Freaky Friday
I started my day by reading an e-mail from Char. Attached to it was a note from Mark Clement's sister Marianne. Mark is a Cholangio patient from Utah. He is about the same age as Val.
She mentioned T Gen, a lab in Phoenix that had received tissue from Mark's biopsy. Their mission is to target a therapy specific to Mark's cancer. "Here's a thought," said I, "if they can do it for Mark, they can do it for Val!" In a New York minute I was on the phone with Dr. Trent, the Director of T Gen. After fifteen minutes of polite conversation, my only real question was, "how do we make it happen?"
After a quick e-mail to Dr. Trent with cc's to Val's Docs at Cedars and Dr. Sirica in Virginia (thanks Osil!), I caught Char as she was leaving Denver airport for Scottsdale. I asked her to call Dr. Trent at T Gen when she got to Phoenix.
Being a faithful Blackberry user, Dr. Drazin, Val's Oncologist was back to me in a heartbeat. he is very excited about the idea of T Gen bringing some information that could be helpful in targeting Val's cancer. He indicated that there may still be tissue available from Val's last biopsy on 11/17.
Later in the day, Char connected with Dr. Trent to make the tissue transfer happen. Turn around time is two weeks.
Also, Dr. Drazin has an 8 am conference call tomorrow with Dr. Sirica from the University of Virginia. He is possibly the most knowledgable Cholangio Doc in the country. Char will be in this telecon too.
Late Friday afternoon, Hal Barron, the Chief Medical Officer for my company, Genetech, called. Our company manufactures Avastin, the monoclonal antibody that Dr.Drazin is planning to add to Val's 4th infusion scheduled for 12/20. He indicated the the use of Avastin is "exploding" in the U.S.! He referred me to Dr. Moss, Genentech's Oncologist. His opinion on the specifics of Val's treatment plan may be important.
Here are some prayer requests to add to you Holiday schedule:
1. Pray for Chris and his healing from back surgery as he starts physical therapy. Pray for wisdom as he balances work, kids, Val's treatment, and recovery for his back.
2. Pray that this teleconference tomorrow happens and that breakthrough information is revealed.
3. Pray that the tissue is transferred to T Gen, that insurance covers the cost, that the information is turned around within two weeks and that they will successfuly target the Cholangio Carcinoma.
4. Pray for Val, Nancy, and the baby as they leave today for a week of R & R on the beach in San Clemente.
5. Pray for Val's blood draw tomorrow, her 3rd Chemo Infusion at Cedars on Tuesday (6 hours for the infusion), and pray that the side effects are not severe.
6. Pray for our meeting with Dr. Drazin on Tuesday (Val, Chris, Richard)
7. Pray that the Gemzar, Oxyplatin, and Avastin therapies will target the cancer and kill it!!
Whew!! What a day!!
She mentioned T Gen, a lab in Phoenix that had received tissue from Mark's biopsy. Their mission is to target a therapy specific to Mark's cancer. "Here's a thought," said I, "if they can do it for Mark, they can do it for Val!" In a New York minute I was on the phone with Dr. Trent, the Director of T Gen. After fifteen minutes of polite conversation, my only real question was, "how do we make it happen?"
After a quick e-mail to Dr. Trent with cc's to Val's Docs at Cedars and Dr. Sirica in Virginia (thanks Osil!), I caught Char as she was leaving Denver airport for Scottsdale. I asked her to call Dr. Trent at T Gen when she got to Phoenix.
Being a faithful Blackberry user, Dr. Drazin, Val's Oncologist was back to me in a heartbeat. he is very excited about the idea of T Gen bringing some information that could be helpful in targeting Val's cancer. He indicated that there may still be tissue available from Val's last biopsy on 11/17.
Later in the day, Char connected with Dr. Trent to make the tissue transfer happen. Turn around time is two weeks.
Also, Dr. Drazin has an 8 am conference call tomorrow with Dr. Sirica from the University of Virginia. He is possibly the most knowledgable Cholangio Doc in the country. Char will be in this telecon too.
Late Friday afternoon, Hal Barron, the Chief Medical Officer for my company, Genetech, called. Our company manufactures Avastin, the monoclonal antibody that Dr.Drazin is planning to add to Val's 4th infusion scheduled for 12/20. He indicated the the use of Avastin is "exploding" in the U.S.! He referred me to Dr. Moss, Genentech's Oncologist. His opinion on the specifics of Val's treatment plan may be important.
Here are some prayer requests to add to you Holiday schedule:
1. Pray for Chris and his healing from back surgery as he starts physical therapy. Pray for wisdom as he balances work, kids, Val's treatment, and recovery for his back.
2. Pray that this teleconference tomorrow happens and that breakthrough information is revealed.
3. Pray that the tissue is transferred to T Gen, that insurance covers the cost, that the information is turned around within two weeks and that they will successfuly target the Cholangio Carcinoma.
4. Pray for Val, Nancy, and the baby as they leave today for a week of R & R on the beach in San Clemente.
5. Pray for Val's blood draw tomorrow, her 3rd Chemo Infusion at Cedars on Tuesday (6 hours for the infusion), and pray that the side effects are not severe.
6. Pray for our meeting with Dr. Drazin on Tuesday (Val, Chris, Richard)
7. Pray that the Gemzar, Oxyplatin, and Avastin therapies will target the cancer and kill it!!
Whew!! What a day!!
posted by McCrea Family at 8:37 AM
5 Comments:
We will be praying for Val and Chris all the way. Hope val is getting some rest. Love to you all. The Persichetti's
That is such awesome news. We will continue to pray for you and chris. Have an awesome vacation. And REST, REST, as much as you can. You are an amazing woman.
We love you and miss you very much.
Have a great time.
Dear Valerie, Chris, your boys and the rest of the Sloan family,
I have been thinking of you and praying for you ever since my Mom and Dad told me about your cancer. Joanne forwarded me your blog so that I could keep up with the news and I just read it now. I truly hope this new doctor can work miracles!! You are a very strong woman Val and I know you can beat this. If there is anything I can do, please let me know. I live in Mission Viejo now so I'm not far from San Clemente. If you want some company, please let me know. (stasher_99@yahoo.com)
Love to you all,
Shelly Tasher Mead
Val and family...just a reminder that our thoughts and prayers are always with you...Jody and Family
All our prayers are with you, Val, Chris, the boys and extended family and medical team. Our prays are with you this day of your infusion. Kill that cancer.
Chris continue to take care of your back. I am thankful for the time we had on the phone. We love you. Aunt Donna, Grandma Mac,Michelle and her family.
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