Hiccup

Hiccups are a real nuisance, the literal kind and the figurative kind. Well, we've had more than our fair share in this cancer journey. Brian's scan on Friday didn't go as well as expected. He had a small pea sized area show up on the PET scan. His Dr at Baylor was unable to palpate it in the office. He says that it could just be an inflamed lymph node due to a recent virus or because of ant bites etc, but given Brian's history, we have to assume the worst and treat it, unless Brian wants to have a surgeon go in, take it out and have it biopsied which could cause a whole slew of potential problems. So, Brian will be seeing his oncologist in Abilene and this week and setting up maintenance treatments to start soon. Some doctors do maintenance Rituxan once a month. Because of this spot, Brian has to do a more treatment-like maintenance treatment, so he will do Rituxan once a week for 4 weeks and have another scan in December.

Rituxan is a newer medicine known as a monoclonal antibody. The science is fasinating, but it basically only targets the cancer cells. So, it doesnt affect blood counts, you keep your hair, etc. Side affects are similar to a case of the flu....GI stuff, and nasal/sinus stuff. He told Brian that he can still work while he's getting treatments. Funny after seeing everything he's been through to discuss the flu as being no big deal.

December will be 3 years. So much for our kids to go through. Angie was 6 when this started, Tony 5, Zachary 3, Aiden 1 and I was pregnant with Emi. As we unloaded groceries from the car yesterday, Angie says to me, "I know dads cancer is back. You don't have to tell me. If that scan was good, you would have said so already." She shed lots of tears. How hard to be nine, and understand, but not understand.

So, we are trucking along, living everyday to the fullest, and remembering each day to be sure that the people we love know it. I think it finally sank in that we are going to have to deal with this for the rest of our lives. Keep your positive thoughts and wonderful prayers coming our way. We love all of you.