Dallas Beats Timmy

Update: Dallas DuBose Memorial Fund

2010-03-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Family,

This week, contributions to the Dallas DuBose Memorial Fund amounted to $575.00 bringing the total raised thus far to $6,086.44. We are close to achieving 25% of our annual goal of $25,000!

We'd like to mention that a portion of this weeks donations were made by Tri for Dallas. Tri for Dallas is a grassroots fundraising effort spearheaded by our niece Maggie and her husband, Kevin Kelly. Last fall, Maggie and Kevin participated in the Escape to Miami Triathlon in honor of Dallas and raised $275 for our worthy cause. They did this by requesting $5 sponsorships for their efforts. As Maggie put it, " For many of us that's about the same cost as a trip to Starbucks, but here your money will do so much more." As you can see from the list of families we've helped below, she was right. Thank you Maggie and Kevin for advancing our cause in your community.

Last week, your generous donations to Dallas' Fund made it possible for the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children to distribute $300 to another family of child fighting brain cancer. Thus far, we've been able to distribute $5,528.80 in assistance to 8 different families!

Here's what you made possible last week:

DATE--AMOUNT--TYPE OF ASSISTANCE

3/8/10--$ 300.00--Gift card and gas card; 6 yr-old diagnosed with anaplastic PNET 12/09; receiving chemo; completed 6 weeks daily radiation; father has custody and is primary caregiver; family relocated from Panama City to Gainesville due to child's treatment needs; father struggling with transportation and food costs.

Past distributions:

3/3/10--$1,588.36--Mortgage payment, water bill, car payment & car insurance; 4-yr-old diagnosed with anaplastic ependymoma 12/09; tumor progression 2/10; receiving chemo; family has many medical bills because patient had no insurance at the time of diagnosis.

2/22/10--$2,000.00--Property Insurance; 24-yr-old diagnosed w/ glioneuronal tumor 3/09; receiving chemo; patient recently graduated college; parents purchased COBRA insurance plan for patient; additional expense caused great hardship for family

2/26/10--$300.00--Gas cards; 12-yr-old diagnosed w/ JPA 7/07; tumor progression 8/09; receiving chemo; in clinic wkly; maternal grandfather is primary caregiver; lives approx 230 mi/round trip from hospital

2/26/10--$240.97--Electric bill; 7-yr-old diagnosed w/ oligodendrogliomatosis 11/04; tumor progression 8/09; receiving chemo; patient not yet able to attend school; mom is primary caregiver & unable to work; dad is working day labor when possible as he looks for full time employment

2/26/10--$600.00--Gas card & grocery card; 11-yr-old diagnosed w/ brain stem glioma 11/09; receiving chemo; traveling 480 mi/round trip for treatment; will start radiation soon and will then have to stay in Jacksonville for 4-6 wks of daily treatment; add'l travel expenses causing financial hardship

2/26/10--$300.00--Gas card; 10-yr-old diagnosed w/ germinoma 1/10; receiving inpatient chemo; father's is only income; mom primary caregiver; traveling approx 480 mi/round trip for treatment; preparing for 6 wk stay in Jacksonville for radiation; travel expenses creating great hardship

2/26/10--$199.47--Water bill; 18-yr-old diagnosed w/ anaplastic astrocytoma 10/08; tumor progression 8/09; receiving chemo; patient just completed stem cell transplant; guardian/sister unable to work while patient on treatment

Again, thank you so much for your generosity and efforts! As you can see, it doesn't take much to have a tremendous impact in the life of a child. Please keep spreading the word.

Gratefully,

Shel DuBose
Jessica DuBose
Larry DuBose
David DuBose

http://www.firstgiving.com/dallasdubosefund

Dallas DuBose Memorial Fund of Brain Tumor Foundation for Children, Inc

2010-02-09T12:17:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Family,

As the anniversary of Dallas' death nears, we have been searching for a way to turn the sorrow of our loss into a benefit for others. Thus, we are extremely pleased to announce the founding of the Dallas DuBose Memorial Fund of Brain Tumor Foundation for Children, Inc.

Approximately 2,200 children and adolescents in the United States are diagnosed with a brain tumor each year. That is more than 42 children each week. Aside from the devastating emotional effects, the financial impact to a family of such a diagnosis is enormous. Often times, one or both parent misses work or even loses employment. Costs associated with treatment (including transportation, lodging, food, etc) add up quickly and when added to the normal household expenses (i.e. groceries, rent, utilities), can place an added financial burden to an already strained situation.

It is our hope that the Dallas DuBose Memorial Fund, through it’s involvement with BTFC, will help raise money so that we may offer direct financial relief to families of brain tumor patients. Our fund will help pay household expenses (i.e. mortgage/rent, utilities, phone, car payments) to families fighting this deadly disease. To begin with, we will focus on assisting those families being treated at the UF Pediatric Brain Tumor Program at Shands (where Dallas was treated) and the surrounding North Florida area. We are very excited to give back to those who gave so generously to us and to hopefully alleviate some of the stress associated with caring for a child with such a serious illness.

We are launching the Dallas DuBose Memorial Fund by participating in the 13th Annual Race for Hope-DC in Washington, DC on May 2nd. The Race for Hope is a 5k Run/Walk benefiting the National Brain Tumor Society and Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure. Our family, along with other family members and friends will be participating in the Race as Dally’s Dashers and our registration fees will benefit the Race for Hope.
WE NEED YOUR HELP! Our initial fundraising goal is an aggressive one of $25,000 for the year. This amount would allow us to distribute a little over $2,000 a month to struggling families. We are asking that you become a “soldier” in Dallas’ army and sponsor us in our inaugural event by visiting this link to Dallas’ page: http://www.firstgiving.com/dallasdubosefund

We urge anyone and everyone to take part in raising money for our inaugural event…tell your friends, tell your neighbors, tell your coworkers. Perhaps your club or organization, or your company or the company you work for, is looking for a cause they can support. In the coming weeks and months leading up to the Race, there will be other opportunities for you to become involved in various fund raising events such as bake sales, auctions, raffles, pong tournaments, etc. and we would be thrilled to have you join us in our efforts. No amount is too small; no effort unappreciated. For those of you in other communities who would like to take a more active role, this site might be helpful in providing some ideas: http://www.fund-raising.com/fundraising-ideas.php

Remember the estimated 2,200 children in this country that will be diagnosed with a brain tumor this year? They are your neighbors, your child's classmate, your niece, your nephew, your grandchild. Won’t you help us help them? It’s too late for Dallas, but his memory and spirit remains strong in us all. Your efforts and donations will ensure his legacy lives on.
Thank you so much for your support!
Sincerely,

Shel DuBose
Jessica DuBose
Larry DuBose
David DuBose

**For those planning to come to DC and participate in the race email Jessie DuBose at jessicadubose@gmail.com or Shel DuBose at sldubose@aol.com with your RSVP so that we may provide you with information on housing, events we are planning and costs estimates. We understand that these are trying times financially and that many of Dallas' friends are students so we have done a lot of research to attempt to tailor this trip to an affordable budget.
The deadline for online registration for the Race for Hope - DC is Tuesday, April 27 at 12 noon.

Please note the following links are only for those who are planning on participating in the Race and who want to register. All contributions should be made to the Dallas DuBose Memorial Fund at the link shown above.

Click here to visit my personal page.

If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
http://www.braintumorcommunity.org/site/TR/Events/RFH-DC?px=2255681&pg=personal&fr_id=1490&et=WigLJQBghPeiOoUXokKkzQ..&s_tafId=38260
Click here to view the team page for Dally's Dashers

If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
http://www.braintumorcommunity.org/site/TR/Events/RFH-DC?team_id=34490&pg=team&fr_id=1490&et=ziFGalpYPmDhJXbuvlPgIw..&s_tafId=38260

Tribute to Dallas

2009-06-12T07:13:00.000-07:00

Many of you have asked for a copy of the slide show that was shown at Dallas' visitation and funeral. Here you go..............

2009-05-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

Song for Dallas
Music and lyrics: David DuBose

Verse 1
Momma told me today that you don’t always have to be so tough
And she was right, so I held on tight, sat down and cried
‘Cause you were always tougher than I was
And I wasn’t even close to second place
So I can’t help but feel sorry for you (when you got no more time to waste) x2

Chorus 1
You say your destiny, with a smile upon your face
And I haven’t heard you cry, in at least a thousand days
But you know, as well as I do
That it wasn’t fair to you
That it wasn’t fair to you

Verse 2
And I realized today that you were always trying to protect me
Hiding your pain inside, and I was always blind, to find out why
‘Cause you were always a better man than I was
And I wasn’t even close to second place
So I can’t understand why they’re taking such a man (when he’s got so much life to grace) x2

Chorus 2
And you say your destiny, with a smile upon your face
And you never questioned why, I never once heard you complain
But you know, as well as I do
That it wasn’t fair to you
That it wasn’t fair to you
That it wasn’t fair to you
That it wasn’t fair to you
That it wasn’t fair to you

Song for Dallas - David DuBose
(Click the link above to listen)

2009-05-12T06:37:00.000-07:00

Safely Home

I am home in Heaven, dear ones;
Oh, so happy and so bright!
There is perfect joy and beauty
In this everlasting light.

All the pain and grief is over.
Every restless tossing passed;
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in Heaven at last.

Did you wonder how I so calmly
Trod the valley of the shade?
Oh! but Jesus' love illumined
Every dark and fearful glade.

And He came Himself to meet me
In that ways so hard to tread;
and with Jesus' arm to lean on,
Could I have one doubt or dread?

Then you must not grieve so sorely,
For I love you dearly still:
Try to look beyond earth's shadows,
Pray to trust our Father's Will.

There is work still waiting for you,
So you must not idly stand;
Do it now, while life remaineth-
You shall rest in Jesus' land.

When that work is all completed,
He will gently call you Home;
Oh, the rapture of that meeting,
Oh, the joy to see you come!

2009-04-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

David's 21st Birthday Party & Candle Lighting Tribute to Dallas
Because You Only Turn 21 Once!

Host: Larry and Shel DuBose

Start Time: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at 7:00pm

End Time: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at 12:00am

Location: 1753 Copperfiled Circle, Tallahassee, FL

Phone: 8502944894

Email: sldubose@aol.com

So we'll be sure and have enough burgers and dogs, please RSVP here or to sldubose@aol.com by noon on Tuesday, 4/28.

-Shel

Celebration

2009-04-21T20:26:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to thank everyone for all of their amazing support. It means so much to our family to see how loved and respected Dallas IS among so many. Although this is a hard road to travel for us all we are comforted by your continued thoughts and prayers. Dallas was an amazing brother to me and David and the least we can do to repay that honor is to pay tribute to him in all that we do.

In celebration of Dallas and David's birth and lives we would like to invite friends to our house at 1753 Copperfield Circle this Tuesday, April 28th at 7 PM for their 21st birthday. A cookout followed by a candle lighting and beer pong are on the agenda. We hope to see you all there.

And although Dallas is gone from us now, I hope you all realize that he did in fact beat Timmy. Timmy after all only gave him 3 months to a year to live in 2006. Dallas fought valiantly for nearly 3 years.

-Jessie

2009-04-15T06:22:00.000-07:00

Lawrence "Dallas" DuBose

Lawrence "Dallas" DuBose, 20, died at home Monday, April 13, 2009, of a brain tumor. He was surrounded by his family and was loved by many. The service will be at 1 p.m. EDT Friday, April 17, 2009, at Bradfordville Baptist Church. The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 16, at Bradfordville Baptist Church. Memorial contributions may be made to The University of Florida Foundation, Brain Tumor Program, P.O. Box 100296 Gainesville, FL 32610. Dallas graduated from Chiles High School and attended TCC. He was employed by Publix. Survivors include his parents, Larry and Shel DuBose of Tallahassee; his twin brother, David DuBose of Tallahassee; one sister, Jessie DuBose of Washington D.C.; his maternal grandparents, Charles and Jane Ault of Tavares; and numerous other family members. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, John and Molly DuBose. Bevis Funeral Home (850-385-2193) is handling arrangements.

http://www.legacy.com/tallahassee/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=126233238

The website for the Brain Tumor Program is:

http://www.peds.ufl.edu/braintumorprogram/donations.asp

Lawrence "Dallas" DuBose 4/28/88-4/13/09

2009-04-13T15:51:00.001-07:00

Dallas passed away at 4:58 this afternoon, surrounded by his family. He suffers no more and is in the loving arms of God.

April 8th Update

2009-04-08T06:59:00.000-07:00

Dallas' condition has continued to decline as expected. He received his last steroid dose Sunday evening. And the anti-seizure medicine we started him on last week was switched from capsules to IV Monday afternoon. He's sleeping peacefully most of the time with a few restless moments here and there. Swallowing has become very difficult and he hasn't had anything to eat, nor has he wanted anything, in several days. We are able to get a few droppers of water or apple juice down him a couple of times a day. Most importantly, he's not in any pain. He said his head hurt a little bit yesterday morning and I gave him a small dose of morphine. He hasn't had a headache since but we have both liquid morphine and IV on hand if needed.

The outpouring of love and support has been simply amazing. So much food, sodas, paper products, etc has poured in that we are now storing some items at several neighbors. Dallas is so loved and our family is so very blessed. Thank you all.

Until Monday, a steady stream of kids made daily visits. Things have slowed a bit now, as we have become more selfish of Dallas' time. I also have to share with you that Dallas' twin brother, David, has been incredible....seldom leaving Dallas' side. He lovingly cares for him....lifting him, repositioning him, and joking with him. Dallas' older sister Jessie has also been a steady source of strength and support for him.....also lovingly caring for him, sitting by his side and making sure his favorite music is always playing softly in the background. Through it all, Dallas, as usual, takes it all in stride.....not one complaint has been uttered. What a remarkable young man he is.....how courageous and brave. He is the epitome of grace.

Shel

In Good Company

2009-04-04T06:52:00.000-07:00

Dallas' condition has been fairly stable since our last post. A hospital bed was delivered Tuesday afternoon so he now has the best seat in the house, right in front of the TV allowing for endless Cash Cab, King of Queens and Sports Center viewing. He also seems to think the bed's controls are a toy as he likes to trick us on which position he's putting it in and to test how high it will raise. This just proves how strong Dallas is and how resilient his spirit is. No one is safe from his signature barbing.

Numerous friends have been in and out throughout the week and the last of the family from Orlando arrives today. Dallas' friends are amazingly supportive and he perks up everytime they visit. The outpouring of love and support is truly a sight to see. We've had so much food and supplies donated that we've run out of places to store it all. Luckily we have understanding neighbors with extra fridge space.

Thank you as always for the unwaivering support and prayers.

-J

Visits

2009-03-30T23:15:00.000-07:00

Dallas' condition has declined dramatically since Friday. We left Tallahassee Friday afternoon for our grandparents' house in Tavares where we had planned a family gathering on the lake. Dallas was able to walk Friday with assistance, but by Saturday morning he was in a wheel chair. We've stopped all chemo and his doctor has made the referral to Big Bend Hospice. We stopped at Shands on our way home so Dallas could see his doctor and returned to Tallahassee Monday night.

We are so grateful to everyone for all of their support, thoughts and prayers. But most of all we're so grateful that Dallas has had such wonderful people in his life.

** A special note to all of Dallas' friends. Please come and see him whenever you can.....you're always welcome...day or night. **

-J & S

Defeat of the Platelets

2009-03-24T14:47:00.000-07:00

Just as we always knew he would, Dallas definitely stuck it to those stubborn platelets. They were at 271,000 today! He had his weekly trip to Shands this morning which confirmed that his platelet level was still on the rise. He hasn't had a nose bleed in over four days!

Dr. Smith decided that since the platelets were so high he had the green light to begin taking Rapamycin along with the Tarceva he takes daily now. Both are oral chemo treatments which we're hopeful will slow Timmy down.

The numbness in his left side continues as does his neverending appetite, as demonstrated Saturday night during a BBQ with all his friends at the house. We had a nice turn out with about 20 or so people gathered around to eat burgers and play a little Beer Pong. Sunday included boating down at St. Marks.

Dallas is staying in Gainesville tonight to watch the Gators play in the NIT. Hopefully he'll continue to be their good luck charm. GO GATORS!!

Springing Forward

2009-03-17T17:23:00.000-07:00

With the new season coming what better time to start a new treatment? Dallas' platelet level is still climbing (at 64,000 today!) and his oncologist feels comfortable enough to start him on a new drug. This time it will be administered orally with a weekly visit to the oncologist in Gainesville.

The trips down south will keep on coming. Next weekend, the family (excluding myself sadly) will spend some time at the Grandparents lake house and again two weeks after that for Easter. Jonathan and I will hopefully be able to make that trip and escape what seems like a never ending "northern winter".

Another small vacation is being planned for a long weekend at the Suwannee River, where our Granddaddy used to have a house. And of course there's still the trip to visit the most awesome sister in the world in DC at the end of April.

Let's see those platelets try and beat all that!

-J

Home Sweet Home

2009-03-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry for yet another delay. Dallas was released from Shands Monday evening and arrived back in Tallahassee on Wednesday night just in time for my visit. We've all been so busy since then that updating kept getting pushed back.

As of Friday morning Dallas' platelet level was still rising and had reached 31,000. Since my arrival, mom and I have been working hard on keeping up with his never ending appetite.

Symptoms such as numbness in his left side associated with the tumor have started to surface. On Tuesday he will make another trip to Shands to meet with Dr. Smith (his NO) to discuss the next step in treatment and possibly have an MRI. The MRI will help them to decide exactly what his options are and the best one to move forward with.

Since I've been back we've been very busy with excursions to the Junior Museum (now known as the Tallahassee Museum, but we'll never acknowledge the change), the beach at Alligator Point, watched numerous FSU basketball games (they just lost the ACC Championship unfortunately) and sat by the pool for a cookout. It's been a great visit filled with lots of laughter as usual, and I'll be very sad to leave tomorrow. Tonight David has promised to kick all our butts in Apples to Apples.

We'll see.

-Jessie

PS - New photos have been uploaded on the right. More will be posted soon.

Temperamental Platelets

2009-03-09T09:01:00.000-07:00

It has been a roller coaster of a weekend, for the platelets anyway. After coming up to 15,000 on Friday they dropped again to 7,000 on Saturday. The doctors believe that surprisingly the Avastin (chemo) Dallas has been on since October may actually have caused the drops.

As of this morning his platelet count has risen to 15,000. They believe the increase is because they have taken him off of all meds and started administering steroids. When his counts reach 75,000 a new treatment path will be discussed and implemented. Hopefully sooner than later.

Poor Dallas seems to be bored out of his mind. He feels good and was finally allowed to go out for a walk yesterday but will not be released from the hospital until his counts reach 20,000. Dr. Smith (NO) seems to think that will be tomorrow or Wednesday if the rise continues. Until then he will have to occupy his time with episodes of Jerry Springer and Oprah.

That's all for now. Hopefully tomorrow will bring a post of hospital exodus.

-J

Message Board for Dallas

2009-03-06T10:39:00.000-08:00

Aside from leaving messages on here for Dallas, I also encourage everyone to use the Shands website:

http://www.shands.org/Public/message/default.asp

Dallas will probably be there for the rest of the weekend so anything you send via that site will definitely reach him.

I know he would appreciate hearing from you all!

-J

Platelets Need Attention Too

2009-03-06T09:11:00.000-08:00

Everyone,

I've started updating Dallas' blog again with updates I've sent to friends since our smooth sailing has apparently ended.

I spoke too soon when I wrote last and said Dallas was reacting well to treatment. With the new drug that has been introduced into his bi-weekly infusions it takes 2-3 days for the side-effects to take hold. The weekend following that treatment (the weekend of Valentine's Day) he got sick, lost his appetite, felt constant nausea and had muscle aches that lasted for about two days.

Since then he was doing fairly well. He continued back with his classes and working regularly. However, on Monday he went for his weekly blood work, which monitors red and white cell and platelet levels, and found that his platelet level was down. Platelets help to clot the blood and prevent excessive bleeding if you have an injury, nosebleed, etc. He had two very heavy nosebleeds this weekend that took a long time to stop which now makes sense (he's always had one here and there and they have become more frequent during the past few years of treatment). An average person's platelet level is anywhere from 150,000 to 400,000. His was at 15,000. A transfusion was ordered for Tuesday. The next day his counts had barely risen. Yesterday they gave him another transfusion. His level still fell to 9,000. 8,000 is where it becomes extremely critical.

His oncologist, who is at Shands about 2.5 hours from Tallahassee, wanted to admit him there immediately so my parents drove him down last night. Since then his levels are up to 14,000, still not good. The problem is the transfusions are not working, the blood seems to be "eating them up". More tests are being done to make sure there is no internal bleeding, especially around the brain.

I've done some research on my own to see what the possible next steps would be but I'm not that bright so this pretty much came up fruitless. Obviously finding the cause of the constant drop in the level is key to determining what how to move forward. They don't seem to think is it the new drug since he hasn't had that since the middle of February (that drug is only given every other infusion). The drug that is given every bi-weekly infusion started in October so that is a very unlikely culprit as well.

The confusing thing is that he seems to feel fine. He had a headache briefly last night when the levels were at their lowest but that went away before he was admitted to Shands. This morning he has some bruising and little red spots which are very common when someone has levels this low. But again, he seems to feel fine and still has his appetite. Shands is an amazing facility with lots of good food and he's definitely taking advantage.

Today he is going be doing a lot of testing. A CAT Scan will be done to check for internal bleeding and a host of other tests will be conducted until the cause is found.

I'm afraid that's the only information I have for now. I made arrangements weeks ago to go back to Tallahassee this Wednesday to hang out with him after his next infusion (which includes the drug that made him sick a month ago) in case he felt terrible. As of right now I will stick with those plans. I'll update you all when we hear something, which hopefully will be soon.

Much love,

Jessie

Next Plan of Attack

2009-02-12T09:08:00.000-08:00

Everyone,

It took longer than we were expecting to hear back from Dallas' NO (Dr. Smith) about what the next step should be; however, she was at a conference in Atlanta and was able to discuss with other doctors Dallas' condition and get their feedback on what to do next.

We are going to begin Avastin plus Carboplatin, which was actually started today (February 12th). When Dallas did his intense chemo back at the beginning of 2007 he did another platin drug which he responded well to. This is why they decided to keep him on Avastin and try Carboplatin instead of the CPT drug...I have no idea what I'm talking about by the way.

They are discussing some other treatment options that my mom has done research on and which can hopefully be used as a backup. There is also a trial she just discovered they are doing at Duke on immunotherapy...or vaccines. Always before Dallas didn't qualify for vaccine therapy because to develop a vaccine, they had to be able to get enough tumor material to work with (and as many of you know his tumor is inoperable). It seems now that they are developing the vaccines through blood samples. Dallas' tumor may be too advanced to go this route, but we're going to discuss it with his NO in any case.

So, his bi-weekley schedule of going to Shands in Gainesville for 1 day of infusion will continue for the time being. His, along with David obviously, 21st birthday is coming up at the end of April. As long as he reacts well to this chemo (some possible side effects include a stronger attack on the immune system - aka low blood counts, loss of hair, etc.) we are planning on doing a trip to New Orleans the first week of May for their annual Jazz Festival or possibly a trip to DC to see their most favoritist sister ever.

My family and I appreciate all of the kind words you all have sent throughout this and the past two and a half years. Without your support this would be an impossible road to travel.

Best wishes,

Jessie

That Timmy Can Be A Real Jerk

2009-02-06T09:02:00.000-08:00

Everyone,

It has been over a year. A year filled with good and bad scans, but an amazing year for Dallas in any case. He did really well in school in the Spring and Fall of '08, went to the Keys on a week long vacation over Christmas, got to see the the Gators win another National Championship game in Miami this January and was able to spend a week with his favorite sister in DC this past summer. Oh to be 20 again.

So, on to the Timmy update:

As most of you know, December's MRI showed a reduction in the size of the tumor which meant it was positively reacting to his current Chemo regimen of Avastin/CPT-11. Even his Neurological Oncologist, Dr. Smith, was pleasantly surprised.

Dallas' MRI Tuesday, February 3rd, however, was not so good. He has at least 2 new areas in the temporal lobe (Google it because I'll butcher any explanation) where tumor cells have migrated by way of white matter pathways from the original tumor site. Dr. Smith stopped all treatment Tuesday (he did not get his scheduled Avastin/CPT-11 infusion nor did he start his monthly dose of Temodar) while we search for a new treatment plan. Dr. Smith is going to talk with Dr. Friedman (Duke) and Dr. Fine (NCI) today as well as with another doctor at MD Andersen to see what their recommendations are for a new treatment and how to proceed.

Meanwhile, Dallas remains without symptoms.....in fact, he seems better than ever. Needless to say, we were all fairly shocked to find that Timmy wasn't going to continue to cooperate.

Hopefully, these amazing doctors will find a new path for us to travel and Dallas will continue to live a full life beyond the constraints Timmy layed out for him more than 2 years ago.

That's all for now. I'll try and keep you all updated over the next week or so as more news becomes available.

Love,

Jessie

No News Is Good News

2008-01-14T07:41:00.001-08:00

Well, it certainly has been a long time which is probably a good thing. With little to report I'm afraid we've gotten lazy on the blog front. Dallas is doing really well. In fact, he started school last week. His scan in September showed that the tumor had decreased which even shocked the doctors! Another scan in December showed no decrease in size but also no growth.

The family had a wonderful Christmas spent at our lake house in central Florida. Dallas still has his unique sense of humor in tact which was evident by the "I intend to look this cheap" cocktail napkins he gave me as a stocking stuffer.

Everyone's continued support and prayers mean the world to us; without them, this past year and a half would have been a far heavier load to bare. We continue to seek further treatment options to assure Dallas wins his battle over Timmy. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers; in return we'll try and provide more updates! :)

Jessie

May Update

2007-05-15T11:32:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Just a short update to let you know how things are going. Dallas had a PET Scan and MRI yesterday at Shands. The GOOD NEWS is there is no new tumor growth! In fact, Dr. Smith said she couldn't locate the two large blood vessels that have been feeding the tumor. We are happy with this report. However, it seems the shunt which was placed to alleviate the accumulation of fluid in the ventricles is not functioning correctly and requires surgery. Dr. Pincus, the neuro-surgeon at Shands will be performing the surgery on Thursday (May 17th). The surgery is not supposed to be extensive and we should be back in Tallahassee on Friday.

xo,

Shel

Aloha!

2007-04-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

Aloha Everyone!

We're in Hawaii for Dallas' Dreams Come True trip and having an incredible time!
I wanted to share some of the pictures (and there are quite a few) we've taken so far.

Just go to http://picasaweb.google.com/jessicadubose and click on Hawai'i (161) for a slideshow.

Mahalo!

Shel

April Update

2007-04-11T05:27:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

It's been awhile since I've updated the blog...the old adage "no news, is good news" sure has rung true!

We do have some good news to report. Dallas had his follow-up MRI this past Monday at Shands. The report showed a slight reduction in the size of the tumor. This means the 3 chemo treatments and subsequent stem-cell transplants can be considered successful. Dallas will continue on his maintenance chemo regime and return to Shands in early July for another MRI. Our hope is the tumor will remain smaller and not start to grow again.

Dallas is feeling much better and getting stronger everyday. He still does not have much of an appetite as the heavy chemo has affected his taste buds. This will improve in time, as will his strength and stamina. He stays busy with household chores, visiting with friends, going to movies, watching sports shows, playing basketball....the usual activities every 18 year-old boy enjoys! Last week, unbeknownst to me, he even submitted his application for the Fall term at TCC! He hopes to return to work part-time after our trip to Hawaii.

Speaking of Hawaii! We leave for Dallas' "Dreams Come True" trip on Friday, April 20th. Prior to our departure, the Tallahassee representative for the Dreams Come True organization will be taking us to dinner at Bonefish to tells us all about Dallas' meeting with Jack Johnson, our accommodations and other activities they have planned for us. Jack Johnson is the headliner at the Kokua Festival, a benefit concert held annually at the Waikiki Shell in Honolulu. Dallas will meet Jack Johnson before the concert on Saturday, April 21st. Other plans include a trip to Pearl Harbor, Swimming with Dolphins and Snorkeling tour, a tour of the island including Diamond Head and several waterfalls, a dinner cruise, and finally, a relaxing day on Waikiki beach. We return home from our adventure on Friday, April 27th.

I also want to bring your attention to the foundation and event that we are working with in order to raise money for families like ours. A dear friend who has been an incredible support to us, Carla DeLoach, together with The Brain Tumor Foundation for Children will be holding a huge garage sale on Dallas'(and David's) birthday, April 28 in order to raise funds for families who may need emotional support and financial assistance while seeking treatment for an illness similar to Dallas'. Please read more about the event at http://www.firstgiving.com/tallahassee or you can click the "Firstgiving" benefit link on the right hand side of this page. We appreciate anything you can do to assist us with this meaningful fundraiser.

As always, Dallas and our family cannot begin to express our appreciation for everything you all have done to lighten our hearts during this difficult time. We are blessed indeed!

Much love,

Shel

Home, Sweet Home

2007-03-15T07:15:00.000-07:00

After spending more than 2 1/2 months in Gainesville, Dallas and I have finally returned home! We are both thrilled to be here!

Dallas is doing well. His blood counts are slowly returning to normal after his last stem-cell transplant. His platelets have been the slowest to rebound. He required platelet infusions the last 10 days we were in Gainesville, but they are finally approaching normal levels. His appetite is improving and he's feeling alot better than he has in weeks. He's out and about.....so you'll be seeing him around!

We go back to Shands in early April for a follow-up MRI. Right now, Dallas is on a chemo regime of tamoxifen as maintenance. Tamoxifen has few side effects and will not adversely affect Dallas' blood counts. In April, after the MRI, the plan is to re-evaluate his treatment needs.

We are all looking forward to our trip to Hawaii in April for the Jack Johnson concert. Dallas will have an opportunity to meet Jack Johnson before the concert. The organization that is planning this trip, Dreams Come True, is an awesome group. They have planned several side excursions such as hiking to waterfalls, swimming with dolphins, and snorkeling. What a wonderful experience this is going to be!

Again, we can't thank you enough for your many warm thoughts, cards, emails, phone calls, and your prayers. It's great to be home. I don't think there is a more beautiful place in the spring than Tallahassee.....and I don't think a family could be any more blessed than we are with such good friends and family.

Much love,

Shel

Good News

2007-02-15T07:14:00.000-08:00

Everyone,

We have some good news to share! Dallas' oncologist had been out of town at a conference last week when Dallas had his MRI. As I shared earlier, the MRI report came back as "no change". However, I talked with Dallas' doctor yesterday and she had just finished reviewing his MRI herself. She feels the tumor IS responding to treatment!!! She explained there is some edema (swelling) around the tumor site which is referred to as "treatment effect" but she does see some necrosis (dead cells) of the tumor.

Larry and I were naturally overwhelmed by joy at this news. Dallas, in his usual, dry humor, responded with a simple "cool".

Dallas has finished this final round of chemo yesterday. He'll rest today and tomorrow and will receive his third stem-cell transplant on Saturday. We should be released to the hotel on Sunday. Hopefully, we'll be able to come back to Tallahassee two weeks after that.....I hope the azaleas will still be in bloom then!

Other exciting news.....all children who are treated for cancer here at Shands qualify for the Dreams Come True program. One of Dallas' dreams was to meet Jack Johnson, a recording artist. Well, Jack Johnson lives in Hawaii and is on hiatus this year. However, we just found out that he is giving a special benefit concert in Honolulu on April 21st. Dallas gets to attend the concert as Jack Johnson's special guest...and he gets to take his family!

Thank you all again for your prayers and thoughts through this ordeal....we can't express our appreciation enough.

Love,

Shel and Dallas

"No Change" is a GOOD thing!

2007-02-08T12:02:00.000-08:00

Everyone,

Dallas had an MRI yesterday. The report came back as "no change" which is better than the last report of "new growth". We were hoping it would show the tumor had shrunk.....but we're grateful it's not growing. He was scheduled to start his 3rd and last treatment tomorrow but his platelets were low today so they are giving him a platelet transfusion and have postponed the treatment until Monday. He'll be in the hospital for the usual 6 days and then we'll need to stay in Gainesville for at least 2 more weeks after that while his blood counts rebound to normal.

Other than low platelets, Dallas is doing great! He's been feeling better....not as tired as he was and the nausea has disappeared. Of course, much of that will return during his final treatment, but he's anxious to finish up and get back home.

We miss everyone and can't wait to get back to Tallahassee!

XOXO,

Shel

Update

2007-01-24T06:45:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

Dallas has completed his second round of chemo and will receive his second batch of stem cells today. This time around has been harder on him. He's experienced daily bouts of nausea, doesn't have much of an appetite, and sleeps quite a bit. These side effects will lessen soon and I know he'll be feeling much better by the weekend.

He should be released to the hotel tomorrow (Thursday). He's anxious to get out of here for awhile! His spirits are still good and he jokes alot (between naps).

More later.

Shel

Championship Hoopla

2007-01-15T10:18:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I'm updated Dallas' blog and I apologize for the delay. We've been busy!

Dallas is doing great! His blood counts are back on the rise which is a good indication that his stem cell transplant is taking hold. Last Thursday he had to have a platelet transfusion and will have another one tomorrow. He's eating well, sleeping well, riding the exercise bike in the hotel workout room, and in great spirits. We've been to a couple of movies; We Are Marshall (great!) and Night at the Museum (so-so). He's also been to two Gator basketball games.

His biggest thrill has most definitely been all the hoopla going on here in Hogtown associated with the Gator National Championship win. The night of the game both of my brothers came up from Orlando and Larry came from Tally to watch the game with Dallas. After the win, they all wanted to go down to University Avenue to join in the celebration so I dropped them off and they walked down to the stadium. The traffic was bumper to bumper and horns were blaring. University Avenue was blocked off, just as they do on Tennessee Street in Tallahassee. It was wall-to-wall people and lots of excitement!

The next night (Tuesday) the Gator basketball team played Arkansas and it was rumored the football team would arrive home from Arizona and make a surprise showing at halftime. Needless to say, Dallas wanted to go to that too....so we did and the championship team showed up as planned.

Saturday was the championship celebration at the stadium. After spending the morning at the hospital getting his blood count checked, Dallas' met up with Larry and my brother Jim and headed to the stadium. Dwayne Thomas met them at the south end-zone and took them down to the weight room where Dallas had his picture taken with Chris Leak. He brought his Sports Illustrated commemorative issue with him and was able to get Andrew Caldwell, Jarvis Moss, Percy Harvin and Chris Leak's autographs.

Then finally, on Sunday, Dallas ran into the Gator place kicker, Chris Hetland, at the GatorFever souvenir tent and got his autograph as well.

As you can imagine, Dallas has really enjoyed all the events. We're all very grateful too that Dwayne was able to take the time to meet with Dallas and get him behind the scenes. What an experience!

Since Dallas is doing so well, the doctor's have stepped-up his treatment schedule. Orginially, he was to be given his chemo in 3-28 days cycles. The doctor's have now decided on 3-21 day cycles. Dallas is scheduled to start his 2nd cycle on Friday, January 18. Dallas and I are disappointed that we won't be able to come home for a week as planned earlier, but we're both happy the treatment will end sooner. Dallas will have to stay in the hospital again for the 6 days of his treatment and then will be released to the hotel we're staying at.

As soon as I can arrange to download some of the pictures we've taken, I'll post them for all to enjoy.

Everyone is great here. All the doctor's and nurses; the hotel staff; everywhere we go.....the people are so kind and caring. Life is good....God is great!

Love,

Shel

Happy New Year!

2007-01-02T19:34:00.000-08:00

We hope everyone enjoyed bringing in the New Year! Dallas, Brittney, Larry and I spent the evening in Dallas' room in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Shands. We laughed and giggled until our sides hurt while playing Uno and listening to music blaring from his new Ipod speaker he received for Christmas. It was a great New Year's eve. Brittney and Dallas shared a bottle of sparkling grape juice at midnight while watching the ball drop at Times Square.

Dallas has completed his first round of chemotherapy and will receive his stem cells tomorrow morning. He's doing well and has experienced the normal side effects expected from the strong regimen of drugs he's received. His sense of smell has been adversly effected making most foods intolerable to him and consequently his appetite is poor. One of the side effects of thiotepa(chemo) is the drug leaves his body through his pores which requires frequent bathing. As a result, his biggest complaint is the showers and complete change of clothes he has to make every six hours! The boy has never been so clean!

After his stem cell infusion, Dallas will stay in the hospital another night and hopefully be released on Thursday. We've found a nice, lake-view, motel near Shands to spend the next two weeks. During that time Dallas will make frequent trips to the hospital so that his blood counts can be monitored closely. He'll probably require a few transfusions until his stem cells kick in and his counts rebound. Then, we'll get to come home for a week before his next round of treatment starts.

All and all, we're doing fine. Dallas' spirits are good and thankfully there's been plenty of football on TV to keep him occupied.

Here's wishing everyone a healthy and joyful 2007!

Shel

Merry Christmas

2006-12-25T13:37:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone a very 'Merry Christmas'. We've spent the holiday with family at our grandparents' lake house in central Florida. We've just barely survived the marathon present opening.

Dallas will start treatment later this week. We appreciate everyone's support and comments. We're blessed to have had such a wonderful holiday together with all of you.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Jessie

Holiday Update

2006-12-15T07:17:00.000-08:00

Just a small update for those of you who are wondering the status of everything. All is well. Dallas will start treatment the day after Christmas at Shands, which will be nice since it's so close to Tallahassee and our family in central Florida.

We'll be spending Christmas at our Grandpa and Grandma's house on the lake in Tavares; always a beautiful place to spend the holidays. Dallas and David are really enjoying spending time with all their friends that are also home for the holidays. David's girlfriend, Alice will be home from Boston next week sometime and Brittney has her last final today at TCC. Also, I'll be coming home a week early (tomorrow) to spend some much needed time with the fam.

Thank you again to everyone for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. You've all helped in some way to give us the strength we've needed throughout this ordeal. We're all very grateful and please continue to pray.

Jessie

Grace

2006-12-11T05:34:00.000-08:00

This past Friday, Dallas and I went down to Shands for his PET scan. PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scans are used to examine the effects of cancer therapy by characterizing biochemical changes in the cancer. The procedure is much like an MRI sans the noise.

While we were there, I talked with Dallas' doctor and we discussed the merit of clinical trials that Dallas currently qualifies for. Clinical trials have specific parameters that a potential patient must meet in order to be considered for enrollment. Dallas' doctor feels strongly that he needs several agents (drugs) working together to combat his tumor. We are considering more surgery which could benefit Dallas in several ways: 1. Surgery would confirm whether this is new tumor growth or effects caused by his previous radiation treatment 2. Surgery would provide a current biopsy and diagnosis which would aid in determining the best treatment options and possibly open more doors in the clinical trial world. 3. The less tumor the better!

Meanwhile, Dallas' Aunt Cissy had tried to arrange for some of the UF football players to visit with Dallas while we were there. The football team was busy (no doubt preparing for the national championship game against Ohio State). However, Dwayne Thomas, a former UF player who played on the '96 UF national championship team (some of you might remember this game-UF beat FSU in a rematch) came to meet with Dallas. Dwayne is currently one of the chaplin's for the football team. He is a warm, caring, loving individual who's smile instantly captivates. Of course, he and Dallas talked football and Dwayne let Dallas inspect his championship ring. Dwayne shared with us that his youngest daughter also has a brain tumor, an astrocytoma, the same as Dallas. The doctor who performed surgery on Dwayne's daughter is the same doctor that did Dallas' biopsy and placed his shunt. He would also be the doctor who would operate on Dallas now if we opt for more surgery. Dwayne's daughter is doing well; happy, healthy and back in school. Before we parted, Dwayne prayed with us, offered encouragement and gave us each a bear hug. What a wonderful man! I believe that God speaks to us through others and I know without a doubt the circumstance of our meeting was not a coincidence....it was Grace.

We should hear today on the results of the PET scan and hopefully make a decision on our next course of action.

Much love to all!

Shel

My First Post

2006-12-10T17:42:00.000-08:00

Billy, for some reason the movie "Outlaw Josey Wales" comes to mind with that saying. But I'm probably wrong.

I'd like to thank everyone for keeping up with me and my troubles. I also would like to thank everyone for all that you guys have done for me, I really do appreciate everything. You make the whole situation easier to go through.

Dallas

The Waiting Game

2006-12-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

I heard from Duke today. Dr. Friedman (Duke) and Dr. Smith (Shands) will be talking later this afternoon to compare options available for Dallas at Duke to options available at Shands.

I've also talked with a doctor at Yale (she called me direct). She said she would be hesitant based on what she's seen, to concur that this is indeed new growth and not radiation effect. She said the PET scan Dallas is having tomorrow at Shands may be helpful but she doubted it would be conclusive.

Finally, we have been in touch with Dr. Kenneth Cohen at Johns Hopkins. It seems Dr. Smith knows him well and says he's a "good guy". We may try for a consult there as well.

That's all for now.

Shel (Mom)

Not Much to Report

2006-12-06T07:20:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately there's not much to update you all on. We're still waiting to hear from Duke. There is more involved than we realized in order to get Dallas up there for a consult, however, they now have all of the documents, lab results, and case work they need in order to determine how much they can help us.

Dallas is still doing great; still working, hanging out with friends, living life. He's been helping mom to move some of my boxes I left when I moved so I'm not his favorite person right now.

On another note, some of you have asked how to leave comments on this site for Dallas and our family. Signing up is free and you don't have to maintain your own blog or give out personal information. Simply click 'Post a Comment' and follow the instructions.

Hope all is well with everyone else and hopefully we'll have more by tomorrow.

Jessie

The Dallas Beats Timmy Mission

2006-12-01T10:22:00.000-08:00

The purpose of this blog is to keep the friends and family of Dallas updated on his battle against Timmy (The Tumor, Dallas's choosen name for his new buddy). Postings will be made by either Dallas himself, his mother or his sister. Since this is the first posting, I will update any who may not know the current situation.

We're tryng to get Dallas scheduled for a "PET Scan", which is a more detailed and advanced MRI (from my understanding). This will determine the exact size and growth of Timmy. Once we get those results, and perhaps before, Dallas, my mom and my dad plan on heading to Duke to meet with Dr. Friedman. Dr. Friedman is a world reknown neuro-oncologist that our doctor at Shands recommended we see.

So that's where we stand now. Dallas is doing great. He's playing PlayStation and "winning" from what he just told me over the phone. He's ready and willing to go wherever this epic battle to defeat Timmy may take him.

Finally, my family and I would like to thank everyone for all their amazing support. I don't know where we would be without you all. I would especially like to thank Judy and Carla for the hours they've poured into helping us reach the various hospitals, doctors, and foundations that we've been in contact with over the past three days.

Thanks again to you all and check back regulary for updates. Also, feel free to leave comments so that Dallas can stay in contact with everyone.

Jessie