We didn’t really have much “new” news yesterday except for the fact that Brandon had dialysis. He seemed to feel pretty well on the way to the appointment, talking the whole way. He’s been quiet lately, so it was good to actually carry on a conversation with him for more than 5 minutes. He spent a couple of hours in the afternoon watching The Office with Kayleigh. They are both binge watching episodes on Netflix. It was nice to hear them laughing together! He put a call in to the doctor to ask if he would need dialysis again on Wednesday or if he could get the catheter out, but he never got a definite response. Same today, he felt pretty well for a majority of the day, but we still didn’t get an answer about dialysis tomorrow. He will try calling again first thing tomorrow, and we will just drive out to the center if we don’t get an answer. That’s a little frustrating, but he doesn’t want to miss having it if he still needs it.

The news of the day today is that Brandon smoked chicken on the new smoker he got for Father’s Day. It was fun to see him motivated to do something new and put the stress and worries of the last month to the side for a while. A couple of good friends came over to help with the smoker and stay for dinner, and he was smiling and acting more like himself this afternoon. Another day when the good hours outnumbered the bad!

Brandon invited his dad to breakfast for Father’s Day, but he didn’t feel too well, so the day didn’t begin like we hoped. All we cared about was spending time with Brandon, so we just spent time together as a family.  Brandon took a nap late morning/early afternoon and then felt well enough to go to the Price Chopper and to the car wash with his family.  We were so happy that the day  turned around for him, after not starting out so well.

We have dialysis scheduled tomorrow morning, so let’s say a prayer that all is well with his kidneys, and he can quit the dialysis soon!

The good news is that Brandon did not have to go to the ER last night or this morning. He didn’t have the muscle cramps today that he had yesterday. Avery spent the night with us because Kristen worked today, so Brandon was home alone until late afternoon. We encouraged him to rest and let his body heal. We took Avery home early this evening, and he seemed to be feeling okay. Not as well as he felt Thursday, but not as bad as he felt yesterday. We hope this is a sign that his body is becoming more able to bounce back from the setbacks. Please say a prayer that he has a better day tomorrow and is able to enjoy his Father’s Day with Avery. We wish all of you a happy and healthy Father’s Day with your families!

Brandon called this morning to schedule the appointment with his doctor on Monday, and they told him that his doctor had talked to the doctor at the dialysis clinic and the two had decided he should have dialysis again on Monday instead of just doing labs. Then this afternoon, he started having muscle cramps in his legs, arms, stomach, hands – pretty much throughout his body. He first thought maybe it was dehydration or overexertion, so he rested and drank water, waiting to see if it would improve. By the time he decided to call the doctor, she had left the office. The staff told him the only thing they could suggest was for him to go to the ER and have labs done. He decided to wait it out and see if he feels better after sleeping. If it gets unbearable during the night or doesn’t improve by morning, he will go to the ER. Unfortunately, it seems like each time Brandon turns a corner, he runs into a wall. We were so encouraged after the day he had yesterday. It’s hard to understand why he takes 10 steps forward and 20 steps back, but we will keep praying for better days!

Got this text (and picture) from Brandon around 8:00 this evening:

“No dialysis tomorrow. Have to make a follow up appointment for Monday at Dr McCarthy’s office. If labs keep improving, cath will come out mid to late next week.”

Your prayers and positivity are working! Please keep it up! We are holding tight to the fact that he felt better all day today and the kidney numbers are trending the right way.

We normally wait until later in the evening to post updates, but today is different. Brandon had a “day” today. Not a bad day, not a perfect day, just a pretty normal day with his family. No doctors appointments, no dialysis. He felt okay today, and he spent the day with his family. He took Avery out on the deck to “swim” in her pool. He watered the flowers in the yard. We feel like he’s finally had a day where the good hours outnumbered the bad ones. Thank you for your prayers and support! He is drawing strength from each and every one of you.

We hope this is the day that turns everything around for him!

Brandon had his first outpatient dialysis this morning. He said he didn’t sleep well last night, but he didn’t seem to be feeling too bad on the way to dialysis. Then he had his follow-up appointment this afternoon with the surgical oncologist. He was told he would need a follow-up scan in 3 months and that he wouldn’t need to enroll in a clinical trial until that point because they had removed all evidence of disease during surgery. He will see a medical oncologist for follow up later this month. His surgeon is taking his case to the review board which includes specialists, oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, and surgical oncologists, and they will recommend a treatment plan for the medical oncologist to follow (which may still include systemic chemo before the follow-up scan). Knowing so many experts will be looking at his case is encouraging because not every patient has this opportunity. Right now, however, the focus is on recovery from the kidney issues. The surgeon agreed that is the first priority, and he still feels that recovery is coming soon.

Brandon didn’t have much time for rest today, and he was pretty worn out this evening. He did say that he was tired, but he was “feeling good.” Then about 10 minutes later, he said he felt like he had hit the “not feeling well” wall. We are holding on to the “feeling good” time though. Having him say he felt good, even if for a short time, makes a HUGE difference!

The next step is dialysis on Friday, if necessary. Positivity and prayers!!!!

We were hoping for a better day today, but Brandon isn’t feeling too well. He spent the day with Avery, his dad, and one of his best friends, so that lifted his spirits for a while. Hopefully, the dialysis tomorrow will help. That is scheduled for first thing tomorrow morning. Thank you for your continued encouragement and prayers.

Brandon went to see the nephrologist this morning and had lab work done, but he didn’t have dialysis. The doctors are still trying to work it out with the insurance company so they can schedule the outpatient dialysis, which sounds like it will now start on Wednesday. He was a little disappointed, and he ended up feeling worse physically as the day went on as well. Not much more to say about this day other than it was not a good one. We are hoping for a better day tomorrow!

Some of Brandon’s good friends held a fundraiser for him today. This is a letter from Brandon to those who participated and to everyone who has supported him along the way. He is so thankful for every one of you!

Hello Everyone,

I would like to start this letter by apologizing for not being able to make it there. I wanted to be there more than anything to thank each and every one of you personally, but my body had other plans. As I type this, I am so overwhelmed by the love and support you all have given me. I want to sit here and tell you that I am doing fine and will be myself in no time. If I said that though, it would be a lie. This has been the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with in my life. I guess I was a little too overconfident in my ability to bounce back easily. While I will beat this, it is a challenge. I have good days and some pretty bad ones as well. The one thing that keeps me going though is each one of you. While I haven’t been able to respond to each of you personally, I do read the comments made every day and it makes me so grateful to have such a support system. When people tell me in posts, texts or comments to let them know if I need anything, I know they mean it. I am starting to cry while I type this so I hope it continues to make sense. I apologize that I haven’t been in contact with some of you as much as I wish I would have. I hope to change that when I am better. I have been very wrapped up in work and trying to be the best father I can be. Avery is my world, and I will do anything for her. I wish I could give each of you a huge hug. Please know that if you guys ever need anything, I will be there for you. I am in debt to each and every one of you. I love all of you, and know that I am being sincere when I say I have great memories with each of you. When I read a comment or a text from someone, I also think about a great memory I have had with them. That is what is getting me through this. I will kick this cancer’s ass with all of your prayers and support. I am a long way from being done with this battle but I draw inspiration from you guys, whether you know it or not. PLEASE keep praying for me and supporting me, as I draw so much strength from it. I love you, and thank you with every fabric of my being.