In God's Hands

Today Cathy had her follow up appointments with the infectious disease Dr. [Lewis] and Dr. Bayer, and not a moment too soon. Cathy has been very fatigued, in increasing pain, itching from elevated Bilirubin and uncomfortable from distended abdomen - an "expert" in mothering, Carol Casey having given birth to 7 children, estimated Cathy's girth to resemble a 5-6 month pregnant women. While Cathy's vitals were all good / within range, her weight has increased around 11 # in the last 9 days. Cathy has also been concerned about increasing yellowing of her skin due to jaundice, and it was confirmed to her today as a result of yesterday's blood draw results - her bilirubin has increased from 6.2 on 1/18 to 9.9 as of 1/26.

The daily intravenous antibiotic Cathy has been administered for the last 9 days has proven, if anything, only to exacerbate her liver malfunction [or perhaps of no assistance at the very least]. Cathy's other elevated liver enzymes have not come down since her hospital stay so the antibiotic was discontinued.

Carol Casey was along for both appointments and like us, she was impressed with the candor, compassion and efficient manner in which Dr Bayer got things going. Two bits of good news came out of this meeting. Although he admitted the current regimen has proven unsuccessful, Cathy's WBC is up to 10 [WOW!] and he has moved Cathy along to the University of Chicago for them to conduct tests, evaluate Cathy, and potentially get her in the PARP Inhibitor phase III study.

We have a 4:00 appointment on 1/28 through which we hope and pray the U of C Drs. can biopsy Cathy's liver, drain excess fluid, and determine that she is a viable candidate for the study [the cancer in her liver is rather "diffuse" / integrated front portion of her liver and not an identifiable and measurable tumor].

I believe this is a "double blind" study [the Drs. don't know which patients are initially prescribed the PARP inhibitor] and the recipients of it are chosen by lottery [she has a 50% chance of receiving chemo with placebo or a 50% chance of getting chemo and PARP inhibitor].

Though much has to be done [and this might presume she is ABLE to get chemo at all in light of her elevated liver enzymes] we gratified to know she is being cared for and the Drs. are being proactive rather than having Cathy languish at home without being monitored. We're also praying that a biopsy of the liver might provide better direction for her care. Additionally, IF Cathy can receive chemo, even if she doesn't get the PARP inhibitor, at least she'll get more than she has received in the last three weeks because of low WBC or elevated liver enzymes.

Finally, Lord willing, if Cathy does get the PARP inhibitor, it has shown great promise in fighting triple negative breast cancer: http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/health_news/health_wavy_norfolk_parpstudy_20090909

When we've been successful in distracting Cathy from her pain, we've seen glimpses of her trademark sense of humor and love of life and others. Please pray with us for compassionate and good doctors, test results that provide hopeful treatment, that Cathy would receive the PARP inhibitor and that we would remain in God's care and loving hands.