Bill and Emily Kelly Friends of Bill&Emily

Welcome to our Caring Bridge site. We've created it to keep friends and family updated. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement during this time when it matters most.  You an check out the journal to get updates on how Bill and Emily are progressing and see the calendar to know what they need and sign up to help.  

Here's the scoop from Emily:

Various ailments began to plague Bill starting about the middle of January. Despite his wife's "helpful" suggestion that it was probably just gas and to take more Gas-X, the symptoms continued to escalate. A completely useless GP ran some tests and then shrugged his shoulders and gave up. Fortunately, Bill's GI guy, Dr. Frachtman, became determined to solve the mystery illness. He ordered a CT scan and then referred Bill to an oncologist. Before Bill could get an appointment, the symptoms became so severe that Bill was taken to the ER last Sunday, February the 28th. Even with Emily's strong warnings that "it had better not fucking be cancer," Bill was diagnosed with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma on Tuesday, March 1st. Although relieved to have a diagnosis after so many weeks of the unknown, everyone was pretty shocked that something so seemingly innocuous as a tummy ache could turn out to be cancer. I mean how many times have you thought, "I have a headache, it must be cancer" or "my big toe hurts, it must be cancer?" Just goes to show you that sometimes irrational fears do come true! Egads! Well, for those cancer aficionados out there, you will know that lymphoma is the cancer to get if you are going to get cancer. It is a very treatable type of cancer and Bill's prognosis is very good. The oncologist, Dr. Kasper, even used the word curable several times. He said Bill's particular cancer is very aggressive and so the treatment has to be very aggressive as well. Bill began chemotherapy last Friday and will continue the grueling course of therapy for 27 weeks. The side effects don't sound like a day in the park. Bill will lose his gorgeous mane of hair and have to wear the plethora of hats that Emily keeps buying him. Regardless, Bill and Emily feel quite fortunate that Bill's illness is not a terminal one and in a few month's time, he will be the new and improved Bill. So no need for the "Save Bill" Facebook page or the annual Bill charity 5K run. Well wishes of family and friends have been immensely helpful and much appreciated. So much in life to be grateful for. Life is good!