Great News!!!!!

Mom had her appointment with the doctor yesterday before her third round of chemo and she recieved GREAT news!!!! He told us that she is responding great to treatment and that she currently has no cancer activity. We were/are all so happy!!! Since she is responding so well to her treatment she is less likely to relapse after cure.

Cyndi and I stayed with her during her treatment yesterday. We acutally had a nice day there, the nurses are just amazing! Patty was my moms nurse yesterday and she was hysterical. Mom is on her steriods again, I tried getting her to rest last night but she decided she needed to clean. She has felt great all day today! She recieved a shot today to help her white blood cells. Her past two treatments she had to visit the doctors and hospital for seven days after and receive a shot everyday, this time they gave her one shot that will last her for ten days.

Some of you may know that both mom and I really enjoy music. When mom was in the hospital and not doing well I would listen to one song in my car every night as I drove home and cried my eyes out. I decided that I would only let myself cry that drive home because I was not going to give that cancer any more of my pain and tears. Last night I blasted that song and cried my eyes out because I was so happy, my mom is beating this!

She is such a strong woman and I admire her strength and determination to beat this! She is fantastic!!!

We have enjoyed this week that I am off work (I actually think mom and dad are tired of me coming over and stealing snacks and food). We are about to head to dinner, dad, mom, Jeff and I, it should be pretty fun.

Thank you all again for continuing to read this and support mom. It means a lot to us all!

Love, Bear (Kerry)

This joyous Christmas!

Hello! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. We had a great holiday.

Mom and I went to her brother Ron and sister-in-law Kathy's for Christmas Eve. Our family recieved an excellent Christmas gift that my cousin Nikki and her husband Zach are expecting. We are so excited!!!! This means we will have two Perry (Caskey) babbies in 2010. With this news as well as mom feeling so well and being able to be with us this holiday season that is all I ever wanted for Christmas. We had a wonderful dinner with the CA Perrys and mom and I ventured home as Dad and Jeff were able to get off work early.

Jeff and I had Christmas at our house in the morning with the puppies! We ventured over to mom and dads for breakfast and Christmas morning. When we arrived we were served an excellent meal from dad (homemade blueberry pankakes). Then mom and dad showed us these four packages. The four packages were left on my parents condo patio sometime in the night before Christmas. One present for dad, one for mom, one for Jeff, and the other addressed to Bear, all marked as from Santa. It was so amazing because whoever left these presents knew all of us pretty well. Mom was given a Cheifs snuggler, dad and Jeff recieved a cigar each and whiskey and vodka, and I was given an ipod shuffle (what i have been wanting for when I go running). It was absolutely touching that someone did this for our family this holiday season! SO....thank you "Santa".

Mom and dad ventured to Dave and Cyndi's where the Bryants were as well. Jeff and I ventured north to Santa Clarita to be with Jeff's wonderful family.

Overall, this holiday season was amazing. We were/are so happy that mom was here and that she is feeling so much better.

Mom has her third round of chemo on Tuesday. We find out the results of the petscan that morning as well. TUesday will be a busy day for her. She is a bit nervous (as we all are) to hear the results and hope that her treatment is working. She sure is feeling better. I am going to go with mom for her treatment, I will try to post the results of her appoinment that am while she is recieving her drip.

Dad, Jeff and I bought mom a flip camara for CHristmas, and she has enjoyed making some videos already. we are hoping that she will make videos and we can post them on here so that more of you can hear from her (instead of boring ole me).

Thank you again for all of your thoughts, prayers, hopes, emails and text messages. It is so great to continuously hear all the support we have and continue to have from you all!!!!!

Love, Bear (Kerry)

Week two of chemo treatment two

Happy Wednesday!

Mom received her second treatment last Tuesday. Cyndi took her and stayed with her all day as she received her chemo drip. She said it wasn't too bad. She had to begin receiving the shots again each day to help her white blood cell count. She has been feeling pretty good overall. Friday she went shopping, to lunch, visited me at work, and then to the cancer center for her shot. Saturday she was pretty tired and didnt feel great. With rest she felt better Sunday.

She has not been nauseous yet. She has a variety of caps to wear now, and I have enjoyed shopping for new caps for her!!!! It has definitely brought a new spice to Christmas shopping. Cassie took her Christmas shopping on Monday. Mom and dad hosted the supervisors for lunch yesterday. The Gaumer's (long time friends) visited her this evening and brought some soup and salad over. Tonight mom was pretty peppy and even helped me wrap a gift. She has a busy day tomorrow, so I made sure that she knew she needs to rest.

TOmorrow night she will help lead with Uncle Ron in the last song at the Sunny Hills Holiday Concert. Mom and I have matching santa claus beanies and earrings (we are going to be too cute).

I was driving home tonight and was tearing up just so happy to have mom around this holiday season. We are so fortunate for the amazing medical research!!!! I am so grateful for mom, family and friends all around. I am just amazed each day what amazing people we have in our lives that are there for us through this journey. I am just so thankful for the texts, calls, emails and messages from family and friends asking how mom is as well as how I am doing.

Each day I wake up and put on my LIME GREEN lymphoma cancer awareness bracelet and am happy that from amazing research they are able to treat mom. I love her and this Christmas is so amazingly special.

I want to thank all of you for continuing to read, mom is so happy to know that you are all reading and following her progress.

She has an appointment on Friday with the oncologist. Dad takes her for her pet scan next week and we will find the results of this scan on the 29th when she has her third round of chemo.

Much love, Kerry (bear)

Hair

Mom brushed her hair on Friday morning and some of her hair came out. She was pretty sad about it. She knew it was coming, but she was still a little upset about it. By Friday night she was ready to get rid of it. Each time she would touch it, some would fall out.

I had a study group all day on Saturday, so I ventured to my parents house at 7:30am on Saturday to have the "mini shaving party" as mom called it. Dad shaved moms head for her. She looks beautiful without her hair!

I went home after my study group and rounded up all the hats and beanies I could find to bring over that way she had choices. I then shaved Jeffs head as a surprise to mom. We went to mom and dad's for dinner and mom loved her new hats, Jeff enjoyed showing her his new look.

Mom and dad went out and about running errands both Saturday and today Sunday. She enjoyed getting out of the house and getting some Christmas SHopping done. Jeff and I went over today for football. She began her fashion show at 11am of her new hats that dad and her picked out at Target. She is now quite fashionable.

She says her head gets cold, but I think she secretly likes wearing all of her cool caps. She is eating really well and still walking every day.

She starts another round of chemo on Tuesday. I think she will enjoy tomorrow.

We decorated my parents new tree for the house and Cassie brought over a little "package", her nephew Vinny. Which meant Aunt Kerry held Vinny most of the time and Cassie helped mom unpack the Christmas stuff. Below is a picture of mom and her new look, Vinny and myself.

Have a great week!

Kerry

Week three

Hello all!!!

Today is Thursday and mom is in week three after her first chemo treatment. She was a bit achy from her shots she had to get last week, so she didn't feel as great last Friday and Saturday. Sunday she was feeling much better. She went for her first walk by herself that day around the block. On MOnday she took Buffy for a walk twice. She is moving around a lot better.

She visited the surgeon this morning and her wound area is healing pretty well and looks much better today. She said she was sad though because she could no longer see her McDreamy surgeon again. My dad went with her to these appointments, don't worry (hahaha). She has been in great spirits.

I have been storing my Christmas Presents in my old room/mom's new craft room and she accidently let Buffy snoop through the bags where she found my puppies presents. I was excited to hear this story today because that means she is going up and down the stairs.

Mom loves music and we had a great time singing with Uncle Ron and the family on Thanksgiving. Her brother Ron asked her to help lead the last song at his Holiday Concert for his High School he teaches at. This is Uncle Ron's last year as he is retiring. Mom is really excited about this and began knitting herself a santa clause beanie. This is exciting to me because now mom is doing her crafts again.

We have had some AMAZING individuals make dinner for us and bring lunch by for mom. Thank you all so much for this, it has been a great help!

Overall I am overwhelmed with happiness that mom is moving around and doing some crafts. This Friday is the craft fair at her work. She won't be able to go, but I am going to go and help out.

She has her next chemo on Tuesday the 8th. More to report then!

Much love, Kerry (Bear)

So much to be Thankful today!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am so happy that mom is feeling good today and we get to spend time with some of our family this Thanksgiving. Mom is on day four of her white blood cell booster shots and her swelling in her legs and feet have gone down a lot. She is moving around much better! We watched A Star is Born yesterday, that is her favorite movie.

I wanted to share my thoughts on the visits to the cancer center. I am so amazed by the STRONG individuals that are battling and fighting cancer. I have teared up every single day beacuse it has brought such perspecitve to me. It is hard to explain, but everyone is so SWEET, KIND, NICE, and FUNNY! It is such a positive place to be, and the personalities are great. Each time I have been there the waiting room starts having a great conversation, everyone in the circle. They all truly enjoy conversing with each other and being around each other. I am not sure if it is always like it, but I LOVE it. Even in the parking lot, people are so kind and nice. Everyone always lets other cars go first. This NEVER happens in Southern California.

I have learned so much from being around these amazing individuals and especially my mom. To not know the road ahead but fight so well and take every day and hour as it comes. To me that is being STRONG! I am so proud of my mom as she is fighting and having fun while fighting. I hope that she continues to respond to her treatment and can be as positive and as happy as she is right now. This will be a journey, but I KNOW mom can follow her yellow brick road to remission (she is from Kansas).

Since it is Thanksgiving I thought I would share a few things I am so thankful for today (in no particular order):
- Mom and Dad
-Jeff (boyfriend)
-Family- mine and Jeff's
-My wonderful friends that have been absolutely amazing these past few weeks!
- Oncologists
-Medical Research
- Dad's stuffing (I am ready for that right now)
- Mom's amazing co-workers and the individuals that she has worked for years that have reached out to her, me and this blog
- Music - in particular songs like "I'm Alive", "Good Girls", "Somebody's Hero"
- My wonderful friends from work (for cooking and providing support and love)
- The person that created colors for specific types of cancer, I LOVE LIME GREEN NOW!
- Being able to run the Turkey Trot this morning
- For the PMPS
- For laughter
- Cancer nurses (best spirits in the world- at least from whom I have met)
- Animals that I think can bring so much healing
- For my mother's perseverance and strength

Thank you again for all of your continuous love and support. Happy Thanksgiving!

Kerry (Bear)

Weekend Home and First Day of Shots

Happy Monday!!! Mom and I just got home from a visit at the Cancer Center this morning.

Mom came home on Friday and has enjoyed being at home, she said she LOVES her bed. She also was very happy when her Cheifs beat my dad and my Steelers yesterday. I think she was a little worried though because her two caregivers are HUGE Steelers fans.

Buffy (the dog) was so happy to see mom and has been a cling on all weekend. I posted a picture of them below.

Today mom started her series of seven shots to boost her white blood cell count. We visited the infusion center for the first time and this is where mom will recieve her chemo treatments as well. It was a packed house in the center and waiting room. I teared up as I gazed in to a room with many strong cancer patients.

In the waiting room we met Becky, a 6 year cancer patient. She was so cute and sweet, and of course, mom was friends in the first five minutes. I bet mom will be making lots of friends and brightening many peoples days at the Cancer Infusion Center in the next few months.

We will keep you posted and look forward to THanksgiving on Thursday.

Day after Chemo treatment #1

Hello folks!

Happy Thursday! Mom gets to leave the hospital tomorrow. (WOOHOO). She received chemo treatment starting Wednesday night through an IV and it ended last night (Thursday) around 9pm. She felt a bit funny and was not sure how she was supposed to feel. Last night she slept great.

She looks great today and her coloring has definitely gotten better.

She will receive chemo every three weeks for six rounds. She will do this outpatient through an IV. I have a feeling we are now going to be great friends with the Cancer Center nurses. We will miss the 5th Floor North Nurses.

Monday she starts a 7 day shot treatment to help her white blood cell count. Monday- Wednesday we will take her to the Cancer Center and Thursday-Sunday she will get to visit the 5th floor north again.

My godmother Cyndi, my best friend Cassie and I began a chemo cap-athon, we are knitting and crocheting her caps. I was the first to finish one and I toke a picture of mom with it on, it is below.

I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all of the love, support and prayers. Each day mom had TONS of visitors (some days 24). Right now, we all want mom to heal and we are unsure of the road ahead, we do know she will need to rest as much as possible. I will keep you all posted of when good times to visit and call are.

Thank you all again! Love, Kerry (Bear)

Welcome to the Update Blog on Judy (mom)

Hello all!

I wanted to start this blog for mom so that we could update you on her progress and her treatments. She was officially diagnosed yesterday with stage four diffuse large b-cell lymphoma. She started her chemo last night and did not get much rest. She will hopefully be able to go home on Friday. She had such beautiful flower arraignments and plants that she had to remove from her room because of the chemo. I have gorgeous flowers on my desk at work and at home now!

This past week has been quite the roller-coaster, but if you know my mom her spirits were still fantastic!!!!! My uncle and aunt from Kansas came to visit on Friday. Whenever we hang out with our Kansas relatives, Aunt Janet always throws some kind of party and we have party favors. So Aunt Kathy and Uncle Ron took care of the party favors and Sunday night we had a BIG family party in her hospital room. I think that the doctors and nurses had no idea what type of family had invaded the fifth floor. Mom was on steroids last week so she continuously made steroid jokes and how she was going to take over Manny Ramirez's job for the Dodgers. Uncle Ron bought her a "Big Show" steroid man. Everyone had glow in the dark necklaces and bracelets for the party. Mom got to wear a tiara beacuse she was princess. We have some cute pictures from our party that I will post when I get them.

The next day mom's oncologist visited her and he laughed at all of mom's party favors. It was pretty funny. Aunt Kathy came up with a great idea to have a board that people could sign when they came to visit her. That has been very nice and will be great to take home for mom to have some reminders of all of the individuals that love her. I gave mom a bear since I am her bear. Aunt Kathy gave her a fluffy bear and her friend Diane brought her a fluffy dog.

Uncle Pat came to visit on Monday and is leaving today. He and I both agree that hospital food really isn't that bad. It was great to have him around and he enjoyed watching mom boss Cyndi and Uncle Ron around yesterday.

Buffy (mom and dad's dog, formally my dog) is missing mom and is going to be so excited to see her on Friday.

This week has been surreal, crazy, insane, emotional, fun (I know, crazy), but the best part has been my wonderful mothers attitude. She is, as Jessben said, "Still Judy." She has kept her funny spirit and enjoyed her McDreamy Doctors and EMT drivers. She even had to cast on knitting for me and Cassie one day.

Thank you for all of your love, support and prayers!!!

Kerry