Thursday was a perfect day for baseball and Team Rowan entered NY ready to play ball. Their star player (doctor) entered the batters box, dressed in her Team Rowan shirt, and said, “Hap, give me a sign. You may want to call in a sub, but not today….lets play ball”

The doctors at Sloan performed an embolization on the Pelvic mass. Hap followed the four hour procedure with intense nausea; however, has not experienced high blood pressure issues at this time. Like the prior embolizations pain management is a must…but, pain is a good sign the procedure is doing its job.

As of Friday evening, Hap was able to switch to pain pills instead of IV. With his determination and no unforeseen complications Hap will be going home today.

The Interventional Radiologist had planned on blocking two veins/arteries leading to the pelvic tumor. The artery that supplies blood to about 40% of the tumor was completely blocked. The doctor was unable to do the other one, as originally planned. (Prior to blocking the arteries liquid is directed through them to see where it goes. On the second one, the liquid stayed at the butt muscle and not the tumor; therefore, could not be blocked.) After multiple scans during the procedure the source of blood to the portions of the tumor could not be located. The doctor is very optimistic and still expects to get good results from the blockage that was completed.

Hap came out of his procedure on Thursday and his first words were….”did we win?” He is scheduled for a scan in about thirty days to measure the progress…at that point he’ll get his answer.

Team Rowan, consisting of Hap, Mary and friends Lisa and Nick, went to Sloan last Monday for three appointments.

Hap’s first appointment was for pre-surgical testing…EKG and blood work.

The second appointment was with Hap’s main doctor and for his treatment injection.

The third appointment was with the interventional radiologist who will be performing his next embolization. This is the same doctor that did the previous procedures.

On August 13th, Hap will have an embolization to the pelvic mass.
Although embolizations are not new to Sloan, one performed in this location will be a first. The last scan provided excellent pictures for the
radiologist and she feels very confident. Please continue to keep Hap in your prayers during another very difficult time.

It’s hard to believe Hap is coming up on a year since his diagnosis.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Hap!

Mary and the boys gave Hap a weekend of baseball for his birthday. He went with his friend Dave Hontz to Doubleday Baseball Camp for a weekend in July.
They played on a field that was a replica of the “Field of Dreams”. Hap felt like he was back in his old form until the pain of his sore muscles kicked in.

They played five games throughout the weekend. During one game Hap threw to Dave in a 9 inning win. When asked how he kept up his stamina, Hap replied, “ The adrenalin was rushing and I wanted to win so badly, I could taste it.”

“Team Rowan”, as Hap’s radiologist called them, went to Sloan on Monday, June 22, to discuss an embolization on the pelvic mass along with other options. It is obvious that there is no risk-free procedure. Interesting enough, when you embolize in the liver (which Hap had 2X) you are blocking up blood vessels that almost all go to the liver or liver tumors.
However, in other parts of the body the blood vessels may be supplying blood to numerous places or organs. Therefore, embolizing the pelvic mass has risks of blocking blood supply to other sources besides the tumor. To make an attempt to prevent this Hap is scheduled for a special CT scan to provide more information on the blood vessels. At this time Hap’s radiologist is looking at mid-August for the embolization. He has to return to Sloan on June 29th to receive his monthly treatment injection and meet with his main doctor.

“Team Rowan” may vary from appointment to appointment. On this particular day it was Hap, Mary, Bonnie and Lisa. However the “Team” REALLY consists of everyone supporting Hap whether with prayers, cards, researching info., attending appointments, text messaging, or simply listening.

Today Hap was back at Sloan for his monthly octreotide injection, an echo-cardiogram and an appointment with his doctor to review his scans. Of course, he brought extra ears to listen and digest it all…Mary, Ray and friend, Lisa.

The octreoscan(nuclear) and CT scan showed further improvement in the liver tumors. The pelvic mass and compromised lymph nodes show no significant change; which means, they remain stable at this time.

The REALLY good news is that there are no new lesions(tumors). Hap and Mary have requested the scans be sent to a doctor in Sweden this week for further evaluation. At this time, Hap’s doctor at Sloan does not recommend any further treatments while his condition is stable.

Hap and Mary have met so many interesting people at Sloan…from all corners of the world and each with their unique stories. There’s so much to learn from each one and strength to absorb.

Ray, and friend, Nick accompanied Hap into the city this past Wednesday. (Thank goodness for family and friends) Hap had an octreoscan and CT scan with contrast scheduled. Copies of these scans will be sent to the doctor in Sweden to review for possible treatment options. Hap had his nuclear injection in the morning and was told to return @ 4:00P.M.
This gave the guys four hours to walk around the city, taking in many sights and lunch at Time Square. They returned to Sloan for Hap’s one and a half hour octreoscan.
Needless to say, they were backed up and Hap did not get in until 5:30. Following that scan, he was prepped for the bi-monthly CT scan. After another long wait, Ray, Nick and Hap left Sloan at 9:00 P.M.
(Thanks to them for keeping Hap company on what turned out to be a very long day!)

Dad Luna returned to Sloan with Hap the very next morning to complete the second part of Hap’s nuclear scan. After a 2 hour scan, they were back on the FDR heading home.

Hap is due back to Sloan on the 27th for an appt. with his main doctor to go over his scans and to have another echo-cardiogram.

Mary, Brother Ray & friend Lisa accompanied Hap to his appointment at Sloan on Wednesday. Hap received his monthly treatment injection and blood work. Hap’s blood pressure remains a little high and he will follow up with his Cardiologist at Sloan in May. A new medicine was prescribed to combat the itchiness that Hap has been experiencing due to the compromised bile ducts in his liver.

After Hap’s exam and injection, they asked his doctor if she had time to discuss some research involving treatments that are available in Sweden on Neuroendocrine tumors. Without reservation his doctor was open to hear about it. Research has led Hap and Mary to another expert in the carcinoid cancer field, and they felt a strong need to share this with Hap’s doctor at Sloan. Several weeks back, after serious research, our advocate and friend, Lisa, prepared an email to this doctor in Sweden that outlined Hap’s medical history. In just 2 days after Mary sent the email, they received a reply from this doctor in Sweden with his recommendation for further treatment at his facility (especially addressing the pelvic mass). It is important to note that they are extremely pleased and grateful for Hap’s care to date, but feel the need to be constantly pro-active in his treatments. The doctor in Sweden would like to have a current nuclear Octreoscan and have it sent to him for further evaluation. By the information they sent to him, he feels that Hap is an excellent candidate for treatment with PRRT, which means radioactive treatment with 177Lutetium-DOTA-Octreotate.(this treatment is not currently available in the States) Hap’s doctor at Sloan is on board with this collaboration and suggested we also send him a current CT scan so that he can assess the liver. They feel more hopeful with this multidisciplinary approach, which Hap’s doctor is known for.

All the support and prayers from friends and family continue to give Hap, Mary, and their family, the strength and faith to move forward.