March Gladness!

We met with Cindy’s oncologist, Dr. J today (3/15) who reported that Cindy’s latest March 7 biopsy is good, excellent in fact, confirming that her remission is solid with no cancer in the bone marrow or no cancerous blast cells in the bloodstream.

March Gladness!

Cindy is celebrating March Gladness in a manner that many may see as somewhat odd - by heading back to Beaumont Hospital on March 25th for her first week of consolidation chemotherapy - five, In-patient days to receive chemo on days 1, 3 and 5.  Then back home again to recover for a month before returning for round 2 of 4.

In case you are wondering, the four part consolidation phase caught Cindy by surprise.  She thought consolidation was a one-part thing not a four-part thing. Her hope to return to work (at Hillside Elementary) before the end of the school year was somewhat dashed by this update but Dr. J assured us that this has been the plan all along and he’s very confident about Cindy’s long term prognosis even though, he admitted, there are no guarantees.

“I trust my sense, my science and my God,” pronounced Dr. J enthusiastically.  “Mama, you are going to be fine. You are strong and will tolerate what we have planned for you.”  (Imagine this being said with his lyrical Nigerian accent.)

“Define tolerate,” queried Cindy.

My takeaways were: 1) maintaining remission; 2) combating weakness and fatigue and 3) rebounding from infections. If Cindy is unable to “tolerate” chemo, the consolidation plan may be shortened or modified.

Tentatively, these four consolidation cycles will conclude in late June or sooner, depending on how it goes.   

Perhaps our initial thoughts about how this would unfold were overly ambitious. (an immediate and miraculous cure and inheriting a billion dollars from a long lost relative we never knew existed.) Looks like God has something else in mind. Even so, participating in the Trevisan family reunion in late July is still within reach and so is Cindy returning to work in the fall .

However this unfolds, we will cling to the Lord every step of the way.

“You can make many plans, but the LORD's purpose will prevail.” (Proverbs 19:21, NLT)

Go Green!