Earl Update

Hi All,
 The last few weeks have been some of the tougher ones energy and pain wise. During our last visit we got word that tumors were growing and numbers going up so in one way it was not a surprise that the energy and pain were also increasing. The pain pills have helped but caused other issues. Spending more time on the couch and more time feeling nauseous.

In spite of all of it we have been trying to stay active. Lunches with Mary Pickard, Suzi Hagen, Barbara Brooks. Visited Phyllis and Mary Margaret. Did Art on Kinne.with cousin Kim.  Went to a fund raiser called Moonstruck for Rotary Charities. Sponsored a hole in the night time golf tournament and named it Kick Cancer. If we had not already named it we would have called it Goodbye Earl!
Enjoyed visiting with Co's dad and Mary during the dinner.

Co took us on a tour of Paul Allen's Private Collection based on Nature at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
WOW. Nancy started a pilates course. Sue says she is crazy and Nancy agrees but is still going.

The best thing we did was go to the Lynx fund raiser for breast cancer--The Roar for the Cure.  We got to meet all the team members, played foosball against Lindsay Whalen and lost royally.  Nancy got beat by Rebekkah Brunson at Four straight or Connect. Posed for funny pics with Janelle McCarvill and just generally hung out. Got a great pic with the team and we will have dinner with the
coach Cheryl Reeve someday soon.

Ok, so now the tougher news. We met with Dr. Dan on Tuesday expecting to start Trametinib. We engaged in a terrific conversation with him on what make sense. To cut to the chase we all agreed that
anything we do will not contribute to length of life and would cause possible quality of life issues. Trametinib is an unknown with pancreatic cancer and has side effects as all chemo's do. Dr. Dan is not at all convinced that Nancy would qualify for Rhode Island study which only targets the liver.
The tumors in the liver and pancreas are all growing so a liver target option again would not add to length of life and would be a tough treatment. Additionally going to Rhode Island and back and then back and forth including a month stay is not a choice we are ready to make with no paybacks expected.

So what do we do?  Live, dance and find joy in what ever is left. Say some prayers. Shed some tears Oh yea-do pilates. And be in touch with family and friends.

After the conversation and decision we both felt a sense of relief.  It took the stress and worry about what to do away for Nancy. It leaves much more room to think positively.

We will work with Health Partners home care to manage pain and other things that get in the way of dancing. Some days we will rock out and others dance from the couch.

And now an original ditty from Ms Stevie Beck that made us laugh and laugh.

Earl’s a curious appellation
For an unsavory aberration
It’s high time to nix him
Get tough, eighty-six him
And clean up this rough situation

Nancy’s one heckuva girl
A celeb, a bright light, a pearl
There’s only one change
We just have to arrange
She’s gotta torpedo that Earl!