2nd Annual Carl Grisa Open Golf Event announced

On Sunday, August 19, 2012, Carl Grisa's co-workers from when he worked at Arandell Corporation are hosting a golf event, the 2nd annual Carl Grisa Open.  The proceeds from this event will help fund college for Carl's four children.

Golfing T-off time will be 1:00 PM, (golfers could arrive around 12:30).  Golfing may go as late as 4:00, and then Dinner will follow. (Non-golfers can show up anytime, or perhaps around 3:00 PM to welcome the golfers.)

The location: 

The Ironwood Golf Course, 

W270 N6166 Moraine Drive, 

Sussex, WI, 53089.

Here are some details:

• $45/person includes 9 Holes of Golf, Cart and Dinner

• Over $1,000 in raffle and hole prizes, including a 50/50 raffle.

To reserve your spot, or donate items for the raffle, or to sponsor a hole ($100 each) please call….
Scott Conway (262-309-5964) or

Stacie Pike (262-255-4400 ext. 280)

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Nobody Won

Carl Grisa finished his fight against cancer on Tuesday, Dec 13, 2011.  Carl died, and the sarcoma died with him.  Nobody won.  He is in a better place now, without the cancer, BUT I WILL MISS HIM for the rest of my life. 

Carl Grisa, 1992

Friday, Dec 16, 2011 we will have a service for Carl Grisa at Crossroads Presbyterian Church.  There will be a closed casket visitation from 4:00 to 6:00 PM, Funeral Service from 6:00 to 7:00 PM and a Reception to follow.  More details to follow.

Carl Grisa as I will remember him, 2007

The cancer altered Carl's appearance.  I hope the children will remember him as he was before cancer.

Our last family photo, 2011

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November 2011

November 2011 brought colder weather and some cold rainy days.  November was quieter then preceding months - for one thing Carl stopped going to work.  Despite the wheelchair for mobility, Carl's energy has continued to decline, and not working is one way to conserve his remaining energy. 

Carl and some of his co-workers

So some of Carl's coworkers came and visited Carl.  They told me that the music around the office has changed somewhat without Carl helping with the selections.  Not for the better, Carl is guessing.

Carl's nephew came into town with his first child - Carl's first great-niece Emily.  Carl's experience with 4 children had little Emily smiling in his arms. 

Carl, his sister, Emily and Emily's family

A highlight of November was going to our Church's "Great Getaway" retreat weekend in Green Lake Wisconsin from November 11 to November 13, 2011.  Crossroad Presbyterian Church has had an annual retreat in November for many years, and our family has enjoyed going.  (I think our family has gone at least four times.)  The retreat is just people from our church (and the speakers), and so the participants can end up getting to know each other very well.  For this weekend the sun came out and the weather was great.  Carl and I were really hoping we could go as a family, and we surprised many people when we did.  Carl was really tired after that weekend, of course.  

Dinner with adults at the Church retreat

Our Family at the Church Retreat

Thanksgiving Day was a laid back day with the family and wonderful food.  The children's Thanksgiving break was 6 days long, starting on Tuesday and going through Sunday.  We watched a lot of TV and it was kind of noisy at the house. 

Thanksgiving Dinner at our house

In spite of Carl's cancer, we feel we have so much to be thankful for.  But I guess I'll leave that for another post.  I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. 

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October 2011 update

October 2011 seems to have come and gone very quickly.  One of the highlights in October for our family was seeing Anthony Grisa, our sophomore, in the play play "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" put on by Homestead High School. Carl and the family went to all three performances. 

Carl and the kids (and my sister Roseann) at the show

In the play "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" Anthony was a monster in the witches army.  Anthony has never survived the fall plays he has been in.  Anthony "died" in this play (once), and as a Freshman last year in 2010, Anthony "died" three times in the Homestead play "The Odyssey".   

Other October highlights were the Boys Scout chili cook-off (October 11, 2011), a dinner for a friend from Italy at my brother's house, (October 16, 2011), and Miranda's Cross Country Banquet (October 17, 2011), and eating out with friends. 

Our family of six at Francesca's dinner

Carl's started working on a rocket kit at home, his most ambitious rocket kit to date. (Carl has had a lifelong hobby of making rockets and launching them.)  The kit Carl is working on now is for show only, he doesn't plan on launching it.

Carl working on his Saturn 5 Rocket Kit

Carl went to work at Arrandell many days in October, and had a Pet Scan and MRI's, but no Chemotherapy.  The oncologist decided that the chemotherapy was only making Carl sick.  Carl started using a wheel chair in October, and we learned just how surprisingly unsuited our house was for a wheelchair.  For example, the smallest size wheel chair doesn't really fit trough the standard sized door into our bathroom, and turning in the hall is very difficult. 


Next post - November... 
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Incredible Support

Carl has been going through a lot, obviously.  One thing I have not really gone into on this blog is the incredible amount of help and support we have received from many sources.

Our church family, friends, relatives, Carl's coworkers, and even complete strangers have helped our family in many ways throughout 2010 and 2011.

Carl and his Pricing Analyst Co-workers.

People have helped our family by watching our children, transporting our children,transporting Carl, praying for Carl and our family, bringing us meals, visiting Carl at home and in the hospital, giving us treats and gift cards, helping us with yard work and home repair, fixing our cars, and more.

I want to say a big Thank You for all the support. 

I remember a story about Saint Patrick - were one of the most powerful ways of saying Thank You was to say "Thanks be to God";
so I say "Thanks be to God" to all of you.

In September 2011, Carl's co-workers held a golf tournament fund raiser, which I blogged about here.  I never wrote about another large fund raiser picnic that Carl's co-workers organized and held on June 3, 2011, and so today I wanted to rectify that.  Both events had many things in common, but both days stand out as days of exceptionally nice weather;   "God Blessed" Days.

Chris, Carl and Scott, the Pricing Analysts
(Pricing Analyst is Carl's Job title)

It was very odd to be half of the focus of the fund raiser like the Arandell folk held.  I remember trying to gear up to not cry at the picnic.  I never thought that I might someday be the recipient of such goodwill, assistance, charity?  It was an unfamiliar situation.  I don't know if I was too unemotional, if I was shaky, if I seemed too party like.  Suddenly you are at the center of attention, where people are giving generously of their time and money and support.  The Arrandell event was even more emotional - many of the people there were strangers to me, but good friends of Carl.  I had heard stories about some of these people over the years.  I wanted to make a good impression, and convey gratitude, remember people's names, and not cry.   

Usually I take pictures at an event, happy to enjoy things from behind a camera lens.  It didn't seem right to snap a lot of photos at a fund raiser for our family, so I only took a handful of shots at the end of the picnic.

I'm going to tell my children Carl flies kites at work.

Here are Carl and his co-workers, flying kites.

Chris, Carl and Scott, the Pricing Analysts

This photo makes me laugh. It reminds me of taking pictures of my children.  People goofing off and only one person is looking at the camera.

The money raised at the fund raiser picnic really helped my family financially and with medical bills.  The money raised at the golf outing was raised for my children's college education.  For both fund raisers, I want to say, "Thank You, and Thanks be to God".

I want to say Thank You as well to the people who spent a ton of time organizing both events.  I don't have a photo of you - but I really want to say THANK YOU for all the effort both events required.  I have volunteered for many things over the years and know how a small project grows and doesn't always fit seamlessly into a schedule the way you hoped it would.  Thanks again, and Thank you to everyone who has been helping my family, in any way, big or small.

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End of September update

After the 17th dose of chemotherapy, (infusion Sept 7-8, 2011) Carl had a rough time regaining his equilibrium and energy.  He didn't go to work for nearly two weeks after the infusion.  This chemotherapy round was probably the hardest for Carl.  It does not help that Carl's left leg has become unable to bear weight.  Carl walks with a walker or crutches at all times now.

On Monday September 12, 2011, Carl's dad and mom came for a visit from Michigan.

Carl, Carl's dad Frank, and Carl's sister Heidi

We had a family pizza party and we took a group photo.

We also took a quick family photo, shown below.  Left to right, Miranda (12 years old), Anthony (15 years old), Nathan (13 years old) and Tom (17 years old).  Carl and I are in the front.

Later in the same week Carl's brother Greg came to town for a visit, on the way to visit Carl's Dad.  

On Monday, September 26, 2011, Carl started his 18th course of Chemotherapy with a 24 hour infusion of Trabectedin, (also called Yondelis).  Again, he stayed overnight at Froedtert to get this infusion, and came home Tuesday.  On Wednesday September 28, 2011 Carl got a Nuelasta shot.   

Carl was determined that this course would not knock him out like round 17 had, and he was able to recover better.  He actually felt like working, and building models, etc.

Carl got some interest in cooking back, here is his first attempt  at a French baguette.  Carl's hair does not seem to be falling out with the latest chemotherapy drugs. 

Carl making French Baguettes

In the back of the photo above you can see a odd gadget on the counter.  The photo at the left is a close up.  The item is Carl's favorite cooking gadget, the "Thermo-Pen".  It's probably his favorite cooking toy (of many). 

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Sunny Day (Sunday) Golf

It's been a busy month since I last updated with blog.  I'll try to give a partial update on September.  

The children were back in school and getting into multiple activities.  Miranda joined cross country and has practices or meets 4 days a week, and Anthony is in the Drama club, stage crew and the first play.  The three boys are in Boy Scouts, Tom is in best buddies, and Nathan has to get up the earliest of all the children in the morning.  All four children are involved in religious education.  Three of the children take piano lessons.  All of the children have lots of school work, and multiple field trips are pending and etc. etc. etc.  

On Thursday, September 8, 2011, Carl finished a 24 hour infusion of a new (for Carl) drug - Trabectedin, (brand name Yondelis).  This was his 17th course of chemotherapy.  He stayed overnight at Froedtert to get this infusion, and came home Thursday.  On Friday September 9, 2011 Carl was back at Froedtert to get a Nuelasta shot.   

Carl at the Golf outing

Carl basically slept most of the days that followed, until Sunday.  On Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, the whole family loaded into the car to go to the Ironwood Golf Course, where we attended a golf event put on by some of Carl's coworkers from Arandell.   

Anthony Golfing

The weather on Sunday was perfect.  Beautiful blue skies, green grass and trees, and a warm day really made for a wonderful day on the golf course.  We were watching the golfers and snacking, when Anthony spotted three of my brothers golfing.  He went over to join them, and soon Carl and I and the other three children followed.   

Tom Golfing

We 'helped' my brothers finish golfing their last four holes.  My four children and I had never golfed even one hole of golf, so the entire family had an adventure while Carl watched from the golf cart.  We had a great time, and none of the golf carts broke... 

Thank you Scott, Stacie, Elle and Stef, for setting up this event.  It was a great day for our family.  Thank you also to the other 30-40 golfers and friends who joined us.  I hope all had as nice of a day as we did. 

Carl and some of the golfers

The money raised from the Carl Grisa Open was raised for and will be used to fund the children's college education.

[By the way, Carl's work (Arandell) held another very successful fund raiser for Carl at the start of summer.  I don't want anyone who helped with that one to feel that I am not grateful for that event.  I hope to post photos and blog about that event soon.  It is so easy to get behind on a blog.] 
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Michigan Vacation 2011

We have visited Carl's Dad in Michigan every summer for years, often over the 4th of July weekend.  



Carl and the children, Michigan, July 2011

This year, we loaded the car and headed to Michigan on Thursday, June 30, 2011. 

We hadn't been sure we could fit the Michigan vacation in because of Carl's chemo and surgeries schedules; but fortunately, Carl had recovered enough from his neck surgery (on June 18, 2011) that we could go. 

View of Chicago from the road (I94)

Carl and I usually split the driving, but this time I drove the 350+ miles each way.


Fountain at the Chicago Botanic Gardens


We decided to stop more often so Carl could stretch his legs.  The first stop was the Chicago Botanic Garden, were we ate lunch.

Lunch at the Gardens

We stay at Carl's Dad's log cabin on Little Wolfe Lake when we travel to Michigan.  The cabin's address is in 'Grass Lake' Michigan, which is kind of confusing.  There are so many beautiful lakes in Michigan.  Grass Lake is in the middle of the Michigan, between Ann Arbor and Jackson. We almost always spend time in Livonia, Michigan as well, where Carl's Dad lives.  Livonia is a nice suburb of Detroit.  This was the first time that we didn't travel on into Livonia, but Carl was tired enough from the ride to Grass Lake. 



View of Cabin from the lake



Grass Lake Michigan is a great place to have awesome $1.50 ice creams.  The dollar gets you a LOT more ice cream at Grass Lake's "The Lovin Spoonful" ice cream parlor then at home.

Carl and company at the ice cream shop

(Carl is wearing a winter coat because he was having a hard time regulating his body temperature in air conditioned places.)


This year, Miranda, Nathan, Anthony and Tom built two cardboard boats for a Cardboard boat race on the 4th of July in Grass Lake. 

Cardboard boats.  Ours were the only ones not painted

Miranda, Nathan, Anthony and I raced them, Tom and Carl cheered the boaters on. 



Miranda placed 3rd in the one person boat race!

Surprisingly, our unpainted boat (above) held up almost as long as the painted boats.


The start of the 2 person Cardboard boat race

There was an extra two person boat that the organizers gave to Anthony and Miranda for the two person race.  Anthony and Miranda are loading in the pinkish boat above.  They  finished 1st in the two person race.
 

Nathan and Nick in the two person race

  

The Cardboard Boat Race winners



Other activities over vacation included boating, tubing, eating and relaxing. 



Carl's Dad, Carl, his Aunt and Mom



Nathan and Carl

We took the pantoon boat to a sand bar in the middle of Big Wolfe Lake, where boats hang out while people play in the water, and a DJ broadcasts fun music.  One thing we really missed was seeing all the cousins, the schedules didn't work as well this year.  Otherwise, we had a nice 4th of July vacation, and then headed home on the 5th of July.

A Covered Bridge Somewhere in Michigan

Carl used a walker most of the vacation, (he uses the walker on uneven surfaces and grass), so we had the walker tied to the top of the car.

We got home, and the next week (July 11-14, 2011) Carl had inpatient chemotherapy at Froedtert Hospital.  Well, at least we managed to fit the vacation in!

Click on any photo to see it larger.
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Rest and Recovery

I am writing this Sunday, June 26, 2011.  Carl was discharged from the hospital just over one week ago on Saturday, June 18, 2011, after a Wednesday June 15, 2011 neck surgery that removed the remaining visible tumor from his neck.  [Actually, before the surgery, no tumor was visible.  (It was on the inside, ha ha)  But once the neck surgeon cut him open...  The surgeon looked around and removed all the tumor in the neck that was visible to the surgeon, and visible to the imaging (CT/MRI/X-ray?) equipment  in the operating room.]  

Froedtert's Operating Room used for Angiograms

The photo above and below shows the operating room used for Carl's two Angiogram procedures on Monday June 13, 2011 and Tuesday June 14, 2011.  Above, the large white structure with the large curved arm is an imaging machine that rotates and slides forward and back to takes images before, during and after the procedure.  A second curved arm in the center of the above photo takes images from the top and bottom of the surgery table.  Carl's bald head is visible on the far right.  Carl is still in the transport bed, and will be transferred to the operating table shortly.

The photo below shows the same operating room from a different angle.  This is the view of the operating room from the monitoring station, a room next to the operating room that has glass windows viewing the operating room.  I believe this is where the machine technicians operate the imaging machine from.  Carl is still on the transport bed.  The curved arms of the imaging machine are visible at the far left.

Froedtert's Operating Room used for Angiograms

Carl has spent the last week resting and recovering at home.  He did get lots of rest, hours of it a day, but there were still four children running to and fro - so not all of the hours in the day were 'restful'.  I estimating that Carl slept more then 12 hours a day, and Carl didn't move around too much.  He has started being a bit more active this weekend, and was exercising a little bit on a reclining exercise bike I bought at a rummage sale.  He went in to his work only for a short visit to say hi on one day.  Of course he didn't stay at home all of the time, though.  Probably once a day we/he left the house for some reason or other.

Carl came home from the hospital this time with a walker.  So now Carl has had a cane; crutches; a foot orthotic; and now a walker.  Today was one of the first days since the surgery that he has been able to move a bit without using either the walker or the crutches.  We went to church for the first time in weeks (with the walker). 

Carl on June 18, 2011

The photo above is from the day Carl was released from the hospital, Saturday, June 18, 2011.  Miranda came with me to pick Carl up from Froedtert hospital, and since it was a Saturday, we stopped at the Wauwatosa Farmer's Market.  Should we have?  Probably not, but Carl wanted to.  We did buy a couple of plants from local farmers for Carl's "earth box" garden.  One of the things accomplished this week was that Carl and the children planted tomatoes and cilantro and basil in two "earth box" gardens.  I can tell that Carl has lost weight in this photo. 

One of the highlights of this weekend has been a family film-festival viewing of the Lord of the Ring trilogy - tomorrow night we hope to watch third movie in the series, "The Return of the King".  We have decided that Nathan would make a good Frodo, the ring-bearer.


Thank you once again for your prayers.  We continue to welcome them. 

Click on any photo to see it larger. 7955 

June 15 Surgery update.

Carl's neck surgery at Froedtert on Wednesday June 15, 2011 went well according to the surgeon.  Now Carl has to recover, which is painful, but the hard part is (hopefully) over.  I don't want to jinx anything, but I want to give out an update. 


Monday June 13, 2011 Carl was in SICU (S=Surgical Intensive Care Unit) after a angiogram with embolization procedure, which was done under full anesthetic.  Carl did not eat at all on Monday.  He had to lay on his back from 9:00 AM until midnight.  

Tuesday June 14, 2011 Carl was in NICU (N=Nuerological Intensive Care Unit) after an angiogram procedure was done to balloon and block off his left vertebral artery.  This procedure had to be done with Carl fully awake, not even lightly sedated.  Carl didn't eat at all until past 9:30 PM, when I tempted him with whatever I could find from Froedtert's all night cafe, because he couldn't eat or drink anything after midnight.  He ate a sandwich, applesause, milk, a candy bar, 3/4 of a pear, and a blueberry muffin. 

Wednesday June 15, 2011 Carl was in NICU after the neck his third neck surgery in 2011 - this surgery debulked the tumor in his neck. (Carl got operating room # 13-sigh...).  This surgery was done under full anesthetic.  He didn't eat at all on Wednesday, and had to lay on his back the entire day, except for when he was being operated on, when they rolled him to his stomach and the surgeon worked from the back of his neck.  Really, though, I haven't figured out if Carl even remembers anything after they took him to surgery at 8:30 AM. Carl got heavy duty pain medication - including Morphine.  It seems almost wrong to type 'Morphine' - like it is a bad drug, and he shouldn't have gotten any, but I am glad that he was able to sleep with apparent comfort.

Thursday June 15, 2011 Carl graduated out of NICU to the Spine care 'floor', walked a tiny bit, had soup and a pastrami sandwich (from Benji's - a deli we both love), and ate several times, watched a movie. His pain medications are back to oxicodone and oxicontin. 

I will be happier once he is home.  Then I will be freaked out that he might get a fever, fall, etc.  That's just kind of the way it is.  Stress either way, but at least at home things are calmer.  

April 2011 update - one month late

I had felt bad that I didn't update the blog in April, and now May is nearly over. So now I really feel pressured to post something. It's been a busy 2011, so I will give a relatively non-medical update of April, at least.

April started well. Carl was feeling fairly good. Carl was actually able to drive to work again on Friday, April 1, 2011. (No fooling) . He had been counting the days until he could drive again, and it was now six weeks after Carl's second neck surgery. The Dr's. gave him the go ahead.

On Saturday April 2, 2011 Carl and I got to see our very talented niece be Carlotta in the musical "Phantom of the Opera" at Marquette High School.

The photo below is from Sunday, April 3rd, when Carl, Miranda, and I went to a show at the Art Museum.


The children's spring break vacation from school started on Saturday, April 2 to Sunday, April 10, 2011. Starting Monday, April 4, 2011, Carl was happy to drive off to work and leave me at home with the children.

As spring break progressed, Carl's left knee and the area just below the knee started to bother him. By Thursday, April 7, 2011, Carl's left knee was painful enough that he had to start using crutches to walk. The children's spring break vacation continued, though, with Carl escaping to his work when he wasn't at something medical or recovering from something medical.

On Saturday, April 9, 2011 we 'left town' for the baptism of Cooper Schmidt, my niece's 1st baby, and the first grandchild in my family. We took the family picture at the beginning of this post before Cooper's baptism in Green Lake, Wisconsin.

Here is Carl with Cooper. Carl is now a Great Uncle, but we already knew that before Cooper was born.


After the baptism (the very next day, even), we started celebrating Miranda's 12th birthday. We celebrated Miranda's birthday several times, actually. (Her actual birthday is April 11)


On Wednesday April 13, 2011 Carl had a small surgery for a hernia repair.

On Thursday, April 14, 2011 we celebrated Tom's 17th Birthday.



On Sunday April 17, 2011 we celebrated my niece's birthday, and Tom's and Miranda' birthday again!

On Monday April 18, 2011 we finished our taxes.


Sunday April 24, 2011, Easter came, and we decorated Easter eggs and more.


We saw both side of the family on Easter - lunch with my relatives, dinner with Carl's relatives.

On Monday April 25, 2011, Carl's neck was swelling up.

On Friday, April 29, 2011 we went and watched a play at Homestead High school that Anthony was very active in. Anthony was the lighting stage crew manager, and had been working on this play extensively through out April.

Many other things went on in April 2011. Almost every weekday in April, Carl got a dose of radiation to the neck.

So, as I said before, April was very busy.