Global updates

Many of you have asked how my dad is doing. It has been slow going and he has undergone tons of testing, but they think they have finally determined the cancer is coming from the bile duct. The biopsies show it to be stage 4 which is considered incurable. That terms sounds frightening, but I guess what it really means is it will never go away, but can be controlled by chemo throughout life. Chemo started on Tuesday at KU Med and will be once a week for the next few weeks, then a week off for a total of a 3 month cycle. At the end of 3 months, they will reassess.

As for my mom, she seems to be doing ok, although tired from all the doctor's visits. She has had some dizzy episodes again, but says she still feels pretty good.

We have a busy month of our own doctor's visits ahead of us. Melanie goes for her MRI of her spine on Sunday - which I found out was NOT ordered by her neurosurgeon, but by her neuorolgist who originally saw her back in November. I'm not sure how she knew to order it (she said she would order it if the neurosurgeon didn't because he was known to be conservative when it comes to Chiari.). Anyway, that's on Super Bowl Sunday - Melanie and I will head to Boston together while Tom and Kylie stay home and watch all the pre-game hype.

Then Monday afternoon I have my appointment with the neurosurgeon up in Boston. I haven't started to prepare for that yet. I have to fill out some paperwork and I want to type up all my symptoms and questions for him. My swallowing has been as bad as ever and I am carrying applesauce wherever I go. So far it hasn't failed me (maybe I don't need expensive surgery - just applesauce!). My headaches, ear pain and neck aches are still there and seem worse right now because I fighting a cold.

Then on Valentine's day we are back to Boston to follow up with Melanie's neurosurgeon and hopefully get the results of the spinal MRI. I think this is a trip we will all take together.

Tomorrow is Melanie's 8th birthday party. I'll post pictures!

Also, I have been writing again. Thank goodness for the writer's strike! Tom has had either meetings or shoots every night this week, so I have been up writing until he gets home (except for last night I had to watch Lost). It's a fun book! I can't say what it's about yet other than I am enjoying writing it.