Help For A Friend

Mary Jo is doing fine and her strength continues to improve everyday however today she is very sad.  Our good friend and close neighbor Jon Homes, who is battling advanced stage colon cancer received some harsh news today. He was advised by his doctors to go home from the hospital today and go on hospice. Jon has made it quite evident today that he has 1 big wish. He wants to take the kids to DISNEY WORLD. He wants to be with his daughter Campbell, the first time she goes there.   Here come a big favor,if anyone has any contacts or can pull some favors to give Jon the this very important trip of a lifetime his family would be forever grateful.  You can read more about Jon on the Holmes family Blog.

Praying for a Hero



Jon Holmes and Mary Jo


















Mary Jo continues to improve and thanks to her faith in Jesus, her own determination and the strong support of family and friends, she is getting stronger everyday and well on her road to recovery.  Cancer is a very difficult thing to go through.  I have learned that strong support from family and friends is vital for a patients outlook, well being and overall success.  From the very first day after Mary Jo was diagnosed with stage IIIb breast cancer, our close neighbor and now close friend, Jon Holmes has been there offering both of us his support.  I don't know what I would have done without Jon and his wife Laura's support.  Jon was key in helping Mary Jo and I have comfort in the critical decisions that had to be made in the early days.  Jon knows what he is talking about because Jon was diagnosed several years ago with stage IV colon cancer.  Jon is a survivor and like Mary Jo, always displays has the best attitude.  Mary Jo and I feel so blessed to have Jon come into our life's.  Today, Jon could use all of our prayers as he is battling as hard as he can to keep his cancer manageable.  Jon has endured countless surgeries and over 90 cycles of chemo but with his resistance low, Jon came down with a stomach bug a week and half ago and has not been able to retain food or fluids since.  Jon is in the hospital today getting fluids and with all our prayers will be improving and coming home soon.  Jon, you are our hero.  Get well friend.



Jon, Laura, Blake
Campbell



Today is World Cancer Day

In memory of our moms, dads, brothers and sisters, children, friends and loved ones of whom there are so many.

This year has been one with too many diagnoses too close to home. For all the friends, family, loved ones, and those we don't even know...

Today is World Cancer Day - I'd appreciate it if you would say a little prayer.
A small request.. Just one line.
"Dear God, I pray for a cure for cancer. Amen"

Feeling a Little Better Everyday

Mary Jo's is four months cancer free today and her strenght and endurance continues to improve everyday from the numerous rounds of chemo and radiation.  Mary Jo's oncologist, Dr Gall cautioned Mary Jo that the cumulative effects from the cancer treatments will typically effect patients for a year or more after the last treatment.  Mary Jo has just recently gotten over a sinus infection that had been going around.  It seemed to takes several weeks for her to fully recover and she is feeling much better today.  The holidays were much brighter this year at the Burns house and Mary Jo and I are looking forward to a brighter 2011 and god willing, a cure for cancer so nobody else will ever again have to go through what people fighting cancer have to en dour on a daily basis.

Merry Christmas 2010

Mary Jo and I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.  We feel so blessed that Mary Jo has finished her cancer treatments and is on the road to recovery as a survivor.  Mary Jo is feeling stronger every month and looking forward to 2011.

Good Three Month Checkup

Mary Jo had her three month checkup visit with her oncologist, Dr Gall on Friday.  Dr Gall did a through review of Mary Jo's lab results and gave her a complete physical examination.  Dr Gall explained to us that Mary Jo's blood analysis numbers have now all returned to the "normal" range with the exception of a slightly elevated calcium count.  The elevated calcium count could likely be as a result of the calcium supplements Mary Jo has been prescribed to help combat the effects of the bone density depleting effects of the drug Arimidex.  Mary Jo will be taking Arimidex for five years following her last chemo treatment.  Dr Gall ordered a chest x-ray and a bone density test for Mary Jo prior to the next scheduled visit in March.  Mary Jo is feeling stronger and stronger each month since completing her aggressive treatments and surgeries. 

The next medical hurdle for Mary Jo is to determine the cause and cure for the intense pains she is feeling in her left shoulder.  Mary Jo met with orthopedic surgeon Dr William Simonet for a second consultation last week.  Dr Simonet ordered an MRI and a EMG test.  The MRI suggested to Dr Simonet that Mary Jo may be suffering from a bone spur in her shoulder.  The Electromyogram / EMG and Nerve Conduction Test was ordered to eliminate the possibility that the shoulder pain may have been a secondary issue and a result of possible carpel tunnel in her wrist and hand.  The EMG showed everything tested normal for Mary Jo meaning no nerve damage.  Dr Simonet wants Mary Jo to go to a physical therapist and if she does not get positive results there is always the option to have the bone spur surgically removed.

Happy Thanksgiving

Mary Jo and I would like to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving today.  We have so much to be thankful for this year.  I am most thankful that Mary Jo is healthy and cancer free this thanksgiving.  She has gone through so much.  Everybody knows that you lose all of your hair when you go through cancer treatment but it is a positive visual when that same person starts to improve after chemo and back on the road to recover and being cancer free.  Here is Mary Jo from last thanksgiving to today.

beautiful