Relay For Life - The American Cancer Society

Hello All,

This year I will be participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. It will be held in Santa Clarita beginning the morning of May 31^st for a full 24 hours. Its at Central Park on Bouquet Cyn. I am on the weSpark Cancer Support Team. All the money raised will go to the American Cancer Society, to help in their research efforts. weSpark is the cancer support center I go to each week to meet with other people who are going through the same kind of thing I am dealing with.

Each team will have a booth, offering games or food to anyone that comes by to say hi or participate. At night they have what is called the Luminaria Ceremony which is where there are hundreds of bags placed around the track, lit by candles. There is a concert in the evening too.

Our team, like all the others, is looking for donations. Anything would help so even if it’s just the dollar you have in your pocket, we would appreciate it. We are also looking for people who would be willing to walk for our team. Each team keeps at least one person on the track at all times. Usually people are scheduled to walk for an hour. From what I hear, it goes by pretty fast and you can walk with your wife, husband, girlfriend, boyfriend or kids. The only wheels allowed on the track are strollers and wheelchairs. Sorry, no rollerblades or bikes.

If you are interested in donating your time please let us know (call or email Jenna or I) - and we can get you signed up to walk. If you would like to donate money, drop us a donation in person or mail it to Jenna at our work. Please make any checks payable to the American Cancer Society. If you do mail a check, keep in mind we have to have all the money turned in by the day of the event.

Jenna Andrews - Relay For Life

11311 Camarillo St.

North Hollywood, CA 91602

Thank you all for your support,
Mark Andrews
marka@ladigital.com
818-254-5848
Team weSpark

Week in Review

Mark had the nuclear heart test thing today. Took a few hours and it involved a nasty I.V. but its over and done with. Day Four on the chemo drug stuff again and Mark's hands are starting to hurt just a tiny bit (fingers crossed it gets no worse), his feet are OK and I noticed his face looks a bit rosy like last time (with his fair complexion its more of a glow, haha). Other than that Mark's appetite has been back in full force. He pounds a box of powdered donettes daily. I ran into a friend at the market and my cart only had high calorie snacks, I blamed Mark.

The "Dr. Ferber - Cry It Out" Method actually works. We are true believers now and plan to extend our skills to our friends and family...SuperNanny-style should you need our services. Jonathan slept from 7:30p to 5:15a last night. It was awesome to get lots of sleep and to have our bed back.

We'd also like to give a special shout out to our Nurse Case Manager, Ronda. When our insurance company called to say they were assigning us to a case manager, at the time it only scared me more. I was like oh Lord you know you are in trouble when A) the insurance company calls you - that never ever happens B) when they assign someone to you because you have the potential of needing help. When we met Ronda at our home we were still in full blown shock about everything going on. Since the moment she met us she has genuinely cared about us and given us great advice. She calls us each week to see how things are going and we know she will be with us for the long haul. Ronda Rules !!!

Round Dos

Mark started that chemo drug, nexovar, again today. We are keeping our fingers and toes crossed that Mark doesn't get the crappy side effects he got last week. Tomorrow and Friday UCLA is having us get more heart tests. Should be easy tests. They want to make sure Mark won't die of a heart attack during any possible surgeries etc etc etc. That is it for now.
Other big things cookin' are:
Maddie had ear tubes put in today ---- yay went super well.
Going to try again starting tonight to get baby to sleep thru the nite in his crib. I am dreading this 'cry it out stuff!!!' I am actually fearing this evening. Godspeed as Anna says!
Gearing up for the McCullough big move circa 2008! Mark's got his toolbelt ready to rock...

My Ugly Foot

Here is a picture of my foot so ya'll can see what this nexavar is doing to my feet. Those white spots on my big toe and fourth toe are what really hurt. There are a couple of more of those on my foot that you can't see in this picture. I am getting them on preasure points of my feet. My other foot isn't quite as bad yet but it's getting there. Hopefully this will start to go away soon.

Final Day Of Evaluation

Well today is the second and last day of the liver eval. We have a psyc, social and cardio evaluations to do today. It shouldn't be too bad. Jenna has dropped me off at the building we are starting at because my feet are killing me. I have a hand and foot syndrome from the Nexavar pills that is driving me crazy. It is very difficult to walk and is getting more difficult to use my hands. I hope this goes away quickly. I stopped taking the nexavar yesterday morning but it is still worse today. Once it has cleared up we will start the pill again but at a lowe dose. After we get home I am just going to put my feet up and relax a little. Wish me luck and keep your fingers crossed that they don't think I'm crazy at my psyc evaluation. Here comes Jenna, gotta go.

Day 1

We are still at ucla. The interviews are brief with each specialist ... Its the 1-2 hour wait per appointment that makes it a long day. Lots of waiting. We had our orientation, met with a surgeon and a hepatologist, so far. Every doctor seems very upbeat and positive, which is helping us relax a bit. We got here at 6:30a and Mr. Jonathan was up for 2 hours in the middle of the night (total night owl like his dad)...so we are a bit tired. That its for now.

No go

Incase anyone is curios. Our mission BABY IN CRIB failed miserably. After 20 minutes of crying and repeated attempts he landed in our bed at 2a. Oh well we tried!

Monday back to UCLA

So Monday we are booked to start our Liver Transplant Evaluation. We need to be at UCLA Monday at 7:15a. EARLY! Its a 3 day interview, we meet with about 12 doctors. They poke and prode Mark and then in about a month they let us know if we are infact a candidate for a liver transplant. Should be cut n' dry, right? but nothing ever is so we are wating to see how this rolls out.

Jonathan had is 4 month shots today. He weighs almost 17 pounds! And the doctor says "he is growing beautifully".

Mark's lab reports came in and they say he might also have Rumotoid (spl?) Arthritis (spl?) and/or Lupus (spl?). At this point Mark and I looked at each other and said "if you can't die from either, then whatever we will work it out and sort it". Mark's appetite has been back this week so together we have been piggin' out. I have discovered thru this that we eat and don't eat together. So if I look too skinny ... blame him HAHA.

Trying to get the baby to start sleeping in his crib (not our bed) tonight. Someone please call Super Nanny, we may need back-up!