Round # 2 in the Books

Round two is complete, and Lonni is now trained to perform removals from this point forward.   It is a bit of a process to include giving me the shot that costs $4k!  She did it like a pro!  What this means is that we will not need to make a second trip up to the BC every two weeks.  It also means that I we be able to attend my beloved group, the Chicago Fellowship on Friday mornings.  It will save us the 3 hours in traffic, gas and give us a day back.

The only thing is, we will miss the time at BC!

This visit included a cooking class that Lonni attended while I got a massage!  It was my first one ever – boy what I have been missing!  My shoulders were quite tight and I had a knot in my back.  All that dissipated.  Really nice.  I hope to do this each infusion.  (now don’t be jealous!)

Lonni & I also had some long talks with the medical team -- the oncologist and the medical assistant.  We got educated on how we will be judging progress and effectiveness of the treatment (through blood work and scans.)  Every three months or so will be blood work and scans.  I’m sure this is very familiar for any of you that have gone this route yourself or with loved ones.

I didn’t have much time to chat with others at the BC but Lonni and I did meet a young women who had been treated at Mayo and is now at the BC.  I think everyone we have met so far comes to BC after a round or two or more elsewhere.  She talked of how stronger she is this time around.  Before she couldn’t walk three stairs without a rest and now her friends tell her that she is more healthy than they!  (She has, of course, embraced the whole diet and nutrition program.)  It is obvious that the effort the BC puts into reducing side effects pays off.

I went for both a CT scan and MRI to establish a post surgical baseline.  I had been wondering what was going on inside since the surgeon looked it all over and said that he could see no remaining tumors or lesions.  (Spreading to the liver and lungs is the malignancy pathway.)  The other concern is the abdomen wall where the surgeon was not able to get “clean margins”  -- and, of course, any reoccurrence on the bowel.  Finally, the lymph nodes (32 or 37 removed showed cancer.)  I’m so thankful to report that the abdomen seems clear – liver, bowel, etc. at this point.  There is some enlargement of several lymph nodes.  So those become points to watch.So in three months we will check in again and look for changes.

Side Effects?  Still quite manageable – I am so fortunate.  I was pretty wiped yesterday after a very rough bought with constipation (I’ve got to figure out how to combat the meds that cause this).  But this morning, Sunday, I feel stronger and plan to attend church – another place I get a lot of love.  I'll probably sleep through much of the Super Bowl!

Lonni continues to be amazing and is really taking to this healthy shopping and cooking.  It is amazing the healthy and creative alternatives are out there.  But I can’t imagine doing this whole routine without her help and support.  I am a very blessed man.

Cy is doing well and has not had any dark expressions.  Thanks for praying for him.

Continue to pray for my immune system in these compromised states after chemo.  An infection can be life threatening.

(PS I exercised every day this week -- did you?)