I hope the little video above give you all a smile like it did for us.   Caleb is just delighted when his big brothers and sisters take the time to entertain him, he doesn’t realize he’s really the one putting on the show!

I’ve spent the morning on the phone with various and sundry doctor’s offices, and figured I had better let everyone know where we are at medically.  I was seen by an oncologist at Akron General who agreed with a recommendation from Alaska, which is to put me on Xeloda.   It is a chemo pill, less harsh than an infusion, and it makes the cells in the body very susceptible to radiation.   I would take it along with radiation.

The thinking is that my chance of cancer returning to the original site is over 25% and the only known way to improve that chance is radiation.   That may bring my numbers down a lot, so if we can make that  radiation MORE effective, the better chance I have of not having a recurance there.   The problem is that with increased damage to the cancer cells, we’re also increasing the damage to everything else the radiation touches.   (More burning, scarring, etc.)

There is another chemo pill also being suggested which I would take along with herceptin until the end of my “cancer year.”   It’s called Lapatinib or Tykerb.   According to Wikipedia, it has really complex and limited usage... it must be used with Xeloda, it must be for a HER2+ cancer that has already been treated with the exact chemo I have had, and not had sufficient results.  Well, I qualify for that, and the site also says that in those settings, it has reduced recurrence by 51%.   I love big numbers that are for me, not against me!

So, we’re still trying to seek a further opinion... I found out today that Cleveland Clinic will not see me due to my medicaid in Alaska.   One door closed, we’re praying about the next one to open.   So many people have been concerned, sent recommendations, etc.   Thank you SO much for caring for us, and we’re following up on every lead we get, trusting the Lord to direct us to the right place.

The question I’m wrestling with is if I am indeed to take these additional chemos.  It may be easier to tolerate, but it is still poison.   Will you pray with me that we will feel clear direction for how to proceed?

Oh yes, some good news.   I had a PET scan yesterday to check again for additional tumors, and nothing was found.    They’d have to be pretty big to show up, but hurray for a clear scan!

I’ve got to run, more contacts to make!   Thanks for reading and caring about us!