This too shall pass?

I don't know if you are like us...but we often say about a not particularly good situation: "This too shall pass." Well, when I happened to say that yesterday to Woody, I didn't realize till after I said it how especially true it was in this situation with a kidney stone!

Something that I didn't mention yesterday was where the scan showed Woody's kidney stone. All they saw was a shadow very close to the opening of the bladder...so that meant that it was about to pass into the bladder. The doctor told Woody that the pain happens when the stone is traveling to the bladder. And, after that the pain pretty much stops.

Woody stopped having kidney pain sometime in the night. Now as to whether the stone has totally passed out of his system is still in question. The doctor told him that the stone would be black and that it would be about the size of the opening on a ball point pen. So far he has only seen something much smaller than that. So that is the reason for the question mark in the title of this blog. The rest of the title could be: "but when or has it already?"

Today, Woody seems none the worse for this latest experience. He slept very well last night making up for no sleep the night before. I slept just so-so last night and have been sleeping off and on all afternoon. Woody did teach Sunday School this morning.

What IL-2 probably DID do!

Woody and I got to our local emergency room around 4:30 this morning. Woody hadn't been able to sleep last night due to abdominal pain. We went through a long list of things that it possibly could be and could never narrow it down. Woody finally decided around 4am that he had better go on and go to the emergency room...especially in case it was appendicitis...both our grandsons have had to have emergency appendectomies due to their appendix rupturing...and Woody finally decided that he had better not take that chance.

We got there and were ushered right in, as there were no other patients in the emergency room at that time...good timing...or guess that is God's timing (and living in a small town)! I think that from the first person he talked to they decided what his problem was...everyone kept asking him if he had ever had kidney stones...and sure enough that is what it turned out to be. By the way...that had been on our list of possibilities. I had about ruled out a kidney stone as I didn't think that he was hurting badly enough...I have always heard that passing a kidney stone was comparable to having a baby and he definitely didn't act like he was hurting that badly! He did tell them when he got to the hospital that on a scale of 1 to 10 his pain was a 6...now he must have been hurting pretty badly...because usually when asked, he says either 1 or 2 even when he's told me that he is hurting badly.

The doctor felt that this medical issue has arisen due to Woody taking IL-2. He explained that usually one has to have been dehydrated (often this occurs at night--for those who haven't had IL-2 but have had kidney stones!) and also that one has to be lying still for a period of time (again, while sleeping). But in Woody's case since he had never experienced a kidney stone before and because his body had been compromised during the IL-2 the doctor figured that is the cause...Woody very likely did get dehydrated when he was so sick during the IL-2 treatments and also he was definitely more sedentary (except when he was having the shakes!) than usual...for much longer times than just while sleeping at night.

His first symptom of having a problem was on Wednesday night, but the pain only lasted an hour so he hadn't thought much more about it till last night when the pain just wouldn't go away. He would lie down and then get up and pace around, etc. The triage nurse mentioned that most of the time when someone has a kidney stone that they have trouble staying still and start pacing around. Ahhhhhh clues started to come together when she said that!

I couldn't sleep while we were trying to make a decision about whether this warranted a hospital visit...so I sewed most of the night!

The emergency room experience went like clock-work and we were home a little before 7:30am. While in the hospital, they gave him an IV to try to flush the stone out and also gave him pain medication by IV. He stopped hurting pretty quickly after the medication and they soon let him go home. He still hasn't passed the stone and has started hurting some again. He has oral pain medication, but that doesn't seem to do the miraculous pain killing that the IV med did. He did go to the library this morning and then has pretty much stayed in his recliner the rest of the afternoon and watched library DVD's and read. He really hasn't slept much...although I did find him snoozing just a few minutes ago. I didn't last as long as he did...I took a nap this afternoon...and could use another one!

It's graduation day in Tullahoma!

And here's what we looked like in our senior portraits. What a long time ago...yet in some respects it seems just like yesterday. It was 1964 for Woody and 1966 for me. He graduated from Eureka High School in Eureka, MO and I graduated from Glendale High School in Glendale, AZ. All those years ago we would have never dreamed that our paths would cross in just a few more years! And, never would we have dreamed that we would be walking on the path that Woody's melanoma has us walking today. I took these pictures of pictures in our high school year books so they, of course, are a bit grainy and details aren't the best. Woody knows that he had his mole in this picture, but we are hard pressed to find it...maybe in his hairline...or perhaps it was "removed" by the photographer. But it is there.

Can you spot it?

Can you find the four-leaf clover? I was told that positioning it where I did, I had made it too easy for all of you to find! Now...I don't believe in "luck." I believe in God's grace! But, nonetheless, four-leaf clovers have a special meaning in our family. Woody started sending me four-leaf clovers in the letters he wrote me before we married and he continues to find them and now hands them to me in person. I press them in my Bible and find them as I "leaf" through my Bible. Woody has the uncanny "talent" to be able to stand above a patch of clover and find a four-leaf one if there is one in the patch. He managed to pass this "talent" along to Nathan. And it looks like Graham is following in their footsteps, as he is good at spotting them too. Nathan found the one that I photographed this morning...but I actually found a couple more in the same patch and I usually can't find them!

Now...for each of you being able to find a four-leaf clover in this post...may God grace your day!

A Wednesday visitor

Woody's namesake (from first grade on)... "Woody Woodpecker" came calling in our yard this afternoon! And, this red-headed woodpecker was very accommodating and stayed around for the longest time...long enough for me to figure out how to get him in focus and get his picture from several different angles!

Woody had a follow-up appointment with the radiologist this afternoon. He has been dismissed. A report will be sent to Dr. Sosman.

Woody's sinus headache seems to be over...we should have tried Sudafed sooner!

Last Tuesday in May

Guess we are on the downward swing of May. Where is this year going?

We have added a sudafed type drug to what Woody has been taking trying to open up his sinuses. The benadryl has helped him to sleep and did help some with his headache...but it never totally cleared up his sinus congestion/headache. He said that his sinuses seem to be draining today...so maybe the added med is helping.

I got back into my sewing room for a while today, but then a package arrived with a new lens for my new camera, so I spent part of the afternoon on the front porch trying it out. When Woody came home, he joined me for a while. It was a very pleasant afternoon for front porch sitting. We even enjoyed a spring rain shower while sitting there. I am attempting to photograph the birds who visit our yard. I did manage to catch a couple, but I think that I need a bit more practice...none that I got today will end up in a magazine or win any prizes! But it was fun trying. Here is a picture of a "red, red robin bob, bob, bobbin' along." (the picture is clickable)

Memorial Day 2009

It has been pretty much a laid-back kind of day. Woody did a little gardening. I did a little cooking. We both did some reading and a bit of TV watching. That's about it! (Oh, and Graham offered me the opportunity of petting a toad...I declined!)

Definitely more laid-back than 18 years ago...when our daughter got married on this date!

Typical Sunday

We went to Sunday School. Then we came home and had lunch. Two of our four neighbor grandchildren spent part of the afternoon with us. This time it was my turn to be nudged awake by them...I sat down on the couch and pretty promptly dozed a bit...much to their dismay and many promptings for Grammy to wake up. Joy finally suggested that I get up and walk around so I would wake up!

Woody rested and read in his recliner most of the afternoon. About his headache...he is pretty much of the opinion that it is a sinus headache...it is better...but still not gone...and he continues to take the medicines for it.

He is looking forward to another day off tomorrow.

Saturday

Woody said that he slept pretty well from 10 last night till 4 this morning. Then he woke up and went for a walk. That was how he typically started his Saturday mornings prior to IL-2. So it is good that he felt like going for a walk first thing this morning.

This morning we changed routine a bit and I went with Woody to the library rather than staying home to watch my sewing shows. Woody got more DVD's and books and spent the afternoon watching the DVD's and reading. Then this evening he has been reading and watching basketball.

He says that he thinks that his headache is getting better. He is still taking Benadryl and Tylenol.

Another day off

Woody changed his routine due to being off today and did our weekly grocery shopping in the morning. He has read...I know that he finished one book and is well underway with another. And I know of at least one "nap" that he tried to take...while Graham (7-year-old grandson) read to him! Graham had to say "Goosey" (what the grandchildren call Woody) to him several times to get help with a word!

I would say that it has been an all-around relaxing day for him. He is still taking Benadryl (that helps with the relaxing!) and Tyelenol. He says that his headache seems better and that he feels that it probably is a sinus headache.

Thursday that seems like a Saturday

Woody took today (and tomorrow) off and all day it has seemed like Saturday to me. He's taking two days of vacation so he is going to have a really long Memorial Day weekend. I think that it will be good for him to have a stretch of time off to rest and relax.

He slept well last night for the first time in a while...probably thanks to the Benadryl. He still has a headache, but we're still hoping that a couple of days of Benadryl will help open up his sinuses and prove that it is nothing more serious.

This morning Woody helped me dig a hole to put a new plant in and he also did a bit of trimming on some of our ground cover. He is wearing his half cast on his injured lower left arm less and less and it scares me that he is going to re-injure it...especially when he is working outside. I will say that he has regained a lot of use with his left hand. He can even tie his shoes now...something that is pretty hard to do one-handed. He still only has limited motion with his left shoulder.

Yesterday Woody issued an invitation to Abigail (5 1/2-year-old granddaughter) to come over this afternoon for a special time with him. She was so excited. They did have a good time...played board games, made a surprise (pumpkin pudding for her family and us--dessert for tonight's supper), played with her lite brite, drew a few pictures (arts and crafts according to her), Woody had me take her portrait with my new camera, and he read her several stories. A packed several hours! About the board games...Abigail told her mother that she liked one of the games and didn't like the other...now she won one and lost the other. Can you guess which one she probably didn't like?!

Phone calls galore

Before Woody left for work (5:30am), he came in to tell me that I needed to call Dr. Sosman's office today...not about the study...but about his headaches. He was getting concerned that it wasn't just a regular headache...but that it might have something to do with his melanoma...as in perhaps it was in his brain. Wonderful thought to start out the day!!!

So shortly after 8am I put in another call to Vanderbilt (1st call). I told them that I had called yesterday and that I hadn't received a call back and that now I had another issue that I needed to discuss with someone in Dr. Sosman's office.

Within a half hour after my call one of the clinical nurses called (2nd call). I think that she was mainly calling about the clinical double blind study. So I first got that information from her and then started questioning her about Woody's headaches. I found out that the study hasn't started yet and that they are contacting patients about it and getting the study set up. She said that it would start in a week to a week and a half...anyway...after the first of June. Then on to the headaches...she said that since he wasn't having problems with his vision or wasn't confused that she didn't think that it was anything to jump to bad conclusions about. She felt that it might be sinus pressure...so we are to try Benadryl and Tyelenol and see if they help. If "things" get worse or any of those symptoms start then we are to call them back.

Around 3:30pm Dr. Sosman's nurse called (3rd call). I told her that I had talked to someone else from Dr. Sosman's office that morning, but that I wanted to run Woody's symptoms by her. She understood why Woody is thinking more serious thoughts than sinus problems. But she did say to try the Tyelenol and Benadryl for several days and see if they help...then if not to call and they would schedule a scan...one that scans more than from neck to mid-thigh as he had a week and a half ago. (Oh, and, yes, there were really 4 calls...Dr. Sosman's nurse had first tried me on my cell phone and left a message prior to calling on our regular phone.)

Woody says to explain that he really hasn't ever dealt with many health issues (to his knowledge he has never even had heart burn) and very rarely has just a "plain, old, regular-type" headache much less a sinus headache so really doesn't have anything to compare some of his aches and pains to. Also, our personal care physician sort of cringed yesterday when I mentioned that Woody was having headaches and she said that he might need a scan of his head. And, it had been in the back of Woody's mind for some time that his headaches could be a new sign of his melanoma's progression. Plus he feels like he ignored symptoms long ago that have gotten him where he is now with his melanoma.

Want to know the funny thing about this...I had all the symptoms that the nurse described to watch out for Woody: a headache, blurred vision...and...we will leave the confusion part up to you all to decide!

Tuesday...still waiting

We're still waiting to hear from Dr. Sosman's office. I put in a call to them earlier today, so now we're waiting for either an email or a return call from them. They could still call today, as they seem to be an office that works late.

Woody says that his headache is definitely better today, but not totally gone.

Another Monday

Well, not the best day. Woody came home from work with a headache...and he just doesn't feel all that great. I cooked us a good supper and he did say that helped him feel a bit better. But I can tell that he still doesn't feel good. Cooking and clean-up gave me a backache! Aren't we a pair?!

Still no word from Dr. Sosman's office.

Sunday

We have had a low-key Sunday. Other than going to Sunday School, we have stayed in and taken it easy on this rather chilly day in middle TN.

Woody asked me to share that his burn from the radiation is healed. Definitely a positive!

Usual Saturday

Again, a routine Saturday...Woody made Peasant Salad again...he went to the library while I watched sewing shows...then he watched the library DVDs and read this afternoon.

I just got through emailing Dr. Sosman's research nurse specialist so we will see "if and when" we hear from her. I emailed her once before and got a response so figure that I will again. I told her that we just didn't want to get lost in the proverbial shuffle and that Woody was ready to get this next show on the road. I really have no idea how long it takes to get put into one of these study programs.

Friday

End of another work week for Woody. Shortly after he got home, he headed off to do our weekly grocery shopping. When he came home he rested, while I cooked our supper...we had breakfast for supper...French toast (Woody's favorite breakfast food) and sausage patties. We hadn't had breakfast for supper in a long time...brought back memories. I asked Woody if shopping had worn him out. He said that it was more the warm and very muggy weather that had gotten to him rather than the shopping. We have had a slight shower this evening that helped to break the build-up of extreme closeness in the air that we had all afternoon--but still very humid...first time this year that it has felt quite like this. At least we have finally gotten a little rain out all of today's humidity. I was hoping for rain to give all the plants that we put out Mother's Day a good drink. (All this humidity info is for my family and friends out in dry AZ! I know that lots who are reading this are experiencing this humidity first hand!)

We still haven't heard from Dr. Sosman's office. I plan to email his office over the weekend so they will have the message when they get into the office on Monday morning. I wish that we had thought to ask on Monday while we were there how long it would take to get this set up. My concern is that we saw Dr. Sosman late on Monday and by the time we came out of his office the staff was pretty much gone...so just afraid that Woody's information might not have gotten to the right person...might still be lying in some stack of papers somewhere! So will definitely be checking in with them Monday afternoon or Tuesday, if we don't get a call or a response to the email.

Thursday

Things are pretty much "the same old, same old" around here.

We still haven't heard from Dr. Sosman's office about when Woody will start the study.

Just the tip of the "iceburg"

Well, I was going to try to share about the double blind study that Woody will be participating in, but so far the information that I have found has been sketchy and isn't all that understandable...at least not for me. I will keep searching.

Here is the small amount that we know:

Everyone in the study gets the chemo drug Tremodar, then 1/2 will get ABT 888 and the other 1/2 will get a placebo. They are trying to find out if adding ABT 888 increases the effectiveness of Tremodar on melanoma. Dr. Sosman said that Woody would have scans every 6-8 weeks to see if this treatment is helping. And, if it is determined that it isn't helping that Woody can switch to another study. This study is currently open to new participants, but the other two studies aren't, so Woody is being put on a waiting list for those.

So far we haven't heard from Dr. Sosman's office as to when Woody will start participating in this study. Woody is ready to get this next show on the road!

Tuesday

I almost entitled it "Monday." I think that I must have lost a day somewhere...like at Vanderbilt!

Woody said that he hadn't realized how much yesterday took out of him...but he said that he REALLY slept last night and then when 5am came he wasn't ready to start the day...usually he is awake for quite some time before his 5 am rising time. He didn't know if it was the dyes that they put into his system for the scan or just the long day, but something wore him out. Shortly after we returned from Nashville last night, he was asleep in his recliner. Then he had to awaken himself to go upstairs to go to bed. It's when I see him so tired like that, that I realize that he really is sick...as he really doesn't look sick and most of the time doesn't act sick. But these days he does tire much more easily than he did before.

New direction

Well...a change in the path of Woody's melanoma treatment. The IL-2 didn't do what we had hoped. The scan reports didn't get back to Dr. Sosman before he saw us. But before coming in to see us, Dr. Sosman did talk to a radiologist who had looked at today's scans. And...what Woody was sure of before this appointment...some of the places that they looked at hadn't shrunk nor stayed the same, but had gotten larger. So...on to something else...

He will be taking part in a study and is being put on a waiting list for two other studies.

The study that he will start with is a chemo drug + another drug or a placebo. I'll explain more after I learn and understand and process more about it. We will be called when they have a time set up for us. I understand that this chemo is in pill form.

Everything at Vanderbilt pretty much went like clock-work today--no major delays. Three appointments done in less than three hours! (But you have to, of course, add in three more hours--1 1/2 hours travel time to Nashville and 1 1/2 hours travel time back to Tullahoma...so still made for a long day. But we were very thankful to get all three appts. done in one day.)

Mother's Day

It's Mother's Day! And...what a nice day we have had! Woody and I started the day out by going to Sunday School. Woody taught his 8th grade boy's class. Then we headed home. When we pulled into our driveway, Melany and her family pulled up in front of our house and Nathan and his family pulled into their driveway. We couldn't have made such a simultaneous "landing" if we had planned it! Melany, Wade, Erin and Alex's arrival was supposed to have been a surprise...but a little bird next door let the cat out of the bag yesterday! Surprise or not what a fun time we had. Melany and family piled out of their vehicle with all sorts of gardening equipment and plants...the hanging baskets in the picture are part of their Mother's Day treats. Not long after they got here, Nathan and Kathy were calling us to their house for homemade pizza! Yum! Yum! Then after pizza, we had two yummy desserts to choose from...banana pudding or strawberry cheesecake that Wade made. (Some couldn't choose so had some of both!) Mmmmmmmmmmm good!

Then everyone got to work. Alex mowed the lawn. Melany, Abigail, and Kathy weeded. Nathan pulled off debris that was clinging to the tops of our gutter helmets and also wiped off the gutters. Wade cut down a dead tree and also trimmed off some low hanging branches. Woody carried sticks, etc. down to the stick pile by the road and just generally kept busy the whole afternoon. Nathan also did some work on a dead branch at their house. Wade and I went shopping for bedding plants. Melany did most of the planting with Wade's and Kathy's help. Our oldest granddaughter, Erin, watched the two youngest grandchildren, Joy and Esther. Graham and I took pictures of the proceedings. After an afternoon spent mostly outdoors, our yard and gardens look great and everyone should sleep well tonight!

Tomorrow Nathan will be driving us to Vanderbilt. Woody will be having a C.T. scan, lab work, and seeing Dr. Sosman. The first appointment doesn't start till mid-afternoon...so we will probably be late getting home tomorrow evening. I'll report in after we get home.

(You can click on the picture and then scroll to the right to see all of us up close and personal!)

Saturday Routine

Or so it seems that this has become the Saturday routine of late...Woody heads to the library on Saturday morning, while I am watching my sewing shows on PBS...then he returns and watches the DVDs that he has checked out and reads the books that he has gotten...and then watches a bit of sports...today basketball.

I broke routine and made us a dessert...a yummy hot fudge cake...we ate it warm with vanilla ice cream...mmmmmmmm good!

Woody, again, didn't sleep very well last night. We will be mentioning the pain that seems to be keeping him awake, when we see Dr. Sosman on Monday. I imagine that there will be lots to talk about on Monday at Woody's appointment. I know that the radiation burn is still bothering him, but I try not to mention it too much as he said that it's better if he doesn't think about it!

Friday update and a recipe

Woody worked as usual today. Shortly after he came home, he headed off to the grocery store. After supper, he made Peasant Salad again. He suggested that I share the recipe in tonight's blog. This is a recipe that he got out a low-fat cookbook that he checked out of the library some time ago. (Nathan renamed it: Soggy Bread Salad!)

Peasants' Salad Pita Pockets

4 cups cubed whole-grain French bread
1/2 small red onion, quartered and very thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups small broccoli florets
1 c. small cauliflower florets
1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow or green pepper, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, peeled and cubed
5 cherry tomatoes, halved, or 1 large tomato, cubed
4 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
6 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup minced fresh basil or 2 Tablespoons dried
1/4 c. minced fresh oregano or 2 Tablespoons dried
6 whole-wheat pita breads

In a very large bowl, mix the bread cubes, onion, broccoli, cauliflower, red pepper, yellow or green pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, mushrooms, feta, vinegar, basil, oregano, salt and black pepper to taste. Toss well. Let the salad marinate for more flavor.

Cut the pitas in half and stuff the salad inside each pocket. Serve with garlic or ranch dressing, if desired.

Woody skips the salt and only sometimes adds pepper and he doesn't use the dressing on his pitas. I pick and choose what I like out of the salad and just eat it as a salad instead of putting it in the pitas. I'm pretty sure that he uses more than 5 cherry tomatoes. I was right...I just checked and he uses a whole pint of cherry/grape tomatoes in his salad.

Enjoy!

Thursday check-in

Almost didn't make it in this evening! This time I didn't sleep well last night and ended up falling asleep for a "short" nap this evening and just woke up and realized that I hadn't blogged.

Woody did sleep better last night--maybe we are taking turns! And he is asleep now. I know that he napped a bit earlier this evening too.

I didn't look at his radiation burn today. But Woody said that it wasn't any worse--that he knew of anyway! He continues to put on the antibacterial ointment.

Wednesday update

Not a lot to report tonight. I think that "things" are about the same. The burn looks no worse...what I can see of it. He continues to put the antibacterial ointment on it.

Last night Woody only got about three hours of sleep due to pain in his arm and various and sundry other places on his body! I think that it is time to go back to see Dr. Sosman! And, we will be seeing Dr. Sosman this coming Monday. We got the automated call tonight from Vanderbilt reminding us about the appointments he has on Monday.

Continuing with pharmacist's suggestion

I called the radiologist's office this morning. I told them what the pharmacist had suggested we use and they said to continue to use that unless the burned area gets worse. If it should get worse, then we are to call them and they will tell Woody something else to use. It looks like the most important thing is to keep infection down and the ointment that the pharmacist suggested is an antibiotic ointment. As far as pain, Woody says that his upper arm hurts more on the inside than the burned area hurts. So we will go with this ointment unless something else is needed on down the road. I'm thankful for pharmacists who will go the extra mile for you. Last night she phoned someone she thought would have an answer as to the best thing to use for a radiation burn that was over-the-counter...and it was time for the drugstore to close...but she took the time to come up with an answer.

Delayed reaction

This evening we have discovered that Woody is showing signs of being burned under his left arm. The skin is rather red and hot and uncomfortable. We knew that radiation continues to do its job even after the treatments stop, but didn't really expect to have burning show up almost a week after he stopped treatments.

He didn't realize what was happening till after the radiation office closed today. I will call tomorrow to see about getting the salve that they told him about. They never gave him any since he didn't burn while going for treatments.

I did make a trip to our drug store to see if they had any recommendations for something to put on it. They couldn't recommend anything for pain, but did recommend an antibiotic ointment to keep it from getting infected. So for the evening that is what we are using.

And I thought that this would just be a week to slide through since there were no appointments, etc. Oh, well...

It's raining, it's pouring!

Another soggy day here in middle TN. Woody and I went to Sunday School this morning. Then we came home and have stayed in the rest of the day. Woody watched basketball this afternoon and rested in his recliner.

I told Woody that I didn't think that he looked like he felt the greatest this afternoon. And he said that he did have a slight headache that he thought was due to not getting enough sleep last night. He says at night that the part of his arm that was radiated does hurt and that he has trouble finding a comfortable position to sleep. He also said that pain medication doesn't seem to affect the pain that he has in that arm. He feels that this pain won't be long lasting since it is due to the radiation effects and those should wear off before long. He feels very confident that his upper arm is one place in his body that is cancer free.

Saturday

We woke up to more storms this morning. So it has been a stay inside kind of day. Woody did go to the library this morning. Then he has read and watched a library DVD or two and rested most of the afternoon. He did go out a little while ago and planted some shallots. So there was a bit of going outside today!

We noticed last night that his upper left arm is peeling again. We think this time the peeling has to do with the radiation.

Stormy Friday

Storms keep rolling through so I'm going to post early. Woody is at the grocery store--he's back to doing our weekly shopping...at least for two weeks in a row!

I called Vanderbilt this morning to ask that they call me. I mentioned that this was a repeat call--that I had called yesterday and no one had gotten back to me. So the person on the phone got to looking at Woody's records and found that appointments had already been made. We just hadn't been informed yet. The appointments are all on Monday, May 11. He has the scan mid afternoon, then will have lab work done and then will see Dr. Sosman. It's helpful to have these appointments all on one day. It will mean a full day...but at least only one time to travel back and forth.

Oh, almost immediately after I got off the phone with Vanderbilt, the phone rang again. It was Dr. Sosman's office calling to say that they would set up the appointments. I told them that the appointments were already on the books! Then a little while after that someone else called with the appointments telling date and times...so I told her the date and times that I had already been given! She confirmed that I had them right. So we definitely heard from Vandy today!

Now...please pray for God's Will and guidance for the doctors and us in the next part of our "adventure." Pray that if IL-2 is what Woody needs, that the scans will show improvement. BUT...if IL-2 isn't the answer, then for Woody not to have to go through it again for naught...another time! And, if IL-2 isn't the answer, that there be another path to follow to help Woody fight his melanoma.