Eric here. Just wanted to make a quick update as we approach the home stretch of treatment. It's hard to believe but we have just two more chemo sessions, which means in 14 days we'll be done with chemo. Hurray!!
Kari has been an unbelievable trooper through this whole process, and her perseverance (and really grace) through it all has been inspiring. Our goal through these last weeks are to just stay in the game (it's been a bit of a slog these last few weeks), and face whatever lymphoma throws at us; which this week happens to be some pulmonary issues.
Yes, lymphoma hasn't stopped keeping the game interesting. About two weeks ago, after getting over a cold or flu Kari developed a dry hack. Not too distracting to us, but of considerable concern to our oncology team. And as we've deeply immersed ourselves in studying up on the presumptive diagnosis of Bleomycin Pulmonary Toxicity, which is lung damage associated with the "B" chemo agent in our ABVD regimen, we see that this scheduled 12 round bout is going to go the full distance.
Kari talked to our oncologist this week after getting another CT scan and a Pulmonary Function Test on Monday and Tuesday. Based on some loss in pulmonary capability and indications in the CT scan; he suspects it could be Bleomycin Pulmonary Toxicity, a serious condition which needs to be monitored closely. It's highly likely that the doctor will leave out the Bleomycin for the next (and last) two chemo sessions.
Although it's concerning to us, Dr. Gordon reassured us that given the 10 previous treatments with Bleomycin (plus the other agents in our chemo regimen), we likely will have no negative long-term repercussions from this change in treatment. He referred us to a study which supported his assertion making us feel a little bit better, but also begging the question, that if a study shows leaving out Bleomycin in treatment has no effect on outcome, why they prescribe it at all.
Overall, even this hurdle seems surmountable, leaving us license to start to think more about LAL (life after lymphoma), which is a very sweet thought. It's an odd thought too, as part of us craves a return to pre-Lymphoma "normalcy," but we know too life will never be the same; we've experienced too much, learned too much, grown too much, and been prayed over, cared for, and been loved to much to ever go back to that place (as nice as it was), and we'll have to forge our way in a world which is richer, deeper, and more appreciated in every banal simplicity than the one we left.
Now off to chemo session #11!!
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