November 11, 2008

Hello all,

Happy Veterans Day, especially for all of you federal and state and employees and bankers who are really getting to enjoy it!

Today Mark saw Dr. Delizio (oncologist). The visit was simply a follow up to his chemotherapy treatment. He reviewed his lab, nutrition, and side effects. All of which are doing fairly well. We had many questions, all of which he answered for us. The plan of chemoradiation, surgery, and chemo following surgery has not changed. We do have a few specifics. The "5 week" thing is really 25 treatments. This means it will be into the sixth week before we finish due to the holiday. 25 treatments is all there will be, regardless of what is happening with the tumor. Treatment is not dependent on whether the tumor shrinks or not. The standard treatment is the same 5 weeks. Some tumors will shrink to being barely visible, and some will not change in size at all. Every tumor may respond differently to the radiation. Regardless of the response to this treatment, the fact is that recurrence of cancer in the pelvis is less common if it is treated as we are doing.

That is how we want it, rid of this for good!

There will not be a need to see the oncologist again until after surgery. The chemotherapy cocktail for treatment afterwards will be determined by the findings during surgery. Just a reminder, the plan is for surgery mid January.

Just think, tomorrow is the midway point of this treatment and Thursday marks the downhill slide. Yeeeaaahhh. God is so good.

Thanks to all for being on our "team". There is definitely power in numbers.