Nick Lynch

On May 12th, 2006, we learned that Nick had Neuroblastoma...which is a rare and serious childhood cancer. His symptoms were a low grade fever and a tummy ache. Several doctors misdiagnosed his illness and one told Carolyn she was over-reacting when she pressed for more tests. Thankfully, she pressed on and here is a summary of what happened next.

5/12/2006 - A CT Scan revealed a mass in his abdomen. Biopsy surgery was botched and the prognosis was horrible.
5/13/2006 - An oncologist gave us hope that the situation was treatable.
5/17/2006 - Oncologists from Sacramento and later from San Francisco misdiagnosed Nick as stage 3.
5/20/2006 - MSKCC in NY is contacted. We learn that the Biopsy surgery could have been performed with a scope.
5/23/2006 - Chemo is started in Sacramento.
5/26/2006 - MSKCC advises to complete 2 cycles of chemo in Sacramento.
6/26/2006 - Nick re-diagnosed as Stage 4 by MSKCC. The bone marrow was not clean as originally thought.
6/28/2006 - New treatment plan starts in New York....More Chemo.
8/2/2006 - Tumor removed by surgery. Bone marrow is now clean. Two more chemo cycles.
9/29/2006 - NED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No Evidence of Disease.
10/31/2006 - Home. Completed 5 cycles of chemo, surgery, radiation, and one cycle of 3f8 antibody.
11/11/2006 - Home for 3 weeks. Two cycles of 3f8 are complete and Accutane is started. Still NED!!
12/8/2006 - Completed 3rd cycle of antibody.
1/1/2007 - Happy Birthday Nick! In NYC for New Years, 4th Antibody & Tests. Home about 1/11.
3/9/2007 - Completed 5th cycle of 3f8 - Test Results from 1/22 - NED!!!!!!!!!!!
4/11/2007 - Heading back to NY for 3 month testing. 4/18 - NED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4/30/2007 - Heading back for 6th 3f8 antibody treatment. All treatment complete except 3f8.
7/8/2007 - Home for two months!! Then, back to NY for 7th 3f8 antibody treatment and testing.
9/4/2007 - Back to NY for 8th 3f8 antibody treatment. Test Results from July...NED NED NED!!!!
10/25/2007 - NED!!!!!!!!!! HAMA Positive!!!!!!!!!!! OFF TREATMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!Yea Baby!!!!!!
1/25/2008 - NED 1/25/08, 4/25/08, 7/28/08, 10/24/08, 1/22/09, 4/17/09, 7/29/09, 10/30/09, 1/29/10, 4/29/10,
7/28/2010 - NED, 11/26/10, 2/9/2011, 6/18/2011, 10/15/2011, 2/21/2012
02/28/2012 - QUARTERLY TESTING NO LONGER NEEDED...Only annual checkups with Long Term Survival Team!!!!
July 2012 - Meet with the Long Term Survival Team - NED
July 2013 - Meet with the Long Term Survival Team - NED
July 2014 - Meet with the Long Term Survival Team - NED
July 2015 - Meet with the Long Term Survival Team - NED
July 2016 - Meet with the Long Term Survival Team - NED
July 2017 - Meet with the Long Term Survival Team - NED
July 2018 - Meet with the Long Term Survival Team - NED
July 2019 - Long Term Survival Team said we can skip this year.
Aug 2020 - Meet with the Long Term Survival Team

Monday, September 18, 2006

Horns Honking

Horns are honking down on 37th and Lex as it is Monday morning here in New York. I am glad I can hear them since that means we made it through the weekend without a hospital visit. We will find out Nicks counts later today and have our fingers crossed that he is coming up and has dodged the hospital visit this cycle. We should also find out the likely schedule for the next two weeks as Nicks condition is supposed to be more predictable from here on out. We know that this week is generally slated as 'Recovery' and next week is 'Tests' The tests are time consuming and extremely important as they are the final word on whether or not Nick can start the antibody treatment which will put some normalcy back in our lives. They are expected to come back clean but we can't put the cart before the horse here. Tests that are already scheduled include:

Echo/Ultrasound
MIBG Injection & Scan
Bone Marrow
X-Ray's
Pre-Radiation - Appts.
Others?

Carolyn arrived safe and sound on the Red-Eye yesterday morning. This place has been a bachelor pad the last few days so it was nice to have her touch around here.

Kenny and Lawrence both played baseball this weekend. They both did fine and had fun but no wild heroics to report this weekend. Now, if Leanna would have been playing.....oh never mind.
As stated before, the Autumn Wind is not blowing in Oakland, that is because the boys of summer are planning on using the ball yard this October!!!