Cretins and Salivations!

No idea where that line comes from but thought it appropriate for the day. We're in Cleveland resting up from all-day tests yesterday. I've hooked into the the hotel's network so I could update folks freely (and for free, hooray); will contact Geek Squad when we get home as I'm tired of being off-line.

I've spent time since the Friday before Labor Day getting the swelling down in my throat with steroids. As a consequence I've been off Afinitor since then; taking steroids in combination with these targeted therapies reduces the drug's effectiveness by something like 65%. At the price of Afinitor, I want a drug that works! I can swallow pills, food, and drink now, and am ready to go back on the drug therapy.

Yesterday's results were a complete success. No surprises on the labwork, all looked normal; the pelvic and abdominal scans were stable. The chest scans showed stability in the new lesions that had popped up in the last scan, even with just 4 weeks of treatment with Afinitor, and the big bad lesion in my right lung had reduced by 30-40% so it's less of an obstacle while we address the remaining disease progression. Top that off with Dr. LA's pronouncement of "beautiful" results from my MRI, indicating no activity in the brain lesions, and it was a great, great day.

I hope everyone else is dealing with the same level of success and good news - can't tell you how good it is to be alive and FEELING alive. My dearest Saint H has completed all the paperwork for retirement effective October 31 2010, after 24 years of service to the university. Then he's mine, mine, mine! I'm so excited I could burst!