The skinny.

(That massive stack of papers on the Dr.'s desk is Trav's enormous file).

My goodness it's been a long day. It started off with a phone call that Sienna, who slept at Grandmas with all of her cousins, was throwing up. So I guess when your day starts like that, it can only go up, right?

Anywhoo, we met with the Dr. this afternoon and he shed some light on whats going on inside my mans body.

The doctor said he actually didn't have any growth on the spot on his rib, but the muscles around the rib are really swollen, (which may have been why we read it wrong?) He also said some of the cells around that area are dead, which is actually good news showing us that the radiation at least did something.

He was pleased that his liver is clean. His lung mets are the same, and his remaining kidney is stable, but he also doesn't really like the fluid in his lungs.

Tomorrow he will go in for a thorancentisis, which is basically them sticking a needle in his chest and draining the fluid. They will send it to a pathologist to see exactly what it is, and we will go from there. Darn fluid.

Travis has been doing his treatments a little off protocol. Normally with his drug it is a treatment every single week. But we have kind of pushed for 3 weeks on and 1 week off, mostly because doing this every week for almost 3 years was a lot for T to take. The longer he goes with each treatment the worse he feels, so a week off is like a little slice of heaven. His cankers clear up, and he finds a little energy. Well, because of the pleural effusion, the Dr. has decided he would like Travis to go for 8 straight weeks on, and then get another scan and see whats going on. If the fluid is back, or there are any other changes in his hot spots, we will have to try another treatment option.

It's my opinion that the drug we are using has worked for him thus far, and I'd really like for him to be able to continue. We know the side effects, and it has managed to keep him stable for quite a long time (for kidney cancer, at least).

Trying something new frankly, terrifies me. I remember the wait for his first scan after he started using Torisel (the drug he is using now), and would really not like to have that kind of anxiety again! :) The plus side to a new treatment is that some are given in pill form, which would be awesome for T. No more weekly hour(s) long session at the cancer center would be good for his moral.

So to sum up: (I'm very long winded tonight, yes?) Tomorrow he will get rid of the fluid. It should go smoothly, and not be too scary. That being said we are both a little scared. Cause even thought it should go smoothly, they are sticking a needle in his chest.... You are planning on praying for us, aren't you? ;) Then treatments for 8 weeks, and another scan to see how things look. Let's hope for no growth and no fluid.

Today I was very humbled and grateful for the many phone calls and texts and messages I received. We can't express our thanks enough. It calms our fears to have so many people who care and who put up with us and our roller coaster lifestyle.

I'm going to spend tonight wishing this nightmare called cancer away, but will wake up ready to face it all again, and am glad that you all face it with us.

I'll post tomorrow about how the fluid removal went (I'm calling it fluid removal because I can't remember the technical term, awesome).

Thanks all.