tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63593132011-11-08T17:33:38.402-07:00Fighting cancer any way we can.Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.comBlogger1121100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-24926214236929737282007-04-29T11:44:00.000-07:002007-04-29T12:00:59.989-07:00

I just emerged from my ice bath. I decided that 18 miles had wreaked havoc on my body, and I will do whatever it takes to deaden the pain. An ice bath was my only option. I poured a 5gallon jug of ice water into the tub and filled it with cold water. I put on a jacket and lied there for about ten minutes up to my waist. It wasn't too bad. Maybe it wasn't cold enough. I hope it helps.Those 18

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-73784251062456681432007-04-18T20:48:00.000-07:002007-04-18T21:21:06.410-07:00

That is my new theme :) I'm not going to bother sharing times as this point, because time doesn't matter! I'm focusing on the finish line, and I'd like to be be breathing when I get there. Those Saturday runs are LSD--Long Slow Distance. Key word: slooooow. The LSD runs, while slow, really help to build endurance. Our run last saturday was 16miles! We were in Lake Havasu for a very

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-67511544414532087112007-03-27T21:22:00.000-07:002007-03-27T21:40:53.921-07:00

For the most part, my training has been going well. Last Saturday we ran up Sabino Canyon. It was gorgeous! It was also very flooded, making for an adventure. It rained quite a bit on thursday and friday, and with the debris from the Aspen fire filling up the under part of the bridges, all the water flows right over the top. We didn't let that stop us. We went straight through the freezing

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-60495374773448668612007-03-14T20:55:00.000-07:002007-03-27T21:45:35.161-07:00

Here I am selecting the winning names for our Team in Training fundraising raffle! We raffled off a weekend stay at Best Western, a cancer awareness bracelet, a Jazzercise gift basket, a Sidewinders gift basket and a Lenox serving dish. It was a success!In the background is our Team in Training marathon quilt. A friend of TNT quilted it to represent the two upcoming marathons, our Rock 'n' Roll

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-32762310770513481602007-03-07T16:56:00.000-07:002007-03-07T17:04:41.930-07:00

First: I finally know that a "runners high" feels like. My 8mile run on Saturday was amazing. It started out rough, and I was dreading the rest of the run. About 3-4 miles into I decided to buck up and concentrate. I ate a Clif power shot to give me some energy, and worked on my form. Shortly thereafter, one of the TNT coaches joined me and ran the rest of the way with me. He was a life

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-30077712119619929462007-02-20T21:35:00.000-07:002007-02-20T21:46:40.775-07:00

Well, I'm not quite sure that I'm comfortable saying that quite yet. But, I can definitely say that I have acted a bit out of the ordinary. Two things I did this week that I can honestly say I didn't think I'd ever do:I ran while I was sickI ran in the rainRunning in the rain was actually quite nice, running while sick, not so much. I woke up Friday with a pretty nasty head cold. I tried to

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-44334052561365869712007-02-13T20:33:00.000-07:002007-02-13T20:43:06.303-07:00

I hope you like the look of the new homepage. I figure I don't want everyone to have to be subjected to my training posts, but if you want to see them, you can find them here.Training is coming along pretty well. We have had 2 Saturday long run trainings. As we are still early on, they were relatively short. The first was 1-2 miles and the second 2-3. I've decided to stay in the top range,

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-28230374110554284362007-02-01T19:41:00.000-07:002007-02-04T19:29:17.133-07:00

Are you up to the challenge?A very generous donor has offered to match all of the funds that we, as Team Giant, raise to fight cancer up to $20,000. Maybe you need to count those zeros again. Yep. That's right. $20,000. What that means is that we ALL need to step up and raise some funds! This challenge includes both of our current endeavors: Climb to Conquer cancer, and the Marathon Challenge.

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-32432849273440574552007-01-28T15:12:00.000-07:002007-01-28T15:29:35.805-07:00

Yesterday was the kick-off for Team in Training (TNT). I won a trisports.com t-shirt, which I gave to Tyson (because he has actually completed a triathlon!). I figured it served him better. At the kick off I met Gabbi. Gabbi is one of our honored teammates for TNT she is ten years old and is a 6 year leukemia survivor. It was very nice to meet her. Daniela is our other honored teammate, but

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-6527865810533161002007-01-25T17:45:00.000-07:002007-02-02T12:16:01.128-07:00

I have decided to revive the giantallen.com website! I think that Josh would be proud to know that even in his absence, we are all continuing the battle against cancer in his memory, and in memory/honor of so many others.I will now use this page to update you all on the many steps that we take in the battle to find a cure for cancer.We currently have two upcoming events:The first you are all

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1144726315526130192006-04-10T20:18:00.000-07:002006-04-10T20:46:53.356-07:00

When I invited all of you to join us in conquering cancer, I had no idea just how much support we would be getting for the 3rd year in a row!!!Team Giant raised more than anyother team!!! It was probably more than any team has ever raised for our Tucson climb event. I was the top online fundraiser and the top individual fundraiser.Team Giant raised OVER $14,300!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOWZA!!!When you

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1136951949351222702006-01-10T20:58:00.000-07:002006-01-10T21:00:52.876-07:00

Please be sure to read all three of the updates below! :)You may have noticed that the guestbook isn't working. You can still write comment on each of the posts by clicking on the "comments" link below the post.

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1136951411262087842006-01-10T20:27:00.000-07:002006-01-11T08:11:10.096-07:00

...It's that time of year again! That's right, it's time to sign up and fundraise for the American Cancer Society's Climb to Conquer Cancer!!I will be leading Team Giant again this year and would love to have another big team! Last year we had about 90 members and we raised more money than any other team: over $6,000!!The money raised by the ACS goes toward Research, Advocacy, Education and

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1136949193077595572006-01-10T20:07:00.000-07:002006-01-10T20:13:53.456-07:00

Tyson proposed in december, and I accepted!Wedding plans pending...

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1136948738326981122006-01-10T19:52:00.000-07:002006-01-11T08:12:07.933-07:00

As many of you know, Crystal has been taking flying lessons for the last couple of years. This past summer she passed the written portion of the the test and in November she passed the practical portion!!! She is officially a licensed pilot!We are all so proud of this accomplishment! Now she continues to fly and get hours so that she can get more experience and pass more tests.Congrats Crystal!

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1127710482560067892005-09-25T21:52:00.000-07:002006-01-10T20:26:13.853-07:00

I can’t believe that it has been a year. Tomorrow morning at 10:20am will mark exactly one year since Josh passed away. Some days I still have a hard time even believing it. One year ago today, I learned that my big brother wasn’t going to make it through the weekend. I think I speak for my whole family when I say that was the most painful weekend of my life, but at the same time, Josh’s pain

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1126586546321897162005-09-12T21:41:00.000-07:002005-09-12T21:42:26.326-07:00

I'll post more another day.

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1114971882530604002005-05-01T11:17:00.000-07:002005-05-01T11:24:42.530-07:00

Last week my family was honored to present the first ever "Josh Allen Award." This is an award give to the Most Valuable Forward on the Varsity Rugby team at the U of A. Coach Dave Sitton re-named the award in honor and memory of Josh. Josh won this award while he was a member of the team. The winner is selected by his teammates. It is nice to know that Josh's name will continue on in the UA

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1114971239700254482005-05-01T11:15:00.000-07:002005-05-01T11:16:22.826-07:00

I have recently begun a new position! I'm working at the Tucson Osteopathic Medical Foundation. This is a very exciting opportunity for me, as I am the Communications Associate, which means that I actually get to use my Marketing degree!!I have already learned so much. Especially about Osteopathy, Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT), and D.O.s.Throughout the year I will be working on the

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1114971354935860232005-05-01T11:00:00.000-07:002005-05-01T11:16:51.723-07:00

Caily celebrated her 3rd birthday with a royal party for the Princess! She has matured so much, and she loves to talk! Jake, of course, has also grown so much and is such a handsome boy, he will be 5 in June.

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1111730619876762572005-03-24T22:55:00.000-07:002005-03-24T23:03:39.876-07:00

We did it! Team Giant raised the most money for the Climb to Conquer Cancer!!! We raised a total of $6,578.86!!! Great job, team!The Climb has a projected net income of $123,944.55!! That is almost $9,000 more than our goal this year!Team Giant even had a "branch off" team. A friend of ours started her own team, "Team Pink," and they had over 20 members and raised lots of money, too! Thanks

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1111122259209201622005-03-17T22:00:00.000-07:002005-04-17T19:13:36.810-07:00

Thank you so much to all of you who contributed to Team Giant!!! We appreciated your presence, your donations, your thoughts, your prayers…thank you, thank you, thank you!!We had another great year Climbing “A” Mountain. It was a busy day for me, trying to keep everything organized, but I was able to see all 73 of you who made it out to Climb with us! I wish that I could have had a chance to talk

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1109524289025396132005-02-27T10:02:00.000-07:002005-02-27T10:12:59.480-07:00

Team Giant and I are in the AZ Daily Star this week! Check out the article at this link, or pick up today's (Sunday) paper!Click here to go to the article!A couple of things to remember when reading the article: Josh was diagnosed with appendix cancer, but we now know that is was stomach cancer (starting in the stomach lining).Also, Team Giant now has about 70 family and friends this year.

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1106977750517103692005-01-28T22:40:00.000-07:002005-01-29T08:18:36.570-07:00

I wanted to remind you that you still have time to sign-up for the CLIMB to Conquer Cancer!! (FYI: The Climb is a nice 3mile stroll from Pima West up "A" Mountain, anyone with difficulties can catch the shuttle to the top). I would love to get some more people involved, so invite your friends and family to join us on the mountain!! Click here to go to our Team Giant page, and sign-up online! If

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1106976547174886452005-01-28T22:28:00.000-07:002005-02-23T22:18:04.746-07:00

*****I exceeded my bandwith, and had to remove the slideshow! If you would like to have a chance to see it, please send me an email and I will see what I can do!*****I have posted the slideshow that I created for Josh's memorial service. I'm warning you, it's a tear-jerker, but a wonderful display of Josh's endless smiles.This is a very large file, and if you do not have high-speed internet, you

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1104893453117094692005-01-04T19:50:00.000-07:002005-01-04T19:51:38.656-07:00

I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season. We managed to have as merry of a Christmas as was possible. Thank you all for your thoughts and support during this time. Many of you have probably already received an email from me, but if somehow I missed you, you can get all of the info here! It's time again for the American Cancer Society's Climb to Conquer Cancer! This year we have a

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1103037161149178132004-12-14T08:07:00.000-07:002004-12-14T08:12:41.150-07:00

Hey everyone, I just wanted to give you some information on my bracelet making. I have decided to take down the bracelet page. Making all of the bracelets has been taxing on me and I have decided to make them on a special order basis only. So, you can still get a bracelet, and you an still get a bracelet fixed, but you will have to email me directly. I really appreciate all of the bracelet

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1100828278546883972004-11-18T18:42:00.000-07:002004-11-18T18:37:58.546-07:00

Since Josh’s passing, we have learned a lot about his cancer. This new information comes from a partial autopsy that we ordered to be performed on his abdomen. We did this because we all still have some many questions and we wanted to make sure that the doctors learned from Josh’s situation. About a month ago we received the preliminary results and just yesterday we got the full report. Much to

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1100469027949648472004-11-14T14:51:00.000-07:002004-11-14T14:50:27.950-07:00

Thank you to all of you who joined us at the breakfast, and who helped to put the event together!! Nicole and Henry Scoles along Sherrie Ketchem got the wonderful breakfast started and we all worked together to carry out the plans. We had over 120 people out there including the U of A Men's rugby team (thanks Coach Sitton). The pancakes were excellent thanks to Josh's recipe and the hard work

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1099352918340111522004-11-01T16:45:00.000-07:002004-11-01T16:48:38.340-07:00

Please check out the link to the Pancake Breakfast for details! www.giantallen.com/pancake

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1099352593420222652004-11-01T16:42:00.000-07:002004-11-01T16:43:13.420-07:00

Hey everyone, I wanted to let you know that I was one digit off on the PO Box for the Education fund! oops! So sorry! Here is the correct address: To donate directly to the Jake and Caily college fund, you may write a check to Josh Allen Education Fund c/o AZ Rugby PO Box 42287 Tucson, AZ 85733 Thanks! Don't forget, Pancake breakfast this Saturday!!!!

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1097611119856308262004-10-12T13:53:00.000-07:002004-10-12T12:58:39.856-07:00

I know many of you have great stories of times you spent with Josh. We would really appreciate if you would share those stories with us. I would like to compile these stories for the kids to be able to read in the future (and we would love to read them, too). This will be a great way for the kids to understand who Josh is. The story can be funny, sad, happy....whatever! Please share! You may

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1097437882722805952004-10-10T13:49:00.000-07:002004-10-10T12:51:22.723-07:00

Hi everyone, sorry it has taken so long to update. It has been difficult for me because I want so badly to simply update you on Josh’s battle. We are all dealing with our loss as best as we can, although it is difficult. Luckily we have the kids to hold us all together. Thank you all so much for your support. The services were beautiful and it was wonderful to see hundreds of you there. We

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1096698224295496682004-10-01T23:23:00.000-07:002004-11-01T16:40:58.303-07:00

I want to say a quick "thank you" to all of you who were here today (both physically and spiritually). It means a lot to us to see the many people that Josh has affected. I'm heading off to bed, but I wanted to post the information about the education fund, and then I will write more at a later date. To donate directly to the Jake and Caily college fund, you may write a check to Josh Allen

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1096386396208761832004-09-28T08:27:00.000-07:002004-09-28T09:33:08.146-07:00

Hi everyone, I want to let you know that we are all dealing as well as we can. We are keeping busy preparing everything for the services. We look forward to the celebration fo Josh's life, and we hope to see many of you there. If you have a rugby jersey, please feel free to wear it!!! The viewing/visitation will be Thursday evening from 5-8pm (with a rosary starting at 7pm). This will be at

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1096239627640207292004-09-26T15:50:00.000-07:002004-09-26T16:00:27.640-07:00

I am so sorry to those of you learning this for the first time. I write with a very heavy heart today. This morning at 10:20am, Josh became the angel that we all knew him to be. I'm sure this comes as a great shock to many of you, as, in a way, it did to us. We saw Josh this last week and we knew things weren't right. He just didn't feel good. It became apparent that the cancer quickly and

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1096090290079342242004-09-24T22:13:00.000-07:002004-09-24T22:31:30.080-07:00

Josh's body isn't quite strong enough to endure chemo at this time. He's feeling very nauseous and he sleeps to get through it. We pray that he will get stronger.

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1096003197028715382004-09-23T22:15:00.000-07:002004-09-23T22:19:57.026-07:00

Josh is still in the hospital, and I think it will at least be a few more days until he goes home. He had the ascites from his abdomen drained today and slept most of the day because of his medications. He was supposed to get chemo today, but when I left at 7pm he still had not received it. Hopefully he will get it sometime tonight or tomorrow morning. Please don't forget about the pancake

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1095892080354920852004-09-22T15:22:00.000-07:002004-09-22T20:02:57.276-07:00

Josh got the other lung drained yesterday, without problems. He spent most of the rest of the day playing Fable on Xbox. Josh didn't have a very good day today, and his hospital stay is to be extended. He should have chemo in the hospital tomorrow. He was feeling very nauseous, and we aren't exactly sure why. Don't let up on those prayers yet!

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1095743241528559262004-09-20T22:07:00.000-07:002004-09-20T22:07:21.530-07:00

Today we got the new plan of action for Josh's fight. Josh moved up to the 4th floor today (not the ICU, but they closely monitor patients). Hopefully he will have the other lung drained tomorrow, and then head home on Wednesday or Thursday. Then he will get the next round of chemo asap. This chemo is going to include an extra drug: Erbitux. This drug came out at the end of February, and is

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1095660038057667882004-09-19T22:53:00.000-07:002004-09-19T23:00:38.056-07:00

Good news first: Josh is off of the ventilator. They drained 1.5 liters of fluid out of the pleural sack surrounding the left lung. He was breathing better already and, as you can imagine, he was able to breathe a bit easier after all of that fluid was drained. Bad news: We got the biopsy on the fluid. There is cancer present. I really can't go into further detail, because I really don't

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1095575086282229032004-09-18T23:21:00.000-07:002004-09-18T23:24:46.283-07:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that we have not received the pathology reports from the fluid. So, we still do not know what the plan of action is. In the mean time, Josh is very alert. Even with the ventilator in, Josh is awake enough to play video games! Can you believe that? Now we need his body to catch up to his mind, and just get better!

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1095485870815305372004-09-17T22:37:00.000-07:002004-09-17T22:37:50.816-07:00

As you know, things were going really well with Josh last week. Similar to past experiences, cancer and its effects have hit hard again. Josh was having difficulty breathing last night (short of breath). He ended up going to the hospital via ambulance late last night. They did some x-rays and CT-scans and it became apparent that Josh needed the ventilator again. So Josh is now in the ICU

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1095210352220058162004-09-14T18:36:00.000-07:002004-09-14T18:38:55.993-07:00

Let’s Eat!!! In honor of Josh Allen and his love for pancackes we are hosting an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast. Saturday November 6, 2004 Between 8:00am – 12:00pm Marana Community Center 13251 N. Lon Adams Road Marana, AZ 85653 We are preselling tickets for $6.00 a plate and they will be $8.00 at the door! Kids 5 and under eat for free. We are also looking for prize donations for a

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1095209631999325002004-09-14T18:05:00.000-07:002004-09-15T12:27:32.506-07:00

Thank you for your prayers and birthday wishes. Josh was able to have a wonderful day. As you can see, Josh got to blow out the candles on the cake Crystal made as Gretchen and the kids watched. We had a small gathering of some close friends at Josh and Gretchen’s house. Josh was feeling well, and was able to mingle, laugh and watch some football with friends. Check out the new photo photo

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1094920327781006282004-09-11T09:28:00.000-07:002004-09-11T09:32:07.783-07:00

All things considered, Josh is having a great week. This is another “off” week from chemo, and he has some energy back. It has been so nice to see him walking around, going outside, playing with the kids and using the computer. It’s the perfect week for his birthday, which is tomorrow, by the way. He will be 26! It is also nice to know that Josh has come down on his pain medications

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1094164910092380462004-09-02T15:39:00.000-07:002004-09-02T15:42:14.376-07:00

As if Josh hasn’t had to overcome enough in this ongoing battle, another obstacle has been thrown his way. We found out the other day that Josh has DVT or Deep Vein Thrombosis (blood clots in the leg). These are in his right leg, one in his thigh, one in his calf and a third clot in the leg that is not in a deep vein. Click the DVT link if you would like to read more detail about the risks of

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1093836604436816492004-08-29T20:26:00.000-07:002004-08-29T20:37:55.710-07:00

Josh had a fairly nice “off” week last week. He was even feeling good enough last Saturday to go and watch Jake’s last soccer game of the season! Josh got another round of chemo this past Wednesday. It hit him pretty hard. The nausea has been unbearable, even with all of the medications. Josh’s diet has been upped to clear liquids when he is feeling up to it, so he has been partaking in some

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1092794770672657152004-08-17T19:02:00.000-07:002004-08-17T19:06:10.673-07:00

Today was a scheduled chemo day, but it didn’t quite go as planned. First, I’ll tell you that last week Josh’s ileostomy started to work again (yea!), and that helps to greatly reduce vomiting (double yea!). The problem remains, however, that everything is diarrhea. This is expected because of the chemo, but it would be better if it were not so constant. Because of the amount of fluid Josh is

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1092111087411529112004-08-09T21:08:00.000-07:002004-08-09T21:11:27.410-07:00

Not too much has changed since the last post. The new chemo is pretty strong and requires 4 shots a week in order to help Josh’s bone marrow produce white blood cells (so he can fight off infection). So, Gretchen has added giving shots to her long resume of nursing duties. Josh will have another dose of chemo tomorrow. Please pray that the chemo attacks the cancer cells, and that the blockages

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1091638913804634462004-08-04T10:01:00.000-07:002004-08-04T10:47:30.006-07:00

Things seem to be continuing about the same, and nothing has improved. It seems as though the chemotherapy that Josh was undergoing was not working well. Because of this, the regimen has changed. He is now on the SALTZ regimen: leucovorin, 5-FU and Camptosar. This is once a week for 3 weeks, and then one week off. He will also need 4 shots throughout the week. Yesterday was his first day of the

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1091164037185330322004-07-29T22:04:00.000-07:002004-07-30T08:16:07.080-07:00

Bracelet sales have been spectacular, thanks for all of your support!! I have added new designs and a bracelet perfect for guys and girls, and it's only $10! Please take a look! Cancer Awareness Bracelets

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1091076827997112582004-07-28T21:52:00.000-07:002004-07-28T21:53:47.996-07:00

Josh continues to fight from home. To me it seems like every day is a new battle, but Josh shrugs it off. Whatever it is that is blocking the intestine has yet to clear. Nothing is coming through his ileostomy, and anything that exits his body does so through his mouth. Please pray that the blockage clears and that the vomiting can subside. Josh will be having chemo again next week, and it may

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1090352886705784202004-07-20T12:45:00.000-07:002004-07-20T12:48:06.706-07:00

I just wanted to say "Thank You!" to those of you who offered and gave a wheelchair. We truly appreciate all of your help. Josh now has one that will work well. He has chemo again this week, today, tomorrow and thursday. Also, he will be "tapped" for ascites (see July 4th entry for more details). Please continue those prayers! Thanks

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1090174028379133482004-07-18T11:05:00.000-07:002004-07-18T11:09:11.266-07:00

Along with the new update, I want to point out the new pictures!!   May - July 04 Pictures

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1090095486162043322004-07-17T13:14:00.000-07:002004-07-17T13:18:06.163-07:00

For the first time since May 10th, Josh is actually going home!!!  Today!!!  Yea!  Josh should be back at home in a couple of hours.  This is an exciting day, but at the same time a little scary.  Gretchen has become quite the nurse and she will be in charge of administering things for Josh through his IV (because he can’t take anything by mouth).      Josh got the NG tube out (yea) on Thursday

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1089678358336285452004-07-12T17:20:00.000-07:002004-07-12T17:25:58.336-07:00

Last Monday-Wednesday Josh received a dose of the much anticipated chemo. This is the same regimin as he had previously (Oxaliplatin, 5-FU, Leukovorin), only the dosage is reduced by 30%. This should prevent the complications that arose last time. Not too much has changed since the last update. Josh is still in the hospital with the NG tube. His advancements in physical therapy are doing

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1089005908050554542004-07-04T22:34:00.000-07:002004-07-04T22:38:28.050-07:00

I think that we’ve all learned that nothing comes easy these days. This has not changed. Not only does Josh have some sort of a blockage, he also has fluid buildup in his abdomen. This is called ascites. The amount of fluid that was present required drainage through a large needle inserted into his abdomen. This produced 2.5 liters of fluid. As you can imagine, that is a lot of fluid, and

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1088826705825317492004-07-02T20:45:00.000-07:002004-07-02T20:51:45.826-07:00

I just wanted to let you all know that I got my biopsy results and my appendix was clean! Simply "dilated." The surgeon congratulated me (he's been involved with Josh's surgeries), so that is finally some good news for us. Things are about the same with Josh. We've just got to give it some more time. I forgot to mention this before, but Josh's tracheostomy was removed on Monday. He now has

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1088744469846698372004-07-01T21:59:00.000-07:002004-07-01T22:15:52.270-07:00

Days before heading home, things changed, as they always seem to do. We found out yesterday that Josh has a partial ileus. This means that his small intestine is partially blocked. This seems to be the reason that Josh has been experiencing lots of nausea and pain. So, last night Josh moved back over to Northwest hospital, this time to the 4th floor. In order to relieve Josh’s pain and

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1088225635354890082004-06-25T21:52:00.001-07:002004-06-25T21:53:55.353-07:00

Well, I’m home! The surgery went well today, and Dr. Chaisson said that everything looked normal and healthy (even my appendix). So, now we just wait on the biopsy results to confirm that. I was able to leave the hospital around 4:30pm, and have been on my couch ever since. I’m pretty sore, and having problems with nausea, but I’m on plenty of painkillers to get me through it. I figure it’s

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1088145872976869942004-06-24T23:43:00.000-07:002004-06-24T23:44:32.976-07:00

Josh had the PET scan yesterday and we got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the chemo seems to have shrunk the tumors in Josh’s abdomen. The masses that were there are smaller or not there at all. Some areas are clear, and some still have traces of cancer. The bad news is that the scan showed that a few of Josh’s lymph nodes in his chest are positive for cancer. The

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1087964017556356032004-06-22T21:07:00.000-07:002004-06-22T21:13:37.556-07:00

Ok, that PET scan that I mentioned the other day is taking place tomorrow. It is an intense test and takes about 3 hours total. We need major prayers for this one. The test will tell us what is going on with the cancer. Of course, we are shooting for the moon, and we pray that all of the cancer is dead. Pray that everything goes well and that it shows NO cancer! The test is scheduled to

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1087753576424518772004-06-20T10:45:00.000-07:002004-06-20T10:46:16.426-07:00

PT has begun. Josh had a big day on Friday with about 3 hours of therapy. This includes physical, occupational, and speech therapies. The weekend is usually pretty laid back, with not as much structured therapies. Josh is staying active, though. On Monday he will begin a big week of lots of therapy. It is crucial that he builds his strength in the next week. Josh and Gretchen are scheduled

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1087453712914118232004-06-16T23:21:00.000-07:002004-06-16T23:34:54.003-07:00

And out of the hospital! Josh has moved over to Health South, a rehab facility across the parking lot from Northwest. This is a big step, and will hopefully prove to be very beneficial. At Health South Josh can focus on working hard to build his strength. Visiting hours are from 4pm-8pm, and the rest of the time is designated for work and rest! I’m sure you are all wondering how that CT scan

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1086930690089431822004-06-10T22:07:00.000-07:002004-06-10T22:11:30.090-07:00

Everything is going well now, Josh is stable. He is, however, back in the ICU. His blood pressure dropped a bit low yesterday, and the docs wanted to make sure that he could be very closely monitored. I just came from the hospital and he just finished a walk through the halls, with some assistance from a walker. And that wasn’t the first time today that we went walking! It was definitely

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1086627430225421252004-06-07T09:56:00.000-07:002004-06-07T09:57:10.226-07:00

Hi, this is Gretchen! I wanted to send a thank you to everyone that has helped us through these past 6 months and especially these last 4 weeks. Josh is amazing. He is doing very well, making huge improvements each day. Please continue to pray for physical strength and a great CT scan. We could not thank all of you enough for your support. We are beside ourselves. We have seen a miracle

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1086500376991895172004-06-05T22:33:00.000-07:002004-06-05T22:39:36.990-07:00

...to the 3rd floor!! Yea!! Josh is out of the ICU and back on the oncology floor!! I have to admit it is a little bittersweet. We are so happy to have him out of the ICU, but we had to leave some amazing nurses. We'll miss you guys! Josh is really happy to be out of there, too. He's not hooked up to so many monitors, and he gets some freedom and privacy. So, we are still praying for that

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1086408442616526402004-06-04T20:52:00.000-07:002004-06-04T21:07:22.616-07:00

Josh has been making great progress each day. The kids gave him a great visit today (as they did the other day, too). It's so wonderful to see how happy they all are when they get to see each other. Lots of hugs and kisses. That in itself is a lot of activity, but that was only part of it. Josh's tracheostomy was switched to a smaller size today. This will allow more air to get out through

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1086189000213404722004-06-02T08:05:00.000-07:002004-06-02T08:10:00.213-07:00

As recovery continues to progress, we have some specific prayer requests: Please pray that: The upcoming CT-Scan will show miraculously marked improvement. The intestinal lining recovers fully. Josh can put on weight and rebuild his strength quickly. That Josh's mind is able to stay strong through all of this. Thanks Everyone!

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1086042657970396352004-05-31T15:28:00.000-07:002004-05-31T15:30:57.970-07:00

Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you know that things are continuing to progress. Josh is off the respirator and breathing through the trach with assistance of extra oxygen. PT is continuing...he's stood a couple more times, but it is still a slow progression. He's doing more communicating through sign language, and hopefully he will be talking sometime this week.

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1085871384169731442004-05-29T15:45:00.000-07:002004-05-29T16:31:19.933-07:00

Josh got his tracheostomy (that's the name for the tube placed during the tracheotomy). A surgeon placed it yesterday afternoon, without problem. It was a "simple" (meaning simple to the professionals) procedure and only took about 1/2 hour. So, he FINALLY has all of the tubes out of his mouth! That doesn't mean he can talk yet, though. That will come with more time. The tube in there

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1085697542439753992004-05-27T15:34:00.000-07:002004-05-27T15:39:02.440-07:00

Josh didn't end up getting the trach this morning, as scheduled. He was doing really well, and full of strength. The Dr. took him off all pain meds to make sure that all of his efforts were able to focus on breathing. Josh did his best, but there was still too much strain. Trach plans are again in the works. Looks like this may be another blessing in disguise, but I just hope he can get the

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1085599217847166882004-05-26T12:11:00.000-07:002004-05-26T12:35:43.263-07:00

As you all know, this has been a very rough ride...and the ride continues. We've been trying to get that ventilator out since Saturday, but to no avail. Josh can go most of the day breathing on his own, but a some point he loses oxygen and the machine has to be turned back on. Because of this Josh is going to have a tracheotomy to allow him to have breathing assistance for a longer period of

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1085426449247965902004-05-24T12:14:00.000-07:002004-05-24T12:20:49.246-07:00

Things have been pretty stable, which is a good sign. They tried weening Josh off the ventilator today, but after a few hours it was too much strain. They will try again tomorrow. I really hope that it can come out tomorrow. Josh is doing such a wonderful job at building his strength. He does exercises, and practices different movements. Of course, we all already know that he is really

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1085280519531653832004-05-22T19:41:00.000-07:002004-05-22T19:48:39.533-07:00

Thank you all for the wonderful prayers, and support. We have had such wonderful friends who bring us constant meals, entertainment, and just dwindle away the time with us. We have even had all but three of Josh's elementry school teachers come to visit! THANK YOU! Josh is slowly recovering. Respirator is still in, and is a major prayer area. Please pray that his muscles recoup very soon, so

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1085181961643740302004-05-21T16:20:00.000-07:002004-05-21T16:26:01.643-07:00

I don't have much time, but I want to keep you updated. Things are moving along with a few glitches along the way. Currently Josh's skin is reacting to something and causing blisters. A dermatologist is headed over right now, so hopefully she will confirm that it is simply a response to the Xigris (the drug he was on) or the Sepsis. He is off all of the blood pressure medicines and off of

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1085077932668650652004-05-20T11:25:00.000-07:002004-05-20T12:36:45.116-07:00

Things have started looking up. Yesterday Josh's WBC was 7.1! Tuesday and wednesday were stable days, hopefully allowing his body to heal. Last night things went well, and fever came down (with the help of a "cooling cloud") and so did some of the medications. Josh has been responsive, wiggling toes and squeezing hands on command. If things continue as is, the respirator should come out this

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1084899460679617482004-05-18T09:52:00.000-07:002004-05-18T09:57:40.680-07:00

I don't have much time, but I want you to konw how things are going. Yesterday was one of the toughest days ever. Yesterday was the Miracle of Fatima, and I think she helped us out and gave us a miracle. Josh made it through a really tough time. He's surprising even doctors. White Blood Count up to 4.4! This is a great, that means it is climbing. Now we need to pray that while that number

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1084742745663710522004-05-16T14:22:00.000-07:002004-05-16T14:25:45.663-07:00

Thank you so much for all of your support and prayers. We feel it. This fight continues to be a roller coaster. Josh is doing his best to fight this, but this is one nasty infection. This doesn't help much now, but the party is cancelled. I guess Josh just doesn't like the spotlight off of him, so all parties are suspended awaiting permission directly from Josh. As he continues this fight,

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1084551046386506122004-05-14T08:46:00.000-07:002004-05-14T09:10:46.386-07:00

Thank you all so much for all of your prayers, we feel them and Josh feels them. He needs prayer now more than ever. Some of you know, but I wanted to let ALL of you know. This has been a very rough week, and yesterday was a VERY ROUGH day. Josh's body was having a hard time fighting everything, but his spirit kept this in line. His body was in septic shock. His heart beat was about 170

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1084419566169817462004-05-12T20:37:00.000-07:002004-05-12T20:51:01.766-07:00

We now know what is causing all of the ruckus and pain. It turns out that the chemo has affected Josh’s intestines a bit more than we had imagined. The chemo actually burned the insides of the small intestine, and now the lining of the inner wall has been coming out through his ileostomy (he got this back in February, and is reversible), and causing pain as it does so. Because there is bile

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1084320950155776712004-05-11T17:10:00.000-07:002004-05-11T17:15:50.156-07:00

As many of you know, Crystal is graduating from Tucson High next week. We will be celebrating this on Sunday, May 16. Many of you should have already gotten your invitation and announcement. I just want to let you know that we had a little technical difficulty. The invitation says the party is at Casa Molina, and in the last couple of days they changed their name. It is now called "El Chilito

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1084251214554567372004-05-10T21:52:00.000-07:002004-05-10T21:53:34.556-07:00

Obviously, I changed the look of the page...you are at the right place...hope you like it!

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1084248652841754472004-05-10T21:08:00.000-07:002004-05-10T21:10:52.840-07:00

OK, so I realize that in my last update I didn’t make it at all clear that Josh got to go home from the hospital. He went home last Monday and was feeling great. Then chemo came, and as it often does, knocked Josh off his feet. On top of that, he seems to have gotten another sort of infection, and he headed back to the hospital early, early this morning. They are not quite sure where the

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1083629423774199542004-05-03T17:04:00.000-07:002004-05-03T17:15:55.513-07:00

Josh has done such a great job through all of this. On Friday, he headed back to the hospital with the same problem from last week (seemed to be some sort of blockage). After many tests, it seems that it is nothing of major concern, and it should work out as long as Josh is careful with what he eats. In order to supplement his nutrition, Josh will be back on TPN (remember it from January??

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1083304071694491772004-04-29T22:47:00.000-07:002004-04-29T22:52:09.186-07:00

Josh was able to come home on Tuesday afternoon. Things seemed to work themselves out, although some problems remained for the past couple of days. The intestines seem to be working well again, though, so we are thankful for that. Please pray that they continue to work. On Wednesday Josh had another dose of Avastin (he missed it last Friday because he was in the hospital). Right now Josh

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1082775933121498542004-04-23T20:02:00.000-07:002004-04-23T20:11:07.390-07:00

I’ll start with the bad news….Josh is back in the hospital. Hopefully it’s nothing serious. It seems to be something with his intestine and could simply be a reaction from the chemo. However, there is always a possibility that there is something more, and that is why we really need some prayers!! Pray for a quick recovery from this bump in the road. We hope to have him home by Monday. He

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1082137506846716322004-04-16T10:44:00.000-07:002004-04-16T10:49:05.810-07:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that the port placement surgery went as planned! Josh is already home and doing great!

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1082062032973210482004-04-15T13:46:00.000-07:002004-04-15T13:51:10.810-07:00

Hey everyone, I hope you have your taxes done by today! :) I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. Josh was tired from the chemo, but the kids had a great day, and we all had lots and lots of chocolate! On Monday we found out that Josh has a staph infection in his PICC line (the long IV in his arm) and he had to have it removed. So, now Josh is going to be getting another Groshong chest

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1081297983323769872004-04-06T17:32:00.000-07:002004-04-25T09:49:42.060-07:00

Overall Josh is feeling good. He had a big weekend and was very busy! He went with the family to a birthday BBQ on Saturday night, and had a great time. On Sunday he and Gretchen and the fam went with some friends up to Phoenix for the day. Josh got to do some shopping at the electronic stores and they all met up at a train park. I didn’t go, but it sounded like they had a lot of fun. Then

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1080604348985441122004-03-29T16:50:00.000-07:002004-03-29T16:56:04.233-07:00

I just wanted to let you all know that the stint removal went well. I just came from the hospital and Josh had just woken up, and he looked great and felt great. Thank you for your extra prayers! He should be heading home sometime within the next hour. :)

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1080431663844796762004-03-27T16:53:00.000-07:002004-03-27T17:00:32.500-07:00

Thanks to everyone for all of your support and prayers…they are working! Josh has been doing pretty well. That kidney infection turned out to not actually be an infection (which is good), but it is a problem with his stint (which is not good). On Monday Josh is going to have a short procedure done to remove the stint from his kidney. (So be sure and say a prayer around 2pm). Hopefully his

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1079675113991475772004-03-18T22:45:00.000-07:002004-03-18T22:51:36.450-07:00

Well, it’s been a while since the last update. I’ve been pretty busy on my next endeavor. First things first, though. Josh has been doing pretty well over the last week, with the exception of the last couple of days. He seems to have developed a possible kidney infection, so please say a prayer for quick healing. Last Wednesday-Friday Josh had another round of chemo, and he will have another

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1078802047249084462004-03-08T20:12:00.000-07:002004-03-08T21:12:00.543-07:00

The climb was awesome! Anyone who was there would tell you the same. We had a turn out of about 50 people for “Team GIANT” and we all made it the 3 miles up and then some! The weather was beautiful, and we had a great time. Once we got to the top my mom drove Josh up there to join us for some hot dogs and pictures. While we were up there I found out that our team raised the most money!!

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1078372695652021112004-03-03T20:58:00.000-07:002004-03-03T21:08:50.996-07:00

…or, if you are cousin Michael, get ready to run up and down the stairs. We are all getting very excited about the Climb this Saturday. The T-shirts look great! I emailed most of you all of the pertinent information about the climb. I’m not sure that I got the info to everyone, so I will post it below. "I am definitely going to bring the shirts on Saturday morning, but if you would like them

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1077824189069859332004-02-26T12:36:00.000-07:002004-02-26T12:39:19.610-07:00

After a full day of waiting to be discharged from the hospital, Josh (and my mom) finally got to go home Tuesday evening. Yesterday he had a round of a new chemo. They are Oxaliplatin and 5FU. The Oxaliplatin is given in the Dr.’s office through the IV and the 5FU is set up in the office and administered for 24hours via a portable pump in a pack worn around his neck. Josh has to avoid cold

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1077498120611169792004-02-22T17:59:00.000-07:002004-02-22T18:05:21.936-07:00

I just found out about 2 more people who have undergone the big surgery with Dr. Sugarbaker. One of them is a 21 year old girl named Sara, who has had some difficulty recoverying and the other is Alice. They (along with Kevin) are taking it one day at a time, and could use some extra support. Thanks!

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1077478238633296242004-02-22T12:25:00.000-07:002004-02-22T12:33:52.950-07:00

I have completely re-created the picture page (thanks to Josh's help!). Let me know if you have trouble viewing the page, so that I can create a simplier page for slower internet connections (so, if you can't see the page, send me an email!!). Josh got the NG tube out on Friday night and he's feeling pretty good. He is slowly introducing clear liquids then hopefully some solids. We are hoping

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359313.post-1077297515212067722004-02-20T10:18:00.000-07:002004-02-20T10:21:38.796-07:00

So the last I had written Josh had had the NG tube removed, I spoke too soon. The next day he needed the NG tube replaced because of some problems. Turns out the small bowel blockage didn’t want to go away on its own. On Wednesday it was decided that he would need another surgery, and before we even had time to settle in on the decision, the surgery took place. We figured it would take a

Marisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01213428420338453118noreply@blogger.com0