Tests and More Tests

So here we are three weeks, countless tests, one biopsy and one surgery later, with still so much to do. We appreciate the overwhelming support that we have gotten from everyone, but at the same time, it is very overwhelming. Our home is not ready for visitors on a good day, lately it probably qualifies as a Superfund site--literally, with all the radioactive testing agents Bo has had to endure, among the trash, the dog hair and the gifts, there must be more than trace elements of yucky stuff...

Everyone wants to know how they can help, but as others who have been through the journey tell us, this is a marathon, not a sprint, and in this preparation stage, there is little help we need. We sure don't need food, considering what I do for a living and the fact that Bo is seldom allowed to eat, it would be just wrong to have too much food in the house. Visitors are wonderful, but they take us away frm waht we really need which is time. We need time to read and research, time to process and absorb the vast amount of information that has gotten thrown at us in such a short amount of time. MRIs, CAT scans, bone scans, PET scans, then all the chemotherapy drugs, their side effects and all the things to remember about his care. We so appreciate Steve and Mark who help us wade through the decisions, the terms that far exceed my one semester of organic chemistry, and others who have sent us valuable studies and information on chemo roadmaps.

We are still waiting for a last test, a PET scan, and of course the machine is down--who knows how long Bo will have to go without food... Then we have to go see if our ENT can cauterize some blood vessels in his nose to eliminate what are likely to be frequent trips to the hospital during his normal bloody nose season. Also, we still don't have a fully confirmed diagnosis. The pathology reports and samples have not been received by the registry yet. But, chemo starts on Tuesday, and it will be a pretty rough seven weeks, followed by 30 more weeks of one on, two off.

Just a short update, since things are so crazy. Jay and I are both trying to get caught up at work, trying to take care of normal things, like getting the dogs to the vet and the groomer, and understand the pros and cons of I vs. C. and whether or not to use cis-platinum. I've been able to sleep lately, so I have to fit blogging in there, too. Thanks again to everyone for all the support, with love, Lisa