Black Thursday

Yesterday did not end as we had hoped and planned. We had a 2 pm appointment with Dr van Rhee. Anticipating a good report, we had already prepared Gracie for the return trip and had filed a flight plan home.

When the good doctor evaluated Deb's MRIs from this week and compared them to last months, he was not pleased. He had hoped the Carfilzomib would have started shrinking the lesions by now and had encouraged us to be patient with the experimental drug last time we saw him. But yesterday, he said the lesions had actually grown significantly and were beginning to multiply and spread. He said it was time for decisive action: he recommended immediate 'hard chemo' like Deb had when she arrived here almost two years ago to the day. When he showed us the MRIs and talked to us, we quickly agreed. He also used the dreaded question 'Are you prepared to stay?'

For anything less important, probably not. To save a life, you bet!

So, in a few minutes, Deb gets some more baseline blood tests, then we meet with Kari, the planning nurse. Later today Deb gets a central line installed. This time she will probably get one in her arm rather than the neck. Saturday she begins the VDT PACE chemo. It's nasty stuff and she will once again lose her hair. 

We did joke that since her original hair  (which, by the way has never been colored-she still has black natural hair) was thick and straight but came back after chemo soft and curly. We though perhaps it would come back this time its original format. Any bets?

So, the schedule is like this:

Here 3 1/2-4 weeks
Four days of hard 24/7 chemo starting tomorrow. Saturday
Neutrapenia-no immune system left in nine days
12-14 days- immune system begins to rebuild

Because Deb is prone to pneumonia-remember the eleven horrible days in  the hospital last time she had this chemo?- she will get a special treatment today to help prevent pneumonia- Pentanadine is sounded like.

She will also continue the Thalidomid and get infusions of the steroid Dexamethozone.

The goal: shrink the lesions.

She will get another MRI session on day 10 to see if it shrinks. If not, the next step is called 'Salvage Therapy.' How's that sound to you?


When we finally left the doctor's we were emotionally shot, so we did what all good Americans tend to do when under stress: we ate!

We had a nice Key Lime pie to help us deal with everything, then' home' to the condo for rest. By the way, that's the term Deb uses: let's go 'home.'

This was certainly not our desire to be here but we are confident that  it has not surprised our Lord who has assured us that he will never leave us nor forsake us.

Blessings All!

Stay tuned for more adventures!