[Believe51]

Sorry to make you worry about us. There have been alot of things going on here and the ole mind is tired. Here is a quick update on Ed:

Appointment with GammaMan:

Very pleased to see the 10 spots are shrinking and dying from the first Gamma Knife. Margins are clean and this one (and I say one right now) is 5mm. I was hoping NOT to have him do another Gamma for just one spot.....to go through that for one area when we do not know what others shall arrive, and they shall. I asked if we could wait a little while to see if any others declared themselves in a few weeks. Doctor agreed that waiting would allow them to present themselves if they were brave enough to! I like how he thinks.

He is not even going to make an appointment for this Gamma or another MRI. When Ed is ready to get 'rayed' he can just call. We really need to get the pain in his back under control since he managed to shimmy the matress from underneath him during the Gamma Knife; they said they never seen anything like it in all the years of 'raying' people. Going by the past mets in the brain....they are no masses, no edema, clean margins and nice and round. Doctor feels that this is all good signs that we can wait several weeks to see any pronouncment of more mets in this case.

Appointment with OncoMan:

Ed has had a battery of testing including but not limited to a bone scan. The doctor has been watching this area quite closely since the beginning. The bone marrow looks suspicious but Leukemia is ruled out, thank goodness. We have managed to get Ed to take more of the pain meds but he really had no choice since he was unable to walk at times. He will start a chemo regime quite soon. Waiting for results of one more test in order to make an educated decision. We are also talking about other stronger meds for pain. If the problems in the cervical spine are from nerves pressing from disc pressure, well, we will not go there yet. It involves a balloon insertion that will be filled with cement-like compound that will allow seperation between the discs, yuk! Hopefully these problems are not a spinal collapse that we knew 'could possibly' happen. Praying that the Zometa is working the wonders it once was.

Summary:

Ed hopefully will be taking the Tykerb/Herceptin mix. Both drugs have been used seperately and failed, or should I say that the Taxotere and Xeloda finally failed him. We are really looking forward to this mix as we feel it would pass the blood/brain barrier and aid in preventing further brain mets. Let's face it, it is a double whammy for the cancer cell. People are also having great results with this combo. This is the third time with brain mets in 16 months, so you can imagine that I am scared about what is happening here!

Question and Honest Opinion:

**Do you think waiting a few weeks is something that you could do?
**Do you think this is a wise choice on our behalf??
**How long would you wait??

Remember this is an honest answer, do not worry about my feelings here. My heart says yes but the mind says no. No sugar coating please, it is killing me and I need your honesty. By the time we get the Gamma Knife done it will be very close to the holidays and I do not want to see him sick then.

PS: Whatever the case, when Gamma-time comes, Marie will be on her own meds...hahhahaha!

Sorry to make you worry, I have been so depressed lately (other things) and my anxiety is kicking my butt!

Onward>>Believe51

See you in March Patty, love ya!!