Here is a list of the items that will be auctioned

When bidding on an auction item please refer to it by listed name (A, B, 16, etc.) If you would like to bid on an item because you can't come to the benefit dinner, email or text me and I will put your bid down and update you with the highest bid for that item. curtisandshan@gmail.com or text 801-694-2066

A)  Cater your event for up to 100 people with the best Dutch oven style dinner (or breakfast) this side the Mississippi!  Options include BBQ chicken with potatoes and cobbler, BBQ ribs with potatoes and cobbler, Lasagna and vegetables with cobbler, or Mountain Man breakfast. Valued at over $1000.  Starting bid: $500

B)  Experience the adventure of a lifetime on a trek in the beautiful Grand Canyon, The Tetons, San Juan Mountains, The Lower Paria Canyon, High Uintahs Wilderness, or top Mt. Whitney! Have somewhere else on your bucket list?  Your guides will take you and up to four of your friends there during the 2012 season, after the coaching, training, guidance, and support needed to be prepared for such a backpacking trip. Make sure you take a camera!  Valued up to $2,000.    Starting bid: $300

C) Fly over the city in a helicopter with your sweetie, or if you’d rather a buddy.  The winner of this auction will enjoy an hour of riding in a helicopter with up to three adults or two adults and 2 children.  (Based upon weather conditions and availability.  Good through May 31, 2011) Valued at up to $700.00  starting bid $200

D) Wrap yourself or a loved one in a fabulous hand stitched heirloom quilt.  Valued up to $500 starting bid $50

E) These tickets will take you and someone special to the Sarah McLaughlin concert February 14, 2011.   $25 towards dinner at Braza and a week of tanning are also included.  Valued at $300.  Starting bid:  $150

F) Take a vacation to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico!  Beaches, shopping, history, restaurants!  This bid will get you 7 nights and 8 days for up to 4 people in a one bedroom unit at Raintree’s Club Regina!  Valued at $2079.  Does NOT INCLUDE AIRFARE.  Starting bid:  $300

G) Three days of that new car smell will be yours with this rental certificate from Budget Rental Car.  (Must be over age 21.  Some restrictions apply.)  Starting bid:  $50

H) Take a three day weekend with shiny new wheels!  (You have to give it back after the weekend.  Some restrictions apply.)  from Budget Car and Truck Rental of Utah. Starting bid:  $50

16)  2 tickets to the Hale Center Theater “A Tale of Two Cities”  3/15/11 at 7:30 and $25 to Salt City Burger starting bid $25

17) Repertory Dance Theater tickets to Dancing the Green Map 3/31/11 at 7:30PM, $40 towards a dinner at Madeline’s Steakhouse, and 2 Log Haven Signature Desserts  Value:  $100+  Starting bid:  $25

18)  Two tickets to the Utah Symphony, $50 to Tiberon Fine Dining, and 2 Log Haven Signature Desserts Valued over $100.  Starting bid: $50

19) 2 tickets to the Hale Center Theater “A Tale of Two Cities”  3/15/11 at 7:30 and $30 to Asian Star  Starting bid $30

20)                    2 tickets to the Hale Center Theater “A Tale of Two Cities”  3/15/11 at 7:30 and $50 to Temple Square Hospitality (The Roof, etc.)  starting bid: $30

21)  2 tickets to the Hale Center Theater “A Tale of Two Cities”  3/15/11 at 7:30 and 2 free dinners at Rodizio Grill  Starting bid:  $30

22)2 tickets to Ballet West Bolero with Chaconne and Sinfonietta April 8th and 9^th and April 13^th-16^th, $25 to Ruths Chris Steakhouse and a pound of Sees Chocolate.  Valued at $95  Starting bid:  $60

Chemo and Radiation

Chemo and radiation started on Thursday. Curtis is doing very well with it. He has not had any nausea yet. He is still very tired, as usual. Here is a picture of what the chemo ball looks like full. He gets 2 ml's per hour as a continous infusion for 6 weeks. He will go in every Thursday to get the needle from his port changed and a new ball.

Staging Update

Curtis' radiation oncologist called today. They have their weekly meetings on Tuesdays with his whole team and had some new information. Some of his lymph nodes that are affected are high up in his abdomen. Because they are so far away from the original cancer source (rectum and colon), the lymph nodes are considered metastasized. Curtis is officially a stage 4. They are not concerned about his liver, they said the CT scan does not look like it has spread there. I am not sure if this new staging will affect treatment, we will talk with them more tomorrow.

PET Scan results

We got the results back from the PET scan. Curtis has at least 6-7 lymph nodes with cancer, with the highest being in his upper abdomen. This means they will increase the area of the radiation to include these areas. There was also a section on his liver that was slightly elevated with glucose, so they are going to talk with the radiologist and see if they want to do an MRI to look at the liver in more detail. Chemo and radiation start Thursday. Wednesday we see a urologist because one of Curtis' urters is larger than it should be. Really busy week this week!

PET scan today

The PET scan was this morning at Huntsman. The entire process took over 2 hours. They wouldn't even let me back with Curtis because he is most radioactive right after they put the dye into his veins. So he waited for about an hour after he got the dye before they did the actual scan. We should know the results tomorrow or Thursday. We meet with Dr. Adler on Thursday at 9am (he is the one that will be doing his rectal ultrasound on Friday). I will post when we know the results of the PET scan.

PS Thanks to my parents, Shelly and Jeff and Mike and Sandy for allowing Curtis and I to not have to cook for 3 days in a row now (dinner delivered to our house) We are spoiled:)

Surgery Update

Surgery went well yesterday. We were at the hospital/Huntsman from 8am to 730pm. Super long day. He is doing well, a little bit sore today. Next item of business: PET scan tuesday. Here is info about how the PET scan works:

PET Scans and Cancer

PET can help physicians effectively pinpoint the source of cancer. This is possible because many cancer cells are highly metabolic and therefore synthesize the radioactive glucose (sugar) that is injected in the patient prior to the exam. The areas of high glucose uptake are dramatically displayed in the scan imagery, as opposed to the anatomical imagery of CT or MRI, which cannot detect active, viable tumors.

Surgery Scheduled

The surgery for the port placement is scheduled to start at 2:30pm tomorrow, we need to arrive at the UofU hospital at 1pm. The procedure should be outpatient, so we should be able to go home tomorrow night. We'll see how that turns out :)