Alright, guys, sorry for the delay. Writing this takes a toll, and time is short these days. That being said, this one's going to be shorter than the previous two posts. 

On August 16, Matt had an echocardiogram, a blood draw, and a lumbar puncture during which a small amount of spinal fluid was extracted and, directly afterward, a small dose of chemo called "methotrexate" was injected. The procedure seemed to go well, and Matt really liked the doc who performed it-- Dr. Jose. 

The next morning, however, things didn't go so well. Matt had spent the night on the couch after staying up for most of it with a headache, and when he finally awoke the next morning, he was unsteady on his feet, and his vision was blurry. He also said everything appeared to be very bright, so it hurt to open his eyes. As he staggered to the breakfast table, Julie noticed that he looked pale and rather like... well, crap. He was scheduled for a blood transfusion that afternoon, but we both decided he needed immediate intervention, so off to the ER the family went.

Matt was immediately admitted to the hospital upon our arrival, and Julie texted a few friends to tell them the news. It seemed like maybe 10 minutes went by, and then suddenly Collin was there in the ER. For a guy who's late to everything, his speed that day was nothing short of amazing. We love you, Collin. When Collin arrived, Matt was sleeping, but as soon as Matt woke up, he asked for donuts-- Homer style. Collin quickly jumped up saying, "Oh! Me! That's me. I'm on that!" And then, he ran out of the room. When he returned, he brought half of Top Pot with him, and he must have also looted a vending machine on the way back. Seriously, Collin-- above and beyond, man.

A while later, when Dr. Carlos arrived, he told us that the results of Matt's echocardiogram were normal and that Matt would be treated with a combination of chemo drugs called "R-CHOP," given every three weeks, for six cycles. So, we figured he'd be wrapping up with chemo around Christmas if all went as planned. Each cycle, the routine would be: 

• Week 1: chemo
• Week 2: blood draw
• Week 3: follow-up with Dr. Carlos
• Repeat.

We also learned that, near the end of the treatment, likely somewhere between cycles 5 and 6, we'll meet with a transplant team, and Matt will undergo an autologous stem cell transplant (a transplant using his own stem cells). That's about all the info we received on that part of the treatment, but we've since heard that it could very well be the most difficult and the most dangerous. So stay tuned!

A couple of days later, Matt received a transfusion of platelets and an IV dose of Rituxan (the "R" of "R-CHOP"). The next day, he got a port-a-cath or chest port. Watching him being wheeled into the OR was the only time Julie nearly fainted. Partially, it was because the doctor who was to perform the procedure was not Dr. Jose by any stretch. Instead, it was someone we now refer to as "Dr. Shaky Hands." We don't remember his actual name, but his hands trembled, and his fingernails were dirty. Matt said the procedure was painful, that the doctor's hands did shake the entire time, and that he wondered if the guy even knew what he was doing. Why didn't we say something? Who knows! At any rate, great hire, Evergreen! Seriously, though, everyone else at Evergreen has been fabulous, but they need to can Dr. Shaky Hands stat.

That evening, Matt received the remaining chemo drugs (the CHOP) for the first cycle, and on August 20, he was discharged from the hospital.

The first week after chemo cycle is rough. Matt describes it as feeling like he has a punishing hangover after a 24-hour bender-- except the hangover lasts for seven days, and chemo is a poor stand-in for beer. 

It's now October 21st. Matt will undergo his fourth chemo treatment on Tuesday, and we're inching closer to the transplant, which is a little anxiety-provoking, but, at least now we're used to the chemo routine. And-- good news! Matt had a PET scan a couple of weeks ago, and the results were promising! The chemo is working! Huzzah!

So, that's all for now, folks. Thanks for reading and thank you so much for your continued support. We'll keep adding quick updates as we learn more information!