I have been bad!!!

I must apologize for not doing my job of keeping you all informed. Like falling off the wagon and returning to a bad habit it is easy to neglect a new commitment when the information seems to get routine.

The CT scan did turn out well. They were unable to use contrast dye due to an elevated creatine level, a measure of kidney sensitivity, but were still able to tell that the lymph nodes were normal again and the tumor area in the lung was significantly diminished. We were really excited. Dr Dickson says this is pretty miraculous. A result he had hoped for but more than he had anticipated. He was very encouraged.

Since then I have gone back to my regular shift at work. It's actually easier to do that the working every day. I have noticed much more being short of breath. I hope that it just due to the increase in my activity level. I am back trying to work out and get things done around the yard. Jason has been a big help. Our schedule has become busy again with CPR classes, work and church.

Dr. Dickson has requested that we continue the same routine of chemo for another three months. That has been working so he wants to continue then do another CT. We just finished the first month of the second series. All was going along routinely until last Tuesday morning; the day I go for chemo. Part of my chemo routine has been to take dexamethazone, a powerful steroid, twelve and six hours before my chemo. Its purpose is to prevent allergic reactions common from two of the chemo drugs. Dr. Dickson had reduced the dose to just twelve hours before and a further reduction in that dose. Tuesday morning when I got up I had developed reaction to the medication. I had big red blotches all over my chest and back. They didn't itch but over the day I felt like it was Thursday or Friday after chemo. When we arrived at the oncology center they decided they could still give me one of the drugs that didn't cause reactions but they weren't going to give me the other two. My blood tests for the week were as low as my NADIR week. It will be interesting to see what they look like next week.

I will repent and do a better job of keeping up the news trail here. The weather has been nasty. Typical for Idaho I suppose: a day of two of nice weather followed by a week of renewed winter weather. It's supposed to be nice again this week so we're looking forward to that. Everyone be safe this week, remember where all blessing originate. Thanks for your support and love!!