05-03-2011 Tuesday

Sorry for my delay in posting my latest. I have no excuse except for procrastination! In any case, the news Friday was good. The radiology report comparing my last CT Scan and the one from mid-March says that the masses continue to slowly shrink! Thank you Lord God and thank you all of my friends and family that continue to keep me in their prayers. Now my treatment changes over to maintenance phase. I agreed to be on a study in which the random choices were Avastin (which stops the blood supply to the masses) or Alimta (which robs the cancer cells of folic acid when they're ready to divide and cells that don't divide simply die) or a combination of Avastin and Alimta. And the random choice (chosen by a computer somewhere) chosen for me was... drum roll please... the Avastin and Alimta combination! I was praying for this result. Not that I know it will work better than the other choices, but that if I'm going to be kind of a "guinea pig" (so to speak) in a study, I would prefer that I actually test the choice that is being tested! Besides, it would seem to make sense that a two-pronged attack would be a more effective treatment (as long as the side effects aren't too horrible!) Because of the Alimta I have to get periodic B12 shots and take folic acid tablets daily. My first actual chemo treament with this combo is this Friday (which should only take two hours instead of six or seven). Dr. Masri is also switching me over to coumadin (a blood thinner tablet) and off of Lovenox (a blood thinner shot). So temporarily, I'm on both until they get the coumadin dosage figured out. (An interesting and somewhat shocking fact... the Lovenox shot that I currently inject twice a day are around $100 per shot! Thank goodness my employer has good insurance coverage! It gives you a whole new perspective on those that are NOT insured!!) As I said earlier, I thank all of my friends and family who are providing the power of prayer for my treatment and recovery. Only by your love and support and the grace and will of God do I have even a glimmer of any hope in defeating this disease. I truly believe that God has more of His work for me to do here on earth. And if He doesn't, then I know that I have a place in His Kingdom! It is truly a win-win situation! God Bless you all.