Good News....After 17 Months of Not So Good News |4-21-17|

Last week, and the week prior to that, felt heavy. When Dr. Ganguly walked in that room, on April 4th, handed Mike the PET scan report, and said, "This is bad." Our world felt like it was unravelling.

Last week Mike had a couple different biopsies. On Monday they did a Bronchoscopy, and then on Friday he had a more invasive surgery which required him to stay overnight in the hospital. We were pretty nervous about that one because the last time he had that surgery it was supposed to be a one night stay, but turned into a 6 night stay.

The surgeon, (whom we love!), Dr. Vee, came out after the surgery and told me the exciting news that the preliminary results were not showing any lymphoma! We also found out that morning that the Bronch results came back negative for lymphoma as well. Dr. Vee said he was sending a few more samples off to biopsy, so we would have to wait for those results. I was feeling pretty good about all of it, but if there's one thing we've learned, it's that you just never know what the outcome will be!

Mike recovered from the surgery over Easter weekend, and he's feeling better now. He had a chest tube in, and so his side is still sore, and he's coughing, which causes some pain, but it has gotten better each day.

Yesterday we had our follow up appointment, and we were hoping to get all of the final results from the biopsies. And we did! Dr. Shune came in the room and started reading the reports.... Nothing showed cancer!!!!!

Mike asked, "So am I cancer free?"

Dr. Shune had a pretty good answer. I like her. "Let's assume you are. I can tell you that you are if you want me to. If it makes a difference. What if I say you're cancer free and in 3 months we do another scan and then I have to say it's back? Then it won't matter if you were cancer free for 3 months. So let's just assume you are. We are going to do everything we possibly can because you're still young. We are going to keep fighting. Now, if you were 80, I'd tell you to just go back to your farm." She was kidding of course, but we enjoyed the laugh.

So I'm going with "There is no evidence of cancer." Because for the first time, in 17 months, his biopsy did NOT show lymphoma. It was a shock, but such a good feeling!

The spots on the Pet Scan were inflammation and scar tissue. Whew!!!! Talk about a scare! So they said they would continue with the original plans of starting him on the Brentuximab immunotherapy drug every three weeks for 16 cycles. (About a year) Mike was liking that plan until they said, "Let's get you moved to a treatment room and we'll start today." Brakes! Mike wanted time to process it and get himself prepared to start this process again. Me, I was like, "Let's do it! Why wait another minute? The sooner you start, the sooner you're done." He eventually gave in, but was pouting about it. So he got the first of 16 infusions yesterday. Hopefully it doesn't beat him up too bad!

Now we get to just keep plugging away. He isn't very happy that he has to get an IV in his arm everytime now, since he doesn't have his Trifusion anymore, but maybe after a year of this, he won't be so upset anymore. I don't want to say that I hope this year flies by (because I know it will), but I hope it goes smoothly. I hope the corner we are turning is leading us to a paved road instead of the rocky one we felt lost on.

Thanks for all of the love! We truly appreciate it.

XO

Robin