Wednesday, November 01, 2000
When Bruce had the echocardiogram done last Friday, there wasn't a cardiologist available to read it so, we have to wait until the official report has been written up to learn what the results are. That usually takes about a week - hopefully we'll get the results this Friday. Until we get those results, we won't decide what future direction Bruce's treatment plan should take.

I'd like to thank all our friends and family members who have already bought raffle tickets from me, to benefit lymphoma research. If any of our other friends or family members would like to buy raffle tickets, please call or e-mail me and let me know. I'll be selling them for the Lymphoma Research Foundation of America, throughout the month of November. First prize is a 7-day Caribbean Cruise on Carnival Cruise Lines for 2 guests! Tickets are $1 each or $5 for a book of six tickets. The drawing will be held on January 5, 2001.

If anyone else would like to buy and/or sell raffle tickets to benefit lymphoma research, you can request your raffle tickets by contacting the Lymphoma Research Foundation of America at (310) 204-7040, or by e-mailing them at LRFA@aol.com. If you e-mail them, let them know how many raffle ticket books you want and make sure you include your name and mailing address. Even if you only buy/sell one or two books, it will help enormously. What one man can not do alone, many can do together! Hopefully, this year's raffle will fund the research, that helps to find the cure!

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Friday, November 03, 2000
We got the results from Bruce's last echocardiogram. Despite the two treatments he had in between echocardiograms, the fluid around his heart has increased.

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Sunday, November 05, 2000
Bruce got an e-mail from his onc last night. He said the increase in pericardial fluid "might" be caused by dead tumor cells, as dead tumor cells can also cause fluid accumulation, as well as live ones. Regardless of the cause, pericardial fluid can still be serious, so he wants to see Bruce tomorrow morning to access the problem. Bruce might need to have the fluid drained. In the meantime, his onc said if Bruce gets dizzy standing up, he's to get to the ER right away. His onc pointed out that, even if the fluid is drained, it will not remove the cancer in the lining of the pericardium.

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Monday, November 06, 2000
Good news! Bruce saw his onc today and the fluid around his heart doesn't need to be removed! AND, he "might" be able to get Bexxar!! Hopefully, we'll know more tomorrow.

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Tuesday, November 07, 2000
It's looking good! Dr. David Schenkein, at New England Medical Center in Boston, doesn't see where the fluid around Bruce's heart would be a problem with him getting Bexxar. This agrees with what Dr. David Magnuson, Director of Medical Information and Safety at Coulter Pharmaceutical (makers of Bexxar), told Bruce.

Bruce has an appointment for Wednesday, November 15th with Dr. Schenkein at NEMC, for an evaluation. As long as Bruce can avoid having heart complications between now and then, and everything else remains the same, it should be a "Go!".

The treatment would start around the end of November or beginning of December. It will involve an 8 day stay in Boston. Then for two weeks after he returns home, Bruce will have to stay at least 6 feet away from everyone, as he'll be radioactive. Afterwards, his blood counts will drop as a result of the treatment, so the associated risks with low blood counts will apply.

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Thursday, November 09, 2000
Yesterday, Bruce had some special blood tests done for the clinical trial. Tomorrow, he has to have CT scans done, so he also picked up the contrast dye for them, from the Cancer Center. And, he dropped off the recommendation, from his onc to his primary care physician, so his PCP can submit the referral to our HMO. It's unlikely that our HMO will cover the expenses associated with this treatment though, so now we're doing some finance juggling and number crunching.

The Social Worker from NEMC called yesterday, to discuss accommodations. We'll probably have to stay at a hotel for his appointment next week, but when Bruce goes for the actual treatment, we should be able to stay at the hospital. They have apartments right in the hospital, for cancer patients and their families, for an extremely reasonable rate. It's a "first come, first served" deal, so as soon as we get definite dates, we'll have to apply for one and hope there's an opening.

The pressure in Bruce's chest started worsening again yesterday, so please keep saying those prayers for him!

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Thursday, November 16, 2000
We returned home from Boston last night. It won't be 100% definite until all the test results are in but, it's now about 99% definite that Bruce qualifies to get Bexxar. The plan is for us to go to Boston on Nov. 29th and for Bruce to start treatment at 7 a.m. on Nov. 30th. On Dec. 8th, he'll receive the full dose of Bexxar. Immediately afterwards, we'll have to leave the hospital (we'll be escorted to our car by a guard!), and we'll have to head straight for home, with no stops along the way. The reason for this is because Bruce will be radioactive and he'll be a danger to others. Bruce will then be in "at home" isolation for 2 weeks. The precautions we'll have to take during those 2 weeks, are rather sobering! The nadir (lowest point) of Bruce's blood counts should be about 6 weeks after he gets the full dose of Bexxar. Since he's had so much Fludarabine, his blood counts are expected to be more troublesome than most people experience with Bexxar. We're very excited about the possibility of Bruce getting Bexxar, even though it'll mean spending our 30th wedding anniversary (Dec. 5th) in the hospital, and missing our grandson's birthday party (also on Dec. 5th). We both believe in Bexxar as a treatment, and Bruce has been trying to get it for about 4 years. It looks like it might finally happen! However, we're also getting extremely nervous. The discomfort in Bruce's chest is getting worse, and we can now "feel" enlarged lymph nodes in his chest. He also has a couple of other medical problems going on. Time - it's both our foe and our friend!

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Tuesday, November 21, 2000
New England Medical Center called today. Bruce qualifies for the Bexxar clinical trial in all ways, except one. His creatinine count is .5 too high to get it! If it wasn't for his creatinine being too high, he could have been officially enrolled in the clinical trial today, and have started treatment on schedule.
Bruce has only one functioning kidney, so his creatinine normally is 2.0, which is the maximum it can be to get Bexxar. When he was tested in Boston however, it was 2.5. We're hoping against hope that it was high that particular day, because he had the contrast dye for CT scans just a few days earlier. Bruce had his blood re-tested today. Please be praying that it's back down to 2.0!

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Thursday, November 23, 2000
Bruce and I want to thank everyone who said a prayer for his creatinine count. Your prayers helped! Although we haven't talked to Boston yet, so nothing's official about the clinical trial yet, we've learned that Bruce's creatinine was down to only 1.8 on Tuesday! Miracles DO happen!!!

Among the many things we have to be thankful for on this American Thanksgiving Day, we're grateful for all of you! Thank you for your love, support and prayers!! Regardless of which corner of the world you reside in, we hope you all will have a blessed day today, with much to be thankful for!

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Monday, November 27, 2000
Tanya Zigmont, the Lymphoma Clinical Research Coordinator at NEMC, called us at 7:50 a.m. today to let us know that Bruce is officially enrolled in the clinical trial. We'll be leaving for Boston this coming Wednesday morning (the 29th - the day after tomorrow!), and we'll be returning home late the night of Friday, December 8th. If we're able to find a computer to use while we're in Boston, I'll try to add a couple of brief updates while we're gone. Our hope is that Bexxar will put Bruce into a complete clinical *and* molecular remission - possibly even a permanent one! Please keep us in your prayers and thoughts!

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Thursday, November 30, 2000
We're in Boston! Bruce had the unlabeled Anti-B1 in the Infusion Center this morning, and the tracer dose of Bexxar in the Nuclear Medicine Department this afternoon. All went well with no adverse reactions.

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