Our busy little week!

   The past week was good. Brad has felt pretty good and was able to be out and about more. We can defiantly tell chemo has begun to help. Just after one "cycle", as they call it. He can breathe better and his swallowing is so much better, along with several other symptoms that are improving. I have felt that I have my husband back, haven't felt that way in a while.
   Monday we met with Dr. Induru (oncologist). He told us with this type if cancer the mass may never fully disappear. He said after chemo and radiation there may still be a small portion of it left, and our goal will be to keep it from growing again. Our hope is for it to go away all together, with no signs of it at all left in his body. I guess all we can do is pray!! Labs were drawn and they were really good, which means no extra IV fluids this go round.
   Wednesday the new porta cath was put in by Dr. Arru (the surgeon), he is another awesome doctor!! The insertion went well. Dr. Arru sutured the incision this time instead of using the glue in hopes that it would heal right this time.
   Thursday was the dreaded day....Chemo day. Brads friend Ed came and sat with us that day!! He was so dreading the chemo, he said when they were putting the "Red devil" in he just knew he would get sick. His treatment is called R-CHOP. R is for Rituxin which is a med to help his immune system fight off the cancer cells. They say it usually causes issues during infusion, so far Brad has done well with it. The CHO is for the chemo drugs: Cytoxan, Vincristine and Adriamycin (red devil). P is for Prednisone. Brad did well with the whole infusion. But after we got home he began feeling the effects. I see him everyday, many times a day but when I looked at him after that chemo treatment he looked pitiful... You can see several areas on his head that are bald and the hair on his face is very thin with patches of no hair. He was so so pale. I asked him if he was ok and he said he was, but deep down I know he had to feel terrible. I felt terrible for him. Why does something that is helping you make you so sick, and make you look so pituful?? I just don't understand.
   Today (Friday) we go back for the Neulasta injection. It is supposed to help his WBC stay up and not drop too low. Praying for better days ahead.
   I can't express enough how much our family and friends mean to us. They have done so much for us and we could never say "THANK YOU" enough!! I have had so many people to say that God put me in Brads life to take care of him especially during this time of need. But I think he put him in my life to teach me how to love deeply, to teach me to be more patient and more understanding. I continue learning and I'm trying to be the best wife I can be.

*CGH*