A Month Later: Gratitude, Community, and Dave’s Treatment Update
It’s been a little over a month since our last update, and so much has happened in that time—both in Dave’s treatment journey and in the incredible ways this community has shown up for him and our family. With Thanksgiving around the corner, it feels especially important to pause and acknowledge all of it.
First, to everyone who attended, planned (Brandi and Gregg), donated, flipped pancakes (Gregg), cleaned up tables, shared memories, or simply walked through the rink doors to show support—thank you. The pancake breakfast was one of those days we’ll never forget. Seeing current and former coworkers, hockey families from years past, longtime rink friends, and even people we hadn’t expected to see all gathered for Dave… it meant the world. The love in that room was so real you could feel it. We will carry that day with us for a long time.
Your kindness—every message, meal, donation, and hug—helps hold our family up. We feel it every single day. And during a season that asks us to reflect on gratitude, we want you to know how deeply grateful we are for each and every one of you.
Treatment Update
Since our last post, Dave has completed his first three chemotherapy treatments. Here’s how things are going:
Treatment #1: Manageable! As promised, chemo #1 proved to be the easiest of the bunch and gave us all a bit of false hope for what was to come, ha! A few side effects showed up quickly, but he stayed in good spirits. Unsurprisingly, he wore his fanciest purple tie-dye t-shirt.
Treatment #2: Harder than the first. The list of side effects took up double the space on his phone’s notes app. Fatigue really kicked in along with Fatigue’s arch nemesis - Insomnia. Even still, he made it for a 45 minute visit with our family and friends during our annual Friendsgiving. While exacerbated, nothing was quite unexpected until the sores in his mouth appeared and climbed down his throat. Cepacol, Rincinol mouth rinse, and room temperature foods were what the doctor ordered. And a few days later, a self-prescribed chicken nacho and espresso martini order from Yardhouse didn’t hurt, either (literally). Unsurprisingly, he wore his fanciest blue tie-dye t-shirt.
Treatment #3: Completed today! The forecast shows a pretty shitty (hopefully not literally) Thanksgiving, with a side of possible nosebleeds, a heaping helping of “I can’t frickin sleep,” and two Tupperwares full of “my throat is on fire.” Okay, seriously, extra unsurprisingly he wore tie-dye. It was a patriotic red, white, and blue situation.
The good version of the bad news is that after treatment two we’ve learned that the mouthrinse works, Cepacol helps, and that a week into the second week it all gets so much better.
It is wild to know that as of this evening Dave is 75% done with his chemotherapy. He’ll show up for his last and very likely most terrible cycle on December 9th. We’re taking things one treatment, one week, and sometimes one day at a time. On December 3rd we will meet with Dr. Meeks, Dave’s surgeon, to learn more about his upcoming radical cystectomy, urinary diversion, and all that those procedures will bring. I can confidently say that Dave is most looking forward to not having to run to the bathroom every 13 minutes! We cannot wait for him to have a night of uninterrupted sleep and I’d venture to guess the toilet paper budget will drastically decrease!
Through all of it, Dave continues to be Dave—steady, stubborn, chatty as hell, and always finding ways to laugh with us even on the hard days.
Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Thank you for standing with him. And thank you for reminding us, in a hundred different ways, that none of us are doing this alone.
We are wishing everyone a Thanksgiving filled with warmth, rest, and the people who make your life feel as full as Dave’s bladder.
— With love and gratitude,
The Jellerson/Landovsky Family
P.S. Free medical advice: If you have a persistent cough and are taking high blood pressure medication, consult your doctor immediately. Trust me.
P.P.S. Please, someone send new tie-dye.
