We once were lost but now are found!

Just another day at the Sallee House!

Once again, I am tired but both Gary and I feel much more at peace.

So, let me try to explain what is happening here with Gary.

We saw Dr. Barth tonight. We love him and Gary will start chemo tomorrow morning at 9:30 AM. He will not lose his hair or be a slave to the porcelain god! What he will be is extremely fatigued.

He will get 1X treatment of chemo every 2 weeks. The drip lasts 4 hours and then he is free to go home. The effects of the chemo happen about 48 hours after the treatment is administered.

Dr. Barth is doing the coolest thing with the tumor they took our in August.
He will take the tumor and begin to do genetic and molecular testing on it to see exactly what cells we are dealing with. He will be able to find out before round 2 of the chemo (around Feb.8) what his particular cells will respond to best and then begin to give Gary those chemo drugs.

In the meantime he is starting Gary on the 1st round for a few reasons.
He wants to prevent the cancer from getting into his bloodstream.
He wants to slow the cancer down immediately.

Gary's cancer is obviously very aggressive and has grown and spread very quickly in a short period of time. He has tumors in several places. He has tumors on his left and right side of his pelvis that are in the lymph nodes and muscles. He has an abdominal tumor and he possibly has a very tiny spot in his right lung that could be part of the metastasis as well.

I know this sounds awful but Dr. Barth actually gave us a ray of hope that we might be able to get this cancer into partial remission and we all know with God we could actually have a full remission if that is in his plan for Gary.

Dr. Barth has taken all of Gary's paperwork and slides and Cd's home for the weekend to get a better scope of what we are fighting. He is so nice and personable and so incredibly intelligent and he really cares about Gary and that is what really matters. He is a brilliant doctor who is calm and confident and we know we are in great hands! No need for City of Hope right now. No need for any other opinions. We are very confident and we know that John and Claudia and Ren felt the same way.

So, pray for us as we experience and learn all there is to know about Gary's chemo treatment. I will try and take Sunday off of work so that I can be home with Gary. The affects of the chemo should appear right around Sunday morning. Pray that he does not become too fatigued.

Regardless of what happens please know that we know God is there and he knows our hearts and our desires and he listens to our prayers and he lifts us up out of our saddness and replaces it with peace and light. He does that for both of us and regardless of what happens we are not angry or wonder why but instead pray for all of the good that can come from the ugly.
We pray that through this fight you have all joined us in fighting that you see the good and find peace in your owns lives and discover truly how close God is to everyone of us at all times!

Enjoy the gentle rain and we will let you know how chemo goes tomorrow!

Love,
L and sleepy G