Wonderful! Tony, thank you for posting this. I can't even believe what these folks are going through. Pic is such a prince.

_________________
http://www.UninvitedBooks.com

Yeah, I reposted this link over at the horror forum on GoodReads...and bought three Pic novels earlier...

_________________
Visit my blog:
http://horrorgasms.blogspot.com/

Latest news is that Tom is in for a tougher fight than he and his wife had hoped for. I'm sure Nanci, myself, or others will update this post as we hear more.

Anxiously waiting for an update from Tom's wife...

_________________
Mike Styczen: As far as I can tell, all of Toronto is on the lookout for some sort of demented leprechaun. If Toronto didn't exist, we'd have to invent it

Likewise. Waiting for some news.

From Michelle, Tom's wife:

This is Michelle. Tom's chemotherapist was very hopeful yesterday. She said one of the drugs he's going to be given has been found to DOUBLE the survival rate and she's looking into getting him into a drug research program. She said she felt positive. When I told Tom's doctor that we were going to fight this with everything he said, "You better, I wouldn't have operated on him if I didn't think you would." And Tom is looking good. They removed the bandages and you can't even tell where they did the surgery. They didn't shave his head which made him happy. Last night I rolled Tom in a wheelchair down to the cafeteria with one of my sister's and her husband so we could eat somewhere besides his room. He is getting the best possible care. Chemo and radiation start in a few weeks after he has had time to recover. My kids, sisters and the rest of my family kept Tom's room filled with love and laughter. I have tried to keep him updated with all the emails, postings on FB, and fundraising but I don't think he truly realized the amount of love and concern he was garnering online. Today at 3:00 they let me bring Tom home. He is using a walker to get around for the next couple of weeks and will be sleeping a lot but he was SO happy to get back home into his own bed with our three dogs cuddled around him. He is truly shocked by the outpouring of love he's received from all of you. I always told him he was the nicest guy in the world. Thanks for telling him the same. You are all amazing. With all these good wishes, prayers and positive thoughts how can he NOT get better.

This needs to go up.

_________________

From Michelle 10/6/12:

Hi, this is Michelle. Tom is doing very well. Already walking a little without his walker, eating lots of organic food, sleeping and watching Mystery Science Theater with me. He sits downstairs and visits with family in the evening, the dogs right next to him as always. He never really believed that so many people's positive thoughts and prayers could make a difference in ones life but now he's changed his mind because of all of you. Tom and I both know he will make it through this. Thanks again to Shannon Piccirilli Wells (our guardian angel at Indiagogo), all the publishers and editors who have made sacrifices to help Tom, to family and friends who have brought lots of laughter and more healthy food than I can fit in our kitchen (and doggy treats too, thanks Elie) and to Anna Weitzell, who, knowing we were driving a car that had seen much better days, has given us a car. To Brian Keene and the original gang who are coming out to visit in a couple weeks (Tom can't wait to see you!), to everyone who has sent flowers and cards and private emails and most of all to everyone who took a minute to send prayers, good wishes and positive thoughts, thank you. You have done an amazing job helping Tom at the beginning of what is sure to be a happy outcome to this fight.

Awesome, great news.

_________________
Visit my blog:
http://horrorgasms.blogspot.com/

Update from Last Night:

Hi, This is Michelle. I just had to drop a quick note and say, as overwhelming as the fundraisers, postings, prayers and positive thoughts have been to Tom, the last two days of snail mail filled with packages, cards, letters and checks has Tom just stunned. I told him he was just like Jimmy Stewart in A Wonderful Life. You really don't know how much of an impact your life has on other people. One person wrote to say that back in Tom's editing days he published her work for the first time. I know how much that means. I still remember my first editor. And the person who wrote the AMAZING five page letter? Tom is going to write to you personally as soon as he is able. I was crying when I read Tom all of todays cards and letters. God, I just don't have the words for how amazing you guys are and how special you're making the most special person in the world feel.

From Michelle:
http://www.stephenromanoshockfestival.c ... stay-gold/

From Michelle:

This is Michelle. I had to take Tom to the ER last night. He wasn't doing well but they did a cat scan and said everything looked really good and he must have had a bad reaction to meds or the flu. Either way he is feeling better tonight and we know for sure that the surgery went well. No bleeding and 98% of the tumor removed. Tom gets the staples removed from his head on Tuesday. You can't see them unless you look real close. The neurosurgeon did a good job of hiding them in his hair. That's all for now. Thanks again everyone. Tom is staying positive. We're going to get through this.

From Michelle:


Hi, this is Michelle. Tom just received news from Random House he wanted to share. THE LAST KIND WORDS will go on-sale in trade paperback in April and the follow-up THE LAST WHISPER IN THE DARK will go on sale 7/9/13. Thanks again for all the amazing letters, cards and packages. And a very special thank you to Nick Pulsipher. I read your letter to Tom, it was really lovely. Writers don't know how much their work touches people's lives, keeps them sane, and just keeps out the shadows. Thanks for the reminder.

From Michelle:

Hi, this is Michelle. The good news is that Tom had the staples removed yesterday and he finally got his new glasses. It was his first day out and he's not regained his strength yet, so we used a wheelchair. The neurosurgeon warned us again that this is a very 'aggressive' kind of cancer but he also talked about how we would fight it. So it's not as if he doesn't have hope too. Tom gave the Dr a copy of LAST KIND WORDS and told him if the next book wasn't any good it'd be HIS fault. Only real bad news is the letter we received from Medicaid. Someone from the hospital helped me fill out paperwork and he said we might qualify for help with our medical bills. Just got a letter from them yesterday. We are on a 'waiting list'. The government doesn't have the money to help everyone who needs it. It's creepy but I think we have to wait until enough people on the program die before we can be put on. I'll just start making payments on bills so I don't feel like a vulture.

Man, imagine feeling like a vulture for not being able to afford hospital bills. Medical treatment is a human right! She and Tom shouldn't feel that way at all.

_________________
Mike Styczen: As far as I can tell, all of Toronto is on the lookout for some sort of demented leprechaun. If Toronto didn't exist, we'd have to invent it

Latest Update: (Very sad and maddening)


Hi, this is Michelle with an update. Tom saw two doctor's this week. First was his radiation oncologist. He explained that the radiation would be pinpointed to the spot where Tom's tumor was. They will not be using radiation on his healthy brain tissue. This will take about ten minutes five days a week for six weeks. Monday he goes back in to have 'mapping' done. They'll make a face mask out of a kind of plaster that will keep healthy parts safe and keep him from moving when the radiation is going on. He's supposed to take a xanaxs before we leave because this treatment can cause anxiety. It looks like he will loose his hair but it will grow back.

The next day Tom saw his chemo oncologist. His chemo will consist of one pill a day for six weeks followed by a pill five days a week once a month for the rest of his life. He takes a pill for nausea beforehand and an antibiotic because all of this will lower his immunities. His oncologist got him into a research program at University Hospital of Denver (recently voted the best hospital in the state) where he is going to get a vaccine at the same time all of these other treatments are going on. The vaccine is made from his own cells. The appointments this week were to tell us what would happen. Next week starts the real work but today threw me down and kicked the hell out of me. I went to the pharmacy to pick up Tom's chemo pills. The girls working there hadn't even filled it and they looked very guilty because they know I don't have insurance. I asked what was wrong and they explained that one month supply of these pills would cost $14,000. That is not a typo or a misprint. When I could finally speak, I asked if the pharmaceutical company had a program to help me with this. It turns out they did but it would take three weeks before we heard back from them.

When I got home Tom was in bed but on the phone. He handed it to me and said it was someone from the chemo doctor's office. She had no idea what I'd just gone through but she was calling to say that Tom's doctor works with a team that takes turns meeting with us and providing help. HER job was financial help. I almost burst into tears on the phone as I explained what happened. She said not to worry. She would get us the pills through the doctor's office and they would be affordable for us. I am just amazed that this woman called right when she did and right when I was ready to fall apart. The fight goes on, dammit! I have no comment on pharmaceutical companies or politicians who claim it's no problem to get medical treatment in this country. But if you live in Europe or Canada this post must seem unreal...I wish it was.

I read this this morning and almost cried. $14, 000 for medicine? My first thoughts would have made a hardened biker blush. I'm glad Tom's doctors will be able to help him out.

Reading that last update, I did cry. That's just so wrong on so many levels.

_________________
The GOP doesn't trust women when it comes to vaginas any more than they trust scientists when it comes to science.

I just don't see how $14,000 for what, 30 pills, can be justified on any level. Is it supply and demand? Do those who would benefit from said pills have to foot the bill for all the research necessary to formulate and manufacture them? I just don't get it. I'm glad they exist, and I'm especially glad there's a way around that ridiculous amount of money Michelle and Tom would need to get them. I can only imagine the helplessness Michelle felt at the pharmacy. This is such a trial that way too many have to face, not only the illness itself but the path to wellness.

_________________

That was the most harrrowing post, yet. All that stuff Tom has to go through and then the 'eff you' figure thrown at Michelle at the pharmacy. I know R & D costs money, but doesn't the revenue from all those anti- depressants they got us all hooked on cover that? Madness.

Now that update had some familiar things in it. I'm glad Tom and Michelle are receiving help from the doctor's office on the meds.

When my Stepdad was sick, the highest his meds cost was $3000 a month and that was with insurance and Medicare.

Janet, research and development is a fairly small portion of a pharmaceutical company's budget. The reason things cost so much is so their shareholders can make their money. It's why we don't actually cure anything. There's no money in a cure. There's huge money in the treatment of symptoms.

Thad nailed it. Shareholders and Executive's salaries and bonuses. The company that I used to work for had a clause in the contracts of the top 3 executives granting them (combined) $35M when the company went public. In order to go public they had to cut expenses and "overhead" to the bone. Overhead=jobs shipped to India. Pretty f'n sad this time we live in.

The spousal unit was watching something on History the other day about What's The Earth Worth and they talked about precious metals, petroleum reserves, and how much money could be made off of the various resources this planet holds and I looked at him and said "you know, they can have all the gold and silver and dollars they want - but they can't f'n eat them"

_________________
Mike Styczen: As far as I can tell, all of Toronto is on the lookout for some sort of demented leprechaun. If Toronto didn't exist, we'd have to invent it

Thad, I feel badly about not asking you this sooner, but how is your mom doing?

Doing okay. Hanging tough.

_________________
Mike Styczen: As far as I can tell, all of Toronto is on the lookout for some sort of demented leprechaun. If Toronto didn't exist, we'd have to invent it

It's just so not right what we do to our citizens here.