Brody Continues to Feel Better than Yesterday

Brody continues to feel much better today than he did yesterday.   He has been sleeping most of the day as his medications to keep him comfortable also make him very sleepy.   He is still having some belly pains but they are not as severe nor nearly as frequent either.   

Brody had scans  done this morning as part of his radiation planning session.   These scans showed that his tumor has "obviously gotten bigger."   And,  it is obstructing parts of his GI tract.   It has encircled the rectum.   His large intestine (colon) and rectum are especially distended.   
Brody will be starting a new chemo regimen today.   He will be in the hospital for at least the next 5 days as he starts this.   He will be taking Topotecan,  Cyclophosphamide, and Bevacizumab.   He will get the Topetecan and Cyclophosphamide each day for 5 days.  He would get this days 1 through 5 of a 21 day cycle.   The Bevacizumab would then be given also every other week.  

Brody  will continue to receive anti-nausea and pain medications to keep him as comfortable as possible.   He also is still receiving Decadron to reduce the inflammation in the colon and in spinal column area.  

It is hoped these changes will help take the pressure off his colon and rectum and make him feel much better.  

He will be starting radiation treatments to his spinal column very soon too. Possibly looking at Thursday for this but do not know for sure yet. 

He is still having biopsy surgery early tomorrow morning.

If these attempts to get the pressure off the colon and rectum do not work then we may soon be facing the decision as to whether to get a colostomy.   At this point,  surgery is not option to remove the tumor until we can find a chemo regimen that keeps the tumor from growing rapidly.   Otherwise we will be right back to the same point we are right now rather quickly. 

These have been some especially tough and very emotional days for me.  Lots and lots of tears.  I am at least managing not to cry in front of Brody though.   I'll give myself a big pat on the back for that.  

All of Brody's doctors and nurses have been wonderful and compassionate through this whole ordeal.   We aren't the only ones shedding tears.   So are they.   Everybody is doing everything they can to help.  It is so hard though that we all seem so powerless to stop this awful disease.   CANCER SUCKS!!!!