5 to go!

He just finished his 9th dose. Praise God! His attending resident for today said that Woody was doing better than she had ever seen a patient do on IL-2--not sure how many she has seen--but definitely some. They are very impressed that he isn't having any breathing problems--that must be something that goes with IL-2 territory. Of course Woody scored really top notch when he had his pulmonary tests done. When we saw Dr. Sosman on Tuesday, he said that Woody had scored more than 100%. I see excitement in the young docs and docs-to-be--they like the way Woody is responding to the treatments!

We did learn today that he is the only patient here at the moment having IL-2. Also learned that IL-2 is something that we have naturally in our bodies--it is what makes us feel the way we do when we have the flu--so Woody is being given flu-like feelings multiplied many, many times over. We were told that this treatment is the roughest given here--and that speaks volumes since we are in the cancer unit.

We're still working on getting some of his meds down him today. He is very nauseated--so rather hard for him to swallow six or seven pills. He has taken the essential ones and will take the others when he thinks he can. He has had some meds for nausea so hope that they help. He did get unhooked from his IV pole for a while prior to this last treatment. He got up and sat in a chair and checked a couple of things on the computer while his bed was being changed. He was very glad to get back into bed after his short time up. He has always been a man of few words--but right now he is a man of even fewer.

Woody just had me put lotion on his back as it was itching. When I put my finger tips on his back and took them away it looks just like someone with a bad sunburn--red and where my fingers touched white. Flushing is another of the side effects.

He did eat some vanilla ice cream this afternoon--the first food he has tolerated in a while.