Round Two

James starts his second week/second round of chemo today. During blood work they found that his white blood cell count is a little lower than they'd like. Thankfully, James is still able to get full doses of treatment. Though we do need to ask that James would stay healthy. Infection is everywhere, so we find comfort in knowing that God is sovereign over the big picture events of our lives....down to the smallest micro-organisms and cells. Ask too that James will stop losing weight. As they say in China, he is eating like a cow (i.e., all.the.time. In large amounts. All the high calories he wants!), but continues to lose. (Sigh. Try not to be jealous, dear reader.)

James is scheduled for his CT scan next Monday - we look forward with anticipation to the results, as it will help doctors gauge how well the tumors are responding to treatment. Those results will also determine how much more radiation James needs. (After next Monday it could be two and a half more weeks...or four.) We're also looking forward to the CT because it will be the first "sure thing" since we've started treatment. Since diagnosis, the doctors and nurses are following protocol with a big question mark over the situation. Perhaps surprisingly, you don't always get answers - any answers - because no one actually knows. It's very strange. No one knows how long it's going to take, no one knows how you're going to feel, no one knows if a condition might arise that will complicate your health terribly, no one knows if you're on the right drugs....no one knows if you're even going to get well. (Certainly no one will tell you "If this doesn't work, we start all over." Or maybe that doesn't happen. Who knows? No one knows!) 

So you show up, and give it to God. And sometimes, especially if you are fortunate enough to be getting treated for cancer in America, you even get a free doughnut. :)

James from his "office," post doughnut. You can see that the nurses have accessed his port and "plugged him in" for his infusion for the day.