Radiation and Make A Wish

Hello everyone,

Well, we didn't get the news we were hoping for today when we met with the radiation oncologist. Nevertheless, we realize we are still in the realm of "normal" treatment for Ian's Hodgkin's.

Basically, the scans are not clear. This could be due to the cold Ian is still recovering from, but the Dr. could still feel a lump in the lymph gland on the right side of the neck. That is where the original lump was so pronounced. When the Dr. we've been seeing came, she confirmed that it felt like it had been feeling before the cold set in.

We understand that 8 weeks of chemo and 17 days of radiation is normal protocol for Ian's cancer and staging. If the scans had been clean and nothing could be felt, there would clearly be no need for radiation. That is not the case, so radiation is the next step. Another PET CT scan will not be done for at least 2 months because it can take that long for viruses to truly clear out of the system. My sense is that the Drs. really felt this was the way to go.

The other unfortunate thing is that transferring the treatments to our local hospital was not encouraged. They very much prefer to have the same Drs. following Ian and want the ability to design treatment specifically. It would not be a standard "recipe" they could pass on to another hospital. That means staying in Palo Alto for 3 and a half weeks during radiation treatment.

Tomorrow we will go back to Stanford immediately following my appointment with my Neurosurgeon to see how he reads my latest MRI and what he recommends as the next step for me. At Stanford Ian will have another scan that will provide a foundation for his radiation treatments.

He will get to participate in the Jr. Lifeguard Training our local Camera Club has so graciously paid for from June 14 to 25. Then, from June 28 to July 21, except weekends and a July 5 holiday, he will have radiation therapy. Ian and I will stay either at the Ronald MacDonald House or a hotel. The Drs. also want to find a place where Ian can swim while he's there so he can keep that activity going. ;-)

So, our summer plans are pretty well laid. Fortunately, the treatments are fitting between a few other things already on the docket, so we can hopefully keep those plans. This is production week for The Importance of Being Ernest both Ian and Helen have been working on and will be performed over the next two weekends. Thank goodness radiation starts after that!

On another exciting note, I forgot to include last update that the Make a Wish people came to visit Ian a couple of week's back. His first wish was to get to do experiments on an ocean going science lab ship. That would have been SO right up Ian's alley - science and water, his 2 favorite things! But, that proved to be a bit difficult to provide and Ian opted to change his wish to meeting Discovery Chanel's Mythbusters and getting to blow something up. So, he has an adventure to look forward to!

Life is so full and we are so blessed. You bless us as well. Thank you all!

Love, Natalie