What a Week!

 This week started out rough.  On Sunday, Glenn woke up with a dull ache in his chest. He didn't seem too concerned, and even had some family over for a visit.  After several hours it hadn't subsided so, after a quick call to the doctor, Mom took him to the ER.  After doing a CT scan, the doctors delivered more horrific news: Glenn had numerous pulmonary embolisms (blood clots) throughout both lungs. (These are caused by the cancer.)  If that wasn't enough, a few had moved and had started causing him excruciating pain. So, he was re-admitted to the hospital. Once we heard the news, Brennan hopped on the next flight to be there with Mom and Glenn. (He has been awesome this week!)

Over the next few days, the doctors ran more tests, mostly to be sure no damage had been done to Glenn's heart and to monitor the clots as they dissipated.  He will have to continue twice-daily injections in his stomach for another week, and will also continue with blood thinners to prevent any more clots from forming.

Now for the good news!  On Wednesday, Glenn was discharged from the hospital and sent home with a pharmacy of pain killers and blood thinners.  On Thursday, Glenn finished his last dose of chemo for this round and his final session of radiation. He now has the next three weeks to rest up and enjoy time with family.  He will have a follow-up MRI and the next round of chemo in January.

Dr Nelson gave Glenn a kiss for being such a sweet patient.

Dr. Nelson, Hospitalist

The radiation team.

Dr. Schultheiss, medical oncologist



Dr. Sawyer, radiation oncologist



Ringing the bell. He's done with radiation!

Ringing the bell three times--I am on my way!

As he finished his treatments, all of Glenn's medical team celebrated and wished him well as he starts the next phase of his treatment.  They all have loved having him there, but, as one doctor told him, "Next time, they had better meet up downtown instead of at the hospital."  Sounds good to me! 

Reptile Man

Here is one of Glenn's favorite pictures.  Because of all of the radiation treatments, his head has started to swell, which pulls the mask really tight over his head.  This has created a scale-like effect all over, which has led to the nickname "Reptile Man".  He's such a trooper!

Halfway Through

Glenn is now halfway through his treatments!  His chemo doctor is really pleased with how Glenn is handling the chemo and, even though nausea has started to creep up, it has still been pretty minimal.
He went in for blood work today and everything is still looking really good.  The main concern right now is making sure Glenn stays healthy and that he doesn't catch a nasty cold, which is easier said than done this time of year.

One of the things that Glenn has been enjoying during his radiation treatments is bringing a CD to listen to and trying to stump the radiation techs by playing music they haven't heard before.  His favorite is music Brennan has written and recorded with his band.

 
Glenn also enjoyed having a four-day break from treatments over the Thanksgiving holiday, and got a lot of much-needed rest.  He and Mom also loved having the boys in town and are so grateful for everything they did- including the difficult task of putting up the Christmas lights.  Now they are ready for Christmas!

A Lot to Be Thankful For

As Thanksgiving approaches we usually spend time thinking about all that we have, and this year is no exception.  We are a truly blessed family!  This might sound odd, considering the past month and a half, but we really do have so much to be thankful for.

One of the biggest things that I have been grateful for is how close this experience has brought our family.  We were a pretty tight-knit bunch before, but this has made everyone appreciate each other more and also express that love by calling, Face Timing, texting, etc.  It's obvious we all care about each other, and I'm so happy to have such a wonderful family.

More things to be thankful for:

~Glenn's doctor visits have been going really well, which is a huge relief.  His blood-work is in a healthy range, even with the daily chemo and radiation treatments.  He also is experiencing very little side-effects, which has been another blessing. He is staying positive, and we are all so grateful that he is doing so well physically.
~We are also so lucky to know so many wonderful people who have sent really lovely emails, stopped by for short visits, brought numerous meals, and offered all kinds of service to Mom and Glenn.  It's so comforting to know that there are such great people who are willing to help in any way they can.  We are so thankful for all of you and the ways in which you have blessed our lives.
~Glenn might get the ok to drive again! At a recent visit, the doctor told Glenn not to put his Beamer up for sale just yet, which has put a giant smile on Glenn's face. 

These are just a few of the infinite things we have to be thankful for.  Mom and Glenn are looking forward to a day of celebration tomorrow as they have a quiet dinner with family and friends.  Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Meet our Crown Jewel!

Happy Birthday Lindsay!  Today is our daughter Lindsay’s 30^th birthday!  We want to wish her a happy birthday and let her know how much we love her. She does so much for us; we don’t even know where to begin to thank her for everything. She’s the daughter every parent wishes they had. We feel blessed EVERY day that she is ours.

 

When Lindsay was told that Glenn was in the hospital, she wanted to come see him immediately. She wanted to be with him and was so frustrated at being so far away. As we assessed the reality of the logistics and that our needs while we were at the hospital were being met, we felt it was best she wait to come. It was then that she came up with the idea to start this blog. What a fantastic idea it was! It truly has been a blessing for us and given Lindsay a way to help us everyday. She has been able to communicate for us to each of you in a way we would never have been able to do ourselves. We are so grateful to her. She has always been the “central command center” for our family. She is kind, compassionate, talented, a great friend, and obviously beautiful! She definitely keeps everyone together!

She has lightened our load in many other ways too. Her husband, Jared,---yes we have a son and a son-in-law named Jared, is a graduate student at Penn State. He is studying Healthcare Administration. He has provided us with information and connected us to resources we would not have had the time to research ourselves. They have both taken the time every day to check on Glenn and give him the love and encouragement he has needed.

And, they have given us the cutest grandbabies in the world…but don’t get us started on that!

Glenn and Lindsay have had many wonderful memories throughout the years. Glenn would do anything for her, and she would do the same for him. While Lindsay was a student at University of Idaho, she was president of an organization that was selling programs for the football game as a fundraiser (U of I vs BSU). We volunteered to help sell them so we could all sit together at the game. One of the requirements, however, was that we wear the black Vandal Game Day shirt. Glenn said “No problem!”  After the programs were sold, we went into the Kibbie Dome to watch the game. There were a few comments made from some of the students when we didn’t stand for the school song. At that point, Glenn stands up and takes off his Vandal Game Day shirt. Underneath he had his Bronco orange T-shirt and turned to the crowd and said, “I’ll do anything for my Vandal daughter, but I’m still a Bronco at heart!” The crowd cheered.

Glenn wore his U of I Dad shirt today in honor of Lindsay’s birthday.

A daughter holds your hand for awhile, but holds your heart forever.

There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself.
-- John Gregory Brown

Have a happy birthday Lindsay! (Even though I must say I liked it better when we were both 29!) We love you with all of our hearts and can’t wait to see you soon!

Not All Super Heroes Wear Capes

First things first. Glenn and I would like to thank all of you from the depths of our hearts for the prayers and positive thoughts on our behalf the past month. Many days have not been easy. We know if it had not been for the faith and prayers of each of you, we would not be making the progress that we are. We have so much to be grateful for. The love and compassion we have felt from our friends and family have buoyed us and we are so thankful to have all of you in our lives.

When we heard the devastating news, I called our kids from the emergency room to let them know. There were still so many unknowns as we waited for Glenn to be transported from St. Luke’s to St. Al’s so Dr. Andersen could perform the surgery. Jared said, “I’ll be right there as soon as I can.” And he was. He flew in from Portland on the next flight and I honestly don’t know what we would have done without him.

Jared stayed by Glenn’s side for the next two weeks. He worked with him to build strength in his left side, practice his respiratory exercises to keep his lungs clear, handled the nausea problems like a champ, kept the pillows propped so Glenn was comfortable and coaxed him on every day. He also took care of the things that needed to be done at home for me so that I could stay at the hospital. His "Can Do" and positive attitude is larger than life.  Just what we needed.

As Glenn progressed, Jared became his Google search engine. They would be talking about something, be curious about it, and Glenn would have Jared look it up. Has there ever been a football game where a penalty flag was not thrown? What is a diacritic? Jared would help Glenn’s mind become stronger as well as his body.

We are grateful to Jared beyond words. I have always known how much Glenn loves Jared. To watch Jared exercise such love, concern and compassion for Glenn as a son to a father has touched my heart the same as watching Glenn’s love for him.

We also know Jared would not have been able to do all of the things he has done for us if it was not for his amazing wife, Jamie. We love Jamie so much. She has supported Jared in everything he has done. Jamie and Brennan are in school and were preparing for mid-terms. They came as soon as they were finished with classes. Jamie took care of things at our home and helped the boys get everything ready for Glenn's return. It was a comfort to know we had her to supervise the manly force!

Brennan has always been my calmness in the eye of the storm. He gives us such comfort and peace. He’s my other IT guy and provided the technical knowledge and skills when it came time to move Glenn’s elaborate computer system in his office at home. We’re so grateful for everything he’s done for us, especially entertaining Glenn in the hospital. He has the same spirit of harmony that Glenn does and brings such a balance to our family.

When the three of them returned to Portland, we felt a huge emptiness. They had all stepped in and taken care of what we needed and helped us be prepared for what was ahead. Glenn said all of the “encouragement” of getting two boys to the rank of Eagle Scout had apparently paid off!

Jared and Jamie were able to come back on Friday and have spent the weekend raking leaves, cleaning up the yard, and getting us ready for winter. They also helped Glenn get his things from his office at work—not an easy day. They cooked amazing food for us. Jared loved hanging out at the house with Glenn while Jamie distracted me with some retail therapy. It was so nice to have a few days with some of the old “normalcy” to them. We, again, are so grateful for the love and compassion of our family.

Thank you everyone for all you have done for us. There are so many heroes in our life and we truly appreciate everything you do.

Love,

Glenn and Linda

P.S. I can’t wait to tell you about our daughter! That’s next…….

We Acquire Strength From What We Have Overcome

This last week has been really good and Glenn has continued to recuperate well.  He has been really busy doing radiation treatments, and although they leave him feeling tired and worn out, it is nothing more than we were expecting and he has been doing great.

The Haar Men

One thing that has really lifted his spirits has been having his brother, Gaylon, and his nephew, Ty, in town.  He has loved being around family and it has really helped him stay positive.

Besides short visits from family and trips to the Cancer Center, Glenn has been spending most of his time at home, where he has continued getting the rest he needs.  He is still very limited to the number of visitors that he can have, so please get a hold of Mom if you want to stop by for a short visit.  We're so grateful for all of you and the wonderful messages you are sending Glenn.  Please keep them coming!

It's Getting...Better

Things have been going well.  Glenn got to go home Thursday night and has been enjoying a nice, peaceful recovery.  He has been doing so much better this time around, mostly because we are giving him lots and lots of quiet so his brain can heal.  We are so grateful for everyone being so understanding and respectful of the no-visitor policy.  We know there are many people who care about him and want to stop by for a hug and a  short visit.  Hopefully, that will be soon, but for now, please continue to send your regards through email and blog comments. 

Glenn has also been doing well with his chemo and radiation treatments.  They leave him tired, but that is just because his body is busy fighting, which is what we want.  I am so amazed at everything he is willing to endure, just for the slight chance that he will have more time with us.  He is such a wonderful man!

We've Hit a Small Speed Bump

First off, let me apologize for the lack of posts over the last few days.  As some of you know, I live in central Pennsylvania and things have been a little chaotic here lately.  We were very fortunate to be spared by Hurricane Sandy and we are doing great, but the cell service has been pretty spotty so it has been difficult for me to get any in-depth updates. I'm sorry to leave you hanging!

Now, on to Glenn...

We were lucky enough to have Glenn home for a few days, but right away, Mom noticed that something wasn't quite right about him.  We think going home was too much too soon and although he is doing incredibly well physically, his brain is still healing and he just wasn't quite ready to come home.  Even though we have hit this small speed bump on Glenn's road to recovery, we are regrouping and planning our next move.  The doctors are trying some new medications, which should help.  He also started chemo and radiation today, which have left him dizzy and light-headed, but also very aware and optimistic.

Because Glenn's wound is on the inside, it's hard to believe that anything is wrong.  He looks great and can still talk to you and carry on a conversation.  However, his brain is still in a very fragile state while it tries to re-wire and because of this, the hospital has restricted all visitors.  Right now, he just needs rest.

What Glenn can use is the usual:  positive thoughts, prayers, and words of encouragement.  It's easy to get discouraged with any kind of setback, so he needs to know that we are still behind him while he fights on.

Happy Birthday Addison!

There's this other girl in my life...she calls me Grampa!

Today is Addison's first birthday. What a year it has been! From the day she was born, Glenn has loved her and she has loved him.


Grandbaby 2.0 There's gotta be an app for that!


Several months ago, Glenn and I went on vacation through Canada. We wanted to find something special for Addison but nothing seemed "just right". We walked into a children's boutique and Glenn proceeded to explain that we needed something very special for a 7 month old little girl. As he takes out his phone and begins to show the store owner hundreds of pictures of "the cutest little girl in the world" she shows him a dress she had just received. Glenn looked at it and said that was what he was looking for. She slyly showed me the price tag and as I tried to suck in air and breathe again, Glenn said, "It doesn't matter what it costs. I want Addison to have this dress." And so it was.



The day before Glenn was taken to the hospital, we again had been out shopping for the perfect gift for Addison's birthday. He was like a kid in the candy store, spending as much time showing off her pictures as he was picking out her gifts. He loves that little girl so much.



Grampa get outta bed!


After the surgery, Glenn sat stoically as the doctor gave us the diagnosis and prognosis. He processed what had been said. He then asked to have Addison's and JJ's pictures brought to his room. We put them on the board at the end of his bed, and that was the first he sobbed.


The pictures became his daily motivation. Every morning he would wake up and see Addison and JJ smiling at him. He told his doctors, nurses, and therapists that the little girl with the big attitude--we call her Addi-Tude--was his reason for getting out of bed. He said he imagines Addie saying, "Grandpa, get your lazy xss out of bed!" I reminded him if she had said that her Mom might wash her mouth out with soap, but whatever motivates him! He would reflect back through the year as he has watched her as a helpless newborn then running around trying to keep up with her big brother, and with each step of progress how amazing she was to watch. We watched him progress each day with the same amazement.



As I was wrapping the presents in his hospital room, he watched and wished he could be there when she unwrapped them. Knowing his current limitations for reading and writing at the moment, I asked if he wanted me to write something in the card for him. He asked me to bring him the card and a pen. He wrote, "I love you Addison. Grampa Glenn." Another huge step he has overcome thanks to the motivation of his little angel.


I love you Addison!


Lindsay said as she has posted Glenn's pictures on the blog she has Addison on her lap. She will jump up and down and pat the screen. When Addie was at our house, she would be crying and her Mom would pick her up. She would reach for Grandpa and calm right down as soon as he would hold her. When we have Skyped, she would be walking around the room until she hears his voice and come running to see him, trying to give him kisses through the phone.

Happy Birthday Addison. We all love you. You are truly the littlest angel sent with the biggest motivation. Thank you for everything you have done for Grampa Glenn.

When Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary

It's amazing all of the little things you take for granted.  Three weeks ago, Mom and Glenn were hanging out at their house, discussing their weekend plans.  Now, they are home, but their conversations are not as lighthearted and often dip down into very serious and grim topics.  While we would give anything to go back three weeks, this whole experience has brought us closer together and made us appreciate each other even more.  And for that, I am grateful.

Glenn is home!  He and Mom are adjusting to it being just the two of them and the quiet sounds of their house.  While things are definitely different, some things, luckily, are still the same.  The best thing is that Glenn is home, which is something we weren't sure would happen, especially this soon.  It has been a month of miracles and I hope it's not over yet.

The Best News Yet!

We have been waiting for this day for two weeks: Glenn is coming home tomorrow!  He has continued to do well with his therapy, so the doctors decided to release him even sooner than this weekend, and we are beyond excited to finally have him home!

Yesterday, Glenn walked up more flights of stairs, took a tour around the hospital grounds, and today he even went on a mini lunch-date with Mom and his occupational therapist.

While Glenn is physically ready to go home, his mind is still recovering and healing.  He also is starting chemo and radiation on Monday, so he and Mom will be coming and going alot. They would love to start having visitors soon, but if you want to stop by for a visit, please email us and leave your phone number.  Mom will call you back and arrange a time when they will be home and he will be rested enough to hang out for a short amount of time.  We really appreciate all of the wonderful things that  so many people have done for our family, and especially for Glenn.  It is because of all of you that he has the strength to fight on.  Thank you!

The New Routine

Glenn has been following this new routine to a T.  We never get tired of hearing how incredible he is doing, because it gives us so much hope.  Every day he does things that we couldn't even imagine him doing yesterday.  He really is amazing.

Today was no different.  He and his therapist walked up three (that's right, THREE) flights of stairs.  Seriously, the man is taking amazing to a whole new level.  Also, Mom got certified to escort him around the hospital, so they can now go on long short walks on around the beach hospital together.  So romantic.

Although his therapy has gotten really intense and they have him working hard all day, he has been really motivated by the constant progress he is making.  He definitely is amazing!

Every Day a Little Bit Stronger

What an incredible weekend!  Glenn continues to amaze everyone with his progress and they are still planning on sending him home this weekend. 

Saturday was another Bronco Game Day and Mom bought Glenn a Blackout shirt to wear in support of his team. (It was the Blackout the Stadium game.) His days are filled with therapy sessions, so he was unable to watch the game, but he was definitely proud to be a Bronco.

Glenn's PT gave him a squishy ball to squeeze to help strengthen his left hand, which he has affectionately named "Southpaw".  He was also working on throwing the ball with "Southpaw"and, incredibly enough, Glenn can now catch and throw with his left hand (and oddly enough, better than with his right hand and better than Gary, who actually is left-handed!). By the end of the day yesterday, he was playing catch with Brennan and Jared in the hospital room, until they got too rowdy and Mom had to put a stop to it. (Some things never change.)  Also, when he was doing speech therapy, the pathologist had him reading a series of words.  They got to one word and Glenn asked, "What the heck does that word even mean?"  The pathologist looked at him and replied, "In 17 years, no one has ever asked me what any of the words meant.  I have no idea what it means."  Glenn still doesn't miss an opportunity to help people learn something new! (Luckily, Jared was there and they were able to Google the word.)
There has been one downside to all of this progress: because Glenn's muscles have loosened up, he now snores louder than ever!  We'll take it, though.  We're just glad to have him back.

Glenn lifting a wooden dowel over his head.

Glenn has almost regained full mobility on his left side and we are blown away by how well his therapy is going and how quickly he is recovering.  He is still recovering, however, so we are still being strict with the no-visitor policy.  We really appreciate everyone being so respectful of it and once he is home, that will hopefully change.  Mom is reading all of the wonderful cards, emails and comments to him and they make his day, so please keep them coming, along with your thoughts and prayers.  We are so lucky to be so loved!

Big Baby Steps

All I can say is "WOW"!  Glenn is still making incredible progress and the past two days have been the best yet.  I know I keep saying this, but Glenn is doing amazing. The doctor visited him today to tell him that all of the therapists and nurses are so impressed with how Glenn is doing.  To give you an idea, the doctor said that originally they were planning on keeping him in the hospital for 4-6 weeks.  Today, however, the doctor informed Glenn that he is going to be moved to a new room tomorrow and they are planning on releasing him next weekend.  YAY!  This all has given me so much hope that if his body can recover this quickly from something as traumatic as brain surgery, then it will give GBM a run for its money.  I truly believe that all of the wonderful notes, emails and prayers that everyone has been sending has made all of the difference.  We have all been so blessed by so many.

Glenn "pedaling home".

More good news:
-Glenn got dressed in his own clothes today.  He is now sporting cozy sweats and t-shirts instead of a drafty hospital gown and he feels like a new man.
-He walked up and down the entire hallway using a walker.  He has also remastered the skill of walking backwards.
-With his therapists' help, he was able to climb up and down 5 steps.  (Before we know it, he'll be planning a trip to Everest!)