No Chemo for you!

Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 8:19 PM

Subject: Done with Chemo!!!

PRAISE!! Thats right, Kim didn't get chemo today and wont get it in two weeks either!! You are probably as suprised as we were. The Dr came in and asked Kim how she was feeling. Kim said she was having alot of pain in her feet and it was keeping her from sleeping. The Dr said, OK lets check the lumps and see if we should stop chemo treatments. Apparently she was recently at a conference (December) where there was discussion and statistical analysis of whether Taxol is really needed or effective along with these other drugs, the first two chemo drugs and the Tamoxifen. After the physical exam, (where she couldn't feel the lump at all!! PRAISE), she said that we would not have chemo today and as of right now we are done. She was going to consult the surgeon but expected that he would be of the same opinion based on the latest research. I think the decision was based on three items:

1. the pain that Kim was feeling, which she didn't want to get worse and which in some cases doesn't go away

2. the research that questions the effectiveness of Taxol with this drug suite

3. the effectiveness of the first 6 treatments (ie she can't feel the tumor at all).

Kim is almost in tears she is so happy! I am not sure how I feel. I am excited that she doesn't need to go through anything more, but on the other hand I want to throw everything possible at this cancer and give it NO chance of surviving. Now that we are done, I kinda feel like my gun is out of ammo.

There will probably be more news this week. We expect to hear from the one of the Drs to see what new tests we need. Kim will likely have another mamogram and/or ultrasound to see what really has happened to the tumors and then based on that there may be other actions/decisions. They expect to move the surgery date up from March 17th, but that may be tricky since there are two surgeons involved. I was concerned that now that chemo is done, if we don't get surgery done quickly that there might be more risk of the tumor spreading, but they don't seem to be concerned about that at all. I guess they expect that the tumor is gone?

There is a decent possibility that Kim will have radiation after the surgery. The pathology report (breast tissue and finding out how many lymphnodes were involved) will help the Drs make that decision.

What no more chemo means....Resuming a "normal" schedule, attending church, less worry about getting sick, HAIR regrowth, less pain, fewer headaches, better sleep, fewer drugs! PRAISE!!

It is amazing how fast the medical field and especially the cancer treatments are changing. PRAISE that we are in the country we are and in the city we are that we can get the best and latest care!

Again, I need to thank all of you for your prayers! This is definately an answer to our prayers! God has been very good to us!

Prayer requests: That the "New Plan" is made clear to us soon (You know how Kim like to have a plan and control!), that the pain Kim has does get better, that the new tests all show good progress, and that ultimately Kim is healed!

Again, thank you and stay posted!

Trusting in Him,

John