Friday, July 8, 2011

The Bandwagon

It is with tremendous joy and great gratitude that I finally get to write some good news about Elisa! Many of you have already heard, or seen on the Team Bond Facebook page, that Elisa had a CT scan late Thursday and that we received the results this morning. If you have, I bet reading good news like this again isn’t a big drag: The tumors that were on her pelvis and spine have left some small amounts of scaring where they used to be (as in they have been evicted, kicked out, killed, ran away, beaten off, ousted …..). Her liver also shows great improvement. Although many metastasis remain, many are gone! It is nice to see that although Elisa and I seem to get our bad news together, we also get our good news together. I have been over the moon with happiness for most of the day. Thank you all for the continual support and optimism you have given us throughout this journey. I am now really starting to feel that we have rounded a metaphorical corner and are able to see the home stretch.

The week leading up to this good news was a long and stressful one. However I think that this has made our collective sign of relief that much greater. Elisa and I had been sick for several days last week, and were feeling really under the weather by the weekend. Monday morning Elisa developed a fever and had to be admitted to the NYU hospital for monitoring. Her white blood counts were very low – 500 k/ul (the bottom end of normal is 1,800 k/ul). So she was given the regular course of treatment, and still on Tuesday they had dropped further to 200. By Wednesday they were all the way down to 100, with a platelet count of 41! Although the fever broke and she was feeling better (other than not having any good TV to watch) they won’t let you go home with numbers like that. They did a CT of her face to make sure things in her sinuses were ok and to see if they needed to drain them, which they did not have to do. On Thursday her count started to rise, reaching 200. Before coming down with this cold, Elisa was scheduled to have her progress PET scan on Tuesday to see how the bone and liver tumors were reacting to the chemotherapy. Unfortunately she was not able to have this done because of being admitted. Which as it turns out wouldn’t have happened anyway as our insurance changed their mind for the third time in a two-week period and re-denied approval of the procedure as “not medically necessary”. Really? Really?
So on Thursday afternoon they preformed a CT with contrast (in lieu of the PET scan) to look at her tumors. We got those wonderful results you read about at the beginning of this update from that scan. Also her WBC counts are up to 200 and if they continue this trend they will let her come home tomorrow.  Which is really good news, cause Sadie and I are missing her something terrible. In fact Sadie has been pointing to the computer often and saying, “I see, mommy I see?” It seems she has a good understanding of how Skype works. So Sadie and Elisa got to talk over the computer last night. But then this morning Sadie wanted more, so we watched videos of her and mommy for 15 minutes before she went to daycare. It is heartbreaking in the sweetest way. I have been really trying to soak up my time with Sadie this week. I am not looking forward to being apart from her and Elisa for the week after my surgery, but riding a wave of good news into it sure does make it a lot easier to bear!

40 comments:

  1. So happy to hear all the good news. I am holding you in a very bright light. You are two amazing people and I hope for all good things.

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  2. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  3. I am overjoyed for you both!!!

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  4. My heart is swelling with joy! Amazing news!

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  5. Yay!!! We are so happy to hear this wonderful news. There are no two people who deserve it more! You are always in our thoughts and prayers!

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  6. Happy happy news! We're pulling for you here in Chicago!!!

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  7. The power of prayer is awesome! Thank you for the updates! Thinking and praying for you every day.

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  8. This is such amazing news! I am a friend of Laura Gentles and have been following your story since the spring. I think and pray of your family often. Here's to the good news and to keeping it coming!

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  9. Thank God you are both doing better!! I think about you all the time and pray every day for your recovery. So happy to hear the good news!!!!

    Love from Texas...

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  10. What happy news :-) Continued support and love from California for your beautiful family.

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  11. What great news! I will continue to hold you all in my heart and hope for even better news to come...

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  12. What a blessing, thank you so much for taking the time to share this news with us! I will continue to hold all of you in my thoughts and prayers and hope for continued positive results! You never fail to show us how love and faith moves mountains! God bless all of you! <3

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  13. I am floating on air with this news. Elisa's mom, Eileen e-mailed the other night and it was so great to read "Wonderful News". Let's keep getting good news like this for the both of you all the time. Thoughts and prayers are with you always and fingers crossed, this terrible disease will be battled once and for all for the both of you real soon.

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  14. Awesome news!!!!... keep up the great work!... hoping you are both feeling better too..

    Continued prayers from Connecticut...

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  15. I'm so happy. There are miracles each day... Faith and prayers are God's gift I have to remember to rely on him each day...

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  16. Yes finally some good news for Elisa and the whole family. The continued good news I hope keeps on coming.

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  17. So happy to hear this wonderful news-- and will continue praying that it keeps coming!

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  18. Awesome news!! Still praying for both of you. I hope Elisa gets to come home really soon, if she isn't already.

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  19. I'm so happy to read about your good news! I hope it continues to get better from here!

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  20. This is great news!! Continues prayer here in Virginia!!

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  21. Hi Nathan, Elisa & Sadie!

    First of all, I didn't realize you would be having surgery and I certainly hope it all goes well. I deactivated my Facebook account because of privacy concerns, viruses, etc. so this blog is my only way of knowing what's going on. Not that you should really care since I'm not family or a close friend. I only wish there was someway to know when your blog has been updated because I would like to respond sooner.

    OK, back to the important stuff. I am thrilled to hear that the treatments Elisa has been having seem to be working well. I am extremely sorry to hear about her very low white and platelet counts because I, also, realize it affects her chemo treatment schedules. I can only imagine how miserable she must feel having that cold. Here she is so sick and I know when I get a cold it always settles in my lungs, too and it just seems to hang on forever. I hope she is back home vy now with the two people who love her most since my response is 4 days late.

    Well, I don't know when your surgery is planned, but I am truly hoping it goes very well for you. I'm sure being away from Elisa & Sadie will be the longest week of your life, but it will pass, my friend, and you will be back in the arms of the two girls you love so much.

    I think I will reactivate my Facebook account so I can see how you are doing more often. Skype was a great idea to do so you all can see each other while you talk. It's great to hear that Sadie understands how it works. She is such a beautiful little girl.

    Your pals abd rooting section,
    Vicki and her loyal little Black poodle, Blazer

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  22. Laura, Nora, Gabriel and I have been praying for you all and this is amazing- such a beautiful beautiful thing to have a double dose of good news. With our love-- Calvin

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  23. Hi Guys,

    My name is Liz and I have been following your blog for a while now. First, I am very sorry that both of you are dealing with this sickness, especially at the same time and I know things are not easy for you, especially in the last few weeks. Yet, I am glad to see that you both remain spirited, determined and in support of each other, we are behind you all the way. Elsa, you used to work with Frank at Corcoran, he is boyfriends uncle and that is how I know about your story.

    Your blog is an amazingly helpful resource for someone going through cancer and I wanted to reach out to you to see if you were interested in a new online social support network (that I am the community manager of!) called I Had Cancer. It is a new and free social support network focused on connecting people based on experiences with cancer so that they can easily communicate with one another and share information. I would love to tell you more if you are interested,perhaps now, perhaps later, if so please let me know! Because I was so awed by your stories I would love to send you an early-access pass with extra invites for others you may know going through this journey.

    Either way, thank you so much for your writing. Best regards.
    -Liz@Ihadcancer.com
    Anyone can email me for info about I Had Cancer.

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  24. I have been following this blog since I first found out about your story. I was especially concerned since Elisa was my teacher. Ironically, as I have been reading every blog and checking in on the FB page, my grandfather was just diagnosed with colon cancer. My family is going through a tough time but hearing such great news about you and Elisa gives me so much hope. Keep kicking cancer's ass!

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  25. Thank God!!!! :) :) Hurray!!! I am so happy for you both. I have prayed that Elisa would have good news soon and now it is here. I am happy that you can go into surgery on such a positive note, which will help and speed up your own recovery time. You both will make it! If God is for you, who could be against you? God bless you both and gotta love that little Sadie! What doll! :) xoxoxo

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  26. Hoping all is well with you both. I know you are busy healing, check in when you can. I'm praying for you all every day!

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  27. Keeping you both in my prayers! Thank God for the good news, hopefully more on the way!

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  28. I have been reading your blog for several months--what a lovely family :) I have never posted a comment on a blog before, but am touched by your story. Although many of us that post are "strangers" to you, we are all behind you and praying for good health and strength for both of you.
    Oklahoma Blessings Being Sent Your Way :)

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  29. That is awesome news. Don't know you personally but I'm glad God is blessing you now!

    source:

    Hero Bail Bonds | 117 Gass Ave. | Las Vegas, NV 89101 | (702) 228-4376

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  30. be strong !!!! i pray for your family every day

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  31. Hey guys.

    Just wondered how you are all getting on?

    Sending good thoughts and hugs from across the water.

    Bev xx

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  32. I really would like an update soon! I'm so glad for the both of you!

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  33. Rosa, they will give us an update when they can. They know we are concerned and praying for them and want to know. But we should encrouch upon their privacy with expectations they may not be comfortable sharing right now. They owe us nothing. They do not have to tell us anything. They have blessed us sharing their horrific ordeal. So lets not sound like the "National Enquirer" no matter how concerned we are and "want to know." Do you want to know because you really care, or you just curious? Shame on you for asking them to update us. How insensitive. Think please!
    --------
    I came here to let you and Elisa know I am praying for you all and that I am believing the best for you the three of you. God bless you.

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  34. I'm sure many of us, including Rosa, are feeling a little worried during this long silence between blog posts. It's natural to be concerned and hoping for news, given the circumstances. According to the Team Bond facebook page on Aug. 4:

    "Nathan & Elisa are ok. Nathan is still recovering from his surgery and Elisa is managing with her chemo. Will update again as soon as there is any news to give! Thanks for your support!"

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  35. Thanks Proper Bostonian. We should check their more often as they are the ones most likely to update us when the Bonds are not blogging. I am not feeling worried and I know my God is good and he will heal the Bonds and bring them through this. The last thing we need to do is say, we are worried. Being concerned is easier to hear for them than worried I am sure. I have had many friends with cancer sad to say and some of the comments are just simply uncalled for and insensitive. I thing we should all remember it is great to be sincere, but we can be sincerely wrong. Asking for updates from them when we know they will come when they can do it is like asking the Enquirer to update us on Jeniffer Lopez and her new boyfriend. We all need to put this in perspective and get a life. We are here as a support team, not a we have to know whats going on to be supportive team. Lets be more kind and sensitive to their feelings.

    Thank you and blessings to all from Virginia!

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  36. Sending my love and prayers from Canada. I am a stranger following your story from afar, but deeply touched by your sharing.
    My wife and I went through our own trial by fire a few years ago when our then one year old was diagnosed with a liver tumour. The love, prayers and support and the help with our older child, meals and all those things we don't usually have to worry about were truly amazing.
    We too had a blog and found it very moving how many family and friends were following our little one's progress. Six years later she is doing fine and meeting her you would never guess our daughter had ever been so desperately ill, unless you see the industrial strength scar on her tummy. We still are amazed we made it through that time, but it was all the love and support that made it all possible.
    It really was like being in a tub of love, while also feeling like this can't be happening to us.
    Take care,
    Robert in BC

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  37. I have been hoping for an update on your blog because I am concerned about your welfare. If you have decided it was too overwhelming to post your thoughts and feelings publicly then I completely understand this. I sincerely hope you all are doing better and only wish the very best for your sweet family. You deserve the very best and have been dealt a rotten hand of cards. I will continue to check in to see if there are updates, but something tells me you would prefer to keep things private and who can blame you for this. Vicki & her pup, Blazer

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  38. Lena, how about you ease up a little bit? You're being awfully presumptuous and a overly aggressive. Your intent to support and protect I'm sure is good but equating well-meaning inquirers who have been invited into this space is hardly like being invasive like the National Enquirer. We've all had friend and family who've experience cancer - everyone's different, please don't speak for Nathan or Emily. Let's keep things positive. Thanks.

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