, we drove back down to Chesapeake Beach, MD. Catching up with the family and Casey never felt better - I was in a better place than ever and they were doing well. 

Honey and GiGi in front of the Crab Pot Christmas Tree in North Beach 2013

In efforts to help Mom out as usual, we spent some time alone talking after hearing a hard phone call earlier in the morning. She was eating breakfast and I was getting ready to get some tasks done outside- Even though everything is almost normal, I try to help as much as possible seeing as my brother is in England and sometimes a 26 year old can help quite a bit. My brother had called and when we talk to Mom we always ask, "How's Honey?" Her face turns and the response is "I'm worried". Honey's not eating much. He's gained a lot of weight around his middle. He's asking for help doing things he loves to do (stacking firewood for the wood stove).  He's even more tired than normal. 

Honey got Bronchitis coming home Thanksgiving from England. The cough never left. GiGi and I continued to bother Honey about going to the dr's. He had appointments about two weeks from the time Casey was here for his normal NIH checkups to see how the drugs were working. He finally scheduled an appointment with his normal doctor at Kaiser Permanente. Blood-work came back normal for his levels. 

January 24th, 2013 Honey RELAPSED.

The program he was with through NIH was valid as long as his body was clear of cancer. Scans showed cancer in his Spleen and Blood. (They don't put a stage on it due to being a relapse.) NIH wrote out the "cocktail" of chemotherapy to follow for the findings and sent them to Kaiser to continue treatment. 

My feelings about Kaiser Permanente are an entire different post about my experience but I do not like them. While my feelings are irrelevant to this, they went back and Honeys team of doctors there are very attentive to him and his case. 

They started a week later with the prescribed chemotherapy cocktail and we are pleased with the attentiveness they are giving to the situation. Having not been in normal out-patient services before, there are a lot of nerves around the entire process. Example, when they said you're appointment is at 8 am and you'll have 5 hours of chemo, what they really mean is show up before 8 and we'll try to get you out by 5. Its all a process but one we aren't used to. Before it was all in the hospital and there was no back and forth. 

The first go was still scary. Dad had a reaction to the amount of drugs in a small amount of time they were trying to pump into him. It took longer than expected for the transfusion. Take it one day at a time and we can do this.

A week after his first round of chemo in the hospital, dad went code blue and ended in the ICU for weeks. A week after his frist round landed Honey in the hospital again. His fever shot up for no explanation. February 7th Honey was admitted to Holy Cross Hospital for 3 days. Not knowing what caused it the first time, or the second time, they deduced it was a viral bug and with antibiotics, he was free to go on Sunday. (Jon and Katie came back from England officially that Friday, Welcome Home!)

Since then he has been taking it easy. Yeah, Right. He went back to work and is trucking through everything like a trooper. Honey and Gigi were supposed to go for the beginning of the second treatment today but they are postponing that due to his platelet recovery. As of now, everything is on track for his treatment. They caught it early and the doctors are very confident in his recovery.

There are thoughts about What ifs? and Why me/us? but there is a reason and a plan. I just ask that you take this information and stay positive and send all positive energy and some prayers to our family at this time.

This leaves you with a smile and hoping you all are well physically and mentally.