The New Regimen

Hello All!

First of all, I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. As you can see from the photos above, we had a wonderful and festive holiday – filled with lots of family, friends, food, and fun! Thanksgiving has always been an important tradition in our family, especially our annual Macy’s Day Parade party. However, as I am sure you can imagine, this year was a particularly poignant holiday for us, as we are all much more cognizant of the many blessings we have to be thankful for. First and foremost, we were all extraordinarily grateful for the fact that my mother was feeling good, looking great, and able to enjoy the holiday weekend to its fullest! This is something we were not sure would be possible considering the proximity of the holiday to her surgery. However, not only did Vivi get to participate in the multi-day celebration - she was even up to her usual mischievous antics.

After a lovely morning parade party, which included appearances by some of our oldest and dearest friends, such as the Bergman boys, we enjoyed a tradition we have not had in years – Thanksgiving dinner at our house. Since my two older brothers, David and Marko, have moved to the east coast, we have traded off having the dinner at one of their houses. However, seeing as we were not sure about what Vivi’s health status would be during the holiday, we decided it would be best to plan a dinner within walking distance to her bed. I have to say, although it was simply a contingency plan, this year’s dinner was one of my favorite Thanksgiving meals that I can remember. Again, celebrating a holiday, the entire point of which is to be thankful, was particularly meaningful to all of us this year. It was a truly special moment to be sitting around a huge table, surrounded by my whole family (sadly, minus my sister and her children), hearing nothing but chatting, laughing, and chewing. I most especially enjoyed watching my mother sitting across the table from me, looking healthy and happy. While this has unquestionably been one of the toughest years our family has ever faced, we have quickly realized that such hard times can also manifest some rather extraordinary moments. Thursday night was no exception. While it certainly would have been easy to simply focus on the hardships of this past year, our family, per usual, took this as yet another opportunity to simply be thankful for each other and the many other blessings we have in our lives.

The following day, we headed out to New Jersey to my brother David’s house for our annual post-Thanksgiving make-your-own pizza party! While Vivi tried to play the C-card and get one of us to make a pizza for her, she ended up making her own “practically burnt” (the way she likes it) margarita pizza – or so she claims. I am still convinced my father ended up making it for her, in the end, which is just typical (cancer or not)! In any case, it was another evening of lovely family togetherness and fun.

For most people, a full Thanksgiving dinner followed by a full-on pizza party would be enough food to last them for at least a few weeks - not our family! On Saturday, we headed up to my brother Marko’s house in Connecticut for a feast of burgers, fries, and milkshakes. No joke! While none of this is in any way, shape, or form, on Vivi’s diet, we figured she deserved to indulge for the holiday weekend, especially as she would be heading back into treatment the following week.

That takes us to the present. I am currently sitting in Vivi’s hospital room at Sloan (private, of course!), as she is getting her first hydration treatment and prepping for the start of her new chemo regimen tomorrow. The new regimen will entail two chemo treatments during week 1 (this week) – one through an IV, and the second (which will be on Wednesday), through a port that goes straight into her abdomen. On Thursday, she will receive one more hydration treatment, and, if all goes well, she will go home that day. She will then have the weekend off, but will need to return to the hospital next Tuesday for week 2 of treatment. Week 2 will entail an overnight stay in the hospital to receive one more round of chemo through the port, and an additional hydration treatment. She will then have a little time off, and on day 21, she will start the cycle again.

In case some of you are not up to speed, Vivi has to receive her chemo treatments as an in-patient due to the complications she had with her heart during her first two rounds of chemo. This is also the reason the doctors want to make sure they keep her very well hydrated, as dehydration seems to be a significant factor in what triggered these heart complications during the first go-around.

Needless to say, this new regimen is going to be extremely intense, and very tough with all the hospital time (although, I am starting to think my mother prefers it here in her private room with a view). However, right now it seems she will only need to make it through three rounds of this chemo, and then she will hopefully be in full remission by late January!

After that, Vivi will be checked every three months to make sure that the cancer has not reoccurred. Unfortunately, ovarian cancer has an extremely high reoccurrence rate. However, seeing as Vivi has had a better response to her treatment than anyone would have expected, as well as the fact that she has stayed so seemingly healthy (outside of the cancer) through both her chemotherapy and the surgery, we have all reasons to believe that she can beat the odds! So what seemed to have been a not so hopeful scenario when Vivi was first diagnosed, has now turned into, what seems to be, quite a little miracle. Something I said many thanks for while sitting around that table on Thursday evening, and will continue to pray for as we head down her continued road to recovery.

I have said it before on this blog, but I attribute this miracle to several factors. First, anyone who knows Vivi, knows she is just one of a kind. Her positivity, sense of humor, and continued zest for life, has undoubtedly allowed this process to be as seamless (even fun, at times!) as possible. Additionally, I truly believe we have all of you to thank. This was the other blessing I have made sure to give thanks for – not only on Thursday night, but every single day since we have started this journey. We could not be luckier to be surrounded by such extraordinary people in our friends and family. The undying support, love, prayers, and thoughts that continue to pour in are just simply overwhelming. I now know first hand that love and laughter are truly the most powerful medicine on earth.

So although Thanksgiving is now over, I would still like to give thanks – to all of you – for everything you have given to my mother, as well as our whole family, through this challenging time. We honestly could not have gotten through any of this without you.

I hope you all enjoy the upcoming holiday season, and may your lives be filled with as many blessings as we have been offered this year.

As always, I will keep you posted on Vivi’s progress…

Another Post from Vivi!

Hi All,

I am happy to say you will be getting another guest appearance by, Vivi, the one and only (and might I add, a beautiful post, at that). I am also thrilled to inform you that not only did the surgery go better than we could have hoped, but Vivi is recovering beautifully! We meet with our surgeon on Monday for a follow-up, and then with our oncologist on Wednesday . Once we have those two meetings, hopefully we will have a better idea of what Vivi's chemo schedule and treatment regimen will look like post-surgery. I will let you all know once we have further updates.

In the mean time, I will let you hear from the leading lady herself - VIVI! Happy Holidays to all.

well i guess one might say the surgery went as well as could be expected..better actually..and today the 19th of Nov with a full moon over central park and my dog Butoh by my side i walked over to Wollman rink and almost donned a pair of skates hoping to feel free once more with some wind in my face and some speed on my feet..but it didnt happen..not quite ready for THAT yet..i suppose its me trying to escape the thought of more chemo..the last round i hope..coming up after Thanksgiving..we are by the way actually doing the parade party this year..i was so certain i would be bed bound still..there are many wonderful stories to tell around the surgery and after..but its not for me to do..i'll leave that to Aly..suffice it to say that many wonderful new friendships have ventured into my life through this experience and it has made me realize how lucky i am and how life affirming even the worst of situations can be..these are people along with all of you that i strongly embrace and with whom i will remain fiercely loyal..i love you all and wish everyone a very happy holiday..many happy hugs and kisses all around..vivi

Great News!!!!

Surgery is done. Could not have gone better! Will write more later, but wanted you all to know. Thank you for all the love, prayers, thoughts, and support.

Bye Bye, Baby Makers!

Hi Everyone,

I have to apologize for the tardiness of this post. I, unfortunately, have simply not had time to sit down and write a proper update. However, Vivi will be going in for surgery on Tuesday, so I wanted to touch base with all of you.

The surgery will involve a full hysterectomy, as well as the removal of any other unnecessary organs that the cancer has spread to or that may act as a possible host to returning cancer (not that this cancer is coming back ANY time soon!). While hysterectomies are rather routine surgeries these days, we are all obviously a bit anxious about the outcome of this surgery, and hoping that all will go as well as possible. However, we are lucky to have one of the best surgeons in the country, Dr. Abu-Rustum, so we have no doubt this surgery will go very smoothly.

More importantly, my mother, someone who has now undergone six rounds of very intense chemotherapy, is in remarkably strong shape (not fitness wise...I actually just chuckled at the thought of that) - but her immune system is holding up very well, she has barely lost weight, and she continues to eat like a small horse (something she takes as a compliment or I would not write it). Furthermore, she continues to amaze us all with her strength of will, sense of humor, and general zest for life (and diamonds). She is certainly still Vivi, the one and only, and not at all resembling a "cancer patient".

With that said, Vivi, as well as our family, would still appreciate all the support and help we can get during these next few tough weeks and months. We are not a particularly religious family (although I do believe we are all spiritual in our own ways), and I know there are people of varying religious beliefs on this list. So I please ask that if you pray (in whatever form it may be), that you say an extra prayer, do an extra bow, light another candle, or just wish on one more star for Vivi on Tuesday.

Also, if you would like to send flowers or cards (which is COMPLETELY unnecessary...seriously), Vivi will be at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital all next week, and will hopefully be home the week after.

Unfortunately, this is all I have time to write. I have included pictures above from Vivi's birthday party which we had up in Mahopac a few weeks back. What I will say, is that we continue to be overwhelmed by the amount of support, thoughtfulness, and love that seems to keep pouring in from every direction day after day. While this experience has certainly been a challenge for us all, it has also shown us the very best in people, and what an amazing support system we have both within and surrounding our family. So thank you for all you have done for us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Here is the good news - because I am so busy, I actually managed to talk Vivi into writing part of this post herself! So without further ado (or proofreading...Vivi does not really understand the use of punctuation when she types and I just didn't have the time to fix it. But, honestly, I think it's more genuine this way!), here is the Queen Bee, herself:

DISCLAIMER: THE REST OF THIS POST (ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT YET READ IT) MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN OR THE FAINT OF HEART.

Since Aly is so busy with her events i will now write you all my event so far of late..i've had a wonderful month's break from chemo and have so enjoyed my time in the country and at my barn riding out on the open roads and fields on my pony Valentina enjoying what i think has been the best color spectacle yet..the trees out did themselves! but now its time to face reality once again and face the challenges ahead of me..play time is over for now! Tuesday the 2nd i will have non elective surgery on oh yes..election day..ug! good thing politics is of no interest to me..im a romantic! and good thing i dont want anymore children or God knows maybe even sex!! oops..grandchildren is what i need more of..10 just wont do!! so where was i oh yes..Tuesday..after a lot of pre op testing i will be having a complete hysterectomy and pray that that's it..depending on what my surgeon finds upon opening me up and taking a look at the situation..my cancer has been reduced quite dramatically but we'll see what he sees when he sees it! i should be in hospital about 3 to 5 days depending on how im doing..then home for a long recovery..2 to 3 weeks after surgery i will have to endure the hardest and most intense chemo..kind of the final clean up..and hope to be done with it all by end January..you have all been so wonderful and supportive and following me every step of the way..remarkable! i love you all and i deeply apologize for not being as entertaining as Aly in my writing..she is the one with those skills! she will be back to follow up and continue on with this endless journey when her events are done next week..she has been an absolute inspiration to me as well as everyone in my family..even my dog Butoh insisted that i take a moment to sit on a park bench today and take in the sights of the world around me that i have so missed..and my 2 wonders..June who cares for him in my absence and Ashley who trains my pony and takes me on all those wonderful trails..what would i do without all these great people in my life? well love to you all you are the sunshine i bask in and the stars that shine on me..but no one better than my sweet Moo!!

Phase II Begins

Hello Everyone!

I could not be more thrilled to tell you that Vivi has, once again, dramatically improved since my last post. Not only does she just look fabulous, but she is still getting to enjoy her life for the most part. She has been spending lots of time up at her house, going on trail rides, eating her delicious food, and constantly surrounded by her family and friends. Honestly, sometimes I think she looks better than she has in years!!

From a medical stand point, her CA-125 numbers have plummeted down to 10 (yes, 10!!), which is pretty much a normal count for the CA-125 blood marker. If one of your doctors took your CA-125 and the number was 10, they would not even blink. Since Vivi's numbers dropped so dramatically, her doctors decided they wanted to run a CT scan to see if her numbers were actually reflective of a physical reduction of the cancer. If this was, in fact, the case then Vivi would most likely be ready for surgery and not have to continue on with her current chemo treatments.

The good news is that Vivi is, in fact, physically ready for surgery. The report from the scan showed extremely positive results, with a "marked reduction in the amount and size of tumors." Obviously, we are all thrilled!! However, although Vivi's body is ready for surgery, her surgeon's schedule is not. Unfortunately (although it makes no difference from a medical perspective), our in-high-demand surgeon was not even able to meet with Vivi until September 15th (tomorrow), at which point he will hopefully set a date for surgery - most likely in early October. After her surgery, Vivi will have two to three weeks to recover (with about 1 week in the hospital), after which she will begin the next phase of her treatment. In the meantime, Vivi is continuing on with her current treatment plan and just had her fifth round of chemo last Friday. This means she is currently doing her best to grit through her tough week post-treatment.

The week before this last treatment, we met with Vivi's oncologist, who loosely explained what Vivi's new chemo regimen will involve. We were all aware that during Vivi's surgery she would have a port inserted into her abdomen, through which she would receive chemo directly into the affected area. However, we did not realize that she would actually be undergoing an entirely new chemotherapy regimen and schedule. So while I am not 100% clear on all the new medication Vivi will now be receiving (Dr. Makker did not go into detail about that), I was able to grasp the new schedule.

Vivi will still be on a 21-day cycle. However, she will now receive chemo on days 1, 2, and 8 - with the chemo on days 2 and 8 being administered through the port. On day 3 she will receive a hydration treatment, as the new medicine is known to leave a strong metallic taste in the patient's mouth, making it very difficult for many people to tolerate water. Therefore, the doctors give IV hydration to ensure that patients do not get dehydrated (something that is very important for Vivi's heart, if you remember). We were also told, that some patients actually end up having to come in every day for hydration treatments depending on how they are tolerating the medicine.

Aside from the metallic after-taste, there are two other factors that may make this next phase of treatment quite a bit more difficult. First, we were warned that the new medication Vivi will be receiving is much harsher on the patient's system than the medications she was receiving before. In addition to the risk of dehydration, patients undergoing this treatment tend to be prone to more nausea and vomiting (this is due to both the medication itself and the fact that it is going directly into the lining of her stomach), as well as lower white blood cell counts (weaker immune systems). The second concern is that currently Vivi receives her chemotherapy as an inpatient in the hospital so her doctors can monitor her heart. While her stays in the hospital seem to get shorter with each treatment, if she has to continue receiving her chemotherapy as an inpatient, that will likely mean a lot of time in and out of the hospital for quite a few months.

Luckily, if all goes well, we are likely only looking at 3-4 rounds of this new treatment, which is rather short in duration - just about 3 months. I told my mother that one can do ANYTHING for three months. Except, in her case, not eat chocolate. Or buy a new head scarf. Or cook. Seriously though, this means that come winter time, Vivi could be sitting on a beach in the Caribbean and IN REMISSION! While the former may be less likely, I believe with all my heart that the latter is just inevitable! Especially considering the progress she has made so far, the amazing support system we have, and Vivi's continued will to beat this disease and get those 10 carats (inside joke...love you mom).

So while we still have a tough road ahead, the end is hopefully in sight, and I do strongly believe we are heading into the home stretch!!

In other news, last week was a very sad week for Vivi, our family, and our dear friend June (who has become the full-time caretaker for our dogs while Vivi is ill), as we had to say goodbye to our beloved dog and family member, Sammy. Sammy was a ripe 15-years-old (which is about 140 in dog years), and lived a beautiful life full of family, love, cuddles, and lots of food from the table. However, it just came to the point where his quality of life was not what it should be, and he was beginning to suffer - something all dog owners want to avoid at all costs. So the decision was made that it was his time - and it truly was. While we can find comfort in knowing he went in peace (with my father at his side), our hearts were still broken to have to say goodbye. He was a very special dog, and will forever be a part of our family. So if you get a chance to shoot a line to my mother and June (even in the comments below), I know it would be much appreciated. I know it was a very tough loss for my mother to bear in the midst of everything else going on, but as usual, she handled it together with June, with strength, grace, a sense of humor, and many, many phone calls.

On a happier note, it's Vivi's birthday on Saturday! Talk about a ripe age - she will be turning 69-years-young! We will be celebrating with a big family dinner at a local restaurant in Mahopac. My sister is even flying over for the occasion! So please make sure you wish her a Happy Birthday if you get a chance. If you don't - don't worry - she has MANY, MANY more to go!! Although I am supposed to tell you to send all gifts and checks to her address in the city.

I hope you are all enjoying the change in weather (and a New Year for many). May the new season/year bring health and happiness to all of you.

Three Down!

Vivi Flirting with the Cute EMT

(More photos to come. I was having Trouble uploading!)

Hello Everyone,

My apologies for the tardiness of this blog post. However, I am thrilled to let you know that Vivi is doing exceedingly well. While there have been some bumps in the road, and the road itself is not an easy one, it seems Vivi is progressing better than we could have ever hoped. Her CA-125 (the ovarian cancer marker in her blood) counts are WAY down, and a massive reduction in the amount and size of the tumors could be seen on a CT scan she received last week. In addition, on the spiritual/psychological end, she has continued to be an inspiration to all of us. While Vivi is still bat-out-of-hell crazy (I love you, mom), she continues to amaze us all with her strength, humor, and positivity.

So what has occurred since you last heard from me?

About ten days after Vivi's first round of chemo, she had one very tough night. She woke up around 3 AM with a racing heart and feeling like she could not catch her breath. While nighttime and sleeping have been a challenge in general since her diagnosis, it was clear that something more serious was going on. While she was feeling better by morning, her doctor still advised that she should head to the emergency room to be checked out. I headed over there to meet her.

When I arrived at the hospital and saw my mom sitting in the waiting room - make up on, clad in colorful clothes and diamonds - all I could think was, "What the fuck are we doing here?" By the look on her face, I could see she was thinking the same thing. She just didn't seem to fit in with the other patients waiting in that room who looked in much worse shape than she was. However, before we knew it, Vivi was whisked to the front of the line, put in a gown and a bed, and attached to a bunch of heart monitoring machines.

To make a very long story short, after 5 days in the hospital, and many, many tests, it turns out that Vivi had an episode that was similar to a small heart attack. Through the various tests, we learned that Vivi has a heart condition where the wall of her heart is thicker than most people. Now, when a normal person gets dehydrated, the walls of the ventricles in your heart start to close in on themselves, restricting the flow of blood, as well as oxygen, to your heart. This is why it is so important to stay hydrated, and a major factor in why we all feel so ill when we get dehydrated. In Vivi's case, since the walls of her heart are thicker than normal, when she got dehydrated (chemo is EXTREMELY dehydrating), the walls of her ventricles closed in so much that they actually stopped blood and oxygen from flowing into the heart altogether. This lack of oxygen in the heart triggered an enzyme called Triponin to leak, which can cause damage to the muscles in the heart. In Vivi's case, there was a small muscle on the bottom of her heart that seems to have stopped working (although apparently it may have just been on vacation, not permanent leave) due to this episode.

This is the same thing that happens when someone has a heart attack - blood and oxygen are blocked from flowing to the heart, and triponin begins to leak into the heart causing damage. However, in the case of an actual heart attack, the flow of blood is usually caused by a blocked artery, which cannot correct itself, and generally needs to be unblocked through an operation or medications. In Vivi's case, the blockage can fix itself once the body is rehydrated and her heart rate is brought to a lower level - this is a good thing. Basically, this means that we can prevent an episode like this from happening again, by making sure Vivi is extra hydrated - both orally and intraveniously. Also, another enzyme leak should occur, we know how to fix it.

Unfortunately, Vivi almost went through this again during her second round of chemo, after which she was taken to the ER in an ambulance, and monitored for a couple of days. Mind you, this sounds worse than it was. The doctors were keeping a very close eye on her heart during the treatment, and at the first sign on something abnormal, they decided to be more safe than sorry and send her to the emergency room. Despite the abnormality in her EKG, Vivi was actually feeling okay at that point, which made the ambulance ride, as well as the cute EMT guys, all just part of a funny little adventure. By the time we had reached the ER, Vivi had proposed marriage to both of the men, and even tried to get one of them to give her his home address.

In fact, being in the hospital with my mother is actually quite an entertaining experience. Unfortunately, the first thing that generally has to happen when my mother gets to the hospital, is she has to be pricked by some sort of needle - and Vivi HATES needles. Sometimes it's just for the purpose of drawing blood, and sometimes it's for the purpose of putting in an IV, but either way, the process is met with the same panic-stricken routine. Whenever a nurse walks in with a needle, I am tempted to tell them to run as fast as they can in the other direction, as they have no idea what they are about to get themselves into. However, I figure they will soon enough find out for themselves.

First, they are asked if they are "good at this". I am still waiting for the day that a nurse will answer, "No, this is my first time. In fact, I am actually a patient here. They just let me poke people for fun sometimes." Instead, my mother is generally reassured that, yes, in fact said nurse is quite competent, and is not planning on killing my mother with a needle. From there, the series of questions continues: Are my veins collapsing? Can you find a vein? Have you ever done this before?

When the needle is finally administered, the exchange goes something like this:

"Am I okay?"
"Yes, you are okay."
"Am I okay?"
"Yes, you are okay."
"Tell me I am okay."
"You are okay."
"AM I OKAY??!"
"Yes, you are okay. The needle is in."
"It's in?"
"Yes, it's in."
"You're done?"
"Yes, I'm done. You did great."
"Wow, I didn't feel a thing. You are amazing."
"Thank you."
"No seriously, you are truly incredible."
"That's kind of you. I appreciate that."
"I love you."
"Um, thanks."
"Will you marry me?"
"What?"
"Oh, I'm just kidding."
"Oh. The doctor will be in soon."

I can't help but think this is a similar scenario to how I was conceived.

Once the doctor arrives, my mother is generally fixated on one piece of information, and one piece of information only: will she be getting a private room?

"Hi Mrs. Teich, I'm Dr. Joe. I have taken a look at your EKG, and it seems to appear a bit abnormal. We are going to have to admit you to run some more tests."

"Who do I speak to about getting a private room?"

"It seems you may have had a slight heart attack last night, and we need to monitor you to see if the worst is over, or if this is just the beginning of it."

"I need a private room."

"We think you are most likely out of the woods, but it seems there may have been some damage to your heart."

"All the more reason I need a private room. Are you the person I speak to about that?"

I think you get the point.

However, despite her craziness, my mother does manage to always get herself a private room. In addition, the nurses seem to just LOVE her. By the time Vivi leaves the hospital, she knows the entire life story of each nurse that has entered her room, is texting with the ones who are off duty, and is proposing marriage to the ones she fancies the most. The student nurses are assured they will have successful nursing careers due to their extreme talent and compassion, and several nurses receive a few last words of relationship advice before my mother departs. I have even witnessed a few tearful goodbyes as if my mother was saying goodbye to family members she had just been visiting for a few days and won't see again for another another few months.

But you know what, this is Vivi, and this is what makes her so great. It's also what helps her get through all of this. I can poke all the fun I want, but I, too, hate needles. I, too, would hate having to stay at the hospital and have endless nurses and doctors waking me up at all hours of the night to poke and prod me. So why not make the best of it? Why not make a friend or two? Why not try for polygamy? I say, all the power to you, Mom! If nothing else, it's one hell of a show to watch!

After this second stint in the hospital, it was decided that from now on Vivi would be admitted to the hospital during her future rounds of chemo, so her heart could be more closely monitored, and she could be better cared for if something were to go wrong. Luckily, it did not. In fact, this last round of chemo when very smoothly, and Vivi was sent home the following day, and was told she could now receive the rest of her chemo treatments as an outpatient (she has another three to go until her surgery).

While right now Vivi is going through her tough few days of post-chemo side effects, these tough days seem to get shorter and shorter with each treatment. I think this improvement is partially due to the fact that she is just learning how to better cope with everything, as well as knowing that the worst parts only last a few days - and she will, in fact, feel better sooner than later.

Another major factor in my mom's overall improvement has been her diet. Stefanie Sacks, who is Vivi's nutritionist, paired my mother up with two unbelievable private chefs, who have been providing my mother with the most delicious and nutritious food imaginable. In addition, Marti and Nathalie themselves are just two of the most healing people anyone could ask to have around. I truly believe this food, and these people, have changed my mother's life, and we could not be more grateful for their presence and talents. No joke, never in my life has my parents' kitchen smelled so good - or, for that matter, been used so much- and now it is the heart of the house.

Lastly, I always refer to July and August as our family months. My sister flies in every summer with her children, and the majority of our time is spent together as a family. This year has been no exception. This, too, I believe has kept not only my mother's spirits up, but also the rest of us. It is times like these when you realize how important family is, and I truly believe we all have cherished this time together like never before.

Two weekends ago, Vivi was even able to make it to our big family reunion, which Marko plans every three years. The weekend, in Marko fashion, was chalk full of activity - including a 70's disco, a sports day, a carnival with bungee jumping and bumper cars, a beach party, and a boat ride down the Hudson. While Vivi may not have been bungee jumping or playing soccer, she was present at almost all events with a smile on her face, and joke or two to spare. One night, she even stayed up late to join a few of us in the hotel parlor room for some laughs over a bottle of wine that Dave stole from the beach party.

Since Vivi has been feeling so much better, she has also been able to get back to some semblance of her normal Vivi life. She has been able to spend quite a bit of time at her house, and has even gone a trail ride on her horse - an activity that makes her happier than almost anything. She has also been able to devote many hours to her new, very favorite hobby: shopping online for head coverings.

Since my last post, one other development has occurred - Vivi has lost her hair. However, I have to tell you - although she refuses to believe any of us - she looks AWESOME. I mean, truly awesome. The best way I can describe her is that she looks like a retired rock star from the 60s who still managed to keep her edge. I mean it. She looks truly beautiful. And while she is not comfortable going in public without covering her head, she looks equally beautiful wearing the many turbans, head scarves, and sparkly headbands she has fashioned for herself. In fact, I would not be surprised if she starts her own line of fabulous (yet comfortable) head coverings within the next few years!!

So, as I said at the beginning of this post, I could not be more thrilled to report such positive news. However, this is all due to Vivi. With each day that passes in this process, I am more and more inspired by my mother.

And as I have said before, I truly believe that Vivi finds her strength in all of you. The phone calls, the emails, the texts, the cards, and the flowers just keep pouring in, and it is a constant reminder that Vivi has the best army behind her while she forges ahead in this battle. And for the first time since this has all started, I think she is beginning to believe that she will win.

Chemo is Underway

Hi Everyone,

We are really in it now! Vivi had her first round of chemotherapy last Friday, and handled it exceedingly well. While she was certainly nervous about the treatment (who wouldn't be?!), she was able to push through a long and grueling day, and with Vivi's usual humor and flair, she was even able to have some fun with it. At one point, she was using the IV stand as a dance partner (see pictures above)!

The chemo days themselves take about 6 hours. First, Vivi has a check-up with the Oncologist, gets her vital stats taken, and then gets sent back into the waiting room until she is called into the "Chemo Suite" for treatment. The suite is a series of about ten treatment rooms, two nurse stations, and three bathrooms. We had a very nice room with a big comfy reclining chair for Vivi to sit in, and a wall of windows with lots of plants. Not too shabby at all. There was also a TV in the corner, but we opted to watch one of our favorite films, Seabiscuit, on the computer instead.

The entire treatment was overseen by two very nice nurses, who were in constant communication with our oncologist (who was on the same floor) in case any questions came up. The treatment begins with high doses of antihistamines and steroids to ensure Vivi doesn't have an allergic reaction to the treatment itself. These are given intravenously for about 30 minutes before they administer the actual chemotherapy.

The first chemo drug Vivi takes is called Carboplatin, and is given intravenously for three hours. That is followed by a drug called Taxol, which takes about 45 minutes to administer. These are both very standard drugs for ovarian cancer, and are generally 80% effective - a statistic we are feeling really happy about!!

Again, Vivi handled the chemo that day extremely well. It was certainly taxing, and there were all sorts of new sensations to adjust to, but all in all, she took it all in stride.

The first two days after chemo were pretty tolerable, just as we were told they would be. At that point the only major side effect was extreme fatigue. Despite the fatigue, she was still able to come up to the lake house, enjoy a few nice swims, visits from friends and family, and dinner on our deck. While she wasn't up to riding, Vivi was able to make it over to her barn to visit her horse (perhaps the thing that makes her happiest).

After the weekend, the side effects did start to take a stronger hold. Again, this was not a surprise as we were told days 3-7 after the treatment would most likely be the toughest, and they have, indeed, been tough.

The toughest side effects to deal with so far have been extreme leg and joint pain, combined with nausea, and a complete loss of appetite. In addition, my mother has to take many medications to try and help some of these symptoms, but hates the feeling of being so drugged up almost more than she hates the symptoms themselves. Another difficulty is that her palate has completely changed, and it is very hard to find food that she can actually stomach. So far, Wonder Bread with peanut butter, oyster crackers, and baked potato have been what she craves the most. As you can imagine, this has all made her feel extremely weak and tired much of the time (especially the Wonder Bread diet).

However, it hasn't all been terrible. We have an incredible support system to not only help us get through the symptoms from a medical stand point, but also to help keep my mother positive, and make the best of the moments when she isn't feeling so sick.

Luckily, Vivi seems to have made it over the hump of the hardest part of post-chemo. This is now her second day that she seems to be feeling almost back to normal, and enjoying another relaxing weekend up at the lake. We have also enjoyed the company and care of my sister Karina who flew in from England for the weekend. Her presence has undoubtedly lifted my mother's spirits, and we have spent a large part of the weekend laughing, which, in my expert opinion, is the best medicine anyone can take.

Today, Marko and David are coming for a visit, which means all five siblings will be under the same roof - a gathering which happens far too seldomly. However, when something like this happens within a family, it is amazing to see how everyone comes together, and how that time together is valued in a much deeper way. In fact, despite the hardship of this situation, we have actually had some of the best moments as a family that I can remember, and I am sure we have MANY more ahead of us. It has made me realize that this is how time should always be valued, and how much I have taken for granted throughout my life.

In my next post I will tell you about the wonderful team of professionals we are building around us - "Team Vivi" is what I like to call it - but for now, I just wanted to let you all know that while it has been a tough week, Vivi is getting through it, and seems to have come out the other side with a smile on her face.

Hopefully it will get easier from here as we now know what to expect in the next round of chemo, and how to better manage the side effect that follow. However, it is a learning process for all of us, and a process that will have to be tackled day by day.

Again, we could not get through any of this without all of your love and support, which continues to pour in. Not one card has gone unread, not one bouquet of flowers has gone unadmired, and not one phone call has been unappreciated. So, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Team Vivi would not be half as strong without you!

Welcome to Vivi's Blog!

Hi Everyone,

As most of you know by now, Vivi was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer two weeks ago. The cancer was found completely by chance during a routine CT scan on her lungs. It was then that the radiologist spotted some suspicious fluid in her stomach, and after many tests, it was confirmed that there was, in fact, a malignancy.

This past Tuesday, Vivi received a minimally invasive procedure at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, where she is being treated, called a laparoscopy. During the surgery, the surgeon used a camera to assess how everything looks from the inside. The goal was to confirm the origin of the cancer, assess the extent of the spreading, and determine the best course of action for treatment. Bottom line, there were no surprises. As previously predicted, from what they saw, they feel chemotherapy is the best first step. She will most likely start the treatment next week, and after 5-6 rounds (about 6 months), she will most likely need to have a larger surgery to remove whatever cancerous tissue the chemotherapy was not able to treat. From there, she will receieve another round of chemotherapy, and will hopefully be cancer free in about 8 months!!

Vivi was an absolute trooper during the procedure, and as usual, offered plenty of entertainment for the hospital's staff. Since there was a possibility that there would be a larger operation involved, each nurse that came in to prep her for surgery asked if she understood what procedure she might be getting (they don't want to remove someone's organs without the patient fully confirming they understand this may be a possibility). After being asked the same question about 5 times, in Vivi fashion, she decided to have a little fun with the situation and started to tell the nurses she was there to have a baby. She also later told me that she was very vocally admiring the rear-end of the nurse who rolled her into the operating room. I have no doubt that this unyielding sense of humor and mischevious spirit is what will get my mother through this process with the usual Vivi flair!

While no operation is fun, Vivi is healing extremely well. After a few days of hanging low at home - watching her soaps and chatting on the phone - she is already up and about, and heading out for brunch as we speak.

While we have a long and tough road ahead, we are all feeling extremely positive that between the wonderful doctors at Sloan Kettering, her lifestyle changes, and Vivi's undeniably strong spirit, she is going to get through this with flying colors!

Thanks to my father, Aaron, Kelly, and an incredible woman named Stefenie Sacks (http://stefaniesacks.com/hamptons/welcome-culinary-nutritionist-new-york.htm), my mother will be receiving the best in alternative healing along with her conventional treatment. This will include a very specific diet, doing plenty of exercise (a miracle, I know!), receiving acupuncture, and many other supplemental treatments.

Of course, we would not be able to stay as strong and positive without all the love and support from all of you. It has truly been overwhelming and incredible. In fact, there are so many people concerned with Vivi, that managing her fan club has literally become a full time job! Hence, the reason for the blog. We fully appreciate that everyone would like to stay as up to date as possible on Vivi's progress, and felt this was the best way to do so. While you will likely be hearing from me the most (sorry), this will be a forum for the rest of the family to also share their thoughts and updates. If you are lucky, you may even hear from Vivi, who, I assure you, will have the most entertaining posts of all of us!

With that said, we would also love to hear from all of you. As you will see, there will be an opportunity to make comments and share your thoughts after each post, and we please encourage you to do so. As I mentioned before, there is just no way we would get through any of this without all of you!

So...what's in store for this week?

Monday and Tuesday, Vivi will be meeting with two potential personal trainers who are going to whip her into the best shape of her life. I am voting for the man we are meeting with on Monday as his cute South African accent sold me off the bat:) In any case, positive changes are under way!

Wednesday, we have our first meeting with Vivi's medical oncologist, and should have a better idea of what her treatment plan will be on the conventional side. Once we have more of those answers, we will obviously keep you all up to date.

In the mean time, I hope you will all be doing exactly what we plan to be doing this weekend - enjoying the beautiful weather!

Until next time...