CT Scan and Chemo III

I had my CT Scan today to see if I was among the 45% that had a favorable response to Taxotere. Good news! The scan showed a decrease in all of the soft tissue tumors. All lymph nodes have returned to normal size. The lesions on my liver now appear to be cysts and not the beginnings of tumors. It was not a drastic reduction, but it was definite and measurable. The CellQuest and Taxotere appear to be setting the cancer back. This was welcome news and we feel that it was an answer to many heartfelt prayers, some by us and, we know, many by you. We can't tell you how grateful we are to all of you, whether you choose to comment or not. We know you are reading and sending positive thoughts our way. The hair is trying to hold on. It has thinned a lot and you can see a lot of scalp when it is wet, but thanks to the classic combover technique, it still pretty much covers my head when it is dry and brushed. Chemo was uneventful today, but it made me tired. I took about a 4 hour nap after I returned home. We met another couple today fighting Stage IV Breast Cancer at the infusion room. While I would never wish this on anyone, the silver linings to this dark cloud are undeniable. Between the incredibly strong people we have met and the strengthening of relationships of family and friends, I am thankful to have walked this path. Seems crazy, but it is true. Life is not a series of day to day activities that lead to an inevitable end. I am living life. Full of love. Full of gratitude. Full of appreciation for the people I meet and the trials that they are meeting and beating. I feel the triumph in the fight of those who battled and lost. Such grace and dignity. The best thing is that I feel. Life is full of peaks and valleys and since I don't know how many peaks I will get to see, I enjoy the view from all of them. Feeling the sadness of the valleys gives life color and texture, too. I hope to see many more peaks and valleys. I hope you can enjoy and appreciate them, too. Whether you have cancer, or not.

After Chemo II

I had Round 2 of chemo on Thursday and so far, so good. I was a little nauseated on Sunday, but not bad at all. I have been working on Sarah's dollhouse and have had good energy while doing it, so all in all, I am pretty happy with how I feel. The aches and pains have been held at bay also. I will have full bloodwork done in 2 weeks along with a new CT Scan. This should give us a good idea at how the chemo and the CellQuest is working against the cancer. The CellQuest that I am taking is from a Plantain Tree extract and was used in Cuba during the trade sanctions over the last 40 years. It has had some interesting success stories. Since I am taking CellQuest, my intake of Pancreatic Enzymes is much less. If anyone is interested in the Kelley Protocol, I have several extra bottles of enzymes that I would sell below cost. They can be quite pricey, but hopefully if someone is interested, they could get into this protocol much cheaper. Just email me at brianpca4@gmail.com .
All for now!
Brian.