Wispy no more!

Woody (and I) received very good news from the doctors today. When Dr. Rosatti came in she had a big smile and shared the good news with us, after she found out that Woody was "fair to middlin'" (Woody's answer to the doctors when they ask him how he is doing...unless he isn't doing ok...then he just says "I'm here."). The report was that the tumors that they are measuring were smaller! Last time they were slightly larger...the tumors had shrunk below the amount they had grown and a bit more...so now the total shrinkage of the tumors they are measuring from prior to having the TIL protocol is now between 35% and 40%! Great news to hear!

This morning we checked out of the hotel and left on the 9am hotel shuttle. We first went to the voucher office and turned in the information that they needed...but still needed another authorization. Then we went to the car and put our suitcase, etc. into the car. Then we went upstairs to the clinic and got the paper work that we needed to get our ID's updated and got further authorization for the voucher. We went back to the voucher office and got that paper work underway. Then we went on to the place to get our updated ID's. We got our pictures taken and were given our new ID's. Then we found a quiet spot and read for a while. Then we went downstairs and had soup at Au Bon Pain, again. This time I had their New England Clam Chowder and Woody had Chicken Gumbo. After we ate, we picked up the reimbursement check from the voucher office. Then we headed up to the clinic. Woody was the first patient to sign in for the afternoon clinic. He was called back (almost as soon as he signed) in to be weighed and have his blood pressure taken. He came back out to the waiting room and had no more than sat down than he was called back to an exam room. And, not long after that Dr. Rosatti came in and gave us the report and checked him out. Then she told us that Dr. Yang would be the "doctor in charge" to see Woody today. Dr. Rosatti is our Fellow till July...then she rotates to another place in the hospital. Well, we waited and waited and waited and waited and...finally Dr. Yang came in...about an hour later and spent a short time with us. He did answer Woody's questions and then we were free to head out. We had to make a stop at the pharmacy to pick up two prescriptions. We got those very quickly and then we were out NIH's doors and on our way back to TN. We were on the way by 2:45pm Eastern time...so 15 min. prior to DC's rush hour start. We are only on the beltway for a very short time so we were off the beltway just before rush hour started. We drove 225 miles and have stopped for the night in Troutville, VA.

The reason for tonight's blog title is that there was one place that they were watching that Dr. Rosatti described as wispy when she told us how large it was. That description was back in September when Woody went back for his four week check up after his TIL protocol. Well, she can no longer see that place at all...so wispy no more!

Tomorrow night...the good Lord willin' I will be blogging from home.