Chemo Starts Tomorrow...

In a flurry of activity and phone calls and missing orders, they finally have the chemo schedule set:  tomorrow is the day.

Let me back up a bit...

We met with the oncologist yesterday (Tuesday).  In fact, we will be meeting with her every Tuesday, to monitor blood platelet counts, amongst a myriad of other things.  No doubt.

When the doctor came in she said "Good News!" and proceeded to say everything was good for the chemo to start, and that no large or obvious masses were found anywhere else.  Yeah!  However, just so you know, when we requested a copy of the test results, the scan showed that he has "bilateral hydronephrosis, greater on the right than the left."  In other words, both kidneys are slightly enlarged, more-so the right kidney (the enlarged left kidney is part of what flagged Dr. Jafri into believing the cancer was beyond stage 2 in the beginning).  Also, there is a "...3-4mm ground-glass nodule in the upper lobe of the right lung."  The CT Rob had was not precise enough to determine what this nodule was composed of.  He would need a "thin-section imaging" done to know for sure.  Either way, both of these had recommendations to be followed up on, and we (Rob and I) believe starting the chemo soon should help.  Just our opinions. ;)

Rob's hearing test showed mild loss of high-range sounds (those darned head phones!!!), and he has to be checked every 6 weeks throughout chemo to watch for additional hearing loss (I think I mentioned before about one of the chemo drugs causing permanent hearing loss).  The audiologist told Rob, "Absolutely NO headphones throughout chemo!!!"

And back to now...

Tomorrow marks 6 weeks since surgery, the magic date of when chemo is to have begun, in order to give Rob the best chance of survival.  I have been frantically following up with the doctor, then the hospital, and the doctor again... until finally, they got approval to fit Rob in tomorrow, in the nick of time, to begin a new chapter.  Ahhh, yes... God is constantly reminding us that He is in complete control.

Tomorrow will bring a chapter of changes.  A chapter filled with side effects that will bring Rob to his knees, that in turn will help him to rise.  I wish I could take it away from him.  I wish we would wake up and have it all be a scary nightmare.  But it's scary reality.  Only scary because it's so unknown to us.

We're prepared  --  as best we can be.  We've read all about the drugs they'll be circulating through Rob.  We've read about the side effects and we have a plan of action to confront them.  We've packed books and such to occupy the stay at the hospital.  It's not 'inpatient' and it's not 'outpatient' but rather what they call 'short term stay.'  They are expecting tomorrow's initial cocktail to consist of both chemo drugs and last about 6 hours.  The next to treatments in this first cycle will only have one of the drugs.  So we're told.

Stock photo... but I'm envisioning us. :)

Rob should finish up all four rounds by mid-June.  Summer.  Which seems like forever away since it's snowing and frigid this evening.  But we're prepared to fight this battle, we're prepared to fight hard.  And we're keeping a victory dance playing in our heads!!!

I'll be with Rob for each oncology appointment, each chemo treatment, and for some long hours following each to make sure he's okay.  After sitting in the hospital for 15 hours a day, for almost 9 days... 6 hours should disappear in a flash!  We're hoping.  This is a space in time that we want to go fast.  Real fast.

So... we have to put on our grown-up faces, pretend like this is all okay, and head out in the morning of a new day.  

But there is that peace.  That mounting, beautiful, comforting peace enveloping us.  And in a strange sort of realization, it's all okay.  As my daughter reminded me this morning, recounting an experience with Josh McDowell years ago, our lives are like a maze.  We can only see ahead to the next turn.  But God is over it all, He sees it all, and He will direct our paths for His glory, for our good.  He sees the big picture.  The whole picture.

And we really are good with that. :)

Please continue to lift Rob high in prayer for healing, for strength, for rest, and for him to keep his crazy sense of humor shining bright throughout all that is coming.  He needs to keep his smile.  It looks so good on him.  Always has.  Always will.

Thank you so much for all you have done to fill us so completely... so completely full of love, safety, comfort, prayers, and that beautiful, quiet calm.

In Love and In Peace,

Cheri ♥