by Casey Yandle III on February 5, 2010
Well there’s already a month gone in 2010 so we thought we’d give you a quick update on what’s been going on with us so far in 2010!
This new year started off in a bad way as my dad ended up having to be taken to the hospital for a collapsed lung. He was in the hospital for about two weeks and he ended up having to have a blood clot removed from his lung, but after that was done he was able to go home a few days later. He’s doing much better now so that is all that matters!
Since 2010 started, Jenn and I have been getting even more serious about our fitness. Jenn is currently taking about 4 to 5 cardio classes a week and I’m currently running around 2-3 miles per workout 3 to 4 times a week as well as working out.
Today, I had my followup doctor’s appointment with Dr. Atluri and everything is going well. Pretty much I was only nauseous for a few days after my treatment and then I was all better. All of my counts are still normal and my first CT scan is scheduled for March 25th at 9:00am. Unlike the last CT scan I had in October, I was given the barium shakes ahead of time. I’m not sure if that is good or bad! I don’t think I’ll ever be ready for that part of the procedure especially since I’ll have to do it twice a year for the first two years of my surveillance period. At least I’ll only have to do it once for the following three years, but that’s one too many times in my book! It’s bad enough everyone did a double take when I walked out with three bottles of that mess. That stuff is just nasty and they know it!And of course Dr. Atluri has NEVER had them. My dad didn’t even have to have them for his CT scan while he was in the hospital.
On to better things to look forward to in 2010! As you might recall, we found out about my testicular cancer while we were taking shag lessons back in September/October. Well, we’re about to start taking them again (from the same instructors too!) to pick up where we left off since we didn’t get to finish the class last time. I’m pretty sure Jenn is looking forward to it unlike my two left feet! 
We also will be participating in Relay For Life as usual in April and as it gets closer we’ll have more information on how you can help our Relay For Life team raise money as well as events that we’ll be doing to raise money too. Stay tuned for info & pics of me rockin’ my purple ‘hawk!
Here’s to 2010 being a much healthier year for us!
by Jennifer Yandle on December 31, 2009
Today is the last day of 2009. I don’t think I’ve ever looked forward to a year ending more than I have this year. Tomorrow will be a new year and a fresh start. In the New Year, there are many things that we hope to accomplish and there are many things that we are hoping to put behind us. This has easily been the hardest year of our lives. Between, Casey’s unemployment and the battle with Cancer I wasn’t sure if my hope would survive. We’ve had to stop and take a step back and really reassess what is important in our lives. We’ve made cutbacks, we’ve struggled, but through it all we’ve learned something very important. All those little things that we let bother us don’t mean anything in the scope of things.
I’ve really come to realize how negative I am about everything, blogging about what’s been happening has really helped me be more positive and let myself hope. I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. But, this year I am going to make an exception. My biggest resolution for the year, is to stop being so negative. This is going to be really hard for me, but I’m looking forward to putting this year behind me and moving on with my life. I hope that the New Year will bring us bigger and better things. Hopefully, we’ll finally sell our house, and Casey will find a job that he actually likes doing. Maybe, there’s a miracle in store for us. We’ll just have to wait to see. Unlike years past, I have a lot of hope for the New Year. I know it has to get better from here.
Another resolution, which Casey and I have already begun, to work on, is getting back into a healthy routine. I’ve returned to Weight Watchers, and I’m hoping to pick up where I left off and shed even more pounds. I already feel so much better after all the holiday binge eating, my body is getting back to normal and I’m back on my workout schedule at the gym. Joining the Y in September was one of the best things we did this year. It’s been such a positive experience. I actually look forward to going to my cardio classes, and I don’t feel like I’m forcing myself to do something I don’t enjoy anymore. Casey plans to start incorporating more running into his workouts and also wants to eat healthier. Two years ago when I first started Weight Watchers, we really learned a new way of eating. We’ve learned so much over the past two years and of course it’s easy to fall back into old habits but we’re going to try and keep on track this year.
So 2010, I hope you live up to our expectations because we’re really looking forward to this being a great year.
Happy New Year!
Love,
Jennifer & Casey
by Jennifer Yandle on December 16, 2009
You never know when it might hit you, that you could of lost someone you loved to this terrible disease until you hear those magical words, you’re all done with treatment and we believe you have nothing to worry about. Even though I heard them yesterday it didn’t really hit me until today. I could of lost the most beautiful person in my life. Someone who I don’t think I could live without. I’ve said it before, I have so much to be thankful for and that couldn’t be more true. We dropped off our the presents for the senior citizen we adopted for Christmas and the social worker was so amazed at everything we were able to buy for Miss Sharon. I kept to a strict budget but with my Mom’s help I was able to get her everything on her list plus a little bit more. This woman has multiple health issues and must live in a group home. I wanted to be able to share that overwhelming joy I feel every time I look at my husband and know that I was granted another day with him with her. If you know me in real life you know that I love to give gifts. At the holidays especially, I’ve been known to go overboard. I am fully aware that my love language is giving gifts. Nothing makes me happier than watching people open presents I’ve chosen or made for them. This year it’s going to be a little different. We had to scale back what normally spend and be much more frugal but I’ve still managed to show the people I care about that I love them so much and that I am just so truly thankful for them. When I sat down to write this I was just overwhelmed with emotions, and if you saw me right now you’d see that I’m crying as I write this. I will never take one moment of happiness or one moment of laughter for granted. I may not be able to shower my friends and family in gifts the way I’d like to this year but one thing I can do is shower them with love because I just feel like I’m brimming to the top with love and happiness despite the tears. I couldn’t be happier to be spending the next few days with my husband and my family. This Christmas it doesn’t matter what’s under our tree, the only thing that’s important is that we’ll be together, and for that I am truly Thankful.
by Jennifer Yandle on December 7, 2009
Casey has responded very well to his Chemo treatment. He’s had some nausea and fatigue but overall he’s done much better than we expected. He rested for most of the weekend besides a few incidents where he was being stubborn and he’s been keeping up with his 6 bottles of water a day. He’ll have his check up with Dr. Atluri tomorrow, and we hope it will be all good news and he won’t have to go back until June for his first round of surveillance.
We met with Dr. Jordan, a fertility specialist, today. The news was mixed, neither good nor bad. She’d like us to wait for another 3-4 months and have Casey tested again to determine if he really does have low concentration and motility before we make a decision. She believes that the surgery and the cancer could have had a negative impact on his sperm count. He will go back at the end of March to be tested again. If his counts remain the same our only option would be In Vitro Fertilization or IVF. This is a 6 week long process where eggs are removed from the body and fertilized in a lab, then implanted back into the body. There is a little more than 60% success rate in women under 30. The only bad thing about this option is the price tag. It would cost $12k. My insurance would cover $5k of it. We’re hopeful that it’s possible that he may recover from the surgery and chemo possibly return to a higher concentration and motility rate and have the option of insemination which is much cheaper. It’s another one of those wait and see periods.
However, we have lots of good things coming up in the next few weeks. Every year we throw a Christmas Party with one of my coworkers. We’ll be having the Christmas Party this Saturday! It’s usually lots of fun, food and a great game of dirty santa! I can’t wait! Plus, My Mom and sister and her fiancé are coming to visit on the 16th. I’m very excited to see them. I ‘m usually lucky if I get to see my family once a year around Christmas since they all live in Ohio but we weren’t sure Casey would be able to travel so my family is coming to visit for a week and will leave a few days before Christmas. We traditionally spend Christmas Eve with Casey’s family and take a flight to Ohio on Christmas Day to be with my family. So, while it’s a detour from our usual plans we’ll both get to see our families for the holidays. I’m looking forward to their visit, I’m not sure if Casey would say the same! They are quite the whirlwind!
We’ve almost finished our Christmas shopping. One of the things I look forward to each year is our tradition of adopting a senior citizen for Christmas. Our person this year lives in a group home and has many health problems. With some help from my Mom and some very thrifty shopping, we were able to buy her everything on her list including a winter coat and a cd player. I feel lucky that we’re able to do this and we hope to continue this tradition every year.
As the year winds down and we celebrate the holidays we are just so very thankful for everything we have and all the great people we have in our lives. I’m still working on learning to hope and look forward to the future with optimism but I’m slowly working on it.
by Jennifer Yandle on November 30, 2009
It’s official. Casey will have his one Chemotherapy treatment this Thursday at 1pm. The treatment will last for about two hours. He will most likely feel sick for two to three weeks while his body repairs itself. His blood counts will get low, and that’s where most of the symptoms will come from. He will probably experience hair thinning or hair loss and nausea and fatigue. They will send him home with anti-nausea meds and he gets to rest in bed as much as he likes. We’ll monitor him for fever and if he feels really sick he’ll get to go back for more fluids. Dr. Atluri feels confident that he will have very little side effects because he’s young and his body will bounce back very quickly. We’re praying for the best and hope that he starts to feel better quickly after the treatment.
I wish I could say that I feel relieved but this whole situation but it has left me very anxiety laden. I’m so scared that something is going to happen to him and after all of the mishaps and backward steps we’ve taken it’s hard to imagine things going according to plan from here on out. There will still be waiting. We’ll wait every six months to hear the results of his CT scans once the treatment is over. It’s something that will always be lurking in the shadows. We’re taking all the precautions to keep the cancer from coming back but there is always that chance. On the other hand, Casey is such an optimist. He’s seen the bright side of every situation so far. He’s an eternal optimist; he sees the good in every situation and person. If anyone needed an optimist by their side it would be me. I think the worst in every situation, I worry constantly and mostly needlessly but I can’t seem to help it. I’m worried about him having this treatment. I’m worried that he’ll be really sick. For someone like Casey who is rarely sick, and who hardly ever stays in bed this is going to be hard but we’ll get through this. There is a light at the other end of the tunnel. Once he is done with treatment he’ll have a 96% chance that the cancer will never return. We are very thankful for that.
Over the holiday, it gave us time to reflect on how lucky we are. He didn’t need surgery or rounds of Chemotherapy. He isn’t going to be sick for months or run the risk of permanently damaging his body with hazardous drugs that he didn’t need. We are so very thankful for that. We are thankful for a doctor who cares and we are eternally thankful that we still have each other. And, we cannot say Thank You enough to those who have commented, prayed for us, kept us in their thoughts and donated to his medical bills. We’re amazed by all of generosity and cannot thank you enough. We are thankful for each and every one of you and the support you’ve given us over the past few months. I continue to be amazed by how blessed we are to have such great friends.
