I’ve been thinking about drafting this post for a while now. Today seemed to be the most appropriate day for several reasons… I love lists 🙂
#1 I love Tyler and I know his love for sports, athletics, and general butt-kicking. #2 Tyler is in serious battle mode. He needs a pump-up/half-time talk, like whoa. His meals have become his workouts. I can see it on his face: he leans forward, grabs his fork or smoothie or whatever and demolishes the meal/snack because he knows he has to (to him, it all tastes like cardboard). #3 I love the #33. Today is treatment day 33 (or yesterday was), and I feel good about this. #4 I adore analogies. #5 Motivating/inspiring people is fascinating. Tyler has an incredible ability to do this, and I’m a sucker for anything related to leadership (anything cheesy and motivational… e.g. the Covey family inspires me without even being annoying…(?!) that’s the level I’m talking about). #6 I went on a great interval run today, and I’m on a runners high… here goes… Continue reading →
This post comes from UCSD ER, where Tyler is being admitted back into the hospital for neutropenic fever, so far hitting 103 degrees. Basically, his immune system is at zero, and something, we don’t know what yet, has triggered an infection in his body. He has just submitted all his labs and will have full cultures done in the next few days. Until the results come back, he will be treated for general infection via IV antibiotics. If the lab results indicate a localized or specific infection, antibiotics will be adjusted to target. In the meantime, he will have to have a stay-cation in the cancer ward for the next few days until his white cell counts boost his immune system and the fever clears. Kind of stinks, but it is necessary, and good that we know how his body is tolerating the chemo, so that dosages and cell support can be adjusted in the future. Plus, we were warned that this may be inevitable, with no immune system, this was a potential outcome.
Some better news is that Tyler’s liver enzyme levels are trending towards normal. Over the last week he has been experiencing abnormally high levels that were limiting the amount of medication and types of food and supplements his liver could safely process.
Some extra good news is that Leigh is here this week, so Tyler will have extra Team members in the cancer ward with him. Plus, he will get all the good nutrition to help him fight the best fight possible.
Please continue sending your healing thoughts, prayers, vibes, energy. The last few days have been really hard on Tyler’s body. He has literally been drained of his bad (and good) cells, and it is painful and tiring. We are trying to remember to think of the chemo as our ‘friend’, but it is hard when it is creating a violent fight against the cancer inside of him. A heck of a bloody war, but revolutions are not always pretty. Keep fighting Chemo, Tyler is using all his might to keep the battle grounds intact.
If one is lucky enough to meet Clay Treska, as I was on Tuesday, it won’t take you long to notice his physical strength. And if you’re lucky enough to spend some time with him, to hear him speak, to share his story, and his outlook on life, one quickly comes to the realization that his strength goes far beyond the physical. If mental and spiritual muscles could be flexed, his would be bursting at the seams.
A framed picture of Clay hangs in the infusion center at the Moore’s Cancer center, where I go twice a week for blood work and occasional outpatient treatments. Before I had the opportunity to meet him, I saw this picture, and stopped and stared in amazement. On the left of the frame is Clay, weakened and bed-ridden. On the right is a seemingly different person, muscles bulging, competing in the Kona Ironman World Championships. For those that don’t know, Kona is the big one.
To call his story an inspiration would be perhaps the world’s biggest understatement. His cancer came back. They told him there was nothing they could do. They used words like ‘terminal’. They made hospice arrangements.
With a nothing to lose attitude, and a fighting spirit, he went out on a limb, emailing Lance Armstrong’s oncologist. To his surprise, he got a response. There was a new combination stem-cell/chemotherapy treatment in development that just might be worth a shot. He was admitted to UCSD’s clinical trials program, and began treatment immediately. The rest of the story (and it is still unfolding) is described in detail on Clay’s website TeamTreska.org, in a variety of media and youtube videos.
If you have a few minutes, I would encourage you to check out his site. This particular clip doesn’t cover the entire story, but I thought it was worth sharing and happens to feature my primary oncologist, Dr. Peter Curtin, who was Clay’s doctor as well:
To Clay: Thanks for being the person you are, and for reminding us all of the opportunity that exists in every challenge.
–T
P.S. I have to thank the love of my life Natasha Moshirian for secretly setting up this visit. When Clay walked in and introduced himself, I think my jaw hit the floor. Thanks Tash!
Belated happy new year to everyone, and greetings from Room 356 West at Thornton Hospital. I’m back for round 1B of my Hyper CVAD regimen. If all goes to plan we’ll get started on chemo this afternoon and I’ll be here for a 4-5 day stay-cation. Here’s hoping all goes to plan.
I have a lot to be thankful for as 2012 begins, and a lot of thank you notes to write as I pass the time here for the next few days. Your greeting cards, text messages, emails, words of encouragement, and all around kindness and generosity are helping me to stay positive. For that, I am grateful.
And I’m feeling love and support, not only from my friends and family, but from people who don’t even know me! Let me elaborate… Continue reading →
I made these wraps the day before I left SD after Christmas. After leaving, Ty sent me a “Wraps are great!” text, so I thought I’d post them since they made Tyler’s flavor-cut.
The photos and recipe will be equally helpful for executing this unique recipe. This wrap recipe was inspired by a post on the nourishingmeals.com blog: “Collard Wraps with Raw Sunflower Pate” (nourishingmeals.com has some delicious, real-food recipes).
Before I begin, I want to make it clear that I alone, a member of “Team Tyler: the Iowa-based contingent” who goes by Aaron, take full responsibility for the content of this post. Mind you, I said “responsibility,” not “credit.” No additional members of “Team Tyler: the Iowa-based Contingent,” either currently or formerly residing in the state, are individually or collectively responsible for words and/or phrase choices, their likely interpretation by possible readers, effective or less than effective grammatical usage or overall appropriateness of the following post.
You see, this week is Caucus week in Iowa, which, pardon the declaration of the obvious, is quite political. In reference to said issue of a decidedly political nature, I intend to go no further into political discussions that shall not aid the direct advancement of our greater discussions and purpose on this site. I will applaud this site, however, for what I believe all will concur to be its overarching, unified bi-partisan message of support, uttered so eloquently in its URL: “Go Team Tyler!” Continue reading →
I hope this message finds you all happy, healthy, and enjoying the final week of 2011. I had a fantastic Christmas holiday spent with family and loved-ones. Santa was waaay too good to me this year. For a brief period of time on Christmas afternoon, I got to experience the sensation of time-travel, as I was transformed into a ten-year old boy while unwrapping a new bike and stationary trainer. I’ll be able to take both with me to the hospital for future inpatient treatments, which will be great.
I’m committed to staying as active as possible through this process, but the last few days have been challenging. I’ve been doing my best to listen to my body, and it has been telling me to rest. I am feeling physically drained. I got up this afternoon and got my legs moving at the track at UCSD for a bit, and I’m actually feeling pretty good at the moment as I drink a blueberry smoothie packed with proteins, oils, fresh greens, and vitamin-c. It’s important that I eat as much as possible, as my body is metabolizing calories at a higher rate than normal. My appetite comes and goes, so the fact that food is tasting good right now is a great sign.
I’m a “Monday-Thursday”, which means tomorrow is my Thursday blood draw. Twice a week I will be visiting the Moore’s Cancer center for labs and occasional out-patient chemo treatments. The most important number to watch is my absolute neutrophil count (ANC), which gives us a way to measure the strength of my immune system as it responds to the chemotherapy. Ideally, after a few days, my count rebounds, and my immune system bounces back to normal–at which time we blast the cancer again with another round of inpatient chemo.
If all goes according to plan, I will be receiving inpatient treatment at Thornton Hospital every 21 days. And, all is going well so far. In fact, I just got a voicemail from the hospital confirming my admission on January 2nd for round 1B of my Hyper CVAD regimen.
My hair started falling out in the shower today. It’s strange. I knew it was going to happen, but it’s just another one of those “this is real” confirmations. Tash has been asking to cut my hair for months now, but I never trusted her enough to let her try. I guess she’s going to have her chance!
Since it’s only the 3rd day of Christmas, I thought we’d continue the ‘holiday cheer’…
Dick Railsback is a living legend for many reasons: world record-holding pole vaulter, Swedish chef,story teller… some might say he’s the ‘master of the groaner’ – I say that in the MOST ENDEARING way.
The ‘Moose Turd Pie’ story is told annually, generally after we’ve finished our 3rd plate of food and before the Akvavit toast (“skol”) at Swedish Christmas dinner… and it’s always per the suggestion of our favorite, T-Wags.
Dick contributed his written version of this infamous story:
Hi Wagners……..Sure do miss you. We are expecting you all to join us for Christmas Dinner next year!!!! We miss you all so much.
I hope a few pictures make you feel in our hearts………and of course I had to tell one story for Tyler….attached!
Happy Holidays from the Wagners and the Moshirians
Hello Everyone! I hope that Santa was good to everyone and you all had a day filled with love and smiles.
I just got some great news from Ty and figured an update was due.
Tyler’s Day 15 cell count is great, and will not need any sort of transfusion and can begin his next round of chemo as scheduled.
It has definitely been a week of ups and downs. Last Friday, I witnessed Tyler after his chemo dose into the cerebral spinal fluid, this was probably the hardest day so far to watch, as the injection is delivered via a lumbar puncture, aka “spinal tap”. There’s a reason for the parody heavy metal group with the same name, this procedure is heavy, and leaves your brain pressure feeling heavy. All things considered, my man took it like a champ. Seriously, Tyler is a beast.
More good news – if we back track a few weeks to how we all got here, Tyler was experiencing difficulty breathing – caused by ‘Massi’, the tumor that was living in his chest. It was so bad that the pressure of the mass was hindering him from laying on his back or left side. After first round of chemo – No breathing issues! Survey says…Massi is shrinking. Wooo HOOO!
I would like to thank the GG’s for the awesome bracelets sent for Tyler’s Gals here in SD. We had a fantastic Christmas. It was ‘Our First Christmas’ together, we had great food, great laughs, and we were able to celebrate with both our families. It was a very special Christmas for both of us.
Santa brought Tyler a new set up so he can keep riding during chemo. He got a new track bike, a stationary trainer, and all the accessories he could possibly need to ride wherever and whenever his heart desires. In fact, the nurses gave the ok to bring his bike and trainer into the cancer wing!
I’ve been thinking about drafting this post for a while now. Today seemed to be the most appropriate day for several reasons… I love lists 🙂
GoTeamTyler 