Cancer Comes-A-Calling: Dana-Farber + More Chemo for Renee’s BF

The most recent happening with Patrick's (the boyfriend) cancer look like he will be in a pattern for the next four or five months.  Patrick has apparently done all the ‘other stuff’ he needed to do and now has to just focus on his chemotherapy. The other stuff included a trip to Boston to visit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Like our Alfond Center for Cancer Care in Augusta, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is one of those wonderful places you never want to have to visit. It was an odd visit. The doctor went over the file and scans and said the doctor in Augusta did a wonderful job and was making his job very easy.  Dana-Farber will re-test the lymph node to double check the finding, but no one expects any different results. But his oncologist wanted him to visit Dana-Farber just in case the chemo does not take down the cancer then the next step would be a bone marrow transplant. BUT the very soonest it could take place would be a year and a half or two years, so first things first.

This week is Patrick’s second round of chemotherapy. His numbers from the blood test made his doctor happy. That is good. He needs another PET scan to see how things are 'doing'. The PET scan will happen next month. So, if the same pattern holds he will be all hopped up with the steroids this week they give him with treatment and then a little sick on Sunday, but will be ok until next month. He is done very well handling the treatments.  He will have another four rounds before they will re-evaluate his status.

So that the scoop on Patrick and his small cell lymphocytic lymphoma. Thank you for your kind words, support and prayers. Now to mark the passage of the chemo treatments by watching the gardens at the Alfond Center come into bloom.