Our game plan

After Les's 7th radiation treatment today, we met with Dr. Tarantolo, the oncologist. He recommends that we stick with the original plan to radiate the head/neck for 16 treatments and then move on to chemo. The pesky part of Les's diagnosis is the tumor on his spine. There is real concern that if that one does not shrink, paralysis and the inability swallow could follow. The tumor in his lung does not seem to be causing any problems at this time (no trouble breathing, a cough, shortness of breath, etc), so we are putting it on the back burner until radation is over. Radiation will be over on the 23rd of April, although we will not be able to scan to see what progress has been made for another 6 weeks...the first week in June or so.

Chemo will be a three day on, 18 day off schedule and he will go through 2 cycles of that before a scan is done to see progress...which will probably be June as well.

Today, Les seemed more alert and less nauseous, although that is not completely gone. Dr. T gave us a new anti-nausea med to try and hopefully that will make a difference...it definitely won't make him as tired as the first one we tried. We are hoping to get all the home health people worked out and on a schedule, as that has been somewhat difficult up until this point. Some interference from Dr. T to the supervisor has surely helped, as there was a message on the machine when we got home. An appetite stimulant was also given, so we are encouraged he'll begin eating again.

Thank you so much for the cards, visits, food, magazines, phone calls, etc. We are overwhelmed with the amount of support our friends, family, and community have shown us. Please continue to pray for the cancerous tumors to shrink and not spread, and that Les may regain the life he is used to.