Team Tony. Tony Tough.
Donation protected
Last Summer, the end of July/beginning of August, Tony started experiencing shoulder pain that went to his back and chest. After two months, Tony began to doctor. With many many tests, poking and prodding , becoming what may have felt like a new modeling career with all of the different scans and images, Doctors consulting one another for their expertise - Tony was given a diagnosis. A diagnosis which contains "one word" that not anyone in this world wants to hear in their diagnosis. Cancer. That one nasty word full of ill emotion and fear. Stage 3B Lung Cancer, Adenocarcinoma to be exact.
At this point, Tony was told surgery was not an option. Together as a team, Tony's doctor at the clinic, his oncologists at the Cancer Center and with medical opinions from the Mayo and the U of M, they came up with a treatment plan including both Chemotherapy (once a week for 7 weeks) and radiation (5 days a week for 6 weeks). This was Tony's plan of attack. Tony had full intentions on Kicking Cancer's Ass in every which direction possible.
Team Tony. Tony Tough.
On December 11th, 2020 after completing fighting though 6 rounds of chemotherapy and on December 16th, 2020 being able to ring that bell loud and proud after finishing 30 cycles of radiation. Just in time to let his body rest and heal during the most wonderful time of year, celebrating Christmas.
Six weeks later, Tony was scheduled to have a CT Scan done to be able to see the progress of the chemo and radiation. On January 20th, 2021, Tony met with both his Chemo Doctor and Radiation Doctor at the Cancer Center and they were pleased that Tony's large mass had shrunk approximately 80%. He was scheduled for 3 month follow up PET Scan on March 17th.
Team Tony. Tony Tough.
This was cause for celebration! Tony, JoAnn and Brittany made the decision to join Jenna, Nick, Brooklyn + Beckett in Orlando, FL during the first week of April. Tony, who has never been to Orlando, is pretty thrilled he gets to experience it with his young Granddaughter + Grandson, seeing the same magic that they will see through their eyes. What an amazing thing to look forward too! After All, what could be better than celebrating in "The Happiest Place On Earth"?
March 8th, Tony had bad back pain and bad headaches, bad enough to go to the ER. A scan that they ran in the ER did not look good. A lot of prayers were being sent up to the Big Guy when Tony's Pet Scan got moved up a week due to the recent events. On March 10th, Tony had a PET SCAN followed by a Brain MRI. On March 11th, Tony had a MRI on his back. He was then to meet with his Radiation Doctor ASAP.
Team Tony. Tony Tough.
March 11th, Tony received news that he never wanted to hear. Tony's cancer - that nasty word again - had gone from a stage 3 to a stage 4, which means that the cancer is not curable. I personally could not imagine being told those words, but for Tony, those most awful words were his reality. The cancer has spread into the blood stream and starting to affect his bones and nerves, causing pain and headaches. The original large mass in his lungs has shrunk in size greatly, cancer cells have gone down in number at that location, but the scans do show that there are still active cancer cells there. The scans also reveled a tumor on his spine, his hip as well as the back of his neck -- since that the cancer is in his blood stream and bones, tumors can start appearing at any time. Tony will have 10 more rounds of radiation on the spot on his neck and spine, immunotherapy and chemotherapy once every three weeks for the rest of his life. His doctors will continue to follow the tumor on his hip to see about having radiation done there in the near future. It is comforting for his family to know that Tony has an amazing medical team that are willing to go the extra mile, two miles, 100 miles, etc. to keep Tony good at his fullest potential. Both Tony's doctors have strongly encouraged Tony to continue to take that trip to one of the "happiest places on earth" and to enjoy, relax and soak it all in.
Tony had no choice but to stop working, as he has exhausted all of his PTO from his appointments thus far... in order to keep his health insurance, which is obviously necessary at this time, he had to be put on short term disability and will be earning a fraction of his wage. I know that his decision has been mentally tough for Tony but his work family is supportive and certainly Tony is missed. This has been difficult on all involved.
As you can only imagine, medical bills, lost wages, medications and basic living needs are taking a financial toll, as they would for the majority of families going though this unimaginable time. If you are able to help alleviate just a little bit of the burden, a little less worry will create more happy and positive moments for Tony + those who call him their Dad, Step-Dad, Father In-Law, Gappa Tony, Hun/Husband, Son, Son-in- Law, Brother, Brother-In-Law, Uncle, Friend, Co-worker and my personal favorite, Frob. Tony would be the first to give the shirt off his back to someone in need, drop whatever he was doing to help someone, and answer his phone and hear a "sweet" 16 year old girl's voice saying "Ahhhh Frob??? Could you come pull me out of the ditch?? I reeeeeally don't want to tell my dad yet!!"
I will leave you with this. This is the message that my Best Friend and Tony's eldest daughter wrote after sharing the latest news.
"And might I add - Tony has been, without a doubt, a kickass rockstar through everything so far. He is so strong. <3 I feel confident that he will give it his all and continue to fight with everything in him...
F cancer." -- Jenna
Team Tony. Tony Tough.
At this point, Tony was told surgery was not an option. Together as a team, Tony's doctor at the clinic, his oncologists at the Cancer Center and with medical opinions from the Mayo and the U of M, they came up with a treatment plan including both Chemotherapy (once a week for 7 weeks) and radiation (5 days a week for 6 weeks). This was Tony's plan of attack. Tony had full intentions on Kicking Cancer's Ass in every which direction possible.
Team Tony. Tony Tough.
On December 11th, 2020 after completing fighting though 6 rounds of chemotherapy and on December 16th, 2020 being able to ring that bell loud and proud after finishing 30 cycles of radiation. Just in time to let his body rest and heal during the most wonderful time of year, celebrating Christmas.
Six weeks later, Tony was scheduled to have a CT Scan done to be able to see the progress of the chemo and radiation. On January 20th, 2021, Tony met with both his Chemo Doctor and Radiation Doctor at the Cancer Center and they were pleased that Tony's large mass had shrunk approximately 80%. He was scheduled for 3 month follow up PET Scan on March 17th.
Team Tony. Tony Tough.
This was cause for celebration! Tony, JoAnn and Brittany made the decision to join Jenna, Nick, Brooklyn + Beckett in Orlando, FL during the first week of April. Tony, who has never been to Orlando, is pretty thrilled he gets to experience it with his young Granddaughter + Grandson, seeing the same magic that they will see through their eyes. What an amazing thing to look forward too! After All, what could be better than celebrating in "The Happiest Place On Earth"?
March 8th, Tony had bad back pain and bad headaches, bad enough to go to the ER. A scan that they ran in the ER did not look good. A lot of prayers were being sent up to the Big Guy when Tony's Pet Scan got moved up a week due to the recent events. On March 10th, Tony had a PET SCAN followed by a Brain MRI. On March 11th, Tony had a MRI on his back. He was then to meet with his Radiation Doctor ASAP.
Team Tony. Tony Tough.
March 11th, Tony received news that he never wanted to hear. Tony's cancer - that nasty word again - had gone from a stage 3 to a stage 4, which means that the cancer is not curable. I personally could not imagine being told those words, but for Tony, those most awful words were his reality. The cancer has spread into the blood stream and starting to affect his bones and nerves, causing pain and headaches. The original large mass in his lungs has shrunk in size greatly, cancer cells have gone down in number at that location, but the scans do show that there are still active cancer cells there. The scans also reveled a tumor on his spine, his hip as well as the back of his neck -- since that the cancer is in his blood stream and bones, tumors can start appearing at any time. Tony will have 10 more rounds of radiation on the spot on his neck and spine, immunotherapy and chemotherapy once every three weeks for the rest of his life. His doctors will continue to follow the tumor on his hip to see about having radiation done there in the near future. It is comforting for his family to know that Tony has an amazing medical team that are willing to go the extra mile, two miles, 100 miles, etc. to keep Tony good at his fullest potential. Both Tony's doctors have strongly encouraged Tony to continue to take that trip to one of the "happiest places on earth" and to enjoy, relax and soak it all in.
Tony had no choice but to stop working, as he has exhausted all of his PTO from his appointments thus far... in order to keep his health insurance, which is obviously necessary at this time, he had to be put on short term disability and will be earning a fraction of his wage. I know that his decision has been mentally tough for Tony but his work family is supportive and certainly Tony is missed. This has been difficult on all involved.
As you can only imagine, medical bills, lost wages, medications and basic living needs are taking a financial toll, as they would for the majority of families going though this unimaginable time. If you are able to help alleviate just a little bit of the burden, a little less worry will create more happy and positive moments for Tony + those who call him their Dad, Step-Dad, Father In-Law, Gappa Tony, Hun/Husband, Son, Son-in- Law, Brother, Brother-In-Law, Uncle, Friend, Co-worker and my personal favorite, Frob. Tony would be the first to give the shirt off his back to someone in need, drop whatever he was doing to help someone, and answer his phone and hear a "sweet" 16 year old girl's voice saying "Ahhhh Frob??? Could you come pull me out of the ditch?? I reeeeeally don't want to tell my dad yet!!"
I will leave you with this. This is the message that my Best Friend and Tony's eldest daughter wrote after sharing the latest news.
"And might I add - Tony has been, without a doubt, a kickass rockstar through everything so far. He is so strong. <3 I feel confident that he will give it his all and continue to fight with everything in him...
F cancer." -- Jenna
Team Tony. Tony Tough.
Organizer and beneficiary
Michelle Link
Organizer
Fergus Falls, MN
Anthony and JoAnn LaFayette
Beneficiary