Update on Jay & Ireland Plans

[rdoo...@swbell.net]

 Taking 9th chemo & doing good. Plans for Ireland look good. — feeling great with Bertha Richardson Dooling at MD Anderson Cancer Center 

Well this is my 9th treatment. After my 6th treatment, my doctor advised against another one. My PSA had seemed to level out. I said I wanted a 7th treatment. My other numbers were looking good. He reluctantly agreed. But that was going to be my last one.

After the 7th, my PSA had come down a little (.2) but my other numbers were still looking good. My phosphates were coming down. I said I could do another treatment. Okay he said but this is the last.

After my 8th treatment, my PSA came down 19% and my bone scan had gone from a Christmas tree to almost empty. The bad results on the scans in the months prior have been attributed to a Flare Phenomenon.

So since I was still doing fine, they encouraged me to take my 9th treatment yesterday and are talking about my 10th treatment at the end of the month. They are giving me 2 units of blood with every chemo. I am feeling fine today.

After the 10th treatment (if I have one), we are planning to go to Ireland for three months. I have an oncologist there who is a friend of my doctor here and I will go see him once a month.

My doctor was shocked by my good result. He says I just must be one of those people who reacts well to chemo. The fact that my mets have healed was really a shock to him.

 jay