He had some specialist doctors in this am making him feel very positive. They are happy with his results and very optimistic. This could be a really good sign for the study with newly diagnosed patients. They think this could be why he’s doing so well with the procedure! This could be such great results for so many people! Tom asked if he continues to do well, could he go back to work in May. They said that’s their goal! The prayers are working grandma and everyone, keep them coming!!
4/1
Day 5: This guy with his old man glasses lol says “Im going to tell them I feel like a million bucks and don’t need to be checked into no hospital”. I said good luck with that dork and I hope you didn’t jinx yourself.
Appointment is at 1:30 and then he’ll be checked into the Mayo hospital for 5 days. I may try to talk them into checking him in the mental ward instead.
. Don’t you think kids? Lol
Tom’s all checked in!! The rooms are really spacious and nice. I even have a nice office chair. Lol. Reclinable. I may have to mention to the boss. Ha ha. The nurse downstairs came to get us and had a wheelchair for Tom and Tom said I’ll walk if thats ok. He wanted nothing to do with that wheelchair.
3/31
Day 4: Tom’s appointment went well today. His test results are awesome so they took him off one pill because of it. I’m now again in Rochester slumming with my hubby. Worked 10 hours and then drove for 3. Long day but it goes fast. Tom met me at the door to unload and I kindly asked him to park our truck. I like the truck but it’s sooo big and scares me in parking ramps. Lol. I knew he probably missed his truck anyways
. Wow you fill that pig up and you hear cha ching, cha ching, cha ching. And then while cruising down the highway even over the music, you here that tune as well! That’s enough gas prices. Cut us a break!
Tomorrow we check
Tom Korhonen into the hospital for 5 days. Days 5-10 is when side effects usually happen so please continue to pray for his well being AND that his super T-cells are working hard and attacking and killing his cancer cells.
Ugh exhausted but my Superman husband was mad that he can’t watch the Wild game in the hotel so guess what. We are out and about watching the wild game. Lol. I said I better be able to play etabs then and bam, sold. Lol. Time to win big on some etabs. Lol.
3/30
Day 3: Tom’s check up appointment this am was about the same. All good. I think he’s having fun with just the boys in Rochester. Zach, Cameron, Mike and Ken are all staying with Tom and I’m sure they are having fun playing poker. I got to come home and get back in the office and it felt so great. And I got to see my Miya and dogs! Oh Jean too
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3/29
Day 2: Well we are at our first check up appointment after T-cell infusion. Tom’s feeling really good and super excited that he can poop again. Lol. I just had to share with everyone because he shares with me!
. Sharing is caring! He’s eating good and feeling good. I think he’s excited because our boys are coming to visit tonight which means I get to go home for a couple days. They have poker chips with so I’m sure they’ll have fun.
3/28
Today is the day we’ve waited so long to get here! So far labs look awesome and we are a go for infusion. They are thinking around 11 am and it takes just 15 minutes. Then it’s a waiting game with close monitoring. I’m so happy we got this far! There are so many approvals needed with passing labs and we got them! We are feeling so blessed to be invited for something so big, it’s hope!!
We just got the go to start infusion at 10 am now! We are ahead of schedule. Woo hoo!
Infusion is done! Nurses were joking with each other saying don’t screw this up it’s billions of dollars. Yikes! We even had an audience peaking in the door window! So far Tom’s doing good. The Benadryl is kicking his ass but other then that, he’s doing good!! Now it’s just the waiting game. Vitals checked every 15 minutes for an hour. Then hourly for 3 hours.
3/27
I’m so glad my parents came and visited us in Rochester. I never thought we’d ever have to experience this in our lives and it’s so hard to process. You just feel numb.
Tomorrow is the day that basically marks the rest of our lives together. We are so greatful to be a part of something that gives hope to so many families. I’m so confident we are going to find some peace in our lives again tomorrow and this is going to work. We have weddings and grand babies in our future and Tom has to be apart of all this! I refuse to tackle that circus alone.
Please pray for our family! 7 am tomorrow we start and they figure about 10 hours of monitoring. It’s going to be a long day.
3/26
Todays appointment was short and sweet. Labs look awesome! One more appointment tomorrow before infusion date and then we need all the prayers we can get. These re-engineered cells need to attack the cancer cells!!
Upcoming events: Next week is going to be a tough one. Infusion takes maybe 15 minutes but there’s a lot of prep work and labs. It’ll be tough cause it’s such a waiting game. Tom will be monitored after infusion every 15 minutes for four hours. Then he can check out for outpatient until Day 5.
Day 5-10 is the timeframe that side effects, if they happen, will happen. He’ll be inpatient for these 5 days. I’m praying so hard he doesn’t get any! Day 11, he can check out for outpatient again with close monitoring until Day 14.
Then we wait until Day 30 when he can check out of Rochester and come home!
Onward on with confidence that he will beat this and come home the day before his birthday!! I keep hearing from doctors and nurses how successful this treatment is. I pray so hard we get our lives back soon and boy are we going to live it!
We got some visitors today! Visitors definitely are nice to have for some normalcy. It can be very depressing alone and not even going outside. We have tunnel access to the clinic which is very convenient but you can forget there is life outside all this stuff.
FYI Red solo cup has only Dr Pepper in it. With the Car-T study there is absolutely no alcohol.
3/25
Last day of chemo before the big day. Tom is feeling super photogenic this morning. Lab results are awesome and so far the only side effect is feeling tired. One day down means another day closer to coming home!!
Tom Korhonen took a nap after chemo and jumped up and ready to roll. We decided to get out for awhile for some dinner. Date night! He’s quite the Superman and never stops amazing me of how strong he is.
Our new apartment for awhile. It’s a little run down with maintenance needs but it’s like a little apartment with a full kitchen. We have lots of room.
3/24
Day 2 of Chemo ramming up for the big day on Monday. So far Tom has no side affects from the chemo and the nurses said that’s a really good sign. He may not get sick at all!
3/23
Monday- a day full of appointments but labs and scans are all really good. The procedure is a go and we start Monday. Tom is the first patient to start this process for the study so it’s been a lot of ups and downs with changes as they figure it out. Since he’s the first patient, they are requiring him to be in the hospital for 10 days.
Tuesday- small surgery with putting lines in for easier access for blood draws, chemo injections, and cell injection. They said IVs would damage some of his cells. We don’t want that!! They are coming back as super cells!
Wed-Friday- 2 doses of chemo a day
Sat-Sun - check up appointments
Mon- Wed 4/6 - re-engineered cells injected and in-patient hospital for observation.
Change again! Lol! Now Tom is not inpatient hospital for two weeks. Just day 5-10 so he’s getting admitted on Friday, April 1 - ha it’s April fools day through April 6th.
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3/20
Well we are packing up and we were scared this weekend. My hubby and I got really sick Friday but feeling better today. Tom and I dont want anymore delays to get this cancer behind us.
I have my girls going with us Monday and Tuesday and excited to spend time with them even through these circumstances. If there is one thing we do best it’s making the best out of anything.
It’s nice doing laundry when you just throw it in a suit case. Soooo much easier and Tom is keeping his in a laundry basket cause we’ll need one anyways. Woo hoo. Landry almost done!
I took a luggage suitcase and started filling with groceries of some of the comfort stuff you want from home. What is that! Help me with ideas. Lol. I just started with seasonings, snacks, canned veggies (no jars they’ll break), onions…..