Another Trip

Well for those who may not know we just returned from another trip to Houston. With school starting soon, and not being able to do anything with the kids this summer, we decided to take them with us. They have wanted to go all along, to see what we do, so we decided this would be the best time. And I have to say that they did really well, they behaved great. They loved the hotel room, especially the 10th floor, with huge windows that you could look out and see lot's of Houston. Not to mention the swimming pool. We had a little bit of free time so we were able to take them to the Holocaust Museum and the Museum of Natural Science. Both of which were very interesting, even for me. The Holocaust Museum was incredible. It was a great reminder to me that no matter how bad things can get for me, it could always be worse. Not to mention not being able to grasp how one human being can do those kinds of things to another human being. But that is a blog for another day. Believe it or not, it was actually a little cooler there than it was here, and I mean only a little bit. And it actually rained several times. Okay, I will stop.

On the medical front, not much has changed. The only scan they did was an MRI of the brain. The good news is it was once again clear. They didn't do any CT scans because Nashville had done them so recently. Turns our Nashville didn't so the same scans MD does, and we were all hoping they had done scans. They were able to tell that the tumor in my left lung is the size of a quarter. The tumor under my arm is growing. When we asked the doctor about radiation to shrink the tumor, he stated they didn't like to use radiation because if they do, and the cancer comes back in that area in the future, any chemo. would be less effective due to the radiation. So we aren't going to do any, especially since I have had so much cancer in that area. Basically what is going to happen now is I will again become part of a clinical trial at MD Anderson. It is a drug that is based upon a drug that was created to fight colon cancer. It has been very successful on the colon cancer, and because of the success was tried against breast cancer but was unsuccessful. And it is brand new so there are no numbers to look at, no success or failure rates, we are starting from scratch. So the next step will be they will call me and set up and appointment for a physical. Then, if that goes well, we will get started on the medication. I will have to go to Houston at least once a month, like I did in Nashville, to have test's done and pick up my medication. It too is a pill I will take everyday, and has most of the same side effects the last one did. That's all we know about it at his point. We won't know anymore until we go back down and meet with the doctor in charge of the study. I would be lying at this point if I said I wasn't a little tired. Tired of trying things and them not working. Tired of the side effects that seem to be getting worse. Tired of not working or doing anything. Tired of traveling to Nashville and Houston. But it is still better than the alternative. So we carry on. We are glad to be back at MD Anderson. That is where we are comfortable. And the doctor who is in charge of the study is in the melanoma group with our doctor there, so that makes us feel better. I also like the drive there better than the one to Nashville.

Well that is about it for now. We are getting ready for school to start. I think the kids are ready, which is amazing. Everything else is well, except for this heat and lack of rain. Hopefully we will get started on the new drug sooner, rather than later. As soon as we know something we will let everyone know.

Remember every day to put one foot in front of the other, drink a lot of water, and don't forget to breath..............