Thursday, April 26, 2007
5 Treatments to Go
Tuesday I had chemo treatment No. 5 which means I only have 5 left. One a month. These treatments go into the port in my head (called an OMMAYA reservoir) to preventatively treat the spinal fluid. I felt totally crappy Tuesday night and all day Wednesday. I'm looking forward to finishing the treatments.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Calling Cancer Survivors for NY Mag Photoshoot
New York Magazine is currently working on a very important feature story about New Yorkers living with cancer. I've pasted the info below in case you're interested in being in the photo shoot this Friday. Feel free to pass it along .
For a potential cover, we would like to gather 300-350 New Yorkers living with cancer or in remission, in one place, for an incredibly positive & moving picture. We are looking for people of all ages, and of all races to to be photographed together this Friday April 20th in Central Park.
We want to show the unity of the fight, so we are asking everyone to dress on their own, as they normally would- no organization specific t-shirts. We want the picture to look like a beautiful group of wildflowers. We hope this will help raise awareness & funding for all.
Any interested participants should contact me directly at alex_pollack@newyorkmag.com. We are planning on shooting this Friday April 20, 2007 at Sheep Meadow in Central Park at 10:30AM-NOON. The exact meeting location in the park will be determined Wednesday evening, as well as a rain date alternative location (Sunday, April 22nd), so I will need contact info for all participants right away.
For a potential cover, we would like to gather 300-350 New Yorkers living with cancer or in remission, in one place, for an incredibly positive & moving picture. We are looking for people of all ages, and of all races to to be photographed together this Friday April 20th in Central Park.
We want to show the unity of the fight, so we are asking everyone to dress on their own, as they normally would- no organization specific t-shirts. We want the picture to look like a beautiful group of wildflowers. We hope this will help raise awareness & funding for all.
Any interested participants should contact me directly at alex_pollack@newyorkmag.com. We are planning on shooting this Friday April 20, 2007 at Sheep Meadow in Central Park at 10:30AM-NOON. The exact meeting location in the park will be determined Wednesday evening, as well as a rain date alternative location (Sunday, April 22nd), so I will need contact info for all participants right away.
Monday, April 9, 2007
6 Months Since My Transplant
It's been a little over 6 months since my umbilical cord transplant and things are going really well.
Next week I will have my fifth chemo therapy into my Ommaya port. The first two were not fun, but I started premedicating which worked wonders. I just have some irritating side effects, which the doctors say will go away eventually (probably in seven months).
After my transplant, I received a gift from the Steven M. Perez Foundation (SMPFoundation.org). They wanted me to buy something special for myself. It took a while to decide, but I chose an Eliptical Machine. I've worked up to five minutes a day! I feel more energized and am able to accomplish small tasks. The fatigue is horrible but I am getting through it.
My hair is growing back and is now about an inch long! yay! I'll try to post a picture as soon as I figure out how. I'm new to this whole blogging thing. The MatchLindsey website was maintained by a good friend and her sister. It's about time I do things for myself! :)
I can't wait for the spring weather! I'll try to update as often as I can - but my life is pretty uneventful these days, so there's not much to write about (which is fine by me...)
Thank you for all your love, support and prayers!
Next week I will have my fifth chemo therapy into my Ommaya port. The first two were not fun, but I started premedicating which worked wonders. I just have some irritating side effects, which the doctors say will go away eventually (probably in seven months).
After my transplant, I received a gift from the Steven M. Perez Foundation (SMPFoundation.org). They wanted me to buy something special for myself. It took a while to decide, but I chose an Eliptical Machine. I've worked up to five minutes a day! I feel more energized and am able to accomplish small tasks. The fatigue is horrible but I am getting through it.
My hair is growing back and is now about an inch long! yay! I'll try to post a picture as soon as I figure out how. I'm new to this whole blogging thing. The MatchLindsey website was maintained by a good friend and her sister. It's about time I do things for myself! :)
I can't wait for the spring weather! I'll try to update as often as I can - but my life is pretty uneventful these days, so there's not much to write about (which is fine by me...)
Thank you for all your love, support and prayers!
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
January 2, 2007
Hi
We wish you a Healthy, happy New Year and hope all your holidays were joyful.
On December 12th 2006 Lindsey had chemo therapy into her head. This was the first of ten treatments, administered approximately once a month. She had a bad reaction and ended up back in the hospital for four days.
On December 21st 2006 she had a bone marrow test. Today at the hospital we received the results. The transplanted umbilical cord stem cells are 100% en grafted having replaced hers which is the first big step for healthy bone marrow production. Now the new cells have to coexist with the rest of her body.
She has been doing better each week. She has more energy, stays up longer and she does more each day.
So we really have a lot to be thankful for. So far so good!
We wish you a Healthy, happy New Year and hope all your holidays were joyful.
On December 12th 2006 Lindsey had chemo therapy into her head. This was the first of ten treatments, administered approximately once a month. She had a bad reaction and ended up back in the hospital for four days.
On December 21st 2006 she had a bone marrow test. Today at the hospital we received the results. The transplanted umbilical cord stem cells are 100% en grafted having replaced hers which is the first big step for healthy bone marrow production. Now the new cells have to coexist with the rest of her body.
She has been doing better each week. She has more energy, stays up longer and she does more each day.
So we really have a lot to be thankful for. So far so good!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
November 28, 2006
Hi everyone,
Lindsey is doing really well. The doctor has dropped her office visits to twice a week. All her numbers are going up everyday. She is slowing down on transfusions. Her platelets are over 100,000! Her red blood is just over the threshold for needing a transfusion. She is still dealing with the side effects from the medication.
Right now she does not need donations of Platelets and Blood.
If you would like to do something for Lindsey and all whom are inflicted with leukemia, we have set up a fund at Sloan Kettering that will go directly to the Leukemia Research Team. Please make checks payable to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and in the memo section mark Lindsey Brass Fund and mail all gifts to:
Ms. Katie Kotkins
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
633 Third Avenue, 28th Floor New York, NY 10017
Katie is also available to answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to contact her directly at (646) 227-2511 or Kotkinsk@mkscc.org.
Thank you for all your support and we hope you will join us in this effort to raise money for Leukemia research.
Thanks again,
Barbara, David and Lindsey
Lindsey is doing really well. The doctor has dropped her office visits to twice a week. All her numbers are going up everyday. She is slowing down on transfusions. Her platelets are over 100,000! Her red blood is just over the threshold for needing a transfusion. She is still dealing with the side effects from the medication.
Right now she does not need donations of Platelets and Blood.
If you would like to do something for Lindsey and all whom are inflicted with leukemia, we have set up a fund at Sloan Kettering that will go directly to the Leukemia Research Team. Please make checks payable to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and in the memo section mark Lindsey Brass Fund and mail all gifts to:
Ms. Katie Kotkins
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
633 Third Avenue, 28th Floor New York, NY 10017
Katie is also available to answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to contact her directly at (646) 227-2511 or Kotkinsk@mkscc.org.
Thank you for all your support and we hope you will join us in this effort to raise money for Leukemia research.
Thanks again,
Barbara, David and Lindsey
Thursday, October 26, 2006
October 26, 2006
Dear Friends,
We are finally going home after 7 weeks in isolation, though Lindsey will go back and forth to the hospital every other day for outpatient testing, medicines and transfusions. Please continue your donations of blood and platelets as her treatment/recovery period will be ongoing for the next six months to a year.
As you know, Lindsey has been battling Leukemia since April of 2005. Today, after overcoming innumerable challenges, hospitalizations, and a stem cell transplant, we as a family are asking you to help us give back to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in Lindsey’s honor.
You have all played a huge role in our fight to date by so generously donating blood and platelets, supporting our search for a stem cell donor, as well as your expressions of concern and encouragement. Thank you!
Our Doctors at MSKCC are currently working on numerous investigational approaches, by means of clinical trials, to improve the treatment of AML. For example, they are working to refine combination chemotherapy, investigate new transplantation approaches, and identify what causes Leukemic cells to multiply.
We would like to raise funds in honor of Lindsey and her amazing attitude as she bravely fights this terrible disease. All gifts will be directed to the ongoing research conducted by the team of doctors who have treated Lindsey.
Please mail all gifts to:
Katie Kotkins
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
633 3rd Avenue, 28th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Katie is also available to answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to contact her directly at (646) 227-2511 or kotkinsk@mkscc.org.
We hope that you will join us in this effort and thank you again for all of your support during this challenging time.
Warmest wishes,
The Brass Family
We are finally going home after 7 weeks in isolation, though Lindsey will go back and forth to the hospital every other day for outpatient testing, medicines and transfusions. Please continue your donations of blood and platelets as her treatment/recovery period will be ongoing for the next six months to a year.
As you know, Lindsey has been battling Leukemia since April of 2005. Today, after overcoming innumerable challenges, hospitalizations, and a stem cell transplant, we as a family are asking you to help us give back to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in Lindsey’s honor.
You have all played a huge role in our fight to date by so generously donating blood and platelets, supporting our search for a stem cell donor, as well as your expressions of concern and encouragement. Thank you!
Our Doctors at MSKCC are currently working on numerous investigational approaches, by means of clinical trials, to improve the treatment of AML. For example, they are working to refine combination chemotherapy, investigate new transplantation approaches, and identify what causes Leukemic cells to multiply.
We would like to raise funds in honor of Lindsey and her amazing attitude as she bravely fights this terrible disease. All gifts will be directed to the ongoing research conducted by the team of doctors who have treated Lindsey.
Please mail all gifts to:
Katie Kotkins
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
633 3rd Avenue, 28th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Katie is also available to answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to contact her directly at (646) 227-2511 or kotkinsk@mkscc.org.
We hope that you will join us in this effort and thank you again for all of your support during this challenging time.
Warmest wishes,
The Brass Family
Thursday, October 12, 2006
October 12, 2006
Hi everyone,
Finally some good news to report. Today we got the results of last Thursday's Bone Marrow test. They have successfully grafted the umbilical cord blood to her bone marrow. Her white blood count is 1,700. 7,000 is normal. She is on her way to recovery!
Last Saturday her triple port in her chest split and blood was spurting out, quite frightening. They clamped it shut and accessed her single port in her chest. This meant the only I.V. medicine, anti rejection drug, was going into her mediport, whereas she had three lines going simultaneously with other helpful drugs. As it was Saturday, they called in a surgeon to remove the broken triple port and place a new one on her other side. They were worried as her white blood counts were low for operating. But we didn't have a choice. She was stable after the procedure and on Tuesday her counts miraculously moved up to 1000! Still feeling very ill and hurting from this procedure, we thought she was probably going to have to stay another month, very depressing. Then Wednesday came and we had all this good news.
Now that her white blood cells are coming up , her body will start to repair itself. She has not eaten and has been sleeping most of the time. They will not release her until she eats and can move around better. So we have some more recovery time to spend here.
When she is released, she has to come back to the hospital frequently for her transfusions and I.V. medicines. So please continue to give blood and platelets. We couldn't have done this without you!
Thank you for your continued prayers.
Fondly,
Lindsey, Barbara & David
Finally some good news to report. Today we got the results of last Thursday's Bone Marrow test. They have successfully grafted the umbilical cord blood to her bone marrow. Her white blood count is 1,700. 7,000 is normal. She is on her way to recovery!
Last Saturday her triple port in her chest split and blood was spurting out, quite frightening. They clamped it shut and accessed her single port in her chest. This meant the only I.V. medicine, anti rejection drug, was going into her mediport, whereas she had three lines going simultaneously with other helpful drugs. As it was Saturday, they called in a surgeon to remove the broken triple port and place a new one on her other side. They were worried as her white blood counts were low for operating. But we didn't have a choice. She was stable after the procedure and on Tuesday her counts miraculously moved up to 1000! Still feeling very ill and hurting from this procedure, we thought she was probably going to have to stay another month, very depressing. Then Wednesday came and we had all this good news.
Now that her white blood cells are coming up , her body will start to repair itself. She has not eaten and has been sleeping most of the time. They will not release her until she eats and can move around better. So we have some more recovery time to spend here.
When she is released, she has to come back to the hospital frequently for her transfusions and I.V. medicines. So please continue to give blood and platelets. We couldn't have done this without you!
Thank you for your continued prayers.
Fondly,
Lindsey, Barbara & David
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