Update on Ray

Hi guys. Regrettably we have some sad news from Ray.


My 13 year-old daughter has been diagnosed recently with a rare soft-tissue cancer named liposarcoma and she began her chemotherapy today. My wife started a blog/journal on www.caringbridge.org where you can read about her progress as my wife posts something everyday on it.The name of her website is carastock and just press on visit on the caringbridge site to see. Her prognosis is good and her cancer is limited to the original site and has not spread according to the PETscan.

Please keep Cara in your prayers

Ray

I read the blog Ray and I find it really well done. Hoping for the best of all possible outcomes my friend.

Greg

my thoughts and prayers go out to Cara and your family Ray.

Your family will be in our prayers every night.

Thank you guys! Cara has been reacting well to her treatment so far. It is only the beginning but she is handling it well. Besides the fact she wants to be home, ( who likes staying in the hospital) she is staying strong.

I will keep you posted and thanks again!

Ray

Great news Ray!

How are things going with Cara Ray? I have been out of touch, but thinking of your family and keeping you close my thoughts.

Welcome back! I'm sure you will have plenty of stories for us in the coming days. I hope it was all you dreamed it would be.

Cara has finished her second round of chemo(actually last Saturday) and this week has been holding down the fort(her room) trying not to catch any infection from anyone so she doesn't have to go into the hospital for a week or so to combat the infection. Her chemo sessions last a week in the hospital where she gets drugs continually. It knocks her out and when she gets home, her blood count is very low, almost non-existent, so we have to be very careful of fevers.

It seems she has survived the second round fairly well and she is going for a follow-up tomorrow at the Oncologist's office. If all is good, she will undergo a CT-scan, PET Scan and an MRi besides other tests because she will have surgery on the 25th to remove surrounding tissue from the removal of the growth back in May. If all looks good, they will scrap the remaining 4 sessions of chemo and go straight to radiation, which will be everyday(M-F) for 4 weeks. The radiation only lasts about 10 minutes. Not having the chemo would be a blessing. So we are praying for good results.

Thank you for asking and thanks to all of you for your support and prayers. SOmeone is definitely listening.



love you guys!

Ray

Jeff,

I got your mail on Friday and my wife told me that I got some mail and that I will be surprised when I saw it. Well, when I saw it was from you, I told my wife about the Canadian mail strike and she said, "no, No, look in the bottom corner"

I started to laugh as I saw what you wrote. As Jeff had addressed the envelope correctly, I wonder what the postal workers in Canada must've thought when they saw the Attn: Fantasy Hockey God being mailed to someone in the States.

Very cool and thanks Jeff. I was going to use it for my avatar but it didn't show properly.

This is what makes this group special.

Fingers crossed for the follow up Ray.

Hang in there.

G

Absolutely. We're all pulling hard for Cara. Thanks for the update, and I'm glad to hear that things are heading in the right direction.

Hello everyone,

Keep the prayers and support going. Yesterday's meeting with the radiology oncologist went really well. Her discussion with my wife and daughter brought to light that there in all likelihood will be no more chemo and the possibility of radiation is slight, all depending on the findings of the surgery but she did not think it will be necessary.

So, in a nutshell, the surgery could be the end of this ordeal. Let's hope that this is it.

I want to thank all of you for your support. It has worked wonders as you can see.

Now we can concentrate on hockey.

God bless you all!

Ray

GREAT NEWS RAY!! I hope everything goes well and be sure to keep us posted

Hey that is just great news Ray. I am so happy for you guys!

So happy in fact that I will race downstairs right now and open an ice cold beer and make a dramatic and very eloquent toast to your family.

While I am at it, I will go ahead and toast my fantasy hockey team as well! Can't hurt!

G

Ray,

I can only say that your family has been in my thoughts.

SCOOP

Good news Ray keep us posetd.

My daughter Cara went in for her post chemo surgery to remove some surrounding tissue from where the tumor was removed back in early May. The surgeon was very happy with the surgery and the pathology reports confirmed what he had seen and there were no more signs of any cancer. The original plan was for Cara to get 2 chemo treatments, surgery, then 6 more chemo treatments and then radiation for 6 weeks. Well, the results from the surgery and subsequent tests put the tumor board at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in a bind. What to do? Before the surgery there was talk of no more chemo and just do radiation. The decision was made by the board that Cara would NOT receive any radiation, but two more rounds of chemo would probably kill any rogue cell that may be lingering somewhere in her body. She handled the first two rounds so well and her body responded so well, they decided this was the best course of action for a cancer they have very little research on. She will begin her treatment on Thursday. Of course we were disappointed, but this is the course that we have been given and being these are the finest doctors in the world, we are looking forward to getting this done so that Cara can get on with her life. She will miss the start of high school, but she will be just fine.

Thank you all for your support and prayers and I ask that you continue to pray for Cara.

Ray

Hey Ray,

Well, we are certainly glad to hear that she is going to fully recover. That is the most important thing. I am grateful to hear that she is nearing the end of the treatment road, and will soon be able to get on with her life. Somebody so young and vibrant shouldn't have to deal with this.

I will keep your family in my thoughts and prayers.

Matt

Ray,

Very, very excellent news!

SCOOP

Hey Ray

Good news all in all there my friend. Positive that Cara will not need the 6 weeks of radiation.

Sending you enormous quantities of positive energy.

G