ora et labora

"cutting wood, clearing ground, cutting grass, cooking soup, drinking fruit juice, sweating, washing, making fire, smelling smoke, sweeping, etc. This is religion. The further one gets away from this, the more one sinks in the mud of words and gestures." Thomas Merton, in a letter emphasizing his view of work and it's prayerful value.
Most of you know how much I enjoy my work both at my office and at home. Today I did go to work after my chemo session as I felt OK and why not get something done. My coworkers and my clients were very welcoming and warm toward me, but something seems different. We did the right things for the right reasons and I felt satisfied. After this week I will take time off on my "chemo weeks" and just go home and smell smoke or cook soup. On the off weeks my schedule will be more full and we can get back to a more normal feeling of what some might call "spiritual satisfaction". This I am looking forward to.
Going to bed, Gary

Back to Work Tomorrow

Dear Friends,
Today was another step in this process. After chemo, which takes about 2 hours total, Kimber, Linda and I met for lunch at the Brewhouse. Very busy restaurant, but no "Brews" for me. I am developing such a healthy discipline. After that we had an appointment with the social security office and they made it sound like it is smart to start taking social security checks now as I will probably be unable to work as much as I would like to. There seems to be so many things to think about that I feel overwhelmed at times. Luckily we have a wonderful support network to rely on and if they all are praying as much as they say then I'm sure to be considered for special treatment.

My job now is to keep a positive an healthy attitude. Not so easy. I have a friend, Father Roy LePak, who recommended some books for me to read and I am finding them interesting and helpful. Tonight I took a 2 mile walk, not much, but it feels good to do something physical. Linda's sister Brenda is coming to visit tomorrow so no long faces allowed.

Christmas 2011

Christmas had special meaning for us as we had our entire family home for this most special day. We even got a little snow so the snowmobiles got a little use and the trails are now packed and ready for some serious winter. It has remained unseasonable mild in Duluth so travel on the roads is easy. Allison's family left yesterday to participate in the Laase Christmas gathering and Matt's crew went to St. Paul today, also via Grandma and Grandpa Laase's house in Cambridge.

Today for me was the start of this path called chemotherapy. Actually I am very happy to begin the process as it is my path to healing and becoming well again. Kimber, Linda and I began the day by talking with Ruth, one of the staff psychologists at the Cancer Center. After that we had the normal blood work and on with the infusion of the drug decitabine, which is dosed according to your body surface area. I'm glad that my body is smaller than Fat Albert's. Anyway, it was real easy and it only took an hour. The nursing staff is obviously chosen for their caring attitude. Then a few more tests and off to lunch at Va Bene. I needed something Italian and this hit the spot. I forgot to ask if beer would interfere with the chemo so today I took a coke. I had heard the potassium in beer does have a protective effect on the kidneys even if it wrecks the liver. There is a drug that I'll take for the first month that helps avoid the gout. This is because all these bad white cells are going down the drain and might clog up in my big toe. No one wants that to happen.

Well, my schedule is chemotherapy every day for 5 days then 3 weeks off. The process is to go on for a few months and then we reevaluate the situation. In the meantime we try to do our part with prayer and meditation. Last night we placed my Grandma Deloia's personal crucifix over the head of our bed. She had very few possessions so I am very blessed that she wanted me to have this. It had previously been in Matt's room but now we need it close to us.
More tomorrow if I'm in the mood,
Gary

December 23, 2011

It has been awhile since my last post, but I want to be sure to update everyone that is following my dad's condition. We heard good news today! After three weeks of a sinus infection and more symptoms of the cancer such as swollen lymphnodes, etc. he made an appointment with his oncologist here in Duluth for this morning. His name is Dr. Friday and he trained under Dr. Letendre from the Mayo clinic. He has been in communication with Dr. Letendre which makes my dad feel more comfortable. My mom, dad, and I met with Dr. Friday this morning to get the results of his bone marrow (they took a sample yesterday) and nothing has changed which made us all relieved and happy. His blasts are still under 2% which is not bad. Acute cmml is 20% blasts so he is far from this. It was so nice to get this news right before Christmas. In fact, my dad was in such a better mood that he went and bought my mom a very special bracelot. Yeah right, you all know my dad, she had already picked it out. :)  The emotional roller coaster is tough but I am so glad I am able to be here to be with my dad. This is very important to me. He will start treatment on Monday with the Decitabine. I guess this chemo will not be too hard on him.

I will write more later. I have to go and get ready to go out to dinner with the whole family. We are going to the top of the Radisson.

Thanksgiving 2011

I wanted to talk a little more about our Thanksgiving at Matt's new house in DC. Matt, Jenn, Zellie, Glenn, Ike and Molly (their dogs) just moved to Burke, Virginia where he will start working at the Pentagon doing what is called ORSA. I can't remember what it stands for, but I think it is Army Statistics. It was very nice for us to be together on Thanksgiving. Addie came out with my mom and dad and Jenn's sister Erica was staying with Matt and Jenn as well. Erica, Jenn, and Matt prepared a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner for all of us. Matt said a nice prayer and we mentioned how lucky we have been as a family. We are not sure what lies ahead, but we do know we have been very fortunate to have the best mom and dad anyone could ever ask for. We had wonderful sunny days and it was so great to meet the newest addition to the DeLoia family, little Glenn! He is a good baby and looks like his big sis.

We all look forward to re-uniting in Duluth for my dad's 66th Birthday on December 22nd. It will be our entire family which will be great and can't wait for us all to be together on a such a special occasion of my dad's birthday and Christmas.

My mom and dad put up a Christmas tree yesterday, yet my dad told me this time it is not in the living room but outside the living room window.  It's going to be a cold gift opening session this year gathering around that tree. I guess the pollen and dust isn't good for my dad.

Welcome to Gary DeLoia's Blog

Hello Family and Friends,

This is Kimber DeLoia starting a blog to write a bit about the journey of my mom and dad. As most of you know my dad was diagnosed on Nov. 17th with a rare form of Leukemia called cmml 1.  Fortunately, it has been caught during the early stages so we hope treatment will allow him to continue being the husband, dad, son, brother, papa and friend we all know him as. I hope to update this along with my mom and dad to keep everyone informed on how he is doing. I know I want to call a lot and I am sure all of you do as well. His plan is to start his chemo treatment on Jan. 2 in Duluth where he found an Oncologist/Hemotologist that he is comfortable with (Dr. Friday). He will start a drug called Decitibine and they say the side affects should be minimal. He will take the chemo 1 hour a day for 5 days and then nothing for 3 weeks. He will repeat this for maybe 4 months to see how he responds and then he will see his main Oncologist at the Mayo Clinic. My dad has consulted with other doctors and I have as well and it seems this is the best treatment for his diagnosis. There is talk of a stem cell/bone marrow transplant, but we will take it once step at a time and cross that bridge if needed. My dad is very special to many of us and all the love and support is greatly appreciated!