The fight is real and it is ON! I am afraid the latest round goes to cancer. Boo! So…. the good guys (all of us) are regrouping and forming a new strategy. Here is a quick summary of what is going on.

Our doctor visit last Wednesday had both good and bad news. Mostly bad. The good news is that most of the brain tumors have been shrinking. Part of the bad news is that two of the brain tumors are still growing. A few details about that… The shrinkage is related to radiation, not the targeted pill. We are unable to radiate the other two tumors for the present, it is a timing issue.

Those results were from the MRI. Now the PET scan was even worse. There was no good news. Mark’s lung tumors are proliferating – remember how we were freaked out by the cough and then relieved that it might be a respiratory infection? Well, freaking out was the better reaction because tumors are causing the cough. He sleeps in a recliner now to relieve his symptoms – the cough and the ensuing shoulder/back/chest pain.

Another symptom relieved by the recliner is the discomfort that comes from sitting anywhere else. Yes – I am sorry to say that this pain is once again being caused by our old nemesis… the hated leg tumor has returned! This time it appears to be growing deep in the pelvis at the place where the muscles would be attached if they had not been surgically removed. Dr. Chalmers asked if there was any sort of hip or leg pain and the answer was no – it wasn’t until we were driving home that I remembered the trouble he had experienced while sitting. Duh!

The two tumors that had been shrinking (thyroid and left leg) both shows increased uptake of the nuclear material. A couple other spots were “hot” but not confirmed as tumors.

So – while we have been trying to recover from side effects of medication – then not being sent medication… cancer has been up to its old tricks. We actually had a very positive visit and we have a plan to move forward. For the time being our attack will be focused on the lungs and we will hope that the brain tumors don’t get out of control. The chemo that we will be using does not really cross the blood-brain barrier, but it should work well to help Mark breathe more efficiently. It is not possible to have radiation along with this particular chemotherapy. Using the chemo that requires a 6 day hospital stay every three weeks is another option and it would cross into the brain – but we have tried it before at a lower dose and not had impressive results… but it is still out there.

We are always being asked what help we need. Specific prayers for those brain tumors to remain steady, prayers to help get that chemo on schedule (insurance approval, etc.), prayers for Dr. Chalmers and her team to know the best path forward, prayers for the chemo to find its target with minimal side effects, prayers for me to get the sleep I need and remain in good health to take care of Mark, prayers for Mark to be hopeful and optimistic… and comfortable, prayers for anything else you can glean that we need from our story and current situation.

One of my best friends lost her husband to cancer over nine years ago – he was much too young! She told me that she realized that cancer always loses and we always win! Cancer kills its host and therefore dies also. The individual may pass away but does not really die – they continue to live! WE WIN!!

How to help? Please make a moment to pray for us. Even if you do not believe in God, please take a moment to send those good thoughts out into the cosmos. (I believe that God will hear them also.)