Round Three

Sean started his third (and hopefully LAST) cycle of chemo yesterday and we were given some really great news from the oncologist.

The way that the doctors monitor the presence of cancer is by measuring the HCG levels in the bloodstream. Normal range for a man is between 1 and 5; when Sean started treatment his level was at 100, which told them the cancer was still there even after surgery. The doctor told Sean yesterday that after just one cycle of chemo his HCG level was at a 2. They were hesitant to even put Sean through a third cycle because his blood work looked so good, but decided to anyway for good measure. They did change his chemo drugs though, opting for a milder medication that has much more manageable side effects. Also, because the drug is so mild, they don't have to flush his kidneys before and after each treatment, which means that rather than sit at the clinic for 5-6 hours a day, he's only there for 2-3 hours. This has done WONDERS for Sean's health and attitude, and we're hoping that this week will be much easier than his second round was.

As optimistic as the doctors are, we won't know for sure if the cancer is gone until Sean's CT scan, which is scheduled for the 20th of this month. We'll keep everyone updated and appreciate your prayers on our behalf.

We're in the home stretch!