All Quiet on the Western Front 26FEB2010

Hello all -

It's been a quiet few days, as well as quite a few days, for us with Andy. Andy is very tired, exhausted, and sleeping quiet a bit, which is to be expected as his body is physically exhausted from the trauma over the past few months, as well as the chemo. He's on a few drugs to manage pain and nausea, and they seem to be doing the trick. I am happy to say that he has been eating pretty well, given the chemo - risotto last night, pizza tonight, and lots of ensure, protein, and "greens" drinks to boost the immune system, as well as tea and other nutritional supplements.

Jen and I let Andy rest today, and were able to catch up on some other tasks (drs appointments, paperwork, "real" work :) and even get out for a bit. Jen and Nicholas visited with some friends in South Bay, and Nicholas polished off a full hamburger on his own - a first, his appetite has clearly not been affected. I snuck down to Santa Monica to visit our 3rd brother (a best friend growing up), who was in town for a few days, for of all things - a conference with leading international lung cancer doctors. He'll be coming up to visit Andy tomorrow which will be good for his spirits.

Tomorrow is another big day. On Tuesday, the full body bone scan came back, and Andy has two additional sites on his body - one on his lower right leg (shin) and one on his skull. Tomorrow we have our first meeting with a Radiation Oncologist. The primary oncologist believes that these sites can be managed through a few (1-2?) radiation treatments. It is our hope that these sites can be "zapped" and then will be gone. We'll also squeeze in a couple of xrays for good measure.

My parents have booked a flight out for my mom to visit for Andy's second chemo infusion. My dad will be heading out for the third infusion as well. A few folks have asked about visiting Andy. If you're in the LA area, give him a ring - right now it is hit or miss as to how he is feeling, almost hour to hour He has definitely appreciated the calls, emails, and visits from folks - all thoughts and prayers help too. We are hopeful that as this regimen continues he will get stronger and have a more normal schedule, and will have a better expectation as to how quickly he can recuperate from the chemo.

That's all for now!! Hope all are well and keep on rooting for Andy!

Tim