Contacts

Kirk and Patty Kucharski  Kevin Simmons
603-778-7219 603-231-4629 cell
   
Bob Parizo
603-498-7436 cell

Mark and Linda SimmonsGeorge and Heather Madore   
603-659-6833                    603-659-6264

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Detailed Health Update -

In early August, Brian wasn't getting the results that we were all hoping for with his Chemo-treatments.  He was given a few options......do nothing and have perhaps 6 months to live.  Continue with treatments as they are...and you could possibly live a couple of more years, but always with the tumor and it's effect.  Or lastly, we could increase the chemo to an extreme dosage and hope for the best.  The only problem with the last option, was that, his veins and/or organs would collapse and stop functioning. There was a risk that Brian wouldn't even survive the treatment, but it was the only option that would perhaps control the tumor.  Of course Brian chose the severe treatment.......he wanted to fight this with everything he had. 
Brian was admitted to Exeter Hospital(room 408), Mon.  This past week the side effects of his last Chemo-treatment really did a number on him.  He became severely dehydrated and weak.  He wasn't able to eat anything for several days.  This is actually his second hospital admittance because of those symptoms and past treatments....he's had 3.

Brian was told yesterday that his liver is failing.  There isn't really anything more that can be done. They have told him and his family that he has anywhere from 2-3 days to maybe 2-3 weeks.  
Sent: Friday, June 09, 2006 11:03 AM
Subject: Change of Treatment for Brian


> Hi, All,
>
> It has been some time since I last wrote an update and there have been
> some significant meetings and decisions as of late, so I thought this
> would be a good time to write. For those folks not living in New England,
> yes, we are still here, most of us anyway. Yes, it is still raining and
> most everyone I know is managing to stay afloat ... not stay sane mind
> you, but stay afloat just the same.
>
> I had a third CT scan performed about 3 weeks ago. Doctor Kulke thought it
> best to have another since he indicated there may have been conflicting
> readings on the second. There is an entire story there with my brother,
> Kevin, driving me down on a Sunday so that there would be fewer hassles
> with the entire affair. The story continues with me swallowing over half a
> gallon of barium milkshake in an hour and then the x-ray technician NOT
> being able to find a good vein in my left arm (due to scarring over the
> years) and the toxic fluid being injected under my skin, but NOT into my
> vein. The story continues with the other technician saying something like.
> "You have a pool of toxic liquid under your skin. Keep your arm elevated
> and you should be okay in a day or so." A second toxic fluid was injected
> into a vein in my right arm and the CT Scan was successfully completed.
> There is an entire story about that toxic day, but I will spare you folks
> such detail.
>
> Anyway, that scan came back as indicating that ALL of the tumors, the main
> one in my stomach and the others in my liver, were all shrinking. The pool
> of toxic liquid under my skin and my elevated arm for 24 hours all seemed
> worth it.
>
> Doctor Kulke ordered a second endoscopy to compare with the original taken
> in December. That was performed locally, at Exeter Hospital. About all I
> remember from that day is Mary Mielcarz and the group of friendly nurses,
> the doctor who performed the procedure, Doctor Ades, is a hot ticket, and
> that my father drove me there and home. Other than that, I was sedated or
> under the effects of sedation for most of the day.
>
> The results of the endoscopy were discussed with Doctor Kulke in Boston
> last Tuesday. Sort of a good news, bad news scenario. The good news is
> that areas of the tumor are hardening and two of the three biopsies taken
> came back negative while the third biopsy came back positive for carcinoma
> ... to be expected. The bad news is that the tumor is still bleeding, thus
> negating one of the chemo treatments Doctor Kulke had in mind, to work in
> tandem with the current treatment.
>
> The worst news from last Tuesday is that I lost another 10 pounds of
> weight. I am now officially 153 pounds, a weight I have not seen since
> seventh grade or so. Doctor Kulke and I discussed options and we decided
> to get more radical. Although the tumors appear to be shrinking, they are
> not shrinking fast enough to keep ahead of my weight loss. In other words,
> the tumor is winning the battle right now.





>
> I am scheduled to be admitted to the Brigham and Women's Hospital in
> Boston next Tuesday (Dana Farber is a clinic and has no patient beds that
> I know of) for five days of intensive IV chemo treatments. I opted for the
> in-patient stay so that my one kidney would be constantly monitored. I
> have been warned that there will be hair loss with this treatment so I
> just the other day had my long hair cut into a George Clooney special. I
> think I am looking damn good heading into this next week!
>
> I will be incommunicado next week and may be under the weather for a week
> or so after that. It all depends on the effects of the chemo and how tough
> I am at 153 pounds. I will write again as soon as I can.
>
> In the meantime, I am hoping for sunshine, warm weather, the Red Sox to be
> able to put together a winning streak, and positive vibes for next week.
>
> Take care.
>
> Brian
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2006 6:19 PM
Subject: Brian Update - 7/24/06


> Hi All,
>
> My brother, Mark, and I missed Sheryl Crow by two hours. While Mark and I
> were sitting in an eleventh floor waiting room, awaiting a meeting with
> Doctor Kulke, Sheryl Crow was visiting the tenth floor IV Infusion room,
> meeting and greeting patients. She even strolled the hallways with her
> guitar, playing the part of the minstrel. I understand patients and staff
> were moved to tears from the event. Meanwhile, Mark and I were sitting
> upstairs, in an empty waiting room, reading dog-eared copies of US News
> and Maternity.
>
> Later, by the time Mark and I made it to Infusion, Sheryl and the other
> patients were gone. I was the only infusion patient and Mark the only
> visitor as the remaining nurses were anxious to get home on a Friday. Mark
> and I thought about singing to the nurses, but decided that would be
> adding insult to injury and voted it down.
>
> The meeting with Doctor Kulke went okay. I am still experiencing
> significant weight loss and have officially added jaundice to the list of
> issues ... hearing something about bile excretions from my liver. Being
> concerned with the weight loss and slightly concerned by the jaundice,
> Doctor Kulke ordered the infusion for that afternoon and expedited the
> next 5-day round of chemo, moving the schedule up from the original 6 - 8
> week period. All other blood work and tests came back in my favor.
>
> I took an unofficial poll with the Gastro Oncology administrative staff in
> the lobby and discovered that jaundice is a better color on me than was
> the '"ashen" color I had been experiencing for weeks prior to that. I took
> that as a small victory in this ordeal and decided to find some clothing
> that would compliment this new skin tone of mine.
>
> We went to the IV Infusion area for a one-hour saline drip and
> complimentary steroid cocktail, leaving the hospital in the early evening.
> We drove home through the Fenway district of Boston with our windows
> rolled down: we caught Sheryl Crow's voice bouncing off all of the Fens
> buildings as she shared a bill with The Dave Matthews Band at Fenway Park
> that evening.
>
> I return to the hospital for the 5-day intensive chemo treatment tomorrow.
> I am very anxious to kick start the healing process and know that the
> intensive chemo treatments are the best means of that right now. I felt
> increased strength, energy, and spirit from the last visit and hope to add
> weight gain and skin tone adjustment to the period following this next
> round.
>
> Just yesterday my family returned from a Lyle Family Reunion (Mom's side)
> held in Castine, Maine. The reunions are held every other year, at
> different locations and I am so fortunate that this year's was held so
> close to home. The drive to and from was not overwhelming and the time
> with family is always magic ... transporting me back forty years to the
> time on my grandparents' farm while also taking me into the future as I
> meet new additions to the family and catch-up on the goings-on of family
> members.
>
> This past weekend was spiritually uplifting as I gained full-on family
> strength and inspiration from relatives who have survivor stories to
> share. Overall, it was the perfect way for me to prepare for tomorrow and
> the next five days. I am strong and confident ... if not a little bit
> yellow-skinned, yet, this too shall pass.
>
> I hope all is well with everyone out there I will write again sometime
> after the chemo treatments.
>
> With love,
> Brian



Following are Updates that Brian has written in the past couple of months.
Below we have added a detailed health update and a couple of emails that Brian sent out over the last couple of months.