The Next Phase

Hi everyone...we have had a wonderful whirl wind of activity the last few days! Lots of visitors including my brother Ron, sister-in-law Tina and their two munchkins Connor and Emily. It was great to have the little ones around - they really kept us hopping. Jordan is getting ready to leave and go back to Calgary for the school year so he's been busy packing up for the big trek tomorrow. We have a couple of quiet days and then more company arriving on the weekend - it's awesome!

This morning we had our meeting at the cancer clinic with the Radiation Oncologist. After studying Dallas's case the doctors are also recommending chemotherapy. This kind of came at us sideways and took the wind out of our sails but we know that in the long run it is the best decision. Dallas has a very rare form of cancer and because it had spread from the salivary gland to the surrounding lymph nodes, chemotherapy is an added insurance policy. The doctors want to make sure that every possible cancer cell that could be hiding is zapped. Dallas is also part of a research project which is a good thing. This doesn't mean that they're going to be doing anything experimental as part of his treatment, it just means that they will follow him for many years to come - another good thing.

We will have some planning appointments over the next couple of weeks and then treatment will begin mid-September. The doctors want to make sure that Dallas has fully recovered from his surgery before they start the radiation and chemo. We don't know what the chemo regimen will be like yet but it will probably be done in conjunction with the radiation - I will have a very tired hubby on my hands for awhile. Dallas is looking great, feeling strong and preparing for the fight. Thanks so much for your support...we'll keep you posted as things progress. Love, Patty