todays update

The news today was good. The chemo and subsequent stem cell transplant did achieve remission for Brian's cancer. The PET scan results were what we had hoped for, and his blood labs were also very good.

I suggest that you take the news with guarded optimism as we are. After getting caught blind sided by Brian's cancer returning after such a long remission period and many reassurances that his type of cancer rarely comes back after such a long remission, I am guarded against such a mistake again.

There is a 60% probability that his cancer will not return. But those were about the same odds last time. And it did return.
With that in mind, he will have much closer follow up then he did before, on the advise of his transplant oncologist, he will have labs every 3 months and PET scan's every six months. We will be returning to Lehigh Valley Hosp. on 11/22 to start his follow up care with his oncologist there.

He has some significant neuropathy from the treatment and that is unlikely to get better. He also has some short term memory issues (yeah for chemobrain) but we've already started many of things we found by trial and error in the past to work. (diet supplements, whole unprocessed foods, and typical memory games as well as the much hated note pads) and he is suffering from some depression, he is on a medication that deals well with both the neuropathy and the depression for now.

On a more positive note, the skin fungus that has plagued him for 8 years from the previous chemo treatments has completely resolved. This is the first time in all that time he doesn't need creams and special shampoos. Brian is thrilled with that. This will be a significant improvement in his way of life. THat rash drove him nuts sometimes.

So the news is good, but to think he is cured would be foolish. It is time now to start putting that somewhat battle-worn shreds of normalcy back together and more forwards with positive and cautiously optimistic outlook.

The short term goal is for Brian to learn to drive and enroll (funds permitting) in one class of his choice at the local community college. We'll take the baby steps from there.

I...well I'd like a nice long vacation to a pearly white beach with beautiful water where I can swim and relax...but as we all know...it will be a long winter of trying to get everyone back to some less then questionable mental health and dealing with the inevitable fallout that comes from a crisis like this.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers and everything else during the last 10 months.
I'll post his pet scan results on the blog tomorrow when I am not so tired from such a long day in the car.