Chemo round 9 went well on Wednesday. Side effects have thankfully diminished as expected having dropped
Carboplatin from the regimen. Some nausea but we've changed medications which has helped. Very few hiccups this time. Am eating well with no loss of weight (and no loss of hair ... what little I have remaining anyway!). My next CT scan is scheduled for October 19th to assess treatment progress. My oncologist again stated we will stay this (every 3-week) chemotherapy treatment course "until something changes". He also reminded us medically speaking there is no cure for this cancer and there is a 100% probability it will grow again. He is pleased with our response to the treatment thus far and also pleased we will be moving into our new Edisto house soon. He shared that when we began this cancer challenge journey on March 7th he wasn't sure I'd survive to move into the new house. Sobering. He's a great quarterback but we continue to believe our Head Coach has designed and continues to execute the real game plan.
The new house is nearly complete now. Yeah! The driveway, tabby sidewalk and landscaping are complete. Flat screens have been hung on the divider wall and in the guest bedroom. Speakers are being mounted in the walls and ceilings as we speak. The propane tank has been filled and buried and the Charleston lanterns lit! We were fortunate to have found a great landscaper (Matthew Ward) who has planted some terrific, mature palmetto palms, crape myrtles and other southern varietals on the property. While we're not afraid to buy "green bananas" these days, it's great to have mature plantings on the property to enjoy now. Matthew's worked hard in his attempt to hide the "ugly box" .. aka the AT&T fiber optics telecomm hub sitting within the front easement of our lot. Carpeting for the office and the master bedroom is being installed today. If all continues to go well we should obtain "Certificate of Occupancy" within the next week and our moving van from Rochester should arrive the week of October 15th. It's been 10 months since we've seen "our stuff" ... it will be like Christmas opening all those boxes! We're looking forward to ya'll coming down to visit before long.
We're so excited that grand baby "Jack" (and his parents Derek and Carrie!) arrive tomorrow for a week's visit! While we had hoped this visit would coincide with our move into the new house, our timing was off by a couple of
weeks. But that's okay ... we are so looking forward to spending a "Charleston vacation week" with Derek, Carrie
and Jack. Jack is 10-months old already and quite "mobile" (crawling) from what we understand! Martha and I can't wait to get our hands on him and spend time them all. Visits to the Magnolia plantation, a tour of historical Charleston homes and gardens, the magnificent angel oak, the Firefly vodka distillery, the only tea plantation in America, the Charles Towne Landing park and zoo, Kiawah beach, and of course to Edisto are all on our busy vacation schedule. We'll all be at Julie's house on Sunday watching the Buffalo Bills win game number 4 in a row ... GO BILLS (and PANTHERS)! Should be a fun, fun week!
Be safe and enjoy each and every day the good Lord continues to give us.
All our love ....
Dan and Martha