Mixed Emotions

We left our Thursday doctor's appointment with mixed emotions. We were informed that the PET scan taken yesterday indicated all but one tumor had disappeared. Unfortunately the remaining tumor is stubborn and has not decreased in size since January. I was originally 11 centimeters long by 5 centimeters in diameter. It is now 5.5 centimeters in length and 3 centimeters in diameter. Since the current chemo regimen is not strong enough we have to move to stem cell transplant or the tumor will continue to grow. This means we have to go to UNC Chapel Hill for a consult appointment, then a 6 week stay for the transplant to be performed. Basically the chemo regimen they administer is so strong it eradicates your bone marrow where cells are born. They plan to perform autologous stem cell transplant which means Kancho's own cells will be harvested and then injected into him after the heavy duty chemo treatment. He has been in the clinic daily since discharge getting outpatient chemo meds, platelets, and red blood cell transfusions (1st photo). Stress can lead to strange things like "gown dance night" where Kylee and BaBa put their hospital gowns on and dance around while mommy films it. For some reason the video would not load so a photo will have to do. We are hanging in there and awaiting a call from the transplant case manager who will follow us through the whole transplant process. They will not allow too much time to pass before stem cell transplant occurs so we expect to go to UNC Chapel Hill within a couple weeks. We will keep everyone posted a usual via blog.

Love,

Ali and Kancho