the results are in!

So many good things to report this week!

Jeremy is back HOME with his family!

AND....

His pet scan shows that the cancer is GONE!!!

(the black spots are his brain, heart, and bladder.)

For comparison, here is his diagnostic scan.


Of course Jeremy and Liz celebrated after they got the great news.


And celebrated some more when they told the boys that their Papa was CANCER-FREE!



So what's up next? Jeremy has a couple more appointments at Stanford and will be on immunosuppressive meds for another five months (so that his sister's cells from the bone marrow transplant don't realize they aren't in their body anymore). He will be rescanned in three months and then will move to a scan every six months.

THANK YOU to all who have prayed and shared and thought about the Kennish family. Your positivity was felt and made a difference!!!

not every day is a good day

Liz texted me this picture the other day to let me know, unfortunately, that not every day is a good day.



Since Tuesday, due to a reaction to a drug he recieved on December 2nd, both of Jeremy's hands have been swollen and the pain has been so great that he hasn't been able to take care of himself. On the 0-10 pain scale, when his hands are just resting in his lap, he's at a 2-3. When he tries to move them, he's at a 6-8. Jeremy and his caretaker called the cancer floor at the hospital because the pain and swelling were out of control. The doctors were afraid Jeremy might have a blood clot in his arms, so they told him to go to the ER. They went in at 10:30 that night, and didn't leave until 4:30 the next morning. While he was there, they gave him four doses of Dilaudid, which is a powerful painkiller that has worked well in the past, but it didn't touch the pain this time. The doctors also did an ultrasound on his arms to rule out the blood clot possibility - which thankfully, came back clot-free! Before he left, they put his arms in slings to immobilize them for a bit.

The next morning, just hours after leaving the ER, Jeremy had his usual appointment at the Infusion Treatment Area. They administered steroids which alleviated some of the pain and swelling -- which meant he could hold his phone and call Liz! Since then the pain has been under control enough so that he can feed himself and hold a drink, but it will be another week before it completely goes away.

the past 10 days

Before Friday's bone marrow transplant, Jeremy was getting ready.



Here he is under the radiation machine, which later earned him this:



He also has to take a LOT of pills (here's half his daily dose):


Including this giant one EIGHT times per day.




It's called cyclosporine and Jeremy says when you open the package it smells like skunk. It's used to suppress his immune system so it doesn't reject his sister's marrow.



Speaking of his sister, here she is! Melissa was bundled up and donating cells Thursday and Friday.


Today: Jeremy's mom Cheryl, Jeremy, his sister Melissa, and his dad Joe.


Thank you for all of your prayers and thoughts and support! Liz wrote today that this blog and Facebook page have "been an amazing outpouring of love and support coming from people (most of who we don't know) constantly sharing their love with us."

t-shirts and bracelets are available *updated*

Due to unexpected shipping costs (basically the bracelets were costing more to ship than we paid for them), we've updated the prices accordingly. 100% of the profits will go directly to the Kennish Family.

ADULT SHIRTS

Hanes Brand, 100% cotton, four ADULT sizes

Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large
$20 (including shipping) for one Keep Calm and Fuck Cancer adult t-shirt and one I Wear Violet for Jeremy adult bracelet.

Sizes

Adult SMALL $20.00 USD Adult MEDIUM $20.00 USD Adult LARGE $20.00 USD Adult XL $20.00 USD

YOUTH T-SHIRTS

Gilden Brand, 100% cotton, four YOUTH sizes

Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large

$20 (including shipping) for one Keep Calm and Crush Cancer youth t-shirt and one I Wear Violet for Jeremy youth bracelet.

Sizes

YOUTH XS $20.00 USD YOUTH Small $20.00 USD YOUTH Medium $20.00 USD YOUTH Large $20.00 USD

BRACELETS

I WEAR VIOLET FOR JERMEY: Cure Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Two sizes:

Adult

Youth (would also fit a small adult)

Sizes

Adult $5.00 USD Youth $5.00 USD

Questions? Please contact Kim at YepTheBlog {at} gmail {dot} com

Thank you for your support!

Today's the Day!

Hi it's me, Liz, guest posting today :)

Just here with a quick little reminder for a little extra love today! Today is the day! Today is transplant day! It should be a very uneventful day, but knowing that everyone is wishing him well, I'm sure, brighten Jeremy's spirits. Hopefully Jeremy is still sleeping prepping for this afternoons festivities.

Before I go I just wanted to share a pic from Jeremy's first trip to the infusion center from last weekend, this is where he will be receiving his transplant today. He had so much fun playing with all the buttons on the fancy chairs, he was like a kid in a candy store....Who am I kidding, he's like a kid in a candy store everyday, he was just like himself!

the first three days at stanford

SUNDAY

Jeremy was fitted for his HEPA filter air mask.



He has to wear this out in public for the next six months.


MONDAY

Jeremy started radiation at 6:45 in the morning, receiving chemo at the same time.



The radiation machine. They break up his body into six sections: three on the front (neck, chest, pelvis) and three on the back.


In bed after two reactions to meds (remember that red bag?) and TWELVE hours of getting drugs.


TUESDAY
Much better today! No medication reactions :) Jeremy watched a couple movies: the new Batman and Casablanca.

last Friday

Last Friday Jeremy spent the day at Stanford to have his tunneled catheter installed.


A long drive in bad weather.



Signing in...



Super excited to be shaved.



Having fun with chest hair designs.



Waiting...



More waiting...



Even more waiting...



Finished and excited to eat after being asked to fast!


The tunneled catheter will be used to administer drugs and take blood, and eliminates the need to put in an IV every single day. It is surgically inserted into a vein in the neck or chest and passed under the skin. This is not Jeremy, but the end result looks something like this:

 {via}