We received some really tough news today about Sarah's father, Gary. Gary has mantle cell non-hodgkin lymphoma. This is a rare and tough lymphoma that is aggressive. They are going to hit it with the most complex and strong chemo that they can do. And that starts on Tuesday, September 8. Gary will be hospitalized for 4 days at Vanderbilt 11 North for the chemo. He will be able to have visitors as long as he is feeling good and you are healthy. Then he will have to go to the outpatient clinic for other things on and off and then 21 days from the start or September 28, he will start cycle 2 in the hospital. This will be repeated for 4 cycles (at 21 day intervals) and then he will have another PET scan. If he can achieve remission then he will have his own stem cells harvested, and then 2 more cycles of chemo and then a stem cell transplant. This is going to be a tough journey with some very unpleasant side effects. It will take about 7 months.
We cherish your prayers and those of your friends as we fight this battle. We are praying that Gary is cured, that the chemo does the job that it is supposed to do, that Gary's heart will be able to physically handle the chemo, for rest in the midst of this trial, and for an incredible spiritual undergirding.
If you are interested in following this process, a website has been set up that you can follow. Go to http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/garyscudder and be sure to check "I want to receive Journal update notification e-mails" so that when we update it you can receive the updates.
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