Wednesday blood work

Dad had some blood work done today and all looks well again. His hemoglobin came up 2 points since last time so the spinach, red meat, and raisins paid off! He's feeling really good and wants to go to another baseball game this week. That's it for today...I'll post something after he has his CT scan on Monday morning...although we won't get the results until Wed. when he sees the doctor before round 5 of chemo.

Fundraising Team-in-Training Blogs & Update!!

Hi all...

As you all well know, Mom and I are participating in Team-in-Training events (mom's doing the Marathon, and I'm doing the century ride.

I don't think we have officially posted our blogs and website on here though! So...without further ado, I give you:

TEAM SAWATZKI

Additionally, I would like to thank all of those who have donated and who have forwarded the information to all of their friends who have also donated!! So far mom and I have raised a total of....drumroll please....

$3,230!!!!

A whopping $1,655 has come from the help of the Sawatzki crew so far!!! With over $900 of that coming from donations that Matt & Joy solicited from their friends and family!!!

That is huge. Unnfathomable in it's awesomeness!!!

If anyone else is interested in partaking in the fundraising fun, Matt wrote a really great letter to send out to his friends...I bet if you bug him he might let you use it so you'd just have to update a little bit! :-)

Seriously amazing stuff though, guys!! And thanks to EVERYONE!!! We're just over the half-way point which I think is doing really well at this point of the game!

Also...Mom and I have our blogs up now! Check them out - We update them regularily:

Mom's blog: WALKING GRANDMA

And My blog: CYCLING SAWATZKI

Anyway, again...Thanks to all!! you guys rock!!!!

Wednesday blood work

Dad went to have the dressing on his picc line changed and have blood work done today and the blood work came back really good. The nurse is amazed at how good and consistent his blood work has been! So he's doing excellent with that! His hemoglobin is just slightly low so I'll start loading him up on high iron foods like organic spinach, red meat, raisins, etc.

Thanks for this blog

I thought I'd try my hand at posting here. First off, Joy and I really like checking this blog. It's a good way to keep in touch on how awesome Dad is doing with the treatments. And it provides occasional hilarity, as well (search blog for F-bomb).

So anyways, thanks for all the posts that Sara, Mom, and Dad put up here. We really enjoy them. And keep up the great job you're doing, Dad. We'll keep sending our positive thoughts your way.

Thursday update

Dad's doing great today...back to work bright and early. He got his Neulasta shot today to keep those white blood cells going. It's hard to believe that the day after his 4th chemo treatment and there are still some people at work that don't even know he's on chemo! They just think he turned "badass" sporting his new hair(less) style! Of course being on the roids gives a new dimension to his badass image!

Let the Roid Rage begin

Well I am on another chemo cycle and all is going well for me. This also means another 4 days of steroids. I wonder if I will be as charming as last time. Time will tell, but Sara for sure will be on the lookout for the tell tale signs. Mom will be saying please lower your voice. Sara will find it hilarious when I break my poached egg. So some fun we all will have. Glad you are all helping.

Grandpa

Update Wed.

We're here at the oncologists and Dad is getting round 4 of the chemo treatments. Today his bloodwork looked good...his hemoglobin was up so he's out of the "anemic" area. The doctor examined him this morning and could find no trace of a tumor in his abdomen...so that's GREAT news!!! Of course there could be a small amount, but the last time he felt it, the doctor could still feel some. He has Dad scheduled to have a CT scan on Monday August 3 and then his next round of chemo is the 5th...so we'll find out the results of the scan at that time. The doctor is convinced that things are going very well so this visit was very encouraging.
Dad is in his usual benadryl "coma"...sleeping and relaxing as the bags of chemo are dripping away. I just went for a 3 mile run and we'll be having our "picnic" lunch in a bit...when he's awake enough to eat!! Oh...when we were talking with the doctor he asked Dad how he was feeling...and his appetite, etc and Dad said great...and the doctor said that was nice to hear because he doesn't hear that so often...so positive thought does help!! Overall...very good news today!!

Update

Forgot to post this last Thursday. Dad's bloodwork was just fine. He continues to do well. We went to a ballgame on Saturday and enjoyed the great outdoors and Sunday he rode his mower and manicured the lawn. His next round of chemo is this Wednesday and Dad is ready...and further boosted by Delia's "grandpa cheer" several days ago....she kept saying "go, Grandpa, go" non-stop for several minutes...much to Dad's delight!! We will meet with his doctor before the chemo on Wed. and find out when a CT scan will be scheduled to check on the progress. I'll keep you all posted. It will be sometime before the next round of chemo. Check back on Wed. for an update.

contest results

The votes are in and it looks like the winner is Daddy Warbucks. This means that Dad has to sing "Let's Go To The Movies". Knowing the way he plays the musical game, Encore, he will be making up the words to this song, also!

Correction

Andy pointed out an error in the contest. I have 2 pictures of Telly Savalas. The one marked "Yul Brenner" is another picture of Telly Savalas. Here's one of Yul Brenner. Thanks, Andy.