Cut and Paste...

The news today--is just as terrific as the news I had to share 4 weeks ago! I could cut and paste the entire post from last time.  Well, all of it except the part about the kids because, unfortunately, we didn't bring them along this time.{{wink}}

Dr. Amin again showed us the scan from today and compared it to the scan from 4 weeks ago.  There is only ONE tiny speck of a tumor remaining in the left lung.  Dr. Amin looked for the other tumors and they aren't there.  It is as if God took a pencil eraser and just erased each spot.  Miracles DO happen.  We are thankful for more than the regression, we are thankful that Bobby has been able to tolerate the drug, he has been healthy, the side effects are minimal, and he is able to continue receiving the medication. Along the way, there have been many hurdles that he has made it over.

Bobby will get another CT scan, labs, and a dose of the drug in 4 weeks. After that dose, the time period changes to every 3 months. We will need to see what happens over the next year regarding this drug. It is expected to get FDA approval soon which means that it will be available to others. Melissa said that when the drug does get approved, it may be available only at certain specialized cancer centers. Bobby told her that he would still want to come to Charlotte as long as he gets to see her. We've loved coming to Charlotte (from years in the past) but now, history has been made here. Hopefully, for many, many years to come, people will continue to benefit from this drug. We want to have success stories from others with melanoma.  Perhaps this is the year that the statistics will start to change!

The news is TERRIFIC!!

We just got back to the hotel from the doctor's office. Dr. Amin showed us the CT scans.  When we compared the old scan to the one from today, we could obviously see that the spots of melanoma have almost completely disappeared. The large spot that was >1cm initially was not even there! We are very very thankful. Dr. Amin said that normally about 50% of patients are still stable in 2 years. We talked about the fact that the statistics are still being made. They don't have long term data on the Ipi...the survival rates are still being made (and Bobby is making them)!

Bobby is very happy-and I'm sure will wake up feeling happier every day. It is overwhelming.  We are taking the kids out for lunch (not that we have a choice)--but we'll enjoy our lunch in Charlotte!

We don't always know why we are dealt bumps and curves in our lives but looking back, I can say that we are living life differently than we were 1, 2 or 3 years ago. We love more, laugh more, and pray more. For me (only)--I can say that I'm spending $$ LESS!

Celebrate TODAY and for tonight-have a nice dinner and celebrate with us! We'll be home tomorrow PM (maybe)!