October 27, 1998
This is Joann's page, and it seems that Larissa is only one getting her picture published. So, the editor thinks it's time for a picture of Joann. She maintains her wonderful smile, and her indomitable spirit shines through.

October 26, 1998
Gee, it's been almost a week since the site was updated. Last Thursday, Joann had another chemotherapy session, the fifth dose of Taxol and carboplatin. More side-effects this time, and Joann had a very tired, achy, and uncomfortable weekend. Jim is on the verge of a cold; Joann and others think he should concentrate more on getting enough rest to stay healthy and spend less time baking apple pies.

Marie Shaughnessy visited over the weekend! Obviously, one very happy Grandma. She hasn't seen Larissa since the Albany NICU, and Larissa has grown a lot since then. Grandma and Larissa got to be real good buddies.

The nursery is coming along quite nicely. Larissa is still using the bassinet close to the door, but the fixtures and furnitures are in place for her as she gets bigger. The moons were made by Aunt Rosmarie, and the angel looking over her crib is from Uncle Ron. Larissa had her three-month birthday on Saturday, and weighed in at over 8 pounds. This is more than 3-times her birth weight of 2 lb 10 oz. Maybe there really is a guardian angel looking over Larissa!

Mommy has done a great job of organizing Larissa's clothes and changing supplies.
	Larissa's animals are well behaved and stay in their place. Now, if Daddy and Mommy could only get Blacky to follow their good example ...

October 20, 1998
Joann had a very busy weekend. Her brother-in-law, Jim Barba, was released from the hospital on Saturday after his prostate surgery. Joann and Jim had promised to cook dinner for Judy and Jim on the day they arrived home. So Saturday morning and early afternoon were spent on food prep for the menu of Schneller's baked ham, scalloped potatoes, glazed carrots, peas, French bread, and salad. It was delicious.

We also had a birthday party to attend on Saturday. Sister-in-law Rosmarie Shaughnessy is hitting the big Five-Zero this year. Her actual birthday is the 28th, so that's when the official greeting will appear.

On Sunday afternoon, sister Ginny visited with her husband Ben Bishop. They have just settled into a new house in South Glastonbury, CT. We hope thay have many years of happiness in it. Thanks for visiting.

Sunday night was B.B. King at UPAC. It was great.

On Monday, Cousin Barbara Couch visited from Fairfield, CT. Joann was a very little girl when Barbara was getting married, and this was a nice get-acquainted visit.

October 16, 1998
Yesterday, Joann had an appointment with Dr. Herbert F. Oettgen of the Thoracic Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. This was a "second opinion" consultation on the diagnosis and treatment plan for her lung cancer. After examining Joann and reviewing the slides, x-ray films, and medical reports that we brought along, Dr. Oettgen concurred with the diagnosis and treatment plan developed by Dr. Grund at Albany Medical Center. Joann will continue with Taxol and carboplatin as long as she tolerates it and it remains effective. His definition of effective is that the tumor not be growing. He also said that there is never any guarantee that a new agent will be effective against a tumor, although the side effects are almost always present.

Joann is pleased that she has been following a treatment plan confirmed by Sloan-Kettering, and that she is not overlooking a therapy available elsewhere.

October 14, 1998
Tomorrow, Joann and Jim go to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York City for a second opinion on Joann's cancer and treatment plan. We are extremely pleased with the care and treatment we have received at Albany Medical Center. Dr. Grund has encouraged us to have a second opinion evaluation. There is always the possibility that a fresh set of eyes will have a fresh insight.

October 13, 1998
Joann was tired yesterday, but her white blood cell counts were high and there was no Neupogen shot last night. She had a busy weekend with Jim out of commission with the flu.

Larissa is going to get to air-dry for a few hours every day until her diaper rash clears up. Daddy promises not to publish any photographs of her in that position -- he wants his daughter to speak to him when he's a dottering old fool and she's a sophisticated young lady. Speaking of photos, the one at left is Larissa in her Parisian outfit, a gift from cousin Clara Roman Valussi, who is 10 months old and lives in Paris, France. Chic, eh?

Jim Barba called last evening. He remains on IV and hopes to have water today. His colon is still not functioning, but he feels well enough to be amused that family and friends are eagerly awaiting his next fart. Check back for the latest news, unless you hear it first.

October 12, 1998
Yesterday, Joann said to her brother-in-law, Ed, "It's a good thing I'm healthy." Jim was sick all weekend with flu-like conditions, so Joann nursed him as well as took care of Larissa. Jim seems mostly better today, but is still a bit on the edge.

Larissa went to the doctor's on Friday. She weighed 6 lbs, 11 oz. on their scale. She is getting to be a big girl! She had two immunizations. She didn't have a bad reaction, but did develop a diaper rash over the weekend. We took her back to the doctor this afternoon, because this is our first experience with diaper rash.

October 8, 1998
Today is Larissa's original due date. She was born 10 weeks and 6 days early, and we have had the good fortune of knowing her for all of that extra time. She has been a wonderful baby. She has not had any serious health problems, even given that she was born so

"Larissa" is a Russian name which means "cheerful one." This photo was taken when she left Benedictine Hospital to come home on September 6. We call it the "Czarina" photo.

Joann is doing well. Her blood counts yesterday was at good levels, and we will continue with Neupogen injections to stimulate her white blood cells. Her spirits remain high, and as you can see from above, she is proving to be a wonderful Mommy -- I think to no-one's surprise.

October 7, 1998
Yesterday, our brother-in-law, Jim Barba, was successfully operated on to remove his prostate gland because of a cancerous tumor. The surgeon at Sloan-Kettering in Manhattan reported no evidence of cancer outside the the prostate and no damage to any nerves around the prostate. We hope he will have a speedy recovery.

October 6, 1998
Yesterday, Larissa had an appointment in Albany for an echocardiogram by Dr. Eric Spooner. When Larissa was born, she had a condition known as Patent Ductus Arteriosis. There is a passageway between the aorta and the pulmonary artery which usually closes at birth. In preemies, this sometimes doesn't happen. Larissa was treated with Indomethicin to close this passageway. Yesterday's test was to see if it was still properly closed. It was, and there is no need for a followup. Dr. Spooner said although he had to go through measurements and calculations, he was certain that his report would be that Larissa has no detectable heart problems. We are very pleased with that news.

October 4, 1998
At the last edition, we were going to Albany for Joann's third round of Taxol and Carbopl atin. After seeing Dr. Grund, we went to the chemotherapy clinic. Joann tolerates the administration of the drugs very well, and we finished at about 4:30 in the afternoon. We then went to Dr. Eglowstein's office to tend to the incisional wound. It is healing very slowly. We arrived home at 7:00, Larissa having been well cared for by Elena and Ed, who also prepared an annisversary dinner for us.

On September 24, Joann had a CT scan of the chest to see the effect of the chemotherapy. Dr. Grund called on Friday afternoon to say that the scan show shrinkage of the tumor -- areas of areation in the upper lobe of the right lung where there was none before, reduction of 30% in some other areas of the right lung, and less pressure on the heart and left lung. Joann was very pleased to hear this, and it confirms with scientific evidence the way that she feels.

Jim and Linda Cravens and Bob, Susan, and Ryan Starbuck visited on Saturday, September 26. We took them to the Garlic Festival in Saugerties -- Joann and Jim had a good time there last year. We agreed to meet at 5:00 at the bandstand in the center of the garlic ring. Joann, Jim and Larissa arrived early and fed Larissa. As a band started to play, Jim noticed tears welling in Joann's eyes. "It's good to be here", he said. "Yes, it is", Joann replied. Jim thinks those were the most genuine tears of joy he has ever seen.

Larissa has been home four weeks today. Her original due date is October 8. We expect that she will weigh over 6-1/2 lbs then. She is on a 3 hour feeding schedule and eats approximately 16 oz. of formula a day. She gains approximately 1 oz. per day. She sometimes get the hiccups, one occasion was documented by Lowell Thing.

Larissa is a very cheerful baby, and she travels well. We have taken her shopping several times, and she mostly sleeps. She went to Albany with us on the 24th for Joann's CT scans. We stopped in to see Dr. Grund, the nurses in the NICU and on D6N, and Dr. Eglowstein.