Good bye 2009

Ok 2009 was a really bad year for this family!! There are a few highlights but not many that happened. The biggest! Mark made it through it all and is now in remission and staying strong and positive.

I will do a little recap of the year that we want to forget with a couple exceptions.

As everyone who still reads this knows we started the year out by moving to Salt Lake City so Mark could be closer to the hospital to do the collecting of his stem cells. Then back home again in Febuary when he finished collecting.

A couple of good things did happen. Britt had baby Carlos in February.

Carlos Feb 16. 2009

First transplant was March 10th Mark got very sick, but still was home with me taking care of him there. Second transplant was June 16th it started off on a good foot, but then took a turn for the bad when Mark got a fever and ended up in the hospital. Several days in the hospital and then released on his birthday June 28th.

By July 30th the cancer was officially in remission. YAY!

July I also found my mother in diabetic shock and she spent several days in the hospital, then had to put her in the Nursing Home, hated that.

September, Mark’s friends put on a car show for him “Crusin for Strapper”. Again we can’t thank everyone enough for the out pour of friends and family that came to help out there. Thank you!

October, A couple of good things, Shane got his first deer. Mark’s hair came back FAST, dark black and curly

November was the last Thanksgiving with my mother. My oldest daughter and her boy’s were able to come to dinner, but Brooke was in the hospital and Britt was so sick she ended up in the ER that evening.

December has ended with the worst of all things. I had been putting off a surgery for a few years now. I felt that Mark was doing ok and that my mother was doing ok in the nursing home. So on the 2nd I went in for the surgery on the 4th I got a call from the nursing home that my mother has fallen and is being taken to the ER. Long story shortened... she had nothing wrong with her head.. BUT they had found on the CT that her heart was having problems. They said she was too weak to with stand surgery and gave her about six months. She passed away 48 hours later. Rest in peace my sweet mom, I miss you so much.

We did get everyone together for Christmas and that was a good thing and a real nice way of putting everything behind us for a little while.

So looking forward and hoping for a much better year to start. Being thankful that we are all here and that Mark has pulled through all this. My fortune cookie said " your troubles will cease and fortune will smile upon you" I can only hope it is right.

Thank you to all of you who have helped us get through this year in any way.

Bring on 2010!!

November '09'

This month has been quit event full. The starting was pretty quiet. Mark is still doing his Wednesday treatments and everything looks real good.

The closer we got to Thanksgiving though everyone had a mishap. Not Mark! Our daughter (Mark’s daughter) Brooke was going home from work and passed out on the UTA van. They ambulanced her to Tooele and they sent her to the University of Utah. At first they thought she was having seizers. The U found that she had bleeding going on in her stomach and went in and fixed it right away. She did miss Thanksgiving with her families, but it was a good thing they made her go in that ambulance. She is home and recovering nicely.

Then our grandson Carlos fell and ended up in the ER for a big bump and cut on his chubby head. No stitches, but one big goose egg. It is so wonderful when they are learning to walk.

Then Britt (my daughter) ended up with the flu and in the ER on Thanksgiving Day. She could not keep anything down and got very dehydrated. She missed Thanksgiving also, but is doing very well now.

Thanksgiving Day we had my oldest daughter (Toni) and her boys for dinner. I was able to spring my mom from the Nursing Home for a few good hours. She has not been doing so well the last few months so this has became a real challenge taking her out. It is a good thing I like a challenge every now and then.

sorry about the bad picture, my camera broke.

Dominick, Christopher and Mark. I am sure glad
Christopher didn't show us that mouth full.

Look Grandpa's hair don't come out no more!!


Then the boy’s took off for the dunes… I stayed home for my mom and other little thing that needed me here. They came back because something was wrong with the big red truck. So they unload everything and load up with Wes and went anyways. I love when he is doing what he likes to do the most. Of course he can’t ride but just being there makes his day.

OCTOBER- still in remission & Shane's deer hunt

Hello everyone, we haven’t stopped blogging we have been living life. We’re trying to get back to as normal of a life as possible. I still will keep everyone updated as things happen, tests are done and so on.

This month Mark has been doing tests like the bone biopsy, MRI’s and blood work to make sure he is staying in remission. This will happen every three months. He still will be going to the Huntsman for his treatments of valcade and Dex every week for a year, this is his maintenance. We seen Dr. Zangari yesterday (10-30-09)for his results and I am very happy to say Mark is still in remission and doing so well that some of the bone lesions are repairing themselves. This is rare but they are seeing more of it. He has been on a medicine that makes him grouchy, boy I am ready to run out the door some days. Doc changed it to a lighter dose we will see how that works. He also developed a rash that is called seborrheic dermatitis that he is being treated for on his face. Shhh its sensitive skin, but I didn't tell you that.

Mark has gotten hair in the last six or so weeks! So much on is face he can’t shave fast enough.

Mark and Carlos 9-6-09

10-09

10-09 No they are not Halloween pictures

Now I just realized I have left Shane out of the blog for October. Shane went to Grandpa Ken’s for the deer hunt this year like every year. Joe and Shane went up on the mountain Saturday morning and hiked around looking for the big one. Afternoon came around and Joe had to go home. Shane asked Grandpa if he could take the four wheeler up to the ponds above their house to look for deer. Shane had only been up there a few minutes when he heard shots. Around the bushes came a rhino with a couple of people. They asked Shane if he was hunting, Shane said yes. These people told him to come with them down in the brush that there is another one with the one they just shot. Sure enough there it was, the guy kept telling Shane to shoot. Shane was not quit sure it was a buck, but the guy kept telling him to shoot. He did, he got it. They went down to get it and on the way Shane was calling Mark at Grandpa’s (yep that is how close they were to home, he had cell service) Mark is thinking how are we going to get this deer. Mark can’t lift and Ken just had knee surgery. Just then Travis and Brooke showed up at the door. Quickly they all headed up the road. The nice men that help Shane shoot the deer had already cleaned it for him and were heading off with their deer. So Shane got his first deer with the help of strangers. I would like to thank them for being so kind to my kid. Most people would not have even stopped.

Shane's first deer (my mighty hunter) 10-09

Poor little 2 point

Thank you everyone!!!

I am sorry this has taken so long to put out a THANK YOU. We are still in shock to how many generous and carrying people you all are.

There are just so many people we want to thank. My words are just not even close to showing our appreciation.

I will just start with a special THANK YOU to Steve & Cindy Trujillo, to Tim & Susan Petroff and their family, Bill & Tracy Strickland and also J.C Hackett and friends. If it wasn’t for friends like you I don’t know were we would be. THANK YOU!!!

Here are just a few of the pictures of a 158 entrees.
This was before it all started.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!
Mark "Strapper" & Dianna

Here is a flyer for a car show for Mark. Incase you can not read the flyer…

Cruisin for “Strapper”
One mile at a time
Car, truck, bike show
Sponsored by
Casa del Ray – Tim Petroff – Strickly truckin
Sunday – September 20th
At Casa del Ray
533 E. Main St
Grantville Ut
$15.00 entry fee (includes T shirt)
Registration from 11:00 – noon
Show from noon to 4:30
Awards at 5:00
Food – Drinks – Raffle – Silent Auction

If you want to donate or have questions call
Steve 801-910-9586 or Tim Petroff 435-840-8189 – Bill Strickland 435-241-0162
Mark “Strapper” Allred was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a blood cancer. Mark has now received two stem cell transplants. (now in remission)

So spread the word, mark your calendar and come enjoy the day with music by J.C Hacett


By the way Mark's hair is finally coming back in. Mark's labs are still looking good and he is filling ALMOST back to his old self.

Weekend on the mountain

Mark has been filling pretty good lately. He was able to go up on the mountain with his family for a weekend. The Allred family heads up there every year about this time. He was able to relax and get some family time in and a little fishing to.
Mark really enjoys all the time on the mountain he can get. It was nice to get everybody up there this year.
Mark still is getting his valcaide and dex every Wednesday up to the Huntsman. This will continue for about a year. All lab work is still looking good. He is getting more energy and strength back every day.

Here are a few pictures of our weekend on the mountain

Mark blowing bubbles for Easton

The Allred line up

Mark showing Brooke how to hold her pole

well that worked

Mark showing Jax how to play horse shoes

A little entertainment, Easton singing Muddy waters

Shane on the top of the mountain

REMISSION!!!

With everyone's fingers crossed and prayers we have reached REMISSION!

Mark and I seen Dr. Zangari today and he went over all labs and the bone marrow biopsy. He is not showing any markers of the myeloma. Dr. Zangari was almost amazed at how well Mark has done. I am not going to get all technical here with numbers and charts. I will just tell you that Mark went from 95% down to 0.2%
Mark will still be on a maintenance program. He will go in for medications for the next year. They will do lab work and keep a close eye to make sure this cancer does not raise its ugly head back up.

We don't see Dr. Z for three more months.. No offence but YAY!
Dr. Z told Mark be careful with his back, but go do what you like to do. Of course use caution around sick people. It will still be hard for him to shake off an illness.

Mark still will tire easily and will need time to get his strength back.

So now i would like to thank just some of our team that has worked so hard to get Mark to this point.

FIRST MARK FOR BEING A FIGHTER

Dr. Zangari and Dr.Tricot

The Amazing Andrea Noordewier our PA

Our Coordinator Carol Neilson

Celeste and the girls in the Office Benadetta and Jenna

There are so many more to acknowledge, like all the nurses in the BMT Infusion room Katrina Dr Z's Nurse. All our family and friend's, all our new friend we have made along this journey

thank you to each one of you.
You are the one's that got us through the worst part of this.
Don't stop looking at Mark's page there will still be updates on how he is doing and what he is doing.

Starting to get out and about

Up to the Forth of July we had a hard time getting Mark to get up and do anything. He was starting to worry me. On the Forth he decided he wanted to go for a ride up the canyon. I didn't care were as long as he wanted to get up and moving, then I was on my way. So Shane, Mark and I took a ride up Middle Canyon and decided to go to the Copper Pit. It was a slow bumpy ride, so we went slow and easy for him.

.

That evening we watched our neighbor light off fireworks. (better than Tooele City) He also has a race car he likes to light the tires up on. Mark could not resist, he went home and got his car out and burned the tires up the street. Sorry it was to dark for the pictures. Sense then he has been moving around and doing things... Thanks Mike.

So this wanting to get out thing has brought us to today. Mark decided he wanted to go up to Trial Lake to go fishing. Mark invited his brother Wes to go. So Wes, Colton, Mark and Shane went fishing. They had a great mans day out. I stayed home to relax, that didn't happen.

And don't forget the ONLY fish Mark caught.. poor thing

Mark still has his up days and his down days, but is starting to have more up days. He still will go in for meds on Wednesdays. Also the bone biopsy and labs at the end of the month to make sure he has gone into remission.

GREAT NEWS!!

Mark and I met with Dr. Zangari on Wednesday to go over labs and to see were we go from here.

Dr."Z" said that lab work shows that Mark is at 0. This means that the myeloma is in REMISSION. Mark still has to do some tests, like the bone marrow biopsy, MRI and more labs in about four weeks to confirm all this for sure. Dr"Z" told Mark he can get out and do pretty much what he wants to. Just don't over do it he is still very weak and tired, he will have up days and down days.

Mark will be doing a maintenance program were he goes in to the Huntsman for labs and some IV med's for a year.

Dr "Z" strongly wants Mark to see Dr Schmitt again to see what can be done with his broken T5 vertebrae. This appointment will be about four to six weeks out.

I think this news has given Mark some good positive energy.

Her is just one of the test that shows the drop.

He got through this with everyone's thoughts, prayers and encouragement. Let's all hope he don't have to go through this hell for another 15 or more years.