Pack a suitcase or pack a wound

The calender says its time for another school year, time for a White Sox playoff run, time to celebrate Kris and Josh's first year anniversary and most importantly time for some encouraging news about our warrior. The past few weeks have been really difficult for Reenie, our fighter is tough but so is this treatment. She has to push herself to get through the day, lots of pain meds and lots of pain. It has gotten to the point where she is losing her nails and easy tasks are almost impossible. Yet she doesn't complain but will become sad, last week she had a great day on Thursday only to be knock back down on Friday when her visiting nurse felt her surgical wound looked infected, it was, so back on antibiotics and stay close to home. The antibiotics made her nauseous and on Monday she became sick so they backed off on some of the medication. Our girl is still receiving care at home, she needs to have her pick line flushed daily and the site where her port was removed has to be monitored for infection. It was a year ago we were packing for a long weekend and a wedding this year just packing wounds. Reenie has been on her new treatment since July 21st for a total of 5 cycles of Navelbine with daily doses of Femara the hormone therapy. The doctors are waiting until she has completed 8 cycles before any testing, PET scans and tumor markers will be done. The encouraging news we have had is that the EYE test, the visual examinations done the last two weeks have shown an improvement in both look and feel of the tumors. We take this news as a positive but we can't get too excited as we know this beast is a mother @&#*$% and we really need to see an improved scan and markers....but this is a move in that direction, so keep those prayers coming our warrior's way, she needs them for her strength and spirit. The Haas' family sends their love and appreciation to all family and friends you guys are our rock...thank you
And thanks to our special Tuesday flower man....you have no idea how much Reenie appreciates them!!

Who is this person you call the Warrior

Well the journey has had many turns the last week and a half. Wednesday July 21st (Shannon's birthday) we had our appointment with our oncology team to discuss the PET scan results and treatment change. But first our warrior who never stops thinking of others had to deliver a wedding gift to one of her Physician assistants that she made her self, a wine basket with numerous bottles of wine for the new couple to share on many different occasions that Reenie had outlined with labels on each bottle, a time consuming and thoughtful gift for someone special to our fighter.We expected that the scan results would tell us what we already kind of knew from the tumor markers, that the current treatment wasn't working as hoped. We were right, but the scan was not as bad as it could have been yes the tumor cells have increased slightly and spread around the abdomen, but it has not metastasized to the bone or any organs. Our fighter was on to another chemo therapy drug Navelbine and a new hormone therapy drug Femara. That day would be her first infusion of the new drug and she tolerated it, at least no allergic reaction which when starting a new drug is also always a worry. So now we pray and hope and believe that this will slow and stop the progression of this $%&*!@# animal, feel free to insert your favorite obscenity at this point, mine has 7 letters. Another turn in the road came Friday evening when visiting with her friends her arm that has her medi-port became sore and red, a possible infection was brewing. Saturday July 24th our combatant was admitted to the hospital to begin IV anti-biotics and try to clear the infection, We were hopeful Reenie could keep the port if the infection cleared up, but after 48 hours of IV's the infection wasn't clearing completely so the port needed to come out. Surgery was scheduled Tuesday to remove the port in her arm, now we needed a new access point to stay on her new treatment schedule, this was a priority and the nurses and doctors at Metro South knew this and came up with a plan to make sure Reenie would get her chemo on Wednesday. They inserted a pick line called a Power Line into her chest Wednesday morning and released her that afternoon in order to receive her scheduled treatment...I'm not sure warrior adequately describes how this girl is fighting, it is absolutely amazing to see what she is going through, how strong she is, how much fight she has, and how graceful she does it, does she cry, yes, is she mad yes, but she puts her makeup and her new wig on and you would never know she was fighting the fight of her life. She looks amazing at all times. Thursday Reenie was feeling a little better after her stint in the hospital and second treatment, she spent the day with Maureen, and Kristen stopped by with a new top that would hide the Power Line, this was definitely a better day. Friday came and Reenie was given an experience  that not many of us have the opportunity to share, a VIP pass into the Bon Jovi show Friday night from Dave and Brenda, now Reenie knew of this gift earlier in the week, but it did not look like she would be able to attend I really never thought she would feel up to to it by show time...I was wrong. Reen was sent home on IV anti-biotics so the nurse came over Friday afternoon and after she left our fighter said she wanted nothing more than to spend an evening with her husband downtown on the lakefront, or was it nothing more than to see and touch Jon Bon Jovi....anyway she was able to do both. The evening was awesome, great food and drink, spent some time with our friends the Scobeys and Carneys and the seats were amazing and yes our warrior touched the Bon Jovi (I'm guessing that's a good thing) hey it made Reenie forget about things for just a short time, and that made it all worth it. We stayed the night downtown with yet another gift from our friends the Lykes...Thank you, our friends are so amazing, helping us through this trying time, our family is steadfast and strong, Reenie is gaining strength through each of you... I thank you...and the definition of a warrior is REENIE

Love to all