Joe made it home Monday. He is happy to be back home, but very tired. He is still in great pain. The doctors told him that the first 6 weeks after surgery will be rough. This is the 3rd week, and it is very rough.

He is improving slowly – he is on track. He has a nurse visit him every day. He really enjoys visitors, but, because he is very tired, it is a good idea to text first before coming. If he does not answer, then he is too tired to have a visitor.

Don’t be offended if Joe does not return your texts. He is having a really hard time right now.

Bridget Fillinger is putting together a meal train for Joe. I will post more information on it when I know the details.

Pathology results are back. It’s the same cancer. The oncologist told Joe he would need a course of chemo again. But there won’t be any pump this time (the pump was what was making him so sick last time).

Joe is slowly getting better. He is still in great pain. He has having some ups and downs. He is planning to go home sometime next week.

Thanks for all the visitors! Please keep on coming!

Joe is recovering at the hospital. He is still in great pain. Every day he walks several times the length of the corridors.

He has reestablished intestinal transit, which is great news. But unfortunately it also comes with more pain.

Joe is hooked up with a bunch of catheters and tubes, so when he walks he has to take a whole edifice of bags and liquids with him.

He is very pleased to have so many visitors. His room is full of cards, balloons, and gifts. So keep on visiting him! But don’t bring food or books. He can’t eat or read right now.

Joe went under the knife yesterday. the surgery went well.

Joe remained on the surgery table for 9 hours. The surgeon cut out every cancerous tissue that was found in his abdomen, then bathed the whole abdominal cavity  with chemo. Joe says this is called “the Mother of All Surgeries.”

Joe is in great pain right now. He is hoping for visitors at Froedtert.

The excised tissues were sent to pathology. The analysis is due back in a couple of weeks.

We were all hoping this would not happen. But Joe’s cancer is back. He is getting surgery early February.

First he plans on making some memories and taking the twins to Orlando. Then he will go to the father-daughter evening at Merton school. He scheduled the surgery right afterwards. It is a very significant surgery.

Joe went back to work this month. He is still a bit tired, but he feels great being able to work again.

It is as if the past two years had disappeared in the fog of history. Great news for him, for his family, and for all of us.

Joe is improving every week. He is sleeping better. His muscle tone is better. He is still in significant pain, but solely from the neck surgery. He is working very hard at his recovery – as all of those who know him would expect.

He is hoping to be able to get back to work around July – 18 months after he was diagnosed. Let’s all wish him the best.

Joe underwent surgery yesterday, so that the oncologists could directly check – visually – for leftover cancer cells.

He is free of cancer! As of today Joe is officially in remission, hopefully forever.

This community has made it possible for Joe and his children to be able to live through this extraordinary trying experience, with less anxiety about everyday concerns. I am proud to be a part of it. Thank you.

Joe is still far from recovered. He is still weak, with poor muscle tone, and many side effects. He is still undergoing therapy to recover from his spinal fusion surgery. But he is on his way to get better. We will keep you informed of his progress.

Joe got the results of the scans: no cancer can be seen!

As I mentioned before, this is not the final verdict yet. As some cancer cells don’t show on the scans, Joe still needs to undergo exploratory surgery in his abdominal cavity, to make sure that small amounts of cancer cells, invisible on the scan, are not present.

Surgery is scheduled for later this month.

Joe has regained the weight he had lost during chemo. He feels a lot better, and is slowly recovering from the side effects of the treatment. He is able to drive again after his spinal surgery, and is now undergoing therapy to fully recover from it. And his hair is back!

We are all awaiting the results of the scans next week. Keep your fingers crossed!