Update:

Mom and Dad did speak to the folks at HUP on Wednesday, and the decision was made to put Dad on a five-day course of steroids. These have shown some success with shrinking Dad's tumors in the past, and the hope is that they will go to work on whatever lesions might be growing in his back, until the MRI can be be done on Monday. Thanks to the responsiveness of Dad's nurse practitioners and doctors, we can now be confident that something is being done about this new develoment while we wait for the chemo to be completed. Dad continues to take the oxycondone for the pain. Thanks to all of you for your emails and comments, and for your renewed prayers. More when I know more...