We met with Brynlee's oncologist today, Dr. Bruggers, and it was good news about the scans (which we already knew). Last week the radiologist showed me mostly the main tumor, but we were told today that all of the areas affected by solid tumor (so her liver and lungs but not her bones) were showing reduction in tumor. The spots in the bone where she has cancer have to be evaluated by a different scan (bone scan or MIBG), so those weren't evaluated, but I imagine they will be in the future some time. We were also told today that they had some genetic testing done on some chromosomes and that her chromosomes fell in the range that gave a more favorable indicator for treatment. I don't have a lot of details about it, but this is a good thing. All indicators are that she has a good prognosis and that her cancer is indicating it is very treatable. Let's hope this remains the case.
At this point we are going to be reevaluating after every two rounds of chemo, so after her next round of chemo (round #4) she will have her scans again. We are anticipating that she will either have 6 or 8 rounds of chemo at this point, but we are just taking it two rounds at a time. Then after either round 6 or round 8 of chemo (depending on what the scans show) she will have "surgery and/or radiation" to finish her treatment. So my hope that we would be finished with treatment by the end of the year was probably unrealistically optimistic, but it looks like it should be finished by early next year. I am hoping that we continue to have a good response to the chemo and that we only have to do six rounds of chemo. I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but she has chemo every three weeks as long as her blood work is okay.
So we are in the hospital right now and they have just started her first chemo drug, which will take an hour to push through. Then she will have another chemo drug after that one tonight. Then she will receive the second drug again tomorrow and Friday. Dr. Bruggers said that we could bump up the time on the dose for tomorrow and possibly go home tomorrow night and then go back to the clinic on Friday and get her third dose outpatient, which would be so nice. Even though spending the day in the clinic is long and tiring, I would much rather not have her overnight in the hospital. I am hopeful that we will only have to spend one night in the hospital, so I am hoping she does well.
My vent for the day...so sometimes people tell you stuff that shouldn't be irritating but is. For me, I am so tired of people telling me that her hair will grow back. Yes, this is very silly, but I have started getting irritated by this. I'm not sure why, but I think it is due to the fact that looking at Brynlee she looks good. If you saw her and didn't know her you would think she was perfectly healthy, so for me seeing her lose most of her hair is a very visible and constant reminder that she is sick and fighting cancer. So yes everyone, I know it will grow back, but pardon me for a minute while I grieve about something as silly as her hair falling out. Please don't tell me it will grow back, I already know that, it doesn't make me happier. :-P
So there has been only one nurse that Brynlee really has not cared for, and she is a slightly crazy grandma-type nurse named Cherie. Now Cherie was her nurse the last time we were in for chemo, and lucky for Cherie, she is our nurse again today and probably tomorrow. I feel so bad. Brynlee cries every time Cherie comes in the room. It's humorous yet slightly funny at the same time. Poor Cherie!
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