Good Morning,

Once again, it has been quite awhile since I have posted any news. Sorry about that. Truthfully, I think it was just a bit overwhelming that I was starting this regime once again. It has been a little harder this time to get all that positive energy flowing. Right now I am depending on Pac Man to kick the hell out of this tumor! I do feel very fortunate that as I am waiting in the waiting room and I take a look around at some of the people who are also waiting that I look healthier than most and that includes some of the visitors they have with them. Sometimes I play a game before they get to sign in who exactly is the patient!! If you ever decide to come with me…look your best!


The good news is that Ed is till my nurse and I couldn’t be happier. He is so kind and thoughtful. He never makes you feel that he is in a rush. He always sits and talks for a little bit before we take the blood and then wait for the results before the chemo comes up from the pharmacy, which always seems to take forever!

I hope all of you had a wonderful time time celebrating Thanksgiving.


I am very thankful and grateful for all of my soldiers and supporters as we get to celebrate another Thanksgiving together. Off to the Bahamas the following week! CAN’T WAIT TO GO!!
Much love,
Tricia

New News

It has been a bit since I have posted anything to my blog because I really did not have anything new to tell. That has now changed. I had a cat scan a week ago and go the results this week. The good news is that the tumor has not spread anywhere else, but it has grown. The pesky little bugger!!! I will start a new round of chemotherapy starting on October 13th when I get back from California. Yes, I am leaving on Sunday for sunny San Diego to visit with my Jerrys. It will be a wonderful way to relax and gear up for the next phase of treatments.

Please know that I am staying positive because as my doctor has said we don't know what new advances in the pipeline may be coming my way. I ask all of you to put your powers together once again and walk with me.

Once again my gratitude and love is sent to you all.

Tricia

Combat Report June 7, 2010

To my most loyal of soldiers I have a field report for all of you. We have won a battle, but we did not win the war. What that all means is that the tumor did not shrink off the Hepatic Artery, so it could not be removed. What they did do is called an interoperative radiation protocol. They moved any and all organs that were in the way so that the radiologist could directly zap the tumor. Unfortunately, that was all that they could do. The next battle will be to go back on the chemochotherapy regime I was on October, November and December...three weeks on and two weeks off and this will continue throughout the year. I will continue to get various cat scans to determine if the cancer has spread anywhere. So as to quote,my son Jeff," the rest of this war will be a great big crap shoot!!!" You all know what that means... please, keep me in your thoughts and prayers whenever you can!

Lots of love,
Tricia

Tomorrow is the Day!!!

Well the evening has finally come that we have all been striving for. Surgery is tomorrow morning at 10 am. The day will start at 8am and then I hope they will give me the good drugs and I will be off to some peacefull and beautiful beach in Hawaii. I must say that I am somewhat anxious and can't wait for tomorrow to be over and I get to open my eyes and know that that is all behind us now.

Writing this blog has given me so much hope and courage to know that all of you wonderful and generous people have kept me close to your hearts and in your prayers. Walking in this journey can sometimes be a lonely place and then I would turn to my blog and read all of your comments and know that I was certainly not alone. I was loved!! I thank you for that.

Please keep me in your prayers tonight and tomorrow so that God will say,"Enough, already, I hear you, I hear you!!!

My graititude and love to you all, my special soldiers.

Tricia

Thursday May 13

The tests have been done, the appointments kept and the news is that the tumor has shrunk enough so that I am ready to have the surgery!!!I have an appointment on May 25th for preop and to meer with Dr. Fernandez, who will be performing the surgery. The final stage is at hand. The surgery will be done on June 2nd ( no time yet). For now I have been told that I will be in the hospital for about a week and then 6 weeks recuperation at home.

This news tells me that all of my loyal soldiers have carried me forward to the outcome we were all praying for. I never felt like I was in this war alone and now I know for certain that I wasn't. I had all of you!!! Please know, that as you were praying for me I kept all of you close to my heart and also in my prayers.

With love,
Tricia

Just wanted to let all of you know that, yes, I am still alive. They told me to expect to feel like you had been hit by a truck…so in my mind I pictured a pick- up truck, not the 18 wheeler that mowed me down. Seriously, it has been a very difficult 6 weeks. The nausea, vomiting and extreme fatigue has been quite overwhelming!! The good news is that this week I seem to be turning the corner. Little by little I am getting my strength back. Food is still a bit of an issue, but I am hoping that too will soon get better.
I will be going for my next cat scan on May 6th and will get the result on May 10th (my Birthday) so I am taking that as a good omen. The best news from the cat scan would be that the tumor is completely gone and the next best result would be that it shrunk enough so that it is off the hepatic artery and I will be able to have the Whipple Surgery. I am very optimistic that I will have one of these results, after all I have an army of soldiers behind me!
Thank you all for your cards, notes, dinners and most of all your prayers, love and support. I couldn’t have done this without you!!!
Much love,
Tricia

Week 2 and 3...Almost Halfway There!!!

Greetings My Loyal Soldiers!!!

Hard to believe that almost 3 weeks are already done. Three more to go! I wish I could tell you that it has been a piece of cake for it has been more like a roller coaster ride. One day you feel pretty good and the next day not so much. The worst is the exhaustion. It is very hard to explain because it is like no other kind of tiredness I have ever experienced. Christopher doesn’t understand when I get so mad that I am tired. What he doesn’t realize is that I am basically a nosy person and feel that I am missing something when I am sleeping!! Food too has become a bit of an issue, but I am really not complaining about that because dropping a few pounds would be a good thing! Hell of a way to do it, but again who’s complaining? Not I!!!
I am so overwhelmed and honored that there are so many members or rather soldiers on my blog. God must be saying about now, “Who is this Tricia? Ok, ok, I am listening!”. Thank you all for your love and support.
Take care,
Tricia