Latest as of Wednesday Night

Some positive news last night. They were indeed able to unpack Dad's nose--to remove his "tusk," as he called it--thanks to the stabilized platelet count. Thank the Lord that Dad's transfusions seem to be working now--his red blood cell (hemoglobin) count has also improved.

We also found out that the new doctor/nurse practitioner team would include Susie (Stonehouse) Lee, who apparently made a special request to be on it. Hers has been a welcome familiar face, and her presence has been an encouragement to Mom/Karen and Dad/Roger both now and in past visits to Penn. For those of you who don't know, Susie was an elementary/high-school classmate of Daisy's, and the Stonehouses are a way-back New Life & Phil/Mont connection. (I will henceforth go easy on the virgules; that last one was both gratuitous and incorrect, I know.)

Mom said last night night that Dad was looking good, as good as he's looked in the past two weeks.

Dad's current chemo is a CVAD, a fairly traditional chemotherapy blend, administered through a PICC line, which delivers the stuff directly to a large vein near his heart. The acronym indicates the chemo drugs included, which are cyclophosphamide, vincristine, adriamycin and dexamethasone.

I promised info on the scans and biopsy results. There was some expectation of a CATscan floating around; turns out the CATscan was not performed. They did do a MUGAscan to check the health of Dad's heart before the chemo, and everything there looked OK. As for the biopsy, the results are expected to come through Friday.

Daisy visited yesterday, and Mom ran into Sandy at the house, where she has been helping out with the cleaning while Joe keeps an eye on the kids at their place. Cara and Ed had also been in to visit recently, along with Nana and Aunt Sue (Rogerdad's mom and sister). Karenmom also reports good visits with Marc Davis and Steve Young from New Life.

Trying not to overload y'all with info here, so I'll just finish with Mom and Dad's prayer requests. They ask for continued prayer simply that the chemo would be effective. Also, Dad's glucose levels are elevated, which may or may not be an effect of the chemo. He is on insulin to help his body process the extra glucose.

CVAD, PICC, CATMUGAhemoglobinsulinoxycondexamycyclosaline and so on "may or may not" be/do/account for this that or the other thing. Plenty of uncertainty here, which only reminds us that we are not in control, that the workings of Dad's body, like our own, are finally a mystery to all but one doctor. Please continue to persevere in prayer, as Mom and Dad persevere, in faith, through this treatment.