Back from Cleveland... A new plan for treatments

We had a totally awesome couple of days in Hocking Hills.  It was such a relaxing time and the weather was so perfect.  We hiked our favorite trails, ate too much food and enjoyed some of the most beautiful scenery in Ohio.  We've always gone in the Fall so seeing the same parks in Spring was a new experience.  Each season has its own beauty but most of all, we had a great time away.  It had been a very long time since we've been away together apart from the trips to Cleveland.

We left Hocking Hills late afternoon on Thursday and stayed in Medina to make the morning trip to Cleveland shorter.  We were so glad because it was a simpler and shorter trip to the clinic for the 9:00 appointment.  We thought it would be the same trip that it has been the last couple of times but once again, what we thought would be the routine for awhile has all changed again.  We saw the doctor and he informed us that the clinical trial that Eric was participating in has been canceled due to risks involved with combining the 2 treatments of Sutent and Avastin.  So Eric will continue with the Sutent treatments which is the standard treatment for kidney cancer.  We will get the medication at home and our every other week trip to Cleveland is no longer needed.  Because he won't receive the Avastin treatment anymore, they have increased the dosage of Sutent.  In a way it is a relief but there are always mixed emotions with every turn of events.  For now, Eric is not on any treatments.  We will be working with the insurance company next week to get the medication as soon as possible.  For now, he is enjoying his days with no side effects.  Even though he knows the side effects from the first experience with Sutent, since the dosage is increased, it could be all different.  As with the trial, he will take Sutent for 28 days and 2 weeks off until the medication no longer proves effective.  The first CT scan since Eric started treatments will be the middle of June.  That will tell us if the treatments are working... we pray that they are.

We worked very hard outdoors today... what a beautiful day.  It feels good to "spruce" things up again.  I'm just so thankful that Eric has the energy again to be outdoors.  He even played golf yesterday... what a blessing.  It's amazing how all of the things that were taken for granted a year ago are now cherished.  We keep saying... "we're a team" and together we'll work through each day.  When we finished our time in Hocking Hills, Eric said "I forgot I had cancer".  On Friday he said "I guess it's time to have cancer again".  That's what life is all about now but it's okay because we have grown stronger and our trust continues to be in God... this is His plan.

Have an awesome holiday weekend...  we'll write again in June after the CT scan.

Blessings to all... Eric and Gwen