Keep us in your thoughts..... [Archive]

David Hodgkins

05-23-2011, 05:06 PM

Latest update from Karen on CaringBridge.com:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/andysalvaggio

Monday, May 23, 2011 12:53 PM, PDT

Surgery Update

Andy's out of surgery, and the procedure went well. The surgeon was able to remove the tumor, however, they have determined it is a very malignant form of cancer, so the prognosis is less than favorable.

As so many folks have mentioned, each person battles these things differently, and we are moving forward with hope. Andy's in ICU recovering now, and I've been blessed to be joined by a number of close family and friends here at the hospital. Thanks to everyone for the warm wishes, and we know there's a small army of awesome people out there praying for all of us, and we are deeply grateful. Warmest regards and many thanks to everyone. Your prayers brought him through, and are sustaining us as we move forward.

Russ Thompson

05-23-2011, 08:08 PM

Andy and Karen, if ANYONE can beat this it's you guys. Know we are here for you and we send our prayers out to you and the family!

Hankl

05-24-2011, 11:50 AM

From yesterday after surgery.

Progress Report...Recovery Begins....
Andy spent the rest of the day under the watchful eye of nursing staff in the ICU. He is understandably very tired, and is resting comfortably tonight. The road to recovery began today, and we'll be working hard to ward off any lasting effects.

It's been a tough day for sure, and I will never be able to express just how much your kind words and support mean to our family. The outpouring of love, kindess and understanding are simply overwhelming, All of your prayers and words of encouragement are providing strength in our journey ahead. Deepest thanks to everyone!! We're feeling the love!!

Karen

Hank

Paul G

05-24-2011, 07:57 PM

Karen,
I wish the very best for Andy and for you as well. May he have a speedy and full recovery. You both are in our prayers.

Paul Gillespie

cwhoofgator

05-24-2011, 09:34 PM

Prayers sent from Florida. Keep the faith and all will be well...

Hankl

05-25-2011, 09:10 AM

More Good news today,

Day 2.....Continued Progress
As you can imagine, the surgery took a lot out of Andy, and he's been sleeping steadily for the last day. His vital signs remain strong though, and today began with a number of assessments, including speech, reflex, and mobility. The tumor was located very close to his speech center, and while no work was done directly in the speech area, Andy's working on putting all of his words back together.

The speech pathologist reported that things are looking good in that department, and they advise that it will likely just take some time for the swelling to subside and everything to flow together. Andy still enjoys a good joke though, and he was caught smiling at funny things people said, and even laughing at himself several times thoughout the day.

He's had an amazing string of wonderful visitors the entire time he's been in the hospital, and while he was sleeping off and on most of the day, he knew each one of you were there, and all of us are grateful for the warmth everyone has shown. Thanks again for the prayers and kind words, (and even the music clip Ken!).....We are truly blessed people.

Hank :cool:

Hankl

05-26-2011, 09:52 AM

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2011 9:22 PM, PDT

Day 3: Two Steps Forward; One Step Back....
Today brought more visitors, including dear friends from Andy's beloved Corvettes Unlimited car club, and contact from so many good friends in Desert Corvette Association, Corvettes Super Sports, Vettes R Us, Guldstrand Racing Association, and numerous friends from our Factory Five Racing family.

Andy's been a member of the Corvettes Unlimited family for somewhere in the neighborhood of forty years, and he's literally grown up and lived his entire life withn the Southern California Corvette group, who have all become members of his/our extended family. He's a Chevy Guy through and through, and when I went all "Blue Oval" on him some six years ago, he had to "learn" something other than the gospel of Zora (Yes, it's nothing short of sheer blasphemy to speak the "F"-word in a Bow Tie-lover's garage!), I can't tell you how many wrenches sailed across the garage on a regular basis with a "@#%%^ (expletive deleted) Fords!!!" following them as they bounced off the wall!!! He mastered it though, and while every day working on something with a distributor in front of the intake manifold is one day away from his true love, worked tirelessly to achieve success.

Through our racing adventures in the Factory Five Challenge Series in the last six years, and running around So Cal and half the United States with our FFR roadster friends, we found a whole new group of caring and wonderful people who have grown to be an even greater extension of our family. What a ride, and hearing from everyone has sure brought back lots of good memories. I know he appreciated seeing his wonderful friends today, and every time I see him, I update him with the wonderful, loving posts here. He knows you are thinking of him and sending lots of healing energy his way.

Now three days out from the surgery, the day began with more assessments, especially in terms of pain and progress in motor skills. A good deal of swelling developed from the surgery, which unfortunately manifested itself in an increased level of discomfort. I know one of the most frustrating aspects of all this for Andy is the fact that his speech is just not coming togther as quickly as he'd like. He has had a rough go of it in communcating what he wants to tell someone. With some additional medication for the pain and the primary notion that he continue to rest and build his strength, he spent the greatest part of the day sleeping (with the exception of the time spent with physical therapists, who he doesn't like very much right now, as well as the folks working with him to regain his speech). I know this may be hard to believe, but "Mr. Nice Guy" can be pretty ornery when he wants (no surprise to some of you that have known him for a long time though :). The nurses and caregivers have been absolutely wonderful though, and while they push him to work through these things, they are kind and very encouraging in their work...Like so many of you, yare angels on earth for sure.

Our entire family truly appreciates the continued prayers and outpouring of support you have shown for Andy. Many of you have offered to help in any way (very kind), and as I was sitting in the hospital at Andy's side today, I was thinking that something we might all appreciate would be to share in some of Andy's many adventures over the years by posting more photos here on the website. It would be great if anyone having photos of Andy could send them along, and I will post them here. I know he will enjoy them....Thanks again everyone...The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Hank

Hankl

05-27-2011, 09:51 AM

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011 11:51 PM, PDT

Day 4....Rest and Recovery
Thursday brought Following his daily medical checks and assessments, Andy spent the biggest part of the day resting, and just catching up on what continues to be some very much needed sleep. The milestone of the day was having the health techs and nursing staff assist Andy into a chair, in which he spent the better part of the morning. Moving out of the bed is a good thing, especially in terms of keeping his lungs clear; So the chair time was indeed a welcome sign to staff (although the getting there and getting back were not so enjoyable for Andy.).

Vital signs still look good, and if things stay on course overnight, he's scheduled to move to a post-operative care unit as soon as tomorrow. We're keeping our fingers crossed that the progress continues. He's still having dificulty with words though, and mobility on the right side is compromised. Physical therapists are working with him daily though, and the plan is to continue building his strength day by day, and slowly build up the right side strength.

Thanks to everyone who already sent pictures...Great memories for sure....I'll be taking my computer to the hospital tomorrow and sharing every one of them with Andy...Great memories for sure!!

Your continued prayers and good wishes are greatly appreciated, and we enjoy reading the wonderful stories in the Guestbook. What a rare opportunity for all of us to share in the good times, while our family and friends come together to tackle the challenges of the future....Thank you! Love and hugs from all of us!

Hank :cool:

Hankl

05-28-2011, 11:15 AM

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2011 8:03 AM, PDT

Day 5: Steady Progress
Lots of visitors and some very good progress today. Biggest events included the move out of ICU overnight to a regular room (yea!), and then an even bigger move out of the hospital and into a care facility around dinner time....Lots of activity for our little Andy, and as you may imagine, he was ready for sleep by the time he was settled into his new digs.

His vital signs remain strong, which was the bais for the decision to move him from ICU to a unti where the focus will shift to working on the speech and physical therapy that he needs.

Andy is allowed visitors, and is in Community Care, 4070 Jurupa Avenue, Riverside, CA.....I've recieved lots of pictures (thanks everyone!!, and will work at posting them later today.

Short post for now, as I'm heading back down to see Andy. We both wish everyone here a Happy Memorial Day weekend, and hope you spend some good times with family and friends!

Hank :cool:

Hankl

05-29-2011, 09:51 AM

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2011 9:48 PM, PDT

Day 6.....Rest and Visiting with Good Friends.
Yesterday was a very big day for Andy, and today he spent the entire day sleeping and sleeping....With all of our racing over the years, Andy's been a pretty busy guy, so we're thinking he's just really relishing the opportunity to get some real rest.

It was great to see some of Andy's dearest friends from Corvettes Unlimited today, who made the long trip down from the High Desert and Central Valley to see him. While "The Maestro" was pretty much snoozing most of the day (and checking in with us from time to time), we had a wonderful time visiting and catching up on things. Thanks for visiting with us!!

Progress is slow at this point, and we're still waiting for a lot of the swelling to go down. He still has a long way to go, and while we're happy to have him out of the hospital, we are still guarded with him, and watching things closely.....Vital signs still good, and we're being patient with the expectations, as the reality is this was a very big surgery, and our greatest healer continues to be time (and lots of prayers and good wishes from our wonderful friends and family).

Thanks so everyone that sent pictures already. I've added them to the Photos here on the website, and we are truly enjoying each one of them. So many good memories with all of you!! Good times with very good friends!

Hank :cool:

KERMIT1

05-30-2011, 12:13 PM

Dropped by on my way home from Palm Springs yesterday but Andy was sleeping so didn't distrurb him. Will try & dropby again. When I got there & the nice info lady at the front desk asked me how to spell Andy's last name. Looked at the her & said "I can't remeember how to spell my own last name let alone his." She found it & sent me down to NURSES STATION 3. Nice people there.

BIG HUG to both you guys

STEVE & KERMIT

Hankl

05-30-2011, 04:32 PM

MONDAY, MAY 30, 2011 8:12 AM, PDT

Day 7.....More progress
Another restful day, however the physical therapist had Andy working on building some strength on the right side, and practicing sitting in a chair to hold his own weight. The biggest progress of the day was the downscaling of the size of the bandage, as the healing progress is going well. Andy is able to wear a more scaled down version of his turban now.

The outpouring of love and support continues (thanks so much everyone), and we enjoyed more visits with good friends today. Athough much of the time Andy is still resting with his eyes closed, he listens in to the conversation, and enjoys having the company, I shared many of your posts with him, and I know we're all enjoying the many pictures we've been able to post on the site. Thanks again everyone!!!

We begin the long road of after care this week, including radiation treatment which begins tomorrow. Andy will be a busy guy every day, with speech and physical therapy, radiation treatments, and of course, his regualr visits with his medical team who are monitoring his progress and moving forward with aggresse treatment.

Today is Memorial Day, and as many of you know, Andy and I are both veterans of the armed forces (USAF). As I've done for a number of years, I visited the Riverside National Cemetery over the weekend to pay respect to our veterans, and this year I joined fellow Factory Five racer (and Vettes R Us club president), TC McNett to help him and a large number of friends place more than 11,000 flags on the markers of our fallen heroes. It was an amazing experience indeed......TC sent a flag to Andy as well, and it's in his room for him to enjoy.

Please keep the prayers and good wishes coming...They're working,,,,We know everyone of you would be here if you could!

Love and big hugs! Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

05-31-2011, 09:39 AM

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2011 7:09 AM, PDT

Day 8: A Good Day
It seems like Andy's finally gotten enough rest to begin the long road of speech and physical therapy. He spent the day visiting with friends, and while he still is not able to talk with folks, he appreciates holding hands and acknowledges with head nods and smiles. It's clear he wants to talk, and works to put the sounds together. It's getting much better though, and again, we're all learning the meaning of "patient."

He's eating well, and really enjoyed the fresh strawberries our good friends brought straight from the fields. He'd developed this interesting habit of snapping his fingers if he wants something, or if he wants to acknowledge something said, and we were all laughing about the fact that he wouldn't be getting away with that at home, and think he's just taking advantage of being "The King." ;.)

The facility in which he is staying is a very active and busy place, with lots of activities for guests. They hosted a Memorial Day BBQ in the afternoon, and while Andy couldn't make the trip over there, it was clear that the staff and patients were enjoying a festive day, which carried over into their smiles and conversation when they visited the room to care for Andy.

Thanks for the kind words on our military service, and Andy and I would send those same thoughts out to those of you visiting here who served our country as well. Freedom is anything but "free", and we appreciate all you and your family members that served (and are still serving today).

The photos are also very much appreciated, and I received another batch yesterday, which I'll work on posting in the Photo pages over the next day or so.

Your continued kindness, love, and words of encouragement are helping to sustain us on thie journey, and our family continues to be grateful for your support. You're amazing folks!!!

Hank :cool:

Dave Smith

05-31-2011, 12:40 PM

Hank,

Thanks for the daily updates man.

Randy Jones

05-31-2011, 03:20 PM

Karen,

Much love and prayers from Julie and I as well.

Randy

vnmsss

05-31-2011, 11:10 PM

I will never be able to thank each of you for the continued love and support we've received through the Factory Five community. It's been a tough week for sure, but the out-pouring of kindness, prayers, and warm wishes has sustained us and given us courage to approach each day with hope.

Everyone here may build cars as a hobby or a profession, but in the end, you forge friendships that go so much deeper than what can be captured in the pages of a build manual or found in the answers to an array of questions on a forum....The sum of the whole far exceeds the total of the parts....Your kindness never ceases to amaze me! Thank you!

Karen

Someday I Suppose

06-01-2011, 08:17 AM

Karen, been reading all the updates, so good to hear that Andy is out of the hospital and in recovery. Sounds like you guys have some great support there and some good friends. Says a lot about both you and Andy and all that you have brought to the community.

All the best

astglenn

06-01-2011, 08:29 AM

This is unwelcome news. Lisa and I, and the army of kids are sending love your way. I wish I understood why such bad things happen to such great people.

Hankl

06-01-2011, 10:47 AM

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2011 11:57 PM, PDT

Day 9......It's good to be Italian!
Well, today was the day that speech therapy began in earnest, and while Andy was his usual accomodating self, he wasn't completely thrilled with having to start "learning" how to talk all over again. There are many things that can be said about Italians, but they are known to be animated folks that live and love life to the fullest every day.....The other thing we know about Italians is they simplay cannot talk without using their hands..:>) Well, since our Andy is a true Italian of the vintage variety, Andy's demonstrated that talking with his hands is genetically imbedded. Pointing, gesturing, and making hands signs that almost look like he's giving us a blessing (or maybe a curse) is now commonplace, and of course he uses various finger patterns to let us know how happy (or unhappy) he is with something....He also snaps his fingers to let us know that something is easy, or if it can be done in a hurry.

The speech therapist was there for the better part of an hour this afternoon, and she was working with Andy on recognizing simple words, or rote memorization, such as counting and singing simple songs.....He made progress with the sounds he's creating, and she will be back again to work with him more tomorrow. Big day tomorrow in that he will be very happy to see some life-long friends frro his Corvette racing days as well.

Each day has its own challenges, and we approach each sunrise with hope.....Thanks again to everyone for the good wishes, and the prayers....They are very much appreciated.

Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

06-02-2011, 10:25 AM

Journal THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2011 7:01 AM, PDT

Day 10: No rest for the weary....
Today was a non-stop day of activity for Andy; The day began with a visit with the speech and physical therapists, and then visits with more of Andy's longest and dearest friends from Corvettes Unlmited. After lunch and a few minutes to rest, Andy had his first trip out of the facility, traveling to his oncologist for consultation and discussion of his treatment plan, and to prepare for upcoming radiation treatments which will better assure the progress of the cancerous cells is halted following the surgery.

So many of you have reached out to share personal stories of your fight with cancer, or the fight you closely watched of loved ones who have experienced this devastating illness. Your insight on treatment options, do's and don'ts, and experienced advice regarding Andy's care going forward is very much appreciated. The folks at Riverside Community Hospital are part of a bigger network of cancer treatment centers and research hospitals, and Andy's treatment plan is following the current best practice in the field. We remain open to all innovative and forward-thinking research and knowledge in this area though, so please feel free to forward any knowledge, experience or information to us and we'll put it in the decision-making hopper.

I want to thank everyone for sending so many great pictures. I uploaded another group of Andy photos last evening, and we've reached the 51 photo limit here on the site. I would encourage each of you to visit the photos, and feel free to add comments, as Andy enjoys hearing from folks, and it helps re-build connections for him. Thanks!

While the photo feature is full here on the site, pleae keep sending pictures, as I've created an online website for us to share more photos, and will post everything you send there, and will post the link here. We are truly enjoying the photos from all the fun and good times Andy shared with all of you (and which he plans to have more of), and appreciate the effort it takes to scan, crop, re-size, and send along to us so we can all share in the memories.

Thanks again everyone. Andy knows he's loved by so many folks, and your positive energy, memories of the good times, and positive thoughts are helping him and all of us through this very difficult time. We love you guys!!!! Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

06-03-2011, 11:43 AM

FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2011 6:50 AM, PDT

Room 310: Grand Central Station
Today marks one week since Andy moved to the Community Care facility. It's an active place for sure, that, while the primary focus is upon rest and rehabilitation for residents there, is a place full of life and activity. Andy's room, however, has taken the word activity to a new level though, and even the social services director, who's office is just around the corner from Andy's room, commented that the continuous stream of foot traffic and visitors to Andy's room has been a bit amazing.

Andy's wonderful niece, Gina, who has been an absolute gem through all of this, spent the late morning and early afternoon with Andy. The physical therapists had Andy standing early in the day, and while it's shakey, and supporting his own weight is a challenge, the encouraging feeing of just getting up out of the bed is worth every step, and I know it made Andy feel like he's finally getting somewhere in his rehabilitation. Speech therapy continued today as well, although he was pretty tired from the physical therapy earlier in the day, so the work will carry forward today.

It was a beautiful, sunny day here in Southern California, and Andy made his first trip outside to enjoy the flowers, trees, birds, and just the beauty of the outdoors. He certainly enjoyed it, and I know he'll be looking forward to enjoying the sunshine again today.

Some very good friends from Andy's SCCA racing days made the trip out from the Valley, and were good enough to bring a guestbook with them so visitors can sign-in. Our neighbors from Lake Mathews (Gavilan Springs) also made the trip into town to visit with Andy, which was very kind. Our home is out "in the sticks" as many of you call it, and while we tend to go about our day to day lives in a somewhat independent manner (caring for acreage requires lots of work), country folks also tend to rally around each other in time of need...Great folks for sure....At the rate Andy's having visitors, it won't take long to fill that visitor book up. ;.)

An evening visit from Tracy and grandson Evan was a welcome surprise for Andy. He truly loves our grandbabies.......One of Andy's wonderful visitors (thanks Mike!) brought a Hot Wheels Camaro for Andy, which was sitting on the table next to Andy's bed. Evan, being a car nut (imagine that), spied the car immediately, made a beeline for the Corvette and played with it during his visit. Andy enjoyed watching him play.......with a Chevy!!! :>)

We're enjoying the photos immensely, and will post the newest ones in a few days. Thanks again for your continued prayers and kindness. Your love and support is carrying us through.

There are two ways to live your life; One as though nothing is a miracle; and the other as if everything is a miracle. ~ Albert Einstein

Caring Bridge Photos: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/andysalvaggio/photos

Feel free to add comments....Andy is enjoying the memories!

Hank :cool:

Hankl

06-05-2011, 11:44 AM

Journal SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2011 8:15 AM, PDT

Weekend Report....More Rest and Visits with Friends
With the Corvettes Unlimited annual awards banquet slated for this weekend, we knew Andy would have a chance to see more of his good friends from the club. Thanks to those of you who stopped by and gave Andy your good wishes and shared some of the many good memories from all the fun you had running around the Valley with you cool cars....We hope you have lots of fun at the gathering this afternoon....Please know that, as Andy and our family have worked through this difficult time, you have all demonstrated the meaning of true friendship.

Saturday was a busy day in the morning, and by afternoon, Andy was ready for some rest, so he pretty much slept and visited with staff here and there in between snoozes. He's making some progress with the speech, but again, it's very slow, and keeping his spirits up about it gets difficult at times. I think given the situation, any of us would understand how darn frustrating it would be to want to say lots of things, but only be able to make a few sounds and gestures to express those thoughts....We're pushing through it though, and each day he gains a bit.

Today will be a quiet one for Andy, and we're planning on taking him outside to enjoy the blue skies and some fresh air. Tomorrow will be a big day, with a visit to his neurosurgeon scheduled in the morning, and then back for physical and speech therapy in the afternoon.

Thanks again to everyone for continuing to keep Andy in your thoughts and prayers. He needs them now more than ever, as he continues to push through the plateaus of recovery and keeping hope in the front of his mind.....Hugs and love to everyone!

Hank :cool:

Hankl

06-06-2011, 07:39 PM

MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2011 6:56 AM, PDT

Next Steps.....
Sunday began with a visit to the physical therapy center located within the Community Care facility. Andy worked on standing, holding his own weight, and some balance activities. With some great help from staff, Andy was able to make small progress in building his strength, particularly on the right side, which is still very compromised following the surgery.

Andy enjoyed a very welcome visit with grandson Evan (3 years old), who has become his garage side-kick, and loves his Papa. Evan brought a couple of Hot Wheels cars and spent a good deal of time showing Andy how to take the wheels off.. ;.).

Today (Monday) will be a busy one. We head off to our follow-up appointment with the neurosurgeon this morning (it's been two weeks since the surgery), and then back to Community Care for physical, speech and occupational therapy in the afternoon. Andy has also been blessed with visits from friends throughout the day, and while he may be snoozing or catching up on rest when each of you arrives, he knows you're there, and the memories you spur just by being there to see him are building the neuron pathways to recovery.

Radiation treatments are slated to begin this week, and once we know the schedule, I'll post at least a brief review of them here, so folks will know when he'll be off site for his therapy visits. We know many of you travel long distances to share time with Andy, and I will make every effort to keep everyone aware of the schedule here.

We read the guestbook comments regularly, and your words of encouragement truly serve to keep our spirits up. Thank you, thank you!

Hank :cool:

Hankl

06-07-2011, 09:22 AM

Journal TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2011 6:45 AM, PDT

The Road Ahead......
Monday began with a visit to physical therapy, and then off to the neurosurgeon for a follow-up visit. Andy's able to lift weights with the left arm, and is getting stronger each day. He continues to work on building his strength and balance to support his weight in standing, and the progress is encouraging. He spent more time awake today than any day prior, and although his day was full of activity, he engaged with folks throughout the day and seemed to enjoy getting outdoors.

The neurosurgoen trip was for the purpose of checking the healing progress of the incision, and the report was very good. During the surgery, which was now two weeks ago, the surgeon was able to remove better than ninety percent of the tumor. The neurosurgeon inserted chemo wafers at the site of the tumor during the procedure as well, and they began working to attack the malignant cells immediately. Andy will begin focused radiation over the next several weeks for the purpose of halting the growth of the remaining cells.

So many of you have contacted me to share your own story, or the stories of friends or relatives, who have faced this very difficult challenge. Cancer reseach and experimental treatment is perhaps the greatest frontier of current medical exploration, and as you can imagine, the learning curve for us has been virtually verticle. A few of you have stepped to serve as guides in our understanding, and we truly appreciate the advice/knowledge of trusted friends. Perhaps the greatest lessons learned to date include the fact that every cancer case is unique, treatment varies widely within the medical community, and that the reality of having the "C"-word enter your life will challenge your strength of conviction and remind you of you love of life on a daily basis. There are good people working behind the scenes to provide hope in even the darkest moments though, and remaining focused on the daily work of recovery and guiding your own treatment plan are of paramount importance each day.

In addition to all of the advancements in cancer treatment, we are also learning about the importance of diet and balancing your body's system, as key elements in mitigating or even preventing cancer. Much is yet to be learned, and again, every case is different. We approach each day with hope, building our knowledge, asking questions, and working in concert with our treatment team to effect positive physical progress each day.

Your prayers and continued words of encouragement are deeply appreciated as we travel the road ahead. We are truly blessed to have a wonderful (and very, very big) family. ....Warmest regards.....Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

06-08-2011, 10:49 AM

Journal WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2011 8:00 AM, PDT

Steady Progress and Big Thanks!
Each day Andy is interacting more and more with everyone, and while he still drifts off in between all of the activities, he acknowledges folks when they enter the room, and it's clear he likes getting out of bed and moving about the facility.

Daily physical and speech therapy are proving to be helpful. The folks that perform these services are simply angels, and their kindness and encouraging approach with Andy in tackling these challenges is heartening. Andy is still building strength on the right side (arm and leg), however, he is able to hold a very small amount of weight on the right side while standing, which is a promising sign.

Things will be relatively quiet for the next two days....Daily speech and physical therapy will continue, as will trips outside to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. Next big day will be Friday, when we have a follow-up MRI slated, which is very important, as the results will provide the team with an updated picture of the tumor, through which the size and growth/diminishment will be evaluated.

Thanks again to everyone for your continued kindness through your prayers and good wishes. Very special thanks to Dave Smith, Sally Bean and everyone at Factory Five Racing for sending along the very cool (and very kind) Factory Five Racing hat, which was signed by all of the great folks back there in Wareham, MA. Frank Maslowski delivered the hat on Saturday, and it brought a big smile to Andy. The Factory Five Racing community is like no other, and we are humbled to be even a small part of such a truly amazing group of people. We feel surrounded by love and support, and truly appreciate your kindness. To all of our FFR friends, best wishes for a wonderful Open House this weekend. Looking forward to the announcement of the 818 Design Contest winners!......Warmest regards....Karen

Hank :cool:

Raceral

06-09-2011, 08:29 PM

Get well soon, thoughts and prayers being sent your way.

Hankl

06-10-2011, 10:15 AM

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2011 9:49 PM, PDT

Talking, a Little....
Andy had another busy day with the physical and occupational therapists.....Later in the afternoon, the speech therapist (a wonderful, kind, and truly skilled woman) checked in with us, and let us know that Andy's therapy session earlier in the day had gone very well....Now, before everyone thinks he's talking up a storm over here, "very well" means that he counted to ten, hummed a familiar tune, and named an object (her watch) without prompting.....This, my friends, is what (in a truly relative way), is interpreted as "very well." We'll take it though, and it's amazing how even small progress can be cause for great celebration.

For those of you living here in So Cal and have stopped by to visit with Andy, you might get a kick out of this...Every day when I arrive, it's like a Sherlock Holmes mystery theatre for me in figuring out who's been there today....Wonderful little momentos show up every day....Hot Wheels cars, beautiful plants, flowers, a whimsical bird sculpture, Car & Driver magazines, Classic Car Traders, and even some sacred sand (we know that's from you Charlie ;.)....While it's really not "funny," I know you guys would get a kick out of watching me "talk" to Andy (in a 30 questions kinda way) to figure out who had stopped by today...The "conversation" usually goes like this, "So Andy, who brought the little white Hot Wheels Indy car? Was it someone from the Corvette Club (head nod, no)...Was it someone from the museum (Eyebrows raise, head nod know)? Was it someone here (Furoughed brow, thinking, uh, no)?....Was it. (fill in the blank)..Uh, uh.......?...Oh well, it's very cool...So, do you want to race this one and the red Camaro on the tray table? Yes?...Uh....Hey, stop putting butter on the axles! (Cheater!)..Ahhh, racers, always looking for an advantage!

While I still haven't figured out just who to thank for all the fun (and loving) stuff that's showed up in the room, I'll just send along a big hug to you guys for making Andy's day...He knows how much you care. ;.)

Tomorrow is a big day, and we continue to move forward with hope that the MRI results bring good news. We fully understand this is one big wish though, and while we know the power of prayer and that a sea of wonderful folks are sending good thoughts our way, we also know that this will continue to be one tough battle.....Your kindness and continued prayers are very much appreciated. Love and hugs....Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

06-11-2011, 02:16 PM

SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 2011 12:13 PM, PDT

Enjoy your weekend!
I know many of you (like us) are awaiting the results of the latest tests, and it looks like we won't have any news on that front until Monday.....Andy will be continuing with his physical and speech therapy today, and we hope everyone has a restful and enjoyable weekend with family and friends.

Thanks again to all of our friends and family, especially the awesome folks at Factory Five Racing, the Riverside Automotive Museum, and all of the fantastic members of our Corvette Club communities who continue to surround us with love and kindness. You are a truly amazing group of individuals!!! Wamest regards and sincere thanks to each of you....Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

06-13-2011, 09:53 AM

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2011 7:13 AM, PDT

A Good Weekend......
Andy had a restful weekend, and enjoyed several trips outdoors to bask in the warm sunshine. Andy found great cause to celebrate (as a few of you have already mentioned), the news headline, "Corvette Wins LeMans!" Around our house, this is BIG news, and Andy was noticeably pleased at the news. We're endurance racers at the very core, and winning LeMans (and beating Ferrari) is considered the Holy Grail for American racing. On Andy's behalf, "Woo! Hoo!" http://www.corvetteracing.com/

Physical and speech therapy continued over the weekend, and it seems he's finally caught up on his sleep enough to enjoy interacting with folks for up to thirty minutes at a time. He still dozes off from time to time, but he wants to interact, and we're all becoming fluent in jiberish.

Andy enjoyed visits from Evan and Kendall twice this weekend, and he was very happy to share some wonderful time with several of you here. Thank you! We all enjoy reading the Guestbook each day, and your daily posts sending along so many memories from the fun you had together, as well as the good wishes for Andy and our family, are simply wonderful.

We'll keep everyone posted on the medical progress, as this week will bring a better idea of the treatment plan as we move into the next few weeks.

Thank you, and we hope you have a great day!!

Hank :cool:

Hankl

06-14-2011, 09:15 AM

TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 2011 6:33 AM, PDT

Our Tomorrows Begin Today.....
Still celebrating Corvette's victory at LeMans last over here, which took place as Chevrolet celebrates its 100th anniversay. It was indeed a proud day for the Bow Tie world, and for the bigger landscape of American racing as well. Very cool that our fellow Challenge Series racers John and Andy Teaby, who live in Monterey, have a good friend on the LeMans Corvette team. We're looking forward to hearing their story when they return.....How very cool it would be to attend LeMans.

Andy's long time friend Larry Pearson spent some quality time with Andy today, as did Lytle Theisen, who's daily visits are cause for big smiles from Andy each evening when he arrives. Tex and Maxine...I share your Guestbook entries, along with everyone's posts each day, and they always bring a smile as he recalls the great memories. Thanks for sharing the stories from your days racing Corvettes at Riverside, Ontario, Las Vegas, and all those great tracks/events..It's also great to recall all the fun we had at the Corvettes West events we attended (Big Bear Bash...Woo! Hoo!), as well as all the good times with our Guldstrand Racing Association (GRA), Vettes R Us, Desert Corvette Association (DCA), and Corvettes Unlimited friends (all clubs in which we are still members) .The memories and stories of all the fun are helping Andy re-connect and build his speech skills.

The latest test results from Friday's scan have been reviewed by the treatment team, and we received word yesterday that the tumor area has stabilized, and they are ready to begin radiation treatments. Andy will continue his twice daily physical and speech therapy, and will be making daily trips to the radiation center for the next seven weeks.

With still no movement on the right side, Andy will be transported daily for his 1:30 PM treatment beginning today. The center is located in San Bernardino, which will require a thirty minute trip each way....For those planning a visit over the next weeks/months, it's safe to say that visiting in the morning before noon, or later afternoon (after 3:00) would be the best time.

Thanks again to everyone who has posted in the Guestbook. We have heard from so many loved ones and cherished good friends. It's amazing to know how much love, support and kindness surround you on a daily basis. Thank you! Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

06-16-2011, 11:37 PM

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2011 6:51 AM, PDT

written by Karen Salvaggio

June 16, 2011
Andy will travel for his thrid radiation treatmenet today.....Just thirty-two to go.....He's a little more tired now that the treatments have begun, but overall, he continues to make incremental progress in his memory and speech progress. Andy's days are busy ones for sure, with physical therapy focusing on the re-development of neuro-muscular connections on the right side, and speech therapy focused on producing words.

Thanks to everyone that's visited over the last few days. Some very cool "**********" magazines (1973 vintage. SCCA) showed up in the room, and they have lots of great pictures and stories from events at Riverside Raceway and "vintage" pictures of racing in all these cars before they were "vintage." You guys sure had some great fun back in the '60's-80's with each other....Talk about livin' the life! Leon sent some very cool pictures which I need to scan and post.....Thanks Leon! I'll make sure they're in the room for everyone to enjoy!

Thanks again for everyone's support and love. I read your posts to Andy, and share all of your great memories with him every day. I know every one of you would be there with him in the room to enjoy stories of the good times if you could. Your love and kindness mean a lot to both of us. Warmest regards.....Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

06-17-2011, 10:46 AM

FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2011 6:55 AM, PDT

written by Karen Salvaggio

June 17, 2011
Andy continues to have a busy daily schedule, which is good for the speech development, and for beginning the process of restoring his physical well-being, but it is somewhat tiring for him.....

He's still making small gains in word recognition. Last evening our good friend Lytle Thiesen brought a sketching device (kinda like an Etch-A-Sketch, only with a stylus pen), and we worked on word recognition and picture drawing....Andy, of course, enjoyed showing us that he could draw a model of a car......When asked if he could hold the pen so he could draw, he grabbed it with great enthusiasm and even clicked it several times to let us know, he "gets it." Following dinner, and after working with the sketch pad for some time, he dozed off for another well deserved rest after a long day.

Thanks to everyone for the great stories. Andy looks forward to hearing them each day, and they certainly serve to bring back many, many good memories. You guys sure had lots of fun back in the day......Father's Day BBQ slated for today, along with the daily therapies, including his afternoon radiation treatment.

Room Change: Visitors please note that Andy moved to Room 304a yesterday....Nice room, and again, very nice staff.

Thanks again for keeping Andy and all of us in your thoughts.....Your continued prayers and good wishes are truly appreciated....We hope you have a great weekend! Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

06-19-2011, 10:15 PM

SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2011 8:28 AM, PDT

written by Karen Salvaggio

Father's Day Update
I want to begin with a "Thank you!" to the many good folks that have stopped by and visited Andy over these weeks, and to those sending continued good thoughts, prayers, and wishes through the Caring Bridge site. Please know each of your visits and posts here mean so much to Andy and to our family. We continue to be thankful for the outpouring of love and support from our extended family, which includes members from the Corvette, Factory Five Racing, Riverside International Automotive Museum, NASA, club racing worlds, as well as so many of my colleagues in the educational world. Your kindness is truly amazing!

Andy enjoyed his visit with good friends, and fellow Corvette racers Tex and Steve Schwab on Friday.....Tex brought a very nice, framed picture collage of the two of them from their racing days at Riverside, Ontario, Las Vegas, and so many more. Andy truly appreciates the many visits he's received from his long-time friends (and extended family) from the racing world, and it meant a lot to him to spend some time with Tex and Steve. I know he would enjoy a trip to Arizona more than you know....Thank you!

Andy also enjoyed a visit with the grandbabies (Evan and Kendall) yesterday, and will be celebrating Father's Day with them later today. Both babies love their Papa, and we know Evan would like nothing more than to be back out in the garage, playing with tools and crawling around the cars with his grandpa.

On the health and recovery front....The radiation treatments began last week, and are slated to continue for the better part of seven weeks. During the initial surgery, the neurosurgeon was able to remove a significant portion of the tumor, however, due to its location and proximity to the speech center, as well as they nature of the tumor itself, the tumor could not be completely removed. Chemo wafers were implated directly into the remaining tumor cells during the surgery, and these time-release agents have been working on limiting the growth in the weeks following. The latest scan indicated the tumor was stablized enough in location to begin radiation treatments.

As you might imagine, all of these changes (surgery, chemo wafers, and now radiation treatments) can and will have effects.....For those of you that have visited, you will note that Andy sleeps, a lot. He's also working very hard to recover movement and neuroconnections to the right side of his body, as well as with his speech therapy, and these are taxing to him as well. Throughout this process, we are working closely with the doctors and nursing staff to monitor his overall wellness through these therapies, and today it was noted he has developed a bit of a fever....The staff are in the process of evaluating the source so it can be effectively addressed

Andy is looking forward to a Father's Day visit with Evan and Kendall today (Tracy and Brandon too), and we wish all of you a great day with your families. While these are challenging days for our family, we continue to be overwhelmed by the endless love and support we've received from our amazing family and friends......Thank you!!! Karen

Hank :cool:

Movieman

06-19-2011, 10:45 PM

I've been married twice, pushing 60 so I've seen a bit of life but the one thing that comes across to me from reading this thread is what a very lucky man he is to have this special lady beside him.
My best wishes to both of you.

Hankl

06-21-2011, 10:35 AM

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011 6:40 AM, PDT

written by Karen Salvaggio

June 20, 2011
Today brought lots of sunshine to the Inland Empire, as well as a much better day for Andy. His fever broke by late Sunday afternoon, and he was able to be get a good night's sleep. While his daily physical therapy sessions focus on building the neurological connections with his right side, he also works the left side in these sessions, and his left arm and leg are really beginning to develop some strength. He's pretty good about balancing in the sitting position, which is progress as well. Radiation treatements resumed today, and he's down to 31 sessions to go. Andy was able to stay awake for the better part of the day, and really made an effort to interact and share his thoughts with everyone.

Andy's taken up humming tunes (not all of which we recognize), however this is a promising sign, in that the patterns and rhythms are good for the brain....The speech therapist is very encouraged with his progress there, and again, it may not be talking in sentences, but it's progress, and we certainly welcome progress in any form received. Little Woo! Hoos! over here.....The nurses all report that he's a pretty darn nice patient as well, and of course, he's already begun charming them....They are all very kind and celebrate the small, daily successes as well.

Janet, Mike, Larry, Craig, Ron, Lytle, Gina, George, Rich, Arlene, Tex, Steve, Mike, Marilee and everyone that's visited in the last few days.....Thank you!

Bob Bower.....Thanks for the crazy bird....It's whimisical, and adds some "fun" to the room.....

Thanks again to everyone for your continued prayers and good wishes. Warmest regards....Karen

Hank :cool:

riptide motorsport

06-21-2011, 10:44 AM

Still praying for you.

cobrajj

06-21-2011, 11:14 AM

Andy and you are in our daily prayers. Jim and Carol

David Hodgkins

06-21-2011, 11:31 AM

Hang in there Andy!!! You are in my thoughts daily...

Hankl

06-22-2011, 10:51 AM

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2011 7:41 AM, PDT

written by Karen Salvaggio

June 22, 2011
Andy had a great day yesterday.....He's feeling much better, and as we all know, life is just better when you feel good.....Lots of progress in physical therapy...Getting stronger and stronger....Yes Maxine, he still knows how to work it with the ladies, and he's learning some Dean Martin songs so he can charm them with his crooning....;Andy always told me that if he could have one gift, it would be to become a great singer...Well, I think he's living his dream...;.))

Tex.....Your days racing at Riverside with Andy are truly among his best memories....Those were days full of fun and great adventure for sure, and the stories are simply amazing....Andy's one of the most competitive people I know, and he's still a great driver in his own right, having secured top time at a Pole Postion event last year....Not much keeps him down, so I know he's looking forward to getting back out to the track.

Andy's niece, Gina, visits several times a week, and spends lots of quality time caring for her Uncle Andy. Gina, you are an amazingly kind person, and we are truly blessed to have you in our life...For those that don't know....Andy lost his mom at age nine, and in the years following, Andy lived with his sister Roses (Gina's mom). Roses, Andy and Gina have a very special bond, and we are grateful to the continued kindness extended from our Badagliacca (sp) and San Diego-based clan.....Thank you!

Best wishes and greatest thanks to everyone.....We hope you have a great day filled with wonderful new memories!! Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

06-24-2011, 09:48 AM

Journal FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2011 7:26 AM, PDT
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written by Karen Salvaggio

June 24, 2011
Andy's really enjoying all of the stories from his Corvettes Unlimited and Guldstrand Racing days....He's certainly enjoyed quite the life with these cars....Many of you know that besides racing his '59 Corvette at tracks like Riverside, Ontario, Las Vegas, and so many more back in the day, that later in his career, he joined the Vintage Auto Racing Association (VARA) where he campiagned his Corvette in vintage racing here in Southern California. His big dream has always been to have his car at the Monterey Historics, which is a week-long classic car and vintage racing festival that is unmatched here in the United States. In our world, it's pretty much the crown jewel and pinnacle of acknowledgement in vintage racing...

We moved to Riverside some ten years ago, and in those years, Andy and I have been very fortunate to meet the good folks at the Riverside International Automotive Museum (RIAM). Talk about a great place! If you are a fan of the glory days of racing at Riverside, or just a car nut, this is the place for you! Outstanding collection of race cars, including the Dan Gurneys Eagles and so many others...Andy's 1959 Corvette C-Production racecar resides there now, and he truly enjoys having it on display among all those great racecars......http://www.riversideinternational.org/

A few days ago, I received a call from Bruce Ward, Director of the Museum with some very exciting news. It seems that the most distinguished classic car show held at the Monterey Historics, entitled "The Quail" is featuring cars from the Riverside International Automotive Museum, and yes, they have asked for Andy's '59 Corvette to be displayed at The Quail.....I wish everyone here could've seen Andy's face when I told him the news.....BIG smiles (a few tears), head nodding and his first Woo! Hoo!....Needless to say, he's a very happy man, and we will forever be grateful to our friends at the Riverside International Automotive Museum for this incredible opportunity....He sure would like to make the trip, so he's working toward the goal of seeing his car in Monterey in August.....Lofty goal for sure, but he's pretty darn motivated. :>)

Check it out: http://www.quaillodgeevents.com/pages/thequail.cgi

Today will be a very good day for Andy.....;.) Warmest regards...Karen

PS....Laguna Seca Raceway (Monterey, CA) is a legendary track, and Andy has some great stories about "The Corkscrew" (I know some of you do as well!)....I finally had my chance to run Laguna Seca last month (May 2011), and it was awesome!!! Here's a video from Sunday's race in the Big Bore Production group with SCCA Historics (great group of folks!)...On grid in the FFR Type-65 Coupe, and Andy's on the headset coaching (my awesome crew chief!)...This was my first trip to Laguna....What fun!! Finished on the podium.....Thought you might enjoy: http://www.vimeo.com/23143306

Hank :cool:

Hankl

06-26-2011, 12:36 PM

SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2011 9:28 AM, PDT

written by Karen Salvaggio

June 25 Update.....Some Concerns
We are truly grateful for everyone's continued good wishes, prayers, and kind words. Saturday was a pretty rough day for Andy. With the loss of use of his right side following the surgery, the care team has been focusing the work of physical therapy into restoring nuero-connections and movement to his right arm and leg. In the day's and weeks following the surgery, Andy's experienced a degree of swelling in his right leg, and over the last three weeks, the swelling has been slowly diminishing. However, in the overnight hours of Friday-Saturday morning, the swelling in his right leg increased, and by Saturday morning, it was clear that the current remedies were not working, and the swelling had reached a level of concern.

After consulting with the doctors, the decision was made to have Andy evaluated further, and he was re-admitted to Riverside Community Hospital by early Saturday afternoon. An ultrasound indicated the development of a blood clot in his right leg, and he is currently undergoing treatment. As a bit of further information, the development of blood clots following surgery is not uncommon, especially if the person is not ambulatory, as the lack of movement is just not good for the circulation.

The typical course of treatment would be to administer blood thinners, but there's an artful balance which must be maintained when administering blood thinners following surgery, as coagulation of blood around the surgery site to promote healing is a good thing, but coagulation and the development of blood clots in other parts of the body can be a serious consequence. Andy's team of medical professionals have crafted a treatment plan, and he will remain in the hospital for several days....I'll update as things develop.

Thanks again for your continued prayers and good wishes....Warmest regards....Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

06-27-2011, 10:29 PM

MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011 3:05 PM, PDT

written by Karen Salvaggio

June 27 Update
Andy was diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in the right leg, which is the medical term for a blood clot. They started him on a blood thinner (anti-coagulant) yesterday, and doctors performed a minimally invasive procedure to insert an IVT (Inferior Vena Cava) filter, which for us car folks, is basically an in-line filter, to assure the clot does not move upward from his leg and into his lung. Catching the clot early, and addressing it with medication and a filter implant is another small medical miracle along the way....We will be following the results closely.

Andy's recovering from today's procedure, and will be returning to Community Care later this evening. Thanks to everyone for the continued good wishes....Hopefully, we've worked through this bump in the road, and he can get back on the road to recovery. Warmest regards...Karen

Hank :cool:

LCD Gauges

06-28-2011, 02:07 AM

Sending some get well wishes and hopes of a speedy recovery from Cambridge, Ontario.

Gumball

06-28-2011, 09:53 AM

Karen & Andy - Know that you are in the thoughts and prayers of so many. God Bless.

vnmsss

06-29-2011, 05:57 PM

Thanks so much everyone!!! Your kind thoughts, prayers, and good wishes are very much appreciated.....Karen

Hankl

06-29-2011, 07:50 PM

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2011 4:55 PM, PDT

June 29 Update
The car show is slated for 4:30 - 6:30 PM on Saturday....I'm going to turn the reigns over to Andy's neice, Gina, as well his brother Mike, and our friends Ron, Lytle, Bill, and the rest of the FFR and Corvette crowd here in So Cal for the weekend.....Yours truly is taking a few days away (although I'll be in some very good car company)..;.))

Enjoy the show, and be sure to share some good times with family and friends over the holiday weekend. It's all those great memories that we've created with you, and that you've so warmly shared with us over the last few weeks, that have gotten us through this so far........Thanks again everyone!!! You guys are truly amazing!!!! Warmest regards....Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

07-03-2011, 08:16 AM

SUNDAY, JULY 3, 2011 12:28 AM, PDT

Car Show Update
I spoke to Ron Morris near the end of the car show, and it sounds like they had a nice showing of cars, and that everyone had a great time. Andy was very fortunate to have a geat group of friends visiting for the show, and it sounds like he was even singing.

How blessed we are to be surrounded with such wonderful folks.....Special big thanks to all of our friends and loved ones that made the car show day such a special event for Andy. You are truly wonderful people!!!! Love and hugs! Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

07-05-2011, 03:56 PM

TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011 11:17 AM, PDT

July 5, 2011
Andy had a great time at the car show. Bob Bower posted a picture of Andy over on his Facebook page, and that "hat" is just too much....I think he liked his new "hair" too. ;.) Thanks again to Bob, Ron, Lytle, Janet, Mike and everyone that came out for the car show on Saturday. I know it lifted Andy's spirits.

I took Andy to the 4th of July fireworks last night, and he enjoyed going outside in the evening air. About twenty of the other residents also joined us on the sidewalk for the fireworks show from Mount Rubidoux, which could be seen from the north end of the Community Care facility. Tracy and our grandson Evan came down for the show as well, and it was a great way to end the day.

Andy will resume his radiation treatments today, as will his daily physical and speech therapy sessions. He's made some progress with his speech, and he's really working at stringing sentences together....It's all in there, and he's really working at it.

Tex and Maxine....Thanks again for the great stories and memories from the Corvette days...Andy remembers them like they were yesterday.....Some of you may know this, but we recently picked up a 1969 AMC AMX (390/4 speed car with the Go-Pcak option), that was bought in 1969 for the specific purpose (delete just about every option, add a roll hoop) of competing in the Solo I events at Riverside Raceway. The car was set-up by Dick Guldstrand and Gary Wheeler in 1969, and when I bought the car, it came with lots of results from events back in those days.....I found the car on E-Bay, and when I told Andy I was thinking about buying it, well, you can imagine "the look" I got....Once I showed him the ad and told him that Dick Guldstrand had set up the car, well, "the look" changed to a head nod....(Although I know he was saying "AMC... Yikes!....Another engine/driveline to learn....Well, Ollie, this is another fine mess you're getting us into"...;.)) We bought the car from Gary Croan, who owned it since 1972, and it will be moving to the front garage for some work later this month.....;.) (Andy's probably glad he's still "resting" for this one.)

Warmest regards, and thanks again everyone! Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

07-07-2011, 11:11 AM

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2011 7:27 AM, PDT

July 7, 2011
A pretty busy couple of days here, with some progress in physical therapy, and some news on the overall health front. Andy works very hard in his physical therapy sessions every day, and continues to make progress in gaining strength and balance. While some days are naturally better than others, on Tuesday he was able to stand on his own, and even managed four steps (with assistance of course), but this was wonderful progress, and he was very pleased to be up and moving.

Andy resumed his daily radiation treatments this week, which will continue throughout the month of July. We did notice on Monday evening however, that some swelling had developed around the site of the initial surgery, and Andy was sent for a CT scan late yesterday afternoon to determine the source of the swelling. We will look for the results later today, and will keep everyone posted on developments there.

Thanks again to everyone for your continued prayers and good wishes for Andy, and for all of us. You are indeed a wonderful group of guardian angels....Warmest regards and deepest appreciation......Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

07-11-2011, 08:42 AM

SUNDAY, JULY 10, 2011 6:57 PM, PDT

July 10, 2011
Good news on the health front.....The neurosurgeon read the CT scan and we received the report on Saturday that the swelling is "normal," and there's no need for further treatment at this time. The concern had been that, with the recent blood clot and the use of even a low level blood thinner, that there was a possiblity of internal bleeding, and we were very relieved to learn this is not the case. Whew!

Andy actually had very good weekend, enjoying much of his daytime hours up and about in his wheelchair visiting around the facility. He's making additional progress with his speech, and he was really "talking" up a storm when I told him about Tex, Maxine, Nancy and Navis' latest posts....Like you, he has so many great memories of all those days with the Corvette club.....I know he has lots of stories he's looking forward to sharing with you guys one day in the future as well.

It was great to see so many of our very good friends from Vettes R Us, Corvettes West, Corvette Super Sports, and so many other clubs this weekend at Big Bear Bash. Big Bear is a short drive up the hill from our home, and having been away from BBB for more than five years, it was great to be able to spend even a brief time with our good friends.

Andy and I attended this event every year for a number of years (and he attended in years past as well), and the memories will always be cherished. As a matter of fact, BBB was one of the very first events that Andy took me to back in 1994....We lived in the Antelope Valley at the time, and decided to take a drive up to Big Bear in Andy's 1956 Corvette one Saturday evening....We drove up the back way from the Lucerne Valley, and wouldn't you know it (as is always the case), it's pitch dark and we get to the east side of Big Bear City, and we loose the clutch in the car....We're in the middle of nowhere, and "McGyver" doesn't have a flashlight or any tools...Luckily, I have a pen light and Andy dives under the dash and tells me the pin in the clutch pedal is gone, and that it will work if we can rig it up.....We dig through some more junk in my purse, and find a clip that we "modify" and presto, we're on the road again......I should've know right then that this was going to be one big adventure!!! We went over to the convention center where the whole crew was enjoying the Saturday night banquet and dancing.....We said hello to a few folks and headed back down the hill around 10:00 PM....As I recall, the next day was the big Northridge quake, which shook like crazy up in Big Bear, and brought a rude awakending to our Corvette party-going friends....I'm sure many of you who were up there will recall that morning very well!!!

Thanks again for everyone's continued good wishes! Warmest regards....Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

07-13-2011, 12:51 PM

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2011 7:20 AM, PDT

July 13, 2011
Another busy day for Andy.....Up in the morning for another round of physical therapy, and then on to work with the great speech pathologists at Community Care. Andy's picked up a few more words, and he definately has the patterns of sentences down...He may not have the full vocabulary yet, but he knows what he wants to say, and as a group, we are still working on developing a communication system for all of us.

Andy's neice Gina (who is an angel on earth), makes the trip up from San Diego several days each week, and yesterday she rode along with him in the medical transport for his radiation treatment. After the treatment, Andy gets pretty cold, so we're sending a jacket along for him to wear (seems crazy when it's been 100+ degrees here in So Cal), and we know he'll be more comfortable on the trip home. We've also been encouraging Andy to drink lots of water, as the treatments can be somewhat dehydrating. We're at the halfway point in the radiation treatments, and are preparing for chemotherapy to begin within a brief time. We also know there will be another round of challenges when chemo begins, so while we're encouraged with the continued daily progress, we know there will be difficult days ahead as well.....All the more reason to appreciate the good days when we have them......

Thanks again everyone....We continue to be grateful for the support of a such a wonderful group of family and friends.....Best regards....Karen

Hank :cool:

David Hodgkins

07-13-2011, 01:01 PM

Hank,

Thanks for posting these daily updates. I read them every day.

Karen, I continue to pray for Andy, and I hope to visit him soon. Y'all are in my thoughts every day.

:)

Hankl

07-17-2011, 04:31 PM

SUNDAY, JULY 17, 2011 8:34 AM, PDT

July 17, 2011

Andy's really enjoying the memories posted in the Guestbook, and we were thoroughly entertained with two great stories sent to us from one of our fellow Factory Five Racing car owners (whom, by the way, we've never met (lives on the East Coast), but has been following Andy's journals and reached out to us in kindness hoping to bring a smile to Andy (It worked!).....What an amazing community!!!! Thank you, thank you!! (Pehaps you'd like to share your stories in the Guestbook Dave! ;.)) I know our friends and family would enjoy them too!

Friday and Saturday were two very good days for Andy. While Friday afternoon was a little rough following the radiation treatment, Andy was up and around the facility all day yesterday, and he was feeling much better than previous days.......This is very good news, as we have a secret surprise planned for him later today, and with good luck, he'll feel well, and will have a very enjoyable day.

Thanks again to all of our amazing family and friends......Your kindness and continued words of encouragement and support are very much appreciated.....We hope you have a great weekend!! Best regards...Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

07-20-2011, 09:51 AM

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2011 7:12 AM, PDT

July 20, 2011
This week has been a busy one for Andy.....Physical and speech therapy resumed on Monday, as did his daily trips to radiation treatments. Only ten trips to go, and Andy is certainly looking forward to the completion of those forty mile round trip rides to San Bernardino every day.

We also had an appointment with the oncologist on Monday, at which time the doctor reviewed Andy's radiation treatments, as well as checked the healing progress from the initial surgery. As has been discussed previously, the radiation treatments will serve to reduce the tumor following the surgery, however, Andy will also need chemotherapy as part of the larger treatment plan. An MRI is has been scheduled for early August, and chemo will begin shortly afterward and will continue for at least three months.

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the faithful contingent of family members and friends who make the trip out to Riverside to visit with Andy on a daily/weekly basis. You are amazing....We also know so many more folks reading this would be there as well, if time and distance made it possible. Please know we're feeling the love, and thank each of you for your continued kind thoughts and prayers. Warmest regards....Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

07-20-2011, 06:51 PM

Good Luck Jim Schenck & Factory Five Racing!!
Andy and I want to send along our very best wishes to Dave Smith and all of our friends at Factory Five Racing in their pursuit of the Ultimate Track Car Challenge (UTCC) at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) this weekend. Jim Schenck is a lead engineer with Factory Five Racing, and you won't find a more passionate racer and talented engineer. He is the engineering mastermind behind the FFR Challenge Series in which we have had the very good fortune to compete for the last six years, and Jim not only designs the cars, but he also races them (very well by the way). His expertise from behind the digital (Solidworks) drawing board and behind the wheel, serve to create one wickedly fast and highly competitive racecar. The whole FFR group is amazing, and the Factory Five Challenge Series drivers are certainly among the finest individuals on the planet. We have been blessed to share the track in competition and comradiere with each of them over the years.

The FFR Challenge Series celebrated its tenth season in 2010, and one year ago this weekend, Andy and I made the trip back to VIR to run with the East Coast guys. I ran the Ultimate Track Car Challenge (UTCC), as well as competed in the FFR Challenge Series races that weekend, and what a fantastic track, and what an amazingly talented group of drivers. For those of us that have been around racing for more than a day or two, we know that there's typically a life-cycle to any racing series, and as the competition develops, it takes time and effort to keep the series relevent on the racing landscape. 2012 will be a newly-defining year for the FFR Challenge Series, as the "next generation" of the FFR Challenge Series roadster will take to the track...With the input of Series competitors, and guidance from Series leaders, Jim and the good folks at Factory Five Racing (Jesper, Dave R., and all) have been burning the mighnight oil to further enhance the performance of what is already a truly great racecar. This weekend, Jim will test the newest set of specs, and Andy and I send our very best wishes for a great performance. Grassroots Motorsports Ultimate Track Car Challenge: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/events/UTCC2011/

Dave Smith......In light of the million (and one) things that must pull your energy every day, Andy and I send along our deepest appreciation for taking the time to send words of encouragement and kindness to us......You are truly amazing, and we look forward to the day when we can share good times and create even more memories in these great cars! To you, and all the great folks at Factory Five Racing, thanks for keeping the faith and making this dream come true for so many folks!!! This is truly a great community! Best regards....Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

07-25-2011, 10:01 AM

MONDAY, JULY 25, 2011 6:54 AM, PDT

July 25, 2011
It's been another busy few days here....Andy had two big appointments last week: A follow-up appointment with the oncologist to finalize the chemotherapy treatment plan, and then later in the week with the neurosurgeon to check the wound healing as well as review the latest CT scan. With just a few days of radiation treatment remaining (and believe me, Andy will be thrilled when that process is complete), the decision has been made to begin chemotherapy two weeks after the last radiation treatment, which would mean sometime around the second week of August.

The visit to the neurosurgeon went well. Now two months following the procedure, the area of the surgery is still naturally inflamed, however, the tumor does not appear to be re-growing at this point (very good news). The surgeon indicated that the area immediately surrounding the tumor suffered a degree of stroke durring and immediately following the procedure, and coupled with the remaining swelling in the area, as well as daily radiation, is the likely cause for the continued difficulty in speaking and the issues with the right arm and leg (the left side of your brain controls the right side of your body)...Bottom line....With a little more than a week of radiation treatments remaining, and chemotherapy slated to begin within a few weeks of that, things will need to settle down before we'll know more clearly the extent to which speech and movement of the right arm/leg will return....Truly, only time will tell the extent of recovery, and your continued prayers and good wishes are greatly appreciated.

Over the weekend, Andy enjoyed several visits with family and friends, and while his overall feeling of wellness was somewhat up and down (sometimes he just feels tired and has to sleep, while other times he feels more like interacting).....He enjoys all the stories posted here as well as keeping up with the latest happenings from our friends who are still campaigning their racecars on track.

Big event next weekend with NASA at Auto Club Speeday in Fontana....Team Thunder Valley Racing has been working behind the scenes to get the Coupe back out on track, and we were very fortunate to have some terrific help from fellow Coupe owner/builder and lead Thunder Valley Racing team members John Card and Bill Robertson (who is building a street-legal Challenge Series roadster)...Fellow spec racer TC McNett gracioulsy opened up his shop for us (a lift is sure one awesome thing), and his brother Dave pitched in to help as well,....With their help, the Coupe is ready for the track next weekend, and "the plan" is to bring Andy out to the track for a few hours on Saturday....Naturally, we'll keep our eye on his health throughout the week, but our team believes it will truly lift Andy's spirits to be back at the track. Special big thanks to everyone who helped this weekend.....It felt good to be working on the car again...;.)

Big congratulations to Jim Schenck and John George for their outstanding performance at Virginia International Speedway (VIR) this weekend!!!! Both drivers posted smokin' fast times, and the cars performed very well. The Factory Five Racing community is celebrating your awesome performance in the Ultimate Track Car Challenge!!!

Best regards......Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

07-28-2011, 08:38 AM

THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2011 12:05 AM, PDT

July 27, 2011
Tex and Maxine....Thanks so much for the stories from back in the early days of Corvettes Unlimited. Jim Ross made the trip out to visit the other day, and Andy was truly happy to see him. It's still pretty difficult to communicate, however, I think Andy and Jim share enough Corvette car stories that a few hand gestures and a couple of laughs get the job done......You guys sure had some good timeas, and each of us should have been so lucky to grow up in the Southern California car culture....Crusing Van Nuys Blvd, hanging out at the beach, or having a picnic at one of the local parks....Non-stop fun for sure. ;.)

Andy's been feeling a bit under the weather for the last few days, and while he was up and around last evening, today was a not so good day. He's re-developed an intestinal infection and well as an UT infection, so it's back on the anti-biotics.....We're still hopeful that he'll be able to come out to the track for a few hours on Saturday, and will keep a watchful eye on the stomach issues and his overall feeing of well-being.....

Just five days of radiation treatments left, with Tuesday being his last day...I think we'll have a small celebration (Woo Hoo!) when that treatment regimine is complete.....

Thanks again everyone......Karen

Hank :cool:

David Hodgkins

07-29-2011, 06:02 AM

Just read today's post - which hasn't been reposted her yet - and I want you to know Karen that I still think about Andy every day. Please God, let Andy get better soon!!

Hankl

07-29-2011, 08:24 AM

FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2011 12:55 AM, PDT

July 29, 2011
Been a very rough couple of days here.......The infections seem to be winning at the moment, and the doctors have ordered yet another round of increasingly strong antibiotics....Antibiotics are a dual-edged sword in the fight against infection....They kill/neutralize/resolve the bad agents in your system, but they also wipe out the good agents in your system as well......The good agents are underserved in Andy's system at the moment, as the now second round of antibiotics is pretty much neutralizing everything in it path with good and bad results.

Andy developed a fever this morning, and in spite of every effort to lower, it's climbed to 102 degrees. The doctor's are watching it carefully, and if it doesn't break overnight, he may very well be re-admittend this evening or in the morning....Andy's excursion to the track will have to be postponed......We'll keep everyone posted.

Thanks for you continued prayers and kindnes. Best regards...Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

07-29-2011, 10:21 AM

FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2011 7:06 AM, PDT

Back in the Hospital
The fever continued to climb overnight, and despite efforts to reduce the temperature, it remained high. The decision was made to re-admit Andy to the hospital where they can better address the infection. Will keep everyone posted, but it's no visitors for now....Thanks so much for your continued prayers. Best regards......Karen

Hank

Hankl

07-31-2011, 03:53 PM

SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011 11:49 AM, PDT

July 31, 2011
The last couple of days have been very busy....Andy's still in the hospital, however, the IV antibiotics are beginning to work. The promising news is that the fever has subsided significantly over the last 24 hours, and we're guardedly hopeful....He still has lots of stomach pain though, and the doctors are ordering a CT scan of the abdominal area to further determine what, if any, underlying issues may be the source. No visitors for now though, as it's early in the fight against the infection, and he's resting as comfortably as possible.

As everyone is aware, it had been our hope to bring Andy out to the speedway for a visit yesterday. Our good friends with Team TC and Team Free had an afternoon gathering planned, and we were sure hoping we could bring Andy out to see all of our NASA friends. We'd done a lot of work preparing the car and arranging our schedules to make this track event happen, and while it became evident late in the week that Andy would not likely be feeling well enough to attend, we decided, as a team, that so much work had gone into preparing the car for the track, that we'd go ahead with our plan and run the car at the speedway Saturday.

We were very fortunate to have fellow FFR builder and Coupe owner John Card, and his wife Tracie, make the trip down from the Central Valley, and we were joined at the tack by our own Team Thunder Valley Racing lead crew member Bill Robertson. Together, they shepherded the car for the day, and through their hard work and talent, the car performed very well on track...It was great to be back behind the wheel, and I know Andy will be very proud of our podium finish! The Coupe is safely back in the garage, and I am truly grateful for the suppot and kindness of our wonderful friends.

I will keep everyone posted regarding the upcoming CT scan and progress in the hospital. Thanks so much for your continued prayers and good wishes. Best regards......Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

08-02-2011, 09:18 AM

TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2011 6:36 AM, PDT

August 2, 2011
Tex, Maxine, George, Hank, Russ, Leon, and all....Thanks so much for the continued good wishes. My brother Dave's post brought back some good memories as well, and Andy truly enjoyed taking that trip down memory lane, enjoying all those good times from years ago....We've said this many times, but, you just don't realize the best moments of your life when you're living them...... Lesson learned: Live, love, and savor each day, and don't wait for opportunities to experience life to its fullest, but rather create those opportunities and seize the day.

On the health front......Andy's still in the hospital.....The results of the CT scan came in yesterday, and indicate a small mass in the abdominal area. The treatment team spent the day reviewing Andy's case, and after considerable discussion, the decision has been made to aspirate (capture a sample) the mass to determine the nature of it. As you can imagine, this set-back has been disappointing, however, with the fever down and the daily trips to radiation over, Andy's finally been able to get some real rest, and that's been a blessing.

We'll keep everyone posted on the developments over the next few days, but we are not expecting any news until at least Thursday. Thanks again for your continued good wishes, and for keeping Andy and all of us in your thoughts. We are truly fortunate to be surrounded by such a wonderful extended family......Warmest regards.......Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

08-04-2011, 09:44 AM

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2011 7:42 AM, PDT

August 4, 2011
Andy's out of the hospital and back in the Community Care Facility. We won't had a read on the biopsy for another couple of days, however, I'll keep everyone posted as soon as we have word. He's in romm 321, and visitors are allowed. Thanks for the continued good wishes. Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

08-08-2011, 08:58 AM

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2011 11:00 PM, PDT

Long, hot weekend here in Southern California. Had our first fire of the season, with a flare up that closed the 10 Freeway where the 60 splits off toward Moreno Valley and the Badlands. No where near as hot at Tex and Steve there in Phoenix, but it was a hot day in our big scheeme of things.

Andy had a fairly restful weekend. He had a hot hower, a nice shave, and then watched the race from Pocono, PA. Really glad to hear Harvey is back in So Cal, and with any luck, it would be great to have the two of them have some time to reminisce.

Still no results from last week's biospsy, and we'll look for those tomottowl. Hope you all had a greatweekend! Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

08-11-2011, 02:03 PM

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2011 7:45 AM, PDT

We FINALLY (last evening) received the results from the aspiration biopsy taken last week, and we received the good news that it's not cancerous.ea!!...Something to celebrate for sure!!! More later, but thought You'd want to know right away!! Thanks for your continued good wishes and prayers!! Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

08-14-2011, 09:48 AM

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2011 11:14 PM, PDT

Thanks again to everyone for the good wishes for Andy. The biopsy results were certainly cause for celebration. I also have to give big kudos and thanks to Andy's niece Gina, for riding along with Andy on Tuesday to his last (another celebration!!) radiation treatment.

When I look back at the last three months, it's been one big roller coaster ride, and we couldn't have gotten through it without all of you. Andy and my life took a big turn with the diagnosis of his having a brain tumor, and the learning curve has been virtually verticle. What I've learned in these last months is that, while this diagnosis has been indeed been among the biggest challenges either of us have ever faced, we've found that the power of love, kindness and friendship outweighs any challenges presented to each of us.

Many of you have faced challenges just as difficult as our road ahead, and some of you have faced situations even more challenging, Please know that we draw upon your kindness and words of support, and that just knowing there's a small army of folks out there thinking of us, truly helps us get through each day.

Thanks to Elvira and Fred for visiting Andy the other day, and to Bill Robertson for steadfastly visiting Andy a couple times a week. Andy truly looks forward to your visits, and I can't thank you enough for your kindness.

With any luck, we've turned the corner and things will begin moving forward even quicker. Thanks again for your kindness! Warmest regards, Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

08-15-2011, 10:24 AM

MONDAY, AUGUST 15, 2011 6:40 AM, PDT

It will be another busy week for Andy. He has a follow-up appointment with the doctor that inseredt the filter in his leg to prevent the blood clot from travelling, and then of course, he has his daily regimine of physical and speech therapy.

He's been slowly feeling better every day, however, we had a small set-back over night with the development of a low-grade fever. Looks like another UTI, so it's back on the antibiotics.....Hoping it will clear up quickly.

On the racing front.....We took the Coupe to Thunderhill and ran two enduros this weekend. We had some awesome help from fellow Factory Five Challenge Series and FFR Coupe Forum friends, including John Card and his wife Tracie, and FFR Challenge Series drivers Tim Konkol and John Marsey. My daughter Tracy helped as well, and our two grandbabies, Evan and Kendall came along too. With these awesome folks assisting in the pits and on fuel stops, we had a great run!. Really awesome people for sure!!! The car ran great, and we were on the podium in both races! Everyone missed Andy for sure, and kept him in their thoughts all weekend. It was great to be back in competition, and we know he would have been proud!!

Thanks again for you your continued kindness, thoughts, and prayers....Warmest regards....Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

08-19-2011, 09:33 AM

August 18, 2011

Tex and Maxine......Thanks so much for your endless love and boundless support....Your daily notes of encouragement, and all of the memories you've shared from the good times in the past are very much appreciated.

This week has been filled with follow-up appointments to determine the next steps in addressing the abdominal mass, as well as preparations for a regularly scheduled trip to the oncologist next week. Results of the aspiration performed two weeks ago indicated the mass they found (approx 1 inch in size) is not cancerous, however, the doctors still feel the need to determine the nature of it. The appointment on Monday was a visit to the doctor who initially evaluated the mass while Andy was in the hospital. After reviewing his current condition, and re-evaluating the CT scan, the doctor recommended not performing additional surgery at this time. Andy's not strong enough for surgery right now (the radiation, antibiotics, and surgery have really drained his strength, and surgery when you have an infection is just not a good idea), so the approach willl be to monitor the situation through regular scans to determine growth or changes.

Andy was slated to go for an MRI of the brain tumor area today, as a follow-up to radiation, and to determine the baseline for chemotherapy. Unfortunately, after he was transported to the appointment, the MRI folks determined they couldn't do the imaging, as they didn't have enough information on the filter which had been inserted in Andy's leg...They couldn't contact anyone to confirm if it was magnetic or not, so no MRI today, which means no trip to the oncologist next week.....Grrrrr.......If anyone is interested, in the course of this journey, I've discovered just about everything that's wrong with American health care...I don't oftern write about the day to day frustrations which are the reality of this journey (what's the point?), however, they have been a constant....It's only been from the kindness of family and our good friends, as well as the love and support of everyone here that we've all gotten through this to date.

To further complicate matters, I am in the process of changing jobs, which is adding a whole new level of complexity to things.....My family and our race team already know this, but my new job is taking me to Northern California. Still working on so many details, but for now, Andy will continue his recovery in So Cal.

On a positive note, the Monterey Historics are happening this week, and Andy's '59 Corvette was transported from the Riverside Raceway Museum yesterday, and tonight it awaits display on the greens at perhaps the most prestigious gathering in the world of motorsports. I will be in Monterey tomorrow, accompanied by fellow Team Thunder Valley Racing co-driver and good friend Rick Anderson for The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering. http://www.quaillodgeevents.com/pages/thequail.cgi

Andy's had some up and down days this week, and we're hoping that knowing his Corvette is on display in Monterey will lift his spirits..We continue to hold hope that with the radiation complete, that he will gain some strength and begin to feel better.

Our neice Gina, Andy's brother Mike, and our good friend Bill Robertson have all been a real gems through all of this.....You cannot know the eternal gratitude I feel for your love and kindness with Andy. Thanks again to everyone for your love, prayers, and good wishes. Warmest regards....Karen

Hank :cool:

Hankl

08-20-2011, 01:24 AM

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2011 10:16 PM, PDT

The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering
Just returned from Monterey, and all I can say is what an amazing day! The '59 looked great out there on the greens, among all those fantastic automobiles, and I know Andy's going to love seeing the pictures and hearing all about this great day!

The race cars of the Riverside International Automotive Museum, the legacy of racing legend Phil Hill, and a celebration of the anniversay of Jaguar were all features of the day...As we walked around the acres and acres of beautiful cars on the fairways and greens, we counted ten Bugatti Veyrons, three Pagani Zonda Sports, more than fifty Ferraris, dozens and dozens of Jaguar E-Types, countless numbers of Mercedes, including several Gulwings, and the list goes on and on......Quite simply an automotive enthusiast and car lover's dream....Had a chance to climb into Paul Newman's racecar too!!..What an honor!

I posted two more pics in the Photo Gallery for now.....Awesome day!! Really wish, more than anything, that Andy could've made the trip. He certainly was close in our hearts all day...Best regards..... Karen

Hank :cool:

Andy's 1959 Corvette at The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering, August 19, 2011, Monterey, CA

http://www.caringbridge.org/tres/images/photos/3/1/6/9/316914/l.KFqvKzstDyJeAScu.jpg

http://www.caringbridge.org/tres/images/photos/3/1/6/9/316914/l.EmshlPIKGVzLqxoD.jpg

Hankl

08-25-2011, 01:27 AM

August 24, 2011
It's been three months since the initial surgery, and I can't begin to describe the journey. Andy's hanging tough though, and in spite of some set backs (quite a few actually), he continues to inch along in progress.

The medical folks finally sorted out the issue with the filter, which was placed in Andy's leg to prevent the blod clot from travelling to his lungs/heart. The decision has been made to do a CT scan instead of an MRI of the tumor area, as the filter is not conducive to a magnetic scan.

The CT scan is slated for tomorrow, and the results will be available in 3-4 days, which means it will be well into next week before we have any real idea the extent to which the radiation may have arrested the growth of tumor. In the meantime, we're preparing for chemotherapy to begin within the week, which will require continued vigilance in watching for infection. No rest for the weary here, and your continued prayers, good wishes, and uplifiting stories are very much appreciated. Sincerely...Karen

Hank :cool:

Raceral

08-25-2011, 11:00 AM

Hang in there.. prayers sent

Hankl

08-29-2011, 08:41 AM

SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 2011 9:59 PM, PDT

The hot weather here kept most everyone indoors all weekend. The car's thermometer indicated 113 degrees as I was traveling home from the care facility yesterday. While it's been miserably hot here, we've also been following the lastest information on Hurricane Irene, and have kept all of our east coast friends in our thoughts as well. We're hoping everyone is safe, and that the storm leaves minimal damage in its path.

Andy had a small adventure yesterday, making a trip home to visit with family for the afternoon. As I was getting Andy ready for his visit home, in walks our good friend Bill Robertson, who had made the trip out to Riverside, into what likely seemed like "Hades" from his home in Redondo Beach. Always the gentleman (and just the nicest person) once I let him know "the plan" for springing Andy out of there for few hours, Bill graciously offered to help me with the transport up to the house. Of course, Andy's still working on building his strength following the radiation, but he was certainly glad to have a change of scenery.

Andy hadn't seen the grandbabies for a while (no babies in the hospital, and he's been fighting infection, so visitor restrictions), and he was happy to visit with them. The trip was a bit exhuasting for him, and he'd nap here and there while the rest of us visited, but it was good to have him home for even a brief visit. As the shadows grew long in the afternoon, Bill and I (Evan came along for the ride with his Papa too) made the trip back down the hill to the care facility....It was a long day for Andy, and when I saw him this morning, he let me know he had a good, long sleep last night.

On the overall health front, we should have the results of the CT scan within a day or so, and we've reached yet another crossroad in the treatment. Surgery and the many trips to radiation are complete, and we've all been taking stock of the treatment progress to date. There have been many up's and down's along the way, and the road has been a rough one. As we set our course for the weeks ahead, the results of the latest CT will be an important factor. Will keep everyone updated.

Until someone has truly "lived" this diagnosis, I'm not sure any of us can truly comprehend the complexities of these things for the common person. We've had a tremendous support group guiding us along the way, and we've explored a wide array of options. Experimental therapies, clinical trials, standard treatment options, clinics far and wide.

Through all of this, I've developed a new empathy for those who have travelled this path before us, and I cannot begin to thank each of you for your continued love and kindness.....We're very fortunate to be surrounded by an amazing group of family and friends whose hearts are big and whose love is boundless. We all learned these things long ago, but it's valuable for each of us to remember to hug our children everyday, live your life to its fullest, and dance every chance you get.....Tex, Maxine, Elvira, Fred, Valerie, Bill, Leon, Ace, John, and everyone from Andy's Corvette days.....Andy "danced" a lot with you!!

Karen

Hank :cool:

LCD Gauges

08-30-2011, 06:18 AM

Amazing news, and thank you for the updates. It's tough not to get a little choked up reading through these messages and seeing this great forum come together
to support their friends.

Hankl

09-02-2011, 09:07 AM

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011 9:59 PM, PDT

Dearest friends.....The last few days have been spent in consultation with our care team, and the results of the CT scan indicate the pathway ahead will be a difficult one. As we knew from the onset of this journey, our battle with the most aggressive and unrelenting form of brain cancer would be a tough one. The news is not good, in that the scan indicates the tumor has regrown, and in fact, appears to have spread in overall size and location. For those of us that have spent time with Andy in the last few weeks, we noted some tremors in his left arm about a week ago. He also seemed to be sleeping more. The information from the care team suggests that the tremors he's experiencing are likely a result of the increased pressure.

We are a close family by nature, and our focus over these months has been upon supporting each other. As we move forward, we find ourselves surrounding each other with even greater love...Mike, Gina, Bill, Lytle, Ron, and everyone that has kept the faithful pilgrimage to Riverside on a daily/weekly basis, thank you for your unrelenting love and kindness with Andy.

Our greatest gratitude to all of our friends for your continued prayers, and for keeping Andy and all of us in your thoughts. We are blessed to be a small part of such a wonderful and loving community.....Sincerely and with warmest regards.....Karen

Hank