We drove to Iowa City late in the afternoon on Tuesday. The weather forecast was for more snow that night and we didn’t want to try to drive that distance in order to be at the University Hospital at 7:30! We woke Wed to 2 inches of snow on top of a skim of ice. The trip from the hotel to the hospital was interesting. . .
Lois drank the first installment of “glow juice” for the CT Scan at 7:30 and the second at 8:20. By 8:45 we were in the Oncology clinic waiting for her labs to be drawn. Then it was the wait for the CT Scan to be “read” and the lab work to be completed.
When we compared the CT Scan from 8 weeks ago to the new one, there were some slight but seemingly insignificant changes. The lab work indicated the CEA count had moved from 4.8 four weeks ago, to 7.9. However the Drs indicated this happens sometimes during a treatment regimen and they didn’t seem too concerned.
At the last testing and consultation the end of October, it was decided to change the Chemo “cocktail” by subtracting the Oxaliplatin and the bolus of 5FU. Now the Drs. have added the bolus of 5FU back to the “cocktail” for the next four Chemo infusions. That bolos has never resulted in any side effects that we know of and is a relatively quick (3 minute) injection at the end of the three hour drips of Leucovorine and Avastin. Lois continues to have the 5FU pump for 46 hours. Home health care comes to the Infusion unit to “hook” her up and also seems to arrive at our house on time to “unhook” the pump. Or, as we jokingly refer to this, Lois is ported and deported every two weeks!
Thanks for your partnership in prayer.
Have a great celebration of Christ’s birth!
Jim and Lois,
I praise God for the things He is doing for you and especially that your spirts are high. Keeping up your spirits is sometimes the hardest but best thing you can do , always but especially, right now. Praise God for His Sons glorious birth , so that we can know in our hearts and Souls that we can and will win no matter what. God’s definitely with you. May He continue to give you the peace and healing that only God can give.
Remember that you are in our thoughts and prayers and if there is anything we can do , just let us know.
In brotherly love,
Rob and Jen Swacker
P.S. Taylor misses her talks with Lois
Thank you for the nice Christmas Greeting. You both look so good in the pictures. Glad the treatments are going so well Keep it up, and we hope to see you again sometime. If you ever get out this way, be sure to look us up.
Love
Mary and Jack
Greetings!
Sure glad things are going well for you. We praise Him for this.
Tomorrow (2 Jan 09) is my last chemo infusion in this round. This past few days I have felt very good. Pain has not been a problem! PTL!
My “sitters” tomorrow are Carole MacKay and Susie Wimmer. I have not met Susie before. Erika Walker and Ellie Macfarlane sat with me last time.
Thanks for keeping us updated. Thoughts and prayers – Love, Bettye Lou