Nathan Robert Hill and Koren and Xeloda

Wow I can't believe it has been so long since I've posted an update I should have my journalist card taken away, it's not like we haven't had any news. I guess I can blame it on summer, a new baby, too much work but I really don't have a good excuse not to keep the updates coming. My new month's resolution is to do a better job on this blog. Our warrior has had quite the last few months, the peaks and valleys continue, our family was blessed on June 3rd with a beautiful 9lb 6oz baby boy, Nathan Robert Hill was born to Kristen and Josh and just to keep things interesting he didn't make it easy on mom and dad. Kris endured 16 hours of being induced only to have a c-section delivery. The long delivery, plus position of baby and size was rough on Kris who started to hemorrhage hours after the delivery, a scary time for all. Today baby and mom are doing great. I can't begin to explain how this has changed our lives, boy Reenie needed some good things to happen. Reenie was a huge help during the labor and now as her grandmothers duties have kicked in. It is quite amazing to see how Nathan has boosted Reenies spirits. Ryan's new girlfriend Krystal has a beautiful daughter Koren who we have been blessed to spend a lot of time with this summer. Koren and Reenie absolutely love each others company so much you would think they have known each other forever, this also has brightened our warriors days and has helped in the healing process, as our friends and family continue their unending support there really is nothing like a child's smile, hugs or kisses that help melt away your problems.

    This August marks the 22nd month that Reenie has been in treatment for the recurrence of the beast that is breast cancer. The strength one must have to endure almost 2 years of infusion chemotherapy (poison) is mind boggling, that strength comes from family, her friends and now more magical powers from the new little people in her life. Last week Reenie started a new chemo drug because the last one she was on for exactly one year became resistant to the cancer. Progression was found in 2 spots so the fear we live with everyday was realized and we needed to start a new treatment. Our couragous fighter started Xeloda last Monday which is an oral drug that is taken for 14 straight days, with 7 days off this is considered a cycle. During this time she will also recieve a dose of Avastin that is an infusion drug given every other week, this is a targeted drug to deplete the cancer cells of blood.  Xeloda's purpose is to shrink and eliminate the tumors.

   We are blessed in so many ways, even with all that Reenie is going through we do find many positives each day, thank you for all your prayers and thoughts..another blessing that has come out of our situation is Reen has reconnected with another group of high school friends that have made sure that Reenie has kept up her strength for this ongoing battle with lunches and meals, Debbie,Rhonda, Michele and Laura thank you so much your help this summer can not be measured.

Love to all......and believe!!!!

Blessed in so many ways, need 1 more......

November 2009 the breast cancer came back and we looked forward to springtime 2010 when treatment would be complete, we encountered a few turns and twist along the way but through it all Reenie has stayed strong, gracious and beautiful. Springtime 2010 has turned into springtime 2011 and still our warrior is battling the beast. A month or so ago I wrote that stable was the magic word in our progress and as we visited with our oncologist a few days later stable was the word he also used. The feeling was that this chemotherapy treatment was slowing down the progression of cancer cells and that was good, the thought also was that we may not get to total remission and that chemo would most likely be a course of action indefinitely. This was disappointing but also a positive that we could keep the cancer from progressing with this treatment and this drug was tolerable for Reenie as she has built a tolerance for the pain and fatigue. The proof that Reenie was handling this was never more apparent than this last week. Sunday March 6th we were surprised with a 32nd wedding anniversary party with some family and friends, it was an awesome evening hosted by the Massats and Lykes. Since the party Reenie has shown signs of her old self, wanting to get out more, turning on her grandma mode and looking forward to a trip given to her from her "high school" friends, this has been a great week. Well springtime means the amusement parks are opening and that means someone has fired up the roller coaster. We received news this week that her latest tumor markers have shown an increase, the numbers went up about 15% which is now 2 months in a row with increases and that has alarmed the doctors. Last month the increase was very minimal but now a second month of raised markers brings concern that this tolerated drug may have become resistant, so much for the great week. After consulting with our oncologist today Reenie needs to have a PET scan to determine what the raised markers mean. Until then we are staying on this treatment and expect to have the test done next week with results and decisions made by the end of the month. The treatment could be altered to a higher dose or more frequent, it also could be changed completely which is the unknown that we are afraid of. The new treatment brings possible side effects that are not as tolerable and also a feeling of we are back at square one. So for now we wait for the test and it's results and we stay the course, so as we continue this journey we pray that the results are favorable to continue this treatment and hope that the roller coaster ride this spring is more like the shuttle from the parking lot than the American Eagle. Thanks to all who helped celebrate our anniversary and thanks for the continued support and prayers (our warrior needs them all)

Love Reen and Tom

Stable is good, we'll take stable

My updates have been scarce, far and few between, I guess I'll blame it on writers block. Now that I am a novelist, ok well composer, ok just a writer, I find I need a hook or something remarkable to write about, to get me motivated to sit down at the computer and start talking out loud. That remarkable something is Reenie, we haven't had much news lately so when anyone asks "how's Reenie" or what's new with Reen the word that I have thoughtfully come up with is "stable" creative huh. As I say stable I think to myself blah, that's such a bland non-descript word..stable..but when it comes to cancer and treatment stable is not bad. Stable means the tumor markers have not changed much in the last couple cycles, stable means the PET scan last month was good, cancer is still present but it has not spread. I keep holding out waiting to write that blog that states we are doing better than stable. I hope that my tardiness in writing blogs hasn't changed your attitude about our warrior, she still needs those prayers and well wishes. Reenie has been in treatment for 16 months, parts of three years, 68 infusion treatments (chemo and hydration) and upwards of 175 nupregen shots in her stomach. Needless to say Reenie is hurting, physically and emotionally, missing out on the things we take for granted, simple things. So as we deal with the deep freeze and long for spring, seeing our lawns ,baseball and babies think of our fighter, say a prayer and if you get a chance drop a line, we need to keep her spirits up and keep her fighting the good fight...she has a grandson coming this spring another of God's blessings and she will need her strength.
 Love to all

My WISH for you

My last blog had the title of a December to Remember...that was an understatement. On Saturday December 18th our fighter had some family and friends come by the house for some holiday cheer. The group was on hand to witness quite the spectacle, the Tinley community came out to help one of their own our Pink Warrior. Reenie was nominated and chosen as a recipient of Tinley Wish this year. A parade of 30 plus vehicles and 100 plus members of our community, Police, Fire fighters, village trustees, village employees, citizens from Tinley Park, and some past year recipients paid a visit to Reenie and her family, they came with sirens blaring, lights flashing and marched through our house presenting Reenie and her family with gifts to help make this a wonderful holiday season and for a time forget the struggles of the past 14 months. They succeeded. Lt Ken Roemer along with Reenie's cousin Eileen sponsored Reenie for the special day they felt that because our warrior has been in treatment and unable to work for over a year that she deserved a special day. I have been trying to wrap my head around the huge undertaking that this program takes on every year and I am amazed at what a life changing event this program provides, it changed ours. I don't think it is the material benefits we received from this that will stay with us as much it will be the out pouring of love that was experienced that day in our home. We know how lucky this family is that we have an amazing support group, from our family and friends, now our community has let us know that we are not alone in this battle. It may be a call from New Jersey or Texas, a letter from Florida , beautiful well wishes from Kentucky or a prayer from California our Pink Warrior knows she has the support of so many, this is what keeps her strong, keeps her fighting and keeps her winning. I know I have become redundant in my thanks to all of our support group but it is heartfelt, each one of you have managed to make our Christmas this year a special one. May God bless everyone in the upcoming year and may all your WISHES come true. A special thanks to our photographers, Megan Casey and Erin Stefanik, I'm working on the slide show.
Love Reenie, Tom and family

A December to Remember? here's hoping!!!

Well it has been quite awhile since I have updated Reenie's blog my only excuse is that the last update had such good news I guess I wanted to sit back and enjoy it. We are usually a little leery of the good news since we have gone through this step before yet we know that as long as the treatment is achieving good results we have hope and it is that hope that gives our fighter added strength. Now that the holiday season is here again another realization is that Reenie has been fighting this latest battle for over a year now and it takes one helluva strong person to endure ongoing chemotherapy treatment on a weekly basis, receiving this weekly has reeked havoc on her blood cells both red and white and left her with frequent bone pain. She has persevered and done so so gracefully its really inspiring. The doctors decided that the since we received good results in October we could dial back the regiment from every week to 3 weeks of treatment and 1 week of just hydration so that Reenie could have a week to recuperate. The new regiment has given our warrior the much needed break her body needs, but in November her tumor markers increased slightly which our team of doctors believe had more to do with skipped treatment than increased tumor activity, we're hoping they're right.
  Reen has tackled the upcoming Christmas season head on and wants to make sure everyone has a great Christmas. It has been great to see a different woman this year at holiday time and it is because of the renewed hope that we have found the right treatment, and it is also because of the unwavering support that the Haas family has received from our amazing friends and family. I was asked recently by an old friend who has received similar news about a loved one "how do we get through this"?  I didn't have to think too long about that question because I think of it everyday....We get through this because of our support group, our group has been there every step of the way, we get through this with prayer I think I have prayed so much this past year I may have become a deacon. We get through this because Reenie doesn't give up and when she gets down its not for long she has a way of keeping us upbeat because she hasn't lost her quick wit or sense of humor.

I titled this a December to Remember not because I have purchased a Lexus for my beautiful wife but because of more news and blessings bestowed on our family, yes we have endured alot of pain and still have a few hurdles to jump we still receive blessings each and everyday ,sometimes we have to look extra hard and sometimes they appear out of nowhere. Kristen and Josh are expecting and due May26st, we found out today that our first grandchild will be a BOY and as you can imagine our Pink Warrior can't wait to start shopping. We also found out recently that Reenie was nominated by her cousin Eileen, along with a letter from her kids to be a recipient of the Village of Tinley Park's "Tinley Wish" program. The program helps 7 to 10 families or individuals who may be suffering from various hardships, they help ease the pain and burden experienced during the Christmas season. I first thought that I wanted no part of this that I thought their has to be others that had more hardships than we have had, but I guess I was thinking of myself not Reenie initially. Yes she has had it hard, harder than most this year, yes she has stressed how are we going to get through Christmas and yes she deserves a great day just for her so on Saturday Dec. 18th the Tinley Wish foundation made up of our community, our Fire Department and our Police Department will get together for a parade and stop at our humble home to wish our Pink Warrior a Merry Christmas and help give her a December to Remember!! Love to all and again thanks to everyone for your constant support and keep the prayers coming.

Can I get an AMEN!!!!

In writing about Reenie with her amazing strength and her inspirational fight, while she has been involved in the battle of her life for 11 1/2 months, I've tried to update and explain what she has been going through. I've introduced Reenie's extraordinary support group, made up of family, co-workers and her unwavering friends. Her team of doctors, physician assistants, nurses and pharmacists that take care of our warrior weekly. With this group and with many many prayers from coast to coast we have stayed positive and believed that this fight will be won. It has been a long time since we had really good news that were direct results of her treatment, but this past week the treatment paid off. We received the good news that we have been praying for, Megan (Reenie's primary physician assistant) called last Friday because she couldn't wait until Monday to deliver the news that her tumor markers have decreased. Exciting news but we weren't done yet, Monday Dr. Baridi and Megan as excited as medical professionals can be, delivered the real tangible news that her PET scan showed massive improvement, as Megan explained it there was only one (1) (uno) , a singular hypermetabolic (cancerous) node, and that one has decreased in size and malignancy since her last scan in July. The last scan in July was not good, it had showed tumors throughout her abdomen and into her pelvic area, and today no signs of activity in those areas......today we can breath a little easier, today we thank God, our support group, and our medical team , today is a great day...as I said at the start can I get an AMEN... Reenie is not done yet, and this news I believe has given our warrior some much needed strength to continue this fight. The treatment will continue for 3 more cycles (months), through the holidays with more tests in mid January, so were not done yet but we have seen some light at the end of this tunnel.
Love to all and thank you for your thoughts and prayers...

Now we wait....and pray....and believe

Monday October 25th we have a date with our oncology team to discuss the progress of our warriors treatment. It has been 2 months since tumor markers were drawn and that showed an improvement after 1 months treatment of the new drug Navelbine. And it has been 3 months since her last PET scan and the start of this new treatment. Reenie spent this week being tested, which as we have found can be a nerve racking week. This week Reenie had a small procedure to clean out a dry socket that was in her arm from where the port was removed last July, so hopefully this will help with the healing process of that area. The tumor markers were drawn yesterday and the PET scan was today (Thursday) and results will be Monday. Our fighter did get a much needed break from treatment this week, this was her hydration week with no chemo. We look forward to this week, Reenie needs this stoppage to build up strength to keep this fight going, this takes so much out of you , she has had days when she barely gets out of bed, but then the next day she pushes to lead a somewhat normal life style, taking care of her house and her boys and we make sure herself. She will get out with friends from work for lunch, maybe a dinner with her circle of friends, we found this chemo may be working but it definitely zaps her of strength. One of the highlights in the last month was the special mass at St. Stephens for cancer patients and survivors. Reenie was able to attend the mass with her fellow cancer fighter and friend Debbie Markham. The mass was a moving tribute to the on going fighters in this battle and those that have fought and won. Reenie had many family and friends also in attendance to show support with love and prayer...a pretty powerful combination. I know I have said this many times in the blogs that she amazes me with her inner strength and resolve, I wonder why her and not me, and I believe the realization is because she is stronger and more determined and her support base is unexplainable ...the love and kindness shown to her and our family doesn't stop...so Reenie is not only fighting for herself but for her family and her friends. So this Monday is a big day in our Pink Warriors treatment, so please keep Reenie in your thoughts and prayers, she gains her strength from you her angels...Love to all and again you have blessed our family in so many ways with your kindness.