Halfway There!

Hi all - just a quick note via the East Coast office o' Tim. Its been a bit since we updated, as there has been a lot of ups and downs since the past chemo. I'll tell you what I know and let Andy add notes as he starts to regain strength.

As I mentioned its been a battle for Andy since the last chemo. Every time he gets chemo, his blood is taken a week later, and he is given a complete blood count (CBC) to check the impact of the chemo on his ability to transport oxygen, fight infections, and clot, among other things. These measurements are his Red Blood Cell (RBC), White Blood Cell (WBC) and Platelet counts, respectively.

So... a week after Chemo #2 (24 March) found Andy still in pretty rough shape. Completing the radiation and Chemo #2 concurrently left him weak, in pain, tired, unable to eat and really low in his WBC and Platelet counts. Start of week three (29 March) after Chemo #2 found Andy finally able to swallow, and the mucous in his lungs (both as a result of the radiation) subsiding, which allowed him to breathe easier as well as rest more horizontally. More rest, ability to eat allowed him to put a few pounds back on his frame.

Andy has been judiciously taking protein and greens supplements to help his body get the WBC and Platelet counts up. He also has been on pain medication in an attempt to let his body rest.

Dad flew out this week on Tuesday, and Andy had his levels checked again on Wednesday prior to Chemo #3. The levels were up sufficiently enough to allow him to have Chemo #3 administered. He's also going to be medicated to help prevent the chemo from bringing his WBC counts too low.

The downside is that he is not yet able to return to the East Coast to be consulted with at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. He was scheduled for an appointment on 15 April, but given his current condition, as well as the proximity to this latest round of chemo, it was thought that it be best that we push this appointment back. He'll be back East for a few days in May for the DFCI consult. Short term his next steps will be to continue to rest up, gain strength and prepare for his next round.

We have another important date coming up as well. Sometime during the week of 19 April Andy will have a full body scan as well as bone scan, to ascertain the efficacy of the current chemo. regimen. This will be compared to the scans from pre-treatment in mid February to measure the progression / regression of the cancer both at known and potentially new sites.

I and / or Andy will provide additional information as it develops. Thanks again for all the love, faith, prayers, hope, positive vibes and thoughts.

I'll leave you with this great note from a friend - not sure who the author is but it is the truth...

What Cancer Cannot Do
Cancer is so Limited...
It cannot cripple Love
It cannot shatter Hope
It cannot corrode Faith
It cannot destroy Peace
It cannot kill Friendship
It cannot suppress Memories
It cannot silence Courage
It cannot invade the Soul
It cannot steal Eternal Life
It cannot conquer the Spirit.