Round 4 of Chemo...DONE!!

Hey everyone!  This is Sam here.  I'd like to first say thank you so very much for all of the cards, emails, messages and phone calls.  It's so good to catch up and hear about what's been going on with everyone.  Even if it's just Will writing about what's broken down at the dairy this week or a little "thinking of you" from Christina Marie and Nessie...I love it so please keep them coming!

Well, as of today, I'm half way through my treatments.  When I started all of this my doctor told me I would need 6 or 8 treatments, and, of course, we were hoping for 6 but it turns out I'll need all 8.  It feels good to be halfway through, though each one has been getting a little bit harder.  I recently had a CT scan to check my progress and the results were very good.  Most everything has been reduced in size or eliminated completely!  It's good to know this stuff is working because you begin to wonder sometimes.

Some of you have asked about the chemo I'm getting.  It's called R-CHOP, and it's typically used for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, but has proven very effective for my type as well.  It requires me to sit for 6-8 hours on Day 1, 4 hours on Day 2, and then take a pump home for the next 48 hours to slowly administer the last of the drug.  I don't like this part at all since I can't hold Jack and feel pretty useless and crummy, but there's not much I can do about it.  I start feeling a little better by the next week, and by the third week I feel almost normal...just in time for my next round!

Well that's all I have for now.  Please continue to keep Jack, Kristen and me in your prayers and I look forward to hearing from you all soon.