Merry Christmas and Happy New Year :)

Sorry for the delay in posts. It has been a very busy few weeks with the holidays.

First of all, I did get the results of my glucose test: I passed with flying colors! My results were 99 and could have gone as high as 130. No gestational diabetes here!

Christmas was good. I have been visiting our large families and still have a Christmas celebration tonight and one more tomorrow.

There have been many fun events this holiday that have made things easier. I enjoyed a night out last night thanks to Shannon Suther and iBot Records. They threw a benefit concert for Baby Bruce which included different bands from their record label. I had a blast last night! It was really good to get out and see lots of friends as well as do something normal. I had a great group of friends who stayed with me all night and took care of me. They made sure I stayed hydrated, always had a chair if I needed it, and kept me and Baby Bruce from getting bumped. Thanks Taryn, Jeff, and John :)

I plan to continue working on Baby Bruce's nursery over the next few days and the upcoming weekends. We have chair railing up thanks to Uncle Brad and Curt, and we plan to paint soon, as well as get her closet started! I can't wait! The closet is my project so I will be able to keep everything organized.

I hope everyone had a great holiday and has a good new year!

December 17, 2012

I will start with last saturday. I got up early to head to Quest diagnostics to get my glucose test taken care of before my next Baby Bruce appointment which is Thursday. I will know then if I passed, or I need to go for the 3 hour test. I am hoping I passed and can move on to whatever is next. Before drinking the orange sugary drink the nurse told me what to expect: nausea, migraine, and my little girl to do summer salts! Good news was the only side effect that happened was our little girl doing acrobatics.

After my test I took care of a few errands and then enjoyed an evening with my friend Becki. We at dinner at my house and hung out like old times. Sunday I slept in and took my time getting ready. Aunt Linda picked me up at 11:45 and we were off to see the Lion King at the Hippodrome! It was such an amazing show, I can't begin to describe how good the show was. I enjoyed all the songs and was amazed by the costumes. Hands down best show I have ever seen! After the show we had dinner at G&M and had one of Baltimore's best crab cakes. Then it was time to go home and get ready for my first full week of work.

Getting up early is a little hard but it feels good to be getting back into a routine, by the end of the day I feel pretty tired. Monday night I did some paperwork relating to Jon, and also finished up some work that needed to get done for the next day. Tuesday was another busy day but fun. Went to work then Jen and Dave made dinner at my house before we all went to a chorus concert at Linton Springs that Grace was singing in. It was good to see everyone and hear Grace sing. After the concert I stopped by Mrs. Sue and Richards to drop a paper off and visited with them for a little while. I saw their tree which is much smaller than their normal tree but still very beautiful! It was nice to see they decided to have a tree this year.

Wednesday morning my body was getting tired and didn't want to get out of bed. I put in another full day of work and then had dinner with Taryn at Qdoba which was very yummy! Thursday after work Mom mom and Pop pop Bruce took me to Pizza Hut where we met Seth. We all came back to my house and visited before they went home. About 10 minutes after mom mom and pop pop left the door bell rang, I looked out the peephole and no one was there. I opened the door to find 2 gifts sitting on my step. I brought them inside and opened them. Attached to the gifts were two letters, both addressed to me but one was about me and one was about Baby Bruce. However neither letter was signed, I hope whoever left them has a link to this blog so they read this thank you. I really appreciate everything that was in the gifts, I LOVED the piggy bank for Baby Bruce it is adorable. The gift cards are greatly appreciated and will come in very handy. Thank you again for the generous gifts! This was such an exciting way to end my thursday. Friday was finally here I spent the evening with my mom and my sister Erika, before heading home I decided I wanted ice cream :) Thank god for google maps when I decide I want ice cream. This happened last friday too, all of a sudden I was craving ice cream. I found a Baskin Robbins 4 minutes away…found it! After we ordered and paid for our ice cream, the man behind the counter asked if I liked cake bites, I had never had them before I told him. He then reached in the cooler and gave me a free cake bite! This totally made my night, the cake bite was delicious! It went great with my mint chocolate chip ice cream :)

I decided to turn my alarm off in hope to sleep in this Saturday. It worked except Fisher decided he wanted to wake up and scratch my bed at 5:30am…He got fed and locked in the bathroom :/ I slept till 10am this morning! It felt so good to sleep, glad my internal clock got the memo not to wake me up. The rest of the day I spent with Jen, we got pedicures, Panera, and then started/finished my Christmas shopping. On our way home I got a call from Jon's Aunt Lauren so I thought, when I said hello it was a guys voice…Daniel! He was calling to invite me to dinner at Cobblestone. I met them for dinner and was able to see Daniel, Karen, Mallory, Aunt Lauren, and Uncle Russ! After dinner I came home and finished my Christmas cards, typed this blog, and now it's time for bed.

Baby Bruce is doing great, it feels like I am growing by the minute which I hear is a good thing. She is very active and other people are now starting to feel her kick. I have an appointment this Thursday to check her progress.

I hope everyone has a good week :)

Anne

December 9, 2011

I continue to take each day as it comes as I have since this whole thing started. I have been figuring everything out day by day. 

Last weekend I decided to put up my christmas tree. I thought it would be nice to have a place to put my Jon ornaments after the Dove House ceremony. Since Jon and I moved into our townhouse this past February we did not have any traditions here. This made it much easier for me to be okay with decorating for Christmas. I went with my stepdad Donnie to Target and we picked out everything that was needed for a real tree. Jon and I had talked about getting a real tree this year so I felt like I still needed to follow through with what we decided. We picked out a stand, lights, VERY girly christmas balls and then a bright pink glitter covered star! I was so excited now to go find the perfect tree! We decided we were going to put the tree in our bay window so was on the hunt for a smaller tree. I knew Martin's had table top trees so I checked there first. They were too fat for what I needed. Next stop Home Depot. Thank you to everyone from Dulaney that bought us a Home Depot gift card I was able to find the almost perfect tree with the help of Donnie, and George in lumber. I couldn't find one short enough, but with a saw it became the perfect tree! I have the top of a 5ft tree sitting perfectly in my bay window. 

After decorating the tree it made me want to put up lights outside! So Donnie went back out and bought me more lights and we decorated the tree by my door. I was the second person to decorate in our section of houses, the next week I saw my neighbors decorating and they said I inspired them to decorate. :)

I started my week finishing paperwork and taking care of a few more things Monday during the day. Everyone that I have dealt with has been really helpful and has made this process as smooth as possible. I want to thank Jen from Dulaney who has gone above and beyond to help us when Jon was sick as well as continuing to help me now. 

Monday evening I went to the Dove house tree lighting ceremony with my family, and few friends. The ceremony was beautiful! They had three trees with many ornaments filling the branches. Two trees were dedicated to family and friends and the other was dedicated to pets that had past away. All the three trees were nicely decorated with the ornaments that were ordered. After the ceremony we were given the opportunity to find the ornaments that we ordered so we could take them home. Jon did not have enough ornaments for his own tree but he definitely was the majority of ornaments throughout both trees! It was so exciting to see his name on so many ornaments. It was really fun to see how people ordered them, most said Jonathan Bruce, Jonathan Lee Bruce, or Jon Bruce. Then there were a few that said something different like "Jon Brucey" or "Jon Bruce!!!" While I was standing in line to get mine I had to ask the woman a question about one of the ornaments, she showed me the list of how many ornaments were ordered. She had a page and a half of different Jon ornaments! It was so exciting to see how many people want to make Jon a part of their holiday. The artist writing the names on the ornament said she had never seen so many ornaments for one person. Thank you everyone who ordered an ornament in honor of Jon, it made me smile to know that we all were helping the Dove House as well as honoring Jon. 

The rest of the week has been filled with visitors and other fun events. Tuesday I had a doctors appointment for Baby Bruce. My blood pressure was great, and we listened to her strong heartbeat. I received the paperwork for my glucose test, keeping my fingers crossed I won't have gestational diabetes. That evening I went to Linton Springs to watch Riley and the other 5th grade band members perform their holiday concert. Wednesday was my first day back to work, it was nice to get back into a routine. Wednesday evening I spent with Mom mom and Pop pop Bruce (Jon's grandparents). We went to dinner  and then visited. Thursday evening was another fun event, Jess Shipley (co worker/friend) and her boyfriend Steve came by and picked me up for Buck Wear's Christmas party. And then tonight I spent the evening with Courtney and we went and picked up her wedding dress! It was so exciting to see how beautiful she is going to look, her dress was gorgeous! 

I appreciate all the thoughts, prayers, concerns, and support it truly has made this journey a little easier.

I need start blogging twice a week…They are getting long!

December 2, 2011

Thank you everyone who came to Jon's memorial service! It was amazing to see so many people who loved and admired my husband. Thank you to all the people who made donations for food, it was greatly appreciated. 

As I told many of you I will continue to update the blog as I continue this journey with "Baby Bruce." I have stayed busy since Jon's passing and it has really helped. Not a second goes by that I don't think about him and what we shared. I feel blessed to have fallen in love so young (we were 17 when we met) and been able to spend almost 10 years with him. Every time I see a picture of him it makes me smile, because I think of how happy he always was. :)

Many people have asked how I am feeling and how "Baby Bruce" is doing. I had an appointment the day Jon passed away. Everything was normal except my blood pressure was a little high in the one arm so they took it in the other and it was normal. The doctor was going to have me come back in a month but with everything that happened decided to bring me back in two weeks to ease everyones worries. I have that appointment on Tuesday, and from then on out I will be seen every two weeks like planned. She is very active and moves around quite a bit! 

This week has been filled with lots of paperwork and phone calls, but on Wednesday I decided to do something fun, and went to Babies R Us with my mom, sister and Jon's mom. It was really nice to take a day and focus on something positive. We had fun looking, scanning all the baby stuff, trying strollers and laughing at some as well. 

I will do my best to try and post at least once a week to let everyone know how we are doing. My goal is just to continue to take it one day at a time.

Thank you again to everyone who has been a part of this journey with us.

Donation Information

Many people have asked for this information, although it is in another post I thought it would be easier for everyone to find if I titled the post differently so it would be easy to find. I really appreciate everyones help and support during this time. I am blessed to have such amazing people in my life. I can not begin to thank you enough!

Donation to Nation Institute of Health

To make a donation to NIH, send checks payable to the National Cancer Institute, attn: The Director, The National Cancer Institute, Building 31, Room 11A-16, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892; a donation letter should be sent indicating that the donation is to be used for research at NCI.  

NIH Donation Website

Donation for Baby Bruce

To make a donation for Jon's daughter, send checks payable to First Financial Credit Union, attn: Gabriele Black, 1215 York Road, Lutherville, MD 21093; please include a note on the memo line that the donation is part of the "Benefit for Anneliese Bruce."

First Financial Credit Union

Donation for Dove House

We really appreciate everything the Dove House did for Jon as well as our family and friends. I am excited to participate in this wonderful holiday event in Jon's honor. I have included information below if anyone else is interested. 

Carroll Hospice's Memorial Tree & Pet Tree

Monday, December 5 | 7 p.m.

Carroll Hospice Dove House

Click here to purchase your ornament online. 
In support of Carroll Hospice, you may honor a loved one this holiday season by purchasing an ornament that will be inscribed with his or her name and placed on the Memorial Tree. Special ornaments for our Pet Tree may be purchased as well. Ornaments are $10 each; Dove ornaments are $25 each.

Please note: Ornaments may be picked up beginning Wednesday, December 7 at: Carroll Hospice, 292 Stoner Avenue, Westminster, MD 21157. All ornaments must be picked up no later than January 6, 2012.

2011 Memorial Tree Ceremony

We really appreciate everything the Dove House did for Jon as well as our family and friends. I am excited to participate in this wonderful holiday event in Jon's honor. I have included information below if anyone else is interested. 

Carroll Hospice's Memorial Tree & Pet Tree

Monday, December 5 | 7 p.m.

Carroll Hospice Dove House

Click here to purchase your ornament online. 

In support of Carroll Hospice, you may honor a loved one this holiday season by purchasing an ornament that will be inscribed with his or her name and placed on the Memorial Tree. Special ornaments for our Pet Tree may be purchased as well. Ornaments are $10 each; Dove ornaments are $25 each.

Please note: Ornaments may be picked up beginning Wednesday, December 7 at: Carroll Hospice, 292 Stoner Avenue, Westminster, MD 21157. All ornaments must be picked up no later than January 6, 2012.

November 20, 2011

Dr. Miller met with us Wednesday afternoon to let us know the CT scan did not reveal good news. Although the Zelboraf had slowed the growth of Jon's tumors enough to give us a few extra months together, it had not been able to keep up with the tumor growth.  The extent of Jon's tumors was such that they were no longer treatable.  The doctors had tried everything, and they suggested that we make Jon as comfortable as possible for the time that he had left. On Saturday, we moved Jon to the Dove House in Westminster, a lovely inpatient hospice care facility.  It was truly wonderful there. We were allowed to bring our cat Fisher, and I was able to stay with Jon around the clock. We were in a much bigger room, and the nurses managed his comfort level wonderfully!  It made everything so much easier on all of us.  Jon was comfortable, and I was able to spend special time with him as his wife knowing that extra support was just outside of the door if I needed it.

Once we were settled in the Dove House, they made Jon comfortable, and he rested peacefully. We had amazing support from our family and close friends who were there with us on both Saturday and Sunday. Jon continued his fight through Sunday night and passed away peacefully Monday morning at 4:17 am with his family by his side.

I am doing as well as can be expected during this difficult time. I am doing my best to take care of myself and the baby--just like Jon wanted me to do all along. We have an amazing support system taking great care of us :)

A memorial service for Jon will be held on Saturday, November 26, at Chaplegate Presbyterian Church in Marriottsville, MD at 11:00 a.m.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jon's name to the National Cancer Institute, a component of the National Institute of Health or to an Educational Fund to be used for the benefit of Jon's expected daughter.

To make a donation to NIH, send checks payable to the National Cancer Institute, attn: The Director, The National Cancer Institute, Building 31, Room 11A-16, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892; a donation letter should be sent indicating that the donation is to be used for research at NCI.  To make a donation for Jon's daughter, send checks payable to First Financial Credit Union, attn: Gabriele Black, 1215 York Road, Lutherville, MD 21093; please include a note on the memo line that the donation is part of the "Benefit for Anneliese Bruce."

NIH Donation Website

November 17, 2012

After talking to Jon yesterday Dr. Miller decided to do a CT scan instead of an MRI because it is easier for Jon. She believed she can get what she needs from a CT scan and if not they will do an MRI.

They took him for the scan when I got here this morning, he received extra meds to make him comfortable during the scan. I will post again once we find something out.

November 16, 2012

We brought Jon to the hospital this morning. The vomiting has been happening more and he was dehydrated and dizzy. They are going to do an MRI today or tomorrow. They gave us the option to either stay here and wait for the MRI or go home and come back. We have decided to stay and keep Jon comfy and less transporting.

November 8, 2011

Jon is continuing his fight, he has had some really good days since his last check up October 28th. He did get sick as soon as we got home from the hospital that day but he didn't get sick again for an entire week! That week he was able to brainstorm and consider different foods. We read through a book the nutritionist gave use that helped figure out foods that were easy to digest and compared those with foods that were listed on different websites as cancer fighting foods. He made a list of foods that he was interested in and sent me to the store! That night he ate a WHOLE ham sandwich on white bread with the crust removed (white is easier to digest than wheat) with hummus. Once he finished his sandwich he snacked on pretzels and hummus. Later that night he had some sherbet for dessert! That was a very rare night, he doesn't eat that much on a regular basis. However he has been able to eat a little better variety of foods. Some of which include: avocados with a little salt and ranch, (after Pastor Mike shared how he ate avocados) guacamole with pretzels, hummus with pretzels, poached eggs and tonight had some of an egg burrito. This sounds like he is really eating a lot but remember on most nights he still only eats small portions.

Yesterday and today were a little rough, the tumor fevers returned and made him very uncomfortable and have trouble sleeping. He slept pretty good for a few hours this afternoon and into the evening, and woke up feeling a little better. I sat with him when he woke up and watched a little TV to keep him company, while sitting there Baby Bruce decided to start kicking/moving and Jon was able to feel her for the first time! He was very excited and worried he was pushing on my stomach too hard. He wasn't pushing nearly as hard as they do when they did the sonogram. Today ended a lot better than it began :)

"Baby Bruce" update
We have picked a nursery color, and bought paint thank you Dulaney High School for the Home Depot gift card!! We are also about 95% set on a name for our little girl. However we are keeping it "Top Secret" till she arrives. Sorry! I want to share it but I want it to be a surprise too :) She continues to get bigger and more noticeable. She was extremely active Sunday night when I went to bed, I don't want to admit this but it was almost like she was doing a celebration dance for the Raven's big win (I am a Redskins fan). She is about 1lb. and the size of a spaghetti squash according to one of my apps ;)

We continue to take each day as it comes and be thankful for the small things that make the day a little better.

October 27, 201

Jon has been doing well, nothing has really changed so I haven't had much to write. He continues to notice side effects such as, hair loss, joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting from the Zelboraf. We saw Dr. Miller today and she was pleased by this because it means his body is absorbing the Zelboraf drug. She brainstormed a little and adjusted a few different meds to see if some of the symptoms could be relieved. She felt Jon's stomach area where the tumors are located and felt that nothing has really changed since the last time she saw him. She seems to think that the zelboraf has stopped the tumor growth, and is not getting larger. Jon did not have scans to verify this and will not have more scans for at least another month.  

Everyone's first question for me is if Jon is eating…He has become obsessed with cooking shows such as Chopped, and Iron Chef and he dreams about all the different places he is going to eat when he is able. He is not on a special diet, but is cautious what he chooses to eat. Some days are better than others, when his stomach is feeling okay he eats small amounts of food. This week he got brave and ate a few sushi rolls, avocado, as well as cucumber and avocado. He also has had a little chef boyardee spaghetti, and his favorite stuffing with a little gravy. He also has been watching the world series and has picked up his love for "seeds" again. He has multiple favors which include, regular, BBQ, ranch, dill and I just found another flavor for him to try chili lime. he says they give him flavor with out putting anything in his stomach. 

We are continuing to take it day by day.

I hope this catches you up :)

Baby Bruce update…

She is very active and I have been able to feel her move and I even received a kick or a punch yesterday for the first time! I can't wait till it is hard enough for Jon to feel! We are both doing well :)

October 19, 2011

We had a very exciting day today! We had our sonogram appointment today and found out Baby Bruce is officially a girl :) Jon got to hear the heartbeat for the first time, and we watched her roll around, punch, drink, and pee. The doctor said we are both healthy and that she is growing perfectly.

As for Jon, he is doing okay. There haven't really been any significant changes, so there hasn't been much to update. He has been extremely tired this week, and we are thinking it is from the medicine. We also noticed he has lost a little more weight since being home. We called Dr. Miller today, but she didn't seemed concerned about the weight loss. We are waiting to get the results of his blood work to make sure he is not anemic. They should have be available tomorrow. As soon as we know the result, I will try to update it on here.

If I don't post regularly, please try not to worry. Assume that no news is good news. Now that I am working again, it's harder for me to look at a computer once I am done work. :)

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers :)

October 6, 2011

Dear friends and family,

Please forgive me for staying away so long! I am still adjusting to my school/teaching schedule and we have Alex and HoChang (our Korean foreign exchange student) both playing soccer but on different teams so there is a lot of driving at the end of each day to get both boys home.

Jon had an appointment today with his oncologist, Dr. Miller to get the results of his first scan since he started the Zolboraf.  The news was mixed. Jon's lungs are improving, his belly is staying the same and his liver is worse.  The good news is that, clinically, Dr. Miller is encouraged by Jon's improvement. He is much more active, his breathing is better and he has gained weight.  Because of this, Dr. Miller wants Jon to continue with the treatment and give the drug more time to work.

Thank you for continuing to pray for Jon and our family. He has been able to get outside some this week and has been taking walks around his neighborhood. He is able to eat bites of food but is still getting his nutrition through his pic line. He generally feels stronger but is dealing with nausea and vomiting from time to time. Anne and Baby Bruce are doing fine. Our little grandbaby is now the size of an onion.  Anne has an appointment for a sonogram later this month. Jon is hoping to go with her to find out if they are having a boy or a girl...so exciting :)

Prayer requests:

Jon will continue to improve and get stronger

Nausea and vomiting will decrease

The tumors will continue to shrink

Anne and the baby's continued good health

Love and blessings,

Susan, Sue, Susie, Mom and Grandmom

October 5, 2012

We had a great day yesterday! Jon started his day with a visit from the home nurse. She comes every Tuesday morning to draw blood, take his vitals and change the dressing on his Picc. She was shocked when she didn't see Jon in his bed in the living room. Jon slept upstairs on the second floor for the fist time since being home from the hospital Monday Night. Once the nurse left, Jon rested for the remainer of the morning, and afternoon.

Around 5:00 Jon wanted to get out of the house and decided to call his dad to see if he was coaching football practice. Jon wanted to watch, but they have a bye this week so Barry gave them the night off. So his dad suggested meeting at Morgan Run. We packed things up and headed to morgan run for a few hours and Jon loved it! He sat by the river, spitting his sunflower seeds, and talking to all of us. Jen and Riley were able to make it as well as Grace, Landon, Cole and Shawna. When we came home Jon was very tired but it was a good tired. He went to bed shortly after taking his zelboraf and slept well.

He has physical therapy today and also would like to have another outing today.

October 3, 2011

Today started a very big week for us, Jon went for his first CT scan since being on Zelboraf. Everything went smooth, we have figured out a system to get out the door more smoothly. We arrived at 9:30 and we were back home by 11:45. Once we were home Jon got comfy and took a nap. I took care of paper work and different appointment stuff while he napped.

Tomorrow he has his home nurse coming in the morning and then a quiet afternoon. Wednesday is physical therapy, and then Thursday we find out the results from his CT scan. I hope to post about the results thursday evening. Please don't think the worst if I don't get to post till Friday :)

Hope every one is enjoying this fall weather, I know Jon is :)

Update on Me and Baby Bruce

Many of you have been asking about me and have been concerned with my stress level and the health of baby Bruce. I am doing good, I am staying positive and taking each day as it comes. I am the biggest cry baby on a normal day and I have no idea what has happened, but I have cried but not as much as I thought I would. I have not thrown up at all, yes I have knocked on wood many times. Jon keeps saying god has taken mercy on us and giving me a break.

We had an appointment Monday afternoon for a check up, Jon was going to try to go but decided it was too much. It turned out to be a good idea for him to conserve his energy because it wasn't too exciting of an appointment. I did the hear beat which is always exciting! It was beating at about 150 the Dr. said. Jon is planning on going October 19th when we find out what we will be having :)

We did have a little scare this week, I started to get snotty Monday night and woke up Tuesday very snotty and tired. I drank tons of orange juice and stayed hydrated and took it as easy as I could. Jon told me he was very nervous when he saw me laying next to him in the recliner. I am not one to sit still or lay around I like to keep busy. I woke up Wednesday and felt back to normal, still a little snotty but felt so much better.

There is no need to worry I am taking care of myself, Jon makes sure of it! He makes sure I am eating my veggies and drinking lots of water.

October 2, 2011

Wow I can't believe it's October already!

We have had a pretty good week, this was the first week since being home we did not have to visit St. Agnes! This week will be a little different, he will be very busy this week. Jon has an appointment tomorrow morning to get CT scans to see if anything has changed. We will not get the results till Thursday when we go back to St. Agnes. In between all the hospital appointments he also has physical therapy and a visit from his home nurse.

Jon has started to see and feel some of the side effect from the Zelboraf. He has noticed more fatigue than normal because of this he had to cancel physical therapy on wednesday because he was so tired. We rescheduled it for Friday which turned out to be an amazing day for him. He took a good nap through the morning. Then around 2:30 I gave Jon his anti nausea, a couple minutes later they came right back up. About 10 minutes later the physical therapist came! I was concerned that Jon wouldn't be able to push himself as much as he likes to since he just got sick. However, when the physical therapist mentioned taking a walk outside Jon's eyes lit up and he said "I would LOVE to take a walk outside!" Once everything was ready Jon stood up to move to the couch to put his shoes on (thats a big deal too, he hasn't put his own shoes on in a while!) the physical therapist started the stop watch. He times Jon to monitor his progress. Shoes are on, Jon grabbed his really cool sunglasses that go over his glasses and we were out the door! I sent out a text to many people with this news which made them think I wasn't walking with him. I wouldn't have missed it for the world! I sent the text as he was putting his shoes on ;)

Jon walked down the side walk to the next building over and was talking the whole time. He was not out of breath and moving at a good pace. He said it felt good to walk and be outside. He walked outside for 11 minutes! When we got back to our house the physical therapist said "that was awesome!" Jon rested for a few minutes to give his legs a break then the plan was to work on "Everest." He climbed the stairs a few times and did exercises on the stairs as well. Then he cam back down to the first floor and dis a few more leg exercises standing and walking in a straight line! He was even talking about another walk later that evening. He was on a roll Friday, you would have never known he had gotten sick an hour before.

Once the physical therapist left we had a few visitors, his mom came over and my mom as well. Jon ate a little of my french onion soup from Panera Thursday evening and said it was the best thing he has tasted in so long and kept it down!  Friday he asked for more french onion soup, so I ran out and got him some, by the time I got back he had gotten sick again. He still attempted the soup but couldn't do it so he had me save it for him. He also said the other walk will have to wait. For the rest of the evening Jon rested and we watched home videos of when Jon was 3-5 years old fishing!

I will do my best to post often this week to keep everyone updated with his CT results.

September 26, 2011

We had a little bit of a bumpy road this weekend. Jon was very tired and started to get sick from the antibiotic he was on. We were able to talk to the doctor and she recommended we stop the antibiotic to see if it was making him sick. Sure enough, he hasn't been sick since he stopped it. :)

Sunday was a really good day, he slept for most of the morning only waking up to take his meds. Once it was football time he started to wake up and stayed awake the rest of the day. He watched football the whole afternoon with Seth and Ben. He was able to eat a scrambled egg and kept it down! He really enjoyed watching the Raven's win. Yesterday was the first time he was commenting each play! It made me really happy to hear this and watch him enjoying football. :)

This morning he was very tired again and his urinary tract infection symptoms seem to be coming back. We immediately called the nurse who told us to call Dr. Miller to find out how to get the antibiotics back in him. We are still waiting to hear from Dr. Miller to find out what to do. I think we might be visiting St. Agnes this week to try and get this straightened out. I will keep everyone posted on Jon's status through the week.

We have a baby Bruce appointment today and will hopefully get lot of pictures for Jon to see. He has decided to stay home and rest. 

September 22, 2011

Good evening everyone, I wanted to give you all a quick update on Jon (with Anne's help). He had an appointment at St. Agnes today with Dr. Miller. Jon's weight and oxygen levels are up, which is good. Dr. Miller was happy with the air flow in his lungs. He does have a urinary tract infection which will be treated with antibiotics, but she was generally pleased with how good he looked. She was also glad that Jon had put himself back on a liquid diet to reduce the vomiting, and didn't' seem overly concerned about how tired he has been. Unfortunately, as soon as they got home Jon was sick to his stomach. Jon seemed to think that he had eaten too much ice (he loves the hospital's crushed ice). Anne says that he's been sleeping most of the evening. Anne continues to take wonderful care of Jon and she now has a little baby bump. Thanks again to you all for your continued support. I don't know what our family would do without you. Prayer requests: Tumors will shrink Jon will gain strength That the antibiotic will not upset his already tender stomach Continued strength and good health for Anne and the baby Lots of love, Susan, Sue, Susie, Mom and Grandmom :)

September 20, 2011

I am really slacking when it comes to posting! I write them, and then have my awesome sister in law look over them (she is an english teacher) and then I forget to post. I should be caught up now.

We are continuing to take each day as it comes, everyday is something different. Jon was doing really well at the end of last week he was starting to eat a little more. He was able to keep a piece of toast with jelly down one day, and then a poached egg another day, and some scrambled eggs over the weekend. He really enjoyed the scrambled eggs and you could tell after he took that first bite. Then towards the end of the weekend he trowing up. Jon has decided to try and stick to mostly a clear liquid diet to try and keep things down. He has been napping quite often and doesn't have a lot of energy but seems to be more comfortable. He is in less pain which is a good thing but it is still hard to tell if the Zelboraf is working. He was scheduled to have a CT scan on Thursday but Dr. Miller has decided to give it more time before they put Jon through the process of a CT scan (even healthy people don't enjoy the contrast liquid). Jon has 2 physical therapy appointments this week. Jon told the physical therapist he wants to be pushed. He would like to get active as quickly as possible. He did mention that the pain in his legs seemed to be a little better yesterday which was good to hear.

I started typing this before the physical therapist came, I am now finishing it after he left and Jon walked outside today for about 15 minutes! I went to the dentist this afternoon so I was not here for his walk but Jon said it felt good to walk outside. Jon said Landy, his physical therapist was very pleased with how good he did! Jon seemed to be in a good mood when I got home and seemed excited to tell me about his walk :)

Now it's 8:45 and it's time for Jon to be unhooked from his TPN gotta go :)

Tuesday 8/13/11

We woke up early to get Jon unhooked, so I thought...I opened the TPN bag and realized it was still full! I messed up and for got to unclamp the TPN, was nervous to tell Jon. I told him and he was very calm and said we should call them and see what we should do. So I did like he said and called the TPN company and our nurse, good news was the TPN was good for 24 hours! Jon wanted to switch the TPN to daytime so it worked out well. I started TPN pump and then we started the day. I got Jon in the car with the help of my mom, and we were on our way to the hospital.

When we got to the hospital I got Jon checked in (just by walking by and waving, he is like a celebrity there!) The nurse Linda had his fan, and bed all set up and was waiting for him. She immediately started working on unclogging his picc line. it took a little time but eventually she got it! While we were there we were able to have Jon's labs done while we were there, as well as see Dr. Miller which was a bonus! She listened to Jon's lungs because the home nurse was concerned when she heard some crackling. Dr. Miller listened because Jon was concerned as well. However Dr. Miller was pleased because Jon had not had crackling before and now he is, she said this means the crackling that sounds like rice krispies is from his lung, its the sound of it expanding and she was pleased at the improved air flow. We waited for the lab results to come back before we left.

The results came back and some of the levels were borderline low. Dr. Miller came by and said she didn't think he needed one because the levels were borderline. But after talking to Jon and hearing that he was pretty tired she decided against her first decision and wanted Jon to get a blood transfusion. She said it can only help and make him feel better. She scheduled it for Wednesday.

After we made the appointment for wednesday we headed home. Jon was happy to be home and not looking forward to tomorrow but knew it would help him. We had a few visitors throughout the evening and then we did our usual nightly routine with unhooking the TPN and taking care of all Jon's meds.

Jon's home! Sunday September 11, 2011 I wrote this and never posted it :(

Hello Everyone,

First off all, I apologize for not posting for the past few weeks.  We did not have internet in the hospital, and by the time I got home in the evening it was usually pretty late, so I would go strait to bed to do it all over again the next day. So this post may be quite long...  It has taken me 3 days just to type it!

Jon ended his 16 day hospital stay when he came home from the hospital on Sunday afternoon during the Raven's game. He started his Sunday watching all the game day pre-shows. He was able to see the beginning of the game while waiting to be discharged. We were ready to leave around the 3rd quarter. We got all of Jon's stuff loaded up in the car, and then he was brought down. Thank goodness 98 rock plays the game, and we were able to listen to it the whole ride home. We arrived safely, and Jon got reacquainted with his recliner and then checked out his new bed in the living room. He saw last few plays of the game once he got settled. Once we got everything situated, Jon rested while I put things away and tried to get a little organized.

The rest of the evening was pretty hectic. We had to figure out medicines, as well as meet with a nurse. On top of all this, we had to make sure Jon was comfortable. His mom stayed for a while to help me with everything, and it was very nice to have a helping hand. After a while, we heard from Jon's home nurse when she let us know she was on her way. I was pretty nervous because she was going to show me how to hook Jon up to his TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition) through his Picc line. She arrived with quite a few boxes and got right to business, walking me through mixing up his "steak and eggs in a bag." There were a lot of different steps to remember. I felt okay doing it with a nurse but was even more nervous once she left and I realized I was on my own to unhook him in the morning. I tried not to freak myself out and focus on the steps in my head.

Once the TPN was all hooked up I went back to the kitchen started walking myself through it in my head to calm my nerves. I sat down for a few minutes until it was time for Jon's premeds. These are the meds that Jon takes an hour before the Zelboraf medication. These include anti nausea meds and Aleve to help him stay comfortable. We were able to get through the first evening and night. I slept on the couch so I could be near him in case he needed me during the night. The night went well, and we woke up early to unhook the TPN. I started to unhook the TPN and realized the one line was clogged, so we called the nurse. I continued to unhook the line with the TPN and accidentally squirted Jon a little in the face when I unhooked it! I tried not to laugh but couldn't help it. The clog was the only issue I had that morning and the nurse that was coming in the afternoon was going to try to fix it. We continued the daily routine of TPN, Premeds, and Zelboraf and hoped we could get the line figured out later. Then I took a much needed nap (any one who knows me knows I hate naps!). I was so worried about Jon the night before I woke up anytime he moved. I think my body need a little more sleep.

We received many different phone calls that day from all the different people that were making appointments to see Jon this week. It was extremely confusing to figure out who everyone was and what they were planning on doing. We had different nurses, as well as a physical therapist and an occupational therapist. As the day went on, I continued to help Jon do whatever he needed and get him whatever he needed.

The nurse came that afternoon and went over paperwork but didn't seem too worried about the clogged line, Jon joked with her a little, saying that was all he wanted her to do. He was a little worried that she wouldn't be able to do it. Unfortunately, it was too big of a clot for her to fix without medicine. For the remainder of the evening, we did our best to figure out a way to get the medicine to our house. No such luck. Dr. Miller said to come back to St. Agnes where they would take care of it. Jon was not happy about having to make that trip, but he does whatever needs to be done without complaining. After the news about having to go to the hospital in the morning, I started preparing Jon's TPN and got him hooked up with the supervision of the nurse. After starting the pump, I did the normal night meds, and then we watched TV till we went to bed.

September 14, 2011

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to give everyone a quick update. Jon was able to come home Sunday late afternoon. It was so good for him to be home but it was exhausting getting everything set up for him to be comfortable. Anne missed her calling and should have been a nurse. She very quickly learned how to set up Jon's IV nutrition. It's a very complicated procedure and she jumped right in. I am her back-up and hope that she's always there because I'm not as nearly as confident as she is.

Since being home, they have had to go back to St Agnes two times. Once to unclog Jon's picc line and the other to get a blood transfusion to give him more energy. Jon is happy to be home and it's nice to see him and Anne able to rest at home and have some time together. We are asking that you contact either Anne or myself if you would like to visit. Jon has very limited energy at this point and really needs to be able to rest to keep up his strength.

Anne and the baby are doing well. Jon's home care nurse made a prediction about the sex of the baby...we'll have to wait and see if she's right...:) God has blessed us with an amazing daughter in law. Anne continually amazes me with her grace, strength, intelligence and love. She is very funny too and I am constantly in awe how she takes each day and it's challenges and finds a way to smile and make it all work. She is going to be such a good mother! She and Jon are a great love story. Even in times such as this, they are fun to be around!

As always you are a blessing in our lives. Thank you for all that you do for our family.

Prayer requests:
Jon will be able to eat and keep down food
Jon's breathing will continue to improve
Anne and the baby Bruce's continued good health
Physical comfort for Jon
Shrinking of tumors

Lots of love,
Susan, Sue, Susie, Mom and Grandmom:)

Sunday 8-29-11 I wrote this and never posted it! It is old but you might be interested in it.

The past few days have been a step in the right direction. Jon is still very weak and doesn't have much energy but he has said because he felt so bad the last few days the slightest improvement has made him feel better. The last time he weighed himself at home he weighed 150, the nurse weighed him this morning and he is already back up to 164! Each day we pray he gets a little stronger and a little more energized. He was able to start introducing clear liquids back into his diet today. He started with jello, and then some orangeish/redish broth that he said "tastes like there is squash in here." He had a little more chicken broth later in the day but wants to take it slow. Jon doesn't need to stress about eating now because he is receiving "food" through a PICC line. The Doctors want him to just start slowly, and get as much as he feels he can handle with out feeling bad. Dr. Miller said because he really hasn't had a full meal in months, his stomach is very small and can only handle a little at a time. Over the next few days he will continue to get "food" through the PICC line but also continue to increase the actual food intake gradually to help get him eating again. Dr. Miller predicts that Jon will be in the hospital a few more days to get him a little more healthier before he comes home. Jon is very happy where he is because he can feel his body getting a little better each day. He will keep his picc line in when he comes home to continue to get his "food." We will get a visit from a home nurse regularly to help us change the dressing and keep it clean.

His stomach pain was controlled for the majority of the day and he was able to stay awake and visit with his many visitors. Ian, Hillary, Justin and Katie came by after lunch. As soon as they left uncle Russ, and aunt Lauren were in the area and wanted to see how he was doing. By the time his dad and Shawna arrived he was pretty worn out, he took a little nap. After his nap for the rest of the evening we shared stories and just talked. It is really nice to see Jon smile and get excited over small things like Scratch-offs. I may have created a monster, or the other way around because I never used to buy them. Jon has always LOVED scratch-offs but has limited his amount so he would not lose money. I had some a few weeks ago in my wallet (I never have cash). I know he likes scratch-offs so I figured I would get a few to give him something to do. When I brought them home you would have thought I had the coolest thing in my hand. His eyes lit up and he was so happy. He proceeded to scratch them over the next few days and they were all winners!! He was very proud of me for getting him winners. He ended up winning like $12! So of course next weekend when I was going back to Martin's he asked me to cash in his winnings and get more. I did, and this week he won $40 he was so excited! It has been just as fun for me watching him scratch them, as it has been for him scratching them. Watching him today scratching away was really nice to watch, he was concentrating and really studying each card and getting excited even when he wins $1. Seeing Jon smile is one of the best things in life right now.

Hi Everyone!

Although it's still too early to tell whether the Zelboraf is truly "working," Jon seems to get a little stronger each day. He's very focussed on taking things one day at a time and is content to remain at St. Agnes until his doctors feel that he is physically ready to go home. The wonderful nurses and doctors at St. Agnes take such amazing care of him and watch him closely. They seem to legitimately care about Jon and our family and want to see him healthy just as much as we do--well, almost :)

Jon and Anne (and the rest of our family too) appreciate so, so much all of your prayers, happy thoughts, well wishes, cards, scratch-offs (one of Jon's new favorites), and visits. In spite of how challenging this ordeal has been, Jon and Anne have both maintained the high spirits and happy natures we love them so much for--and your support has had quite a bit to do with this. We can't thank you enough.

If you're thinking about stopping by for a visit, please make sure you give one of us a call or text first. Jon is frequently out of his room for testing or PT--sometimes for long lengths of time--and we'd hate for you to sit around waiting for him to return or to wake up from the nap he needs afterwards.

Thanks again for all of the support you've shown our family. Jon, Anne, and the rest of us are lucky to have people like you in our lives.

Jon's Surprise

Jon's nurse practitioner was able to pull some strings and brought a doppler machine to Jon's room so he would be able to hear his baby's heartbeat. However the baby didn't cooperate and we were unable to hear it, so the wonderful nurses decided to bring a portable sonogram machine up to his room and Jon and I were able to see the baby for the first time together! We received our first pictures of Baby Bruce. We also got to see it move for the first time, it was really exciting and made Jon's day! He told all of his doctors and the nurses about what happened. I think almost every nurse came to Jon's room to see his new picture. He was like a celebrity that all the nurses were talking about. It really lifted his spirits and he has had good day ever since :)

Yesterday he worked with the physical therapist and they showed him how to safely go up and down steps once he comes home. He started with 2 stairs and said "okay now whats next?" they were pretty easy for him. Then he went to a full flight of stairs, he was able to do the whole thing slowly! He was out of breath when he got to the top but he did it! 

For now we are just hanging out in the hospital getting stronger. 

Thanks you for all of your support!

Anne

Last week's update

Dear family and friends,

Jon was admitted to St. Agnes Hospital on friday the 26th for hydration and nutrition. Because of his continued stomach issues, he had been unable to get enough in to sustain him. After a few days of IV's Jon is feeling stronger and getting some color back in his cheeks. In case you missed it, the medicine that you all have been praying for arrived Saturday and he has been taking it twice a day without any noticeable side effects. We are not seeing any positive response at this point either, but it is still early. We have had a couple of bumps in the road this week. Jon asks that you please pray for his emotional strength as well. I can only imagine how exhausting all of this is for him but he continues to smile at his nurses and make jokes. He will be in the hospital for a few more days at least. They are talking about maybe Tuesday, Sept. 6th.

Please keep our family in your prayers, Jon is fighting the good fight. He has continued to be encouraged by your cards, texts and letters. Anne has been there with him every step of the way except for last tuesday morning when she went to hear the baby's heartbeat. She was able to record it on her cell phone for Jon to hear when she got back to the hospital. Please remember this precious baby she is carrying.

Dr. Setya called me yesterday to let me know that Zach's mole definitely needed to come off but he got clear margins so no further surgery is needed. We'll just need to keep an eye on him.

We are so grateful to have all of you in our lives.

Prayer requests:
The Braff drug starts to shrink Jon's tumors
pain management
Anne's health and the baby
a good transition from hospital to home
encouragement and peace

Lots of love,
Susan,Sue,Susie, Mom, Grandmom :)

We recieved great news yesterday afternoon. The zolboraf drug was scheduled to be delivered to our house before 12:00 noon Saturday!!!

It is now 12:35 on Saturday, and we are currently waiting for the pharmacist to check it in and for the anti-nausea medicine to take effect so he will be able to keep it down. It is 12:43 now and he just took the first pill of the first dose! He is very happy to have this drug in his possession :)

Thank you everyone for your support through this difficult journey!

Anne

Dear Friends and Family,

Jon was admitted today to St. Agnes Hospital to receive intravenous Nutrition and Hydration through a pic line. He has lost a lot of weight and was getting very weak so his doctor wanted to "build him up" so we can get the potential best benefit from the new Braff drug. "Zolbaraf" is not a cure but it is supposed to reduce tumor burden so Jon will feel better and hopefully regain some strength. He should be in the hospital for a few days.

We did get the good news this evening that the drug will be delivered to Jon and Anne's house tomorrow by noon. Thank you all for praying. This was truly a miracle since so many things had to fall into place to receive this newly approved drug that literally just arrived in the United States this week. It is being shipped from North Carolina so please pray that the coming storm doesn't cause any delivery problems on this end. Many people have offered to drive or fly across the country for us to try to get this for us...we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Jon is truly touched by all of your prayers. Please continue to keep our family in your prayers. Zach leaves to begin his sophomore year of college tomorrow. He also had a suspicious mole removed from his back yesterday so We ask that you pray for a good lab report. Continue to think of Anne. She is almost through her first trimester and has a tiny baby bump that makes me smile whenever I see it! Jon is taking good care of her, insisting that she eat more vegetables. Anne, of course takes amazing care of Jon.

In the midst of each day's struggles we continue to feel God's comfort and experience His mercies. Your prayers have allowed me to have the strength to put on my "super Mom" cape each day and attempt to serve Jon and Anne as they walk through this journey together.

Love and blessings,
Susan,Susie, Sue and Mom (Grandmom:)

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Tuesday evening

Good evening everyone!

This has been a crazy week...of course we had an earthquake!!

Jon had a pretty good day today. He had eaten his breakfast and we were having a nice visit when the water in his glass started to shake. His whole house felt like it was rolling...he knew immediately what it was. I thought it was the construction workers across the street! Anne was texting us within minutes giving us updates. She shared with me that she initially thought that it was a weird feeling from being pregnant! :)

In the meantime, Jon's Dad Barry was trying to get some clear answers about when we can expect the "BRAFF" drug. Basically Dr. Sharfman and Dr. Miller are doing everything humanly possible to try to get it for us as soon as possible. Please continue to pray that we can cut through the red tape and that all obstacles will be removed so we can get this medication this week.

Thank you so much for continuing to pray for and support our family. Some of you are asking again for Jon and Anne's address. Jon LOVES cards! Thank you so much for all of you who have encouraged him in this way!

Jon and Anne Bruce

1901 Lennox Dr.

Unit 37

Sykesville, MD 21784

Lots of Love,

Susan, Sue, Susie, Mom :)

I received so many messages from many of you this morning....thank you!

We had our appt with Dr. Sharfman from Johns Hopkins yesterday at noon. He was very gracious and saw us during his lunch hour. Dr Sharfman thinks that Jon will get relief from the newly FDA approved "BRAF" drug. We should know by the beginning of next week if Jon is able to receive the drug. Please pray that Jon is able to get this drug and it arrives quickly. Basically, BRAF reduces "tumor burden" in the body and is very fast acting which would give Jon some relief from his symptoms. It will allow him to regain some strength and feel better so he can get further treatment.

I know I keep asking but our family would greatly appreciate you praying that we are able to get this new drug by early next week. Thank you so much!

Skin Cancer Treatment Approved

Check out the link above if your are interested in understanding more about "BRAF" :)

Lots of love,

Susan, Sue, Susie and MOM :)

Dear friends and family,

Many of you have been asking for updates but there really hasn’t been much to tell you. Jon continues to try to rest and recover but has experienced lots of stomach issues, which have made it difficult for Jon to function normally and gain weight.

Jon’s doctors aren’t happy with the condition of his cells so they are regrouping and revamping his treatment plan. Some of that involves meeting with a new doctor form Hopkins tomorrow to try to get a drug that “reduces tumor burden” in the body. Interestingly enough, this drug was just approved by the FDA yesterday.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. As we navigate these next few days and weeks, we pray for wisdom for Jon’s doctors as they try to decide what’s best for him right now. Please pray also that this new drug would be available to Jon quickly and that it is effective for him. Please also pray for physical strength and comfort for Jon. These appointments can be exhausting.

Don’t forget Anne! Most of you know by now that I am going to be a grandmom again and we are all looking forward to celebrating a new Bruce baby in March! Anne has been feeling pretty good considering all that is going on right now. She is healthy and is a little tired but all seems well with her and the baby. She continues to take good care of Jon while working as much as possible. That’s a lot for a new mommy to be!

So many of you have sent cards and letters, made delicious foods and brought treats for Jon to help him gain weight. He has a new comfortable chair and game to keep him entertained. Thank you all! Right now what he needs most is relief from pain , so he can sleep and eat.

Thank you all so much for supporting our family. Your prayers, cards, letters, kind words and encouragements mean so much to us.

Love,

Susan, Sue, Susie, MOM J

These past few weeks

I know it has been a while since my last post. I will try to post a little more often to keep everyone updated. I want to thank everyone for the cards, postcards (Karen Decker), flowers, and balloons. They really make Jon smile when he gets them! Thank you everyone for caring so much :)

Having Jon home is wonderful! I love being able to come home from work and have him waiting for me. He is doing okay, still very low energy and not much of an appetite. He has been trying to eat as much as possible and make sure whatever he eats is as fatty as possible. It is very convenient to have so many fast food places close to home. 

Everyday is different.  He has been having bad days, good days, and even a few great days. He went for almost a whole week without a fever, but then last Monday it came back which took a little wind out of his sails. He has been able to get out of the house a little this week which is good for his spirits. When Mom Mom Bruce asked what dinner she could make him, he requested turkey, gravy, stuffing, and the rest of the stuff that comes with Thanksgiving. He also said, "How about we come to your house to eat it!" She was so excited to make this for him, and we scheduled our dinner date for Tuesday. When I got home from work Jon was very excited to got to dinner. When we arrived, he was surprised by how many people were there and also very happy to see everyone. Everyone was happy to see him out and extremely happy that he requested this great dinner. We all sat down and fixed our plates. Even though Jon's plate was totally full, he finished almost all of it! It was great to see him happy about food. Of course, she sent us home with leftovers and Jon ate them for the next 2 evenings! 

The next 2 days were okay. He wasn't feeling great but did make it out to his Mom's house on Thursday and enjoyed being out of the house. On Thursday evening, Ben came over to visit and watch the first Raven's preseason game. Jon wasn't very happy about how the Raven's were performing, but he kept telling himself that is it was just the preseason.

Friday during the day, he had two of his usual visitors: his Mom and Jen. His mom went to NIH to pick up sleeping pills to help him rest better and dropped them off around lunch time. Then in the afternoon, Jen stopped by with a Butterfinger Blizzard from Dairy Queen. He seemed very happy by this frozen treat because, when I called him after I got off work to see how he was doing, one of the first things he told me was that Jen brought him a Blizzard. 

Once I got home from work Friday, we had another visitor: my best friend Alex who came up from the beach to spend the weekend with us. We went to Five Guys for dinner and picked up some KFC mashed potatoes with gravy and macaroni and cheese for Jon. Then we watched the Redskins first preseason game (I am a Redskins fan). I was the opposite of Jon; I was EXTREMELY please with how the Redskins looked! We can't wait for the real games to start!

On Saturday, we had another wedding event to attend.  Jon's grandparents (Richard's parents) were having an anniversary celebration to celebrate 60 years!! Jon was feeling okay and stayed for about 2 hours. Then he started to not feel good. We made it home, and he rested on the couch for the rest of the evening. 

And now we are at Sunday, and my step dad Donnie is installing a ceiling fan that will make Jon more comfortable when he is able to sleep in our bed again. 

I will do my best to have another post in the next day or so.

Weekend

On Friday evening, Jon took a shower and changed his bandages. This took a lot of his energy, but he seemed to feel better. We watched TV and relaxed on the couch for the rest of the evening.

We had a relaxing Saturday. We watched TV and movies all day with our parents stopping by to drop things off and make sure were doing okay. Jon is doing alright, but he is sill in a lot pain. He has been up walking a little around the first floor of our townhouse but not as much as he was in the hospital. 

Sunday was much like Saturday. We had a few visitors and watched TV.  It was finally cool enough for Jon to take a longer walk outside! We walked around our building and around another! It was really nice to see him walking more, and he was happy to be out of the house. Once we got back to the house we watched "Little Miss Sunshine" on TV. 

Thursday

Good evening,

Jon had an appointment at NIH today. The chest X-ray showed that his lungs have improved since last week. Jon's doctor's want him to do everything possible to gain weight! At this point he's lost almost 20 pounds so calories are important. He needs to force protein and fats. For those of us that want to lose weight, this is hard to imagine but Jon's doctor wants him as strong as possible before his treatments begin. We were brainstorming on the way home today asking Jon what foods appealed to him and he mentioned his Granny's pumpkin cake and macaroni salad among other things. :) If you have any ideas about how to temp his taste buds I'm all ears.

The necessary cells are growing and we'll know more later, but we are currently looking at beginning treatments in about 4 weeks.

Jon and Anne have been receiving lots of cards each day! Thank you'll so much. Jon sits and reads them each afternoon and finds comfort and encouragement that so many are thinking about, and praying for him. We are so grateful for all of your support!

We are looking forward to being together as a family this weekend to celebrate Jen's marriage to Dave. God is good!

Love,

Susan,Susie,Sue,Mom

Pictures

I have added a few pictures to some of the older posts if you would like to go back and check them out :)

Thursday

I woke up Thursday morning to a text message from Jon asking for sunglasses, the ones that will go over his glasses! Then about 10 minutes later another text asking for pillows. He seemed very anxious to come home :)

I got myself ready and headed out the door, 3 pillows in hand and an empty bag to bring home all of his belongings. Headed to CVS to get his cool shades then I was off to bring him home! Every time I have driven down there traffic hasn't been terrible. Of course the day he gets to come home there is an accident on 495. I finally made it to NIH, and to his room. His nurses were in his room explaining his medication to him, and giving him all the info we needed to get him his meds from the pharmacy so we could be on our way. I headed to the pharmacy to retrieve everything he needed (5 different types of medication). I finally returned to his room about a half hour later to a not so happy Jon Bruce. He wasn't feeling very well, the nurses seemed to think it was all the medication mixed with not eating much. he decided to take it easy for a little while before we tried to tackle the ride home. Around 1:00 he started moving and said he was going to the bathroom then he needed me to put his shoes on! I continued to gather all his things and help him with whatever he needed. He sat down and was ready to put his "chucks" on, I put them on and he was ready to start walking towards the door. I wheeled him down the hall as all the nurses were yelling good bye :)

We made to the car and got Jon all settled in with the pillows that he requested. He leaned on one, as well as held on on his stomach to help with the bumps. I never realized how many large bumps you hit from NIH to Eldersburg! He did great, stayed awake looked out the window in his stylish new glasses, haha! He was pretty cute in them :) 

We pulled up to the house and he practically ran to the door! He went straight to the couch and tried to get as comfortable as he could. I handed him the remote then continued to unload the car. I brought everything in and was beginning to unpack everything and Jon looked at me and asked me if I gave Fisher (our cat) away! Oops! I forgot to let him out! I climbed everest and let him out. He came running down the stairs and ran right past Jon to go to the pantry where his treats were ;) 

Since it was time for another pain med I wanted to get him to eat first, I asked him what he wanted and he said Arby's! He ate more than half of a medium beef and cheddar sandwich. After he ate that he watched TV and rested. 

It was almost dinner time so I asked him if he was hungry and he said a little...again I asked what he was thinking sounded good. He responded with ice cream! Then it went to milkshakes...and finally he wanted a root beer float. After "dinner" he decided he was going to attempt "everest" he went all the way up and all the way down. He said it felt weird because he hadn't done steps, but it didn't seem to hurt him. He made his way back downstairs and we caught up on our shows that we had recorded on out DVR. 

Jon slept on the couch because he was afraid our bed would be too hard, he said he slept ok, but woke up a lot. Hopefully everyday will get a little easier.

Wed 7/27

Jon is almost ready to come home! All of his tubes and I.V.'s have been removed and he is transitioning from I.V., epidural pain medicine to oral pain medicine. I guess we didn't realize how much the epidural was doing!

He's very sore but still determined to walk and move (which makes his doctors very happy) and is looking forward to going home.

We still covet your prayers as he rests and recovers. We have seen God's mercies in so many ways, from caring and compassionate nurses to smiling parking garage attendants who give us encouragement each morning! Your cards, emails, phone calls and texts encourage and touch our hearts. Thank you!

Prayers requests:

Jon's pain will be manageable when he comes home

Strength and encouragement for Anne

Good appetite and freedom from any colds or viruses

Peace for Jon so he can fully recover his strength

Monday 7/25/11

Jon's recovery is progressing! He's walking, talking and moving around more comfortably. Two of his chest tubes were removed today which took some of the wind out of his sails for the rest of the day. He was in bed trying to sleep when Jen and I left around dinner time. The final chest tube will probably be removed tomorrow or Wednesday.

Some of you have asked about sending him cards at NIH. At this point, we hope for him to be home by the end of the week so please send them to his house. If he's still in the hospital, Anne will bring them to the hospital for him.

Jon and Anneliese Bruce

1901 Lennox Dr.

Unit 37

Sykesville, MD 21784

As for visitors, he's focusing on regaining his strength and recovering. Jon asks that we wait awhile ...he'll have lot's of time to catch up when he gets home :)

Please keep praying that his strength an appetite return quickly and that he will grow strong for his treatments which begin in about a month. Please keep Anne in your prayers as she is trying to work and take care of Jon. She is an amazing wife...beautiful, sweet, strong and funny!

Every day I come home to cards and messages of encouragement from you.... I so appreciate your love, support and friendship.

Friday 7/22/11

Today has been a great!

Jon started his day in the ICU and ended up back in his "old" room less than 24 hours after his surgery. His nurse Neil (really awesome male nurse) was extremely pleased with Jon's progress. He was up walking this morning! After he came back from his walk, he sat in the chair and was watching ESPN when Jen and I arrived. Mrs. Sue had spent the night with him, so we sent her home to get some much-needed rest. Jon drank some chicken broth and ate a chicken finger and some yogurt for lunch.

[Jen taking over here for a bit so Anne can get Jon some ketchup!]

After lunch, Jon relaxed for a while and talked with Dr. Hong (one of the fellows who performed his surgery) and the very nice anesthesiologist whose name we can't remember. Both doctors seemed very pleased with Jon's progress. Later, Jon took a lap around the ICU and relaxed some more before getting the awesome news that he was going to get to leave ICU for his "old" room.

Around 4, Neil came in to get Jon ready to move, which took a while because of all the tubes, wires, electrodes that were hooked up to him, and he was very happy to leave a few of them behind. Not long after, he was settled in his room (which everyone keeps saying is the best room around because it has a lovely view). One of the first thing he asked was if he could take off his compression stockings, and he was SO happy to have them off and to have Anne scratch his legs.

Right now, Jon is about to eat his dinner (Hawaiian pizza with french fries and a vanilla Boost plus) and take a nap before doing a few more laps. He's also trying to talk Anne into rubbing his feet ;)

Water

Woo Hoo! The doctor said Jon can have clear liquids! He was very excited by this news and made sure the nurse knew! ;)

Update From ICU

Jon is out of surgery and in ICU (Intensive Care Unit). He is still groggy but asking questions and talking every once in a while. He's still asking for slurpies because he is so thirsty. The remainder of the time he is sleeping. He is on a lot of pain meds to help him, which is good. Since they decided to proceed with the larger incision, Jon will be in much more pain. The doctors have prepared for this and have him not feeling any of this pain yet. He said his pain level is at a 2, which is actually lower than what he was saying before surgery. He has a total of 3 chest tubes (2 going towards his head and one at an angle) and TONS of stuff hooked up to his left arm to monitor absolutely everything. He will be here overnight so that the nurses will be able to monitor him closely. Then he will return to his regular room down the hall.

His spirits are good, and he is handling this with the best attitude possible. :)

update...

José, Jon's nurse, called at 9:53 to inform us that they had started about 5 minutes before his call.

José called again about 10 minutes later and made me freak out a little when I saw the number come across my phone. He wanted to let us know that they had looked around with the microscope and had decided to go forth with the larger incision. We were hoping to get this news because it seemed like this would surgically remove a little more cancer out of his body. He will be much more sore with this procedure, but it seemed like Jon was hoping things would turn out this way as well. He told the doctors yesterday, "I don't care about the pain. Please just do what you think is best." Jon, as well as the rest of us, have an extreme amount of confidence in his surgical team! 

José called once again at 10:37 to let us know that the doctors had removed Jon's pleura and that they were able to get the cells they needed. They were in the process of making sure there was no bleeding or complications before finishing things up. I was told to call José at 11:37 if I haven't heard from him. 

We are in the waiting room now hoping to hear from José any minute :)

Surgery has started!

Josè the nurse just called (9:53) and said they just started about 5 minutes ago.

Surgery Morning

We arrived at 6:15 this morning, and Jon was already up going to the bathroom and brushing his teeth. They did a few things to get him ready to go to the operating room. The nurse brought him some really sexy (compression) stockings. She wrestled them on over his ridiculously large calves and had him pull them up to his thighs! He was ready to go with his gown and stockings on. However, no one was there to get him yet. He waited patiently in bed for his "chariot" to arrive. He took a nice nap for about 45 minutes, and then they finally arrived.

They wheeled him down many different halls, and I have no idea how we got where we were going! We arrived in the operating prep where the nurses checked him in. We met Josè, the nurse that would be in the surgery with him, and the anesthesiologist also came to get started. I said goodbye and kissed him. I had to leave when it was time for him to get his epidural catheter (for pain management).

We are currently in the waiting room waiting to see him one more time before he goes into surgery. He will probably not remember seeing us, but we will remember seeing him ;)

I will continue to keep everyone posted throughout the day.