Tuesday August 30, 2011

We recieved some great news today. The MRI showed tremendous progress on the tumor in Shannon's brain. It is almost 60% smaller than when it was discovered in April.

Our radiation team did as well as they could have expected. Dr. Laack and Dr. Rao felt this was best case scenario coming out of a worst case diagnosis. The radiation delivered the punch the team had hoped for. The cancer is not gone. Chemo continues to try to stymie further tumor growth.

We are too tired to process anymore tonight. More to come...need more time to absorb...

We want to share more about Dr. Laack's efforts. We want to tell you about the meeting we had with the team at Willow Creek Middle School. Very cool, positive stuff...

Sunday August 28, 2011

My golf game was highly suspect, but my looper was sure cute!






A friend shared a prayer with me that lends perspective to three putts and double bogeys: Don't worry about anything, pray about everything, and thank God for all you have.

Late Night Update

We have written before about how touched we are by the kindness of others. Today that kindness came from one of our doctors. Dr. Keating saw that Shannon's MRI results had come back so she took a look at the scan. Happy with what she saw, she wondered who had shared the results with us. She pulled up Shannon's record and saw that we weren't due to get results until Tuesday. At 4:40pm on a Friday afternoon, Dr. Keating took the time to pick up the phone and put our minds at ease. She said she wanted to help alleviate our PMS: Post-MRI Syndrome - where patients and their families are filled with anxiety while they wait for the results!

We will have more facts to share after our Tuesday appointments with Dr. Rao and Dr. Laack, but a late afternoon call from Dr. Keating let us know that treatment continues to show good results, and that's making for a happy weekend at the O'Hara household.

Friday August 26, 2011

Factoids from the last two days:

School schedules have been picked up - both girls are busy figuring out which friends will be in classes with them. Texting and social networking being put to good use! Shannon and Erin seem happy with their teachers, lockers, and schedules...

Soccer info - The girls have heard from their coaches and it looks like Shannon and Erin both have some buddies on their teams. Practices will start next week...

Hematology appointment - weight and blood counts are good. Shannon keeps pushing to decrease the steroids. Dr. Rodriguez has a soft spot for her, I think, and Shannon convinced her to go down another .5 mg starting Monday ...

MRI - Shannon's third scan was done this morning and we meet with the doctors next Tuesday to see the results. Shannon was in good spirits this am - she's and old pro at it by now. She doesn't seem stressed or worried about the results, so Dan and I will try to follow her lead on that ...

This Weekend - As I write, Shannon is golfing with Papa, Erin is at a pool party, and tonight we head downtown for the Greek Festival. Dan's playing in the city golf championship this weekend and Shannon's planning to caddy for him during Sunday's round here at our home course ...

That about covers it...

Wednesday August 24, 2011

We head home from the lake today and even though there are two weeks left before school starts, this feels like the symbolic end to our summer. And we've have had a great one. We've been places and we've seen people and we've done things and we've had a heightened awareness of enjoying every memory we've made. Gratitude.

This week has been no different: Shannon learning to ski has been a highlight and the last two days she's made runs up and down the bay. We've worked and played around the O'Hara family cabin and the four of us even managed to put in three new dock sections together. Then there was the debacle last night: We were out of our swimsuits for the first time all day, dressed and ready to head into town for pizza and ice cream. Dan couldn't find his glasses and then realized he had jumped in the lake with them on. Back in the water (ok, everyone except me) to do some diving to locate the missing glasses before the sun went down... luckily the glasses were found and we laughed about it (mostly at Dan's expense) over a pepperoni pizza at our favorite place, Rafferty's in Nisswa.

So, now it's time to turn our attention to the things ahead: fall hockey tonight, school orientation and schedule pick up tomorrow and Shannon's next MRI on Friday. It's been easy up here to almost forget about Shannon's illness. She doesn't seem like a cancer patient when she's swimming and skiing and kayaking. But one look at my calendar reminds me otherwise: appointments tomorrow, MRI on Friday, and more follow up appointments next Tuesday.

I'm not sure how this next phase will be as I've been trying to psych myself up to put my energy towards the regular life stuff that's ahead - school, homework, fall sports, work for me and Dan... there's a part of me that wants to just stay on this perpetual vacation and spend all of our time together doing whatever we want, but that' not realistic. Shannon wants to be a normal eight grader, Erin wants to start middle school, they want some structure.

Shannon's health dictated what we did this summer - when she felt good, we were on the move and when she got sick, we circled the wagons and looked to our families and friends for support. I imagine that things will be the same going forward. As long as she's feeling good, we will forge ahead with normal, everyday activities, same as last fall and every fall before that. And I'll try not to waste energy worrying about the giant "what if" that follows us around. Stay in the present and enjoy today...

Monday August 22, 2011

Just another Monday...

We are living life to its fullest up here in Nisswa.  Just the four of us, Sunny the dog, and no agenda.

We spent our Sunday morning worship in Lake Hubert.  Calm, crystal clear waters, sunshine, treading in the deep water on noodles, hangin' out on the beach.  No doubt, God was smiling down.

Then our friends down the beach at the Gustafson cabin up fired up the Glastron and offered the girls their first attempts at water skiing.  Shannon and Erin are veteran tubers but have never attempted old school water skiing.  So after a few attempts:

From skiing we took advantage of free golf at the Garden Course at Grand View where Shannon, Jen and I hit the ball around while Erin played Annie Leibovitz with her new camera.  Lots of laughs...not funny was that Jen clipped me by a shot while Shannon posted a respectable 43.

From golf we drove to find dinner on the opposite side of Gull Lake from Brainerd Int'l Raceway where the annual drag races were pouring out onto Hwy 371.  Steer clear.  We settled on an early dinner at Bar Harbor with the blue hairs and reloaded on sweets at the Chocolate Ox on the way back to the lake. 

The day was topped off watching a kids' choice movie; Soul Surfer about surfer Brittany Hamilton who lost an arm - and almost her life - in a shark attack.  I was not ready to emote, but this story took me there as the family rallied around this determined and stubborn young lady who reminded me of Shannon in so many ways.  The family dealt with grief and faced their tragedy together in different ways...but together.  Also, reminded me of our little unit.  Some did better than others :)   In the end of course, Brittany triumphs and inspires and leaves you feeling hopeful.

Jen checked in at Mayo Clinic Hematology this morning and Shannon's steroid dosage was reduced by another 0.5 mg.  Getting closer to steroid free.  Feeling hopeful today.  And two more days in paradise with a forecast that could not be any better.  Live high!

Saturday August 20, 2011

Nothing eventful happening from the lake.  Unless you consider BBQ chicken, pasta and fresh green beans an event.  Actually, a quick little squall line blew threw as I grilled.  But now the sun is out and the wind is dying and we are in for a beauty sunset.  Might be fire time.  Or do we hit the Ox again for cones??? 

More of the same R & R which has been terrific for all.  Shannon feels great.  Erin is great as usual.  And Jen and I are doing the best we can staying here and now.  That's the best place to live.

Forecast is OK for Sunday but looks like we may see some heat again Monday, Tuesday.  Good thing we have a lake.  Love to all - we are so grateful for our time together!