The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (by Guest Blogger: Bob’s Son)

We have heard from many people about the fact that the Blog hasn’t been updated.  Bob’s Daughter (a recent MBA grad) was honored to be selected into a management training program with a large company that required that she move to Chicago.  Between leaving the DOJ, moving her things to Chicago, making frequent trips to Atlanta to check on her dad, and going to a week-long training in Dallas, Bob’s Daughter has been quite swamped.  Luckily for you loyal readers, Bob also has a son!  So – let me fill you in on all the happenings for the past month and half or so.

In the midst of the moving, Bob’s Daughter made it down to Atlanta to spend Father’s Day with Dad.  We celebrated by driving out to the Silver Comet Trail and taking an 18-mile bike ride out to the Giant Trestle (I made that name up – but it truly is a very large old train trestle) on the Silver Comet Trail.  Dad loves bike rides and was ecstatic to go on this one because Lauren had not been on a bike ride with him in a number of years due in part to a terrible bike related fall she suffered shortly after our return from Thailand.  This time, however, there were no falls and Lauren had a great time.  Ok, a good time.  Ok, she only complained a little bit.  But most importantly, Dad had a GREAT time.  We celebrated that night with a great dinner at my house made by my lovely wife as well as an incredible cheesecake made by my lovely mom.

As Lauren has already told you, a great father’s day was followed up by a day of chemo on Monday, June 20th.  Lauren was a trooper and gave Mom some relief by spending the day with Dad while he got his treatment.  The chemo treatment was followed by several days of feeling like crap on my dad’s part.  Unfortunately, he feels like the days of feeling like crap have extended slightly with each additional treatment.  Dad was very disappointed that there was not more significant improvement from his CT scan results.  For quite a few days after June 20th, he wrestled with the idea of stopping the chemo treatments and just enjoying life.  After some serious discussions with several doctors, he ultimately decided to finish his last two chemo treatments.  He is continuing to explore alternative options. 

Dad did get to enjoy some fun over the 4th of July weekend.  My uncles Jim and Lawrence and my aunt Velma came to visit for the 4th of July.  In addition to the family time, the plan was for my Mom and Dad, Jim and Lawrence and I to complete the Peachtree Road Race, the world’s largest 10k race.  Jim and I were planning to walk the 10k, Lawrence and Mom were planning to run it, and my dad was planning to walk it so fast that he may as well have been running.  Unfortunately, Mom had to pull out with an injury (but she’s run the Peachtree more times than anyone else in the family so she didn’t miss out on too much) and Lawrence had to run it alone.  True to his nature, my dad walked the whole thing about 20 minutes faster than my uncle Jim and I walked it.  It was hot and long but it was actually a lot of fun.  It’s quite an atmosphere.  All along the route there are people lined up in chairs cheering (sometimes jeering) and often drinking beers, mimosas and bloody marys and making you wonder why you aren’t sitting there drinking with them.  But our goal was achieved, as everyone who started was able to make it to the finish line.  Lauren picked Jim and I up from the train station with beers in the cooler….what a good egg.  After the race everyone gathered at my parent’s house, along with long-time family friends Ed and Andrea, to drink, eat and talk about the day.

A few weekends ago, my mom and dad and Stacey and I went to see the new Woody Allen movie, Midnight in Paris.  I thought the cinematography was great, the filming of Paris was done with the same loving touches that Woody used to give Manhattan, the theme of the illusion of a better past was a great one, and the standard Woody Allen characters you know and love were done well by Rachel McAdams and Owen Wilson.  Dad fell asleep and only woke himself up when he began snoring too loudly.  So I guess that’s one thumb up and one thumb down.

On July 11th, Dad had his next to last chemo treatment.  He reported it being a little more painful than the previous ones, but he survived.  I think he would say that the basketball feeling in his stomach isn’t as big a basketball, but the overall crappy feeling lasted a little longer.  By the weekend, though he was back to his normal activities and got to spend some time with his former co-workers Steve and Melinda on Saturday.  He also got to spend some time with his brother Joe, his sister-in-law Nancy, and his niece Robyn who were in town visiting Dad and some other family they have in Atlanta.  On Monday, Dad’s sisters Eileen and Mary got into town and are here visiting for a few days.  Tonight, Stacey and I will be joining Eileen, Mary, Joe and Nancy for dinner at my parent’s house.  Dad has really enjoyed having a chance to visit with all of his family.  His brother Michael has work that brings him to Atlanta every now and then and has been able to visit with my Dad a few times over the past few months.  His brother Timmy and his niece Rashunda have also visited with him, not to mention numerous members of his extended CDC family.  The family visits are a pleasant distraction (for all of us) from the ugly business of cancer and chemo.

Chemo Fun With Dad

Happy Belated Father's Day to all the fathers who read this blog. I will post some pictures and the story of Bob's father's day tomorrow.  Today, I am watching my dad sleep through chemotherapy session #4.  The doctor said that the results of his last CT scan (from last Wednesday) show that the tumors are unchanged and stable.  Whatever that means.  Since the original CT scans used to compare to the most recent CT scans were done in March, the doctor and my dad both concluded that there is no way of telling what actually happened between March and June.  However, the chemotherapy may be keeping the tumors from growing any further and so the doctor has decided to continue with the current treatment plan. I know secretly my dad was hoping to get out of having to continue with chemotherapy, but for now...we will continue on through this painfully emotional process.  Luckily though, he is physically feeling fine. He has gotten use to his nephrostomy bag, AND he is still able to take 2-mile walks, complete 20+ mile bike rides, and clean the gutters (much to my mom's disapproval).  It usually takes 5 days for my dad to start feeling back to normal, so hopefully, he will be up and at 'em by the weekend. I will be leaving to finish up things in D.C. on Friday and then I will be flying back to Atlanta mid next week to spend fourth of July weekend in Atlanta.  By the way, my dad had a GREAT father's day. Of course he would...he has some awesome kids and a great wife (if I do say so myself). Until tomorrow....

Just Another Day...

So, I'm back in Atlanta for about two weeks spending some time with my family in between jobs. I arrived Tuesday afternoon and my dad picked me up from the airport. I will say there was a bit of a change in his appearance. He now has no hair. He has some little baby hair that he has decided to keep on the top of his head, but other than that...there is nothing there. Luckily, I saw a picture before I arrived so I wasn't in complete shock. We were both hungry so we went to Monterrey's Mexican for a little lunch. I love Mexican food and you can't really find cheap Mexican food or good Mexican food in the D.C. area. So I was in heaven.  We arrived home and both took a little nap. Mine was a little longer than his, but I had a long night the night before packing and gearing up for my move to Chicago. My dad, mom, brother, sister-in-law, and I went to dinner Tuesday night at this place called Technique. It was a three-course dinner that was prepared and served by student chefs. The food was quite good, but it took a long time. My dad was very concerned because the head chef was yelling at some of the chefs in the kitchen. After a nice dinner, we came home, watched a little baseball, and went to sleep.

Wednesday, my dad had to get up at 4:30am and 6:30am to drink a tasty beverage for his CT scan later that morning.  He then had an appointment to get a scan of his lungs, stomach, and pancreas to see if the chemo has had any effect on his tumors. My dad got a chance to speak to one of my cousin-in-laws, Thuy, later in the day about some of this treatment and results and was excited to get a very candid consultation. He also was excited to install the bird feeder that someone (he can't remember) bought for him on a tree in the back yard. Our across-the-street neighbor, and friend, Harold helped him to install the bird feeder with a rope and pulley. This afternoon, we had our first visitor. He starred out of the window for a couple of minutes like a little kid at Christmas. It was quite funny.

Last night my mom had Spanish class, so my dad and I had dinner on the porch. If you have ever been to our house, you know that the porch is his favorite place. We ate dinner, readjusted the bird feeder, and watched the storm come and go. Later on we watched some of the Braves Game on tv and just talked.  Life here at the Keegan household is pretty calm. My mom left for Albany this morning to visit her family. So, my dad and I are preparing to move some of the furniture from the basement to the upstairs part of the house.  Should be interesting. 

He should receive the results of his most recent CT scan by Monday, which is also when he has chemo session #4.  We have a big day planned for him on Sunday, Father's Day, so hopefully his mind won't be focused on anything but family and love.

Here is a picture from the bird feeder installation....

New Pictures

The above pictures were taken on a bike ride my dad went on recently with his friend Santi.

Don't Worry

Hey all..sorry I have been a slacker in regards to the blog, but I've been pretty busy these days quitting a job, getting ready for my new job, and finding a place to live in my new location of Chicago.  My dad is doing well. His brother Timmy came to visit last weekend and they spent time riding bikes, drinking beer, and talking finances. I know my dad has his next appointment on June 13th and I will be arriving in Atlanta on June 14th, so I will update the blog with fantastic stories and wonderful pictures of his new hair style when I get in town.  Just wanted to let you all know that he's doing great, all things considered.  Better update next week I promise!

Chemo Session Three...Check!

So today my dad completed his third session of chemotherapy. He handled the treatment in his usual cheerful fashion (*note sarcasm here*). My mom sent us an email while he was undergoing chemo, and he was sound asleep as usual. I don't know why he complains about this stuff when he gets to sleep through it?!?!? (Just kidding dad!).  My parents finally moved back into their house and my dad spent the weekend cutting down trees with Harold (the across the street neighbor and family friend) and getting the electricity fixed.  I called to check on him this evening and he was visiting with other people in the neighborhood and talking to babies instead of talking to me. I get it dad..I'm no longer cute and cuddly.

Next steps: my dad has a follow-up appointment I think on June 13th to check his blood and his body to see how the chemotherapy has effected the cancer.  He believes that he is already cured and that the next three sessions of chemo that are already scheduled are completely unnecessary.  Hopefully the doctor will have some form of good news at the next visit (*fingers crossed*).

My uncle Timmy is coming to visit my parents this weekend and my dad should be almost recovered by the time my uncle arrives.  I should be able to visit my dad soon as well.  When I do, I will make sure to get a picture of the new head piece he's been wearing.  Until then....

Update to the Update

My dad has been fairly busy lately, so I haven't really been able to find out what's been going on in his life. I think he's more busy now then he was before he had cancer! I will say that I have also gotten in "trouble" from multiple people for not updating the blog.  So here goes. He's lost, I think, almost all of his hair. My mom got him buff head gear to wear on his head. He said it looks like a do-rag. I was rather impressed that my dad even knew the term do-rag. He is so hip sometimes.  He's also been having dinner with a lot of friends. Every time I talk to him he is either on his way out or out already. He has been faithfully attending the Friday gatherings at Moe's. My parents spent the past weekend at a lake house with some friends.  My dad has been riding his bike. I'm sure he's doing some Gates Foundation work on the side. Probably saving someone from something and taking Abbott on 3-mile walks. If he didn't have a tube out of his back and the no-hair thing going on, you probably would never know he had cancer!

He's also gearing up to walk the Peachtree Road Race in July with my uncles and my brother and I'm sure my mom is going to be running in the race as well. I plan to be down there for the July 4th festivities and to welcome everyone home from the Race (I am not getting up that early in the morning to cheer them on).  This weekend they are going to another lake house with some friends.  And then on Tuesday, May 31st, my dad has his third session of chemo.  I should get to spend a significant amount of time in Atlanta in June, so I am excited about that as well.

On another note, Stacey's friend Susannah made this for her. Great gift!