Hello everyone--
Well I got good news today. My scan shows that basically everything except one of the nodules has continued to shrink in both size and activity! :) That one stubborn nodule has grown very little. So we are going to keep on this same chemo regimen and then they are going to refer me to a radiation oncologist to see if a new type of pinpointed radiation is an option to shrink or get rid of the one nodule. I have been through radiation before and it was nothing compared to chemo, so if it will help to get rid of the one nodule, then great.
In other news, I will be having a second procedure at Stanford on my vocal cord to see if we can get my voice back to normal. The surgery will be Monday, 11/22.
I thank you for all the support & prayers you've given me. Can you believe in about another week it will be five years since they originally diagnosed my cancer? I am truly blessed to still be walking among you, and I plan to continue doing just that!

Hello everyone--
Well it's been a couple of months, so I wanted to update you. I had a good scan after my first two rounds on this chemo regimen. Now I've completed three more rounds, so I will be having a PET scan 7:30 Wednesday morning. Other than being a little weakened by the chemo, I've been feeling great. Please do keep me in your thoughts and prayers for a clean PET scan on Wednesday. I truly appreciate all the support you've given me. I should have the results Friday or Monday and I will update the blog when I get them.

Hi Everyone--
Well, good news! I got the call today that everything has decreased in size and many also in activity. There is no new growth and all is going in the right direction, so this chemo regimen is working! I will just have to keep praying that the neuropathy stays under control as long as I keep going with these drugs. I am so thankful to God and to all of you for the thoughts, prayers, emails and support you've given me. Please keep that up--it really is helping me! Much love to you all!

Hi Everyone--
Well, I've completed the two rounds of the new chemo and Friday is my PET/CT scan. I should have the results on or before Wednesday, so please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I await them. Things have been fairly uneventful on these two drugs. They made me tired & I lost my hair (but not eyelashes & brows). I had some mouth sores but the anti-nausea meds kept my stomach ok. I had to keep the needle in my arm for three days during chemo, but at least I got a month off after each round. My biggest worry is the neuropathy (numbness).
I will update my blog when I get the results. Thanks so much for all your love & support.

Hi Everyone--
Well after six days of waiting I finally got a call with my results this morning. Good news and bad news. The bad news is there is still some minor growth of my spots only 2 mm. But one of them also shrunk 2 mm. The great news is there is still no spreading. I'm very happy about that part. Unfortunately we will be starting another chemo regimen. They originally told me it was an oral chemo, but now they are telling me they will be giving it by IV infusion, along with Cisplatin (apparently it works better when they are given together). Cisplatin is no fun. It was the first drug I had back when all this began, only it will be given in a smaller dosage. I will start this chemo a week from Wednesday (6/23). It will take 3 hours to give me on the first day, then I go back Thursday AND Friday for part 2 and 3, and those take an hour each. Looks like I'll be shaving my head again. Oh the joys of being bald. At least my wig will fit better now. My big concern about all this is both these drugs cause neuropathy, which is something we were trying to stay away from because my feet are already so numb and painful. I'm also concerned because it causes "voice changes," meaning I'll sound hoarse. Well, I already sound that way, so I'm wondering what's going to happen next. I'm going in to discuss my concerns with my doc this Wednesday afternoon. Please do keep me in your thoughts and prayers that this option will work for me and that I will have minimal side effects. Thanks for your love & concern. At least now I can (sort of) start to plan my summer!

Hello everyone--
I thought I would update you. I finished the third round of Doxil (every three weeks) on May 27th, and tomorrow morning I will have my PET scan to see if it worked. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I'll probably have results by Thursday or Friday. I'll update you again when I know. Thank you so much for your love and support.

4/16/10

Just a quick update:

Richard is feeling much better and we think he will be back to work next week! Thanks so much for working us into your busy anesthesia schedule, Tom!

As for me, we made the decision not to switch drugs so soon. When I originally was on Doxil, I was being treated every three weeks, for three rounds, and it was working when I had my scan around Thanksgiving. Then we decided it might be easier on me to go with treatments every four weeks. We went that way for five rounds, and as my last scan showed, progression began again. So we have decided to stay with Doxil for three more rounds, going back to treatment every three weeks, to see what happens. If it works, that would be great. If not, we will then switch to an oral chemotherapy, Etoposide. Please keep me in your prayers. Thanks everyone!

Hi everyone--
Well, Richard came through his triple hernia surgery. This is his third time having hernia surgery, only this time he had three of them. It was a little more work than originally anticipated, but it went smoothly, and he's home recovering.

I just received the call from my doc saying that unfortunately there was again progression of all the nodules. The good news is there was no new growth (no spreading), thank God. We will be switching chemo drugs next week--this time it will be an oral chemo, rather than IV infusion, so I have no idea what to expect. This week off has been tough with all the tests, but it will be great to be back with my students next week. Please keep up your prayers. They really help to get me through. I truly appreciate all the emails of support you have sent. They feel like a great big "group hug."

Hi everyone--
Well, I had round 8 of Doxil on March 18th, and now I will have my PET scan tomorrow morning. I've been feeling good, except I had the last round a week early (so I wouldn't be as tired while we were on tour in Vancouver last week) and it gave me bad blisters all over my feet. They got infected, so I had to deal with that on tour. They're much better now. I got back Saturday night and Monday I had an echocardiogram. I ask for your thoughts and prayers for clear results on both the echo and the PET. I should know by the end of the week, and will update you when I find out.
Richard will be having hernia surgery on Friday, so please also keep him in your thoughts and prayers! Thank you so much!

Things have been good. I'm doing well and just had round 6 of this chemo drug yesterday, and I'm still tolerating it well. My doctor is waiting until after round 8 (end of March) to do another scan, so I think that is good. I feel really good. My voice is healing slowly and my vocal cord is now moving with the help of the new nerve, thank God! I'm scheduled to start voice therapy at Stanford on Friday, and it seems to be getting better and better. Thank you again for all the prayers.