Well, so much has happened since the last time I blogged. Here’s the whole story. On March 3^rd, I was so sick I couldn’t breathe, so we rushed to the ER. I was basically hysterical & nothing they were doing was helping me, so I asked them to give me Ativan to help me calm down and they did. Later they found there was some kind of blockage, and they put some balloon thing in and opened it up. They put me on a ventilator for almost a full four days. Miserable! All I have to say is: DON’T DO DRUGS! Those drugs were nasty. They were telling Richard I had a 50/50 chance of making it, but each day I got a little better & they eventually took me off the tubes. Since I woke up, I’ve had vision problems, which made it difficult to email or text any of you. I’m still at the point now where I need readers some of the time.

The worst part for me is my voice was messed up too, and now I fear that the tubes have reinjured my vocal cord that the doc at Stanford had repaired, because I am back to a whisper, like before my voice surgery. I am losing air like before, so it’s hard to talk when you have to breathe every three words. I’m going back to that doc on Thursday, and I am devastated about this. This is why I haven’t called many of you back because talking exhausts me.

Apparently, I had a viral infection that caused fluid in my lungs and around my heart. They were able to get it under control in the hospital and I came home on the 13^th. Since then, I’ve been home recovering. As for Stanford, they will not let me begin the clinical trial until my heart function comes back up to at least 50%. It was almost non-existent when I got to the hospital. It was around 30% when I left, and now I’m almost at 40%. The doc wants me home to rest my heart for at least two more weeks. I’m trying to get back right after spring break (at least that’s my personal goal). In the meantime, the docs at Stanford and my oncologist are talking together about other possible treatments we can do (including that other scan I did a while back) until I’m ready for the trial. My students are leaving on our New York tour without me tomorrow morning. I miss them so much.

Well, I think that’s everything. Thank you to so many of you for all your support with prayers, calls & visits. They mean so much.

Hello everyone--
Just another quick update. It seems I am going to be a part of the clinical trial at Stanford starting in less than two weeks on March 1st. It is specifically for my type of Thymic cancer (which be the first drug I've been on that is for my type in this 6 1/2 year ordeal). They are having great success and in the phase they are in, I am guaranteed NOT to get a placebo, so it sounds promising. I just wanted you to know that after the bad news Wednesday, this was hopeful. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers that this will do the trick! Thanks, everyone!

Hello everyone,
Well it's always nice to get the news just as your classes are walking in the door, and especially when it's not the greatest news. Basically the cancer has started growing again. Everything is up in size and cancerous activity, as I had suspected. The good news is it's not huge growth and it hasn't spread anywhere new. It was an interesting day teaching all day with that news rolling around in my head. My doc & I had decided a while back that the next time there was growth, we would try the other type of scan again, in hopes that it might be another avenue for us, so I'm waiting to hear about that. The last time I did that scan, we timed it wrong so he wanted to try it again. In the meantime, my wonderful nurse practitioner found a clinical trial at Stanford for my type of Thymic cancer (which is amazing, because of how rare it is). I also called City of Hope to ask about my possibility of being eligible for one there, so I'm waiting to hear back on all of that too. I just thought I'd give you an update first. Please keep me in your thoughts & prayers.

Hello everyone--
Just a quick update. I've been feeling very weak. My numbers (blood levels) have been OK, but I've been extremely weak and short of breath. I had a chest x-ray yesterday and the pulmonologist says everything (fluid-wise) in my lungs has remained the same. I have been at home all week. I have a PET/CT scan scheduled for Monday at 11:30 am, so please keep me in your thoughts & prayers for good news. I am stronger than I was a week ago, but am still very weak. I miss being at school and am working very hard to get back next week. I will keep you updated. Thank you so much!

Hello everyone--
It's been a long weekend waiting for results, but my wonderful nurse practitioner just called. My PET scan shows that the size of almost everything remained the same with a couple of spots getting smaller. But the activity was decreased throughout (especially in the radiation area). So basically good news. I have to make an appointment with my doc to come up with the game plan from here, but at least I can sleep tonight. I don't remember a thing I did or said all day today, so my students probably think I'm crazy, but what's new? I have an echo tomorrow morning and Dad is going in for a procedure too, so please do keep us in your thoughts and prayers--they're working! :)

Just a little update: We waited an extra week for chemo, but I was finally up to it, so I had a reduced dose on Thursday. I’m just starting to get sick from it now. We’ll see how I do through next weekend, which is when the numbers usually start to tumble. My next PET scan is on Veteran’s Day, so we’ll see where I’m at and go from there. I’ve been back at school since the 17th, but moving very slowly. I couldn’t get through it without my amazing Dad taking me to all my appointments and even to and from school each day. Without the help of my parents, this all would be impossible. Dad even went on his first field trip with us Friday! We had a great time at the “Real Men Sing” men’s choral workshop at San Jose State.


Please continue to keep me in your thoughts and prayers to get through this round with no more hospitals and (hopefully minimal transfusions too) and especially for the news on this next scan Nov. 11th. I’ll keep you posted.

Please keep me in your thoughts & prayers. This morning I was so sick that I had to use an ambulance (first time, if you can believe it) in all this time. I thought it was all over for me and I was saying final goodbyes to Richard & Amanda. Very scary morning for the three of us. They took me to the ER and got me stabilized, but I have a touch of Pneumonia. I'm feeling so much better. I'm going to be in the hospital tomorrow, but I'm insisting on only that long, enough to hopefully see my pulmonologist & cardiologist and get a transfusion. Something was really wrong. I'm very thankful to be here & can't wait to get back to school. Thanks again, everyone!