Updates

Hi everyone:

Sorry, I didn't update yesterday. I hope I didn't have you worrying. I just took the day off.

The last CT scan that Jim had a few weeks ago mentioned that the cancer was probably at about 3 cm. A normal lymph node is 1 cm. This CT scan shows that they are still at 3 cm. The doctors seem encouraged by that. Jim and I are a bit less encouraged. But we are not discouraged. The doctors say that that could mean it's stable. It could also mean that the cancer is all the way gone, and that those 2 cm's are scar tissue from all the swelling, radiation, etc. We don't know. We know more how this cancer has behaved. Either way, it's not a deal breaker for the SCT. But if it's active, it will certainly grow before the 18th of February, the tentative date for the SCT. And I don't know what will happen then. Jim is having a PETScan tomorrow. This will light up the cancer and will truly show whether there is activity or not.

Again, Jim and I continue to do well with all the info that we are given. Certainly, it's a bit harder to process the "bad" news versus the "good" news, but all in all, I think we are doing very well resting in the Lord, or sending things back up to him, via the conveyor belt.

The SCT Team that we have sent their nurse/coordinator to speak to us. Once again, the news is different than everything we have heard so far. She gave us a book about SCT's that I read, and it says that often time info isn't presented properly because there are all types of different statistics. You would have to read the book. But the bottom line is that the Coordinator told us something that goes in the opposite direction of what we were told all prior. So, here's the scoop as of today. Take it with a grain of salt.

Innitially we were told that 50 percent of the people die from the transplant itself. Yesterday we were told that the transplant procedure itself is pretty innoculous. The 50 percent that die usually die from infection or the cancer itself. So, this was good news because we envisioned these stem cells going into Jim's vein, and something going haywire, and him flatlining. That does NOT happen. We then thought that the possibility of infection and the cancer itself, only added to the 50 percent death odds. So.....Now we are hoping that that is the bottom line. We are pretty sure it is, particularly since Jim is getting a mini-transplant, which means that Jim won't get the lethal doses of chemo and 2 days of total body irradiation prior to SCT.

Also, 4 days ago, we were told that 1 person with Jim's type of cancer had remission with STC and more chemo. She's not considered cured yet, because you have to go to the 5 year mark, but her cancer is in remission. I'm not sure how long of a remission she has. Anyway, we were NOT excited by this. 1. One. Uno? Yikes. But the Coordinator yesterday told us that they probably only have treated maybe 3 with Jim's cancer. So... that's a third. Again, we aren't looking to %'s really. The reason there aren't that many with Jim's cancer treated with STC is because they have all been cured by their 1st chemo, so we just keep on keeping on, but it's a bit less scary than it sounded. Also, she said that they have treated other types of "aggressive cancers" with STC and have had more favorable responses. She didn't say it excitedly or with #'s and %'s. We know the chances for complete success are on the low end. Maybe 20 percent or something, but when you hear "one" it sounds like 1 percent. And despite us not going with percentages, it's hard to overcome thinking 1 percent is all that made it.

Anyway, I ramble and I'm sorry. I told Jim that I was going to Bob and Shelley's today, and know what he did guys? He pricelined the hotel again. He said I am not driving that far tonight after the Steeler game. That makes sense, but this does need to be the last night, as expenses are on the rise.

I have to make a list of things to do. I have to leave Jim, go home, pack for us to live down here, buy a bed for Bob and Shelley's, do something about my mail, banking, plants in the greenhouse, etc. I think once Jim's bottom is doing a bit better, and he enters into all the tests and such for the transplant, that's when I will come home. Although, I would like to do it before the room opens up at the lodge, so I don't lose it again. So pray for me that I make the best decisions in this regard. Thanks.

Talk to you soon.

Love Us

ps. GO STEELERS.