We're Home

We had a fantastic trip, but it's so great to be home.  On Tuesday, we met with Dr. Matasar and he suggested a new high-dose chemo treatment called Augmented ICE.   Because this new treatment can come with dreadful side effects and serious complications, we've decided to relocate to NYC to have Sam treated right at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.  Two rounds will be given over the course of a 3-4 day hospital stay with 3 weeks in between to recover.  Our options are running out so we are praying this will work. 

If all goes well, and they get Sam into remission (cancer free) we'll then face getting through a stem cell transplant.  They will not do the transplant if he's not in remission.  At this point, an autologous stem cell transplant (using Sam's own stem cells) has been taken off the table.  We're starting the process to have Rob and Charlotte tested to see if they're a good match, and if not, hopefully we'll find a match from an unrelated donor.  Many of you have offered to be donors (thank you!) and we're going to ask the doctor more questions about it.

Until then, we're NYC bound.  Possibly very soon.  If anyone knows someone who'll be vacating their Upper East Side apartment for the holidays please let us know.  Here are some pictures from the trip.  And it was smooth sailing through airport security with 103 oz of breast milk and my knitting needles!

 

jetblue

a walk through central park

tea and scones at alice's tea cup

getting checked out at weill cornell

stopping by the protest

the back end of the bull

While you continue to pray for Sam, please send up some prayers for Dr. William McGarry, Sam's oncologist, who has recently been diagnosed with advanced esophageal cancer.  He's a great man with a beautiful family and, of course, like Sam, doesn't deserve any of this.