Saturday, June 30, 2012
Home from the Hospital
June 23rd - Annual David H Whitesides Golf Event
When my brother Ben and I were younger we use to go golfing for Father's Day with my dad and with my grandpa or Papa as we so lovingly called him. It was a great time for us to bond and have fun. Although I think the funnest part was listening to Papa curse when he would whiff or slice. He was sincerely upset sometimes at how he played so it was even funnier trying not to laugh, but who wouldn't laugh at hearing your grandpa say "hells bells" or "hell almighty" or "dammit all." Those are memories that I will be forever grateful for.
About three years ago my brother Ben and I talked about getting a tradition going with all the Whitesides brothers and of course dad to go golfing at least once a year around Father's Day. It has been an awesome bonding time together and it is something I look forward to all year long. This year was no different. We weren't going to let the cancer get us down and we golfed all nine holes and I was impressed with myself going all the way. Of course I slept quite a bit after but it was definitely worth it.
This same day after having a great time golfing, we went up to my parents house for lunch. What a surprise when I found the whole family there waiting to congratulate me on getting my MBA. My graduation was to be in Portland, Oregon on June 16th, but because of the circumstances of the cancer and treatment, if wasn't possible for us to travel up there so my family threw me a party here which was a lot better being surrounded by those that I love most.
About three years ago my brother Ben and I talked about getting a tradition going with all the Whitesides brothers and of course dad to go golfing at least once a year around Father's Day. It has been an awesome bonding time together and it is something I look forward to all year long. This year was no different. We weren't going to let the cancer get us down and we golfed all nine holes and I was impressed with myself going all the way. Of course I slept quite a bit after but it was definitely worth it.
This same day after having a great time golfing, we went up to my parents house for lunch. What a surprise when I found the whole family there waiting to congratulate me on getting my MBA. My graduation was to be in Portland, Oregon on June 16th, but because of the circumstances of the cancer and treatment, if wasn't possible for us to travel up there so my family threw me a party here which was a lot better being surrounded by those that I love most.
June 19th through 22nd - More Shots
My white blood count continued to be low so I was in the doctor's office everyday of this week getting a shot to boost it up. It wasn't that bad as it was time consuming finding the right time to go up to Ogden for the shot because this week I also returned to work and worked about 20 hours this week. The important thing to remember is the white blood cells are your body's defense system against infection and sickness so if they are too low and you get sick, it is a lot worse than just your common cold etc. There was one downside effect from the shots and it is that they make your joints and bones sore as the shots stimulate the growth of white blood cells. I'm happy though that with just a shot they can get the count back up so we can stay on schedule for the treatment.
Monday, June 18, 2012
White Blood Count Blah
Today I went to get my white blood count tested again because it was a little low last Thursday. I went in and had it tested in it was even lower. In fact my platelets are producing next to zero white blood cells so they had to give me a shot, and I will be getting shots all week in hopes that they can raise the white blood count otherwise I will have to postpone the second round of chemotherapy until it is stable. I was given the same instructions to avoid the crowds and especially even more shaking hands. I have a semi-important meeting I need to attend tomorrow and there will be lots of people so I've decided I will take hand-sanitizer and wear a mask. Maybe I can scare them by saying I have SARs or Swine Flu, but then the CDC would probably come in and quarantine me so I'll just let everyone's imaginations race as to why I have a mask on. This is just a small bump in the road and I am confident that we'll be able to start the second round next Tuesday as planned. Thank you again for all the prayers, thoughts, love, support, and good energy. Keep sending it our way because we can honestly feel it and it is helping me more than you know.
Father's Day...Awesome!
Today was my first father's day as a dad. It was one of the best days in so many ways. I was able to get lots of kisses from my beautiful wife Gloria and my Zoe Cakes. Gloria had traced Zoe's hand in my card and it melted my heart. She also gave me a pillow that says "My Dad is My Best Friend." Needless to say today I have been kind of a cry baby but tears of happiness and gratitude. Being a husband and father is the greatest role I could have ever hoped or asked for.
I went to Church today and it was a great to hear uplifting words and prayer. It reinvigorates me for the coming week ahead. I followed the doctor's orders though and to avoid a lot of contact I arrived late and left early even though I would have loved to stay and shake heads and shared hugs with all the wonderful members of the Emigration Trail Branch. They have been so wonderful. In the LDS culture people always say that the congregation that you go to is a ward or branch family and that has ever been so true as they have been there to mow the lawn, weed the garden, bring wonderful meals, clean the house, and just to let us know they are thinking about us and how much they love us. We feel very blessed to be a part of the Emigration Trail Branch Family. We Love You Too Emigration Trail!
To finish this post, thinking about Father's Day I had time to think about my own father or Pops as I call him. I was so emotional today that all I could manage was a text to him telling him how much I love him and that he has been and always will be my HERO! I can say that all the good in me as a husband and a father is because I watched my dad all of those years how he treated my mom and us kids. My dad taught me the importance of service and doing it because you love people. For about two or three years were were home teachers together and we really didn't teach very many lessons in all those years because we were always busy serving the families we were assigned by helping fix things. My dad is a jack of all trades and instead of putting on our white shirts and ties, we usually went home teaching in our work clothes, with tools in hand ready to fix an air conditioner, a swamp cooler, a fence, dishwasher, garbage disposal, and an array of other things. Pops, thank you for teaching me what it means to truly serve others!
I went to Church today and it was a great to hear uplifting words and prayer. It reinvigorates me for the coming week ahead. I followed the doctor's orders though and to avoid a lot of contact I arrived late and left early even though I would have loved to stay and shake heads and shared hugs with all the wonderful members of the Emigration Trail Branch. They have been so wonderful. In the LDS culture people always say that the congregation that you go to is a ward or branch family and that has ever been so true as they have been there to mow the lawn, weed the garden, bring wonderful meals, clean the house, and just to let us know they are thinking about us and how much they love us. We feel very blessed to be a part of the Emigration Trail Branch Family. We Love You Too Emigration Trail!
To finish this post, thinking about Father's Day I had time to think about my own father or Pops as I call him. I was so emotional today that all I could manage was a text to him telling him how much I love him and that he has been and always will be my HERO! I can say that all the good in me as a husband and a father is because I watched my dad all of those years how he treated my mom and us kids. My dad taught me the importance of service and doing it because you love people. For about two or three years were were home teachers together and we really didn't teach very many lessons in all those years because we were always busy serving the families we were assigned by helping fix things. My dad is a jack of all trades and instead of putting on our white shirts and ties, we usually went home teaching in our work clothes, with tools in hand ready to fix an air conditioner, a swamp cooler, a fence, dishwasher, garbage disposal, and an array of other things. Pops, thank you for teaching me what it means to truly serve others!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Update - June 14, 2012
I thought that I would get on here and give everyone a little update on what is going on in the Whitesides family. My nausea has been off again on again kind of like Rachel and Ross and believe me I wish the nausea and I were on a break...so I have started taking the anti-nausea medicine again and I seem to be doing great. I went to get my white blood count done today and I was told it was a little low and not to be alarmed. I have to get it tested again on Monday. The nurse was really nice and gave me a few instructions and said I should take into the account the following:
Avoid shaking hands and hugs with those that are not immediate family, don't they know that I go to a Spanish branch. Handshakes there are a minimum but hugs and kisses are expected, I guess I'll have to skip church for another week so as not to make anyone feel bad ha ha.
On another note, I went to work today. Yes that is right, I drove myself all the way down to Salt Lake City, and worked for about 4 hours. I felt like that kid who leaves home for the first time on his way to kindergarten. It was great to give my mind a break and get down to work on a few things that were pending there. Everyone was awesome and super nice to me. It was a great day to say the least. I was careful though to not handshake with anyone and I definitely did wipe down my desk, computer, mouse, etc.
Unless something else really eventful happens in the next few days I will post again on Sunday.
- Wash hands frequently
- Avoid large groups
- Avoid touching your face
- Watch for fever
- Watch for cold sweats
- Wipe down all surfaces with disinfectant
- Avoid shaking hands
- Avoid hugs with those that are not immediate family
Avoid shaking hands and hugs with those that are not immediate family, don't they know that I go to a Spanish branch. Handshakes there are a minimum but hugs and kisses are expected, I guess I'll have to skip church for another week so as not to make anyone feel bad ha ha.
On another note, I went to work today. Yes that is right, I drove myself all the way down to Salt Lake City, and worked for about 4 hours. I felt like that kid who leaves home for the first time on his way to kindergarten. It was great to give my mind a break and get down to work on a few things that were pending there. Everyone was awesome and super nice to me. It was a great day to say the least. I was careful though to not handshake with anyone and I definitely did wipe down my desk, computer, mouse, etc.
Unless something else really eventful happens in the next few days I will post again on Sunday.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Nausea, Skinny Bones, and Feeling Better
We haven't posted anything since Wednesday or Thursday mainly because I haven't been able to concentrate on writing because of all the nausea from the chemo-drugs. I would have to say that this is the worst part of the treatment is the nausea. However, I think I came out on top and won this round because I did not throw up and I have managed to eat regular food. The nausea didn't hit me until Wednesday and has continued pretty much through Saturday. It seems I continue to lose weight and I am probably just being self-conscious but I think I'm becoming too much of a skinny bones. The best way to describe it is I feel I have the rear end of an 80 year old man...completely flat and/or non-existent. It could always be worse though, I could be on the other end of the spectrum and have a booty bigger than J-Lo's. Hopefully I'll be able to get some walking and exercise in this next week to start rebuilding my physique that can only be compared to that of Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson's. Overall today I am feeling a whole lot better then I did when I got home on Friday and I take that as a good sign that things are looking on the up and up.
I have talked a lot about faith in my other postings and it just seems to be the perfect theme for my batter with cancer. I read President Henry B. Eyring's talk from the previous LDS General Conference. He said "many of you are now passing through physical, mental, and emotional trials that could cause you to cry out as did one great and faithful servant of God I knew well. His nurse heard him exclaim from his bed of pain, when I have tried all my life to be good, why has this happened to me?”
I think that is safe to say that we've all felt that way at some point in our life. However, I do not believe that it is the attitude that we should have. President Eyring states that long before these trials come our way we need to build a strong foundation of faith in our lives. He stated that "if the foundation of faith is not embedded in our hearts, the power to endure will crumble." This happens through making right choices. Some of the things I can think of are obeying God's commandments, being a loving husband and father, and serving others.
Towards the end of his talk, President Eyring recounts his mother's battle with cancer. At her funeral it was said that they passed through this trial not because she had done something wrong, but because God wanted her to be polished just a little more. I have thought about that many times and if I am being polished to be a better person, a better husband, a better father, I accept that and the Lord's will and I will continue to put my faith and trust in the Lord's hands.
I have talked a lot about faith in my other postings and it just seems to be the perfect theme for my batter with cancer. I read President Henry B. Eyring's talk from the previous LDS General Conference. He said "many of you are now passing through physical, mental, and emotional trials that could cause you to cry out as did one great and faithful servant of God I knew well. His nurse heard him exclaim from his bed of pain, when I have tried all my life to be good, why has this happened to me?”
I think that is safe to say that we've all felt that way at some point in our life. However, I do not believe that it is the attitude that we should have. President Eyring states that long before these trials come our way we need to build a strong foundation of faith in our lives. He stated that "if the foundation of faith is not embedded in our hearts, the power to endure will crumble." This happens through making right choices. Some of the things I can think of are obeying God's commandments, being a loving husband and father, and serving others.
Towards the end of his talk, President Eyring recounts his mother's battle with cancer. At her funeral it was said that they passed through this trial not because she had done something wrong, but because God wanted her to be polished just a little more. I have thought about that many times and if I am being polished to be a better person, a better husband, a better father, I accept that and the Lord's will and I will continue to put my faith and trust in the Lord's hands.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Extra Extra! Read all about it!
This time we will let someone else tell the story!
http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/06/06/thymic-cancer-patient-throws-head-shaving-party
http://www.standard.net/
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Going strong!
Jona proves again to be an amazing warrior! 30 continuous hours of chemo and still going strong!! We are almost half way done for this cycle!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Time to Lay the Smackdown - Chemotherapy
Today we went to see Dr. Johnson this morning and everything looked good on my tests to start chemotherapy and so we decided why wait, lets take the fight to this lame weak tumor and lay the smackdown on it here and now! Tomorrow I will start chemotherapy at McKay-Dee. I will be there for three days in-patient and then home by Friday to recuperate. I am anxious to get this going and positive that it will be successful.
Today we had our head-shaving party and if this tumor only saw how much support I have, it would be wetting itself out of fear of what is going to happen to it. Today we counted around 38 wonderful people of family and friends that either shaved their heads, or cut off ten inches or more of their hair. It was a very touching and humbling experience. The only reason I didn't cry is because this was a fun and happy gathering, but had I cried it would have been because of love, gratitude, and admiration for the army that I have in my corner. In total we had around 90 people show up and had a great time shaving heads, cutting hair, eating food, and swimming. I am hyped and charged with such great energy, and love and support that tomorrow I go to the hospital not afraid, but eager to get one step closer to kicking cancer's butt! Thank you for all of your love and prayers, keep them coming because that is where we get the strength to move forward.
Today we had our head-shaving party and if this tumor only saw how much support I have, it would be wetting itself out of fear of what is going to happen to it. Today we counted around 38 wonderful people of family and friends that either shaved their heads, or cut off ten inches or more of their hair. It was a very touching and humbling experience. The only reason I didn't cry is because this was a fun and happy gathering, but had I cried it would have been because of love, gratitude, and admiration for the army that I have in my corner. In total we had around 90 people show up and had a great time shaving heads, cutting hair, eating food, and swimming. I am hyped and charged with such great energy, and love and support that tomorrow I go to the hospital not afraid, but eager to get one step closer to kicking cancer's butt! Thank you for all of your love and prayers, keep them coming because that is where we get the strength to move forward.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Quick Update - June 2, 2012
Just a quick update for those of you wondering what has been going on since Wednesday. The port-a-cath was inserted successfully and all is well with it. Thursday, Dr. Johnson's office called and cancelled the appointment because he was sick and so Monday I will have the appointment and will more than likely start chemotherapy on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Today my partner in crime, Gloria will be getting her hair cut to donate her beautiful hair to Locks of Love. I think that is awesome! I know that women really value their hair and so for Gloria to do something like that is very admirable. This will coincide with the head shaving party scheduled for Monday at my parent's house from 4-7 PM. If anyone is interested in joining us, please message me on Facebook or my cell phone and I'll get you the address. Until Monday, have a great weekend!
Today my partner in crime, Gloria will be getting her hair cut to donate her beautiful hair to Locks of Love. I think that is awesome! I know that women really value their hair and so for Gloria to do something like that is very admirable. This will coincide with the head shaving party scheduled for Monday at my parent's house from 4-7 PM. If anyone is interested in joining us, please message me on Facebook or my cell phone and I'll get you the address. Until Monday, have a great weekend!
Friday, June 1, 2012
From Gloria
I think it will be a total failure to even attempt describing my “Rocky” and how AMAZING he is in all extend of the word! While I read over and over again every single one of his entries on this blog I just get chocked up and overwhelmed with gratitude for having the honor to be his wife and partner in crime. Tears come to my eyes as I look through pictures remembering the first time we met and the beautiful memories we have made together. The Popular saying “Time flies when you are having fun” applies to us as we celebrate Nine years of marriage. When we were in Puerto Rico a few years ago I had told him that as long as we were together on our anniversary day it didn’t matter what we did or where we went. I think life tested my words since we spent our anniversary at the Hospital yesterday and I am SO glad I was able to be with him … if my stomach was a little stronger I think I could have clinged to the Cardiothoracic Surgeon’s leg or begged the anesthesiologist so they would take me in with Jona and not leave his side. In all reality being together is all that matters to me.
Jona expresses his love for me every day a few times per day and I never get tired of his sweetness. I will never forget May 5th while he was on the hospital bed, coming out of the anesthesia, being barely able to move or talk. With two drains on his stomach and a horrendous chest tube nonetheless with a big wound from the invasive surgery on his chest when Dr Goff gave him the news that his tumor was malignant and he had cancer…. I was expecting a face of disappointment or some sort of comment/reaction from him. I mean… that’s what you expect when you get bad news right? I had mentally prepared myself to give him strength and tell him that everything will be fine. To my surprise when the doctor gave him the news his first reaction was to immediately look at me, grab my hand and ask me if I was fine… seriously? He was there in pain with a tremendous fight ahead of him and he could only think of me and ask me if I was fine? I just smiled back at him and told him I was and that I was ready to fight with him! Acts do speak louder than words and I am so blessed to have such an amazing warrior by my side! I know we will win! I know we will come out stronger from this! I know we are not alone and we have an army on our corner giving us the strength we need to keep moving forward and more than anything our loving Heavenly Father WHO ALWAYS KNOWS BEST! I have unbreakable faith that Jona WILL be cancer free! And I am looking forward to that Day! In the mean time.. we will learn from this since we have been thrown in the refiners fire for a pretty good dang reason! We will one day sit down and look back at this as one more thing we overcame together! I love you with all my heart and soul my Rocky! You are out of this world!!!! CHEERS to many earthly years to come and an eternity together! I love you to pieces!
Gloria
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