The Doutré Family: 2015 Update

We're still alive but you wouldn't know it from the infrequent blog posts! Craig has been doing fairly well for the last year and a half. No major upsets or hospital stays. He is really showing the cancer who's boss! His doctor has even stepped aside (haha) and told Craig he might as well direct his own care as he's the one calling the shots. Craig did have some tumor growth (about 25%) on the scan in July 2015 but chose not to change anything (he did increase the Sutent for about a week but it made him throw up too much) and the new scan from last week shows no new growth from the last scan! So Craig seems to know what's going on in his body better than anyone else does. I was pushing hard to try a new drug but he resisted (and won of course!). We feel pretty lucky to be 6.5 years into this and he's still kicking! We definitely acknowledge that not a lot of people diagnosed with cancer are still around after this many years.

Craig has been feeling ok but tired and having quite a bit of discomfort in his gut. The diarrhea is relentless and if that's not bad enough, he throws up some food most days. Hope you're not eating as you're reading this! Eating is his hardest thing. He often says that if he didn't have to eat his ife would be easier. White bread and English muffins are his mainstays in food. Sometimes potatoes but protein is the hardest thing for him to digest. He would really love to eat a salad but it is just too hard to digest and when he does try it he usually pays for it for hours after.

One other issue he's dealing with is his kidney function. The numbers that show kidney function are going up each time they check meaning the kidney is not doing its job as well as it should. The creatinine level should be under 2 but he is up to 2.5 now. We're working with a nephrologist to try and help his kidney function. A few of the drugs he takes are tough on kidneys so we have to decide what he can change.

That's the latest on Craig. He is pretty amazing enduring many years of cancer.

Below is Thanksgiving in California.That's Maddie's boyfriend Mitch on the left. He's going to med school in Richmond, Virginia at VCU. He's a great guy, we love him! As you can see, Craig was full of energy on this trip! He really does feel better on trips but he comes home exhausted!

We're very appreciative this Christmas for the life we have and the time we continue to have to spend together. Chase is here for the holidays from LA where he has lived the last year and a half. He is
working as a copywriter for an ad agency, David and Goliath. He lives in Venice Beach and loves the good weather and single life. Maddie has one more semester at the U of U and will graduate in May 2016 in biology/chemistry. She will take the MCAT in April and apply for medical school next year. This is the gingerbread house she created this year for The Primary Children's Hospital Festival of Trees. It sold for $435!! All proceeds go to the hospital.