Hi everybody,
First things first. Steve always has to get his blood levels checked the week before chemotherapy is scheduled so the doctor can be sure Steve's body can safely handle it. Here are the results from the latest work up:
red blood cells 4.75
white blood cells 5.0
hemoglobin 15.6
hematocrit 45.1
platelets 114,000
creatinine 1.1
BUN 20
These are normal results overall for Steve and were not cause for concern.
This morning, Steve and Terry went back to Cedars for Steve's regularly scheduled MRI. Terry tells me the results looked just as expected and that there wasn't bad news and that Dr. Hu was optimistic. However, the tumor area in the Splenium looked worse than it had before the gamma knife procedure. It was larger and whiter looking as expected from the swelling and tumor cells dying from the radiation. There was also a small dot of white next to the original area which is probably also related to the radiation, according to Dr. Hu. We are going to believe Dr. Hu and not assume it could be a second tumor starting up, right?
Terry describes Dr. Hu as exceedingly cautious. Dr. Hu moved up the next MRI to Thursday, July 3rd at one month instead of the usual 2 months. He also won't let Steve delay chemotherapy so he will likely have to take it during their Disney World trip this summer.
Steve asked the doctor if the gamma knife didn't work or if the adjacent fuzzy spot is a new tumor, what options would they have? Dr. Hu said, they could change to a different chemotherapy medication or look into clinical trials or experimental research in the future. There is also the possibility to try an electrode therapy that had some initial good luck. These aren't needed yet, just possibilities if the future isn't as good as we expect.
Steve will continue his monthly chemotherapy schedule, the next round starts tomorrow. It will be Temodar 300mg Saturday thru Wednesday.
Their boys finished the school semester today. Nathan's choir will be singing at the high school graduation ceremony tonight. His summer plan is to work a couple of days a week at the senior center where his grandma works, and to study for his driving permit. Adam has plans to go to summer school.
Terry has had two job interviews for office work part time in a local optometrist's office. She won't know if she will be offered the job for a couple of weeks.
Let the summer begin!
