Yesterday we met with the oncologist to get the results of Kel's bloodwork. We were expecting his AFP (major marker that has been troublesome) to be between 50-60, assuming a normal half-life of 6 or 7 days ... and were were jumping with joy when we heard 48.5! This puts the clearance of the protein back on track (rather than rising like it did through the ends of chemo and before surgery)! Assuming this keeps going, which we fully expect it too, he will be in remission by our next appt in early Aug (8/10, to be exact)!
Let's go REMISSION!!
What a wonderful word that will be to hear for the first time. I think I might cry in joy. :)
The next blood draw is on 8/4 with results on the 10th. He is having an ultrasound of his kidney this morning to make sure all is ok after the stent removal (fiasco) on Monday, and things are trucking along. Kel is slowly healing and feeling a little better each day. He even went back to work for the first time in 3 weeks yesterday! :) By the end he was tired, but he did GREAT (can you hear my good mood through these words today?).
The rest of us are doing well also - David has had a few really good weeks. The psychologist's advice of not having us suppress his aggression (let him get it out when he needs) has seemed to help a lot. He has been good at school and good at home. He is always asking how Daddy's belly is, so I think he is looking forward to Daddy getting better and playing. :)
I am prepping for the benefit sale in 1.5 weeks (ACK!). I've separated out the donations, started pricing a few items (getting help on Sunday from great friends on the pricing), the mugs will be here in time, and the shirts will be back too. :) I'm making an order form in case (we hope) we run out of shirts or mugs, and have borrowed some tables for the sale. It should come together nicely!
In the meantime I am a teaching and grading machine ... and somehow still behind. This is the last week for my online class so I am scrambling to grade, only 2 weeks into my summer course, so I am racing to get lectures ready, and .... sleep? I can sleep later. It is hectic, but it will all be ok.
That is about it from here: what doesn't suck is DEFINITELY good AFP numbers and being on the way towards Kel's remission! We won't know if or when the #s will rise again and we may have to face the high dose chemo still, but we will accept and celebrate ANY positive news and step in the right direction. So today, as the students take their tests in front of me (shhhh, don't tell them I am writing a blog while they are struggling with exams) I celebrate the POSITIVE!
Thank you,
Tracy
This is FABULOUS! HOORAY!!!
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