Progression

We heard back from the final pathology today and talked with our doctor at St. Jude. They discussed Joe yesterday at the tumor board and they all confirmed what the surgeon suspected, that the tumor was back.

We are planning on starting joseph on Avastin/CPT-11 which is another trial drug combination. He won't be in the trial version which will allow us the same medicine and treatment and also the freedom to give him any other supplements we want. However, we can't start that treatment for five more weeks since it causes poor wound healing and Joseph just had surgery. While we wait, he will take one cycle of etoposide by mouth for two weeks to try to stop or hold the growth of the tumor cells. Then we'll start Avastin/CPT-11 which is given IV every two weeks at St. Jude.

We are obviously very down about the news, but as Gillian said in an earlier post, we are not ready to give up yet. Joseph is doing great and is starting to play normally again, running and chasing around the house. He gets stronger every day, and as we taper off the steroids, he is sleeping more as well. Please continue to pray for daily improvements and mobility, that we would all get sleep, that this new treatment would work, and that he would not have many side-effects from the etoposide. Thanks for all the support you give us through your words and prayers.