Saturday, May 19, 2007 12:19 PM, CDT

Hello,
Sorry, it’s been another week between postings.
We met with Dr. Walsh this week and found out how remarkable my CT scan results are: The tumor in my lung has shrunk by 60% and the mass in my mediastinum has shrunk by 40%. All of the other lymph nodes have entirely resolved and are back to normal and the cavitary lesions are all but gone. So, good news!!! The CT scan was done after five rounds and Dr. Walsh says I’m “responding like gangbusters!”
We’ll go another three rounds (which is actually now down to two rounds because I had one on Monday) and do another CT scan. Right now the scan is scheduled for July 2, which sounds so far away doesn’t it?? It might get moved up to a June 18th time frame.
If the tumors have not melted away after another three rounds, Dr. Walsh would like to introduce another drug into my treatment. The drug is called Avastin. Basically, what Avastin does is inhibits a tumor’s ability to form blood vessels, which ultimately starves the tumor.
There are a few side effects from Avastin and one of them is fatal bleeding of the lungs. Did you get that one? Let me say it again: fatal bleeding of the lungs. Right, something I’d like to avoid—wouldn’t you? So, we’ll see where we are in another month or so and go from there.
One additional finding from the last CT scan was a blood clot in my leg and my lung. Dr. Walsh put me on a blood thinner called Lovenox. It’ a shot that I have to give myself twice a day. I was totally freaked out to give myself a shot but it’s not that bad. I administer it in my stomach and I’m quite surprised with how easy it is.
Thank you so much to Craig Christo and Cat Colton who fed us this week.
And thank you so much to my Mom who sewed my girls’ poodle skirts for the annual Dawson School Sock Hop. Katie and I weren’t feeling well so we didn’t get to go but they looked adorable. I planned on doing it myself but waited until the last minute (which is so like me) and then spent all day yesterday in bed. Mom came to my rescue and made sure the girls would be all set for the dance. Thanks Mom, I love you!
Noreen: I don’t remember your Dallas quote…you’ll have to refresh my memory. I think it’s one of the few I don’t remember. However, even though we’ve rehashed these so many times, the quotes from Dallas make me laugh out loud so here are a few:
General Quotes
“I’m from the in-surance bidness”
“I graduated from Miss Truvy’s School of Beauty on the third floor”
“When are we getting our business cahds?”
“This is Lawanda. What choo want??”
“Collard Greens……Coll-ard Greeeeens”
“Bungeeeeee.”
“What’s with all the gentlemen’s clubs down here?”
“What’s a matter Kim, ain’t there enuf of for ya??”
Our Trip to Crum, TX
“Hi, we’re looking for a shopping area.”
“Well what are you looking for?”
“Some stores like Ralph Lauren and Ann Taylor….”
“There’s a Food Lion up the street.”
“You were in Crum??? You were north of Denton!!!!”
Billy Bob’s
“You are in the middle of a major thoroughfare.”
“How about you bring these home for your husband?”
“Another round of kers”
“Did you just bark at those women?”
“You girls from the north don’t understand that women down here like to be barked at.”
“I don’t care where you’re from. No woman likes to be barked at!!!”
Missing our turn out of Daley Plaza
“Hey kids. There’s the Book Depository!” ala Chevy Chase in European vacation because we kept driving by it so many times
“Well if you kids weren’t driving so GD fast!!”
Have a great weekend.
Love,
Kim