Monday Night, February 26th

Hi to All of Our Family & Friends,
We just got home from visiting Rich in the hospital, and there is never
a dull moment. But through it all, Richie has been a trooper with "Team Taraborelli"
behind him! He managed to get some sleep, because he was so tired from
the morphine.
Just to get you caught up:
On Friday, Rich had a medicine-receiving port called an Omya in his
head. It is there for chemo to be given to him for his spinal fluid. He
will receive shots into that spot throughout his treatment over the
next 7 months. He rested over the weekend while receiving his first 5
chemo IV drips (1-Fri., 2-Sat., 2-Sun.) and a cup of 14 pills daily. So
far he has had few reactions; only the hiccups after his treatments and
today a slight nausea at the end of the chemical treatments.
Today, Rich received a medicine port in his chest, so that the IV's
will be connected right into a tube instead of bruising his veins. He did
well, and then he received the last liquid chemo shots into both of his
new connectors. I'm sure that when Rich gets home, he'll be anxious to
show his new plumbing to all of his friends. If everything goes as
planned, Rich will be discharged tomorrow, and he'll be getting follow-up
treatments and blood work at Lancaster General and HUP at least
two-three times a week. If anyone has the time, we will need to call on some
friends to be his transportation and/or his company here at home. Rich
will be at home for 21-28 days, and then we head back to the Hospital
of the University of Pa (HUP) for his second treatment out of eight.
While at home, Richie will be very susceptible to colds and germs, so we
will have to ask that our friends that are going to visit be cold-free.
If you have any illnesses, maybe you could call him instead. I have never washed my hands so much in one week, and I'm compulsive about
clean hands!
Thanks to all of you for your loving support of our family. We have
people praying for Rich in many different prayer groups, religious
denominations, and in many countries! Your outpouring of concern and help is
very, very overwhelming for us. It is heart warming to know that so
many people want to help Rich. I can't thank all of the nurses and
doctors enough for their concern and compasionate care of our son. Thanks
to all for your cards, E-mails, food, and gifts. Richie is seeing all
of them; we had them hanging in his room and took them home for now.
Well, it's back to work for Rich & I tomorrow while our niece, Linda,
goes into Phila. to pick-up Richie for home! We can't wait to have him
home again! Everyone feels better at home and in their own bed. Keep all of your prayers coming; we feel like they're working, because Rich is still fighting the good
fight and staying strong. Hopefully, his strength will last. Richard,
Peter, Daphne, and I are tiring out, but it'll be worth it to beat this
disease together, as my niece, Rachel calls us: Team Taraborelli.
Keep Richie in your prayers,
Karen