Doctor's appointment

I have such good intentions of posting every time we come home from the doctor! Invariably, I never even make it to the computer!

We had a good visit with Dr. McCollum yesterday. He listens so intently to us and always seems to have the right things to say. You might have picked up that we have met a few challenges over the last two weeks. Mark has been struggling with energy, sleeping, anxiety and restlessness, appetite, motivation, and a nagging intermittent discomfort which enhances several of the other symptoms. Overcoming our initial fears of having something medical complicating his recovery we are now faced with the task of having to dig - just a little deeper. Dr. McCollum reassured Mark that everything he was experiencing was so very expected and normal. He reminded him that he suffered a huge blow a couple of weeks ago, one that requires him to re look at some of his goals going forward. For so many of us, it is a reminder that he really is human! For so long he has kept our spirits high and our hearts just a little less heavy by his ability to carry this cross over the last couple of years with such grace and strength. Dr. McCollum has much confidence in him getting back to himself before too long, but warned that these highs and lows will present again and can be even more exaggerated.

I tend to shy away from this blog when I can't just lift you up with something, but I mention these things not to make you sad, but to give you another specific focus for prayer. I think that visiting with Dr. McCollum yesterday made Mark relax just a little bit, reaffirming that with a little work, this too will get easier. While these symptoms are normal, he does agree that he would probably not be struggling so with them if he were getting better rest. So he is giving him medicine that he feels will remedy his sleeping and in turn many of the other things.

That being said, treatment wise, he has started all over with a new regimen. They worked Mark in for his IV Avastin yesterday. That is the drug that enhances the effectiveness of the Xeloda that he will be taking by mouth. He will take a total of 7 pills a day for two weeks and then get a week off. So we will go to Dallas in three week cycles. He will stay on this regimen for as long as it is working to control progression which he will monitor with scans. The biggest side effects are bowel related and hand issues. Not so much the neuropathy that he had before but sensitivity and skin integrity. Mark did this regimen in '08 prior to his first surgery to remove the cancer. He tolerated it very well at that time.

Mark had a pretty good day yesterday after leaving the doctor. We stopped and had a very nice lunch. You know the kind where you are miserably "starving" and then you are miserably STUFFED! It is good to see him eat well. We have also been in the market for a new bed, so it was a perfect time to stop at the mattress place just after filling our bellies! No new bed, but stretching out to try them was nice! AAAhhhh - the simple things!

Love you all, Missy