Past Postings

Update: May 2, 2010

Well, the first treatment is in the books, so to speak: Last Tuesday, I received my first infusion of the new drug AMG 479. My initial reaction was limited to a headache only. I also began taking the other drug Everolimus, which is FDA approved and in pill form so I can take it at home daily. I did not have side effects with these drugs like I did with chemotherapy or radiation. Hopefully that will continue throughout this process. I also got another skin biopsy in the same place only this time they stitched the sample site. One of the ways that these drugs combat cancer is by cutting off vascular growth in the tumor. The next skin biopsy will be compared with the previous sample to see if vascular growth has been slowed. The skin works as a substitute for the tumor, which would be troublesome to repeatedly access to biopsy.

I leave for Duke again this week for more appointments. Travel will be a hassle with this trial, but hopefully the results will be worth it. The drive is not an easy one at 8 ½ hours each way through curvy interstates. Flying is a possibility, but it’s obviously more expensive and not all that more convenient given the lack of direct flights. Still, the Duke people are great and easy to work with. I know it’s hard for many of you UK fans to route for Duke. Katie won’t even let baby Mack wear the Duke pin that my dad bought.

Never-the-less, Katie and I continue to feel lifted by your support each and every day. You all have been wonderful in continuing to show us your support.

God bless,
Will & Katie



Update: April 24, 2010

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good: Last week Will traveled to Duke to do all of the pre-screening for the trial. He had scans, blood work drawn, a skin biopsy, and more. The good news is that he passed. He is on the trial! Finally Will is on the trial and he is starting treatment. He will go back to Duke this week for his first treatment. One of the drugs will be infused at Duke and the other drug will be brought home to take daily. Will’s doctor here in Louisville said he has been reading more research on these drugs and Will’s type of cancer and he is hopeful the trial drug is going to work.

The Bad: Will did get new ct scans while he was at Duke. We knew that the cancer was progressing in his lung and chest cavity. However, he did find out that there is growth again in his liver and a new spot in his pelvic bone. As bad as this is, they did make him get a brain scan to make sure that it had not spread to his brain. It was nerve racking having to wait 24 hours to find out if it had, but thankfully it had not spread there. Yeah!

The Ugly: Part of this trial requires that Will get four skin biopsies. These skin biopsies are in place of more invasive tumor biopsies. They take two base line skin biopsies and the two later on to see how the body is absorbing the drugs. The skin biopsy is a round, deep chunk out of his arm. It is a hole that looks pretty deep.

So Will is off to Duke next week to begin treatment. Yeah! Finally! He will get another skin biopsy, have blood work drawn, meet with the doctor, and then receive treatment. He will have to travel to Duke every week for appointments at least to the end of May. After that it may be every other week but we will have to wait and see.

Here at the Jones’ household we are excited to have a plan finally in place and moving. We are hopeful that this trial will prove beneficial. We are praying for a positive outcome, safe travels, strength and tranquillity. Thank you to everyone who continues to pray for our family. You have no idea how much it means to us to know that so many of you all are behind Will and our family. I have a feeling God is hearing about Will a lot throughout each day.

~Katie, Will, and Mack


Update: April 18, 2010

Will is off to Duke for prescreening appointments Monday and Tuesday. Fingers crossed everything is a go and he gets to start treatment next week. We having been hoping for months that this trial is a go and that Will gets in the trial. The stress is really starting to build up, and good news this week would be fantastic. Please pray for Will as he travels, and also that next week he gets to begin treatment.

-Katie and Mack


Update: April 11, 2010

Great news! The fine folks over at Duke University Medical Center have called and said they have finally received the "go-ahead" for the RAP trial and expect pre-screenings to begin late this week or early next week! The following week, the trial is penciled in to begin. I am awaiting information about when my pre-screen tests are scheduled. When that information comes, I will be off to Duke!

As you can imagine, this is a huge relief and an absolutely crucial step in my fight against cancer. In between scans, you never know what is going on. Given that my tumor is progressive in the lungs, it will be important to find out what has been happening with the tumor over the last two months and to get fighting it again.

Other than that, I have really felt quite well. My hip pain is minimal and my back feels strong. Given those two realities, physically I feel better now than the previous two years.

Thank you ALL for the continued support, vibes, mojo and prayers. Katie, baby Mack, and I truly feel lifted by you guys all of the time! Your vigilant support and prayers have been the genuine miracle in this whole mess.

God bless!

Will, Katie, and Mack


Update: April 1, 2010

“Thanks” to you all for keeping us in your prayers. We continue to feel the benefits of all of your prayers. In many cases it seems that plane seats seem to come open and cars seem to get out of the way when we are traveling. In terms of the Duke trial, however, things seem to be moving at an incredibly slow pace.

When we had our initial consultation at Duke, they thought that the trial was just a couple of weeks away from starting. Then a couple of weeks later, they said the trial would start in 3-4 weeks. Now, the trial is still 1-2 weeks away. The reality of waiting for all of the trial dynamics to get finished is beginning to weigh a little bit on us.

Despite the stress, however, we continue to feel grateful for all of the blessings that we do have. Mack is growing bigger and strong, and I actually feel better than I have in a long time. Katie is also back to full health after the c-section.

So, in the end we just have to keep waiting. It is getting stressful to see the time continue to pass by, but we are faithful.

Thank you again for all of your prayers. When we hear something further about the trial at Duke, we will send out a message.

God Bless,
Will & Katie



Update: March 14, 2010
Hello SWJPagers. Katie and I have been busy traveling here and there finding out about possible trials and treatments.

On Monday, we were in Durham, NC at Duke. There is a new trial starting at Duke in a couple of weeks that my doctors think is a great trial for me. We met with a doctor and a research nurse to discuss the trial, whether it was a good fit for me, and my prospects of getting in. They felt that the trial would be a good one for me to try. I am also at the top of the list for getting on this trial. The good thing about this phase 1 trial is that the amg 479 (the new drug being tested) has already gone through other trials and the recommended amount is known and everyone will get that amount. Since I would be in the first round I would also receive the FDA recommended amount of the other drug. The study is waiting for the final consent forms to be approved and then it is a go.

On Wednesday, we were in Nashville, TN at Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute. Sarah Cannon was Minnie Pearl on Hee Haw. We met with a doctor there who had worked under the doctor we met at Dana Farber and with the doctor we met with at Duke. Small world huh? She proposed several trials that she thought would be good possibilities. She also said that in May they would be beginning a clinical trial for neuroendocrine cancers.

I have relayed everything we found out with my doctors. They are going to look into each trial a little more and then make a recommendation. I do know that the study at Duke really interest them.

At this point, pray that the details of the Duke trial work out. That trial is still in the process of being finalized, but it does have the most potential. It is also a little further than Nashville, but we want to do the right thing for my health rather than just the most convenient. We will let you know what the next steps are in the process.

Will




Hello SWJPagers. We have returned from our trip to Boston and the Dana Farber Cancer Center. The visit proved to be a pleasant surprise as we became more informed of our treatment options, which have tremendous potential. And prior to our appointment, we were also able to visit historic Boston.

Prior to our appointment on Monday, we were able to begin walking the Freedom Trail. We visited the “cradle of liberty” (Faneuil Hall), the site of the Boston Massacre, and Beacon Hill, with all of the cobble-stone streets. We also visited the original Cheers, ate at the oldest restaurant in the United States (Union Oyster House), and checked out “Havad Yad.” It was nice to get a break and spend some time together even if we were there for another reason.

On Monday we went to meet with the doctors at Dana Farber to learn about their Phase 1 clinical trials. Phase 1 trials are designed to test the safety of a particular drug. Therefore, they slowly up the dose of the experimental drug until they get to the highest possible safe level. You do not know what level you are going to get in on in the trial. Still, the doctors were very nice to spend several hours with us discussing the trials available and helping us make sense of our treatment options. We left feeling pretty good about the meeting and knowing that there are options out there for Will, especially since the lady on the phone had said she didn’t think that they would have much for us. We ended up with four possible trials that might work for Will, and the suggestion to call regularly because more are opening up all the time.

Today we met with our doctors, LaRocca and Harandi here in Louisville. Will refers to it as the State of the Union meeting. We talked about all the possible routes of treatment. Dr. LaRocca and Dr. Harandi feel that a trial in Duke is also a really good option for Will right now. It is a Phase 1 trial, but it is testing two respected drugs combined with a third new drug. The good side of this Duke trial is that two of the drugs in this trial have already gone through testing and the new drug has been through at least one round of Phase 1 testing, so we know Will will get a descent dose.

Moreover, the three drugs in this trial are not chemo drugs. They are targeted treatment drugs. So they don’t have the same kind of side effects of traditional chemotherapy. The one drug that really excites the doctors is an insulin inhibitor drug that has been shown to have effects on neuroendicrine carcinomas. The other two drugs are also targeted treatment drugs, one a protein blocker and the other a growth factor receptor.

We also found out there are other possible avenues of treatment if this plan of action does not work. We are going to go to Nashville to meet with Vanderbilt and the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute to get our foot in the door for their trials, if the Duke trial falls through or does not help. We also have options of radiation and more chemotherapy. There is another scan the doctors want to do as well to see if Will’s neuroendicrine cancer contains some active something that doctors at LSU have developed a radioactive isotope to target.

Overall, it was the best mood I have seen Will in since we learned the news from the last scan. Our quiver is not empty as Dr. LaRocca says.

Please continue to pray for our family as we continue on this journey. We are hopeful in the treatments that have been presented, but more so our hope is renewed knowing we have several options. We are blessed to have so much support and people praying for us. We know that prayer changes things.

Peace to you,
Katie and Will



Update: February 15, 2010

I’ll get straight to the point: We saw Dr. Harandi today for a review of the scans that we took last Wednesday, which will tell us the state of cancer currently in my body. Frankly, the results were mixed.

On the positive, the cancer in my bones has not returned and the cancer in my liver has shrunken! On the negative, tumors in my lungs and chest have grown and two new lesions have developed.
On the positive side of the negative, the cancer that was already present in my lungs has not enlarged significantly, only by centimeters. But, it assuredly will. The two new lesions are also not very big at this point, only centimeters. But they too will assuredly grow. Overall, I am still in a much better place than I was this past July. I feel a world better physically and my energy has been back from chemo for a while now and Mack has brought us so much joy.

Still, Dr. Harandi has recommended that we see a couple of specialists in Boston who can perhaps pinpoint the abnormality that is producing the cancer in my lungs and apply a focused solution to reduce the cancer. This type of therapy has a reduced side affect profile compared to the broad spectrum radiation and chemotherapy which I have been doing and which has caused me some blood and energy difficulties in the recent past.

Katie and I are going to make plans to go to Boston in the next couple of weeks to meet with these doctors who may be able to help. This route is really better than continuing with radiation or chemotherapy- although we may need that in the future.

So, we are again in a little bit of a holding position while we take this next step, but it offers some genuine opportunities to reduce the cancer in my lungs without significant side affect.

“Thanks” to all of you all who have continued to keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Katie and I have a great deal to be thankful for and we owe so much of it to you all.

We will let you all know if anything new develops in the short term. Otherwise, we will let you know how things turn out in Boston.
Thanks again for your prayers.
Peace,
Will & Katie



February 8, 2010

It has been a long time SWJpagers, but a lot has been going on since my last update. I regret that it has been so long, but life happened.
Over the holiday after Mack was born, I went for a checkup with my radiation oncologist, Dr. Spalding. He said that everything looked good and that I will not have to see him unless the need arises again. He said he will take a look at my next round of scans, but other than that he is now out of the game as far as treating my cancer goes. Good news from doctor visit number one.
I also went for a checkup with my neurologist, Dr. Hodes, who performed my spinal fusion. He also said that I was doing really well, and that I have no restriction on what I can do from the surgery he did on my spine. He said that he too is now out of the game and that I will only see him if I think I need to. Good news from doctor visit number two.
In addition to those visits, I also went for a check up with the orthopedic oncologist, Dr. Rothrock. This will be my last time seeing Dr. Rothrock because he has since moved to Sioux Falls, SD; from now on I will see Dr. Buecker. Dr. Rothrock said that everything looked good with the rod and pin in my femur. I do not need to go back and see the orthopedist for another six months. Good news from doctor visit number three.
As you know from my previous post, I did not have my last round of chemotherapy. Since I did not have round six the insurance would not pay for a CT scan to see the progress of my treatment. The insurance did not feel I had received enough treatment from the last scan to warrant another. The insurance said they would pay for another scan in February. Well the time has come to get my CT scan. This Thursday, February 11th at 8:00 am I will get my CT scan. This is a very nerve racking time for me and my family. As you know, it is no longer just Katie and I, but we now have Mack too. We are praying that the scan will show that the cancer continued its favorable response to treatment and has not returned! Hopefully, that will lead to a wait and watch mode. Friday at 11:00 we will find out the results of the scan from the doctor.
All of you SWJpagers have been so supportive of me and my family during this journey we have been sent on. We would like to ask for your prayers this week leading up to the scan and doctor visit. We know that we are in a lot of prayers everyday from people who are supporting us; however, a little extra prayer this week couldn’t hurt.
On another note, things are going well with our new family of three. Mack is a very good baby, and only cries when he is hungry (knock on wood). We have been very blessed to have a happy, healthy baby. Several of you have gotten to meet Mack, but for those of you who have not, you can follow his journey in this world through his blog: http://itsallaboutmack.blogspot.com/ .
Once again, we just want to reiterate how grateful we are to everyone for everything you have done for us big and small. You thoughts, prayers, generosity, kindness, notes of support, etc. have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. Thank you so much! Think positive thoughts Thursday at 8:00 when I am in the machine receiving my scan and again on Friday. We will let you know the results as soon as we can.

God Bless
Will & Katie






Update: December 21, 2009

Happy Holidays to you SWJPagers! It is definitely a festive time of year.

Amongst all of the holiday hustle and bustle, a couple of very important developments have emerged over the past few weeks. My battle with cancer has victoriously shifted from the intense early treatment of the disease to the long-term battle and Katie and I witnessed the birth of our first child, a son, William Mark “Mack” Jones V. As always your support has seen us through.

During the week of December 6, I was supposed to receive my LAST session of chemotherapy Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (sweet). When the doctor read my count numbers prior to beginning, however, he saw that my hemoglobin was low at a 6.5. (Normal chemotherapy patients register between 13 and 17.) As a result, he decided that I should get some blood prior to beginning my last session of chemo. The arrival of the blood, though, takes some time and we didn’t have enough time to do anything but administer the blood on Tuesday. Wednesday, I was going to get a second unit of blood, then start the chemo and finish on Friday. To my surprise, Dr. Harandi said on Wednesday that he didn’t think it was in my best interest to do the 6th session of chemotherapy at all. Apparently, the long-term side-effects of the therapy would be potentially greater than the benefits. I had seen most of my response to treatment by session four and I had already had session five. Session six wasn’t likely to do much of anything except make ourselves feel better as a result of having done everything possible. The next step then is to watch and wait.

In February, I will have another scan and we will see what it shows and then take the next appropriate step. Looking back, the chemotherapy treatment worked just like so many of you had prayed for. The cancer that remained after session four was actually so small that it could not be determined whether those cells were active cells or already treated cells. As a result, it’s safe and reasonable to wait and reassess the cancer in February. Moreover, the blood and time away from my last chemotherapy treatment has given me energy I haven’t felt in a long time and it couldn’t come at a better time. My long-term battle with cancer now begins… and so does my role as a father.

That’s right! My little tribe expanded on Sunday, December 20th at 12:24pm when the doctors successfully retrieved my little cone-head during caesarian-section. He’s a cute little guy at 5.19 pounds and 18 ½ inches long. His chest is 11 inches and his head is 13, so he could be a smart one or an actor maybe (they literally have big heads-that’s why Vanna White got her job and look at Tommy Lee Jones). Katie is doing very well too in her recovery. The IV is out and she’s back on her feet today. Feeding is going well and we should be heading home on Wednesday. Both grandfathers, Gammy Jones and GrandNan have all spent quality time with the new boy. Check out the pictures of Mack on the webpage (just click on the photo tab at the top).

Thank you all for your support throughout the year. We could not have made it without your support. My health and our hopeful year are a direct result or your compassion and generosity.

Peace to you all,
Will & Katie




Update: November 23, 2009

Just a note about something amazing that has been happening in our mailbox for a little over two months. Someone signed us up for something called Secret Angel Stitchers. According to their website they are a group of about 100 women who met through their love of machine embroidery. We have been receiving cards from these women. We get about two cards a day as a nice treat in our mailbox. Inside there have been a wide variety of embroided angels. The angels vary in size, color, style. It is truly amazing to see how many different angels there are out there. Each card includes a nice note about how people all over the country, no wait world, are praying for us. It is so awesome!

Just to give you an idea of the scope of the ladies involved in this program, here is a list of the placed we received angels from.

Hazelwood, MO Asheville, NC Columbus, OH
Coastal, NC Allen Park, MI Plano, TX
Harrisburg, PA Talbott, TN Burke, VA
Burke, VA Jeffersonville, IN Dallas, TX
Fort Lauderdale, FL Atlanta, GA Milton, PA
Little Rock, AR Grove City, OH Medina, OH
Van Wert, OH Omaha, NE St. Louis, MO
Haughton, LA Milton, PA Washington, IA
Pensacola, FL Leslie, MI Palmyra, NY
Longmont, CO Bloomington, IL New Zealand
Woodbridge, VA Altsona, AL
Goodlettsville, TN Holland, MI


We are planning on decorating an entire Christmas tree with the angels we received. We will be sure to post pictures so you can see the amazing handy work of these caring women. Thank you so much for whoever let them know our story so that we could be so fortunate to be lifted each day when we visit our mailbox.

~Katie and Will




Update: November 15, 2009

Good Weekend to all you SWJpagers.

Your support continues to be incredible! I always enjoy reading the posts on the SWJ page and feel lifted by what you all have to say. Moreover, it’s always fun to hear from those of you that I haven’t seen in a long time.

Katie and I received very good news on Friday during our meeting with Dr. Harandi. Basically, the cancer is gone, he said, except for a couple of very small points, one in my right lung and one in my chest. Moreover, he said that the cancer points were so small that it’s hard to tell with the present technology whether those spots reflect active or treated cells. So, the cancer at this point could really be completely successfully treated, but we don’t know for sure. Regardless, there is no doubt that the reduction of cancer in my body is a reflection of your thoughts and prayers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

The only negative, which is hardly a negative, is the fact that the tumors referenced above continue to shrink, so they must continue to be treated. As a result, I will do two more sessions of chemotherapy to make sure that those spots are treated to their fullest. However, with treatments next week and then again in 18 days, I should be cancer free by Christmas and healthy for Mack’s birth in January! Now that’s the answer to prayers!

Thanks again for all of the incredible support! Happy holidays to you all. God bless.

Will & Katie



Update: November 8, 2009

Good Week to You SWJPagers!

It’s a big week for me this week, your support is still crucial.

As of two weeks ago, no more chemotherapy has been scheduled! Wednesday morning of this week, I will go to the hospital for another round of scans to determine the status of my cancer. On Friday, I will meet with the doctor to get those results. God willing, the test will show more positive results and I won’t have to do many more sessions of chemotherapy and I can be cured of this cancer. If you can find the time, your continued support could play a crucial role this week.

Keep me in your prayers! Thanks and God bless.
W. Jones





Update: November 7, 2009
Good Weekend to You SWJPagers!
Cancer makes my life crazy sometimes, thanks for your understanding.
Friday was supposed to be a routine day. ½ day off in the morning to go to the hospital to get my counts, then I was going to return to school to complete the week of work. However, that wasn’t to be and I appreciate your understanding.
When my counts came back they showed low levels of hemoglobin. I was around an 8 when typical cancer patients are around 13-17. What did this mean? For one thing, it meant my low energy levels over the past few days now had an explanation, but it also meant that I was going to get a blood transfusion and NOT be returning to work after all. So, instead of my day going as expected, my day took a crazy turn. Instead of returning to work as normal and planned, my students were going to get yet another day of a substitute teacher. Instead of returning to work and creating some sense of continuity in the classroom, I was going to get some else’s blood dripped in to my body for three hours. Moreover, I had to make sure that I didn’t get a quick headache or backache either, because that might mean I was having an allergic reaction to the blood. Thankfully, that didn’t happen. Finally, I showed the doctor another spot on my leg and he agreed that the infection of a few weeks ago had returned. That’s more pills over more days and more anxiety. That’s how crazy works in my world. Thanks for your understanding and support.
I’m ready to be over cancer and healthy again. Days like Friday are NOT all that unusual. Being sick really complicates things. Add a limp to the mix and you have a pretty good status update on me.
Thanks again for your understanding and support. Things get pretty crazy at times and it’s great to have you all in my corner. Thankfully as well, Katie seems not to be missing a beat. The Mack attack comes in January.
God Bless,
W. Jones


Update: Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Here is a link to an article that was in the Louisville Courier Jouranl today about Will.

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20091028/ZONE09/910280347/1027/NEWS0102/North%20Oldham%20High%20rallies%20behind%20teacher%20with%20cancer?GID=9s7GVloHLKHqgzjAPelsJjeYZDtjmifh3MMgQSQNYdo%3D




Update: Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Good Evening SWJpagers! It seems like there’s a lot to be covered given recent developments, but this update’s only going to cover the most recent good news. I intend to do another update and cover the Walkn’ 4 Will fundraiser exclusively. Thanks for understanding that that update is still coming.

Today, I finally had my follow-up appointment with Dr. Rothrock, the orthopedic oncologist who performed the surgery on my left hip and leg. He said that the x-rays that they took today showed that bone had completely filled-in the hole where the tumor in my leg had been and that the tumor was completely gone. Sweet! Prayers continue to be answered!

He also wrote a script for physical therapy, so I’ll get a little structure with my strength training and hopefully abandon the cane soon. –That’s great news because my lack of mobility has been really frustrating lately, like whenever I try to walk, sit down, or drive the car.

Mark Jones & Co. painted the Great Room last week. My birthday chair is in and oh so comfy. The carpet folks are coming tomorrow. The new couch and other chair that Katie bought this summer are in, too. So, the Great Room will be redone soon, save the curtains! That will pave the way for the final adjustments to the baby room. It’s great to cross a few things off of the agenda.

Please, keep up the prayers! We know that they make a difference. I’m not clear of Cancer yet, but with your continued support, I am sure that I can beat it!

Be sure to check-out the link to the Oldham Era article. It’s pretty good, and I am flattered to have been thought of enough to be the subject of such an article.

Peace,

Will & Katie



Update: Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Last Thursday the Oldham Era ran an article about Will's fight with cancer. Here is the web address if you would like to check it out.
http://www.lcni5.com/cgi-bin/c2.cgi?041+article+News+20091019122053041041001


Update: Thursday, October 1,2009

Today was a big day for us. We were to meet with the doctor this afternoon to get an update on the status of the cancer after Will's most recent scans.

Had the cancer shrunk due to treatment? Had it resisted the treatments and remained the same? Or, were there a tumors that had grown regardless of treatment? These were the concerns we had going in to the appointment. Quickly, our fears were heightened.

As teachers, we use a technique referred to as "sandwiching" to convey negative news. The sandwich starts with a positive to reduce defensiveness, then it's followed by the negative, then it concludes with another positive.

Well, when we met with the doctor, we thought the first words out of the doctor's mouth were "Your skin looks good." Will was like, "Well thank you" and I just kind of looked puzzled. Then the doctor proceeds to talk and I am like wait, "What looks good?" Apparently he said Will's scan looked good and we both heard skin. Whew, relief no sandwich of comments and no bad news today!!

So the PET scan showed that the chemotherapy is working! YEAH! The cancer that was consuming the liver is now not showing up on the scan. Apparently the liver was full of cancer and now nothing. Awesome huh?! The spots in Will's lungs are also gone, except for the one larger nodule at the bottom of his right lung. However, the large spot has reduced by about half or more. Yeah again! The lymphnodes that were in his chest, which apparently there were lots of them, have now gone away except for a couple. There are two small ones still and the large ones have shrunk by about half again. Whoo Hoo!

The doctor said that this is an overwhelming response to the chemotherapy and we are definately headed in the right direction. The radiologist has not written a comparasion report of this scan and the last yet. However, the doctor said it is obvious there is a big change. He showed us the new scan and what is left of the cancer. He said that Will will continue with the next two rounds of chemotherapy as planned and then have another PET scan. Those next two rounds of chemotherapy may be it depending on what the scan shows, or there may be two more rounds.

Going into today Will and I were both terrified of what today might bring. It is so hard to even express the feeling you feel unless you have been in this situation. Will and I have been on edge and probably taking it out on each other and those around us - sorry. We both had to take time today to wrap our minds around the news we received at the doctor. It was just such a relief to know that the cancer is responding to the chemotherapy and a blessing to know that it is responding so well. God is truly at work and with our family. He is hearing all of your prayers and is answering them. We feel so blessed to have gotten the news we received today, and are filled with an overwhelming sense of relief. We can only pray that things continue on the same track, and have no reason to believe that they will not. Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers on this crazy journey that God has decided to send us on. We are so appreciative of everything that everyone is doing for us! We are truly blessed!
~Katie and Will




Update: Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Big Day Tomorrow: Tomorrow brings another round of scans. At 9:00 tomorrow, Will is going to get a PET scan to check the progress of the chemotherapy. We are hoping to hear great news when we go back to get the results on Thursday at 11:30. Please send prayers and positve thoughts our way tomorrow and Thursday.



Update: Sunday, September 13, 2009

Good evening SWJpagers!

Without treatment of any kind, the past 18 days have been a welcome change of pace. They actually offered Katie and I a chance to get into a routine and gain some sense of normalcy, which we haven't had since we found out that I had Cancer.

During that time, I feel like we were able to develop a little bit of a flow in the classroom and get a few things done. Katie was able to cook dinner on a couple of occasions, buy some maternity clothes, and get caught up on some things.

Physically, I am still up and down a great deal, but I feel better now than I did before I found out that I had Cancer. For much of the past week, I walked without a cane. However, I feel pretty sore today and may have overdone it.

In addition to the "You, Me, and Jones" T-Shirts, which have been concluded after two additional orders, the school community continues to show its support. "Jeans for Jones" is a program whereby the teachers pay a dollar to wear jeans on Fridays with the proceeds coming to me. Moreover, a wonderful young lady who is a Senior at North Oldham H.S. where I teach has organized a "Walk for Will" walk-a-thon for October 16th. Students have started raising money and 65 T-Shirts, which look great, have already been sold. It will occur from 5:30 to 6:30 prior to the football game and Senior Night.

The students at North who do the weekly video announcements ran an interview with me on Friday that updated my status. A Courier-Journal reporter who was at school this past Tuesday for responses to the Obama speech to students had a card sent up to me with a request for me to call her. She hasn't called me back yet, but incredible things like that seem to happen all the time!

My hair has lasted much longer than I expected, although Katie says it's actually still on schedule to be gone soon. My cousin, Todd Moritz, was married this past weekend and I was in the wedding, so I was happy to still have my hair for the occassion. When I combed my hair this morning, however, two rather notable batches came out. They looked like they could have clogged the sink. I guess it's time to get the clippers out.

Other then that, things have been going well. The first three days of Chemo were a cake-walk compared to radiation, which caused a great deal of nausea. Hopefully, things will continue in the same manner. I don't know, but my understanding of Chemo suggests that the treatments weigh on your body in a cummulative manner. So, I may not be feeling quite as well at the end of next week.

On that note, Chemo Therapy is scheduled for this coming Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Katie is going to come on Tuesday. Mark and Terrie are going to come on Thursday. Wednesday I may drive myself and try to get some paperwork done.

I am kind of nervous, however, with treatments coming up because I have had some considerable allergies causing me discomfort. I think they caused a slight cough over the past few days, and it has gotten worse. With Chemo Therapy affecting your ability to fight off illness, I'm concerned that I could get sick. Don't worry though, I'll make sure that I let all the right people know and I won't have any Chemo Therapy unless I'm fit.

Katie and little Mack continue to grow. She says that her stomach muscles are sore above her tummy where the baby's growth seems to impact her body the most. At her doctor's visit last week, she said Mack's heartbeat was loud and sounded strong.

Thanks to everyone who continues to pray for us. I keep telling people that not a day goes by that we don't get a card, phone call, email or text from someone that seems to lift us. Keep it up! It makes a difference.

Peace and Love

Will & Katie





Update: Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Good day to all you SWJpagers out there!

I sit here this morning in my hospital chair beginning my second day of Chemo Therapy. One more day of treatment is scheduled for tomorrow before two weeks off. At that point, the cycle continues- 3 days of treatment followed by two full weeks off. The series of treatments then will last for almost four months and will conclude the first week in November, just in time to celebrate the holidays and Mack's arrival in a hopefully healthy fashion.

For treatments, I'm at a new outpatient center just a couple of miles from home, so it's convenient, new, clean, and not very busy. In reality, I am VERY grateful for this because here I can have a private room as opposed to the very crowded group treatment rooms that I have observed before and which seem really miserable. I get a great deal of extra attention from the nursing staff here and they make sure that I'm comfortable.

Katie was here the first day and my mother and father, Mark and Terrie, are here today. Tomorrow, I'm going to fly solo during treatment although many kind folks have volunteered to spend the time with me.

The treatments last about eight hours. After they flush the port lines, I get my premeds which include fluids, steriods, and antinausea meds. That lasts up to two hours. Cisplatin, one of the chemo drugs, lasts a little over four hours to infuse and then the VP-16 drug lasts about an hour forty-five minutes.

Mostly, the treatments have been really manageable. Yesterday, in fact, felt nearly like a vacation compared to the radiation sickness that I experienced and Katie and I had quite a few random laughs yesterday.

However, I don't expect it to last- even though the doctor insists that my age is on my side. Fatigue shouldn't materialize until about the end of next week...if at all (according to the doctor again) and the hair loss won't come for about two weeks, which will delay my mohawk and buzz for at least another week. (I want to get ahead of the hair loss and put my game face on. I have really been dreading chemo.)

In all, I am glad to be beginning this next phase of my treatment. I just pray that it is more manageable than the radiation proved to be. I look forward to the days when I'll get a break from all these doctors and treatments and feeling poorly. Moreover, I look forward to physically feeling better than I did when I was only worried about low-back and hip pain and not Cancer. That, as much as anything, I look forward to. It will be nice just to make some kind of a quick physical movement without fearing some kind freakish pain as a result.

With those thoughts in mind, I want to reiterate how much support Katie and I continue to feel from our families, friends, and work communities. Last week the doctor used the word "miracle" in regard to the very notable tumor shrinkage that had occurred in untreated areas of my lungs and liver. No doubt that reduction in tumor size is a result of the thoughts and prayers that you all have so tirelessly wished and offered on our behalf.

Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. We look forward to the day that we can look back on all of this.

Go Mustangs!

Katie & Will



Update: Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Let us just start by saying thank you for all of the prayers and keep them up, because they seem to be working already! We had an appointment with the oncologist today to set up dates for chemotherapy and discuss the results of recents scans/tests. The oncologist said he did not know the cause but that the tumors in the lungs and the liver have shrunk since the orginial ct scan at the beginning of July. He said it was rare for such a thing to happen and can not explain why. Needless to say this is a good sign and we are really excited with the news.

We also saw the radiation oncologist yesterday who was pleased with Will's progress and could not believe he was no longer taking pain medication.

Tomorrow will be a big day. Will will be having surgery tomorrow to get his port for chemotherapy. Please keep him in your prayers tomorrow.

On Monday, Will will begin chemotherapy. It will be three straight days of chemo in a row. After these three days, Will will have three weeks off of chemotherapy before the next round starts. He will have four cycles of chemotherapy. After two cycles, he will get another ct scan to track progress.

We can not even begin to put into words what the support and prayers have meant to us. God is listening and we are truly appreciative for everyone and everything people are doing for us. You are amazing!



Update: Tuesday, August 11, 2009

I know the posts have mentioned it and that the word is out to many, but we'll say it anyway:

Katie was right. "It's a Boy!"

We have decided that we will give him the family name, William Mark Jones, in honor of a promise I made to my grandfather when I was about six or seven, so he'll be the fifth. (It was the only way he'd give me that huge golf trophy on the top shelf of the spare closet....wait, top shelf, spare closet, out of view, gullable kid, that trophy must be for second place or something. Dang it! Oh, well. "Thanks," Grandpa, it's a great name!

Regardless, we are going to call him "Mack." That's half "Mark" for his Granpa Jones and half "Jack" for his Grandaddy Hood. For those of you who know what's coming... we thought "Mack" was much better than "Jark."

That being said, I'll be brief.

We hope to get a link attached to the bottom of the page so that you can order "Me, You, and Jones" "Together We Fight" shirts directly from the producer. Pictures are at the bottom of the page. (Thanks Kerch for the satient suggestion.)

Okay, I'm tired. Katie's tired. School starts tomorrow for me. Thursday it starts for Katie. It's 11 pm. Katie's dessert for her lunch-in was just completed...with much pride! "Look how good my cake looks," she just said. "It does look good," I said. (She's NOT a baker...it's a punch bowl cake.)

Thanks to all of you all who continue to lift us. Support at school today was incredible. So was the bounty of food we found when we got home. Katie loves the flowers. She said they must be from "someone's garden" for some reason or another, but she's not a Florist either.

Peace, Love, Thanks!

Mack's Mom & Dad

...hmm, I think I am begining to feel the pride.

(Shoutout 1) "Thanks," to all you dads out there who have been good models for me.

...guess it wasn't that brief.

Giles (Shoutout 2) it was really good to see you this weekend. Thanks for coming, the cards, and the gift. (Sorry I puked.)

(Shoutout 3) Miss Netherlands,
Your card arrived today. Katie and I enjoyed reading it. The kids laughing do seem like us, but that kind of laughing would only come after a fart joke!





Update: Saturday, August 8, 2009

Afternoon SWJpagers!

I just wanted to interject some good news into the updates. The last one was pretty bluesy.

On Friday, I forced the nausea out of my mind and myself out of the house and went to the Teal and Black football game at the high school where I coach and let me just say that it was a great time! Getting out there to the field and seeing the guys executing their plays and hitting and having a great time filled me with energy, which I have been seriously lacking. It really was a great time to be out there with the other coaches and the community. Sometimes you don't realize how much you miss something until you get a piece of it back!

"Thanks" everyone who made it their intention to say hello. And an especially large "thank you" goes out to Tyler Dahmen et al who made it their mission to make the "Me, You, and Jones." "Together We Fight." T-Shirts a reality. It is incredibly humbling and an honor to have you take on such an endeavor on my behalf. Your a very fine young man, a credit to your family, community, and the team.

On another subject, I have this hospital bed that I have been sleeping basically upright in for the last three weeks since I left the hospital. Finally, however, my left femur/hip and back are strong enough to tolerate sleeping on both my right and left side. Not only does this reflect improvement in my physical condition, but it also enables me to sleep MUCH more soundly! Quality rest is so important. The last couple of nights I haven't woken-up half a dozen times to get comfortable.

Lastly, you may not see it next week at school and you certainly did not see it last night while I was in the wheel chair (its really just faster and more convenient) but I feel really close to being able to walk without crutch, cane, or walker. It will be a great relief when that day happens!

Well, school starts next week so there's plenty to do. Katie wants one last day of recreation, so were off to see if we can enjoy the pleasant weather at the pool.

"Thanks."

Will & Katie

Update: Thursday, August 6, 2009

Good afternoon SWJpagers!

It was a big week this week as radiation came to a welcomed close, but it was a long one marked by nausea and discontent.

Radiation was scheduled to continue this week through Wednesday and it certainly did. Mom and Dad came down on Monday to see me through it as Katie had school duties that kept her busy. We were going to eat breakfast at the Waffle House ( yes, still one of my favorites) before a consultation visit with Dr. Kraut about a "port" for Chemotherapy, but my nausea opposed. M & D may have enjoyed their breakfast, but I spent the morning in the parking lot sick. That's just about how my week went in terms of nausea. Yes, I thought I had good medicine that had served me well last week, but it just didn't take this week.

Tuesday went much the same. I tried to stabalize the stomach in preparation for radiation and tried to fight off nausea afterward. Wednesday, the radiation folks were great. They gave me a little certificate of completion, some candy, and wished me well, but it went much the same...only Wednesday I got sick again. What I learned is that if my stomach doesn't feel good, it pretty much ruins my day.

Still, I have to give a shout out to the peeps who came over to help celebrate the end of "Radiation Man." It was great to see you all even though I wasn't feeling well. Also, it was great to see family and you Pitters peeps last weekend, too. Thanks for making a point to see me. It does mean a great deal. In truth, the distraction probably held-off the nausea. Still, the visit was great.

Next week will prove a busy one. School starts and Katie and I have to juggle a number of appointments. We'll find out the sex of the baby on Tuesday! Katie said she thinks it's a boy. I thought the heartbeat sounded like a girl. We'll see.

Thanks to all of you all who have continued to offer your prayers, support, time, and family recipies with us. We couldn't do it with out you! We continue every day to be greated by little surprises in the mail from people in so many different areas of our lives. Thank you.




Update: Saturday, August 1, 2009

Good afternoon SWJpagers!

It was a long week, but it included progress and some pretty good news!

The radiation therapies continued for treatments 3 through 7. They don't take long, really only about 2 minutes of total exposure time between the front and back of the hip and spine areas, but they put me in a foul mood. Basically, I spend the morning trying to get my stomach in a state of comfort prior to the treatments and then I spend the afternoon trying to avoid the coming sickness. The Phenegran has helped but not totally. All this over-consciousness about the potential of being sick makes me half sick and grumpy to boot. Distraction helps, but not totally. On the bright side, my request for Zophran, which so many of you all had recommended, got me another drug called Kytril, which really helped! So, I have three more treatments, but with the new drug, the likelyhood of feeling good after the treatements has gone up significantly. That makes me feel better already!

On another note, our meeting with Dr. Spalding last Thursday, the radiation oncologist who incidentially looks like Dennis the Menace's father in the cartoon strip, went well. He confirmed that radiation treatments would only be two weeks instead of the possible five and very confidently assured us that the cancer in the hip and spine that we have been radiating would be completely wiped out and it had only about a 10% chance of returning in those areas. It's not perfect, but I'll take that good news!

The follow-up with Dr. Hodes, who did the spinal surgery, went well. He was very pleased with the x-rays and my mobility and comfort. He sees it as a complete success and mentioned how he and the other Docs. were going to present my case at some medical conference, but not necessarily for positive reasons. The lack of a clear pathology has put me in a group of less than 5% of cancer cases, which isn't good. Still, it's good to know that my case will be a topic of collegial discussion amongst those of the medical profession and that something good could come from that.

Lastly the new chair is in and it is comfy! "Thanks" to all of you all who chipped in on my early birthday present. I've already found it quite the nap facilitator.

So, next week brings an exciting end to the radiation phase of my cancer treatment. At that point, I will have a couple of weeks off before the Chemotherapy treatment begins at the end August or early Septermber. School will start during that window, and at least I'll have a chance to get some patterns established in my classroom before the chemo. treatments keep me away for a number of days.

Regardless, thank you all for your time and support! If you all had not mentioned the Zophran, I wouldn't have mentioned it to the Doc., and he wouldn't have given me the additional medicine, which helped significantly last Friday and which I hope will continue to do so this coming week.

Thanks for everything! Katie and I continue to feel lifted by the support so many of you all have so graciously given.

Thanks! Will & Katie




Update: Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Lessons Learned in the Past Week:

1. Don't take the office girl's word for it when you ask questions about scheduled tests.

Explanation - Will had his octreotide scan this week. When the girl called to schedule the appointment she told Will it was a 1-2 hour test on Monday. Oh no, no, no. On Monday he just got injected with the radioactive isotope. Then Tuesday we had to return for the two hour scan. However, then we had to go back again today for yet another scan.

2. Hospitals are apparently offended when you seek treatment at another hospital.

Explanation - Radiologist at U of L could not understand why we came to U of L to get the scan instead of going to Baptist East where we had gotten all the other scans. Sorry to offend you we just follow directions.

3. Don't go straight from using a walker to using nothing.

Explanation - Ute the physical therapist yelled at Will today for walking around the house without a walker or cane. Apparently that is a big no no to go from using a walker to using nothing, no matter if it feels okay to you. So now Will is using the cane his Uncle Fred loaned him.

4. Radiation will only be 10 days not 5 1/2 weeks!

Explanation: We did find out today that Will is only getting two weeks of radiation. That means today was the half way point. Yeah! He has also managed to get the nausea under control. We just have to make sure he has the right amount of food and medicine before and after treatment. Also distraction is a big help too.

5. Friends and family do not quit with the amazing support.

Explanation - We still manage to be surprised and overwhelmed each day with the amount of support and help we are receiving. The North football team continues to supply us with great meals that are a huge help with all of the appointments we are having. A group of guys came by last week to spend time with Will and cheer him up. I think they had a blast hanging out together just the guys. The cards and surprises in the mail are always a nice suprise and put a smile on our faces. A special thanks goes out to our friends who came up to Louisville to celebrate my 30th birthday and help me have time out. Another group of Louisville friends also helped make Saturday a great night of celebrating too. Thanks for making my birthday great! Thanks to Pete for sending a box full of laughs for Will to watch. When did you move to Missouri?

~ Katie



Update: Friday, July 24, 2009

Well, yesterday was my first radiation treatment, so the battle has begun again. After the surgeries on my hip/femur and back to prepare the body for the fight, it's good to finally get the fight going again against the cancer.

Radiation is supposed to last for two weeks, although that is still unconfirmed. It is supposed to be the milder of the treatments compared to the Chemotherapy.

The treatments only last about half an hour. I lay on a nice hospital table, they position me, and an x-ray looking machine moves around to front and back positions on my spine and femur and zaps me with the radiation.

Yesterday, they put some radiation exposure counters on the spots getting radiation and they lit-up and beeped the whole time. I sort of chuckle at the idea that my leg and back have essentially been under nuclear attack. HaHa.

Katie kept harrassing me, too, to turn my light off by my bed because it was keeping her awake, but we both knew she was just joking with me saying that I was glowing from the radiation. Katie: "Will, Will, Will" Will: "What? I'm sleeping!" Katie: "Turn your light off!" HaHa.

The down-side of the treatments, which had perhaps been down-played to us, is nausea. I guess it doesn't affect everyone or everybody the same, but it got me yesterday. Maybe it's the large dose, which I think the Doc. has ordered for me, but I was sick as a dog all afternoon.

I now have a prescription for Phenergan, which should help with the nausea, but I'm afraid radiation will have a more significant impact on my schedule than I had hoped, especially in regard to football. We'll see. Treatment two is this afternoon.

Still, "Thanks" Dad, for hanging with me while the ladies shopped for my new chair. And "Thanks" ladies for helping pick out a new chair for me. It's going to be great to sit in a new comfy chair...that Ute the physical therapist approves of, too.

Ladies, you'll be interested to know (and dudes beware) that Katie took advantage of my coming new chair to begin the process of getting a whole new great-room suite. My new chair apparently only comes with a new couch and another new chair. 'Course now we have to paint, too!

Regardless, Katie's been an absolute saint and she deserves everybit of a new set of furniture. She has a very big birthday coming up on Sunday!

Thanks a million to all of you all who have been soo attentive to our needs. Mustang meals continue to arrive and they are delicious! Zucchini bread, tetrazinni, pot pie...they have all been wonderful to have and tasty to eat.

"Thanks" as well to all of you all who continue to have us in your thoughts and prayers. There is no doubt that we continue to feel lifted by them.

Will & Katie


there is no light.
Update: Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Well, today was the big day. Finally after waiting for what seems like forever we received pathology on what Will is battling. The pathologist guru in Italy has spoken and we think we have an answer. It has been determined that Will has metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma of unknown primary (origin). This was actually the best case scenerio of all the possible cancers they told us it might be. Thank God for that!

We now know what the course of treatment will be. This Thursday Will will begin radiation on his back and hip/femur. We think since it is not the worse case scenerio that radiation will be 10 days of treatment not 5 1/2 weeks.

In the next four weeks, Will will get octreotide scan to test to make sure that it is a neuroendocrine cancer. He will also have another ct scan after radiation to see how the cancer has responded and also reference the spots not treated by radiation against the original scans.

After all of this, Will will begin chemo towards the end of August, about four weeks from now. This chemo will be a mixture of VP-16 and Cisplatin. Dr. LaRocca wants to see if Will's form of cancer responses to chemo. Will will have 3 days of chemo every 3-4 weeks for a total of 12 cycles. If the chemo has no effect on the cancer, chemo will not be continued. If it is indeed a neuroendocrine cancer Will will have shots of somatostatin after chemo.

Even though Will has cancer, this was some good news today in respect to what we could have been told. To quote the doctor, "We know it's not the bad shit." The multiple pathology reports have ruled out Ewing's sarcoma, osteoscarcoma, any other scarcoma, etc. Four pathology reports have now agreed that it is a neruoendocrine carcinoma.

You have no way of knowing how much all the support means to us. We know that we have a long, hard road ahead of us, but with such support it will be much easier to tackle. Will got a laugh today knowing he is bringing an older generation to facebook so they can check on his status and receive updates. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the love, support, and helpful gestures!
- Katie


Update: Sunday July 19, 2009

Good afternoon to all you SWJpagers! Thank you for your continued support! Every thing, large or small, quick or enduring continues to make a difference. Warm wishes, meals, hugs, letters, and notes work cummulatively to keep us lifted. "Thank You!"

The home health visits at the end of last week were kind of wild, but the subtle changes made to our already upsidedown world will undoubtedly be for the better. The wheels on my walker got flipped so they roll from the inside rather than the outside, which makes doorways easier to navigate and does less damage. Also, I now have exercises that I can do for my hip/femur that will improve function and hopefully allow me to move away from the walker all together. On the other hand, I found out that my favorite chair is too low and doesn't have enough good back support for me to spend much time in it. But, the Home Health folks got really creative with it.... to the point where my chair looks like something that Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies should be sitting it. There are pillows stacked on the cushions which raise it up and over the arms. Rigged-up styrophome from a gift box (thanks James) wrapped in kitchen-cabinet tacky foam now keeps it from tilting and swivelling. As well, there's a mess in the kitchen where the PT lady did all of her handy work with something close to our butter knife. The chair is supposed to be better but, you take the good with the bad.

One of the incisions from the hip surgery seems to be infected, too. We could see it coming on Friday, but people really wanted to wait to introduce an antibiotic if we could. I don't have a fever, which is obviously good, but we had a prescription called in today anyway.

I'm ready to get this next week started. I'm curious to see the x-rays of my back at the neurosurgeon follow-up appointment. Frankly, it feels like a set of hangers back there sometimes. Still, that's not until the end of the week really. Radiation preparation begins on Monday, which I am growing increasingly relieved to be starting. Up to this point in terms of treatmeant, we have basically been on pause for nearly two weeks. We have more Home Health visits and I wanted to make it out to football on Monday, but that may prove too much.

Tuesday is follow-up with my hip/femur in the morning and then oncology in the afternoon with Dr. LaRocca. That'll be the big one. We should be finally finding out pathology. For better or worse, I think that I have had my head in the sand a little. I know the cancer is advanced and in a number of places and not likely to necessitate any kind of organ extraction or anything like that, but it's still not good. I have a feeling that it is pretty thick in places, but I haven't been told that in any overwhelming fashion or seen all of the images. I heard alot early on about the benefits of my youth to take this cancer on. It would seem that I'll need everybit of it. I'm not sure I want to know just how bad it is. On the one hand, just tell me where to be and how long to be there and I'll keep showing. On the other hand, I'd like to know the foe, exactly where it is and what kind of a battle it is going to take in each spot. I want to know treatment schedules and see progress data.

In the short-term, I'll have to wait a few more days until Tuesday to find out what the pathology is. Shortly there after, the fight will begin again. Thanks for being there with me and my family.

Will & Katie


Update: Friday July 17, 2009

Good Afternoon SWJpagers!

The refrain is consistent, but so reflective of the truth:

Thoughts and Prayers And Acts of Kindness Continue to Find Themselves Our Way And We Continue to Feel the Grace.

I think the Mustang Football Family has begun paperwork to adopt us. Billy Ray Cartwright has lead the effort to coordinate anything and everything he can for us. Mrs. Corsentino et. al. have begun helping with meals and the boys have been putting together well wishing signs. There's even a SWJ T-Shirt rumoured to be underway.

Katie and I have always known that Goshen is a special place, but it seems to get reproven every hour.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

On a couple more quick notes:

It will be good to get out of the house and see the family this weekend at my cousin Elliott's wedding shower. Congratulations Anna and Elliott! Just a few more weeks!

Next week will include a busy schedule with a number of medical appointments. I have follow-up appointments for my back and leg surgeries and two appointments to prepare for radiation treatments. Hopefully in there somewhere will be a mention of the final pathology and the more exacting course of action that will hopefully bring defeat to the cancer.

Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Thanks,

Will & Katie


Update: Wednesday July 15, 2009

Good Morning to you SWJpgrs!

Yesterday was a great day for Katie and I. We went to the OBGYN for the 15-week check-up (my first visit) and we were able to listen to the baby's heartbeat, which sounded strong and determined. The Doc noted that Katie's numbers looked healthly and that he had known about our previous two weeks in the hospital. He thought that she had seemed to take the stresses of last week at a non-distressing level tothe baby. "Thank You for all of the Prayers!" Next month is the big ultrasund where we will be able to find out the sex of the baby for the first time. I know that Katie wants to be prepared for the child that comes, so we will probably find out the sex.

After the visit to the Doc, we spoiled ourselves a little at the Cheddar Box for lunch and just tried to enjoy each other's company before we tackled much of the day's agenda.

Admittedly, I had trouble keeping the past two weeks from showing on my face a little at the resturaunt. Being out in public for the first time after having been diagnosed with cancer was challenging for me at times. What is it going to mean for me? The advanced nature of the disease in my body is clearly alarming, and cancer reports on the 6 O'Clock news don't show enough of the victories. At the same time, people survive cancer everyday. Medicine continues to improve and stories continue to inspire. But when I'm out, and I push that walker ahead of me, people look. I have my hair now, but not much longer maybe. We have tried to rebuild my body to prepare for the fight, but the first bell really hasn't souned. And there is MUCH we don't yet know.

That's where your thoughts and prayers really do make a difference. It seems that support continues to come in from all corners of the earth. Yesterday, Katie's mother drove an hour in from Harrodsburg with a little water jug and cassarole dish and then we got word that a candle had been lit for Katie and I at the Vatican!

Everyday we feel lifted by kindness and generousity. We can't thank you enough.

Peace, Will & Katie

Happy Birthday, Terrie Jones!

Update: Monday, July 13, 2009

After a long and trying week and a half, but a well supported one, Will was released from the hospital today...so WE'RE HOME!

A hospital bed now sits in our house ready to accomodate Will's remaining physical challenges and parked next to it is his new roller-walker.

Reflecting his improved spirit, Will joked that he was going to have his new walker plated and tagged "WHEELS'"!

Hopefully, we will continue to see marked physical improvement throughout the week in preparation of coming treatments, which still remain undefined. Still, tomorrow brings another roller-coaster day with Will's first visit to the baby doctor.

Back in terms of treatment, we still do not know what the exact next steps will be. We are still waiting on pathology. It has now been sent to New York and Italy for analysis. We should know in about a week what we are dealing with.

The well wishes, visits, cards, and comments have been so overwhelming. You have no idea how much each and every one has meant to Will and myself. It makes each day a little easier to know we have so many friends and family members keeping us in their thoughts and prayers.
Thanks for all the support! - Katie

Update: Sunday, July 12

Good Sunday to you all! I wanted to take a brief moment to express to you all that I have been truly humbled by the situation and the overwhelming support that has helped me get through it to this point. It seems that friends, family, and associates -now matter how disparate from the recent past- Do Remember, Do Continue to Think and Pray and Do Care. Everything from the quickest note to the surprise visit continues to seem the true essence of things.

In no real way am I independent or cured, but I could leave the hospital today. Long terms of Chemotherapy and Radiation will quickly be on the horizon for me as we have to continute to fight the cancer that hasn't yet been touched by thse surgeries. In short, keep the prayers coming. Thanks! -Will

update: July 9, 2009

Will just got out of hip surgery. The doctor said that everything went as planned. He now has a rod in his femur to make it stable. Will update when we know more. Thanks for all of the well wishes. -Katie

______________________________________________

We now have more detailed information about Will's condition, The following is taken from an email from Will's wife Katie.

Well last Tuesday, he went in for another MRI. The doctor called and said they wanted him to go back in on Wednesday and have another one with contrast because they thought they saw something. So he went in on Wednesday and had the test. The doctor called that afternoon and said there were things on the MRI that should not be there and that he had made us an appointment for 9:30 in the morning at the oncologist.

We went to the oncologist and after looking at the films they pretty much could not believe that Will had walked in there on his own like he had. They saw masses on his spine, sacrum, and hip. The immediately began taking tons of blood and working on finding a hospital that would do CT and bone scans and a biopsy on the Thursday before a holiday weekend. We left the doctor's office and went to the hospital where they did CT scans and a bone scan. Then they did a biopsy, which to our surprise was from his liver. After the test were run, we found out that Will has cancer up and down his spine, in his sacrum, in his femur/hip, lungs, and liver.

So after that he was admitted to the hospital and started on steroids to try to relieve some of the pressure of the growth in the middle of his spine, because it was just days away from severing (sp) his spinal cord and paralyzing him.

On Friday we met with neurosurgeons. One guy wanted to cut him open from T7 all the way to L2 and put in rods and plates, so we ask for a second opinion. The new doctor just did it orthoscopically, 7 small incisions, and just put a rod on the bones right above and below where the growth was. He removed as much of the cancer as he could and put in bone cement to fill in the bones where they had been eaten away. He also worked on the tumor on his sacrum to relieve pressure on the nerves. Everything went as planned in the surgery on Saturday.

On Sunday the orthopedist came in and wanted to do surgery that afternoon to stabilize Will's hip because the cancer has eaten the bone and caused it to basically be broken. The doctor that did the back surgery said no way is he having two major surgeries back to back so we got yet another second opinion. The new guy wanted to wait on pathology to see what we were dealing with, because if it was a cancer that responds to radiation he was just going to put in a rod and if it was one that did not respond he was going to do a hip replacement. However, the scans of his hip looked better than he thought they would, so tomorrow Will is getting a rod put in his hip to stabilize it. He is also going to get out as much of the cancer as he can and clip Will's hip flexor because it is pulling on the week part of the bone.

We still do not have pathology back on what kind of cancer it is. We do know that we are dealing with the same cancer in the bones that is in the liver and lungs. After Will's body is stable and he can move again we will begin an aggressive treatment. There will be radiation and chemotherapy involved but they are waiting to know what it is to know how to treat it.

Needless to say we were in total shock with the news and it has been really hard to digest. The doctors can't believe he was not having any symptoms and just keep saying that he is a healthy 34 year old and that will really help him fight this.

On a flip note there is some good news at our house. We are going to have a baby. The baby is due in early January. Talk about not fabulous timing but oh well. Maybe it will help Will power through.