Home from Duke FINALLY!

We certainly didn't expect to be at the Duke Clinic until 5pm, but we were! We got home around 7:15pm.

We met with the Neuropsychologist first as I mentioned in my previous blog. She was so helpful in answering some of our questions. We thought he'd be able to have a driving evaluation today, but she wants to wait until we go back in March. That will be one month prior to him driving again in April.

Then we headed back upstairs for our 12:30pm appt. And, as each hour went by, my sweet, calm hubby started tapping his feet, his fingers, and grunting. I love the idea that they spend the time with the patients, but it cancels out when you have to wait over 3 hours just to be seen. They over-book themselves so much it's hard to ever catch up. It is ridiculous.

Once we were called back to see the doctor, we had WONDERFUL news. She showed us his previous MRI on one computer screen and had the recent MRI on another. She walked us through phase by phase and showed us how much the "hole" had closed up. The hole where they took the tumor out is more than 1/2 way closed back up. And the other good thing about that means that cancer cells are not present to prevent the brain from healing and closing up. ---I hope that makes sense--- Anyhow, it's good news! There's no way to know if the cancer cells are still present without a biopsy. So, they are being precautious by putting him through the chemotherapy...just to be safe. We can live with that.

So, here's the game plan: He will start the chemo pill tomorrow and take it for 5 days each month along with an anti-nausea pill. Then he will have lab work drawn on Day 21 and Day 28. And Harold will have MRIs done every 2 months. We'll have to go back up to Duke to review the results, just like today. Oh joy!! Harold will stay on the Keppra (seizure medicine) for atleast the next year, while he is taking chemotherapy. The chemo pill will be much stronger now that he's no longer on radiation. We're praying that he does well with it and the anti-nausea medicine.

Sorry, no pics today...but I'll make up for it! You know me!!