A Big Thank You!!!
Posted by Family on February 19th, 2011Written on Casey’s behalf, by his family.
We would like to send a heartfelt thank you to Casey’s wonderful friends at BBDO/Proximity for organizing such a great afternoon at Elsie’s Bowling Center on Sunday. Casey was touched by the overwhelming support from co-workers, friends and family. The event was a success on many levels, and the love and support from so many people was a huge boost for Casey.
LIFE SINCE DECEMBER:
The last several weeks have been extremely difficult for Casey. In December, Casey had to leave his job at Proximity after the tumor in his brain started to affect his speech, cognitive skills, and his ability to read and write. His doctors at both MDAnderson and Abbott Northwestern agreed that his existing treatment protocol was no longer effective and recommended that Casey try a new chemotherapy.
Just before Christmas, Casey started this new chemo treatment. It was set to be a 3-day, in hospital treatment that he would undergo every 4 weeks. This treatment is quite aggressive and needs constant monitoring as it is administered through an artery that delivers the chemo straight to the brain. Doctors anticipated to see some swelling (which is a good sign that it is working), however Casey responded to the treatment with a much larger amount of swelling than expected. As a result, Casey experienced even more difficulty with speech, reading, writing, etc. He also started having difficulty with his motor skills on his right side. Furthermore, Casey had to put the treatment on hold until the swelling was under control.
In January, Casey started doing Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to help with the swelling. He goes into a chamber that contains 100% oxygen and has increased air pressure. He has also been put on increased levels of steroids and switched back to his old, pill-form, type of chemo to keep the tumor from growing until he is well enough to go to the next step.
On Monday, Casey had an MRI. This revealed that while Casey still has some swelling, the tumor did shrink as a result of the intense chemotherapy treatment that he did before Christmas. His doctor feels positive about this, but says that he wants Casey to continue with the Hyper-baric Oxygen Therapy for another couple weeks. Once Casey is ready, he will want to do the aggressive chemo treatment again, but either at a lower dose or in a different form.
Over the next few weeks, Casey will be in Minneapolis Mondays – Fridays to do his Oxygen Therapy. Over the weekends, he will most likely be in Mankato. Although it is difficult for Casey to read your texts, emails, cards, and comments, he loves to get them! (We are always there to help him when he needs it.) He wants to be sure to keep in touch with people the best he can. And until he is able to take over his blog again, we will do our best to keep you all informed. (although we’ll never be able to write as good as he does!)
Tags: cancer, chemotherapy, tumor
Hey Casey,
If there’s anything I can do for you, please let me know.
I’m thinking about you.
Get better my friend. Lots of love.
Dear Casey….Such good news…..You are truly blessed with such good friends, co-workers and family…all our love and prayers.
Todd and I wish so much that we could have attended the benefit, but unfortunately, Todd’s been feeling pretty lousy lately too. Casey, you are very special to us and remain in our thoughts and prayers! If anyone can overcome this, it’s you!
Glenwood remembers & loves you Casey – they’re all praying for continued strength for you and your family!
My wife goes to MD Anderson every 8 weeks. her oncologist is Dr. Puduvalli..a great doc.
Radiation Necrosis really floored her a month ago..she could not walk, barely talked and was entirely incontinenet.
Dr. P put her on avastin and two days later she was walking!
She still has cognitive/speech problems.
We have two more avastin treatments to go..
She is doing those back home..If it were up to e and I could afford it, I would have gotten one of those apartments on Braeswood and fought this thing out in Houston.
The “teamwork” thing that I was expecting never materialized..
Thank good ness for avastin though…
Best of luck fellow MD Andersoner!!!
Actually, my wife and i just got back from Houston..We have this guy named “Giovanni” pick up up..I give him HUGE tips and he’s a real nice fellow with an interesting family..
Only bad thing was that the entire time, I had the flu.
Which didn’t go over big at the ole Brain and Spine Center…
But, I had to get my wife there..
The necrosis was so bad that for a few days..maybe a week, I had to pay a lady 15 bucks an hour to stay with my wife while I worked..
Then Dr. P prescribes the miracle drug avastin…man oh man..I couldn’t believe the difference.
I’m a distance runner..or was..i’m an old man now..my wifes 51.
We were going to retire in two years (now, it is 160 days) when she was diagnosed with GBM.
We had saved for 31 years to do what we wanted to do in retirement.
Just shows to go ya.
Hopefully, it’ll still happen if this GBM thing dosen’t break us. (physically/financially)
I ran last Sunday to Hermann park, then in front of the hospital where Gabrielle Giffords is, then around the zoo,…
We like to stay at the Rotary house…Just easier.
We have stayed at the Reliant Park Residence Inn..
Then Sunday night man….oh man….101.4 temperature for 3 days!
Here I was trying to keep my wife motivated mentally as she was fightin’ off necrosis…but, all I could do was a keep a wash cloth on my head….
But, I got er there!!!!
Another avastin treatment tomorrow! at her hometown hospital which….well, I sure wish I could stay in Houston.
of course it could have been that “KennyG” music that they always play on those Rotary House elevators that got me so sick….
i gotta reember to bring them a Dylan tape next time we go down in April.
Dear Casey, Lou, Mo, Jill and Ben …. This is great news, and it comes as no surprise to me … you are incredible, Casey…. Keep on keeping on and we’ll keep praying like crazy. Aunt Rita is beating her beads every single day for you and sends you her love, as do I. We love ya!