Happy New Year!!!!!

HI Everyone,
It's been a while since we've really had anything to report. Earl continues to work hard at walking with his prosthesis at Rehab. Our time is M W F from 10:30 - 11:30 if you'd like to come down. He spends the time warming with crutches (after we get the prosthesis on...which some days is quite a chore) and then he starts walking with no crutches/canes. It takes a lot of concentration because he has to put his weight on the new leg the right way....or it bends and he falls. He has practiced falling and doesn't like doing it...! We can bring the leg home on weekends, but he hasn't brought it home for the last 2 weekends, due to the fact that he hasn't been feel well as of late.

Earl will go for blood work and a CT scan this Wednesday with the follow-up appointment on January 19th...with Dr Wong. Please keep him in your prayers as we will find out what is happening with his lungs. We are also hoping to find out if the benign tumor is doing anything and if it is...what the plans are for removing it.

We had a nice Christmas with Family and Friends...and a lot of just resting. Hope you had the same.

Earl turned 21 on Friday and I am trying to plan a little party for him.....stay posted for the details.

Debbie

December Update

Hi Everyone,
Earl is back to the routines of daily living. and learning to use his prosthetic leg. He was casted for it in October, fitted after we got home from Detroit and has been using it for three weeks now. Last weekend he was able to bring it home for the weekend and will bring it home every weekend now. He goes to rehab M W F at 10:30. He is very excited about walking with his new leg and is determined to work hard and be successful. This week he started walking with one crutch and next week will begin trying to walk with canes. We are hoping that he will eventually walk with no aids. The other thing we are working on is getting in and out of the "bucket" by himself. The alignment is very important and it takes a bit of adjusting but he is getting better everyday.
The next exciting news is that Earl is playing hockey again. It is called sledge hockey and is played sitting in a sled. The same rules apply and they even get ice at the MTS Center once a month. It is a new sport in Manitoba and we are hoping to see it grow so that they can have a league. You can make pledges for Earl and his team through SMD or by contacting me and I will get you a copy of the sponsorship package. He would love to see you out there cheering him on....he really hasn't changed as far as loving to have someone in his camp cheering him on.
Take it easy...


Debbie and Earl

Was it a DREAM?

Hi Everyone,

We are back from our trip to Detroit, but still grinning from ear to ear. Our living room looks like a souvenir shop...jerseys, hockey sticks, pucks, posters, banners, magazines and books, ticket stubs and visitor passes........all Red Wings of course.

We arrived in Detroit on Friday night, checked into our hotel and spoke to coach Babcock. We were in for a whirlwind of hockey and spending time with an amazing group of people. We attended two morning skates (pre game skates), two practices for the Red Wings and one practice for the Pittsburgh Penguins, two hockey games and two after game visits to the Red Wings dressing room. Earl and Darby sat on the bench during practices and visited several times (actually about 6x) with the players and coaches in the locker room. It was so cute to see Earl crutching from room to room like he was meant to be there. The guys were even teasing him that he should come on the road with them. Earl and Darby could light up a room with their smiles and not only did I enjoy the hockey part I was beaming as a proud mama.

We stayed at a fantastic hotel and even took in a NFL game...in a suite I might add. The Detroit Red Wings, Mike Babcock and Anne Marie especially, took such good care of us and honestly made us feel like family. There was not a single moment that I wished I was somewhere else.

We met so many people I can't list them all, but some of the highlights were Head coach Mike Babcock...who made this trip happen, Paul MacLean, Brad McCrimmon, Jim Bedard, Keith Mc Kittrick, Steve Yzerman, Gordie Howe, the whole team, Jim Devellano, Ken Holland, and Pittsburgh Players: Sydney Crosby, Marc Andre Fluery, Tyler Kennedy. Evgeni Malkin and Matt Cooke.

A big thank you to Anne Marie Krappmann and Lisa and the staff at the East Gate and the Staff at Olympia Entertainment. You all made us feel so special!!!!

Debbie, Darby and Earl.

Detroit Here We Come!!!!

HI Everyone,

In just 60 hours Earl, Darby and I will be heading to the airport and departing for Detroit....aka Hockey Town and home of Earl's team, The Detroit Red Wings. We are staying at the G.M. Renaissance Center, which is just 2 blocks from Joe Louis Arena. If you haven't heard this news before, you need to know that we are going as guests of Mike Babcock the head coach. What an amazingly nice man he is. We have been in touch with Mike by email and chatted on the phone several times and Earl gets so excited, it is a thrill to watch him. We are all quite excited and those of you who know Earl, know he is ecstatic and counting down the hours.

Earl has not been feeling the best these last few days, but we are praying and confident that he will be feeling much better by Friday. I actually had to take him to emergency at St B. last night because he was sweating to the point of being soaked, feeling nauseous and had a heart rate of 160. We ended up leaving without seeing the Dr. after sitting for 3 1/2 hours. The ER was so busy and Earl could not sit any longer. I had them check him out before we made the decision to leave, and his vitals had returned to normal. There are many things going on in his life that are causing him concern and stress and I am keeping a close eye on him.

Would you all please keep the family of our friend Andi, in your prayers as they prepare for Andi's passing. Andi is a lovely 18 year old young lady, who we met here in Winnipeg as we have both been on the same journey. Andi's cancer PNST or peripheral nerve sheath tumor is a very rare sarcoma and has really taken a toll on this beautiful young girl. Earl is very disturbed but all of this and really has a hard time understanding why things like this happen.

We will make sure and post a Detroit update and put up some pictures when we get back.

Debbie

Another Big Day

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick note to let everyone know that Earl had his first fitting for his prosthesis today. It is quite the contraption but Earl doesn't seem to be uncomfortable, so that's great. I won't try to describe, because in this case a picture saves a thousand words. I will post a picture very soon. Earl was so excited and is really looking forward to the end product, but he will have to be patient (which we all know is not easy for Earl), because the process of creating a prosthetic and learning to walk with it, will be quite long and intensive. Earl wants to walk without aids TOMORROW.

We are looking forward to our trip to Detroit, and of course I am looking forward to spending time with my two boys,,,,and no interruptions.

Take Care,
Debbie

October Update

Hi Everyone,

I am starting to get comments about no updates....so here it is. Earl is doing very very well, and recovering and getting stronger everyday. Tomorrow is a big day, as the prothesist will begin the process of making a prosthetic leg for Earl. It starts off with a 3 hour appt, where they will create a casting from which they can make the leg. It will be somewhat cumbersome but whatever it takes Earl is prepared to give it all he has. He has been attending Rehab 3x a week and is showing signs of getting stronger. It's actually pretty humorous to watch him as he flexes his muscles in the mirror, hoping to see a visible change. It takes a while Earl!!!!! Even though he is getting stronger each day, he still gets very tired and is sleeping 12-14 hours a day some days. The medications he is taking for pain really drain him of energy. His movement specialist has started to take him off one of the medications that controls his tics, so that is taking a little toll on him also. This poor guy, nothing every seems easy for him.

We are getting very excited about our upcoming trip to Detroit. We have been in contact with Mike Babcock the coach and he has invited Earl to come down to Joe Louis Arena for the morning skate on each of the two games days, for a Saturday practice and at some point time to hang out in the dressing room with the players. When Earl heard the plans, he was shivering with excitement and it is so much fun to watch him as the anticipation grows. He has now started converting days to minutes. Earl doesn't count sleeps...he counts days broken down in minutes.

He keeps himself pretty busy and manages to get out everyday. He tries to have 2 walks a day and can be seen by many of his friends walking down the street in our community of Whyte Ridge. He says he often gets invitations for a ride home, but declines telling them that he needs to get strong so that his prosthetic will be successful.

We had some sad news recently about our friend Andi, who is a young lady (18) and is battling cancer. She has been switched to palative care and is experiencing much pain as the cancer rages through her less than 100 lb body. Please keep her and her family in your prayers and think of Earl as well, because this is very hard on him. He is such a sensitive guy and finds the thought of his friends being so sick unbearable at times. The other night when we got news from Andi's mom, he broke down in tears as he reached for me to hug him.

Take care and please try and keep in touch....Earl is missing phone calls from many of you!
Debbie

Earl Starts Rehab!

Hi Everyone,
Sorry there has not been an update lately, but like they say, "No news is good news"

Earl is doing well and has started going to a rehab program for amputee's. He will be attending M W and F's

We received news today that the prosthetist who works at the rehab program will not be able to ( or is not willing to) make a prosthetic leg for Earl. Our Rehab therapist has invited us to attend a clinic next Tuesday Oct 14 where we will meet two other prosthetists who may be willing to give Earl a chance at trying a prosthetic leg. Please pray that:

1) One of the prosthetists will give Earl a chance

2) That the process of casting and development of the leg will happen quickly

3) That Earl will be strong enough to give it his best shot

4 That it would work.

Earl really wants this, let's pray together that he is given the chance.

Debbie

What a TEAM!!!

A big thank-you to all who joined Earls Family and Friends by participating through financial contributions and by taking part in the run at Assiniboine Park. The numbers are not all in but so far our online donations come close to $2000.00 which is great and that does not include the pledges of all individuals on the team. We had a great turn out (40 people) and we all had a great time. It was a beautiful sunny day and most of all Earl felt loved and supported. Earl spoke in 5 schools from Sept 14 to Sept 23, which included RW Bobby Bend Elementary School in Stonewall, Teulon High School, Arthur A. Leach Junior High School, Westview Elementary and Arthur Day Middle School. He was loved by all and had a great impact on the students and staff. Earl has such a special way of speaking to people and unlike most of us is confident in front of a crowd. It is our hope that he has inspired these young people to participate in Terry's Dream and that they will understand the role they play in a world where cancer can be treated.

Earl had an exciting evening on Wednesday Sept 24 when he went to see the NHL game here in Winnipeg. (Phoenix Coyotes vs Calgary Flames) He went with his friend Dan....who apparently has "connections" and after the game was taken into the Coyote dressing room where he met Wayne Gretzky, Grand Fuhr, Shane Doan ( who gave Earl his workout shirt and autographed it for him ) and a host of other players. Earl was so excited I could hardly understand him when he called me. Earl's dreams are coming true and every time something special like this happens, it seems to soften the hardness of this journey we have been on.

Earls Friend: Andi Everett

This story was in the Winnipeg Sun this past week. Earl and I met Andi and her family while both Earl and Andi went through many rounds of chemo at St Boniface Hosp here in Winnipeg. Andi cancer is Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor or PNST.

I am passing this on in hopes that someone out there can help out in some big or small way. Whatever anyone of us can do will help Andi.

And to all of you who pray.....please please lift her up.

Earl and I will be attending the Bud Spud and Steak...all are welcome to attend.

Article: Please read this urgent request from a desperate, worried mom:

"My daughter Andrianna (Andi) Everett, who just turned 18, is fighting a rare form of cancer. She has just one hope left and that is to get to Toronto for an experimental drug/treatment not administered here. Her doctor, Dr. R. Wong, has been turned down to bring this drug, Yondelis, to Winnipeg several times.

"I'm hosting a benefit called 'Andi's Hope' on Friday, Oct. 3 at Silverado's at Canad Inns Garden City, to help Andi get to Toronto. Tickets are $15 and include a Bud, spud and steak along with a silent auction, 50/50 and a grand prize draw.

"My goal is to have enough money in place so that when she finishes her current extremely harsh chemo, we will be financially prepared go to Toronto on very short notice. Hopefully within the next month or so. This is a matter of great urgency. Please help. Sincerely, Liz Chodor."

Two ways we can help Liz and Andi, folks: By booking your Andi's Hope tickets through Liz at 694-1231 (home) or 296-6906 (cell). Or, for those unable to attend the event, donations may be sent to a trust fund, directions as follows:

Cheques should be made payable to Duboff Edwards Haight & Schachter IN TRUST for Elizabeth Chodor and Andrianna Everett.

Address: Duboff Edwards Haight and Schachter Law Corporation, 1900-155 Carlton St., Winnipeg, Man., R3C 3H8.

Great News: Remission

Hi Everyone,

This past Wednesday Earl went in for his first round of chemo following his amputation and the removal of the cancer that had recurred in his left leg . While at the hospital Earl saw Dr. Wong, and because he was complaining about soreness in his ribs, imaging tests were ordered. We are praising God today, because the test revealed that the cancer is gone from Earl's lungs. Dr Wong has stopped chemo and does not want to see Earl until January. He has a benign tumor in his right lung, which will likely need to be removed, but it is NOT cancer. None of us are sure what has happened, but we are praising God and believing that a miracle has occurred.

Earl, along with many friends and family will be participating in the Terry Fox Run here in Winnipeg tomorrow at Assiniboine Park. Earl spoke at three schools yesterday, and his message touched the hearts of many. We are so thankful for the opportunity to share a personal experience with the same cancer that inspired Terry Fox and to encourage others to support his dream. Come out and join us and celebrate with Earl the great news of his remission.

As some of you may already know, Earl has made some new friends in the world of hockey. Yesterday, hockey analyst and sports broadcaster, Darren Dreger told a bit of Earl's story on his radio show Leaf's Lunch out of Toronto.
Here is the link and if anyone knows how I can save it please let me know!
Leaf's Lunch Sept. 12, part 2, just before and after the break.
http://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/LeafsLunch/Audio.aspx

As an added comment I want to let you know that Earl has been invited to attend two Detroit Red Wing games, by head coach Mike Babcock. Earl, Darby and I will travel to Detroit on November 7 to watch Earls beloved team Detroit play New Jersey on November 8th and Pittsburgh on November 11. Needless to say Earl is in HOCKEY HEAVEN.

Take care,
Debbie

Join Earl's Team

We are still looking for your involvement in the Terry Fox Run, as a member of Earl's family and friends. We will meet at the Lyric Theater this Sunday at 9:00 am. If you do not register online you will have to register at the run. The run, walk or wheel, I believe starts at 10 am.... if you would like to stay and have a bite to eat after bring a picnic lunch...or they will have food at the location.

If you would like to join Earl's team this is the web address:

https://www.terryfoxrun.org/english/Corporate/Runner/Register/Runner/default.asp?s=1&CompanyID=9078

If you would like to make a pledge to Earl and his team this is the website

https://www.terryfoxrun.org/english/donations/donate/default.asp?s=1

See you at the Run
Debbie

Reminder To All Terry Fox Run September 14 2008

Just A reminder to all that the annual TERRY FOX Run for cancer research is being held Sunday September 14 2008 in Various Locations Across Canada and all over the world.

I encourage everyone to remember Terry Fox and to raise funds to try and find a cure for Cancer Please check www.terryfoxrun.org for run locations and details.

Because we have been touched personally through Earl's experience with osteogenic sarcoma we want to join together to show him how much of an impact he has had in our lives.

The Winnipeg Run will take place at Assiniboine Park on Sunday September 14th. Registration will begin @ 9:00am. Earl's team: "Earl's Family and Friends" will have an area to meet near the stage at the Lyric Theatre.

Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, a community near Vancouver on Canada's west coast. An active teenager involved in many sports, Terry was only 18 years old when he was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma (bone cancer) and forced to have his right leg amputated 15 centimetres (six inches) above the knee in 1977.

While in hospital, Terry was so overcome by the suffering of other cancer patients, many of them young children, that he decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research.

He would call his journey the Marathon of Hope.

After 18 months and running over 5,000 kilometres (3,107 miles) to prepare, Terry started his run in St. John's, Newfoundland on April 12, 1980 with little fanfare. Although it was difficult to garner attention in the beginning, enthusiasm soon grew, and the money collected along his route began to mount. He ran 42 kilometres (26 miles) a day through Canada's Atlantic provinces, Quebec and Ontario.

It was a journey that Canadians never forgot.

However, on September 1st, after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres (3,339 miles), Terry was forced to stop running outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario because cancer had appeared in his lungs. An entire nation was stunned and saddened. Terry passed away on June 28, 1981 at age 22.

The heroic Canadian was gone, but his legacy was just beginning.

To date, more than $400 million has been raised worldwide for cancer research in Terry's name through the annual Terry Fox Run, held across Canada and around the world.

Thanks For Reading and if you can't join us on the day of the run, show Earl your support by pledging online to his team:

Earl's family and friends registration number mb1529

Home at LAST

Hi Everyone,

Hurray...We are HOME!

We arrived home last Wednesday, by Air Ambulance. For those of you who know me, you know I hate flying in small airplanes. The takeoff and flight were okay, but the decent and landing made me so sick and it lasted forever (it seemed) But we landed safely.

I was able to runaway with my quilting sisters for the weekend while Darby and many caring friends watched over Earl. Thanks so much to all of you who helped out and made it possible for me to get a much needed break.

Earl was welcomed home by over 50 friends and family on Wednesday night and it was perfect. He had such a good time and it really made him realize how happy he was to finally be home. Our door is always open, if you want to stop by and say hi, and if you have a few free hours, I could always use a break.

Yesterday was the day we went to see Dr Wong, Earl's oncologist, to get the run down on the next round of chemo. He will have a ct scan tomorrow out in Selkirk and then Dr. Wong will be able to start...hopefully right away. Dr Wong does not seem very optomistic, but I explained to him that we have a strong faith and believe that with all we know and have Earl will beat this cancer. The new chemo is called gemcitabine and is fairly mild, compared to the heavy drugs used initially. There are not too many side effects, but nausea is one of them, and they don't give as much anti nausea medication with this one. He will not loose his hair, which made him happy and he will likely be quite tired. The effectivness of this chemo is not great (20 to 30%), but it is used in cases like Earl's specifically where the cancer has spread to the lungs. After this treatment they will check his lungs again and at that point determine if he can have lung surgery, or try another chemo regime.

Earl's incision is doing very well (in case you don't know, Earl had his left leg and pelvis amputated on June 26). He is getting around very well and starting to try bending down and was even down on the floor playing with Sauer this morning.

Earl is starting to get excited about the Terry Fox Run. Mark September 14 on your calendar and get involved on Earl's team...Earl's family and friends registration #: mb1529 we have sponsor sheets, so give us a call

Please keep in touch.... and if you pray please pray:

1. that earl would continue to heal and get around well.
2. that the equipement needed to help Earl around the house, and a wheelchair would arrive ASAP
3. that Earl's pain would decrease and that the phantom pain would be bearable
4. that the CT scan tomorrow would be very clear and give and accurate picture of the cancer in the lungs.
5. that chemo would begin immediately and would be effective
6. that earl would stay positive and enjoy each day.

Take care

Debbie

First Ever Welcome Home Earl Driveway Party

Hi Everyone....

Yippee we are coming home.  We will travel tomorrow
Wednesday) by air ambulance (permimeter airlines.)
I do not know what time we land. Originally I had
hoped to have a welcome home at the airport for Earl,
but now that won't work, so I came up with a better idea.

You are invited to welcome Earl home at:
The First Ever 20 Stonegate Close Driveway Party.
7-9 pm
Tomorrow evening (Wednesday)
Bring your own drinks or snacks and a lawn chair.

You can park at the church if you like and use the back gate.
(if someone who knows where our gate is, could put up a sign
everyone will find their way) Weather permitting........

We are feeling a little sad as we say goodbye to the many
exceptional staff members in various locations around this
hospital   I have brought donuts and goodies to the staff on
various occasions but truth be told there is absolutely no gift
that could acknowledge how very much we appreciate the hard
working, knowledgeable, caring  people that make this hospital
stand out in the service they provide.  As I wrote in the card
I left on 11 south.  We do not choose this journey we are on,
but we can choose how we deal with it on a daily basis.
The positive, supportive and loving staff on 11 south and
throughout the hospital have helped us to deal with each day
and joyfully move on to the next.  Thank-you so much to Dr.
Wunder and his team (too many to mention),  Dr. Blackstein,
Dr. Beecroft and his team of  Paulette, Krystynna, Allison,
the pain teams, the nurses (way to many to mention), the service
attendants:Willie, Joe, Ba Ba, Rose, the recovery room staff
( especially Sergio, Debbie and Lorraine) and the porters that
always have a happy smile on their faces when they see Earl.
I have watched you all and can honestly say, Earl has touched
each and every one of you and he will be forever remembered.

......And the last thank-you is to Jesus, our God, whom both Earl
and I love and give credit to.  We have felt his presence and
experienced his Love through each and everyone we have met
throughout this journey.

See you soon, Debbie

The Latest

HI Everyone,

Confirmation will come on Monday, but I think the plan is for us to fly home on Wednesday. We will be transfered by ambulance to the plane, fly to Winnipeg and be transfered (I believe) home by ambulance.

I am of mixed emotions and ask that you please keep up the prayers. Leaving here will be difficult and joyful at the same time. They are so amazing here at Mt Sinai Hospital, but yet we know we must get home so that Earl can start his next rounds of chemo. The nodules in his lungs are growing so we must get going on the chemo as quickly as possible. I am already shedding tears, as I say goodbye and thank you to the many many people we have met over the last 8 weeks.

To give you just a glimpse of how wonderful the staff have been to us, I will share a story or two. Earl had to go down to interventional radiology for 2 procedures this week, 1st to try and asperate a possible infection in his groin and the 2nd to remove his IVC filter as there is no longer a risk for blood clots. When we went down the second time Dr. Beecroft met us in the hall, and was happy to see Earl. He told us that he had just called our floor to find out where we were, and that he was just about to go up and get Earl himself. Earl has left his mark throughout the various departments of this hospital. He often has staff stop by for a visit. Words cannot describe how much we appreciate the exemplary care we have received here.

Well I guess that's enough for now....and we look forward to being home again soon.

Debbie

The Countdown is ON!

Hi Everyone,
The Good News: Dr. Wunder has given Earl the go ahead to head home. We are busy trying to make arrangements for air ambulance and for care once we get home. Earl had his IVC filter removed yesterday and the VAC is still on. We are hoping that we can continue the VAC therapy in Winnipeg, so are waiting to hear if homecare can provide that service. We saw the OT today and she has gone over what equipment we will need at home and on Monday will work with Earl to help him get dressed in street clothes again.

The Not so Good News: The latest CT scan shows that the nodules in Earls lungs are progressing and therefore it is important to get back to Winnipeg to start chemo. Earl will start on Gemcitabine as soon as we get home. (dates to be confirmed once we know when we will travel.)

I am hoping Earl can settle in easily once at home. I was really hoping that we could arrange a welcome home for Earl at the airport, but that will not work now that we are arriving by air ambulance. Perhaps we can arrange something at our place the night we arrive. I will keep everyone posted and ask that those who follow the blog update those who don't.

I am hoping to take a much needed break next weekend, so if anyone can volunteer some time to spend with Earl, I would be forever in debt to you. I am hoping to go to a friends cottage Fri to Sunday with my quilting sisters. Darby will be at home, but is busy studying, now that he is in fire college. If someone can visit Earl or take him out a little that would be awesome. My Email is hopkins5@mts.net or you can reply to this blog.

We are so very much looking forward to getting back to our life, friends, family and of course our Church.

Love Debbie and Earl

Maybe just Maybe Earl can come HOME!

HI Everyone,

I am back in Toronto and Earl is happy to see me. Darby was here for the weekend and they had a great time hanging out and watching Robot Chicken, which is Earls new favorite obsession. I had a wonderful time back home but it was far to brief.

Dr's on Friday became a bit concerned with Earl's incision and called in the dr's from infectious diseases. They ordered a CT scan yesterday and found a little abscess just under the surface of the skin. He is currently in the procedure room in interventiona radiology with his favorite Paulette and Christina. They are draining the abscess. Earl is out now and we are waiting to go back to the floor.

Dr. Wunder was in yesterday to see Earl and told Earl that he could possibly go home later this week, so cross your fingers and pray pray pray.

Take Care and we hope to see you soon.
Debbie

Earl is Using Crutches

Hi Everyone,



Today is 5 weeks plus 1 day since Earl had his 1st surgery! Earl is feeling stronger everyday and they are starting to decrease his pain medications. He is still on large doses but they are going down and he is not taking breakthrough, except before he gets up to walk (and even then he seldom wants it.) Yesterday was a big day because he walked on crutches for the first time. He was pretty proud of himself and there was lots of encouragement from the staff.

We saw Dr Blackstein yesterday also, and he has confirmed the chemo that he wants Earl to have and the great news is, that Dr Wong can administer it back home. We anxiously await more details and a time to start. What Dr B has told us is that the treatment is 1x week for 90 minutes and lasts up to 6 months. Dr B also said that as far as he was concerned Earl could head back to Winnipeg, but we will have to wait for word from the ortho Dr's. Dr Wunder is away right now, but Earl still has to get stronger and he needs to be able to tolerate being up for a lot more than an hour or so. Keep praying that he works hard and get stronger everyday. They also took out his catheter today, so we are down to being connected to just the VAC.

I am planning on coming home next weekend to attend a wedding and have a bit of a break. Darby will come out and spend the weekend with Earl. I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends, going to church, attending the wedding and last but not least seeing my puppy. I miss everyone so much. If people can try and call Earl on Friday and Monday, that would be great as I am leaving Friday morning and not back until Monday night.

When the time comes to come back to Winnipeg, I would like to plan and welcome home for Earl at the airport...I will make sure we arrive after supper, so that more people can be there.

Take care and keep the caremail coming....Earl loves it.
Debbie

Earl is feeling better!

HI Everyone,

Earl is starting to feel much better and they are thinking about decreasing some of his pain meds. He has not really been asking for breakthrough pain meds for the the last couple of days with the exception of preparing for physio. The VAC was attached on Friday and changed yesterday. There was still some areas where the healing hadn't really happened so they reattached the VAC and will continue to monitor it.

Earl was up at the edge of the bed on Sunday and out of bed yesterday. He stood up, walked to the desk (about 60 steps) and then sat in the wheelchair for about 10 mins. Getting him into the wheelchair is great news, because with that comes some freedom.

We have been here for over a month now and it doesn't look like we will be coming homing just yet.

Take care and please keep us in your prayers.

Debbie & Earl

Not coming home yet!!!

Earl had surgery on Tuesday to clean out the incision. The surgeon had to due some fancy stitching (kinda of like repairing a frayed quilt) to pull all the tissue together. Because the incision split open in three directions they had to put sutures in a circular patter, with big retention sutures to try and hold it all together. The drains (2) came out yesterday and today the surgeons had a look and have decided to use the VAC therapy, which will hopefully be attached this afternoon. This therapy is quite new and is very useful in encouraging healing in places and in situations where healing in not taking place. He continues to be on bed rest so as not to create any pressure where the fresh incision is.

Earl is still feeling pain, and as usual the pain team is working to help control it. The pain Dr. who sees him every day, told us yesterday that he is pretty much maxed out on what they can give him.

Right now Earl is in Interventional Radiology with one of his favorite nurses Paulette because somehow he has gotten a curl in the tubing of his portacath. The problem with it is that they cannot get any blood return , but they were still able to flush and put fluids in. She has just let me know that they got it working again. This is great, because we do not want to loose his port. She said Earl did really well and slept through the whole procedure. When they were done and they told him it was working....he yelled AWESOME!!!

Well that's it for now, keep calling and sending Caremail.....he loves it.

Debbie and Earl

Good Morning,



Earl needs to go for surgery (hopefully) sometime today. Over the last week they have been watching his incision carefully and yesterday determined that it was not healing and in fact has opened up in places. The blood circulation at the site is not great due to the fact that they had to remove some large veins. the procedure will take about 1 hour and will involve cleaning out the site, trimming the tissue around the incision and closing it up again. They may use a type of vacuum to close the incision. This is a fairly new piece of equipment and encourages healing at a faster rate than tradition sutures or staples. They are also having some troubles with his porta cath, so please pray that we don't loose it.



On a very happy note Earl had a visit from Darren Dreger (a hockey analyst from TSN's Hockey Central)yesterday and if his visit and gift was not enough, he asked Earl who his favorite hockey coach was? Earl answered "Mike Babcock" the head coach of his favorite team the Detroit Red Wings, at which point Darren asked if he would like to speak to him. Earl spoke to him for at least 15 mins, chatting and giving him advice on who should be on the first and second lines.......! After that conversation Darren's phone rang and Steve Yzermen was on the phone, so Earl spoke to him. As most of you who know Earl can imagine he was in Hockey Heaven and still smiling as he recapped the news to friends and family. I am sure surgery was the last thing on his mind and his dreams must have been filled with hockey players in red and white jerseys as he slept last night. Thanks Darren (and Dan from Winnipeg) for making this very special day possible for Earl.



Take care and keep him in your prayers please.

Love Debbie

Earl takes 80 Steps

Hi Everyone,

Sorry it's been a few days. I was away at my brother's cottage on Lake Rosseau from Tuesday to Friday, so was not able to update.

Earl was happy to see me and even happier to see Dale, who has joined me here in Toronto. I am so glad to have her here and we are planning a fun evening together tonight. He was being quite silly last night, but we were happy to see him laughing.

Earl took 80 steps yesterday and then was ready to get back into the prone position. He has been told to stay in bed now for the rest of the weekend because his incision is opening and we don't want to stress it any more. The Dr's will decide on Monday what to do with it. The opening has been packed and they are keeping a close eye on it.


The address here at Mt Sinai is
600 University Avenue Toronto ON M5G 1X5
phone number is
416 586 4800 ext 4381 #
You can also send Care Mail by logging on to the Mt Sinai website at this address https://www.mountsinai.on.ca/patients/support/forms/caremail-basic-e-mail-
message

Take Care and have a good weekend...we miss you all
Debbie

Earl Takes 50 Steps

Hello Everyone,

Earl is recovering nicely and the pain is finally under control,,,,,not gone but definetly under control. He is starting to feel more energetic and has been sleeping well.
Yesterday was a great day: Firstly, Earl had visitors from Winnipeg, Mike (his worker) and his wife and baby. Earl was so excited and so looking forward to a friendly face. Dr Blackstein (oncologist) came to see us yesterday and the great news is that he does have chemotherapy for Earl. He needs to have alook at Earl's scan's and history and then he will let us know next week what the plans are. He suggested that it may be possible for us to have the chemo in Winnipeg, so let's hope that's what ends up happening. This was the best news we've heard in a while. Praise God!
The next exciting news of the day was that Earl took 50 steps with the walker, making it out into the hall where there was quite a crowd gathered to cheer him on. Mike was there, and that made it all the more exciting for Earl. We tried to get him to sit in a wheelchair, but it was far to painful for him, so we turned him around and he walked back to the bed.
Dr Wunder came later in the day and seems to be very happy with Earl's progress. There was some thought throughout the day that Earl may be brewing an infection in the area of his surgery, but Dr Wunder looked and thinks everything is fine. He gave Earl some instructions about how to get more comfortable and challenged him to try and lay on his stomach. It gets pretty hard to be laying on one side for such a long time.
Well, thats about it for now. Keep those emails, calls and caremail coming (Earl had 10 caremails the other day....he was thrilled)
Love and miss you all,
Debbie

Earl's Getting Bored!!!

Hi Everyone,



Well the good news today is that when I arrived this morning, Earl was in a bit a of tizzy...because he's is bored. Praise the Lord, cause I think that means he is feeling much much better. Who know's what we are in for now.

They removed the epideral on Monday evening and he is starting to really "wake up" now. His pain is still significant, but he is doing well with it. He still has his pain pump and they are adjusting his oral pain medications, accordingly.

For those of you who wish to send him greetings you can log on to the https://www.mountsinai.on.ca/patients/support/forms/caremail-basic-e-mail-message Earl loves to recieve his mail each morning. This morning he asked me to keep one of his letters close to him (the Patterson's most recent care mail) because he said he wanted to be able to read it when he wanted. He says it makes him feel stronger.
We all love to receive mail and for him it is his only connection to all of you.

Earl sat up yesterday for over a minute and is anxously waiting for physio to come today.
Earl says hi and he misses you all!!!

Love Debbie

Day 4 Post Surgery

Hi All
Today is day 4 post surgery. Earl was up early this morning and when I came in he told be he had been doing a few exercises in his bed. He is still heavely sedated, but the pain is still there and he continues to use his pain pump although not as frequently. His hemoglobin was low yesterday so they gave him to units of blood (no reaction)which should give him a little more energy.

The Dr. came to see him this a.m. and decided to change the dressing and remove the two drains. Earl was amazingly calm (although he did access his pump to the max) the incision is quite big, but I peeked and it looks really really good.

Physio is hoping to get him up and sitting at the edge of the bed today, but we will see, because I think the dressing change really tuckered him out.

He is in good spirits when he is awake for the most part.

Take care
Debbie

Surgical Day 2

Earl has been moved to a private room (actually the first room he was in on our first visit to Toronto) The phone number is now 416-586-4800 (5900) ext 4381. It is a great room as it is just outside the nurses station (don't worry about the noise, Earl is a diehard earplug wearer) so they are close if he needs them.

I would consider this day a tough day, and he slept pretty much the whole day. He had a few tears in the morning, but once shed they were forgotten. Dr Wunder and his daughter Taryn came to visit and really brightened our day. Earl was presented with a gift from Taryn and when he is craving chocolate he will be rewarded with the toy inside the kindersurprise egg! Could it be an NHL goalie mask?????

Today is a new day and Earl is up and watching TV. Christine goes home today, but I am not sure I can let her. She has been a godsent angel for us and we are thankful that our family back home supported her travel here. She misses the boys and her husband, so I guess I will let her go!

I will update again later.
Love Debbie

Surgical Day 1

Earl is resting and the pain level is good. He ate a little breakfast this morning, but really is very very tired. His blood pressure is a bit low right now, but they are watching him carefully.
The report for sugery is this. Dr Wunder said that when his was disecting some of the veins and blood vessels he discovered tumor in some of the small veins. This meant that the cancer was growing in places higher that he had hoped and that he would have to remove the leg and the pelvis. The good news is that they were able to stretch his glutious maximus (big bum muscle) around to form a pad (bum cheek) which will give him a firmer cheek than if they weren't able to use it. I haven't had a look and am thankful for my niece Christine and the nurses, so that I don't have to. The resident said there are more than 100 staples.

I will update the blog with this information and ask that you be patient with me as I try to make sure everyone is aware of things as they happen.

We will likely be here for another 2 weeks as Earl heals and is feeling ready to travel.
He does as most of you know have a phone in his room 416-586-4800 ext 4839 He is in room1102 not 1110 (which is the room they will tell you he is in)

Take care
Debbie

Surgery Tomorrow

Hi Everyone,

Earl is settled in here at Mt Sinai in room 1102. It has been busy few days with appts and tests, but time is up and surgery will take place tomorrow. The tests Earl had, revealed that the tumor has grown quite large and is actually filling up his whole upper leg and has moved into the veins. This being so, the dr's here all agree that Earl's should have his leg amputated. There does not seem to be too many nodules in his lungs which means all going well he should be able to have the lung surgery and chemo.

Earl is doing quite well considering and as usual is finding many positives in this otherwise negative time. He concentrates much of his waking time to dreaming up things he will now be able to do, without the annoying prothesis.

Despite the rather grim news, we are doing okay and are thankful for the many blessings God sends us each day.

Love you all,

Debbie and Earl

Off to Toronto

Hi Everyone,

Well, we finally got the call from Dr. Wunder and he wants to see Earl this Monday. We fly out Saturday, and we will keep you up to date on what the plans are. Darby will be at home, so he is around if you want to talk to him.
The plan so far is that we will show up at Mt Sinai on Monday morning, go for xrays and then to see the Dr. Monday evening there will be a Sarcoma Team meeting and Earl's case will be discussed and plans made. Dr Wunder may do surgery on Thursday, but that is yet to be determined..
We are so relieved that things are moving ahead. After I got off the phone last night I could have lit up a dark room. Earl looked at me, I started to cry, we hugged, we cried and then Earl hollered Praise The LORD!!!!!
Please keep us in your prayers as we are headed into a very busy stressful week.
We love to hear you tell us that you follow the BLOG, and it inspires me to keep it up to date.
We will be in touch,
Debbie

Manitoba Marathon "Inspired & Inspiration"

Well, we made it to the finish line of the 2008 Manitoba Marathon. Earl and I met Earl's physiotherapist April there and together we found our way (actually pushed are way) to the finish line. We had a front row seat as Mike came across the finish line. Way to Go Mike...that was a long run! Mike was happy to see Earl, and they had a big HUG! Joanne, joined us and we had a chance for some kodak moments. It was a great experience and Earl really enjoyed being out of the hospital and in the presence of crowds of people.

As of this morning Earl's team is registered for the Terry Fox Run, which takes place in September. I am the contact and the team name is "Earl's family & friends" You can join the team in many ways, participate in the walk/run, volunteer, donate! Earl's goal is to have 100 people on his team and he wants to raise $5000.00.... Let's join together and make this wish come true.

Medically, we are going to have a White Blood Cell Scan done tomorrow and Wednesday and the results should tell us if Earl has or has not got an infection. Please pray that the results come quickly so that we can move on to the next step.

Congratulations Mike and Earl....and a big thank-you to Joanne...at last count they have raised $500.00 which will be donated to Earl's Charity of choice, The Terry Fox Foundation.

Take Care Debbie

June update #2

Hi Everyone,

Earl had an appointment with the lung surgeon on Friday and he informed us that he will not operate on Earl's lungs until the primary cancer is dealt with. The orthopedic surgeon at Concordia is still investigating the possibility of an infection, and so Earl will be going for a White Blood Cell Scan this week. This test takes two days to complete and Earl will have to be transfered to another hospital for it to be done. If the result shows infection Earl will undergo surgery here to wash out the infected area and replace the damaged spacer. If the results show no infection we are hoping we will go to Toronto, to have them remove the spacer and replace it with the prosthesis. While there we are hoping that the oncologist will give Earl chemo (the one that is not available here)

I am taking Earl to the finish line of the Manitoba Marathon tomorrow morning to meet his teacher from grade 8. Mike is running the race for Earl and I know with Earl as his inspiration he will do really well. Stay tuned for some pictures.

Please continue to pray for Earl, as he tries to stay positive and that he would be the fighter that we all know he is.

Debbie

June Update

Hi everyone,

It has been a few weeks since my last update and I thought it was time to send a new update.

Earl continues to remain at Concordia Hospital and will likely be there for a while yet. It's been a pretty rough couple of weeks and Earl is still feeling a fair amount of pain, which they are working very hard to bring under control. Earl's leg is in rough shape, with a huge blood clot (DVT), possible fractures in his femur and tibia and the latest news is that the tumor is back. We are currently waiting for the Dr's to decide what kind of surgery they will have to do to take care of the multitudes of problems. Last week was a week of bads news, and has left us quite devastated. Not only is the cancer back in his leg, but it has now spread to his lungs. We are waiting to see if lung surgery is an option and we are waiting also to see if Earl will be able to receive chemo. the Dr. here has said that he has given Earl all the chemo he can but that there is a Dr. in Toronto that may have other options. Let me tell you waiting is the hardest thing there is.

We hope to have news on all fronts soon, and in the mean time I want you to know that Earl is taking the news with a very positive attitude, He just said today that having a positive attitude is the best treatment there is.

For those of you in Winnipeg, please keep in touch with him and he loves to have visitors, for those out of town Earl does have a phone in his room 204-667-1560 room 228

Earl needs lots of encouragement to keep him up and the stories you share with him help alot. He had a special visit from Sister Ginger, who is the director of the day care he attended when he was four, and they had such a nice visit talking and sharing stories. Earl's favorite is how he used to ride around on a pink tri-cycle and terrorize the day care.

Anyway keep in touch
Debbie , Earl and Darby

Earl still in Hospital

Hi Everyone,

Earl remains in Concordia Hospital and is currently on bed rest. The Dr's are still doing tests to determine what is causing the pain in his left leg. He was scheduled for surgery today, but it has been delayed for a few days. Earl has an appointment with his oncologist on Thursday morning at 10:15, so please keep this in your prayers. He had a CT scan of his lungs done 10 days ago and this is the followup to see what the scan showed.

take care, and keep praying
Debbie

Earl back in Hospital

Hi everyone,

I had to take Earl into Concordia ER yesterday as he was complaining about pain in his leg and was unable to weight bare. Blood tests indicated a possible infection or inflammation so upon admission, they started him on IV antibiotics and are giving him morphine for the pain. I will know more later today, when I have had a chance to speak to the Dr.

Please keep him in your prayers! He is very discouraged and tired of all that he has gone through.

Debbie

May Update

Hi There Everyone,

Well it is finally spring and we are enjoying spending time outdoors. Earl sits outside a lot and is soaking up the sun and the fresh air. It's been a bit of a long winter, although our trip to Hawaii did end the winter on a splendid note.

The latest news regarding Earls leg is that we received a call from Dr. Wunder this past Saturday, informing us that's the parts for Earl's leg are on back order and he is expecting them to arrive in Toronto on June 2nd. This means that if all goes well we will be heading out there for surgery during the 1st or 2nd week of June.
Earl is trying to stay positive, but he really wants this all to be over with. The leg with the spacer in it is not very stable and this limits Earls quite a bit. He is in constant discomfort and we have had some problems with the leg swelling. It's pretty hard for him because he feels so much better now that the chemo is out of his system and he really wants to get going, but still has to wait it out.

Other great news is that his friend from school Colin Wilson, is in the top ten to be drafted to the NHL and this adds a lot of joy to Earl's days. He can't wait to watch the hockey news on TV and ready about his friend in the magazines. Also it is playoff season and his team the Detroit Red Wings is still in it and if they win tonight they are on their way to the Stanley Cup.

Earl is starting to put his team together for the Terry Fox Run in September. If you are interested in joining the team and supporting Earl and the foundation please let us know. Earl's goal this year is to have 100 people on his team and raise $5000.00.

Take care and God Bless,
Debbie, Darby and Earl

Aloha

Aloha Everyone,
We arrived home last night from Waikiki after 2 luxurious fun-filled weeks. Earl of course, had a fabulous time and every sight put a broad smile on his face. When we touched down in Winnipeg, his comment was "I don't want to get off the plane! We were busy everyday and put over 900 miles on our rental. We explored the whole island visiting many of it's beaches, shops and restaurants. Earl was able to get into the ocean when it was safe and when the waves weren't breaking on the shore, and he proved himself to be quite a good snorkeler. We spent some time with Earl's good friend Amanda and her fun-loving, adventure seeking family. Our hotel was super and the friendly Hawaiian service was abundant.

We now await a surgery date in Toronto and will let you know when that is. We are expecting it to be in 2-3 weeks.

Good bye for now,
Debbie and Earl

We made it to Quebec City

HI Everyone,
Well, we made it to Quebec City....it was somewhat trying but once we arrived it was worth it. The hotel is fantastic and the staff, more that accomodating. It a remodelled older hotel and some of the rooms even have fireplaces.

The team lost in the bronze game, but they played their hearts out, and are all winners in my eyes. It has been quite a moving experience to be here and see all these dedicated special athletes and their dedicated families. We have met wonderful people from all across Canada.

Earl is getting around quite well. Our sigthseeing is limited because they have so much snow....«i actually have never seen so much snow piled everywhere. We are off on a city bus tour shortly so that should be fun.

We will be home tomorrow night after midnight. Tuesday will be a catch up day for sleep and then we will start to get ready for Hawaii.

Take Care, and Earl Says HI
Debbie

Good News

HI Everyone,
Hmmmm...which good news should I give you first?

• Earl is being discharged on Wednesday and with that news has suddenly gained some new found energy. He will be discharged on oral antibiotics, but will be back on IV antibiotics once we are back in Winnipeg. Iv will run until we leave for Earl's Wish Trip to Hawaii. The second surgery will likely take place as soon as we get home from Hawaii.
• He was up walking several times today, the first included a whole flight of stairs. The second a walk to the lounge, a rest there and a walk down the hall to visit with his friend Jimmy. He is still feeling a fairly high level of pain when he is up and around and by the time he gets back to bed he is out for awhile.
• Earl can and has been weight bearing on his left leg (which really makes walking a lot easier)
• The other good news, actually great news is that the cultures came back negative, meaning: Earl is infection free.
• Lisa, from Starlight Starbright came to visit us tonight and she surprised Earl with a new PSP (play station portable) and a gift card to buy a new game. (I have orders to stop at Best Buy on my way in tomorrow to purchase NHL 08) We had a great visit with Lisa, and I know she was happy to meet Earl.

I think I will stop there because I am not sure any one can handle this much good news.

But I do have a riddle for you: If we leave Toronto on Thursday morning.....and arrive in Winnipeg on Monday night....where will we be in between????? don't tell any one,,,,,it's a surprise!

Take care,

Debbie and Earl

Day 3

Earl is starting to recover and was out of bed yesterday for about 1 hour. He will be getting up again, as soon as his pain medication kicks in.
Earl has a new room #1102 (for Care Mail) and a new extension number. 1-416-586-4800 ext 6231
Darby and Christine are now back in Winnipeg
No word yet on how long we will be staying here, but the disappointing news is that we will not be going to Quebec City.....it's just too close to surgery and recovery.
The other news is that Earl cannot bend his leg until he has the next surgery, because he has no knee joint right now.
Take Care,
Debbie

Surgery is Done!

Hi Everyone,
Earl's surgery was yesterday and the surgery itself went very well. Dr. Wunder said the prosthesis was very loose and came out easily. He said everything looked good, and that it didn't look like there was any infection. They still sent cultures off, so we have to wait a few days to get those results. Post surgery was a little rough, as Earls heartrate was up to 186 and his blood pressure was high too. He was in recovery for 8.5 hours and finally came up to his room at 11:30pm. His heartrate was still up last night but it had come down a good bit. They did allow me to stay with him in recovery, he was asking for me and they thought it might help him if I was there. They also allowed Darby and Christine to visit as well.

Today, Earl has been zonked out. He did get out of bed for a 2 step walk. He has a bit of a temperature and is still using his pain pump. They will start oral pain meds right away. He doesn't have much of an appetite, but is drinking well.

Thats it for today,
Debbie

One Day Until Surgery!

Sorry about cutting off yesterday, Darby came and told me the resident was in with Earl, so I had to sign off quickly. Dr Wunder came in around 5 and we now have a much clearer picture of what is happening. Earl has been for 2 sets of xrays and will be going to have the IVC filter placed at 1 today. He is looking forward to seeing Paulette, one of his favorites.

This is the plan.Earl's surgery will take place later in the afternoon tomorrow, as it is considered a dirty surgery so comes last in the day. The surgery will be about 5 hours and will involve the removal of all moveable and loose parts. They will then place the spacer which is a molded piece that kinda keeps the space preservered for the new prosthesis. The spacer is made of cement which contains antibiotic beads that will slowly release. They will do a culture and the results of which will detemine how long the spacer stays in. If there are no signs of infection it will stay for 6 weeks (as a precaution) and if there are signs of infectiion it will stay for 12 weeks, at which time we will return to Toronto for the removal of the spacer and placing of the prosthetic.

We told Dr. Wunder about Earls wish trip and he seems to think it is possible........Praise God!
The other good news is that it is not out of the question for us to travel to Quebec if Earl recovers quickly enough.

It amazes me how much new information my brain can hold. I am thankful that Darby is able to be here and that my niece Christine is on the plane as I write this to you.

I will update again when I find out what time the surgery is! The phone number in Earl's room is 416-586-4800 ext 4380
Keep on Praying!

Safe and Sound in Toronto

HI Everyone,

Well, we arrived on Sunday evening ate a little supper and went for a swim. Earl was thrilled to be in the pool, as it has been many months since he has had a chance to swim. We settled in to our room and had a great sleep. We woke up late, went for a nice breakfast at the hotel and then set off to ....you guessed it "The Hockey Hall of Fame." We were able to use a wheelchair and I told Earl he had all the time he needed. Just as you enter there is a giant bronze statue of Ken Dryden, so I took Earl's picture with him. Some of you may not know, but Earl had the opportunity to have lunch with the legendary goaltender, Ken Dryden several weeks ago. We spent over 3 hours looking around the HHOF, then headed back to the hotel. I went off to Dominion to pick up a few groceries and then went back for a little rest. We set out a little later to go for dinner, our first choice the Salad King was closed, so to Earl's delight we settled for Iranian Kebobs. Earl loved it.....I could pass it up. We came back to the hotel, played cards downstairs and then went for a swim and a soak in the hot tub. Darby arrived and shortly afterward we called it a night. At 1:30 in the morning we had a fire alarm and thankfully did not have to evacuate the building. It did keep us up for awile, so we are all pretty tired today.
Earl is settled in at Mount Sinai in room 1110 C on 11 south. (the number at the hospital is 416-586-4800). We are still waiting to see exactly what is going to happen. What we do know is that Earl will be going to have another IVC filter put in tomorrow at 1pm.

Off to Toronto

Hi Everyone,

We received the phone call this morning from Toronto letting us know that Earl will be admitted to Mt Sinai on Tuesday Feb 19 for surgery on Thursday Feb 21.

I have few details, but will inform you as I know more. I am busy trying to make all the plans as we only have a few days before we leave.

The difficult part of this, other than the obvious is that Earl will not be travelling to Quebec City with Teamtoba for the National Winter Games. In typical Earl fashion he took the news very well and wanted to know why I was crying. He said, "Debbie, think of it this way...the sooner I have the surgery the sooner I can get rid of these (holding up his crutches) and get on with my life....playing hockey." It amazes me, how he can be so positive and be my encourager. I thank God that He has given this positive attitude and outlook to Earl.

I will keep the blog updated. Again, it is www.hisnameisearl.blogspot.com and remember that Mt. Sinai has an email service where they print off and deliver your words of encouragement to Earl in his room. The link for that is http://www.mtsinai.on.ca/CareMail/#basic. Earl received many words of love and encouragement last time and it really brightened his day and mine as well.

You all have touched our lives in one way or another over this past year and we thank you for your love and support. We are not at the end of the road yet though, so please continue to pray for us and do keep in touch. You will never know how important it is until you are touched by tragedy yourself...and it is my prayer that you won't.

thanks again,
Love Debbie, Darby and Earl

Life can be seen through your eyes, but it is not fully
appreciated until it is seen through your heart.
-- Mary Xavier

February Update and Hockey Day in Canada

Hi Everyone,
There hasn't been much news lately so I apologize for not updating the BLOG. We are still waiting to hear from the surgeon in Toronto. Earl had to have a CT scan done and now the results are on their way (hopefully sitting on Dr. Wunders desk) to Toronto. It would be great if we could hear back from him this week and so that is what we are praying for. Earl is scheduled to leave for Quebec City on February 25 with Teamtoba and his Special Olympic floor hockey team. Then we are booked to go to Hawaii for his wish trip on March 25th. I realize that the surgery if needed is most important, but we are really hoping we can still make these trips.

This weekend we went out to Winkler Manitoba where they hosted Hockey Day in Canada. Earl was pumped and had a great time. Hockey all day long. We saw Don Cherry and Ron Mclean and Russ Romaniuk and Ab Mcdonald former Winnipeg Jets. Here are some of the pictures.

Please keep Earl in your prayers, as he is experiencing more pain than usual and we are very anxious about what the future holds.
Debbie

Latest News

The latest news (yesterday) is not too good. We saw Earls physio this week (Tuesday) and she was concerned that Earl's leg was way too flexible and the movement did not seem normal. She called the surgeon, we went for xrays and yesterday the Dr. confirmed that the prosthetic has moved....which also means it is loose. He thinks Dr. Wunder will want to see Earl to determine what the next step will be.

For those of you praying for us, could you pray that the call comes quickly and that the fix will be an easy one. Also pray that we will be able to continue with our travel plans and most of all for strength and courage for Earl and add energy to that for me.

Think about this!

Happy moments, PRAISE GOD!

Difficult moments, SEEK GOD!

Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD!

Painful moments, TRUST GOD!

Every moment, THANK GOD!

Could It Be True?

Hi Everyone,
Could it be true....is this it.....are we done? These are questions we have been asking ourselves alot these past few days. Earl completed his chemotherapy on January 08th, received 2 units of blood on January 09th and left St. Boniface Hospital on January 10th for what we hope is the last time. Dr. Wong wants to see us in 3 months for follow up and will continue to see Earl after that on a follow-up basis. I have to admit that I feel this is very surreal and I am not sure if I have taken it all in. Time will tell and as the days go on we will adjust to life outside of the hospital. I am exhausted and need some time to process the events of this last year and Earl needs time to rebuild and strengthen his leg, and body and get back to living life.

We have so much to be thankful for and really want to take time to thank all of our friends and family who have been there for us, praying and supporting us throughout this past year. A very special thank-you is due to the Staff on 5B and Cancercare at St. Boniface Hospital who cared for Earl and me at times. You are a special bunch of people and we know that you love what you do because you showed it in so many ways. Going into hospital for each treatment felt like having a sleepover at a friends....Earl was never frightened or worried about being admitted, because he knew "his friends" would be there. As well, I think Earl brought a lot of joy to your lives and he has this ability to burn a hole in your heart.....You will have a hard time forgetting Earl Cook, if you had a chance to get to know him over this past year.


We are thankful for the many answered prayers and that Our God is an awesome God.

PSALM 48: 14

” For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end. “

This is a verse that we became aware of recently and reflects how we feel today.

We will continue to keep you posted on our BLOG and keep you up to date on Earls recovery.

Praise God.....Earl was granted a WISH trip and we are travelling as a family to Hawaii at the end of March. We will post some pictures, so you can see the joy on Earl's face.

Take care and please keep in touch....
Debbie, Earl and Darby

Happy New Year Everyone!

HI Everyone,
Well we are gone with the old and hopefully the new will shower us with blessings!

We had an okay Christmas, best of all was time spent with family and friends. Earl feels so loved by our family and we are thankful for how they have accepted him. To start off the new year Earl will celebrate his 20th birthday tomorrow. We are having a small get together and will go out to Ichi Ban for dinner on the 3rd. I thought it would be a fun place to go given his interest in cooking and culinary arts. He will love how they toss their tools around. After dinner it's off to the hospital to get ready for what we hope will be his last treatment. Hallelujah!!! He has had a pretty good break and is looking forward to finishing. One of the difficulties will be saying good bye to all the nurses and staff on 5B, where he has loved and been loved by so many. He says he is looking forward to having them as friends rather than care givers after all is done.
We wish you all a Happy New Year and pray that those of you who are dealing with cancer will be blessed with good health and a good response to your treatments. For others we wish you a year of good health and joy beyond belief. Let us all be thankful for what we have and help those around us, as we struggle through what life brings us.
Take care, keep in touch
Debbie, Darby and Earl
http://web.icq.com/friendship/swf/0,,16961_rs,00.swf

Round 4 Complete---ONE more to go!!!

HI Everyone,
Earls is home from hospital and has now got only 1 treatment left. His week went very well and was pretty much uneventful. His hemoglobin was a bit low, but did not require any treatment, so that was great. Earl had an interesting roommate and at the end of a day, requested a move himself. I know its not funny when you are sick, but I haven't laughed so hard in a very long time (behind a closed curtain...I must say). They did a CT scan and the results were good, stating that everything looked good....YIPEE! Earl was supposed to go back in on New Year's Eve, but Dr. Wong wants him to celebrate the new year at home and also to celebrate his 20th b-day which is January 2nd at home also. He will return on the eve of January 3 for hydration and resume his chemo on January 4th. He still welcomes visitors, and this being his last treatment....maybe we can encourage him to stay awake.
We want to wish everyone who reads this a very Merry Christmas and a 2008 that is Healthy Happy and full of Peace and Joy.
Love Debbie, Earl and Darby

Earl gets Mobile

Earl is working very hard at his physio! It feels funny, but he is making great strides at building up the strength in his new leg. Somedays, we have to hold him back, because if we don't he works too hard and then pays the price later.

Round 3

Hi Everyone,
Earl is back in hospital tonight and getting hydrated for chemo tomorrow. Hopefully all will go much better this time than last time. We have had a busy few weeks with Earl at home. We started to get our Christmas Shopping done and started decorating also....(it takes me a few days to get the christmas decor just right) Earl was happy to get a few gifts and is really getting into the spirit of Christmas, especially after our city lights tour, caroling at a Linden woods Manor and a visit to the Hudson's Bay downtown store. This trip downtown has become a tradition for Earl and I since he moved into our home and family.

Earls is anxiously awaiting the completion of his chemo, but I remind him that we won't know for sure what will happen next until after they run some tests, to see if the chemo is being effective. At our latest visit to the surgeon who did Earl's revision to clean out the infection, the Dr. pointed out something of concern in the most recent x-rays. There appears to be some excessive bone regrowth at the the site where the prosthetic fits into the femur. He was not sure what this could mean and has sent the images off to Dr. Wunder in Toronto. We sit and wait to hear what this means. There is also a bit of concern about something seen in the ultra sound that was taken when Earl was in hospital 3 weeks ago. Hopefully this week will provide some answers.

Please continue to keep Earl in your prayers.
for Earl, Debbie

Round 2 update

Here are some pictures of my new leg!








Hi Everyone, today is Friday and I have just arrived home from the hospital since arriving there on Tuesday morning. Earl has had a bit of a tough week, starting on Tuesday when we found out that his hemoglobin counts were low. They needed to give him 2 units of blood and after the first one he had a reaction. This was quite scary as his head and lips began to swell and he broke out in hives from his waste to the top of his head. The nurse acted very quickly as we watched this reaction appear before our eyes. She administered Benadryl and it wasn't too long before he started to respond. His chemo was put on hold and the next day his counts were still low, so they gave him another unit of blood...this time starting with the Benadryl first. Thankfully, no reaction thins time. The chemo resumed but Earl was very tired and needed to sleep. The other events of the day were that Earl's roommate and several others on the ward were found to have MRSA a superbug found in hospitals. They had to find a private room for Earl, which did happen by the end of the day. Problem #3 Earl's leg was swelling so they sent him for an ultral sound. They have found something but due to the metal in his leg the test was somewhat inconclusive. We are waiting to find out what is causing the swelling. Tonight when I finally left Earl was feeling much more like himself and looking forward to and evening watching hockey and sleeping.

Round 2 begins

Hi Everyone...this is Earl.
I am heading back into hospital tonight to resume chemo tomorrow. Thank you to all of you who keep in touch and encourage me. Would you please keep me in your prayers that the chemo will be effective and that I won't get sick. Also, as I begin to use my leg....(I can actually walk with 1 crutch for short distances) please pray that I would work hard at my physio and that my leg would continue to get stronger. My ultimate goal is to be back in net for the Canadian Winter games in Quebec City at the end of February.
Earl

Special Olympics Day on TSN

"Enriching the lives of Canadians with an intellectual disability through sport"

Make a donation online

You can also donate
by calling
1-888-888-0608

For the past 23 years, TSN has been a strong supporter of Special Olympics Canada, helping generate awareness and support fundraising efforts for the organization and its worthwhile and rewarding programs.

TSN celebrates the inspirational achievements of Special Olympics athletes across Canada with its seventh annual Special Olympics Day, airing Saturday, November 10.

Highlighting the day is the live two-hour special � Special Olympics Day on TSN � at 1 p.m. ET (encore on ESPN Classic at 6 p.m. ET). Hosted by Vic Rauter and Jennifer Hedger, the show honours the accomplishments of Special Olympics athletes, coaches and volunteers across Canada. Features and interviews include a profile on Earl Cook, a member of Manitoba's Floor Hockey team, and Saskatchewan native Michael Qing, who won four silver medals at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games last month. The show will also feature figure skaters Teagan Laxton and David Robertson, as they prepare for the 2008 Special Olympics Canada National Winter Games in Quebec City.

Viewers are invited to call TSN's Special Olympics hotline at 1-888-888-0608 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET to donate funds to Special Olympics Canada. A number of Canadian celebrities will be on-hand to answer the phones, including I.B.F. World Junior Featherweight champion boxer Steve Molitor, actress Tara Spencer-Nairn of Corner Gas and MTV host Daryn Jones. Callers will also receive information on volunteer and coaching opportunities with Special Olympics Canada.

TSN has been a strong supporter of Special Olympics Canada for 23 years. The organization, now celebrating its 25th anniversary of the Special Olympics Festival, is dedicated to enriching the lives of Canadians with an intellectual disability through sports. Over the years, hundreds of TSN staff have donated their time and efforts to Special Olympics Day on TSN and the Special Olympics Festival Breakfast & Gala.

TSN has televised both the Canadian and World Special Olympics Games and Special Olympics World Summer Games. Special Olympics athletes have also appeared on TSN's highly acclaimed sports talk show Off The Record.

You can make a donation or find out more about Special Olympics by logging on to www.specialolympics.ca.

Latest News

HI Everyone,
Earl will be going back into hospital this Monday, October 29th to resume chemo on Tuesday. They are anxious to get going. Earl will remain on IV antibiotics for the duration of his chemotherapy. We are ready to continue the fight, and with the prayers, love and support of all our friends and family we go forward. The results of the pre-surgical chemo came back and Earl's response was only 10%. In light of this they are changing his chemo and hopefully it will pick up and have a more positive effect.

Earl is getting around much better these days and in fact he started walking with one crutch for short spans this past Wednesday. He also rode the physio bike and was thrilled when he was able to make one complete rotation, and then two and three and so on. He was so happy.

The next big exciting news is that TSN (the sports network) contacted us and they are going to do a story on Earl as a Special Olympics Athlete. It will include his cancer, his love of hockey, his Floor Hockey Team and their journey to The Special Olympic Winter Games in Quebec City this February. The story will air on TSN on November 10th time TBA, which is a day that TSN focuses their programing on Special Olympics. Pretty Cool and Earl is so looking forward to it. We are still not sure at this point if Earl will be able to participate, but he will be going to the games.
take care, and keep in touch Debbie, Darby and Earl

October Update

Well, it certainly has been too long since I updated this BLOG. Earl is recovering well from his revision surgery and is doing great with the IV antibiotics. He is feeling pretty good, except for a bit of a pull in his quadricep.

The Great News is that Earl took his first weigh-bearing steps today. He was so happy he cried. I wish I would have had my camera so that I could show all of you the joy on his face.

We did visit Dr. Wong (Earl's oncologist) yesterday, and at the time of the visit he wasn't sure what the next step will be. This infection has complicated the plan for follow-up treatment and he would like to confer with other Dr's, before deciding how best to continue Earl's treatment.

Earl has been a bit down lately and would love to hear from his friends. This battle is not over and we still need the support of you our family and friends. So please keep in touch.

Debbie & Earl