Dr. Carlisle was very proud of himself today declaring: "there is dead tissue" in your liver vs. living, growing tumors. We saw for ourselves on the screen the black areas that used to be tumors in the left side of the liver were now gray and absorbing contrast which is what we want them to do. The last chemo was an aggressive treatment and it has been deemed a success and Dr. Carlisle is ready to go in there again. The problem is...Craig isn't ready and still is recovering from the last one. He does not have the energy physically or psychologically to do it yet. The other issue is he is basically malnourished according to Dr. Carlisle and needs to start taking in food "like a linebacker" to make his body strong again. He said you need to take in up to 3500 calories a day to keep up with what the tumors are taking from you and not lose weight. They call it a "hypercatabolic state" or an excessive metabolic breakdown of body tissue in general, leading to weight loss and wasting. Craig does not have an appetite right now at all and struggles to eat food each day. The dr. wants to put a feeding tube into his stomach and inject a liquid food into him many times a day to up his calorie and nutrition level. Craig needs to do this to help him gain the strength he needs to endure another chemo treatment in Nov. So we're thinking about that idea plus he was given an appetite stimulant medicine to try this weekend and see what it does. I'm kind of getting a complex...it must be my cooking (or lack of cooking) that's doing it. But really I'm trying to feed him!
The other news is that there is a new chemo pill for pancreatic cancer called Sutent. It has shown promise in "progression-free" survival for patients with pancreatic islet cell tumors. Patients in the trials did not show tumor growth for up to 11 months vs. 5 months in patients who got the placebo. This could be an option for Craig if he just isn't strong enough to continue the chemo embolization right now. It's nice to have another option available.
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Good news!
ReplyDelete-Robert
All right!!! This is such a great thing to read - REAL progress and MAJOR killing of tumors! I'm so proud of both of you for fighting this horrible enemy.
ReplyDeleteSuzy - you need to go see "Julie and Julia" and start cooking like the French.
Love you a lot! Kathy
you're a champ. keep it up craig. i love you to the moon and back.
ReplyDeleteAmazing news! Wow, so much to consider. I would be happy to give Craig some of my fat cells - can I be a donor? This is another twist in the continuing saga - we'll keep praying for you and the doctors to make the best decisions for all of you. We send you our love and blessings for strength and recovery! The Hatches love you!
ReplyDeleteWow Suzy that is a lot to deal with. I'm glad that the treatment worked this last time. We are thinking of Craig and you all the time. Hope to see you soon. Take care. Dan, Kristy, Brinley and Gavin
ReplyDeleteAwesome news! Loving you and praying for you all...everyday!!
ReplyDelete1. Craig, I'm sure I speak for all us R.H. Harmons when I say congratulations for the magnificent effort you (and surely Suzy) have put in thus far. Whatta performance worthy of praise indeed. Please keep up the struggle, and know how much you and Suz (and kids) continue to be in our prayers.
ReplyDelete2. I'm struggling now a bit with your current situation. Let me get this straight: Your doctor has ordered you, essentially, to get plenty of rest..... and EAT????
Gadfrey, have you entered the Celestial Kingdom already?!?!?!?
thanks for the updates... we are hoping for some weight gain. xox
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