It's Starting to Have the Earmarks of a Miracle

Seriously, David is doing so great! He made himself an omelet today and walked around the house without the walker, at times. I heard that when Tyler woke up this morning, he thought that he was still dreaming because he saw Dave walking without the walker. Is this not great news? He also called Moe today to talk 'shop'. He wanted to know everything that was going on at work. They laughed and talked. It was a good thing to see (and hear).
He hasn't gotten sick from the Chemo yet. He has one more on Friday for this round and then he gets a week or so off before they start the next round. His appetite is back to normal. Kathy said that the Docs are liking the numbers that they are seeing, and we will have more blood test results next week.
It's pretty amazing how our friend has faired through this last month.
Hooray for Dave!!
Keep smiling!
Marilyn

One Month Ago Yesterday

Well it was just one month ago yesterday that David got the terrible news and was admitted to the hospital for the worst ride of his life. For 3 weeks he managed to keep his head above the medical waters, fighting Multiple Myeloma, back spasms and pain associated with the compression fractures in his vertebrae, kidney failure due to the level of protein passing through them from the cancer, dehydration, thrush, and a whole host of other symtoms from the medicine that he was on. And now he is home, and he is doing pretty good. There were a few times when we all thought it wasn't gonna happen. But it did.
His physical therapist said yesterday that he has made remarkable strides towards being able to get around a little better. This is all very good progress. He uses a walker, but does go up and down the stairs at his house with Kathy's assistance.
He had number 3 of 4 Chemo treatments today. I haven't yet heard how it went, but I am guessing well.
I am sure that all of you should keep him in your thoughts and prayers, because it's obviously working.
Keep those good thoughts for him,
Marilyn

Tickets are Ready

The tickets for the Fund Raiser have been printed and are being sold by the people that are named in the letter, and some others. I am going to reprint the letter so that you won't have to scroll down to have a look. You will need to click on the letter or the heading to make it large enough to read. Please e-mail or call one of us if you don't get hooked up with tickets and want them. We will be happy to accommodate you.
I have said this before and I will say it again and again, thanks for all of your support, spiritually and financially. We could not have done any of this for Dave and Kathy if it weren't for all of you. Now lets get ready to party, and celebrate Dave's progress!! It is going to be a great night!!
Keep those happy thoughts,
Marilyn

Beat, But Not Beaten

Moe and I had a little visit with Dave and Kathy tonight. We had some things to deliver to them. We had to keep our distance, as Dave is still very vulnerable. He looks terrific!! He was sitting on the sofa, not in his LITTLE RED HEART PJ BOTTOMS, much to my dismay, but dressed and looking pretty normal for someone who has been through medical hell and back. He gets very tired, but he sleeps and sleeps pretty comfortably in his own bed. It was really nice to sit and visit with them in their own home.
I have had such a great response to this blog that I have decided to put 'Adsense' on it. I believe what that means is that there will be ads, related to the subject matter on this blog, and if you visit and click on any of the ads, money will go into Dave's account. I don't know how much, but when I get an idea I will let you all know if it is worth it or not.
So if you see any ads that interest you, please click on them with no obligation. If you find any that are distasteful or are obligatory let me know and I will get rid of them.
Keep those happy thoughts!
Marilyn

He's Lost the Johnnie!!

Word has it that Dave has tossed the hospital johnnie (where did that word come from?) and traded up for a nice crisp white button down shirt and a comfy pair of PJ bottoms with LITTLE RED HEARTS!! I wonder where they came from. Thanks for that little tidbit of news, Kathy. It was just what we needed to hear.
Today was the 2nd Chemo, and although he is very tired and the ride was a little bumpy. he did do alright. Kathy says that Dave is going up and down the stairs a couple of times a day. That is really great progress. His immune system still remains compromised, and he is still very susceptible to any germs. If we have a winter cold, he'll get pneumonia. So visiting is still not really an option at the moment. Hopefully he will get stronger in the coming weeks. And then we can see him in his LITTLE RED HEART PJ BOTTOMS, hopefully!! giggle!!
I am not sure when he will have a blood test next to see where the Myeloma is (or isn't preferably), but as soon as I hear I will let you know.
This I do know, and that is Dave is very happy to be home, to be able to sit on his own sofa and look around at all of the nice woodworking that he did there. He is happy to be able to have 'his' oatmeal, and his chicken sandwiches in his kitchen, and he is very happy to be able to sleep in his own bed with his darling, Kathy.
We all really do take the little things for granted, don't we.
Enjoy your coffee in the morning, in your own little kitchen, in your own little cubby hole on this earth. It is more important to you than you think.
Keep those happy thoughts-that's what helped Dave heal.
Marilyn

A Message from Brother, Ray

I would like to thank all of the people involved in helping my brother Dave
through this very difficult time in his and our lives. All I can say is WOW!!!!
to all of the friends we have had going way back to our teenage lives.
Dave has amassed a huge amount of what I call very, very good friends over
the past 54 years and it has showed over the last three weeks.
It comes from Dave being the person he is today, loving, friendly and
compassionate about life and the people who get the privilege of being around him.
I was worried about how we would take care of him over the next few months
with him not being in work and I even considered moving back to Mass to help out.
But all of you have overwhelmed us all with your love, support and
kindness...Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your love and
support. I don't know how to thank you enough.
Love Ray T

Tyler's First Report

Dave is finally home as of Wednesday night 2/22 after 3 or 4 weeks in the hospital!

There was just something big missing around here at home without him and its great to have him back.

All of the people who were able to come in and see him while he was in the hospital will be pleased to know that he is looking and functioning a LOT better at this point than when you may have seen him. He has lost some weight and has gone through an indescribable amount of pain but that was obviously expected given the nature of the cancer and its fast growth. I personally had surgery on my teeth last week and lost literally 8-10 pounds from not being able to eat, and that isn’t an exaggeration. Dave reported in at only 15-20 pounds lighter than his original weight, which in my opinion is miraculous and should be considered a medical miracle given the strength and fast progress of the disease.

After doing a fair amount of research on the cancer as well as people in his position with this particular disease and harsh early symptoms honestly lead me to believe that he may have been confined to a hospital bed for the rest of his life. This is not an understatement by any means. HOWEVER, after seeing him today walking around freely (with his walker) and being able to accomplish things that seemed so far away and even out of the question a week or two ago are VERY big steps in little time. It seems (and we all hope) that things may only get more positive from here, kemo and treatments can be hard and the pain that he is going through may be indescribable, but if he was able to get through this first bad wave then I would not be surprised if the road is mostly up from here.

Dave is a strong man and a great guy and I am not surprised whatsoever to see the help and support that all his friends and family have been giving him. The road to a recovery will be a harsh one for him it seems that it will be very possible. Dave is strong in heart, in mind, and in physical strength and I can say if anyone is to get through this it would have to be him.

Of course I cannot give a complex medical opinion on the situation, but I can report in on what I see with my own eyes and hear from him and my mother. It was a great surprise to hear that he would be able to come home so soon and function like he is currently. I hope this post has brought some comfort to everyone.

Marilyn, I have not met you, however I just wanted to send my personal thanks to you regarding the whole situation and this blog. You really have no clue how many people have been here to read this. People that I haven’t talked to in years have even been on it, quite literally checking it daily. Please keep up the good work.

-Tyler

Going Home Status

Kathy's oldest son, Tyler, has agreed to keep us updated on Dave's progress at home. He is quite a poignant writer, as you can see from the above message. I look forward to reading his messages. Thanks, Tyler!!
Keep a happy thought,
Marilyn

DAVE'S FUND RAISER EVENT

CLICK ON THE LETTER TO ENLARGE IT

Home, Sweet, Home

It is with a very happy heart that I get to tell you all that Dave has been cleared by all of his doctors to go home. He and Kathy are so very excited. He has made some incredible strides in the last few days. Today he walked up and down the stairs at the hospital. He doesn't appear to be having any adverse effects from the Chemo at the moment. He will still need to go back to the Cancer Center for blood work and for Chemo, but the rest of what he has to do to get well, he can do at home. This is terrific news for him and his family. We still need to remember that his immune system is compromised and he shouldn't be around any germs.
I will let you know how he is doing at home, when I get some info. It is probably going to be a little hectic for them at first.
It is truly amazing how much progress Dave has made, considering how very sick he was. As he would say, 'incredulous', only this time, it's something good!!
Keep those happy thoughts,
Marilyn

Chemo, 2nd Round, First Day

And he blew through it. His Mom reporting that he ate like a 'little piggy' all day. And he got up and walked around (with help, he's not Superman yet!). And as much as he would like it, still no visitors, until the Chemo is done. The immune system takes a real beating. So again the Docs are talking about sending him downstairs to rehab. He is extremely determined to get back to being a lot more physical. He and Kathy(his #1 Angel) have been really working hard on the 'getting out of bed' routine. The Docs are pleased. So, we will see where the Myeloma is after 3 more treatments of Chemo over the next 12 days.
His pain seems to be a little more tolerable, sometimes. And aside from the 'cranberry' colored rash all over his entire body, he is having a streak of pretty good days. They thought it was a reaction to a pain medication, now they are thinking that it is actually a fungus that his system couldn't fight off.
It has been really hard to describe what this guy has gone through over the past few weeks. He often referred to this ordeal as 'incredulous'. There were times when we wondered if we would ever see him eating or smiling again. For me, the smile on his face, is my prayer answered. (And watching him woof down some food didn't hurt either.)
I would like to, in a few weeks from now, be able to post the score of: MYELOMA-0, DAVE-1
Keep rooting for our team!
Marilyn

A Message of Thanks and Appreciation from the Dave Tousignant Family

There are no words that we can offer to adequately express the positive impact that each and everyone's support has given Dave and his family in this time of crisis. Everyone's consideration and caring has shed positive light on an otherwise extremely difficult, sad time and has proved that love, caring and friendship is truly a powerful medicine for all concerned. Dave's personal response to your support is perhaps the best way to convey our appreciation to everyone. When Dave learned of this website and of the assistance that everyone has given him and his family, he immediately became extremely emotional, began to cry and expressed his concern about how and when he could repay each and every one of you. You see, Dave has lived his life enjoying his family and enjoying the pleasure of helping and giving to others. Now his role is reversed and he finds it very difficult to be receiving instead of giving. Dave is deeply touched, beyond description, with each and everyone's response to his situation, and further expressed that a mere thank you is not enough to express his gratitude. Your generosity and consideration has made a huge difference and has lifted Dave's spirits.

Thank God for Family and Friends,
God bless you all

Dave and family




*Written by Dave's brother-in-law, Greg.

Saturday Dawns

As Saturday dawned, we saw the Dave that we all know and love, except for the hideous red rash all over his body from a pain medication! He looks quite funny. But, what a difference in him. He is alert, coherent, eating, making his own decisions about meds, therapy, etc. It was nice to see. He is still in bed, of course, he has a long way to go still with the physical therapy, but things looked very positive Saturday. He has decided, however, to delay the Kyphoplasty on the last 3 fractured vertebrae. It was originally scheduled for Sunday. He has had some pain relief from Thursdays procedure. My guess is that he would like to enjoy a few days of comfort before going through this again. (Post surgery, on Friday, was not very comfortable for him.)
He is still in danger of catching germs, so the 'no visiting' rule is still in effect. As soon as that changes, I will let you know. He starts another round of Chemo on Tuesday, so it probably won't change for a while.
His progress has been so up and down, that it is even hard for the Docs to predict. The Dave that I saw on Saturday, is the 'mighty Dave' that is going to get his butt up and get himself home. He is very determined about that.
His life has changed, obviously, and some of the things that he used to be able to do are no longer possible, but he does have, at this moment, a life to look forward to.
As his friends and family, we need to continue with the support that we have been giving him, spiritually and financially. That's what he needs from us.
Dave and Kathy have asked me to thank you all many, many times. They are just so grateful for each and every one of you. And I am sure that when they get through the rough chapter, they will be contacting you personally.
But, I, too, would like to thank you all for your feedback on the blog, and your correspondence with me through e-mail, phone, etc. It has been a pleasure for me to meet some of Dave and Kathy's friends and family members.
I will update you this evening.
Keep those happy thoughts,
Snuggle often
Marilyn

Dave is Very Grateful

I just got off the phone with Kathy, at the hospital, who put Dave on the phone to talk to me. the two of them have had alot of time to talk about things and today she told him about the account and the blog that were set up. Through his tears, he asked me to let you all know how appreciative he is for all of the spiritual and financial support that you have given to him and his family. He had no idea how many of you have been involved in his ongoing medical struggle, and he was simply overwhelmed with gratitude when he found out. We have not been discussing these things with him up to this point because we wanted him to focus on the healing process.
So, when you lay your head on your pillow tonight, after you say your prayer for Dave, give yourself a very big hug from him. He wants you all to have one.
Keep a good thought.
Marilyn

Strawberry Ice Cream

All is well, so far. Dave went into surgery at about 2:15pm and returned back to his room around 7:30/8:00. Kathy said that he was doing great and the procedure went as planned. They have repaired 3 of the 6 fractures and the next few days will hopefully be a little more pain-free for him. Depending on the outcome here, they will go in on Sunday and repair the other 3. But things look very good and Dave was enjoying a big bowl of Strawberry Ice Cream while I was on the phone with Kathy. He was under the influence of quite the 'cocktail' of drugs, so she said he was also a bit of a comedian.
For those of us who have spent any time with him during the administration of a myriad of pain killers, we know what a clown he can be.
Jumped another hurdle. Woo-Hoo!!
Keep a happy thought!
Marilyn

Some Good Stuff!

This is encouraging news, actually. Dr. Anamur, the oncologist, and Dr. Johnson, the spinal surgeon, have concurred that David would benefit from more Kyphoplasty. From what I understand, Kyphoplasty is a 'mending' of fractures with some type of plastic substance that goes in as a liquid and hardens. Please look it up on-line and feel free to edit this post if you find that another explanation is more efficient. Since they have ruled out other reasons why he is in so much pain, they feel that the compression fractures in his spine must be the culprit and they feel that he is strong enough to undergo this type of treatment. Surgery is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, at which time they will attempt to repair 3 of the 6 fractured vertebrae. The plan is to repeat this procedure on Sunday to repair the other 3. They are hoping that this will get his pain under control so that he can focus on getting stronger.
To those of you who joined me in the "HOPE" club today, thanks, this is what we were hoping for.
Till the next update. Stay warm, snuggle often, and keep a happy thought!!
Marilyn

Valentines Day Update

I just spoke with Kathy and the x-rays that were taken yesterday showed no blockage and no infection. That is some good news. Dave is still in alot of pain, though, and the Docs are not really sure why. He is resting as comfortably as possible, with Kathy by his side.
If I hear any more, I will update the Blog ASAP. For right now, we are hoping for some more good news.
Keep a good thought,
Marilyn

NO VISITORS FOR THE TIME BEING

It's Day to Day

It pains me to be writing this, but our friend has taken a turn for the worse today. His night was not the best and the day has turned out to be even worse. The Docs are doing their best to figue out what is wrong, they are looking at a possible blockage or an infection. These next 48 hours are very crucial. They have listed him in critial condition, although have not moved him to ICU. Kathy asked if I would update you all because besides your prayers we need your help. He can have absolutely NO VISITORS for the time being. The Chemo has wiped out his immune system and the littlest germ can cause horrific consequences. The only people that will be allowed to stay with him are his Mom, Phyllis and of course, his wife, Kathy.
He has, up to this point, loved having company. It always seemed to ignite something inside of him. We all just need to give him the time he needs to heal, for right now.
I knew when I started this blog to update you all that there might be times when I had to deliver 'bad' news. This is one of those times. He really needs the strength of his friends and family right now to get him through this tough time. He has a very tough, but gentle, spirit that keeps his head above the water.
Please pass this message along to everyone you know. Visitors will be turned away at the door.
Join me in the 'HOPE' Club, that's what we can do for him right now.
Keep that happy thought.
Marilyn

A Happy Place

This morning Dave's Docs gave him some pretty good news. He had a pretty good nights sleep, given the constant interrruptions. Dr. Anamur, the oncologist, said that he could have a 6 day break from the Chemo, so that they can evaluate it's progress on the Myeloma cells. He said that the numbers look good. That was good news. Dr. Damicis, his GP, said that the results of the tests for the kidneys were very positive. He said that his numbers are almost close to 'normal'. That was very good news. He also said that they were going to start with some physical therapy in order to move Dave (hopefully) to Rehab, with the ultimate goal of going home at some point. This was all great news for him this morning. He is certainly not completely out of the woods, but like I said before, a positive direction is food for the soul. Today was a positive direction. His appetite seems to be improving and he has a "Happy Place'. It's snuggling on the couch with his love, Kathy, drinking his Killians Red. All good.
We will know more as a new day dawns.
Keep your happy thought-it's working!
Marilyn

Medical Update

I just spoke with Kathy and she said that Dave was doing pretty well today. The docs were talking about maybe rehab next week in preparation for going home. I also heard from his mom, Phyllis, and his brother, Ray, that he had a very good night last night, lots of sleep, not much pain. He still has alot of healing to do. But the medicine and your thoughts and prayers seem to be working.
Keep those good thoughts,
Marilyn

On line Transfers

If you are thinking about transfering funds online and don't do business with Bank of America, you would want to inquire with your bank about the cost of that. You will need the routing number for Bank of America, which is 011000138. The other option, online, is to do Bill Pay. In this case, you would set up the biller as Dave Tousignant Fund,
acct# 004607559442, and mail it to:
Bank of America, 105 Main Street, Pepperell, MA 01463. There should be no cost to you for this.

On behalf of Dave's family, we want to thank all of you for your incredible response, and remind you that if you would like to be recognized for your contribution, mail it to us (Tremblay, 76 West St, Pepperell, MA 01463) or if you are going into a Bank of America branch, write your name on the deposit slip at the bank. Online transactions would remain anonymous. But you can certainly drop me a line at manystrz@yahoo.com to let me know. We would like to thank you personally, but we also respect those who would like to remain anonymous.

Keep a happy thought,
Marilyn

Things Change Alot

Well, today Dave is resting comfortably. They have decided to stop the radiation for now. He has only had two treatments of that. They are going to continue the Plasma Pherisis (Exchange) for the time being and the chemotherapy. He walked, with assistance, clear across the room and back today without being wobbly. Looking good!! He is on alot of medicine, and he has quite the 'look' on his face when he sees the nurse coming with the pills. But he is a good sport about it. I told him today that when the number of pills he has to take is bigger than the number of friends he has, THEN he'll be in trouble. I don't think that will ever happen. He chuckled, got them down, and then fell asleep.
His brother, Ray, has been staying with him through the night. His friend, Bobbie, has been with him during the day until his wife, Kathy and his mom come in. So there is someone with him all of the time. And he gets a ton of visitors.
Keep a happy thought,
Marilyn

How to Post

If you would like to leave your message here on this blog, there are two ways to do that.

First: You can click on the word 'comments' under any of the posts, and leave a comment, which
will only be available to the public if they click on the '#comments' section.

Second: You can sign in, with your own Google account or as a New Blogger using
manystrz@yahoo.com for the user ID and BABABOOEY as the password.
Then you just create a post that will show up for all to see.

Please use this to communicate with others. Feel free to post messages and/or photos for Dave.
We will see that he gets them.

Keep a happy thought.

The Measure of a Man

I spoke with Kathy last night and they are now starting a 15 day round of radiation for Dave. Hopefully this will help. The medical staff is really trying to get him on his feet so that he can start rehab.
We have sent out letters to everyone that we know who would like to help out and the response has been wonderful so far. There has been some interest in a Fund Raising Event, which would probably be necessary down the road. If you have access to any components of a fund raiser, ie: DJ, band, hall, etc., please notify us and let us know. Our phone number is 978-433-9262, and e-mail can be sent to manystrz@yahoo.com.
We are overwhelmed with the show of concern for Dave. He truly has the nicest friends and family there is. To all of you who are thinking about him, and sending him good thoughts, we thank you from the bottom of our souls. It is helping him to know that there is a network of love and support out there.
In Dave's business, he 'measured twice and cut once', as the saying goes. I don't think that he ever measured his wealth in friends and family. It is amazing.
Keep those good thoughts.
Marilyn & Moe Tremblay

Dave, doing what he do best!

What a Fighter.

Dave got up on his feet yesterday and walked twice around the room. It was a struggle for him, but he did it in style. His spirits are very good. Laughing with friends and family seems to be his best medicine. Although, he is still being bombarded with conventional medicine which is working also. HIs kidneys are working much better now, that is a very good sign. He still has a long road ahead of him, but he is fighting his way down it. God Bless Him, he is a tough guy.

The Situation as of Today

As most of you know, Dave was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma on Monday, January 29th, just 24 days after his 54th birthday. Up to this point, he had no medical history as he has been the picture of health all of his life. Questioning the reasons 'why' seems moot. Focusing our energies on his comfort is more important. Because of the Myeloma, which is a cancer of the plasma cell in the bone marrow, he has sustained multiple compression fractures in his vertebrae and he is in renal failure. His docs are bombarding him with Chemotherapy, and a combination of two drugs that will 'kill' existing protein cells and 'prevent' the growth of new ones. That seems to be working. As of yesterday, his blood count is improving. That is good news. He does have his overall health going for him. His spirits are very good, considering the situation. Ultimately, getting him better does not mean that he will be able to return to work. He is a self-employed finish carpenter, a very talented one. One of the drawbacks to being self-employed is that when you are not working there is no income. So, we have set up an account at Bank of America for those of you who would like to do something and don't know what that is. Money is going to get pretty tight for him and his wife Kathy pretty soon. This is something that we can all do for them. The amount that you can give doesn't matter. Anything will help. And at times like these we all feel like we want to do something to fix the 'bad'. Luckily, he has great docs that are trying to fix the medical 'bad', and we, as their friends, can help fix the other stuff.
So, with that said, you can drop by your local branch of Bank of America and make a donation, or you can mail a check to Bank of America, 105 Main St, Pepperell, MA 01463. The checks should be made out to 'David Tousignant Fund' and in the endorsement section on the back of the check please write 'for deposit only-acct#004607559442'. You can also transfer funds online. If none of these work for you, you can contact us at 978=433=9262 or at manystrz@yahoo.com and we will work something out.
Please feel free to post your comments here. This blog has been set up for all of us to communicate with each other concerning Dave and his family.
For more information on Multiple Myeloma, please visit: http://www.multiplemyeloma.org/
Keep a good thought.
Marilyn and Moe Tremblay