Good Weekend

Hi All,

Mom had a great weekend. She is feeling better and more relaxed. The doctors have reduced her steroid dosage from 16 mg per day to 12 mg/day, and we anticipate that it will be further reduced to 8 mg this week. The steroids have caused her some restlessness and agitation, so she looks forward to seeing these side effects subside.

Mom enjoyed her annual tradition of back-to-school shopping for her granddaughters (my girls) Jessica and Audrey. Sherry Bonner's power-shopping skills and companionship made this Girls' Day Out a special one.

This week will provide a clearer picture of the treatment options and plan. Sloan-Kettering will receive pathology slides from the surgery on Monday, August 10. They have a board of surgeons and other physicians that meets every Monday to review various cases, so we hope they can review Mom's case today. Mom and Dad are meeting with the local oncologist to discuss the advantages versus risks of the additional chemo med suggested by Duke. Mom also has an appointment for radiation preparation. She will be fitted with a mask-like device that will protect her and limit her movement during the radiation treatments.

Sometime in the next two weeks, Mom will begin her treatment. This treatment will be a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. While the decision about the additional IV chemo drug, Avastin, is still under review, we are nearly certain that her treatment will involve a chemo/radiation regimen. She will undergo treatment 5 days a week for 6 consecutive weeks. Each night before treatment, she will take an anti-nausea medication followed by the tablet chemo medication. Her radiation therapy will take place the following day. It is our understanding that most patients handle this treatment without the drastic side-effects often associated with chemotherapy and radiation. She is likely to feel somewhat fatigued, and may experience some nausea. She has always had energy to spare, and she will put it to good use in the weeks to come.

Mom's case is being reviewed by the top experts in the field. The surgeon with whom Dad is speaking at Duke performed Ted Kennedy's surgery last year. The local radiation oncologist treated Royals manager Dick Howser. Mom and Dad live on Howser Lane, named for him.