Monday was the start of chemotherapy. Michael is starting to clash. He has pink toe nails and red urine. The chemo instantly turned his urine red which a normal side effect of the drugs. He did great, no significant nausea or vomiting. Hair loss will occur within 4 days they say, must be some toxic drugs to occur that fast! They will make sure Michael has no significant side effects from the chemo before he travels home by the weekend. Michael is calling all his bald friends to rally together with him. Some of them already have spoke up on the blog which is great to see. Michael wants to thank the other families that have visited him in Mayo (ie Walther's, Schaedig's) , it brought great joy to him. Thanks to all the new names that continue to surface. We are obviously making a difference in prostate cancer awareness! Michael is accepting "dew rags" to sport his new look. Any bets on the color and texture of his hair when it grows back in? I have heard all kinds of stories about hair after chemo. Guys, atleast he will get his back. They even said his hair on his legs will fall off. I guess he won't be making fun of all the shaved triathletes anymore.We will keep the blog updated once or twice a week. That is all the time we can muster up at this point. The kids are learning new skills (lawn, cooking, cleaning) to do their part during this overwhelming time.
Good Night
Dawn & Kids
33 comments:
Thinking of you....lots of prayers going up. We hope you'll be back in the comfort of your home soon!
Hugs,
The Zs
Mike, this is Missy (Hyde) Krumbach's mother. Been keeping track of your journey. Know that you are in our thoughts and prayers every day. Just to let you know, after my mother's chemo, her normally straight hair grew back all soft curls!
Dear Mike,
Bald is in. I would know working at such a trendy store. The women love it. Start a baseball hat collection. I'll bring you one when you get home. I probably have 50 myself...being bald for many years. Hang in there, hope you're home soon. Saturday is suppose to be the hottest day of the summer...you'll be glad you don't have all the extra hair.
Bill Collins
Bald Men Unite
It's about time you lose that 90210 look anyway Vinicki!
Your hair prior to all this was a cross between Richard Simmons and Rosie O'Donnell.
Then it transformed to Don King and in a few days you'll have the Mini Me look going on.
Go on my diet and start eating Sara Lee and Betty Crocker and that will bulk you up to a Mr. Clean status.
Hang some gold chains around your neck and a few gaudy earrings and I'll upgrade you to Mr. T.
Hi Mike - chemo is a nasty necessary evil - hang in there. Home by the week end - that must sound great. Say hi to Aunt Therea and Uncle Virgil for us. Our thoughts and prayers are with alll of you.
Love your UP Family.
Glad to hear things went well on Monday. Have a safe trip home! Prayers are being said daily and we think about you often!!
Take care of yourself!
Michelle(Zelasko)Bojczuk
mmzbteach@aol.com
Miachel-
Glad the chemo went relatively smoothly for you! Hope you can make it home for the weekend (and for good).
Runners physique, no hair on the legs, pink toenails... Dawn better be careful where she takes you~ you'll be looking "saucy" to some of the fellas! 8-) LOL
Great news that you're making progress. Have a wonderful day!
Matt
Michael: I was glad to hear of your progress and am so hopeful you will be able to come home this weekend. I know how good if feels to climb in your own bed. Take care. You are constantly in my prayers; I lift you up throughout the day. I love the humor that is present on the blog right now. It is definitely the best medicine. You have so many good friends. Hope to see you soon.
Jan
We have been waiting for the "going home" news and that there will be no more of those rush jobs back to Mayo. We have been also thinking of your folks and how they will rejoice to be back in their surroundings. Take care and don't rush--slow and easy as you recover! Grandmother recommends playing solitaire on the computer as a way to rest and keep the worries at bay! All the best to you,Mike, and to all the family as well.
Carrol,Shirley, and Grandmother
Michael,
Be sure to maintain your eating... I am sure you already know it is important...
During your Chemo... we will all be with you in our minds trying to help you get through it...
I am thinking maybe you should buy a few wigs... blond...brunette...red... It would make each day pretty interesting..
Please Keep Smilin'
Becky
Hey Mike - Stay strong. As for the lack of hair - meh - whatever. I find that under bicycle, motorcycle, and hockey helmets, it's more of a annoyance than anything else. But I tend to prefer jester hats. The bells are so festive and fun sounding.
Eric Heidel
michael, hair is way overrated, you cut it ,it just grows back. just think, no more shampoo,no combs,no haircuts. why do you think all these guys shave their heads? they know bald is the way to go!!! get through the chemo, get well & come back!! hope to see you soon, the taylors
Michael~ we can bulk you up at polish days, perogi's anyone? With Eric and I being at the farm with Jay we hope to see you this weekend~ Hugs to all~
Jes
Jes et al~
"perogi's anyone"? ...
OK I'm in!! I could use a few #'s... Lets see if Michael is up to/in for a "small" contest! LOL
If they don't/won't straighten him up/or out, nothing will (even spaghetti!) HEHEHE
Sorry Michael, I'm blonde, Polish & have ADD :-) (and can't get enough of the "good stuff" (beer excluded).
Have great nights and days 'til you or Dawn post again. (Hopefully you, & from the comfort of home!)
Regards, & well wishes!
Matt
Hey Michael, glad to hear that the first round of chemo went well...too bad there's no snow outside right now, you could really leave your 'mark' in a more colorful way! Of course, there could always be snow in Gaylord before ya know it!
Hope you have a safe trip home and that your health improves daily!
God Bless!
Lyne :)
hey, Mike, good to hear things are doing ok. Hair is overrated!!! Take care---Craig Soderberg
Hopefully all is still well and Michael can head home after all. It will put a smile on his face to hold and see his kids again:) Thinking of all of you,
shell
I happen to be married to a man who is slowly losing his hair...I call him a "fuzzy chicken." (I am sure he appreciates me sharing this with the world) I agree with Craig, hair is overrated!
Thinking of you,stay strong,keep smiling...wishing you safe travel home SOON!!!
Hugs,
Heidi(Hella)
Hey Michael! Glad to hear the chemo isn't too bad so far. At least Dawn should be able to give you some tips for the nausea. Morning sickness, chemo barf...hey, whatever:) I have a pic of the "V" is for "Vomit" board at St Jude's I'll email over. The kids write those...A to Z.
REALLY Glad to hear you'll be heading home soon. Time to fatten you up!
Talk soon,
Tricia Wiltjer
Get your butt home Vinecki!!! If you are not going to be in the hospital and getting a ration of crap and sarcasm....then you must get home so you can get your share...sounds like there are plenty of people just waiting for you to get home to dish it out! Unless of course you need to stop back in to the hospital to have those toes touched up!
take care bud! Travel safely!!
Barb
Mike-
Dave and I are continually monitoring your blog. I actually had the same - red urine - but I got to keep my hair for two whole weeks before it fell out!! I got curly hair when it grew back, and I still have wavy hair 6 1/2 years later, when my hair used to be stick straight!
I also didn't have too much nausea - and I took all the anti-nausea pills that they handed out.
Make sure you drink your water - that was the hardest part for me, but Dave kept watch over me!
Many thought, well wishes and prayers are going your way!
Dave and Kathy Morris
Mike you were really missed at the MSAA summer seminar - Golfing was not quite as fun.
Tim and I have been sail/racing this year and Tim has written an article you may enjoy: The Mills Race 2008
As experienced by Tim Narhi
Coming around the last mark, we change from a reach to a run and our wind falls off but ‘Epic’ is still in sight. The decision by the Skipper is made to go ‘wing on wing’. We still have an opportunity to catch her. ‘Epic’ is almost automatically placed in first before the race even starts; she is a very fast boat with a well seasoned crew. We were all feeling pretty good we had some light air and a haze that was almost a fog. Usually with fog you get no air.
I was positioned as a preventer to keep the boom from swinging in the event of a gust or wind change. This put me in a perfect position to see the on coming competition. There were plenty of spinnakers to be seen.
Our Skipper and sail trimming team had kept us in great position. Jerry and Paul worked the light air jib like a chute and began to narrow the gap. They were fascinating to watch. Holly was Announcing wind gust, boat positions and the like. Bill was at the helm and Kim was standing by. As we waited for the horn to mark our finish we anxiously are watching the clock. We have greatly narrowed the gap between ourselves and ‘Epic; The horn sounds from the Windsor Yacht Club and the time is read, everyone smiles as we hear a congratulating gesture from ‘Epic’, a cordial ‘Tip of the Hat’, an acknowledgement from the lead team, that we will ‘correct out’ ahead of them this time.
The discussion soon changes to the updated weather reports on Lake Erie. The report had been that there would be a much dreaded steady rain over the course of the next few days. That has now changed to a more favorable steady wind of 16 to 18 knots and clear skies. ‘It doesn’t get much better then that’ was Bill’s reply.
In the morning three of us head out for Toledo. The rest of the crew will meet up with us the following day, just a short while before we head out into Lake Erie to run the Mills Race.
Bill and hi wife Holly (Kim’s sister) are the owners of ‘Severn Way” and have graciously invited us to crew with them on a series of races this year. Both Kim and I are somewhat anxious as we have helped in several Lake St. Clair/ Detroit River races, but have yet to be on the Great Lakes aboard the Severn Way.
Severn Way is a beautifully crafted C&C121. A 40 foot sail boat that is well appointed for this type of racing. She has a dark green hull and almost everyone whom really appreciates it is noticed wiping the drool from their chin at some point.
We motored down the Detroit River and across the end of Lake Erie to the Maumee River and into the Toledo Yacht Club. As we enter the harbor a cannon sounds, a salute to each race entrant as they arrive. After docking we enjoyed the festivities that were put on by the Toledo Yacht Club which included Bagpipes and Drums, a Barbeque and a big party.
Friday was a day of last minute preparations and double checking. Getting everything put in place. Once the rest of the team arrived, Bill was sent up in The Boson’s chair and replaced a streaming light and inspected the rigging and upper mast (approx. 65’ to top). Once everyone had checked their gear we disembarked. We knew were a little early; however, last years experience was that because of head winds and the starting point, being further out than expected caused a late start. This year Bill, Holly, Jerry, Dave and Ron concurred that arriving early will allow us to get some tacks in and get a feel for our heading. Heading out to the lake proved to be quick with the tail winds gusting to over 25 knots. We were in the traditional starting zone almost 2 hours early with rolling waves 3’-5’. There are sailboats swarming the starting area like bees. The starting line is marked by 2 power boats. The idea is to cross the start line immediately following the start gun under full sail. You are given a minute to the ten to prepare to set your clock, a ten minute and a one minute gun and the start. There are several different classes and 4 different courses. Because we have a short course we start later. We have to stay out of the “The Box”. This area is reserved for all racers within their 10 minute gun. The only steady items to be seen is a lighthouse on a foundation of rock and a faint shore line everything else is moving in a different direction. Everyone besides Kim and I have been on at least several of these races. There was a ton of electricity and excitement in the air. The crew members were recognizing boats and observing starting tactics. Noting that the air has picked up to 10 knots above what was anticipated just one day before. Everyone on board is thoroughly stoked. The words “Hey Bill, do you have any Dramamine?” seemed to bring everyone’s focus to me. Dave reached in his pocket and handed me his last one. A few minutes later I was proving what everyone else feared, I should have taken the medicine earlier – it was too late! The next hours or so proved to be a lot of sail boats going back and forth. Putting in some tacks and I was of no help and sea sick. I do know our team made an excellent start. It sounded as we were on the gun under full sail and I heard the race committee announce clear line. The first leg was a Broad Reach and the Skipper was surfing the waves clocking speeds of up to 13 knots with winds gusting in the upper 20’s at some point, Holly had come back and hooked me to safety line. I was weak, but felt I could move if needed to a better weight position. It seemed like an eternity and also only a few minutes and we were at our first turn. We went from a Broad Reach to a Beat. We also went from a fairly even keel to the rail nearly in the water. I hoped I was feeling better, but just moving to the high side proved I wasn’t any better. Even though I was seriously ill, I was truly struck with awe and inspiration with how well this team functioned as the boat was making tremendous headway in fairly heavy weather. I was given something that was supposed to help the sea sickness. Whatever it was made me sleepy, I was fighting dozing off and still terrible ill. I asked and was given my storm jacket. I looked up at the sky and seen there was a storm on the horizon, followed by a radio call of “Attention Mills Racers, please be advised storm coming from the south with wind gusts exceeding 50 knots’. I was sick and that meant very little to me. Shortly after that we got pounded by this storm. I could hear the team working and jovial; all I could do was hang on. For a short while, it seemed were sitting still though talking to the Helmsmen, he said were making 7 knots. We were close now to Put-in-Bay and some how I was able to get my legs and help with minor chores.
We heard on the radio different boats pulling out of the race. Once we were in the harbor we found that some had experienced a storm with gusts up to 74 knots (85 mph). We may have, nobody is really checking the gauges while the boat is being knocked. One team’s mast broke off; several sails were damaged and lost. A tri-hull or tri-maran was capsized, the crew was pulled from the water by another racer who withdrew and the boat went ‘turtle’ (completely upside down) to be salvaged later. Miraculously no one was hurt.
We ended up taking second in our classification (JAM(B)). There were lots of festivities at Put-in-Bay, we stayed for a couple days, had fun, did some site seeing, and went to Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows. Had an easy sail back on the fairly calm waters from Put-in-Bay to the Detroit River. I enjoyed the sail, but I don’t really think will be ready for more than 3 days in Lake Huron for the Port Huron to Mackinac. Wednesday we have another race on Lake St. Clair. We will try to keep Epic behind us.
We will keep you and your family in our prayers.
Tim & Kim Narhi
Just checking in to see what's up. I am not sure anymore whether I log on to lend support to the family or to read kenny lindsay's funny posts...what a character...that guy cracks me up! Glad all is going well with the chemo, and that michael will be coming home soon!
Nicole Valuet
Let's face facts: Bald guys are sexy.
Michael,
I sure hope that because there are no new posts... that all is well and you are enjoying your family at home... and your family is enjoying you being home...
I hope this is what is happening...
A prayer for your continuing health...and your family's endurance...
Keep Smilin'
Becky
Mike,
Hopefully this note finds you at home.
We hope all is going as well as possible. Betty and I think of you daily, and we are praying for a speedy recovery.
I do not which would be be worse Mom's "bowl cut" or being bald?
Hope to talk with you soon.
Live Strong,
John and Betty.
Vinicki,
All your supporters are anxiously awaiting a post from the supportee himself, Michael.
Let 'er rip anytime.
Mike,
From a fellow auctioneer and NAA member, keep your spirits up!
We will pray for you and your family.
Good Day,
Paul Yoder
Micheal-
Hope this finds you at home relaxing with the family & enjoying time together again!
BTW- What Paul didn't indicate in his post, is that he too is a survivor!
Keep up the fight (as if I had any doubts :-)) Have a great day!
Matt
P.S. Don't forget the sunscreen... Lobster legs would be worse than the pink toenails HEHE!
I have been following your blog since the begining but couldn't find anything witty, inspiring, or insightful to say. Finally something that I have experience with! Baldness Rocks!
Stay Positive
-Kev
Michael,
Silence is Golden...
Keep Strong...
Give kisses and hugs to those around you...
and
keep Smilin'
Becky
Hope to find you doing well. Let me know when you're home! We'll be over with your lunch order and a brand new MSAA Hat when I'm in the area! Oh, btw...as promised, I changed to HOT PINK Toenails in your honor! Haven't changed from Red in a looooong time, but for you, HOT PINK!
Let us know how you're doing when you feel up to it...I think your fans are getting wrestless.
Tricia Wiltjer
michael,dawn&kids hope all is going wee thankyou for share with your fellow classmates take care get well soon
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