I know everyone has been waiting for over 2 months for an update. Honestly, most days I am to mentally exhausted to sit down and do this. Jody's cancer is at the front of my mind every minute of everyday. I have been praying and hoping for some tiny bit of good news to be able to post on here.
I am just going to do a recap of the last two months. We got the labs back and Weisenthal did have a combo that may do something. We also went to see radiation the beginning of September. Jody had a pet scan and it still showed cancer on the aorta, two lymph nodes, and some of the chest. We were hoping for radiation but, because it is in the lymph nodes still, radiation is not an option and looks like it never will be.
Fast forward to the beginning of October and we had a follow up with our oncologist. We found out at this appt that his cancer markers were climbing and climbing faster than previously. We discussed the Weisenthal report and our oncologist reluctantly said he would do the chemo regimen but, still seemed wishy washy about one of the chemos. He pushed for us to try keytruda before we went that route and we agreed as it would take time to get the other ones into place and he told us without treatment he did not think we would have a year as fast as this beast is moving.
We went back the following week to start keytruda and there was again a significant jump in numbers. The treatment itself is less than an hour. Jody has very few side effects from it. A few days later he is a little more tired. That makes it hard as he already is always very tired. I notice him a little more short of breath. That also is hard because they took part of a lung with the last surgery in August. He does not seem to be real sick or any of the other awful side effects.
We went back Thursday of this week for another treatment and to see the oncologist. We know it can take a few cycles to show that it is really working to bring the numbers down but, it did not even hold them remotely close. His numbers are still going up as if he was not on the treatment. I have been researching something called Care Oncology. It is a treatment that works with your chemos. When I asked his oncologist about it he said "It won't hurt him but, I don't think it will help him.". Why not try it then is my thoughts. If it won't hurt let's try it. He said we could but, we had to get the prescriptions from our family dr. We have an appt with her on Monday in hopes to get those prescriptions. We are also going to be on the phone this week setting up telehealth consultations with different oncologists. I do feel like with keytruda not working our ace up the sleeve and maybe the only thing that can save Jody will be the combo in the report from Weisenthal and I do not want to be met with resistance or delay.
Thank you for all your prayers and please don't stop praying. We need a miracle and I know it is possible!