Pages

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Hi from Tulsa

Hello from Tulsa.  As I sit here chatting with you Pat is getting chemo.  I want to update you.

This morning I was praying and asking for change today when we meet with the oncologist.  I have been praying this these past weeks and for the doctors to change their mind.  Why?  I have been lead to.  I want them to think extra hard outside the box in regard to Pat's treatment.  My question was "Why do we have to stay on this strenuous treatment with one spot left?"  The side effects of the oral chemo are worse now.

When we arrived for Pat's appointment they weighed him and he has lost more weight which really is upsetting as we both try really hard to keep him eating healthy with lots of protein.  Marie, the Nurse Practitioner, came in and said that his tumor markers have gone up to 332 and we have some decisions to make.  She said that Dr. Shrestha was planning on changing his treatment to FU5 which is a combination of three drugs which have to be infused over a 48 hour period.  I told her that we were not crazy about that idea.  She said that she would go and talk to Dr. Shrestha and discuss. Boy, was I praying then. They both returned to the examining room and Dr. Shrestha said she understood that we wanted to think about other options.  She said that she had another idea and that is to continue the Gemzar and add Abraxane every three weeks.  Abraxane is a new drug that has recently been approved for pancreatic cancer.  This excited me!  We prayed for change and we got it.  We also get to extend the treatment to every three weeks instead of two.

This has been an emotionally hard day for the both of us due to being back to reality for one thing and now change of treatment, new side effects to worry about and higher tumor markers. As much as I love this place it is sometimes so hard to see cancer everywhere.  It is really heartbreaking.   When you have this type of day you just have to lean into God and ask for His peace and comfort..still praying that now.

Thank you prayer warriors!  It is so comforting to read your messages as it continues to give us hope and most of all make us feel so loved.

Pat and I plan to make another stop tomorrow on the way home in Broken Bow, Oklahoma and continue our vacation for one more night...just not ready to end it yet.

Our our love,
Paige & Pat
xoxo

No comments: