June 19, 2014:  Nanette continues with her chemo pill regimen and having very little side effects.  She is having pain in her shoulders and arms and numbness in her fingers.  An MRI indicated that she has torn rotator cuffs in both her right and left shoulders.  Unfortunately, the tears will not heal while she is on the Avastin treatments (she gets infusions every two weeks).  She has been having physical therapy which helps somewhat.  Some days she is in quite a bit of pain and other days, the pain is tolerable but unwelcome.  She had an Avastin infusion on Monday (June 16) and now they will discontinue treatments until after her next MRI which is in about six weeks.  They are hoping that stopping the Avastin infusions will enable healing to the rotator cuffs.  Surgery at this time is not an option, at least until after the next brain MRI and the oncologist can determine if stopping the infusions has an adverse effect on the tumor.  It is a roller coaster ride as they try to solve several problems at the same time.  She remains optimistic and hopeful.  Nanette, Regan and Riley and I went for a short week to visit her brother Tony and family in California.  The weather was beautiful and she enjoyed the time spent with her brother, his wife Cristie and their four children.  Tony took us out to dinner one night to a wonderful restaurant and the waitress asked if we were celebrating anything and Nanette said, “Yes, I am here.”  We explained that she is fighting cancer (as so many others are) and we were all just grateful that we could be together for a lovely evening.  When they brought her dessert, they had decorated the plate, brought two desserts for her, and didn’t charge us.  People are very thoughtful and kind in this world of ours.  Even small things make us grateful for each other

Each expression of friendship or love may be the one that makes all the difference.”

May 27, 2014:  It has been awhile since we posted an update on Nanette’s health concerns.  Every two weeks she has had an Avastin infusion at Huntsman Center in Day Break and she has continued with the chemo pill regimen of 5 days of pills and 23 days rest.  She has almost completed five cycles of this and after her next MRI, they will revisit this procedure to see if they want to continue for another 6 cycles (which would be another six months).  She has tolerated the chemo regimen with few side effects so they will take that in to consideration at her next visit with the oncologist.  She had her two-month MRI and her appointment with Dr. Colman, the oncologist, this morning.  It was good news once again.  The tumor shows no signs of growth and may have shrunk a very small bit more.  This was wonderful news for Nanette and Sergio and, of course, for all of us who have been praying and hoping for good results.  She is having a problem with pain in her right shoulder, down her arm and numbness in two of her fingers on her right hand.  Dr. Colman does not believe this is cancer related but is concerned for her pain and discomfort.  She will have an MRI to determine what the cause is and how to solve the problem.  The Avastin infusions may be hindering any healing that needs to happen but this problem will hopefully be resolved in the near future.  Many of you have called and inquired about her health and progress.  Your continued concern and interest is appreciated.  The updates to this blog have not been as frequent since she has been routinely fighting the tumor and there was nothing new to report until this last MRI.  And fortunately, it was good news once again.  This is a long battle and we will update when appropriate.   In a book I recently read was this quote by a woman battling cancer and it mirrors Nanette’s feelings well.  “We all owe everyone for everything that happens in our lives.  But it’s not owing like a debt to one person—it’s really that we owe everyone for everything.  Our whole lives can change in an instant—so each person who keeps that from happening, no matter how small a role they play, is also responsible for all of it. Just by giving friendship and love, you keep the people around you from giving up—and each expression of friendship or love may be the one that makes all the difference.”  Please know that your prayers, calls, visits, acts of kindness and love have made a difference in her life.