After a full month of being out of his house...dad is finally back at his own home! Needless to say, mom is relieved to have dad home and he’s relieved to be back, as well. Ken brought IMO’s pizza and Dad thought he’d gone to heaven!

Here is the latest update:

We are setting up visits at home from the occupational and physical therapists in the next few days to continue to help him gain strength and balance. He’s not complaining of any pain now at all. He has an appointment to get a PET scan on Thursday Aug. 27th to have not only a baseline scan prior to beginning treatment for his cancer, but also to see the full extent to which the cancer has spread. 

The oncologist has staged his Lung Cancer as stage IV because we already know that it has spread to multiple areas of the body. He is very optimistic about treatment options, though. 

At this point, the oncologist is suggesting that dad have 4 rounds of chemo infused 21 days apart each round to be started as soon as next week. At the time of each chemo treatment, he will also have an immunotherapy drug infused called Keytruda (which will actually be given on that same schedule but for a full 2 years). Keytruda is a drug that has been more recently approved by the FDA to be used in conjunction with the chemo to make it more effective in finding and fighting the cancer cells. He will also get an injection the day following each chemo infusion to support his immune system as part of his treatment. This is pretty common.

The cards have been wonderful. The support has been so very much appreciated. And the prayers have been felt (by the whole family)...please continue them as we have hope of an optimistic future but apprehension for the long road ahead.