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Let’s Get Back On The Horse

That has never be more true in our family. People frequently ask me how my sister, Melissa is doing.  Well, thank you for asking.  She is literally “back on the horse!”   My Superstar sister has navigated her Off Script experience in life changing ways.  Her near death episode put Garn Walker Stables on a brief hold while Garn and Melissa cautiously nursed Melissa back to good health.  They work so hard together to show their client’s horses around the country.   Melissa was very diligent at following her doctor’s post surgery recovery instructions.  All the while planning to return to her world-class riding form.  Once the doctor cleared her for driving cars and riding horses she had very little time to prep and train for their recent show. Here’s all you need to know: June 30th: She went from this.  Yes, that is the actual drill they used to relieve the pressure on her brain! August 30th : To this!  The Jubilee Morgan Regionals Championships in Springfield IL. There’s even better ne
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Recent posts

We Didn’t Click Our Heels, But…

 “There’s no place like home”….Dorothy We are so grateful for the opportunity to spend this season in Alaska, well, most of this season.  As you likely know, my treatment has us in Houston every 28 days.  Since the travel from Alaska to Texas is extensive we actually travel to Texas every 23 days with a stop in Phoenix each trip.   Since my last blog entry we have traveled twice from Alaska.  Following our June appointment I had an unexpected hiccup.  Alaska weather was stunning around Father’s Day weekend.  Long, sunny days spent outdoors playing pickleball, cleaning up outside and inside following the long winter and reconnecting with our Alaska life.  I began feeling some symptoms like fatigue and diarrhea.  (Under the category of TMI, diarrhea for the owner of an ileostomy means my bag filled up frequently with liquid) I began to think I was experiencing another bowel blockage so I agreed to go to the ER to find out what might be happening.  The Alaska doctors diagnosed my problem
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Off Script

An Angel in the dugout? “Mark, do you read books?”  This question caught me off guard last month between softball games at the Southwest Championship tournament in Las Vegas.   “To be honest, not very often,” I replied to Cathy, our Sidewinder’s team scorekeeper.  When I asked why, she told me she had been thinking about my situation and brought me a book I might like to read.  I felt a little unrefined and recovered by saying, “Diane likes to read, what’s it about?”  She told me a little about the book when she handed it to me and I thanked her and stashed it in my softball bag. That was April 9th, the first day of our three day tournament.  We had a few more games later that day and on my way to the parking lot after the last game I got a phone call from Diane.  Our son-in-law Joel had been in a terrible accident.  She only had limited information at that time.   We soon found out that Joel had been on his way from Denver via Texas and on to California to work at the annual three wee
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Reassurance

God puts people in our path, even when we don’t know we need them. It’s always been my desire that people who follow this Blog learn about this disease and appreciate our reliance on faith and positive attitude.  We’ve been lifted up family, friends and strangers.  Here’s an example: I first met Joe several years ago when I was invited onto his softball team for a local softball tournament.  This occurred not long after I was diagnosed with, at that time, an unknown cancer.  At a restaurant after the game I learned that Joe and his wife Tammy pastor a church here in the Valley. Joe prayed for me that day and indicated he would continue to follow my situation.   Last Thursday my 70+ Sidewinders softball team had a scrimmage game with the 65+ Sidewinders team.  As I came up to bat for the first time the catcher was Joe.  Before the first pitch he briefly said, “we need to talk after the game.”   I stayed after the game and Joe told me an inspiring story about his wife Tammy and a serious
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Tomorrow, 1954

“I had more fun on my 70th birthday than your average 10 year old!” The last blog we asked for prayers for a good scan on this new trial.  The scan was on the 19th and my doctor’s meeting was on the 20th.  Everything you do at a hospital begins with, “what’s your full name and birthdate?”  For every appointment on the 20th I had fun answering that question with, “Mark Daly, tomorrow 1954!” Before the doctor comes in for the consult, other members of the team visit to cover certain issues.  We were slowly put at ease as it seemed each person who came in to discuss something seemed to be in a good mood, especially when they learned my birthday was the next day.  One visitor was Patricia, my Research Coordinator.  She takes care of all my details including scheduling and she brought up details for April and May visits.  That seemed promising. Next, the Physician’s Assistant came in to discuss my bloodwork and the scan.   It was a little unnerving as we had never met this PA. The last time
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The Third Time’s A Charm

“We consider you a ‘Hot Match’…Dr. Paula Pohlmann MDAnderson doctors always seem to know how to make a patient feel special!  I had a video meeting with Dr. Pohlmann in mid-January to review a possible new clinical trial for my participation  I was so anxious to hear about a new trial that I missed the opportunity to say something smart-aleck like, “you’re not so bad yourself Doc!” Diane and I had gone a full month waiting to hear what the team of doctors found for my next treatment.   This trial is in the same Targeted Therapy category as my second trial.  I am taking an oral pill once a day but rather than taking the pill two weeks on and two weeks off I will be taking a pill every day.  There are lots of positive things about this trial.  Foremost, is that everyone tells us this drug is well tolerated with minimal side effects.  The Phase 1/2 trial is in the dosing stage, meaning they are still figuring out how much medicine humans can handle. This trial is not exclusive to MDAnders
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