08/13/06:

Hey everyone! I would like to thank Paul Podraza for setting this site up for us. Below I have added all the posting I have done so far.
Tomorrow we will find out what the results from the doctor at 2:00pm. We hope to hear from UAB also to see when they can get us in to review Joes information. We will be going to Brookwood Hospital for Surgery to have the Hickman IV put in on Tuesday morning at 4:30am. Joe had a good day again today. The swelling has went down some more that is why his throat is hurting more, but he still had a good day. Will let you know more tomorrow.

08/10/06
Today was a good day for Joe. He was very talkative and wide awake. Thanks to everyone who stopped by tonight it really lifted Joes spirits. I guess after being put to sleep yesterday he was able to sleep very deep. We went to the Chemo doctor today and the schedule has changed from what we thought on Monday. He will have the PET scan done tomorrow and it will determine which of the following schedule they will be doing:

1. If the PET scan shows no other cancer (or hot spots) except the 2 tumors that have already been identified then he will have surgery on Tuesday to insert a Hickman IV Port and begin Chemo the same day. He will have 1 chemo treatment every week for 8 weeks then in the 9th week they will add radiation treatments 1per day 5 days a week for 8 more weeks in addition to the Chemo 1 time each week. This will make a total of 16weeks, and then follow-up with a few more weeks of very strong Chemo. They hope that this will put it in remission. This has a 55% chance of remission (better than half).

2. If the PET scan shows hot spots in his lungs then they will not do radiation and Joe will still have surgery on Tuesday to put in the Hickman IV Port, start just Chemo, and schedule a biopsy on what they find to determine if it is cancer.

Thanks for the emails, support, and prayers. I want yall to know that I look forward to reading all your emails every night. It is wonderful to know that we have so much support.

Crystal


8/09/06
Today was a hard day. We were at the Hospital From 10:00 to 7:00 and Joe was in the operating room