Behind you 100% buddy.

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Thanks Mattbaker and Ultra for the support! Thanks to everyone for showing your support one way or another, and thanks for the words of encouragement when on TeamSpeak! One day at a time and always looking up is the way to go!

Just repeating this on the new page...

BLAH...

http://craig.handsfreehelp.com/03192015 ... om-scan-10

03/19/2014: PET Scan Results from 03/18/2015 - Scan #10:

I meet with Dr. Safah. She is not happy with the results at all. She said that the Lymphoma appears to have relapsed. There are new small spots showing, and the abdomen where the Shingles were, has only continue to grow bigger with an SUV over 10. She said it is time to start preparing for Transplant #2. This time it will be an allogenic transplant, rather than an autologous transplant. This means that the stem cells will come from someone else. My sisters will be worked up to see if they are a match, if they are, they will need to go through everything that I went through last time, in preparation and harvesting of their stem cells, the constant shots to increase the number of stemcells in the blood stream, and then the pheresis process to collect the stem cells pulling blood from them pulling out just the stem cells and then putting the blood back into their body. Anyways she orders bloodwork, and swabs. I will be meeting with a Dr. Weaver on Tuesday to discuss how the biopsy will be done to obtain access to the lymphnodes in question. It will most probably happen via Mediastinoscopy. Once the biopsy is in and if it confirms the progression of the disease, then brentuximab for 3 or so cycles, then Transplant #2. Transplant #2 includes additional risk, as now I am getting someone elses's cells. Graft-versus-host disease is the main concern as the transplanted cells may start to attack me, which is wanted to cure the cancer, but not completely as then greater life threatening risk come into play. Dr. Safah assures me this can usually be kept in control with blood test and open communication about anything and everything with me and her. The fun has just begun.

Round 2

Call of Duty 2 from the Hospital Bed? You better believe it!

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Sorry to hear that you have more work ahead . I was hoping for better news .
I am always thinking of you. I have tried to get on Sat. nights to play but for some reason I can't get in. I wish you well.

Sorry to hear this!

We will keep praying for you!

So sorry to hear this ! Have you in my thoughts and prayers each day. Take one moment at a time, thats all you have to get through . We are all behind you and here for you . God Bless!

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Thanks everyone for the continue support, yes one day at a time.

I have my Biopsy on Monday, not looking forward to that, blah.....

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Sucks to hear about the relapse buddy. Keep doing what you're doing and you'll be good. Take care of yourself.

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Thanks again for your support...

2 Chemos down, 2 more to go... Then another PET/CT Scan.

I have a one possible donor out of Portugal who is a 9/10 match. They really want a 10/10 match, so possibly leave this match on the back burner and continue getting additional chemos to keep checking for donors.

I am thinking of setting up a way for people to get tested to see if they are a possible donor/match, it's a simple swab of the inside of your mouth, and that's it, and they will do the matching. However it will require them adding themselves to the registry for other's as well, not just me... Donors are only allowed between the ages of 18 & 60 for best results.

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I have been praying for you man. YOUR A HERO!!

Well thanks buddy! Enjoy having you around! Take things one day at a time!

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Latest Update after my PET/CT Scan 07/01/15:

It’s my turn to be seen by the doctor and she walks into the room. My mother and my sister are both there, my sister was not a match to be the Stem Cell Transplant donor. Dr. Safah is disappointed in the PET/CT results. She said that the brentuximab is not doing it’s job, the cancer is showing a mixed response to the chemo. Some is reacting to the chemo, some is not. There are two spots of concern, one in the chest and one in the abdomen that are not showing any reactions to the chemo. She said there is nothing else that she can give me to try to control and fight the cancer, and that she would be referring me to MD Anderson. She needed to get the cancer under control before proceeding with the second stem cell transplant, but since she cannot get it under control, she can not move forward with the stem cell transplant because it would not yield the same results and be an answer since there is more disease, and it is not pushed into control. She said that there is a trial/study drug going on at MD Anderson that is looking promising and she is hoping that they can use that drug which is known as nivolumab, can be used on me to see if that will suppress the cancer, and then possibly follow up with a stem cell transplant after that. However, just as before when Dr. Veith referred me to Dr. Safah, Dr. Veith was no longer in the driver’s seat, now Dr. Safah is referring me to MD Anderson, MD Anderson will now take complete control of my health. Just one step at a time, hopefully this time better results will come about.

So now I will be making many trips back and forth between New Orleans and Houston...

You can see this plus more at my blog: http://craig.handsfreehelp.com

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We will keep on praying!

Have had you in my prayers!

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Thanks to everyone for their continued support! I cannot tell you how much any support can be. Just gotta keep my head up and hope for the best and take life one day at a time, and enjoy all the good news I get along the way. For those that don't check my blog, here is an update. Traveling to Houston every other Wednesday to MD Anderson has paid off so far, and I am hoping it will continue to do so.

9/23/2015:

10:10: The PA comes in and goes over the PET Scan results. VERY GOOD RESULTS. Methodically everything is good! No signs of any active nodes.

10:20: Emily, the study nurse comes in and goes over everything with me. She is very pleased. She takes my daily log, and my status review for today.

10:30: Dr. Rodriguez comes in. She is very pleased with the results. We bring up Stem Cell Transplant talks again and go over those options for the future. If we get the next PET Scan in 8 more weeks equal or better than this scan, then I will be in Remission. At that point that Remission is declared, then we will have 1 more year of treatments following that, then looking forward to moving towards that Stem Cell Transplant.

You can see this plus more at my blog: http://craig.handsfreehelp.com

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Hey Bro - you hang in there! Dealing with prostate cancer myself this year - not going to let it get me.

All the best!

Frank

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