August 27, 2009

Finally, we received word that the treatment for Paula's cancer is ready to start, and boy are we glad about that. Considering the fact that we have never waited this long after realizing the lymphoma has returned to get treatment, it has been right at 8 weeks since we received that word. Paula will go in next Tuesday, September 1 for the first dose of this outpatient treatment. To refresh your memory, they are doing a fairly new treatment called Radio Immune Therapy and it is a one round treatment. She will finish the treatment on Sept 10, with the last dose, which will be a very intense visit. In between there will be more doses and even a scan to make sure the therapy is attacking the right spots. This treatment has side effects just as devastating as chemo, and is comparable to it. Again, her blood counts will drop drastically and especially her platelets. The inability to regain or rebuild platelets is one of the scariest possibilities with this treatment. After about 10-12 weeks if the treatment goes well and there are no adverse side effects, we hope that Paula can have the much needed hip surgery. As you can imagine, she is extremely nervous about doing the treatment, while chemo is not a friend, it was a road that she had been down so many times, the fear was not like this. Please pray specifically for safety for Paula and whomever is taking her over and back to Moffitt for these treatments. Also, we are asking that you pray specifically that there are no severe reactions to the medicine and that it is able to "tackle the beast" and put her into remission in order to allow for the hip surgery. You continue to amaze us all with your diligence in prayer, your faithfulness in support and most of all your belief in fact that with God all things are possible. Thanks over and over again!