Welcome to friendsofbonnie.org

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07/18/06
It has been almost 3 weeks since Bon's first and only chemotherapy before today.
Bonnie had a good day on Tuesday the 18th. She had an examination early that morning and the doctor said he could actually detect some progress. Bon has been using much less oxygen. (she still avoids the stairs as much as possible). She is moving about the home without being constantly tethered to the oxygen concentrator. Her white blood cell count had risen to normal levels so she was given chemotherapy. The doctor reduced her 'cocktail' by 20% to avert the severe wbc drop a second time. As a bonus Bonnie has been able to sleep for longer periods at night but still has to remain somewhat vertical due to her difficulty breathing.

07/27/06
Saturday Bonnie began having an adverse reaction to her last chemotherapy. After meeting with nurses and consulting her chemotherapist they decided to proceed with her second back-to-back treatment. She is very tired and is experiencing flu-like symptoms with pain and swelling in her feet that now prevents her from walking without the aid of a 'walker'.

08/02/06
Tuesday was a full body scan, to check the progess of the treatment. As of today, the swelling has reduced and she is able to walk around a little bit. She continues not to be reliant on the oxygen concentrator. She will have a break from the chemeotherapy for the next seven days. Tommorow, (08/03/06) she will be undergoing a MRI to further check the progress of her chemotherapy.

08/04/06
Bonnie underwent the MRI without any major difficulties breathing. And even more good news, she has begun walking short distances without the assistance of a 'walker'. The results of the testing will be discussed at her chemotherapists appointment next week.

08/08/06
Bon's tests were reviewed by her chemotherapist Dr Crandall. The tests confirmed suspicions that the chemotherapy was effective as shrinkage or stability was noted. Bonnie's blood count was good so she received Taxotere and Gemzar as her chemotherapy.

08/15/06
Bon did get chemo Today. Her blood levels were below normal but close enough that the doctor gave her 75% of her normal dosage. Her edema is much better. Fatigue is now the MO. Bonnie could put socks on again as of Friday the 11th and is walking without the support of a walker. These small things are large accomplishments to us.

We have been receiving many emails regarding the benefit concert for Bonnie on Thurdsay the 17th. Parents were concerned if it would be OK to bring their under-aged children to the show. I spoke with the bartender at Pictures II. There is a restaurant section. Parents are asked to keep their children in the restaurant area and away from the bar.
  A Note: Due to Bonnie's compromised immune system she has been advised by her doctor to avoid any non-essential personal contact. Translated that means she must stay home. I will be at the show as her emissary. If you plan to attend the show and happen to bring a camera - please send a picture or so to us. I'll try to post the pictures.
Also, I understand that the PayPal function on the friendsofbonnie.com website should be activated any day now.

08/18/06
The Benefit for Bonnie went wonderfully well. Imagine a club filled with friends, family, industry professionals and crazy musicians - that was Pictures II. The bands were great and the crowd was so warm. We would like to thank the bands, staff, and stage crew for donating their precious time.
  We received pictures from some of the attendees which helped Bonnie get the feel of the event. Thanks so much for your concern and assistance. Bonnie and I were very touched by whole event.

08/24/06
This will be a week without chemotherapy. Bonnie continues to fight the fatigue induced from her last treatment. She should return to her regular treatment schedule some time next week.

08/26/06
We have been notified that a new concert is being organized for Sept. 23rd at The Rhythm House Cafe . Please check here or the http://www.friendsofbonnie.com website for details.

08/26/06
Bonnie and I spent a fair portion of day at a   Hillman UPMC cancer center. The staff is caring and knowledgable. Bon had a physical today and the doctor said there are further signs of improvement with her condition. There will be more hospital testing done mid September to verify the doctor's findings. Bon's blood count was good so she started her 4th course of chemo. Today Bon was attempting to walk as much as possible. That is usually limited to the distance from a handicap parking space to the front of a store but it is forward progress. We are constantly reminded that every day can change dramatically, unexpectedly.

09/07/06
Bon did receive her "day 8" treatment but has encountered a bump in her road to recovery. It was confirmed today that she has contracted a bacterial infection and is presently being treated with ciprofloxacin   as the antibiotic. Next week no chemotherapy is scheduled but there will be hospital testing to confirm her progress.

We'd like to thank everybody for the inquiries as to the second concert for Bonnie. We don't have any new information. This will most likely be the best site to check for changes. The show is not confirmed yet.

09/12/06
There are two bits of news today.
  1) Bonnie is presently dealing with an alergic reaction to the antibiotic used to treat her infection. She was instructed to immediately discontinue useage of the antibiotic.
  2) We have now have a confirmation of the second concert for Bonnie on Saturday September 23rd at the The Rhythm House Cafe .   Dinners , sandwiches and pizza / appetizers are available in relaxed atmosphere at the venue.
 
You are invited to join a growing host of Pittsburgh musicians and bands from the past and present as they rally together to support Bonnie at one of the area’s premier performance venues. Confirmed acts include:

• The Yards, fresh from their performances at Heinz Field and Giant’s Stadium with Bon Jovi and Nickelback,
• Pittsburgh’s own Grapevine in their new “Tres Lads” configuration that includes Freddy Nelson from Too Tall Jones
• And the inimitable Ike McCoy Band will reunite one last time for a very special, one of a kind performance
  
  The first band starts at 7 pm. Donation is $20 at the door.

09/19/06
Great News today. The results of Bonnie's tests last week showed continued improvement in her condition. She will most likely undergo the same chemotherapy for the next two months. An Xray is scheduled to verify whether she has cracked a rib while coughing. As always Bonnie is as bright spirited as she could possibly be.

09/25/06
The benefit for Bonnie was quite a success. Bon could not attend so I was her emissary. The bands were top notch. The crowd was a ton of fun. I was moving slowly the day after, perhaps due to bit too much 'fun'.
We really apreciate the words of encouragement and the support of those in attendance. Thank you.
We'd like to thank J4 Productions for donating the sound system / personnel. I know it was a long day. Also a special thanks goes the management of the Rhythm House Cafe for donating the facilities.

10/04/06
Bon is still experiencing chronic fatigue which manifested itself during her reaction to the antibiotic. It was all she could do to walk the hallway at the hospital to the radiation lab. The good news is that she is trying to move and did not use a wheelchair. Presently Bon barely has enough energy to move about the house.
No chemotherapy was scheduled for Bonnie this week, however, she did undergo an Xray to verify the suspected cracked ribs. The break from the chemotherapy is welcomed. Bon acquired a head-cold or fall allergy too! If you have stock in Kleenex the sales should be up!

10/05/06 We had a really rough Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Bon was admitted to the hospital in the afternoon of Thursday the 4th. They are testing and treating here for pneumonia and infection. Her lung capacity has diminished substantially. Bon is on continuous o2 and the Pulmonologists have been giving her bronchial dilators. There will be more details later as they become available. Xrays and CT scans are scheduled for the 6th. It has been verifed that her ribs are not fractured as suspected.
10/06/06
There is a build up of fluid in Bon's lungs. Bonnie is improving in that she didn't cough once in the 7 hours that I was visiting. Her O2 saturation is still low and she continues to receive IV antibiotics. Even with O2 she is out of breath walking 6 feet to the bathroom. If you believe in prayer please focus on her lungs clearing.

10/10/06
Bon was removed from IV antibotics and steroids yesterday evening. Her oxygen absorption has risen a bit but is still low. She now feels better and can breath well enough that she may be discharged on the 11th.

10/12/06

Bon arrived home Wednesday afternoon 10/11/06. Thank you for the cards, flowers, and food. Bon now has the luxury of taking her multitude of pills with food that I didn't make. That's definitely a forward step for her.
  Bonnie is back on oxygen full time. We currently do not know how long she will require the oxygen assistance. Bon is working hard on getting well by sticking to the doctor's advice.

10/20/06
Good News:
Bonnie has been using less oxygen support with each day. She continues to get stronger and more active. A meeting with the chemotherapist revealed progress in her fight against cancer. Bon's present goal is to gain as much strength back as possible as this could possibly be her last week with no chemotherapy.

10/31/06
My apology for this belated update but the days tend to become hectic. Bonnie is no longer utilizing oxygen support and her Osat is at normal levels when she is at rest. That is great progress. Bon did receive chemotherapy last week. This week her white blood cell count was low but marginal. The doctor decided to treat her at 75% of her normal dosage. Next week will consist of a full body enhanced CT scan and a brain MRI to check Bon's progress.

11/19/06
Bonnie had a week away from her usual chemotherapy and her energy level is returning. Her oncologist (Dr. Crandall) has decided to change her present course of treatment to maximize impact against her disease. Bonnie will begin radiation treatments focused on her brain and ribs, and will take the oral anticancer medication Femara. A monthly treatment with Aredia is also on the agenda.

The unexpected always seems to happen. On our drive home from Bon's first radiation therapy Bonnie rapidly exhibited a climbing temperature. Calls to the doctors ensued, and an additional trip to the local hospital was added to the day's agenda. Bonnie's temperature was stabilized by the end of the day and she has not had a major re-occurance of the high temperature since. Bon gets to add a low dosage steroid to her breakfast menu.

Breaking news! It looks like there will be another concert for Bonnie December 27th. As soon as I get the official go-ahead to release the information I'll post it here.

12/03/06
I just checked the http://www.friendsofbonnie.com/ website and they had the latest concert posted. I thought you might find it interesting. The Drake Bell video is getting play on VH1 and MTV. We saw Drake perform his latest release "I know" on Regis and Kelli last week. You can preview Drake's video at popdirt.com

Bonnie is feeling much better. The Femara and radiation is not as physically taxing as the prior chemotherapy. Her stamina increases every day. She has been able to enjoy some of the recent Christmas choral concerts in the area. Bonnie has been able to do some company work from home and even stopped by the warehouse for a few hours. This is truly a happy holiday season. BTW: There will be testing in January to track Bonnie's response to the new treatment.

12/14/06
We had a meeting with the oncologist Wednesday. Bon's test were better. Dr. Crandall thought that Bon is responding extremely well to the treatments. - That was what I wanted for Christmas! Bonnie was given another IV of Aredia in addition to her ongoing oral medications. Her stamina continues to build. You may even catch her at the warehouse for a few hours on some days.

01/06/07
My apology for this belated update. We were really busy attending to increased work demands and the holiday family activities. Your emails gently chided me back into action.
There has been good and bad news. There is great news in that Bonnie continues to get stronger. We did receive some bad news the day after Christmas. Our health insurance reached it's point of maximum payable benefits midpoint of Bonnie's radiation treatments. Luckily the benefit concert with Drake Bell will help defray a portion of the expenses. Our special thanks go to the promoters, artists, technicians and crew that made the show possible. There is no way for us to properly express our gratitude.
  The concert went well. A minor issue occurred when Drake and the band were stuck in an elevator for about and hour before they were to appear on stage. I understand that film crews recorded the incident. We would like to mention that Drake and some band members went out of their way to meet with their fans after the show. It was a long, enjoyable day.

02/07/07
This week kept us busy. Bonnie had to undergo CT scans, a bone scan and a brain MRI. We'll meet with her oncologist next week to discuss the results of the testing. Bonnie continues to feel fairly well. The side effects of muscle and joint pain are not as severe as she experienced on the IV chemotherapy. We would like to thank Novartis for accepting Bon into their patient assistance program. Novartis may provide her with up to a one year of supply of Femara
Bon and I would like to thank those of you who have shared your cancer experience with us. We appreciate your incredible honesty and caring advice.

02/15/07
I couldn't wait to post the good news. We met with Bonnie's oncologist. Her condition is improving. Her brain spots have shrunk to 50% of their size in December. Some of the brain spots have disappeared completely. Other involved areas have also made progress . There are signs of her bones remaining stable or healing. An important fact is that there is no new involvement. As extremely difficult as it is to face the reality that these issues exist we are ecstatic with the advent of the good news. Thanks for your prayers. I firmly believe that hope is healing.

03/03/07
Bon encountered a bit of difficulty this week. She managed to acquire an infection within a molar. Usually this is not of major concern but that particular concern changes with the chemotherapy that she has been receiving. In short, there are complications with Aredia and Bon healing properly. Bonnie will get a third opinion this coming week as to the best procedure for her. In the mean time she has added antibiotics to her daily formulary.
  We know that sometimes words do not come easily. There are difficult and sensitive times for everyone involved. This week both of us were emotionally upset at a doctor's poor choice of wording during an examination. Perhaps the "House" demeanor makes good television viewing but is quite upsetting in real life situations. Never forget that some days it is faith and hope that moves all of us onward. - Every day it is faith and hope that moves us forward.

03/13/07
Bon was examined by a very kind and thoughtful Odontologist last week. (See the paragraph above). It may be hard to imagine that receiving a root canal could be the better of two options. The Odontologist gave us a third opinion. He was confident that the infection could be cured with antibiotics and that a root canal was the best alternative - and so it was. Bonnie is much better now. This week she will return to her regularly scheduled chemotherapy routine. If the root canal were not possible her Aredia treatments would have been postponed for multiple weeks.

04/11/07 A brief retrospective
Firstly Bon is feeling much better than she had prior to New Years. She is working part time at the company again and is looking forward to springtime.
  Bon and I are amazed at the kindness that has been extended to us. Two weeks ago an anonymous package arrived at our company with a "Prayer Blanket" inside. The package was shipped from Michigan and crafted by a church group at the request of unnamed person(s). Every week hand written cards or emails arrive with words of encouragement and personal experiences. Earlier this year when Bonnie was disabled neighbors and relatives would drop off pre-cooked meals while we ran between the hospitals. The kind words and deeds from our clients still impact us daily. Thanks!

In retrospect what initially started as a cough was diagnosed as stage 4 cancer. Bonnie has been unable to sleep, unable to walk, at a point unable inhale enough to sneeze or cough. She has been on oxygen 24/7, hospitalized for pneumonia, and edured 'the needle' hundreds upon hundreds of times. These have been trying times and it is YOU who have helped us through this. The present result is that Bonnie is better now than she was in July. There is no way that we can thank everyone enough.
  I've penned some of the above entries from the chemotherapy room at UPMC. This is always a sobering experience. There are so many people here for treatment yet the nurses always know your name. The doctor's and nurses maintain a pleasant demeanor. The general willingness of the other cancer patients to help each other is incredible. I firmly believe that everyone should spend a day as a chaperon in a clinic like this as a reality check.

05/20/07 Last week Bonnie had CT scans to verify the effectiveness of her treatment routine. We met with her oncologist Dr. Crandall this past week and received good news. Bon is "stable" and shows minor improvements in a few areas. The doctors words were that she is having a "marvelous response" to the treatments. Regular IV treatment is still on the roster but the present course doesn't have as many after-effects. So much has happened and it translates into so few words.
Thanks for thinking of us.

07/25/07 Thanks for "checking in". The good news is that there is nothing major to report that differs from our last posting to this page. Bon is scheduled for a battery of tests in early August. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

08/14/07 Bonnie had her usual battery of tests two weeks ago. We met with her oncologist last week. Bon continues to remain stable and her CA blood markers have been dropping steadily since February. That is 'a good thing'. Thank you for your concern. There is always so much that happens behind the scenes. It is always a step at a time. I'll be updating the page again next month.

11/14/07 Bonnie had her usual testing a few weeks ago and unfortunately the results were not what we expected. Her blood markers have risen and it appears sthat her present course of chemotherapy has suddenly become less effective or ineffective. Bon had 3 additional tests performed and we are now awaiting the results. A change in her 'cocktail' will occur, and we are considering a clinical trial of two drugs that were not previously used on Bonnie.
  My apologies for not updating this page more quickly but it is difficult to find the time with all the hospital activities. We are touched that you care enough to start phoning and emailing us for the scoop. As soon as we know where we stand I'll post the update.

11/24/07 There is much good news mixed with a touch of bad news. The ineffectiveness of Bon's prior chemtherapy cocktail was confirmed but the advancement of the disease should be controllable. The tests did not reveal any significant reoccurences or advancement in other areas. Need I mention that we had a truly great Thanksgiving? Bonnie was accepted into the clinical trial of Avastin vs a placebo. She will participate in the clinical trial in addition to her two chemotherapy treatments of Xeloda and Aredia. We are now waiting for a calandar of events as there will not be much of a routine between these three treatments. I'd like to thank our business clients for making appointments with us at the shop. It really helped our scheduling. Did I mention that we had a truly great Thanksgiving?!

12/21/07 There has been a whirlwind of changes since the last update. Distilled down to the simplest level: Bon's chemo cocktail has been rearraged again. We were unable to get approved in time by Roche Labratories for the administration of Xeloda. Bon has been switched to Navelbine along with her participation in the clinical trial of Avastin vs. Placebo. Bonnie will be receiving weekly IV chemotherapy of this nature. There is a quantity of tests that accompany every administration of these drugs. She is once again a human pin cushion and her doctors are requesting a port be installed. Bonnie feels fairly well and continues to put long hours in at the shop when she is not at the hospital.
Now.. that aside - We are really looking forward to the holidays and have closed the company accordingly. We really need the break and look forward to irritating our relatives.
  Thank you for checking in with us. The personalized Christmas cards are very touching. The dinners were greatly apreciated as hectic can't even describe our month so far. I would like to thank our customers for being patient and working with our constantly changing work schedule. You have no idea how much this helps. Happy Holidays to all!

01/03/08 A lot has changed in the week. Tests revealed that Bon's white blood cell count has plummeted to an unsafe level. She was deferred from chemotherapy this week and will be tested again early next week to see if she has rebounded enough for chemotherapy. Bonnie will not be working at the warehouse due to fatigue and her compromised imune system.

01/13/08
Bonnie's white blood cell count rose slightly but is still below normal levels. She received chemotherapy this past week but at a reduced dosage. Hopefully this will allow her white blood count to continue to rebound. Bon still has to avoid public areas, certain fruits and vegetables, as well as anyone with a cold. After meeting with her oncologist, a exam is to be scheduled for the consideration of a port as the Navelbine seems to be rough on her veins and Bon is quite the "tough stick"

01/19/08
On our way home from chemotherapy we had to make an emergency detour into the closest emergency room. Bonnie was ambulanced from that hospital to Passavant UPMC N. Hills for emergency catheterization. After days of testing her diagnosis was a type of heart attack known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Bonnie has experienced heart damage to her left ventricle. Fortunately it is very possible that she will make a full recovery. Bon is resting comfortably at home. Presently it is our understanding that Bon will now be pulled from the clinical trial of Avastin vs. Placebo but will continue with her treatments of Navelbene. We'll address that issue later. Thank you for all the concerned phone calls and emails. - Jim

01/19/08
Bon's blood count was low but she did receive chemotherapy at a reduced dosage this week. Bonnie has been removed from the clinical trial of Avastin vs. placebo due to her heart condition. Also, on the agenda this week was a meeting with Dr. Malay. Dr. Malay is the head surgeon at UPMC Cranberry. Bon is now scheduled for a week off of chemo. Other drugs that she is taking for her heart condition will be temporarily stopped so that her body can be prepared for installation of the port. Presently Bonnie is quite fatigued but is of a good spirit. Friday she was able to stick her head into the warehouse for an hour or so to see what I have 'messed up'. I prefer to think of it as an alternate use of our business software.
  We'd like to thank everyone for the kind offers of help. We are truly touched by your concern.

02/02/08
This weeks agenda was more testing, a meeting with cardiology, and a week without chemo. The doctor's orders are for Bon to walk within a comfortable range. Her white blood cell count is still very low so the surgeon ordered another blood test for this coming week. Bon was thrilled (insert sarcastic inflection here). Her energy has been increasing so she braved grocery shopping on a Saturday afternoon - which takes more courage than I can muster. We'd like to thank Justin Mellor and my brother Joel Sidney for slaving long hours with us at the shop. Pastor Paul Rihel made quite an impact upon us this week when we met him for the first time. Another special thank you goes out to those of you that surprised us and dropped off food at the warehouse. The chow was really appreciated as the days have been extraordinarily long. Bonnie doesn't care for all my cayenne based recipes. Also, Carol Noonan at Dr. Malay's office really went went to bat for us and found support resources that we didn't know existed. Thank you all!

02/13/08
Bon had testing then her port was installed last week. The next day the port used it to administer chemotherapy. -ouch! The port surgery went well. It was amazing to see how easily Bonnie's blood could be drawn at the chemo lab. The administration of the Navelbine was a non-event. She did not experience the usual burning of the veins and there was no aching in her arm for the days afterward. Bon is slowly getting stronger. The heart attack / surgery / chemo tripple header crushed her. Every day the port area becomes more comfortable. Bon is gaining more movement in her right arm. She still is not allowed to lift over 15 pounds for another week. Bonnie isn't expected to return to work for quite a while. If you have a spare moment, please pray (or imagine)Bonnie's heart healing.

02/23/08
Thank you for your prayers and kindness. This week brinks good news on a few fronts. It was our routine of another week with more tests and chemo. Bon's blood count remains low so she was given a reduced dosage of Navelbine. Bon had her first painless IV treatment in quite a while. I'm not sure who was happier - her or me. The port was a true blessing. I can hold her hand without touching a bruised area. The sub cutaneous port area in no longer tender and Bon is moving her right arm normally. One of the tests this week consisted of the cardiologist performing an echo cardiogram on Bon's heart. The left ventricle is now pumping normally. A full recovery of the heart damage is anticipated. It will take a while for Bonnie to regain her stamina. I'd call this a banner week! I keep telling her Bonnie that she has to get stronger as spring is coming... and someone must pull the plow. Thank you for 'checking in.'

03/19/08
There is good news. Bon continues to get stronger with each passing week, and there is a new concert scheduled for later this month on March 28th.
The concert will be held at 3B's in Zelienople. Mike Palone of Skell has been hard at work coordinating the event with Broken Bone , Zilch,   afterthefall, and rockforlife.org . You can check out the promotional posters supplied by rockforlife.org in either jpg or pdf format.
  I was surprised at the date of my last posting to this blog. I could have sworn that this blog was within the last two weeks. Bonnie continues to recover from her heart attack. The chemotherapy has it's usual side effects but Bon's energy level continues to climb. She is back on schedule with her treatments. We'd like to extend our thanks to the bands and Gary Petrie (who maintains the friendsofbonnie.com site). Thank you for all the kind inquiries and concern.

03/20/08
Bon wasn't quite up to par this week. Her white blood cell count was extremely low. The doctors made the decision that Bonnie should not receive chemotherapy this week or next week. Thanks for checking with us.

04/02/08
The concert for Bonnie on 03/28/08 was a blast. The bands were great. Bonnie could not attend as her blood counts were still very low. I had the pleasure of hanging with musician's, clients, and neighbors that I had not seen in a while. Mike Palone and Rock For Life really placed a lot of effort into the show.
  This week was a review of the results from Bon's testing last week. There is good news. Bon is showing a good response to the treatments. She has made progress in several areas as compared to last month. Here treatment schedule will be adjusted to hit her harder for a few weeks then schedule a week off of chemo. This always is conditional and based upon her blood tests.

04/24/08
Last week Bon was scheduled as a recovery week. The break from chemotherapy gives her blood counts time to rebound. She had her routine testing and her counts were low as expected. This week was back to the chemo lab for tests and chemotherapy. The doctor has adjusted her cocktail to be a bit stronger since she is tolerating the Navelbine fairly well. Bonnie has continued to rebound from the heart attack and is looking forward making me plant a yet unfathomable quantity of annual flowers.

05/11/08
The past week Bonnie had routine testing and port maintenance. She actually passed her blood tests! The week off allowed her to rebound. This is also a good indicator that the new cycle of chemotherapy is not as taxing on her system. Our hope is that it maintains it's effectiveness. Thanks for "checking in".

06/01/08
This is our 'nervous' week. Bonnie just completed two weeks of chemotherapy then had an enhanced CT scan to check the effectiveness of her treatments. Bon is not very fond of all the liquid you must drink prior to the scan. Waiting for the results is never easy. I'll post an update as soon as we get some information. We are now involved in a peak season with gourmetpa. It becomes quite a juggling act with doctors, hospital tests, and an increase in clients needing immediate service. Thank you for understanding.

06/05/08
Bon's latest testing indicated that things are presently stable. Need I mention how much relief we feel? As a reward she was given a double dose - two different drugs - in one sitting. That will alter the weekend a bit but that's the way it goes.

06/24/08
I was surprised that my last update to this page was two weeks ago. Time flies when you're having fun... or doctor's appointments. There's been a change to Bonnie's chemotherapy. Her hemoglobin counts have been falling steadily so they are going to supplement Bon's chemotherapy with injections of Aranesp.  Aranesp is supposed to increase Bon's energy level in a few weeks. Any new drug that is administered to Bonnie creates some level of concern to us as it presents it's side effects.

07/30/08
Bon's blood levels were within a low - normal range last week so she had her scheduled treatment of Navelbine. This week is another busy week at the hospitals. Bonnie was scheduled for an enhanced CT scan, then she has chemotherapy scheduled directly afterward (pending on her blood counts). Those of you who have had an enhanced CT scan will understand the potential complications that occur after the test. The chemotherapy treatment will be comprised of Aredia, Navelbine, and Aranesp. The administration of Navelbine through the port has made Bonnie's treatment less complicating

08/07/08
Bonnie's white blood count was substantially below normal - less than half of the lowest acceptable range. No chemotherapy was given and she should avoid the mass public as much as possible. Otherwise, her spirits are good. I'll post more details as they arrive.

08/14/08
Stable.. that was the word from Bon's oncologist. We were actually excited at the report of no visible advancement of her issues. We discussed a potential change in chemotherapy in the future, but for now we will continue this course. Bon's white blood cell count was near normal, so Navelbine was administered per the usual schedule.
  Thank you for your prayers and kind emails. You have no idea how much it means to us. We firmly believe that the progress Bonnie has experienced is directly related to (your) spiritual power and Dr. Crandall's skill and attention to details. The UPMC staff has been excellent. There are so many acts of kindness.. one must not forget to keep this in focus throughout the days. Bonnie has received prayer blankets, healing stones, mass cards, and heart rendering emails from friends, family, and other cancer patients. People have dedicated their time to 'pink ribbon walks for cancer' in Bonnie's name. Take a moment and think about that.
This was a good day.

09/26/08
Thank you for 'checking up' on Bonnie. All is stable. The red blood cell booster shots are working well. Dr. Crandall has extended Bonnie's next examination an additional 30 days away. At that time she will undergo extensive testing.
New to the frustration factors:
We were notified that our company's lease was not going to be renewed. The business that we lease from wants the entire space available to them that the building offers. We are cramming to find a place to relocate in a very short amount of time. There was very little free time as it was. Now we have more to do. We are trying to control the stress, and look at every obstacle as a learning experience. Each obstacle presents a way to broaden ourselves.
Feel free to contact us if you know of any non-retail business spaces available near the Cranberry Township area. Thank you for your prayers.... and yes, we know the friendsofbonnie.com site is down. We're working on that too.

11/03/08
Twitching.... I like to thank everybody for bearing with our twisted work hours the past few weeks. My Mother has taken ill, plus last week Bonnie had multiple tests. There was a brain scan, bone scan, enhanced CT scan and a blood test on Bon's agenda. We will be twitching until we receive the results of the Bon's testing. Bonnie has been feeling fairly well while my Mother is progressing slowly. Thank you for understanding.
We would like to thank our customers and friends for the offers to help us move. We'd like to accept your offers, but our move to the new warehouse location is proceeding poorly. We had hoped to vacate our present location around the end of October. Presently, we have not moved a thing. The needed remodeling at our new location has not started, and the space is not completely available. We must vacate our present location in 12 days! Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's not much time. Bon has renamed this ordeal "Extreme Make-over Gourmet PA".
NOTE: We lost the friendsofbonnie.com domain (aka website). Bon's website had been donated to us two years ago. The domain was not renewed even though we requested that it would be renewed. A company grabbed the domain and is hoarding it for a sum of money. We don't have the resources to "fight the machine". I guess you can delete your previous bookmark for that page. We did manage to personally secure http://wwww.friendsofbonnie.org . Presently it points to this page on our gourmetpa.com website. The friendsofbonnie.org site will be owned and maintained by us. I'll update friendsofbonnie.org as soon as I get a free moment...... It is our intention to use it to help others facing cancer.
I'll update this page on Bonnie shortly after Bon's test results arrive. Thanks for checking on us. "Your encouragement pushes us onward."

11/04/08
Work has started on our new business location!

11/06/08
Stable! All of Bonnie's testing indicated stablility. We are extremely excited as Bonnie has been tolerating the present treatments fairly well. We would have been happier if there was a further reduction in the involved areas, but this is what 'God' given to us. Please keep Bonnie in your thoughts and prayers. Every day we are reminded of your presence in our lives.

11/19/08
Good news! Bon's cardiologist was pleased with the results of her tests. Bonnie no longer has to take three of her prescription medications, Her aspirin doseage has been reduced to around 1/6th of the previous amount. At one point in time I can remember giving Bon 11 pills at breakfast and she expounded "I feel like Elvis!" Well, she is a bit less "Elvis" now.

Our new location is not completed, but we are forced to move into it. Our lease extension expires at the end of the month. We would like to thank our customers for bearing with the construction, work, and scheduling issues.

12/21/08
Bonnie's immune system (wbc) count has dropped again so she is supposed to avoid encouters with the public. - Just in time for the holiday gatherings. She has to avoid close contact with anybody harbouring a cold. Otherwise, we are continuing our normal holdiay routine of last minute shopping. Thank you for checking in. Bonnie and I would like to wish you a happy holiday.
  Btw:We are seated in the new location but it is a 'work in progress'.

02/01/09
Just like the paragraph above, Bonnie's immune system (wbc) count has dropped again so she is supposed to avoid encouters with the public. - We had discussed the possibility of a transfusion but it was not deemed immediately necessary. Two days later Bonnie started exhibiting symptoms of influenza. Yes, compromised immune system and flu - nice combo! Bon is presently recovering at home. I'll post again when she recovers.

02/06/09
Bon has recovered from her bout with the flu. After a meeting with her oncologist, she was given her scheduled chemotherapy. Bon is once again her high spirited self. A full range of Ct scans, mri, and a brain scan are being orchestrated for the near future. Thanks for checking in.

03/01/09
Stable! Bon's barrage of tests indicated that her conditions are presently stable. That is absolutely great news. She will continue with her present course of treatments until they are deemed ineffective. Dr. Crandall, Bon's oncologist has exteneded the time before the next tests by a few weeks. We can sleep again as the days between testing and obtaining the test results can be fitfull. Thank you for your prayers.

04/19/09
Please pardon this belated update. Bon continues to remain stable. She has acquired an intermittent cough that hasn't been pinpointed yet. Otherwise Bon is feeling fairly well. - Our company has been extremely busy with keeping churches running for the Easter holiday, maintaining school plays, taxes, the doctor schedules, and now - Bon's birthday. Bonnie turns 50 this week! It is a monumental day for us as you can well understand. Her spirits are good but Bon is quite miffed at me for advertising her 50th birthday. That's correct, it's her 50th.
  Bon is ready for spring and looking forward to my help with the spring planting. And I should mention:Bonnie turns 50 this week!

06/05/09
Thank you for checking in with us. Bonnie had her barrage of tests this week. We are nervously waitiung for the results. Thank you for the concerned inquiries. I'll post information a soon as we obtain an answer.

06/13/09
We are back into the medical frenzy. Bonnie's test results revealed new problems that require immediate attention. We will be closing the business sporadically the next few weeks as the doctors and hospitals make rapid appointments. Bonnie will be scheduled for heart testing and an ASAP cyberknife procedure, as well as a change in her chemotherapy. Thank you for your concern.

06/17/09
Bonnie's Muga scan results were good and we will be waiting for the final approval as to which chemotherapy she will be given. That decision is made by Bon's oncologist and determined by our health insurance coverage and the hospital foumulary. Also, we met with four radiologists today. A 'gammaknife' procedure will be implemented immediately. Unfortunately there were a few more involved areas than we initially thought. All of the doctors felt very positive that they could arrest Bonnie's present involvements. As with any brain surgery - invasive, or noninvasive there are risks that make us uncomfortable. I will update this page asap. Please include Bon's recovery in your prayers.

A note to our customers: Thank you for understanding the dynamics of this situation. We have unexpectedly and temporarily closed the company to accomodate Bonnie's medical needs. To complicate matters further, our webserver was updated two days ago and I can not edit our website other than this page. Part time staff should be on hand next week to accept deliveries and release completed repairs. Once again, thank you for understanding.

06/18/09
Bonnie is home, resting, and doing well. The Doctors feel that the procedure was successful. Bon is expected to return to work in a few days. We find her anticipated quick return to work absolutely incredible. During our research we discovered a very good video demonstrating the gamma knife procedure at gammaknife.org  A RealPlayer compatible video is available at UPMC's site. We must mention that the compassion and professionalism extended to us by UPMC staff has been truly exceptional. We extend our apreciation to the doctors, nurses, technicians and other hidden heroes that made the best of a difficult situation.

We are looking forward to the reconstruction of friendsofbonnie.org We hope to post helpful information that will aid cancer patients and care givers on the updated site.

06/25/09
So far Bon is tolerating the new chemotherapy treatment quite well. The oncologist adiministered an IV of Doxorubicin , plus Kytril antinausea agent , mixed with Decadron steroid this afternoon. So far she has tolerated the treatment well. Presently, Bon is resting. She will get this cocktail every 4 weeks. This cycles with her other treatments that have various 2 and 3 week cycles. Obviously we have to maintain a calendar of events.

07/14/09
It took a few days for the chemotheray to show it's full effects. As the weeks passed Bonnie found herself fatigued but is rebounding around the 3rd week after treatment with Doxil. She is doing as much as possible to keep me busy. Her attitude is strong.

07/31/09
Bonnie has been feeling fair. We both must adapt to the effects of the new chemotherapy. She has been quite fatigued but still tries to 'bail me out' at the warehouse as much as she can. More testing is scheduled early in August to check the effectiveness of the gamma knife and chemotherapy. We met with oncologist and he wants to persue this course of treatment until indicated otherwise.

Our thoughts:
Please give health care reform your careful consideration. Through our journey we found that there are huge problems in our system that need addressed. Once you find problems in your health insurance policy you are trapped to endure the repercussions. There are few ways or no way to correct the deficiencies. Oddly our health system saves lives but can ruin your life. Please pay attention and make your best personal decision. Walk a mile in our shoes and your perspective would be guaranteed to change.

On July 20 our website hosting company migrated their servers. Our company website has had a few pages that are still unaccessible. Unfortunately the friendsofbonnie.org link and the data on this page were down for weeks. The fix still is not properly in place. I recommend that you use the http://www.friendsofbonnie.org link for these updates. Thanks for checking in, and pardon my soapbox speech.

08/04/09
Bonnie's brain MRI did not go as favorably as we had hoped for. She is scheduled for emergency surgery ASAP. We will be temporarily and sporadically closing the company to accomodate her needs. Note that we are also having problems with our company's email server. Personal inquiries can be direct to Bonnie as listed below. Thank you for understanding.

08/05/09
Bonnie has undergone her second gamma knife procedure and is home resting comfortably. We are both exhausted from the running between tests and doctor consultations, plus this early morning scheduling of the surgery. The doctor predicted that response from the procedure should be virtually immediate. Bon was still "goofy", (goofier than usual) when we departed the hospital. Her attitude adjustment made it difficult to verify any positive response. Her sleeping is a welcomed peace.

08/06/09
What a week. Bonnie still had chemotherapy today despite the week activities! We were beat. I can say we dragged our butts into the doctors - 45 minutes late (not cool). The nurses are so pleasant and kind. They spent a substantial amount of time with us answering our questions. We were discussing the surgery and the chemotherapy complications that have been exhibiting themselves. Bonnie had to have an oxygen saturation test as certain vitals were not normal. She is still experiencing a perceived weakness in her left leg. Only time will tell how sucessfull the gamma knife surgery was. And, Oh yes, after chemotherapy we had to go the the warehouse and work for 4 hours. Self-employment! Believe it or not, it was a good day. We were happy to spend it together.

08/17/09 Twitch time!
What a week - again. Bonnie had an enhanced CT scan today. She was extremely fatigued and could not return to work. We won't receive the diagnostic report until later this week. We will be nervously twitching until that time.

We would like to thank Michael Steinmetz and the PA Snowseekers Snowmobile Club for generous donation to Bonnies medical expenses and for donating to the Susan Komen Foundation. Also Brian Check threw a benefit and donated to Bonnie's Medical expense fund. We are extremely grateful for the assistance. Her health insurance has huge gaps in it's coverage that are unimaginable.

08/20/09 A really long twitch time!
The action never stops. Bonnie had a meeting with Dr. Crandall (her oncologist) to discuss the results of her Monday testing. Dr. Crandall's demeanor is both professional and compassionate. I can not speak highly enough of him. Bon's Ct scan indicated stability. Now we know that the Doxil is presently effective. We don't stop twitching until we hear the word "stable". One simple word that dictates our future.

We did receive some extremely bad news three days ago. Our health insurance hit it's "cap". In other words - we don't have any coverage for the rest of the year. That added a ton of stress. We are seeking all support possibilities at this time as none of the doctor visits, chemotherapies, or tests will be covered by the insurance. It's going to be a torturous time until January arrives. Our hearts go out to others in a similar situation. You have to live it to understand it. We welcome your advice. We welcome affordable health care reform.

09/02/09
Bonnie has been unable to work due to complications with her health. We are looking forward to a meeting with Dr. Crandall's oncological staff with the hope of relieving some of Bon's symptoms and discomforts. An update will be posted ASAP.

09/03/09
Bonnie started exhibiting very unusual cognitive issues. We rushed immediately from her chemotherapy to UPMC where she has been admitted. We are forced to once again temporarily close our company. Please see http://www.gourmetpa.com for shipment and business options. Thank you for understanding. She could really use your prayers.

09/04/09
Honestly, there was no sleep to be had. We both started the day with unspoken fear. The doctors are treating Bonnie with a periodic Decadron push into her IV to reduce the brain swelling and cerebral edema. Bonnie is responding but the progress is very slow. Only time will tell the full story. An MRI is scheduled sometime within the next few days to check the progress of the treatment.

09/05/09 Another long twitch:
Bonnie was doing much better today. She had a brain MRI early in the morning. Bon's treatment via IV was removed around 4pm and is she is now taking oral medications. We hope to have her home soon to finish recovering. We will not have the results of her MRI for at least 3 days due to the holiday weekend. Of course we will be nervously twitching until we hear any news from the doctors.

Tonight, Bon surprised me and walked out of her hospital room into the hallway to say another goodbye. Go Bon!

I've mentioned this before: Thank you for your kind emails and cards, and understanding, and accepting our situation for what it is. You can not comprehend how much your encouragement pushes us onward. Bon and I have had to discuss some very unpleasant options. It is you that gives us a faith that drives us forward. We can not possibly convey our grattitude. Thank you for understanding. Thank you for caring enough to visit this site. Once again: We can not possibly convey our grattitude.
Got it?

09/06/09
Bon remained stable today and was released from the hospital. She will remain on an oral dosage of Decadron until we are instructed otherwise. We had to do the typical post hospital running for prescriptions and other necessities. We arrived home to find Boe (my brother in law) in the process of mowing our yard with our push mower, in the blazing heat. I usually use a tractor (but it would not start). Our driveway soon filled with cars as friends that were in town stopped by to see Bonnie. We really appreciated the food as we haven't had the chance to grocery shop in quite a while. Bon did not leave the back porch until nearly 11pm! It was quite a relief from the IV tubes, and constant monitoring / tests, and nervous tension. We didn't have a chance to dwell on the last few days. Thank you - everyone

09/07/09
Bon is resting quietly. We have not made plans for the day and will flow with the events that unfold. We look forward to this day to decompress. This coming week's activities will be dictated by the doctor's calls.

09/09/09
Bonnie has been quite fatigued today. The hospital schedule and stress can be tiresome. She has remained at home resting.
We received the word on Bon's brain MRI comparison. - Stable! What a sigh of relief! This MRI showed no significant change to that of the last MRI 4 weeks ago. Bonnie's oncologist has decreased the amount of decadron required. We can sleep again. Thank you for your prayers. Please don't stop praying yet. The waters have calmed but the storm is still on the horizon. Bon is stable, not cured. Bonnie wishes to extend her gratitude to everyone.

09/11/09
Something seemed wrong today. Something was forgotten? We were out of place. It dawned on us that there were no doctors, tests, or mandatory traveling scheduled for the day. For the most part it was an almost ordinary day that was long overdue. Bonnie's spirits and her energy level were better.
Thank you for the concerned telephone calls and emails. I have had a few requests for a larger picture of Bonnie. The thumbnail in the top left corner of this page is now a link to a larger version of that thumbnail. I've learned that some people prefer to pray for her while looking at her picture. Thank you for caring enough to ask.
We will soon have some exciting information to share with you. This page will be updated as soon as details are clear.
Please take a moment to remember 9-11 .

09/19/09
Bon remained at home and stable this week. The Dexamethasone aka Decadron has done wonders for her appetite but compromises her ability to sleep. This week she received another Doxorubicin or Doxil treatment and remains on the steroid. Her level of increased fatigue should set in this weekend. Bon still should avoid public places as her immune system is below normal. This week was rather uneventful as compared to two weeks ago. Bon is her typical high spirited self.
Enough of you have chastised me for being late with an update! I was busy (that's an understatement) at the shop preparing gear for the G20 Summit, and coordinating the next phase of doctors / testing . There were not enough hours in the day to update this page. I'm sue you know how that goes. Thank you for caring enough to prod me into this update.

09/24/09
Bon remained at home and stable again this week. She is still having difficulty walking and must limit her movement about the house. Her attitude is very good despite the mounds of hospital related paperwork that have overtaken our dining room table - assuming that there is a table underneath all that paper. Her Oncologist has decreased the amount of Decadron that she takes daily. We are once again twitching as we wait for her to undergo the barrage of tests in October.

09/26/09
We received some very unusual and good news today!
  Those of you who crave high end guitars have surely heard of Jaros Guitars. Jim Jaros contacted us a few weeks ago. Today he personally donated and delivered a one-of-a-kind, hand built guitar, with it's certificate of authenticity. The guitar will be auctioned and the proceeds are to go to Bonnie's medical fund. Once again I'm stunned by the caring and generosity extended to us.
Those of you who check this page are privy to preview information on the guitar at http://www.compufind.com/bon/jaros/ . We will update you later with the exact auction date. Feel free to share this info with your friends. .

09/29/09
We received more good news today!
  Glenn Herman and Bonnie Halper of fivepointnetworks.com had obtained and are donating the friendsofbonnie.com and friendsofbonnie.net domains to us! This will allow us a complete set of web addresses for friendsofbonnie. We have been preparing the site to include the addition of a help section for cancer patients, and those that wish to help cancer patients. We look forward to posting the changes soon. We would to like thank Glenn Herman and Bonnie Halper for their generosity.

10/01/09
Bonnie had her scheduled chemotherapy. She continues to have extreme difficulty walking and utilizing her hands due to after effects of the Doxil chemotherapy. Today she had to opt for the elevator instead of taking the usual stairway to the chemo lab. Bon refuses to use a wheelchair and can not use a walker. Her ventures outside our home have been limited to necessary travels.

We are extremely nervous in anticipation of the upcoming barrage of tests. Once again our future is pivoting upon the results. Bon is trying to remain optimistic, but we are silently 'twitching'.

The changes to the friendsofbonnie.org site are falling into place. I did not realize that there was an outdated copy still existing our our company's website at http://www.gourmetpa.com/bon/ . Thank you for bringing this to my attention. We had to move the friendsofbonnie.org site in August as a server migration went very wrong and long. We were unable to edit this blog for weeks. The link at gourmetpa.com will now forward you to friendsofbonnie.org. As of today, friendsofbonnie.org now has it's own web location. Both friendsofbonnie.com and friendsofbonnie.net will bring you to this site. (Thanks again Glenn and Bonnie). This will really help with the upcoming fund raising events planned for Bonnie's medical expenses.
  Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and thank you for keeping in touch.

10/04/09
Bon remains at home. Her energy level is increasing gradually as she moves past the intitial effect of her doxil chemotherapy. She is looking forward to the Steeler game tonight.
Perhaps you noticed the additional links at the top of this page? We have been able to start integrating the self-help changes to this website. This will be a work in progress as the editing continues with the addition of another page in the near future. We hope you find the information useful. Please feel free to share any of the links.

10/05/09
After a sleepless night we spent the day at two hospitals. Bon finally gave in and allowed me to chauffer her via wheelchair. I only banged her elbow once. The next time I'll wrap her in bubble-pack. Bon had a brain MRI this morning and results were reviewed this afternoon by a neurosurgeon at a second hospital. - Stable! Not better. Not worse. - No significant change. That means that the present chemotherapy - as much as Bon doesn't like it - is doing it's job. Bon will be weaned further from the dexamethasone. It was a tense and emotionally draining day. Oddly, that constitutes a good day.

10/07/09
After another sleepless night, we spent the morning at a different hospital. Bonnie had an enhanced CT scan to check the progress of her chemotherapy. We presently do not know the results of todays testing. Bonnie was removed from her present chemotherapy treatment schedule. Her hiatus is intended to allow her to rebound from the Doxil complications. Thank you for checking in with us.

10/11/09
Bonnie mustered enough energy to visit relatives at a combination Steeler / 70th birthday party. She was fatigued but had a good time. Bon was resting soon after we returned home.
We received additional good news on Friday. Joe Barth, author of Voices In Jazz Guitar published by Mel-Bay publications donated and delivered a case of 8 personally autographed books. The books are to be auctioned with the proceeds going to Bonnie's medical fund. You can find a review of the book at jazzreview.com

10/22/09
I can't believe it's been 11 days since the last update. Thanks for alerting me to that. We have been involved in non-stop chaos. There were taxes due, financial assistance forms to be filled out, plus health and home maintenance issues. Bon was removed from her dosages of Dexamethasone aka Decadron as of Friday October 09. She did well for a few days then her energy, appetite, and other issues started occurring. Her oncologist placed her back on Dexamethasone Friday October 17. Within a few days Bon was improving, and by Tuesday she was... Bon again. Thanks for checking on Bonnie.
Very shortly we hope to launch the web page for care givers.

10/30/09
What a month! October seemed like one long succession of problems and obstacles. There is good news though. Bonnie was surprised with a previously-unknown-to-us doctors appointment today. Her last series of CT scans were mostly stable. She will begin reducing her dosage of Dexamethasone aka Decadron next week. The combination of the steroid and 4 weeks off of Doxil has substantially boosted her energy levels. Bonnie made herself walk up the flight of stairs to the chemo-lab. Those same stairs were not possible two weeks ago. Present estimates are that it will be 3 to 4 weeks before her next treatment of Doxil.

11/12/09
Bon continues reducing her dosage of Dexamethasone aka Decadron across the next two weeks. Her energy level continues to climb. It has now been 6 weeks since her last chemotherapy. She is feeling well enough to occasionally cover for me and answer company telephone calls from home. She has even tried to help me with accounting stuff at the shop. Her attitude is great. Bonnie's oncologist predicted that a new course of chemotherapy will be started early December. The drawback is that Bonnie will be feeling the maximum impact of the treatment just as the Christmas holiday hits. It is what it is - or will be. We have Bon's ebay profile started and are preparing to auction the Jaros guitar within the next few weeks. Thank you for your prayers.

11/25/09
Bon is still undgoing a reduction of her Dexamethasone aka Decadron dosages. She had been feeling fairly well the last few days but that seems to have caught up with her today. Bonnie was fatigued to the point that she did not leave the comfort of home. Each day comes with it's surprises. Perhaps it is the reduced steroid level?
Finally Bonnie is set up as a seller on Ebay. We should be posting the guitar and a few other donated items within the next few days. The items will be shipping from our company. (gourmetpa.com)
  We are looking forward to joining our family on Thanksgiving. Of course we will be avoiding the malls on Friday. We hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving and have some free time to do what you would like. Cherish each day that you have together.

12/03/09
Bonnie had an examination and Aredia chemotherapy today. Her oncologist decided to suspend her Doxil treatment for a few more weeks as Bon still has symptoms of toxicity. The chemicals affect everyone differently. In Bonnie's case, the Aredia has relatively mild side effects. The Doxil treatment was quite the contrary. The option of changing her treatment to something other than Doxil is possible in mid January. Bon's usual barrage of tests slated for Christmas week have been re-scheduled for January. This is quite a relief as our health insurance will resume coverage at that time. We are still staggered by the amounts remaining uncovered by our health insurance from August (see the entry dated 08/05/09), yet alone the amounts that will accumulate to the end of this year. It is beyond simple explanation and almost beyond comprehension. The bills are devastating. Every day we ask ourselves "now what?" and try to proceed by taking one step at a time. We have enlisted the the assistance of HRSI to help seek financial resources.

Bonnie is looking forward to spending the holiday season with her sisters and family. I hope I'm included as it's always a great time.
btw: we have begun selling a few donated items on Ebay. The proceeds will be applied to Bon's medical needs.You can find a list of auction items at http://www.friendsofbonnie.org/items.html Thanks for checking on Bonnie.

12/06/09
We would like to thank the Robert (Boe) Mellor family for donating a new Apple Ipod Touch to us for sell via Ebay. You can find it at Ipod touch on Ebay.
Bonnie is presently fighting bad cold that arose on Friday. As always we are concerned as her blood counts were low a few days ago.

12/09/09
Bonnie's chemotherapy, blood tests, as well a brain MRI and meeting with her neurosurgeon slated for this and next week had to be canceled. I find it disgusting that we are paying for health insurance coverage yet have none. We must reschedule her appointments for some time in January when our policy re-activates. It is unfathomable that when days are critical to the success of treatments, that we have to wait a few weeks due to the insurance situation. On top of that, along with re-activation comes that huge initial deductible. We feel for the others with the same situation. Ask us if we need health care reform.

Our Ebay sale of the Ipod touch is... well you can find it Ipod touch posted on Ebay 12/06/09.
We hope to post the Jaros guitar for sale very soon. A list of fund raiser / donated items and the item's status is now available at Bonnie's auction items list page
Bonnie is still fighting a bad cold that arose last Friday. We are concerned as her blood counts were low. She is doing a bit better. Thanks for checking on Bonnie. We really appreciate the concerned emails.

12/12/09
Bonnie remains unable to work due to her fatigue. She has looked at the Chistmas decorations but that is as far as the decorating has progressed. She is recovering from her cold.
I added a new link at the top of the page that will direct you to a list of the items that will be auctioned. Thanks for checking with us

12/15/09
Bonnie has had a "set-back" so her dosage of dexamethasone was increased. She is progressing slowly with recovering from her head cold. If you have an extra prayer or two, please send it Bon's way.
The books donated by Joe Barth have finally been posted on Ebay. You can find a link at the top of this page or go directly to http://www.friendsofbonnie.org/items.html.
Bonnie's sister Vickie helped Bon decorate the house for the upcoming holidays today. Her help was greatly apreciated. We have not had time or energy to do any Christmas shopping, or get a tree yet. It is what it is. We are going to close our company for a few day surrounding Christmas. We look forward to touching base with our friends, family, and business associates during the holiday season.

12/18/09
Bonnie continues to make progress against her cold and is feeling quite a bit better. Her day entailed decorating the Christmas tree. We are looking forward to a few days off that won't include work or hospitals. We'd like to extend our special thanks to the Zingaro family for the caring card and gift.
We would also like to thank Mark Leighty for shooting the pictures of the Jaros guitar. I was finally able to post the Jaros "Telecaster ® Style" guitar on Ebay. Bonnie and I are truly moved by the kindness extended to us.

12/23/09
Our house is filled with holiday attitude. Bon's Dad and family are staying with us for the next few days to celebrate Christmas. Bon couldn't be happier. She is surrounded by constant goofiness. Some might call it merriment but this is just bunch of really happy people.
We are receiving many email inquiries on the Jaros "Telecaster ® Style" guitar auctioning on Ebay, and reposted the Joe Barth book for auction .
  We would like to thank Steve and the crew at http://www.northernsound.net for the generous donation. We will use it to pay Bonnie's health insurance payment this month. Also, we would like to thank the anonymous "Mystery Christmas Card" sender for the cash donation. That too will go to Bon's medical expenses. You have no idea how much pressure is relieved by the contributions. I can honestly say that the medical and other issues were weighing heavily on Bonnie. You can hear the relief in her voice and see the relief in her face. I said this before, and I will say it again. - Bonnie and I are truly moved by the kindness extended to us. Thank you. We wish you a truly happy holiday.

12/29/09
Bon really enjoyed the holiday. I can't remember the last time that I had 4 days off with no hospital trips or work. Much like yourself, we could use to rest after our vacation. We are now getting nervous with the upcoming series of MRIs and scans. There is no way to relax as our world pivots on the results.
The Jaros guitar was re-posted to auction on Ebay today .
 A special thanks:
Bonnie and I would like to thank those of you who have donated toward her medical fund. Others have donated their time to help at the warehouse or organized special events. We are very grateful. The bills are just amazing and don't seem to cease arriving. We look forward to 2010 as a better year.

01/04/10
GOOD NEWS! Really good news! Bonnie had a brain MRI today followed with an immediate review and consultation with her neurosurgeon. Of course everything ran behind schedule. The doctor finally walked into the examination room with a smile and said. "I couldn't be more pleased with the results". Bon's brain tumors all showed significant shrinkage. Her next brain MRI will be in 3 months. We can sleep again. I was so ecstatic that I could have leaped out of my shoes. I know there is a serious battle still to be waged. She is not cured, but is stable for now. The last 9 months have worn us greatly. This is a welcomed moment of relief. Bon has bone scans, enhanced CT scans, and Xrays scheduled in the next few weeks that will be followed with a review by her oncologist . Please continue to pray for her if you have the chance. Thanks for sharing our moment of joy.

01/11/10
We were quite suprised to learn late Thursday that Bonnie was scheduled for chemotherapy the next day (Friday). We had to close the company and dash to the clinic for her treatment. Monday (yesterday) Bonnie continued with a marathon day of testing at the hospital. There were a few scheduling issues that weren't resolved until an hour before we were to arrive. Once Bon's port was accessed the tests proceded without incident. Today Bon is dealing with the after effects of the 'gastro view' she had to take for the enhanced CT scan. We'll be twitching until we learn of the results late next week. The last two weeks have been quite filled with medical activities.
  We would like to thank Kellee Joost, Char Wattenpool, and the Nick Catanese family for the donations to Bonnie's medical fund. There is so much work lost during all these days of testing and appointments. Your help is great appreciated. Thanks for checking in.

01/21/10
We are ecstatic. Bonnie's tests revealed that she is 'stable'. Her oncologist is going to temporarily postpone her treatments except for Aredia. The news was such a relief to us that I don't know how to express the feeling. For now I'll keep this brief and just say that we really needed a breather. Thanks for visiting and sharing in the good news with us.

02/07/10
Last month was filled with tests and doctors consultations. We were looking forward to peace and stability. That didn't last long as my Mother had to be hospitalized for over one week. Bonnie had chemotherapy slated during that time. We jockeyed our hospital visits and all turned out well. Bonnie had her Aredia despite a mess up on my part. I did not know what day it was, and drove Bonnie for her treatment a little early. OK, a lot early.. 24 hours early. The staff at the Grubbs road facility was their usual wonderful selves and accepted / administered Bonnie her treatment so that we would not have to return the following day. The facility was completely filled and we managed to get the last two seats. Our thanks is extended to Dr. Crandall's staff for making us us feel like family and not like an imposition. My goal was to make up work across the weekend while Bon rested at home. 20+ inches of snow changed that too. I did get Bonnie to step outside for a few minutes and take in the wonder of all that snow. The trees were beautiful. Our neighbors were busy helping each other dig out their driveways. All told, it was a good weekend.
More good news - It seems that Bonnie has been approved for medical assistance. The "M-A" should cover some of the gaps in our health insurance policy. How much remains to be seen. We've learned to approach things with cautious optimism

02/16/10
Bonnie had to be rushed to the hospital early this morning due to complications of her condition. By evening she was feeling better, but today's test results were not what we wanted to hear. More testing will follow tomorrow and along with it, decisions that will severely affect her. I'll post here as soon as possible. We welcome your healing thoughts and prayers.
  I just observed that our email server at gourmetpa.com has been down all day. I have no idea when they will repair the outage. It is the least of my present priorities. I have had to temporarily close the business (again) to assist with Bonnie's medical needs.
Thank you for understanding.

02/17/10
Bonnie's brain MRI was not performed until late in the day. Her oncologist wanted to have the brain and chest scans reviewed by the same technician's that performed her last analysis. The purpose is to compare 'apples to apples' We will have to wait until tomorrow for the results. This allows us plenty of "twitch time". In the mean (twitch) time, Bonnie continues to improve and her spirits are good.
The company email server is back on line at http://www.gourmetpa.com - Did I mention that my Mother's porch collapsed at 5am? I'd like to thank my brother Joel for all his help in handling that fiasco.

02/19/10
.Bonnie was discharged late yesterday and is home resting, as one doesn't get much sleep in a hospital. We still don't have the detailed results of Bon's brain MRI or abdominal CT scan. She is once again on an increased dosage of a brain steroid to control her present situation. Bon is absolutely the most pleasant sick person. Her attitude is astounding. Thank you for the prayers and kind words.

02/26/10
We still don't have the results of Bon's scans. It is possible that we won't have the information until we meet with her oncologist this coming week. Bon and I developed severe head colds the day after her release from the hospital. Bon is not recovering as quickly and is fighting aggressive coughing, sleeplessness, and headaches. She remains at home repeatedly testing the remote control channel change buttons. She can't seem to overcome her fatigue. This week has been consumed with doctor and hospitalization insurance phone calls along with document faxing. The health care system is an absolute train wreck, but things proceed despite all the disorganizations. Bon is comfortable enough, and that is what presently is of major concern.

03/04/10
Bonnie had chemotherapy today. Her oncologist is reducing the amount of dexamethasone that she has been taking daily. We still don't have the results of Bon's scans from 02/26/10!. That is not a typo. I had a synopsis of her January testing with me at the doctors meeting. Her Oncologist, Dr. Crandall, said he would review the results himself. I can't stress how many times we have utilized the tests results that we drag along to the doctor and hospital visits. Bon did receive her treatment with Aredia. It is possible that she may start on a course of Ixempra pending the review of the CT and MRI results. Bon has been battling a severe head cold for almost two weeks and is making slow progress against it. We are please that she finally has slept well the last 3 nights. Bon is trying to move as much as possible during the day to counteract the intense fatigue . Bonnie really appreciates the concerned emails. Her spirit is so strong, that I am amazed daily. Thank you for checking in with us

03/13/10
This was quite a rough week for Bonnie. Issues with severe pain kept the both of us awake most of the nights. Bon is tough. I mean really, really tough, and is absolutely not a complainer. For this pain to bring her to tears for hours at a time - even with dosages of Vicodin - really tore me up. The pain subsided early Friday evening. I arrived from work to find Bon walking around the house without the walker. Friday night's 7 hour sleep felt like a week's vacation. Bon felt good enough today (Saturday) to venture into a grocery store to pick up essentials. She was quite spirited throughout the day, and now is tired but still feeling much better. She is incredible.
btw:She is making progress against the head cold too. It was a grand day.

03/16/10
Things have become better for Bonnie. She is no longer having the pain issues and her head cold has mostly abated. Thanks for checking in on her.

03/23/10
Bonnie had good weekend and ventured outside into the sunshine. We drove to a local park. She stayed in the car and took in the sights while I went trail riding. Getting out of the house is one challenge. Getting back into the home is another. Bon is weakened and has great difficulty making it up the stairs in our split entry home. Her determination is evident and she does make the stairs at a pace that is her own.
  Saturday we had a moment that I was not sure if I should share with you. It was unpleasant, but hopefully it will help you understand the perspective of someone with a severe health condition. We were completing an online application for certification that Bon is disabled. I had the laptop and typed as Bon answered the questions.
- Then we hit the bomb:
The question was stated ( as closely as I remember) "Will the end result of your illness be death?"
I gasped. I saw the tears well up in Bon's eyes and she answered "yes". All I could do was hold her. How do you describe a moment like that? I have no more words to say about that at this time. Just think about it.
  Nearly every customer that I greet at the warehouse asks me what I think about the health care reform bill. I've been dodging the answer but would like to make a point. Passage of the bill is paramount to the equal rights amendment. Everybody deserves to have complete treatments regardless of income. How can you deny that? Financial responsibility is also important. My stance is that we need to take the first step and improve the process. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with but one single step". A few years ago Bon could not get the best possible medication for her treatment because it was not covered by our health insurance policy. That is not easily forgotten. I will step down from my soap box and thank you with a true heart. Your involvement in our lives makes a difference. Thank you for the calls, emails, cards and support that pushes into the next day.

03/30/10
Bonnie was scheduled for a Brain MRI and immediate consultation next week. I contacted the neurosurgeon's office last week and notified them that Bonnie had a brain MRI late February. Her neurosurgeon (Dr. Kondziolka) reviewed the results from February and contacted us Monday morning. Bon's brain tumors have continued to shrink and the brain swelling also showed a continued reduction. They felt very good about the results and have rescheduled her testing for early summer. A tremendous weight was lifted from our shoulders with those words.
  On another positive note: Bon actually slept well the last few nights. She continues to cautiously walk the stairs in our home when needed. She is determined.
  I am overwhelmed by the shear quantity of our customers that inquire about Bonnie and extend their prayers and best wishes. I remember those wishes and extend them to Bon every night when I get home. Thank you for caring.

04/09/10
Once again I have been chided for this belated post. The week has been hectic. The good news is no news. Bonnie remains stable. She is handling the reduced amount of brain steroid well. Her energy level is still very low, as she can only walk about 40 feet across the house without fatiguing. Our concern about the pain she experienced the past two months after her bone chemotherapy has been unfounded this time. Thanks for caring enough to scold me for not posting sooner .

04/18/10
Ok, I have been lax with this update too. It is difficult to balance home, medical, and work events. There has been so much craziness with the medical billing mess, (actually it's nothing short of a debacle ) and could easily consume every waking hour of every day! Add in the Easter holiday and the fact that our company has been crazy busy. There isn't a moment for anything elective.
Bon continues to remain stable. She has multiple tests scheduled for the next few weeks. This means that Bon gets to drink nasty liquids. Another battle ensues with the I.V.s that she receives with the testing. The hospital initially insists on "sticking" a vein for the I.V. due to the flow rate. Bon does not have a power port. The problem is that Bon's veins are shot from all the needles. She has a Bard port, but the nurses typically don't use it for access until they fail to access her veins 4 or 5 times. So... Bon quietly endures multiple "sticks" before they hospital personel finally perform the port access (which works just fine). It' very frustrating. Following all the tests is our "twitch time" then doctor appointments for the reviews. Bon never complains. O.K, she complains to me, but that is what I'm here for. I'll update you on the testing as soon as possible.
  I'd like to thank Bon's sister Vicki (aka Vixen), my brother Joel and his wife Donna, our friends, neighbors, and extended family for stopping by and checking on Bon through out the week. Your offers of help and concern touch us daily. We are lucky to be thought of by so many caring people. Bon received a knitted prayer shawl from Calvin United Presbyterian Church which she has been using daily. Someone anonymously mailed a gift card for Giant Eagle to us a few weeks ago. We find the kindness of so many people inspirational. It really does propel us into the next day. Thanks for caring enough to check on Bon via this blog.

04/29/10
The past few weeks have been quite busy. Bonnie had multiple tests. We received the results today with mixed news. Bon continues to remain mostly stable. She has made progress with her lungs but lost some ground with her bone involvements. Her oncologist has scheduled more testing for this coming week. Bon received her Aredia chemotherapy treatment today.
  Bonnie turned the big 5-1 this week. We celebrated Sunday with a small party consisting of the immediate family. Thank you for the goofy emails and cards!

05/17/10
Bonnie continues to remain mostly indoors at home. However, I did manage to get her outdoors for the majority of this past Saturday. It was a beautiful spring day. We purchased flowers to be planted at home, and at the warehouse entrance. I carried a stool to the various locations. Bon would walk to the location, sit, and either help, or instruct ( or should that be 'correct') me as to the proper plant locations. She was quite tired Sunday but mustered the strength to go to a good friend's Eagle Scout ceremony. That was the most non hospital activities that she has done in quite a while.
  A barrage of tests are looming on the horizon. The testing always makes us nervous. Bonnie is still very weak but continues to try to walk the steps in our house when it is necessary. The stairs present quite a challenge to her. Her attitude is inspirational.
  A quick note: We are considering launching the sale of the Jaros guitar on Ebay again. I'll post the details as soon as possible. Thank you for checking on Bonnie.

05/23/10
Once again we enter an extremely important and pivotal week. Nervous is an understatement. I'll post an update as soon as possible. If you have the opportunity to pray for Bonnie, please pray for her physical and mental strength.
  I would like thank Toni Schlemmer and Chris 'Cricker' Kirby for their incredible efforts at the Gourmet P A warehouse. They have been working hard to relieve the pressure place upon us at this time. Thank you for the concerned calls, emails and inquiries.

05/24/10
Bonnie had a brain MRI followed immediately with a review and consultation with her neurosurgeon. The results were not what we hoped for. Bon is slated for her third Gamma Knife brain surgery in June. Bonnie tried to walk a bit at the hospital, but the distances were too great for her. We have a very nice collapsable wheelchair that we carry with us. Bon was quite happy to have it along today. Thank you for checking in on Bonnie.

05/27/10
Bon's test results indicated that other than the new brain involvement, she is presently stable. Our excitement was subdued, but we are quite happy. Only one major issue? Great!
Thank you for all the prayers. Every day we receive emails from those of you that are praying for Bon. It is inspiring that you make time in your busy lives to focus on her. Thank you.
btw: Bon is really trying to walk more. Her fatigue and lack of balance are apparent but that doesn't stop her. -O.K. it does stop her - sometimes - but not all the time.

06/09/10
Bon underwent another gamma knife procedure this morning.   ( A RealPlayer compatible video is available at UPMC's site.) The neurosurgeon found an additional involvement and was able to take care of both of 'spots'. Bon is sporting a turban and is presently sleeping. As with any hospital procedure - it was a long day.
  The hospital gave Bon a picture of her bolstered in the gamma knife head brace. I asked Bon if she would mind my posting the picture. Bon's reaction was quick: "Sure, go ahead and post it. I'm way beyond worrying about what I look like.   Maybe it will help people understand other's lives". (more on that shortly)  This is the link to the picture if you wish to view it. You can see that Bon is still her ever so pleasant self in most any situation.

  During the 6 hours spent in the waiting room I had the fortune of meeting the relatives of a few other patients. One family had driven from Johnstown Pa. to wait for their father during his gamma knife procedure. They were wonderful, caring and so very open. We exchanged stories and fears. Our meeting was deeply touching and yet consoling.
  The staff at 'Presby' is consistently friendly, professional and instills confidence. We wish to extend our sincerest thanks to Dr. Kondziolka and the UPMC staff. For the staff it is another day. For us it was anything but.
fwiw
This has been an incredible journey with an incredible person. Thank you for checking on Bonnie.

06/17/10
Bon is doing great! Other than a bit of discomfort from where the cage bolts were seated, she has no new issues - not even a headache!. I can see Bon getting a bit stronger every few days. This is likely due to the reduction in her chemotherapy and the minor but daily dosage of a steroid. Friday, Bon made spaghetti for dinner when I arrived home. That may not be much to you, but she has only cooked perhaps 4 times in over a year. This week she was motivated and decided paint our wooden outdoor chairs. Go Bon! I set up a stool so that she can remain seated a much as possible. Bon is once again picking on me and making jokes of my casual dress attire. (What's wrong with black shorts, white socks, and brown shoes?) What a great week.

06/28/10
Bon had her Aredia chemotherapy last week. She is presently a bit more fatigued but rallied and finished cooking the dinner I started and then put away the dishes. It's so good to see her involved in things even if it happens to be household chores. We had a pleasant weekend together.
  Last week we received two special notices in the mail on the same day. One was a bill for more than $34,000. We won't go there. The second was a notice that our health insurance is being canceled. More specifically the insurance company is closing all health insurance policies in the U.S. as they have deemed it unprofitable. I'll post the exact quote later. So - just how does one get insurance with a pre-existing condition? It seems that we will be on the leading edge, testing the new laws to determine if the new laws are in effect for this fiasco.
An often unnoticed side effect of the medical or technical complications is work loss. I had taken off work 2 days last week. One 8 hour day was spent filling out and documenting facts for re-application of Bon's medical assistance. Another entire day was spent at chemotherapy with her. The work loss is unavoidable. It is a reality of the situation as there are things that can only be completed by us. I have been advised by a dear friend that " This story has to be told ". I agree, but the situations are too great for words to describe. Stay tuned for another exciting adventure as events unfold.

07/09/10
Complications have arisen. Bonnie's testing scheduled for the end of the month was quickly moved to today! She has developed symptoms that are concerning the doctors and myself. We will not know the results until next week so it is twitch time again. The testing proceeded like clockwork, which seldom happens in hospitals. Bon is doing well but is experiencing the after-effects of drinking the gastroview and waking at such an early hour. I'll update you next week when we receive the results. Thanks for checking on Bon.
Today I had a conversation with a long term business associate whose wife recently had a double mastectomy. Although we don't share similar political views (walk a mile in my shoes before you speak for me) we do agree on how the cancer experience has forever changed our lives. Our conversation brought to mind the following excerpt from a verse by Reinhold Niebuhr:
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference. ....."

  Our experience is that the verse is easier to conceive than it is to practice.

07/13/10
Bon's test result indicated that she must be immediately placed on an additional chemotherapy drug. Her new treatment will be Ixempra    As usual there will be the learning curve associated with adjusting the cocktail to her physical responses to the treatment. If you have a few moments, please pray for the healing of Bon's lungs and heart. Thank you for your concern and for checking on Bonnie.

07/16/10
Bon had her first chemotherapy treatment with Ixempra yesterday     So far she has tolerated the treatment fairly well. I was pleasantly surprised by Bon when I arrived home after work. She was outside, struggling to lift a watering can. The flowers were wilting from the day's sun. She was laboring to lift it but was quite glad at the same time. - And so was I.

07/19/10
Things have been a bit crazy with Bon's new chemotherapy stirring up some unexpected complications. The side-effects of the Ixempra are now present. Bon is quite fatigued along with other symptoms. We are attempting to counteract the symptoms with changes in her diet and additional medications.
  Brian Check is once again sponsoring his "River Jam" for Bonnie. He has a beautiful home on the Allegheny river ( see this photo for details). There will be bands, food, and plenty of room to play in the water, fish, etc. An evening "Bonfire" caps the day. It is a casual family event and any proceeds (it's free and donations are optional) are donated to Bonnie's medical expenses. We went last year and had quite a good time. - hope to see you there!
  Thank you for taking time from your busy life to check on Bonnie.

07/29/10
Bon is fatigued but moving when she can. Sleep has been a bit sparse this week as Bon's coughing has been increasing dramatically when she lies down. Actually I don't think we slept more than a few minutes last night. We have a meeting scheduled with the Doctors about the coughing. Bon is scheduled for Aredia chemotherapy this week but I suspect that her blood test results from last week may change that.
  I'll post a more detailed update shortly.

07/30/10
Bonnie's blood counts were low, but not as low as we expected. That was quite a pleasant surprise. She received her scheduled Aredia treatment. She was extremely tired and fell asleep immediately upon arriving home. We had another pleasant surprise today. Three of our neighbors gathered together with chain saws and removed our ailing tree that was 100' away from the house. Bon slept through the entire event and had no idea what happened! The tree evaporated! I can't believe that she slept through the cacophony. Bonnie is now taking a prescription cough suppressant to assist her with sleeping.
A few days ago, Dave and Linda Short of Short Sound dropped off a book for us to read entitled "Beating Cancer with Nutrition". The author does a great job of explaining the interaction of nutrition with chemotherapies. A cd / synopsis of the book was included. This is a good book if you are interested in reading or don't care to read but would rather listen to a lecture. Thank you for checking on Bonnie. Your faith drives us forward.

08/04/10
Changes, Changes, Changes. It always seems that we make progress in one area and loose ground in another. Over a week ago we decided to make a few changes in Bon's diet. Bon's coughing was increasing to the point that neither of us were sleeping. The prescription cough medication helped somewhat but not decidedly. Last week we started Bon on 100mg Co-Q-10 twice a day and changed her daily vitamin to a "Stresstabs" equivalent. We recently started administering Bon her Hydromet an hour before bed time instead of at bedtime. The end result has been astounding. Bon (we) just finished our fourth night of uninterrupted sleep. We have not had a complete nights sleep since September of last year. Two days ago, Bon remarked that she was feeling much better and even strolled with me in the supermarket.
  Yesterday was not one of her better days. I remained home (took off work) as Bonnie was quite lethargic. She remarked about how tired she felt even with getting rest. I suspect that this is the overlap of Aredia (administered a few days ago) and Ixempra chemotherapies creating the fatigue. We will meet with her oncologist this week and discuss the issues before she receives the scheduled Ixempra treatment.
I started this blog because so many customer's, friends, and family, were inquiring about Bonnie. I received a lot of feedback this week from those of you who consistently check on her. Thank you for offering the nutritional advice, understanding, encouragement, and support. You truly make a positive difference in our lives.

08/10/10
Bonnie received another dosage of Ixempra this week. She had a 'good' weekend considering that she had chemo just a few days ago. Saturday I had to shave her head as her hair was fleeing faster than cat at a dog show. Bon looks so cute with or without hair! As Chris Kirby said "She can really rock the bald look". The drug manufacturers and doctors warn you of the potential for hair loss. It is quite dramatic when you are personally involved.
  This treatment we were able to anticipate the after effects and correct Bon's medications to successfully minimize many of the chemotherapy's after effects. Bonnie is once again fatigued by the treatment.
Tony Sgro contacted us with news of another benefit being slated for Bonnie on September 16 at Jergel's in Elwood City PA. Tony is combining The Joey Argiro scholarship fund and FOBonnie Benefit in the same concert. Rick Jergel is helping with a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle. So far the scheduled bands are No Bad JuJu, Granati Brothers (95% sure), Father Time, Casanova, and two others. I'll post more details as they become available.
Don't forget that Brian Check's River Jam is happening this Saturday. Thanks to all of you for the help and thoughtfulness.

08/12/10
Bon had a rough night Wednesday night. The chemo has her fatigued, achey, and add to that a thunderstorm brewed. When we finally fell asleep we awoke to learn that our warehouse had sustained substantial water damage inside.
Bonnie was looking forward to Brian Check's River Jam this Saturday. It now seems that I may have to spend the weekend restoring our means of income. Oh, well. Hopefully I'll be able to stop for a while and we can attend the Riverjam. We were looking forward to seeing you - our friends. Once again a special thank you goes out from Bonnie and I to all who emailed, called, or helped with the mess today. We are truly surrounded by incredible people.

08/15/10 We spent the afternoon and evening at Brian Check's River Jam / benefit for Bon. Bon had a fantastic day. She managed to walk down to the riverfront. If you view the photos you can get a perspective the distance from stage to the water. Everybody was so friendly. Kids were swimming. There were good bands, good food, and good weather until it rained at 8pm (causing an early end to the activities). Events like this take a lot work, the preparation, execution, then cleanup are huge amounts of work. Bonnie and I would like to thank the Check family and Check4sound, Stardesign lighting, and all the volunteers that helped set up and donated the food buffet, banners, gear set up / tear down, and of course the musician's that so graciaciously donated their time. We deeply appreciate the time that you have given us.
Brian had a 'real' photographer at the event. I'll post the pictures when they become available. I managed to fog our camera lens and do not have pictures of the other live acts. (sorry guys)

08/21/10 This week was a 'mixed bag' of good and bad news. The good news is that the cleanup is underway at our company and we are once again at our service benches. The bad news is that there is much more clean up to be done. Our walls must be cut to remove the soaked insulation between the studs. We have rows and rows of shelving screwed into the studs and all the gear and shelving must be temporarily relocated - we don't have time, energy or resources to pursue that at the moment.
More good news. Bonnie and I were contacted by Dr. Edmund Ricci from The University of Pittsburgh. He is assisting us with Bonnie's health insurance situation and so much more. Dr. Ricci has spent quite a bit of his personal time seeking resources for us. Need I say how greatly appreciated his help is. The bad news = the second benefit at Jergel's in Elwood City PA has been canceled. Bon and I would like to thank all of the bands, organizers, and the Jergel family for extending their hands to us. We are lucky to be in the midst of such great company. Bonnie had a fair week. Her energy level is low but her eyes still shine with personality. Thank you for checking on Bonnie.

08/27/10 Bonnie undergoes two different chemotherapies. One is on a three week cycle, the other a four week cycle. This week was the convergence of the two. Both chemotherapies were administered on the same (long) day. Bon's blood tests indicated that she was capable of withstanding the dosages. We expect her blood counts to be well below normal during the next few weeks. I'll update this page if there are any changes. Thank you for your concern.

09/02/10 Bon had a brain MRI and the results were not what we hoped for. Bonnie will undergo her 4th gamma knife brain procedure shortly. Bon did not want to undertake the immediate operation tomorrow morning as it was presented. The upside is that the new lesions are very small and treatable. The downside is that the involvement is impinging on an area of the brain that could affect her left hand motor skills. Dr. Kondziolka was very reassuring. So much more happened with Bon today that I could easily type a 500 word essay. Lets just say that there were quite a few complications throughout the day. I'll spare you my grammar and finish this entry with "Thank you for your prayers and support."

09/04/10 A busy day was scheduled at the company as it is the week containing a holiday, - then I received a call from Bon's neurosurgeon. They want additional testing done NOW! and that meant NOW. Hours of phone calls later an emergency MRI was slated for Bon - which she missed! (long story that I can not tell) - Hours more of phone calls ensued and we bulleted to Montefiore Hospital - returned home in the dark. I couldn't possibly explain all that went on behind the scenes. Thanks to our customers for being so understanding and to Chris Kirby for "coming to the front line while under fire" at the shop. We are scared. Again.

09/10/10 Many people have inquired for this update. Thank you for caring so much.
It seems as though our lives teeter, wobble and change direction like a stalling top. Today we received good, bad, and mixed news. The good news - This week Bonnie had undergone an enhanced ct scan. We received the report quickly and the results showed stability.
With that, we breathed a sigh of relief.
However, our pre-planned direction for the weeks to come has been completely altered. Things began changing rapidly and radically early in the week. Tuesday morning we were contacted by Bon's Gamma-knife surgeon's office. Additional complications were observed and Bon (we) were immediately directed to another doctor for assessments. The news was upsetting and of an urgency that has canceled Bon's Gamma Knife brain surgery and chemotherapy this week to prioritize the new treatment. (Yes both of those treatments were scheduled within a few days. ) The mixed news is that the new situation should be treatable, and the stay of Gamma knife and chemotherapy - albeit not without risk - are hopefully temporary.
Bon was visibly upset, which tears my heart to shreds.
My assurances were perceived as lame.
Once again we have discussed what we secretly hold in denial.... and next week we will go onward.
I would like to personally thank Dr. Mehta for the caring, compassionate explanations.

09/13/10 It happened again. An afternoon marked with furious flurries of phone calls ensues, then everything scheduled or planned has changed. As of 4pm today Bon IS going to have her Gamma-knife brain surgery this week as well as radiation to her spine. We expressed our concerns about the amount of radiation that Bonnie is receiving but were assured by the doctors that it is not an issue. There are so many interweaving appointments it is difficult to keep them straight. I can say that I was frustrated to the point of "boiling" most of the day. All things are not in place yet, and each day lies contingent upon the preceding day's results. I would like to thank our clients, vendors and Kricker for flowing with our turmoil. The doctors and nurses are truly wonderful and trying their best to make things work out. Stay tuned as there is surely more to come. Thank you for checking on Bonnie. Your encouragement drives us onward.

09/15/10 Two days of testing and now today Bonnie has undergone her fourth gamma-knife  brain surgery in two years. We are both exhausted. The onslaught of tests treatments and doctor appointments is no where near it's end. I'll update this page on Bon's condition as it becomes available.

09/16/10 Bon is home resting, doing well, and is her typical light hearted self. She amazes me with how she maintains her pleasant demeanor. Her head is a bit sore where the brace clamps on but otherwise she was well enough to meet with her Oncologist today. The decision was been made to temporarily halt Bon's Ixempra chemotherapy while she receives radiation for her spine. If you clicked on the links in this entry you may notice that Bon no longer has any hair. It all seems so long ago, but the picture of Bonnie in the "halo" or "brace" was just this past June. A lot has happened the the last 3 months.
We are looking forward to the next 3 days which have no scheduled hospital trips. Sleep is on our agenda.
Thank you for the emails and inquiries.

09/23/10 So far, Bonnie has been tolerating her radiation treatments well. She passed her blood test today and was administered her chemotherapy of Aredia after her radiation. We look forward to a few days without hospital walls.
  We were impacted by a total stranger today. Bon and I had lunch in the sunshine of the hospital's cafeteria veranda after her radiation. Bon remained outside while I returned the tray and recyclable goods to the proper location. There, I met a lady who stopped me and said. " I couldn't help but watch you two eating outside. I could tell the love you have, and see the compassion in your actions." I choked. I didn't know what to say as my eyes began to tear. My voice audibly trembled. I fumbled a comment about how lucky I am, placed my hand on the strangers shoulder and nodded a thank you. I couldn't talk. I tried to get a grip and returned to Bon, telling Bon about the encounter. Bonnie said that it made her want to cry (in a good way). I now have the words to reply to our friendly stranger. "I wish she too, and everyone, could experience the love that we have". Our "thanks" to a total stranger.
I was not sure whether I should post the story of our encounter today. It was such an unusual, sad, yet positive experience that we wanted to share it with you. Please keep in mind the impact that you can have on others as you move through your day. Peace. Love. Respect. Understanding

10/03/10 Wow, what a month. Finally Bonnie has reached a temporary break in her treatments. Our goal was to get through this past Friday. Bonnie did well and had no visible after effects of the radiation other than increased fatigue. Two weeks ago Bon had to stop to rest four times as we walked to the radiation lab. She was insistent that she would walk the stairs at the end of each visit. Friday, Bon walked the entire way to the lab for her last treatment. She was tired but she did it.
This weekend was spent sleeping and lounging as much as possible. We are burned out, fried, cooked, toasted... get the idea? The last 40 days have been hectic and stressful. We hope to continue resting this week as shortly there will be tests to review the results, and verify the effectiveness of the treatments. Saturday we celebrated with the family at a birthday party for Bon's sister. A special "thanks" goes out to Bonnie's sister Vicki (aka Vixen)and their family for all the help that was given to us the past few weeks. We'd also like to thank our neighbors, friends, and clients for all their kindness. We wish you a pleasant and peaceful week. Thank you for checking on Bon.

10/16/10 Bonnie received her chemotherapy of Ixempra this week. She has contracted somewhat of a cold with quite a bit of chest congestion. Expectorant and additional cough suppressant has been on tap.
Bon spent most of this morning and afternoon peacefully sleeping . We are both still quite tired and continue recovering from the past few month's activities.
Our lives have changed in an introspective way. It was 31 years ago that I met Bon. I completed some household chores then we celebrated by going for a car ride to view the fall foliage. We had no plans and no destination in mind. We traveled random back roads to McConnell's Mills then Moraine State Park. Our exploration got us quite lost on the farm roads and quaint countryside. We didn't care (I forgot the gps)and 3 hours later found our way home. It was a pleasant day of chatting, relaxing and just being. We don't take that for granted.

10/26/10 Bonnie received her chemotherapy of Aredia last week. She is fatigued by the last two weeks of chemo and is making slow progress against her cough and stuffy sinuses. This week is a relaxed doctor schedule. We both needed a break. There is nothing major to report as this week's mantra would be "steady as she goes, captain". Thank you for checking on Bonnie and please keep her in your prayers if you remember.

11/05/10 Bon received her treatment with Ixempra this week. She had a good evening but the night did not proceed smoothly. She developed a few issues and was mostly awake until 6am. I just gave up trying to sleep at that point. Bon is now resting quietly. Her white blood cell count which was critically low 3 weeks ago is now high. The high white count poses a whole new level of concern. I fully expect Bon to be 'mauled' the next few days due to the lack of sleep and other complications of the treatment. So, we wait to see what the next day will bring. It is always one day at a time.
  Bon and I would like to thank our friends and family for their understanding. The winter holidays are rapidly approaching. We can't make reliable plans to be anywhere despite our best intentions. Bonnie and I would like to thank everyone for the generous invitations to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years festivities. As I mentioned previously, - it is one day at a time. Thank you for checking on Bonnie. We really appreciate your thoughts, prayers, and all the love and kindness that you have extended to us.

11/07/10 Sleep! Finally! 10 hours of sleep seemed like a vacation retreat. Bonnie's cough continues to subside a bit each day too. She is finally starting to 'kick' the head-cold.
Bon's fatigue is still dominating our days. She tried to do a bit of clothes shopping tonight but we had to abbreviate the adventure. Typically the chemo fatigue sets in about 2 days after chemotherapy and lasts for nearly two weeks. After the first 10 days the fatigue starts decreasing slowly. It is a process we are well acquainted with. Bon had one heck of a time climbing our stairs but she was determined to do it - and she did.
A friend of ours, Cheryl Affolder Reckard, is having a Silpada Jewelery Benefit for Bonnie on December 5th. Cheryl has requested that anyone interested in attending contact her via email at roger+reckard@earth+link.net (Remove the + sign for the proper email address) or call Cheryl at 724 333+0385. Thanks Cheryl! and thank you for checking in on Bon.

11/08/10 We spent the day at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital as Bon had a brain and spinal MRI. The scans were immediately followed with a consultation and review of the tests by her neurosurgeon. The results were good!. Bonnie is stable and even showed some shrinkage of the affected areas. We are delighted, relieved, exhausted, and feel like celebrating.

11/16/10 There have been no major changes so far this week. We actually have a break from hospital activities which should give us some time to catch up on things at home. Bonnie is weak but stable. She is having difficulties walking so... we adjust.
  I stumbled into a strong statement make by Ann Feeney and Joan Hill about nursing / hospital care. It is quite humorous and so accurate that it is sad at the same time. Please check out Ann Feeney on YouTube   if you have about 4 minutes. It is Ann, her acoustic guitar, wit, and sarcasm. Bon and I hope you have a pleasant week.

12/03/10 Thank you for your patience. I know that it's been a while since this blog was updated. Bon's treatments, doctors and other complications kept us very busy before and after the Thanksgiving holiday. Bon and I spent Thanksgiving day with family, and still managed to have a good time! (I'm going to hear about that comment). All joking aside: We would like to say a heart felt "Thanks!" to our friends, family, and "internet family" for all the assistance, and moral support that has been bestowed upon us. We honestly could not make it through this without you. Thanks again. There is no way to explain our gratitude.

  We continue to be absolutely amazed at the hospital bills that we receive. It's December and now we are receiving multiple bills from early March and some from 2009!. I stammer when I try to describe them. The contrast in amounts is incredible. One bill can be for about 1/4 the cost of a home. (Please wait while I cash in the penny jar). Then, we received a bill for one dollar. We have found portions of the billing / collection system heartless, infuriating and disgusting. Be it known that we really do appreciate the medical assistance or any and all help that Bon receives. Matters could always be worse.. so we hear.
Please pardon my venting.

Bonnie's blood tests were good so Bon received both Aredia and Ixempra chemo-therapies. The downside is that this makes her very fatigued and the next few weeks will be - lets say "difficult". The upside is that Bon should have a chance to recover for the Christmas holiday. We are looking forward to spending time with our friends, business associates, and family. Time together is a precious commodity.
Thank you for checking on Bonnie.

12/09/10 It has been a week since Bonnie's double chemotherapy. She grows increasingly fatigued each day. It is struggle for her to do basic things (like standing up) that we take for granted. Her attitude is typical light hearted "Bon" and she deals with the situations as they arise with an incredibly positive attitude. She never ceases to amaze me.
  We would like to thank Cheryl Reckard, Silpada, and those of you who were able to participate in the benefit jewelry sale. I understand that the benefit party was quite exceptional. Bonnie was too ill to attend but we gathered details from those that attended. Thank you for extending your care to us. The help is greatly appreciated.
  On another positve note Bonnie was selected by celtichealthcare.com Mars Pa HQ for their Holiday Helping Hands campaign. It is very hard to find words that fit these gifts of kindness.
Friends, relatives, and total strangers reaching out to help Bon... This is an aspect of Americans that the news seems to miss.
We understand that everyone is increasingly busy with the upcoming holidays. Thank you for taking time from your busy life to check on, and help Bonnie. As I leave mentioned in the paragraph below : Your encouragement pushes us onward - in ways that are beyond words of appreciation .

12/12/10 .
Bon continues to decorate the living room in small increments. Since Bonnie is having difficulty standing or walking, we will move a chair to a section of the room and she will chip away at the area at hand. Her artistic ability ( she has a college degree in graphic design) comes in quite handy. I am considered to be "taste impaired" (as is purportedly evidenced by my moose slippers and Family Guy pajamas) and have learned not interfere with her grand scheme.
  A few items that were donated to Bonnie's medical fund were posted to Ebay. The one of a kind custom Telecaster ® style guitar hand built by Jim Jaros and the autographed books Voices in Jazz Guitar by Joe Barth are now listed. Please forward the link to anyone who might be interested in these. Thank you.

12/21/10 .
I can't believe that it's been 9 days since the last update. Every minute of every day is full throttle. It is Tuesday but feels like a Friday. There has been a mixture of good and bad news.
Bonnie traveled to McKeesport for a family reunion / Christmas party this past weekend. My brother and his wife did all the organizing. It was so good to see everybody again. Bonnie really enjoyed the day out of the house.
  Lately, Bonnie had been getting incrementally better each day. New symptoms were arising as last week progressed. Tuesday (yesterday) Bon took quite a few steps backward as compared to the previous forward momentum. Today will be very decisive. Bon's oncologist adjusted her medications late last week, and now we are forced to change one of them in hope of a better response. Tuesday was just 'not good' to say the least. Every day is an emotional roller coaster ride.
  Added into the fray was that my 88 year old Mother had a home invasion. Thankfully my Mother was not physically injured. The Police responded very quickly, and were very kind to our Mother.
On the positive side the guitar donated to friendsofbonnie.org by Jim Jaros sold on Ebay Sunday. The funds will help pay her increasing medical bills. We'd like to thank Jim Jaros for his kindness in donating the guitar. Roger Reckard has been donating time and materials to repair our bathroom, and we had a 'Secret Santa' send an anonymous donation / Christmas card to the company for Bon. Don't loose focus - there is good out there!

12/24/10 .
Bonnie had to undergo 'stat' testing yesterday to determine the status of her kidney functions. Her Onc called and immediately doubled one of her medications. We won't have the full results of the tests for a few days due to the holiday.... so we'll be twitching for a while.
Bon's Dad's family has arrived for a Christmas visit. We love the time spent together. Bonnie really cherishes the visit each year. Time together is a gift often taken for granted.
Bon and I hope that you have a pleasant holiday. We'd like to thank our friends, business colleges, and family, for all the help and understanding you extend to us throughout each year. We'd also like to thank the employees of celtichealtcare.com for the time and gift cards donated to Bonnie. That was quite a surprise. Happy Holidays!

12/28/10 .
We hope that you had a pleasant Christmas holiday. Bonnie's father and the Patterson extended family stayed in our 'hood' for a few days. It was quite fun. I don't know how to describe it other than Bonnie was fatigued Christmas day. Her symptoms escalated as the day progressed, which turned to into a long and unnerving Christmas night. I thought for sure that we were heading to the ER. Neither of us slept much until Bon was able to rest comfortably around 6:30am. Bonnie slept until 2pm the next day. To my surprise she walked down our hallway unaided at that time! She has continued to improve slightly each day since. Her attitude is incredible. We spent most of today traipsing back and forth across UPMC. Bon agreed to ride in the wheel chair. Bonnie had blood tests, then an enhanced CT scan (lots of nasty liquid), and a bone scan, that was followed by port de-access. The days in a waiting room are so draining.
Let's pray that Bon continues to rebound. Thank you for checking on her. We hope you have a safe and happy New Year.

01/06/11 .
Bonnie had multiple tests last week, and this week. We met with her oncologist today to review the results. The news was a 'mixed bag'. Bonnie's bone and lung involvement have both marginally improved. There was one area of new involvement noted. Bon's blood counts are extremely low and have continued to fall despite a 4 week rest period from her last treatment of Ixempra. Her counts are so low that she is now poised for a transfusion. Her treatments of Ixempra have been halted indefinitely. Hopefully she will rebound. Meanwhile her Oncologist is going to research alternatives to treating Bon with Ixempra. So... on we go with another twist in trail. We are pleased and anxious at the same time.
We hope that you had a good New Years holiday, and wish you a positive year to come.

01/12/11 .
Monday was very rough for Bon, and Tuesday she slept almost the entire day. A blood transfusion was promptly ordered for today. We awoke early to spend the day at UPMC and stranded Cricker at the warehouse. Bon received 2 units of blood. She is presently quite sharp and picking on me. I'll take it!.
While at the "Medical Short Stay" we heard a voice that sounded familiar. I looked into the room beside us and there was our accountant and her Mother! They also we spending the majority of the day there. Cathy, (our accountant) and I had been emailing for the past few days to resolve some accounting issues. Neither of us could finish our tax communications because of our family situations. - so, we had a brief meeting there at UPMC! It's funny how that worked out!
An update will be posted in a few days when we determine how Bon responds to the transfusion. Presently we both need to get some sleep. Thank you for checking on Bonnie.

01/18/11 .
The contrast between last Tuesday and yesterday were amazing. Bon is more physically active and very sharp mentally since the transfusion. This past Friday afternoon I left work for a few hours to check on Bon. She felt good enough to make grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. I can't remember the last time that she cooked or even stood for that long. Bon is still using a walker most of the time as a precaution as her overall strength is low. She does take a occasional unassisted foray within the house. We are glad for the positive changes.
Bon and I would like to send special thank you to John and Mary Keister / Pine City UMC for the donation to Bonnie's medical fund. Bon used a part of it to buy a much needed pulse oximeter and shower seat. I'm amazed that essential medical supplies are not covered by some health insurance plans. Well, we enter this week much more upbeat than we entered last week. If you have a spare moment please pray for Bon's continued stability while she is off of chemotherapy. Thank you for your concern, friendship, and understanding.

01/28/11 .
Yes, this update has been over-due. My Mother has been in ICU for the last 7 days and continues to remain there. Hectic and exhausting are understatements. There hasn't been much time to work or for anything else.
Bon continues to do well. The transfusion has made a big difference. Bonnie can walk in our house without the walker, and is not getting light headed or falling when she stands. She catches all of my obscure references and parallel logic jokes. Bon's testing went well this week. Her blood counts are better than last week's blood counts. We are still unsure when or if she will return to maintenance chemotherapy. Her Oncologist is pursuing a possible hormone based treatment.
I noticed now that Bon is comfortable with, and has accepted the wheelchair. The begrudged suggestion of loading it into the car has ceased. It has become a liberating device rather than a confining tool. The long treks across the hospital don't have to be exhausting battles. All too soon we grow old and all too late we grow wise, eh?. Soon Bonnie will have another brain MRI and meeting with her neurosurgeon. We're always pensive about tests.
"Thanks for checking in" We appreciate your concern.

02/02/11 .
My Mother is now making progress, but the medical / hospital demands seem to exceed the amount of hours available in a Day. There are complications every single day. My brother's assistance is tremendous (yet again). Bon continues to remain outwardly stable.
Monday a package arrived at our home. It was addressed to Bonnie , shipped from http://www.thelydiaproject.org/ , and was otherwise anonymous. Inside was a an ornate cloth purse, moisturizer, and a journal. We looked through the contents and couldn't help but wonder about the person who sent this out of kindness. Bon handed me the journal and my finger slipped between the pages. I opened the journal to the page and found myself at the verse: "When I see my tote it reminds me that I have friends I didn't have before cancer".
  I need say no more.

02/03/11 .
So much is happening that it is mind boggling. On the plus side: Bon's test results from last week were better than the previous week's results. This indicates that Bon is rebounding from the last 9 months of chemotherapy now that treatment with Ixempra has stopped. Her oncologist is going to place Bon on a hormonal treatment, in addition to her chemotherapy of Aredia.
Bonnie had her first treatment of Faslodex http://www.drugs.com/faslodex.html today. Of course we received the usual bible of potential side effects. We will be twitching for the next few days as the new side effects manifest themselves. We are quite happy with Bon's response to the transfusion done two weeks ago. Stay tuned for yet another exciting chapter in the life of Bon.

02/08/11 .
So far, Bonnie is tolerating her first treatment of Faslodex http://www.drugs.com/faslodex.html well. Yesterday she had a brain and spinal MRI. She spent eighty minutes fastened into that machine! The results were good. Bon showed no new developements and some shrinkage of the previously involved areas. We were ecstatic. Bon's energy has been increasing and she is doing things around the house like emptying the dishwasher. We keep a wheelchair in the car, so Bon has been visiting my Mother in the nursing home with me. It's great to see her moving again. Thanks for letting us share this moment with you.

02/28/11 .
Wow, what a month. Pardon this late update but there was not enough time in any day for non-essential activities. Actually there wasn't time for a lot of essential duties too. It has been non-stop hospital situations for Bonnie and my Mother. Bon remains stable. A few days ago she had her first taste of a battery powered 'rascal' shopping cart. It was the first time in over 6 months that she could venture into a 'big box' or warehouse store. You could see her grinning ear to ear. She was out of the house. She was shopping. And she was not exhausted at the entrance. Thank you for your patience and for checking on Bonnie.

03/19/11 .
Almost another month has passed and it has been brutal. There has been no time for anything but doctors and the most basic survival needs. We managed to get my Mother home for one week and then she had to be hospitalized again. Bon has been weak and for the most part has not left the house for anything other than hospital tests. This morning I couldn't (wouldn't) get out of bed as she was sleeping with her head on my shoulder.... snoring....into my left ear. It was the best time! I totally loved it. You must savor the moments. Bonnie's spirit is indelible even though the days alone can become quite long for Bon. Her sister Vicki had reduced her work schedule to spend afternoons with Bon while I work or head to the hospital. We are blessed with a great family and kind friends, and understanding customers.

03/19/11 addendum Many people have asked if we have noticed changes since the implementation of the new health-care laws. The answer is yes. We are finally getting affordable health insurance with better coverage than we had last year. Our prior insurance was extremely high because of Bon's condition. The prior health insurance company kept raising the premium because of anticipated risk. We could not get new coverage because of her pre-existing condition. Note that Bon has been incapable of working for years now. Our rate was so high that we could have purchased a new BMW and paid for it in full every two years! Think of that.
Compound that with high out of pocket prescription costs.   You would not realize what a train wreck the system was unless you were personally involved with steep health care needs. The health-care reform / changes are not perfect. It is certainly a step in a humanitarian direction that was long overlooked by both past political parties. We hope you never need to delve into the changes, and you may not even notice how they positively affect you now, but one thing is certain... Bon and I hope that you never experience what we have.

04/09/11 Yes, this is another belated update! The past few weeks have had compounded difficulties. Bonnie's health has not been well. She is experiencing increased weakness and at times can not even sit straight. There are other issues too that have kept us bouncing between hospitals for tests to determine what the causes are. Add into that another simultaneous play of events. My Mother had been ill and took a sudden downward turn. In a nutshell - it started with Mom in a skilled nursing facility and transpired into a series of unending events. -She started in a hospital, was transferred to a skilled facility, had a week's worth of issues, then was ambulanced to a second hospital (with me chasing it in my car) , Life Flighted to third hospital, emergency surgery and then... final words last Saturday. From that point our Mother was transported from the hospital to hospice where she died peacefully on Thursday morning. Did I mention that we had to forgo our visit with my Mom the morning of her death so that I could take Bonnie for testing? My mother passed during our drive to the hospital! What a wonderful day. My brother and his wife (both tremendous people), and I were rotating vigils with our Mother. The two + weeks of frenetic Mom activities and Bon's complications have kept us from any normal daily functions. There has been no time to update this blog. I would like to thank our friends, neighbors and family for their concern and donations of food. There was no time to sleep yet cook.
  Bonnie has some very large hurdles at this time. She did receive her chemotherapy of Aredia and Faslodex this week. Those have the potential to make Bon even more fatigued during the funeral services. Please send and extra prayer Bon's way when you can.

04/14/11 Bonnie was too weakened to attend my Mother's funeral. Need I say more? She has been encountering increasing difficulties this week, and yet she is supposed to start in-home physical therapy today.
A special thank you goes to our friends, family, and neighbors for the donations, concern and the many ways you have helped us. I haven't been able to work much the past month and it was greatly appreciated. Many thanks are extended to those of you checking in and staying with Bon during my extended absence.
Please pardon my brevity with this entry, but fatigue and demands are mounting. I will further update this when my thoughts clear. Please keep Bonnie in your thoughts and prayers.

04/22/11 It's another insanely hectic week with yet more changes. Bon had her second in home PT (physical therapy) session. It makes her quite tired. Ms. Weaver is Bon's therapist. Some how Ms. Weaver combines being pleasant with the efficiency of a drill sargent. I'm thankful for Ms. Weaver's presence. I hate to see Bon staring at the TV for hours ad nauseuma, without movement.
Bon has developed a few new complications. The oncologist has adjusted her her daily medication a bit. Tests have been scheduled.
Bon and I would like to thank our relatives for the invitations to Easter dinner. We (Bon actually) decided that she is too weak to leave the house for Easter. My brother and our mother-in-law offered to bring dinner to the house. We are grateful, but, can't predict how any day will unfold. We'll improvise something.
  Bon and I would like to thank you for the caring emails and sympathy cards. My Mother was a wonderful person and will be deeply missed by us. Thank you for checking on Bonnie.

04/23/11 Today I served Bon a lavish breakfast from Wendy's $.99 menu and decorated (us). This is a link to the picture if you are interested

04/27/11 Yesterday we celebrated Bonnie's birthday with PT, then a small party. And I mean small - 6 of us! We had good time. Bon's Dad sent a bouquet of flowers. Bon's sister brought dinner and a hyacinth. My Brother and his wife Donna dropped off a home made cake. Earlier in the morning I dashed outside between the torrents of rain and filled most of our available vases with daffodils and hyacinth and grape hyacinth that I picked from our yard. We brought spring inside to visit. Bon seemed to enjoy the day - except for the PT which she pleasantly tolerates. Bonnie would like to thank you for the phone calls, cards and emails. There were some very creative messages (meowing happy birthday?! - good one!) I've read all of cards and emails to her. Thank you for making her day special.

05/02/11 We spent Monday at Montefiore and Presbyterian hospitals. Bon's brain and spinal MRI were stable. The question is what, then, is causing her complications? It was a long day but worth the wait to hear the good report. We celebrated with a dinner A la' gift card at a local restaurant. Our celebration was short lived as Bon developed "issues" late in the night. I had to call my brother -in -law for assistance at 4am. There were more issues again this evening, and Bon's sister came to assist us. I am deeply saddened for Bon. Amazingly Bonnie takes everything in stride. She is the stronger of us.

05/05/11 It was another long day at a UPMC hospital. Bon did receive her chemotherapy. She was extremely fatigued when we returned home. Getting back into the house was a chore, but she made it, and in her typical pleasant fashion. We are both looking forward to less daily activities next week.

05/23/11 Please pardon this short update. Bonnie has been encountering increasing difficulties. At this point I'm unsure of what to say. We would appreciate your thoughts and prayers.
Bon and I would like to thank everbody for all the support. It really does make a difference. I'll try to update this shortly.

05/29/11 It was another crazy week. The previous Saturday and Sunday were just horrible days for Bonnie. She was into a "tail spin nose dive" and I was unsure of what to do, or where this was going. One thing is for certain. I can no longer provide enough personal care to Bonnie and work enough to put food on the table. The level of sleep deprivation and stress has reached a breaking point. An appointment was set up for examination and qualification by a Palliative care / Hospice organization. The appointment will determine what assistance is covered by her health insurance. We are waiting for their assessment.
  I left work mid day Friday for the meeting at home. At this time, Bonnie is too weak to walk even a single stair.
There are words that you just don't want to hear. Every time the nurse would say "hospice" or "end of life" Bonnie would begin to cry. My heart was breaking into brittle pieces. Bon is constantly reminded and frustrated by the reality of her condition. Every movement, or lack of movement is a brutal reminder of what you were and where you are headed. We understand that certain questions had to be asked, but as nice as the nurse was, it still felt cruel. Bonnie was quite upset by the meeting but had come to terms with it (at least outwardly) by late evening and seemed settled again.
  The past three days have been "better" days for Bonnie. Our friend Teresa brought a pair of ramps and two flats of flowers to the house on Saturday. We were able to get Bon to sit outside on the porch while we planted flowers. Bon was managing the project from her throne. Ok, it was a porch chair with arms.. you can read between the words, right?. Bon had a good time and chose to remain outside until dust. Our yard looks ready for summer. On a funny note: Our neighbors have a Black Lab (now with a dignified touch of gray) named Shadow. Shadow was hanging with Bon on the porch. Bon would eat steamed carrots then hold the fork out and Shadow would carefully eat some. Yes they were sharing the fork. Neither of them seemed to mind. It was a cute moment.
Now, this is where I remind you of what Americans really are. Our friends and neighbors, and business associates have been just wonderful. Neighbors and family have been bringing us meals or snacks when I'm working long days. I've come home to find our sizable yard mowed (when I just can't get to it). We have constant offers to help assist or sit with Bon when I have to leave the house for chores. Business associates, friends, and complete strangers have donated to Bon's medical assistance fund. We have received prayer blankets and prayer offerings, touching emails and cards,. This is what people are, and not just the 'thrash' in the news.
  I'll wrap this entry up with a hear felt "Thank you" as we could not have done survived this journey unassisted. (I can still hear my mother in law sternly lecturing me about that)
Let's hope that Bonnie has more than a few "better" days. I'll post the changes with Palliative Care as soon as possible. Bon and I hope you have a pleasant holiday.

06/03/11 Bon did receive her chemotherapy this week and complications have been arising since. She was extremely fatigued when we returned home, and has been sleeping more than usual. Saturday night (Sunday morning) at 3am Bon had to be ambulanced to the hospital. She will undergo brain and spinal testing ASAP. It is very hectic but I will try to post the updates as they become available. This may take a day or so to update. Please pray for Bonnie's comfort. Note to our business clients: Justin and Cricker will be handling regular weekly hours at the warehouse as I work limited hours through this event. Thank you for your cooperation.

06/07/11 After uncertain and scary days Bon suddenly started making progress today. She immediately recognized me upon my arrival. It was such a pleasure to hear her respond properly to the doctors questions, and tease Zach, her male nurse. The oncologist began reducing her brain steroid and she will indefinitely remain on Keppra to prevent or reduce future seizures. We are hoping for her release from the hospital in the near future.

06/08/11 Bonnie was welcomed home this evening by family and friends. Dean Davis had just manufactured ramps , and DeWayne Segafred dropped off ramps donated by CZ Sound that allowed us to wheelchair Bonnie onto the back deck and into the house. A celebratory pizza was ordered and we celebrated by over-eating. Bon is resting comfortably in front her TV. Finally, - a good day!

06/08/11 addendum 06/10/11
It's amazing how much can go wrong. Bon was released and arrives home at 6pm 06/08/11. After our celebration dinner I called to pick up Bon's prescriptions only to find that the hospital had not phoned or faxed them in to the pharmacy. - After waiting for the 'scrips to be refilled I drove to the pharmacy to pick them up. Bon's anti seizure med was not in stock, had not been filled, and they didn't call me to tell me that. It was imperative that she take the medication in the evening. I had to call the other local pharmacies and locate it myself. In a fury I drove home to pick up the doctors release instructions for the medications, drove back to the initial pharmacy to get the original scrip and then drove to another pharmacy to have it filled at 9:45pm- They closed at 10pm! - Upon returning home I had to prep a fax to Dr. Crandall's office and clarify a mistake in the Palliative assistance company that was automatically selected by UPMC and requested that it be converted back to Family Hospice and Palliative. It was 12:30am when I finished that.
Bon had a rough night and we didn't sleep at all until 8:30am. The phone started ringing at 9 am with health care nurses calling to make appointments. Another day in paradise! We're glad that Bonnie is home and feeling better. We can weather through the other stuff.

06/15/11 Once again I don't know what to say , or how much I should say. Bonnie had begun suddenly and steadily declining the last few days. We've been meeting with nurses, and Palliative counselors.

Bon's health insurance won't cover enough of her daily needs but it does help. Bonnie now has a nurses checking her and take her blood samples to deliver them to UPMC for analysis. The good part is that we don't have to leave home. , That is good as Bon can't stand or get up without the assistance of two people. Today she "forgot" how to move her legs. It now takes both Bon's sister and I to tend Bon's basic daily needs. We can't get full time in-home help due to insurance limitations, so we were referred to agencies that charge. There is an ugly catch-22. I haven't been working. No work = no pay. I've hired (very good and I love them dearly) employees and trained them to do my job as my work hours are intermittent at best. Our reality of health care is it costs more to hire in-home medical help than I can make.. so how does one pay for assistance? It becomes a constant downward spiral of work loss and reduced health care. We were advised to seek volunteer resources. Luckily our neighbors have been contacting churches and other organizations on our behalf. Friends and nurses have volunteered to stay with Bonnie. We are deeply touched by their generosity. We know how busy everybody's lives are . Thanks for making time to spend with us.

At this point Bonnie really needs full time skilled professional attention. We are trying to put together the "big picture" but it is dynamic and seems to change hourly.
  This is a very sad time for us as it has deeply affected Bonnie. Bon is faced with this situation and in the last few days is crying from pain, confusion, and frustration over her condition. I have seen more tears now in a day than in our entire 31 years together. Please pray for Bonnie's peace and comfort.

06/23/11 The week has not been going well for Bonnie. Each day she seems to become a bit weaker, and is eating and drinking less. Her level of pain is increasing. Unfortunately she can not tell us where she hurts - just that she hurts. I was going to call an ambulance at 10:30 pm but Bonnie insisted that I did not. By midnight the pain was so severe that Bon agreed. We contacted the Palliative agency and they sent a nurse to our house aroung 12:15am. All of the local pharmacies in the area had closed at 10:30pm An ambulance was ordered to transport Bonnie to the hospital so that she could get quicker pain relief. That turned out to be less than expedient. It was nearly 5am before any drugs were ordered for her. I can't help but feel badly for Bon, but was powerless to do more.

06/24/11 We spent 14 hours in the ER and much of it without any pain relief for Bonnie. A doctor finally paid full attention to Bon and moved her to a private room. There, we had to question and persist to get an increase in her medications that would provide some relief. Last minute consultations with doctors, nurse practitioners, and pain control personel were done. Bon was in quite a lot of pain and my very soul aches for her. We met with palliative / hospice consultants. There are words you never want to hear but must face. A doctor friend of ours left work early and came to assist us with his diagnosis and advice. It was with deep sorrow that comfort measures had to placed.

06/28/11 A wonderful montage of pictures and a video of Bonnie is posted in the obituary section of http://www.glennkildoofuneralhome.com  please take a few minutes and celebrate Bonnies life with us. You will understand why she is so deeply missed.

07/04/11 It is now a few days after the funeral and storm of activities has quieted. The last of our family and friends have headed home. The house is now eerily silent and "something" is missing.
I would like to thank you for the wonderful cards, donations to Bonnie's medical (disaster relief) fund, the wonderful emails, and telephoned condolances. Obviously, Bonnie touched a lot of people with her gentle kindness and spirited personality.
 My apologies go to those that I did not get to speak to at the funeral home. The experience was overwhelming, but in a very positive way. There were so many people at the funeral that shared wonder anecdotes. I also greatly appreciated how so many people opened up to me, took a chance and selflessly shared their after death - or should I call it "after life" experiences. The experiences were fascinating and contained amazing similarities. I would love to hear more stories / encounters. Feel free to contact me with them.
Thank you all, and please check back as this site continues to evolve. A new battle with medical system is expected. I would prefer that you learn by our mistakes and not make the mistakes yourself.
And...  I want you to know - what I know for sure. Bonnie is at peace, and without pain.
The void of her presence will be filled with loving memories.

07/12/11 I would like to everyone for the cards and donations to Bonnie's Medical / Funeral fund. The cards are very comforting. I read, and have saved every one of them. The donations are used strictly for Bon's funeral and medical expenses. Thank you very much.
  The past week was spent going through Bonnie's attire and personal items. The moments were happy, revealing, and horribly sad at times. That was expected. Bonnie's medical necessities such as wheelchairs and walkers (etc) found a welcome home within a few days with a neighbor's father who has been fighting cancer. Presently I have several dozen hats that I would like to place with other cancer patients. Please notify me of any resource that you might be aware of. We (Bon and I) want to return the like kindness that was extended to us. Everything "of use" was donated to Goodwill including most of her clothing.
The battle with bureaucracy has begun. Our company is no longer a partnership and must be refiled as a sole-proprietor or S-Corp. There is little time remaining to do this within the next few weeks. Legal fees are a new concern. There was no chance to catch our breath as we went from the funeral right into our biggest rush season of the year - July 4th. There's a lot to that story. - But, the guys have really been working hard to keep up with the demands placed upon us, and limited by my inability to be there as much as I would like. There are communications that I must pursue during the course of a normal business day and that can not be changed. That leaves me with early morning and evenings to get working again.
  I'd like to thank my clients for their understanding with the work situation.
Back on the 'Bon' side of things: I have been taking notes and will publish help pages to assist others before they get into the same situation as (Bon and) I have. Thank you for checking in.

08/25/11 - 2 months have passed. I'm surprised at how many people have contacted me and asked me to update this page. I really don't know what content to post - as personally, I feel this page is about Bon's experience and courage, and not about me. I have had a few interesting dreams and appreciate those of you that have shared your dreams with me.
  The past two months have been nonstop chaos as I struggle with the business, legal, and emotional issues of the death of my Mother and Bon simultaneously. Luckily, I am surrounded by the most understanding friends, family, neighbors, and business associates. Your words of advice and encouragement strengthen me.
Please accept my apology but I have not been able to send thank you cards yet. I must clear some personal matters first. My gratitude is deep, please bear with me a bit longer.

09/22/11 This event transpired Sunday 09/04/11. I mentioned it to a few close friends and they unanimously thought I should share this experience. I hope it helps others that can relate to a "connection".

It was not planned.
I woke up Sunday morning and knew exactly what had to be done.
I set about collecting my bike gear, disassembled the tandem, (bicycle built for two) and mounted it to the car rack.
I grabbed a screwdriver and silently walked upstairs, then pensively, disassembled Bon's urn.
Inside it was plastic bag not unlike the kind that you would put wholesale candy in. It had a dogtag / serial number and was secured with a twist-tie binding it shut. Somehow I felt there should have been something more ornate about the internal containment. It seemed so industrial but it is what it is. That too can not be changed now.

So this is it. I've come to this point.
The mineral essence of Bonnie was now in front of me. I could not help but be impacted by the fact that it is really true. We do weight but a few pounds without water. So just what is "life"?
Back to my task.
I knew that I was going to take her ashes with me.

Bonnie liked to ride our tandem at the Moraine State Park's paved trail. We would ride to the end of the trail, then sit on a particular bench. The bench was inscribed with a plaque. " In loving memory of my husband Bob. We spent many happy hours riding this trail together". The bench and inscription were present before Bon was diagnosed. Long ago we had been immediately touched by the inscription's sincerity and looked forward to visiting this bench. Typically we would have a snack while watching the birds and boats from it's vantage.

At about mile marker 6 of the seven miles to ride I found myself fast encroaching upon a group of older riders. We exchanged short pleasantries as I slowed and passed through their group. Mile seven arrived and the bench was soon in front of me. A lady was sitting on the bench looking out over the lake. I tried to stay distant and allow her the quiet moment that she sought. As she arose I knew it was my turn.

I sat on the bench, and ate a granola bar in honor of the traditional snacking done at this bench.
The wind was increasing. The air was streaming through my helmet vents to point that it could not be ignored. The sun was shining and the waves were now unusual.
The sunlight was reflecting oddly on the water. At first it looked like a few candles that had their stems illuminated as well as the flame. The visual impression was somewhat like a upside down U or ^ stretching upward. At first there were a few, then within seconds 10, 100, 1000, 2000, 10,000 the lake was aglow with incredible light. It was an absolutely amazing experience that transcends description. I grabbed a tissue to wipe my nose and suddenly I knew.

It was time to move on.

10/09/11 - Quite a few people have made the trip to Moraine to visit the "Bon Bench" and have emailed pictures. For those of you that can not visit, but would like to gain a perspective, I've added links for two images taken a week or so later with my phone. Dean sitting on the bench in morning fog   The view just minutes earlier.   These may give you a perspective on how quickly the light patterns change on the water. The wind was blowing normally from the water toward land when the fog pictures were taken. I hope you enjoy them.
This is the inscription on the bench  followed by a view from the bench on a clear day.   (Thanks to Char and Colleen)

10/16/11 - The new friendsofbonnie.org site is almost ready to launch. There are also new incidents that I must think through before I post. Please check back soon, and thank you for caring

I'm sure that you've noticed that I have not changed the first few 'lead-in' paragraphs at the top of this page since this blog's inception in June of 2006. I really don't know a better way to express our gratitude and understanding . Everyone has unique way of dealing with this situation. As always Bon and I would like to thank you for the kind and concerned cards and emails.
You can find additional information on the help references listed at the top of this page   http://www.friendsofbonnie.org    Your encouragement pushes us onward.

Jim Sidney

We would like to thank :
John Durisko of  Satin Sound Systems , Mike Lucas of Star Design Lighting , and Phil Isaly of the P.E.I. Production Group for making the Drake Bell concert possible. They have taken their precious time to help us. Tony Sgro of J.V. Chujko is always involved with these concerts and helped set up the donations to Bonnie's medical expenses via paypal.

Don't forget Mike Mizia and Josh Holmes for organizing the second benefit for Bonnie. Also many thanks to Dewayne Segafredo,  Mike Lucas, and countless unnamed people who have worked so hard to put together the first benefit concert at Pictures 2 and the friends of bonnie.com website for Bonnie.
A special thank you goes to Justin Mellor for volunteering his time to help update our website and for helping us so much at the warehouse. We would also like to thank Phil Papotnik of Raven Sound for the prayer cards and masses.