I am very sorry to let you all wait solong, but some how I could not find my way in my blog.

Thsi problem is solved now, so let me tell you how Panormitis is doing.

Considering his serious sickness he is doing not so bad. He looks at the world cup a lot. we even took him the other day to a dutch pub to see the game Holland - Japan. He looked at all these crazy dutch people all dressed in orange and making a lot of noise. He grabbed his camera and took some nice pictures. I will try to get some of these pictures on this blog tomorrow.

In the meantime we went to the hospital to discuss when to start the radiation. Today they measured on his skull a special mask.

With ink they will put lines and dots on this mask, so every day when he comes to take his radiation, he will have to put on this mask, so they know where to radiate.

Radiation will start most likely on july 1st. and will last for 6 weeks, so we will be mid august by then.

At the same time so starting beginning july he will take his chemo-cure. This means he will have to take chemo-pills for one week, and than 3 weeks nothing. After this period of 4 weeks, they will take his blood, and according to the levels found there, they will prepare a new dose for the next week, than after 3 weeks of rest they will do the same. They will do this round 6 times. So it will last 6 x 4 weeks is 24 week, so he will be finished approx mid december.

Also approx every 3 months they will take another MRI -scan to check.

The whole treatment is aimed to delay the moment for the tumor to start growing again, to buy Panormitis extra time.

After the first 6 weeks of radiation, Panormitis will be able to travel, because the chemo-cure is taking pills only and he can do that anywhere.

Panormitis ofcourse would very much like to come to Patmos, we will see if this is feasable, lets say end of august.

Yesterday Panormitis was at my house all day to see the first world champions game of Holland against Denmark. We won 2-0.

Hetty will come to Patmos on thursday and see Daphne and Sophia. Panormitis will stay in Holland, he is not fit to make such a trip. He wants to take it easy and get ready for the next step of his treatment.

Hetty will stay on Patmos approx one week and than she and the girls will go to Panormitis in Holland.

After more than 2 months the Gampierakis family will than be together for a while.

It has been a week since Panormitis left the hospital. He is very slowly recovering from the havy operation, which took more than 8 hours.

The first few days he rested a lot, was more in bed than he was up. Food is an important item in his live, he writes everyday a few pages, may times about what he eats and cooks.

In the beginning the right side of his head was very swollen, and he had a black eye. At this moment it is still so, but a lot less than last week. Yesterday we took Panormitis out for a little walk in the park, he liked this a lot but was also very quickly very tired.

In the apartment they find the necessary rest.

Last friday it was Panormitis his birthday, which was quietly celebrated with some friends and family. That day he also went to the hospital to have his stiches taken out and discuss the further treatment.

First he has to get better from the operation, than after june 30th they will start a radiation treatment for 6 weeks, after that they will see how things develop and take the next step.

With the world soccer tournament going on in South Africa. Panormitis watches the games and next month he will be the expert on this sport.

Today Panormitis and Hetty left the hospital and came to the apartment that was rented in Rijswijk. The apartment gives them a place of their own, with much needed privacy. At the same time 4 sisters and 2 brothers live within 15 minutes drive. They will not be alone.

Tonight I took some pictures with my mobile phone, not the highest quality, but it gives you some impression.

today It was my first visit to Panormitis after his surgery.

The doctors told him he could leave the hospital and go home tomorrow. Home means the appartment we rented in Holland.

Panormitis thought that maybe going out of the hospital tomorrow already, only 4 days after the surgery, was too soon. So he asked if he could stay obe more day. This wish was granted to him, so he will go home on wednesday.

My impression of Panormitis is that he is doing really good, considering he had a very difficult and 8 hours lasting operation only 3 days ago. He talks, walks, sees and hears well.

We must all realize that the operation is only part of the treatment, six weeks of radiation will follow,and after that treatment with chemo will likely follow. So Panormitis will have to stay in Holland for at least 2 1/2 months. After that we will see.

This coming friday is Panormitis his birthday. So if anyone wants to wish him happy birthday, please be creative. ha Ha

Just talked to Hetty.

Only one day after the operation, Panormitis is already back in his own Hospitalroom. He eats like crazy and is totally off his diet. Right now Hetty is getting him 2 qroquettes, a dutch treat he likes very much.

Tomorrow they will take off his bandage so that he can wash his hair. I would not be surprised if they will let him go out of the hospital by tuesday or wednesday. Than he can recover further at home.

Today an new MRI-scan has been made, that will be looked at by the docters tomorrow, than we will hear what the next steps will be.

will try to keep you all informed. It is very nice of you to comment on this blog, because Hetty and Panormitis will check it every day.

I Just talked to Hetty, the operation took from 8 this morning till 16:30 this afternoon. It went well and less than 2 hours after the operation Panormitis already talked to Hetty, Vassilis and Anneke. Part of the tumor is handed to the patholoog to find out what kind of tumor it is, the results of that are expected on wednesday.

Monday they will do another MRI scan to see what part is left behind, and to determine what treatment they will do next. Probably radiation and chemo.

The good news for now is that Panormitis seems to not have lost any functions due to the operation.

As soon as I know more, i will let you know.

4 June 2010

Yesterday Panormitis broke his biological program ( hurray Maria!) and he eat a cheeseburger for lunch!  After the restaurant where he went with his and my brother he eat another two croquette with a meat filling in the evening with Manders, Josseline and me ( Hetty).  Vasillis and me had the possibility to stay overnight at the hospital in a guestroom, but Panormitis thought it was better for all of us if we would go to Josseline's house in Haarlem ( 20 min away from hospital ).   At 05.45 we woke up this morning and went to see him. He looked very relaxed, did not sleep a lot and was writing when I came into his room.  We talked a liitle, we prayed a little, we laughed a little, we cried a little and then it was time for him to go. On the way to the OR he said to the nurse that he was ...............? hungry!! And that he was going to ask the surgeon for fried eggs before the operation. She said that the surgeon might fry them for him but......after the operation.

......................

Josseline walked her dog in the meantime and took us back to Haarlem. Before going to her house we bought some fresh breadrolls and in opposite site of the bakery there is a large Katholic church. I wanted to go inside to light a candle and after founding out where they were I found myself in front of a Greek Orthodox Madonna !!! It was very touching and also encouraging for me. 

After arriving in  Josseline's place we had breakfast in her garden and listened to Panormitis favorite classical music. Klavierconcert from Beethoven. It feels good to be surrounded by family and friends on this difficult and certainly the longest day in my life. If I think of the fact that on this moment he is in "nowhere land" it makes my stomage turn around.  I have to be patient, the surgeon said it can take at least 6 hours plus about 2 hours for him to wake up. He advised us also not to stay in the hospital and go outside, with the promise that he would call a.s.a.p.. But I do not think I can keep it much longer and want to be going in an hour maximum. Stay in touch through this blog, give a reaction on this blog or send Panormitis an email: panormitisopatmios@gmail.com. He would be so pleased to hear from you!!

Lots of love,

Hetty

just went to the hospital to bring Hetty's laptop ( they forgot it ). I was there when Panormitis talked to the neuro-surgeon. This is a very nice man, that gave Panormitis all the time to ask his questions. At one point Panormitis asked what would happen to the part of the tumor that they are going to take out. The dotor started to explane tahit it will go to the patholoog, to have it examened. Than Panormitis asked if he could have a piece of it. The doctor was a little bit surprised: "You mean you want to have it". "yes" Panormitis replied. Than the doctor said: "I will save it, and will ask you a few days after the operation if you still want to see it, and if you do ? ... well it is yours so than you can have it ".

Later on the day the evening meal was served, consisting of only 3 slice of bread, a very thin slice of cheese, and some marmalade. Panormitis decided to go downstairs and go to the hospital-restaurant, whre he ate a soup and some french fries, rice meat, salade etc etc.

Tomorrow is the operation starting at around 9 o` clock, it will take at least 6 hours, but can also be as long as 12 hours. So late tomorrow afternoon we should know more.

today Panormitis is admitted in the Hospital. He just had a vegetarian lunch and is doing fine. Hetty will be able to spend the night with him, and tomorrow is the operation. We managed yesterday to register them and to apply for the insurance coverage, everything looks fine on that end too.

Today's visiting ours in the hospital is from 16:00 till 19:30.

I will post a new blog as soon as he comes out of the operation tomorrow. We know that all of you are thinking of them.

Today Panormitis' brother Vassilis has come from luxemburg to visit, he will stay till next week thursday ( with a short break in the week-end ).

Things are getting a little bit nervous, now that the operationday is only 3 days away. We know that you are all thinking of Panormitis. If any of you want to send him a card or anything, please send it to my adress:

Populierlaan 1d

2282 KX Rijswijk zh

Holland