Our Trip to Houston

This week Duben and I went back to Houston to meet with the doctors at MD Anderson. They ran all the same tests as our first meeting so they could see his progress and see how he has reacted to his treatment so far. We also needed to meet with the radiation oncologist they recommended.
We met with the radiation oncologist first to talk about how radiation works, the side effects, and the treatment plan. We were excited to learn that most patients say radiation is a walk in the park compared to chemotherapy. His treatments will last for four weeks and is Monday through Friday. Another good thing is the appointment for his treatment is only about thirty minutes, versus the five hour chemotherapy appointments we are used to.
Although the actual radiation isn't bad, we were surprised to hear about all the long term effects that Duben will have to monitor for the rest of his life. It was a little overwhelming listening to all the different things we'll have to monitor, but here were a few I remembered. Most people would start getting their heart looked at in their fifties, but Duben will need to start meeting with a cardiologist in his forties. If he were to get clogged arteries, it would be accelerated because of radiation. He has a higher chance of thyroid problems, other cancers, etc. Now it's not all doom and gloom, the chances of him getting any of these are still low, it is just a little bit higher than the average person now.
When it came time to talk about the treatment plan the doctor surprised us by saying the results of his treatment so far looked great. We hadn't heard results yet and were caught off guard hearing this. I don't think either of us were prepared for the rush of emotions we felt as she explained the good news. His active cancer cells had reduced drastically. There was little sign of them left. What an amazing relief.
When it came down to the actual radiation treatment they were very clear in their recommendation. For the best possible outcome, it should be done in Houston. The main reason is how unique Hodgkin's Lymphoma is. The doctors in Houston specialize in Lymphoma and that is all they do. It isn't the ideal situation, especially with lil' D set to arrive February 2nd next year, but we feel like it is what's best. We will be able to make it work, so we feel the sacrifice is worth making sure Duben is well taken care of.
Next we met with Duben's doctor and she was so pleased with how he is doing. We got to see the before and after pictures of where the cancer was, and its incredible! It is already a night and day difference. The masses in his chest are all slowly getting smaller too. She had more good news for us too, Duben is supposed to get another round of tests after his 4th cycle, and she told us he could get those done in Arkansas and not have to come back to Houston to do them again. This was a HUGE relief since he would have gone back in January and we didn't want him to run the risk of missing the baby being born.
So overall, a great week for us. We've been so worried with not knowing how he was doing. We know we aren't out of the woods, and our lives will never be 'normal' again, but we are so grateful for everything we have. We know we are truly blessed.
Thank you to everyone who continues to serve our family. We are so grateful for all the support and prayers.

oh, and duben still has his hair!

2 down, 4 to go

Just a quick update on how things are going for us. First, little Miss Ainsley turned two this weekend. We are so proud of our amazing little girl. She brings us so much happiness, we are so grateful for her and all of her energy and love. She’s such a sweetheart. Happy Birthday!


Duben is doing well. He’s now finished 2 of the 6 chemo cycles. Luckily, Duben manages to sleep through most of his treatments, so that's always nice for him. Each one seems to hit him a little harder each time, mostly with fatigue and a bit of nausea. The hard part is the anticipation of when it will hit. We know he'll get sick, it's just when. I'm so proud of him and how well he's been doing. He’s able to work full time and still manages to keep up with Ainsley. He still gets tired and has to take it easy, but I’m so impressed with all he still does. I’m so grateful for his strength and positive attitude.

Duben will be heading to Houston in a few weeks to get an update on his progress. The doctors will re-run most of his tests to determine whether or not the treatment is working and how he is reacting. He’ll also be meeting with a Radiation Oncologist to see how long radiation will be, and whether or not that treatment should be done in Houston. Since the limp nodes are so large and close to his heart, his doctor was worried about the risk factors of radiation, and might recommend he gets it done there. We hope that's not the case, but we will do whatever needs to be done.
We are optimistic that everything is going well. Duben has said he is feeling good and notices a little less pressure in his chest. This gives us hope that everything is working.

Mom and baby are also doing well. Lil' D is growing quickly and is quite the kicker. We're getting excited to meet him. Ainsley just loves talking to him, and reminding Mom to be quiet because he's sleeping. She will be such a good big sister.

As always - thank you to everyone who continues to give us support. We are so grateful for all the service and prayers. We feel so blessed and comforted.