At Last, (and not the Etta James song)

it's been a long time since the blog has been updated, way too long aand i'm sorry about that.

i don't know where to start, (probably reading the last couple posts would have been good, but it's been so long that even i can't remember where it's at)

so, lets start in April, that's when things really started happening.

by now, everyone knows that jackie retired from anthem the 15th of april, (after almost 40 years on the job)

what most people don't know is that the last week, in and around all the fair well, and good luck parties, we got some bad news.

while the chemo was working on all the spots, and dots, and engaged lymph nodes, even clearing several, and giving jackie much clearer breathing and such,
a new spot was found in a scan on her liver.

with additional looking and scanning, it was determined that there was a new spot of cancer that was growing there, even while everything else was shrinking.

her chemo changed that week, and she went to a new treatment that now is a weekly dose of a different chemo.
(she is adapting well, and her new curly hair is still hanging on and acting however it chooses to)

we are not at a point in time where the doctor is ready for another round of scans, but jackie's mood, and drive, and all those other indications of well being are just fine.

on the regular side of life, several weeks ago, we went to St. Pete, in Florida to celebrate Chris and Sara's wedding.

it was a fantastic trip, did us both a lot of good, and we even got to see some homeless guy from the beach play the music at the wedding.
(no, wait... that was no 'homeless' guy, that should have said 'jobless' guy, me!)

the day after we returned i started a new job, (real job, no contracting), with Catholic Health Partners and so far, my badge is still working to open the doors every morning. (it appears that we DO need 'stinking badges')

other high points since the last posting are:

- there is now a new back door on the bodmo' house! (ok, it's big news to us)
- i turned 58 last week
- this week we had a very successful, and very fun MS fundraiser at 'Cheers to art' in maderia.

for upcoming news:

- gretchen and brian are getting married in Julaugust
- jackie and i both have 40th high school reunions this summer. (this makes me feel older then the whole 'turning 58' thing)

so, in the coming days/weeks/months, i think that our newly retired, and queen of free time, jackie, will be updating the blog, with occasional guess visits from me!

again,
sorry for such a dry spell, but hey if i can't neglect my bloggly duties, what can i do!

namaste,
dab

tuesday Februray 15, 2011

ok,

what's been going on with YOU people?

here at the Bodmo' house, we're moving slowly toward spring.

on the good news side is:

* Jackie is officially retiring from Anthem on April 15th, just short of 40 years with the company

* Tony has officially gotten his letter approving his Social Security Disability. (it only took since july, 2007

* and the best news...

we told you that the alimta is shrinking all the little spots and dots, well the primary tumor, the one that started it all, (F*cking tumor), was originally found to be 6cm in size.

it is now just a little over 2cm.

so lets keep pushing!

tomorrow is another chemo day!

(they will continue every third wednesday forever - we hope)

time to roll out the S.E.E. chants.

keep the energy pouring out, aimed at the blue ash area, that's where the magic happens!

thanks for everything you've done.

(and good luck and positive thoughts to you too, Keith)

namaste,

dab

Monday, January 24, 2011

hey,

we learned a new word this week.

Scanxiety!

it's what happens after you get you CT scan, but before the dr. tells you how it came out.

the scan was last thursday, the results are in, and all of you S.E.E. chanting lunatics must be making your neighbors wonder what you're up to!

you've been doing such a good job, that everything, including the main tumor in the right lung has shrunk even smaller then before!

you chance to do a bit more is right around the corner.

this coming wednesday is jackie's next chemo!

(that's the day after tomorrow)

so, this wednesday...

Do a little dance,

make a little...

no wait, that's something else!

but chant your little butts off!

Shrink Erase Eradicate!

it will do you good!

not to mention the good vibes will help us all, except for those pesky tumors, who will just keep shrinking!

namaste,

dab

Thursday, January 20,2011

Wow,

ok...

it's been a couple of days since our last update.

err...

i mean weeks?

the holidays went very well!

there was a little fatigue after all the running around, lots of sleeping, listlessness.

(but that was me, jackie was just fine)

The picture to the left (i hope) is from Katie's half marathon down in Orlando, at the Disney run!

(left to right... Pattie, Liz, Katie, Teresa, Barb...the stalker in the back is Gary)

Liz did a 5K, and everyone else cheered Katie and Liz on!

in other news, Tony had his Social Security Disability hearing last week.

the judge said "i'll let you know in eight weeks".

(Tony's lawyer said it was a done deal and the eight weeks is just a formality)

so, Jackie's doing well, working full days, getting through the STUFF that is corporate america.

tony has an eye out for some regular income. (first time since mid 2008).

all the Bodmo's need now is to get the old man working and out of the house!

oh, wait...

i almost forgot!

last week, i started a new contract.

working for a Medicaid Insurance Co. in Dayton.

the drive is not the best, but nothing like mason to florence was last year.

the atmosphere, and the team are great!

and it makes a nice little trifecta for the new year.

so, next wednesday is the next chemo.

keep those S.E.E.'s coming.

thanks to all of you, ("All Y'all" for our KY fans), for all the love, and support through the last five months or so.

we couldn't be here without all the positive energy from you guys.

that's all i got!

Namaste,

dab

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Ok,

here's the latest updates!

1. Jackie returned to work this past week.

she was working half days, from home, and it went very well.

(5900 emails were waiting patiently in her in box!)

tomorrow, she starts full time, still from home, so keep your fingers crossed!

(next thing you know, I'll be going back to work!

stop snickering out there, you guys!)

2. the next chemo is this coming Wednesday, the 15th, which is Buffalo Katie's birthday!

(it's strange, the way rumors get started... every time i ask Katie if she'd 'come out tonight', she never wants to!)

don't forget the S.E.E. chant for wednesday.

Jackie will be on this 'every three week' chemo for as long as we can see into to future, so we have to stay constant with our S.E.E. chants, so it keeps on working!

3. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!

thanks for all your chanting, praying, cards, love and support.

we couldn't have done all this without you guys!

Namaste,

dab

Thanksgiving -2, 2010

ok,

obviously there has not been much to write about.

but, here are the highlights of the last several weeks:

Katie, Jackie's sister who lives near Buffalo, had a fundraiser on Sunday to raise money for cancer research as part of her half-marathon she is running in January at Disney World. She had a silent auction and had lots of great items like Sabres tickets (some sort of Buffalo sports team), a singed Patrick Kaleta jersey (some sort of buffalo sports guy), 26" womans bike, $100 spa certificate, liquor baskets and a lot more. Katie had a very successful fund raiser and made $2,300 for cancer research!

so, woo hoo for Katie, great job!

also, for anyone who either attended, or didn't attend, the Shine a light on lung cancer vigil...

Barb, another one of the sisters, wrote an article about the Shine a Light Vigil that was published on Cincinnati.com. Here is a link to the article:

http://local.cincinnati.com/share/news/story.aspx?sid=173748&cid=100044

(and of course, there were pictures!)

http://local.cincinnati.com/community/getCommunity.aspx?cid=100044&cat=photo&display=Photos

thanks again to honorary sister, Amanda for the photographs.

and last, but really, reallly not least.

tomorrow is the next batch of Chemo for jackie. (they are putting pumpkin spices in the bag)

remember to do your S.E.E.'s

Namaste,

dab

Friday, November 5, 2010

Wow,

such a busy couple of days!

the last blog mentioned the great news from the CT scan.

on wednesday, jackie had another course of the chemo, and dr. chua said that the PT scan was even better!

some of the 'spots' are not visible on the PT scan, and everything is shrinking!

way to chant people!!!

to add to the great week, last night was the 'Shine A Light On Lung Cancer' vigil in Blue Ash.

Barb, (the Hope Warrior Princess), did a great job putting it all together with the able assistance of Pattie and Liz.

there were speakers...

Dr. Sandra Starnes, Director of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at UC.

- me

- Sharon Northcutt (featured cuz from the famous picture on the "Tuesday, September 14, 2010" blog entry - she's on the left)

- the above mentioned Barb H.W.P.

really great pictures taken by ms. Amanda Evans!

http://www.amandaevansphotography.com/pages/Blog/entry/8/

there were about 65 people, in the cold and drizzle.

(luckily barb also had a covered 'backup' plan)

it was a great night of hope and remembrance of the people that lung cancer kept from being there!

the main purpose of the vigil was to point out that Lung Cancer causes more cancer deaths then any other type of cancer, but it is the lowest funded cancer research.

FACT:

Lung Cancer kills more Americans every year then Colon, Breast, and Prostate Cancer combined!

FACT:

Lung Cancer kills twice as many women as Breast Cancer. (1 in 5 of these women never smoked)

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

but there will be no special shoes, or gloves for NFL football games, or mention on the evening news every night.

Please contact local media, make them aware of the underfunding for this killer.

also, contact your representatives and push them to increase funding for lung cancer.

one positive item from last night.

Dr. Starnes told us that just yesterday, results of a study using CT scans has been found to be the first effective screening test for lung cancer!

this was a longer post than usual, but part of our fight against lung cancer is to get as much information out to as many people as possible.

--
namaste,
dab