Phew!

Two days after the last post, Mark started having pain in another area of his abdomen. Could another tumor be growing? It has continued in the intestinal region, lower than the liver, and often radiates to his back. However, he has continued to gain energy, and his nausea has decreased. Typically, when a tumor is growing, his energy level dips significantly. So, while it could be something else, our first concern is growing cancer cells!

Today, Mark had his infusion, which included an appointment with Dr. Taylor. The lab work was back by the time we saw him, so we reviewed the numbers together. Again, everything is moving in the right direction. Bilirubin counts are in range, as are liver and kidney numbers. It all looked great!

When Mark explained the location of the pain, Dr. Taylor felt confident that it is the result of the radiation. It is typical for areas around the tumor to become inflamed, which often causes pain. Unfortunately, it gets worse before it gets better, but it should resolve in several weeks. We are relieved!!  

The next PET scan is scheduled for August 16. We're, of course, hoping for a clean scan and life to return to some normality. It's been a crazy seven months, but we've been carried through, with your help and the help of heaven.