Michael and Evo: Wingin’ It!

We are sad to announce that our beloved friend and colleague Joe Murphy left us today to his on going battle with leiomyosarcoma carcinoma. We loved him very much and will be greatly missed in our lives. We bid farewell to a dear and sweet man.

Tell everyone you know.

Joe Murphy Memorial Fund

Thank you to Leann’s mini-geek army for helping her put this together:
P.G. Holyfield
Chris Miller
Donna Mugavero

A quick note to the wonderful folks who have put links to the “Joe fund” on various websites. First, thanks very much for doing this. We cannot thank you enough.

Second, and most important, I need you to change that link immediately. As you may know, Leann has set up a different fund, with all the appropriate charity and tax information attached. I’ve changed the link on this page and have transferred the funds we had collected previously.

So again, thanks to all the donors. And if you’re helping by spreading the word, contact me so I can get you the new donation code.

E.

During the Sunday visit, Mike got a call from Leann regarding getting Penn and Teller to make a visit. She was able to get Teller Joe’s cell phone number and Mike got word that Teller gave Joe a call. They talked for several minutes. Joe had a spark of excitement for the first time in a long while, and we all need to give Leann huge props for pulling this off.

Leann called Mike and told him to check the WI voicemail. There was a message for Joe from Penn. He had called in and left a long, in very Penn fashion, personal message to Joe.

Things are by no means good, but this little bit of excitement today sure made the world a bit better. Thank you Leann, you did good.

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Today Mike took up the message that Penn left on our voicemail line for Joe to listen to.

Joe was in much improved spirits today and Mike attributes it all to the conversation that he had with Teller. He was jabbering up a storm and Mike was told several times by his dad and his aunt that Joe talked about it for quite some time.

This is a big change from the last few days where he would only talk to everyone for a couple minutes before asking us to leave so he could rest.

The message that Penn left also brought a smile and some comments of how amazing it was to have them do that for him. Mike and everyone had a long conversation about the well wishes and comments he had been recieving during his time in the hospital, and he was able to relay many of the good thoughts and prayers.

Joe knows that you all care and that you have sent in your love. Just know that your messages have not gone unheard.

As Mike would say “Again, Leann, you dun good!”

Joe has been moved into hospice care and he will not be with us for much longer. That’s about as straightfoward as I can make a very painful and fucked up situation.

Joe has appreciated all the love and generosity that everyone has given him during all of this.

If you want to help please donate. This will help to pay off Joe expenses and help Joe’s family with their expenses while they are with Joe.

Sorry, I should have posted an update a while ago.

For those who haven’t heard, Kuato has officially kicked my ass. The doctors couldn’t remove the tumor, as there was not one, but six of them, and they were all in love with some major organs of mine. They took enough to verify that the cancer is indeed Leiomyosarcoma.

So, I’m at Mike’s and Lorrie’s, vegging out and slowly getting better. The doctors were unable to do much when then performed the surgery, which sucks beyond belief, but makes the recouperating easier. My main complaints are constipation and very, VERY swollen legs.

I’ll be staying here for the next three weeks or so. Then I have NO idea what’s happening next. Since we know now that this is inoperable, my options are a bit limited. I’ll be working on getting an oncologist this week, and a general physician. I’ll probably go back to work, perhaps in Tucson, perhaps in Phoenix, as a position with Sonus just opened up here.

My further care depends on whether chemo is an option for buying more time, or if the best course of action is to go for comfort and just ride the wave as long as I’ve got. I’ll let you know how those discussions go.

I can’t believe the outpouring of love and generocity you have given me through all this. You have no idea how much it has meant to me. Thank you.

It’s noon here on Tuesday, and Joe has finally been moved (or is in the process of moving) into his own room. He’s out of ICU and we’re looking at a late-this-week total release for him.

And a note for all you intrepid well-wishers out there: please don’t break out your Sherlock Holmes outfit and track down the hospital and room number for a personal call. That could get out of hand real quick. He’s got major stitches to heal and the last thing you want to be responsible for is having him rip ‘em wide open lunging to get your call.

So hold the calls, or better yet call the line set up for well-wishes: 206-202-5179

I got a chance to see Joe briefly on Sunday. And by “I”, I’m of course referring to me, Sheila, NJ, Mike, Lorrie, Kris of cheesecake fame and James, yet another random extended family member of Mike’s who was staying at his house.

He was still in ICU with the hopes of moving to a room sometime today. I’ve not touched base with anyone today, so I’m going on the assumption that he has moved.

Big kudos to the ICU nurse who closed the curtain to the room and let all of us pile in there for an extra 30 minutes. The only reason Joe is/was still in ICU was pain management issues. And it’s a lot nicer to have a nurse five feet away when you need an extra hit of morphine than one that is at the end of a hall worried about some other patient who’s soiled her sheets — again.

All things considered, he looks good and is in good spirits. They did get him up and out of bed before we got there — a critical milestone towards getting out of ICU. He reported that it wasn’t very fun and hurt like hell, but he did it.

More tomorrow, or at any point when I receive updates. We’re hoping he’ll be out of the hospital by the weekend.

8:01 AM MST

Joe’s dad, Bob, called me this morning. Joe came out of surgery around midnight and is currently recovering in ICU. Since they didn’t take anything more than a big chunk of Kuato out of him, he’ll probably only spend a few days in the hospital. Bob says the doctors should have some information about the tumor and a course of treatment by Tuesday. I’d imagine that they won’t release him from the hospital until they have that information.

Joe talked to his dad earlier when we woke up. He’s scared, but recovering. Hell… we’re all scared.

I’m going to find some time this weekend to drive down and see him. I’ll report again after that.

10:15 PM MST

Final update for tonight. Mike called me an hour ago, and I’ve been pondering what to write. So here goes.

The prognosis is pretty shitty. The operation is over and the doctors have decided that Joe’s cancer is inoperable. Hey — now you have an “i” word to hate.

It’s spread in too many places, is invading too many organs and has found too healthy of a blood supply. Cutting it out would simply endanger Joe, so there’s no point. They took a sizeable chunk out for for further study. With luck, this particular variety is vulnerable to either chemo or radiation therapy — cuz the knife isn’t the right tool for this job.

Docs say that he should be out and back home in a couple of days. Pray, cuss, rant, rave. Do what you need to do. With luck, there are therapies which will be helpful. More on that in the coming weeks/days when we know more and tests come back.