December 1, 2001

Update # 17 

Good Morning, 

We've had a pretty good week.  We left early last Saturday for Jeff to enjoy his day with the Synod Youth Board at the synod youth gathering in Decatur.  Everyone was pleased to see him.  His was immediately put to work which thrilled him.  We picked him up later in the day after we had purchased a few Christmas gifts for some kids. 

The best part of last Saturday was when we returned home.  Jeff received in the mail his acceptance letter to Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa!!!  He was jumping all over the place.  That's the school he really wanted to attend.  We've already sent in more papers and he has been able to request the dorm he wants.  That's the best part of early admission.  He really enjoyed a phone call later in the week from a different college and when he told them he had been accepted to the college of his choice. 

Due to the last two tests at CG on Monday, Jeff did not attend school.  Tuesday and Wednesday he was there and even stayed after to do catch up work.  Thursday Jeff did not go to school.  He caught some sort of stomach bug going around.  He just felt queasy and had a headache.  He stayed home and slept most of the day.  Jeff felt better later that evening and was back to normal Friday morning.  Friday was a half day due to school improvement meetings so Jeff was there for the morning. 

Monday morning, Jeff and I went to CG for the PET scan and echo.  Things were routine and we knew it would take a few days for results.  On Thursday, Dr. Chu called and said the PET again showed no problems and the echo was fine.  We were set for the radiation consult on Friday at 1:00 PM. 

Friday the 3 of us went down to St. Louis University Hospital to meet Dr. Roy, the radiation oncologist.  We go from CG through the underground tunnel to SLUH to get to the radiation department.  Just like CG and Costas, everyone was very friendly and funny.  Dr. Roy explained  how on Monday the 3rd, Jeff will go through a simulation and scans to help plan the dose and field of  radiation.  This will take a couple of hours.  They will also mark on his body where they will radiate.  It will take 2 or 3 days for Dr. Roy to calculate the exact numbers he wants.  Dr. Roy is planning to radiate 5 days a week for 3 or 4 weeks the upper mantle on Jeff.  Then rest for 3 or 4 weeks.  Then radiate again 5 days a week for 3 or 4 weeks a little bit lower section on Jeff.  The radiation session will take about 10 minutes (only a few minutes of that is actual radiation).  We discussed how Jeff can be the first of the day so we can get back and only miss a couple hours of school.  A radiation therapist administers the actual dose.  We will see Dr. Roy once a week.  Jeff will also stop in Costas once a week for a CBC.  Dr. Roy hopes to begin on December 6, 7 or 10.  It depends on calculating the numbers from Monday.  So we can be finished near the beginning of February or the end of February.  Sounds good to us!!! 

We saw Dr. Chu yesterday and he was telling us about the PET scan.  Even though Jeff's shingles were healed and the scabs were gone, the PET scan still is so sensitive that it picked up activity on the skin where the shingles had been.  Amazing!  So we're thrilled that it shows there's no activity inside Jeff's body.  Costas also took a CBC to get started on checking counts.    

Well, I think I got all the new information in this.  You may be finished reading by the end of the weekend!!!

Love, 

Marcia