Houston Update

Finally we were able to come home with good news! Alan's scans showed that one of the spots on Alan's lung had decreased in size by 40% and the other by 60%. Thank You God for answering our prayers!!! The best Christmas gift in the world was handed to us yesterday! Dr. Amato was very pleased with Alan's progress. He also still feels that the area by Alan's renal vein and the area on the outer abdominal wall are both just scar tissue. They have not really made any changes in size and if they were tumor then they should have decreased in size since the areas on Alan's lung decreased. That was more great news.

I have really never mentioned the stage of cancer that Alan has, but it was never really told to us either. After finding out that the cancer had metastasized to Alan's lung, he is considered a Stage 4. Yes, that is the highest level and a place you do not want to be at, but we are not looking at that number. We are just looking ahead and prepared to fight whatever comes our way.

While waiting for scans and Dr. appts, you always meet up with other patients of Dr. Amato's. Dr. Amato specializes in Renal Cell Cancer and Prostate Cancer, so all of his patients have something very much in common...the same cancer. While waiting for Alan's scans, we met some very interesting and informative people. One young lady (33) was from Chicago with RCC and there was another couple from St. Louis. This just shows you how wonderful this Dr. is that they would travel that far for him. Amanda, the lady from Chicago gave me a very neat website to check out:
http://www.imermanangels.org/
This is a great website for anyone dealing with cancer...any type of cancer.
There is also another website I found out about, but it is still in the works. All proceeds for this website will go to Dr. Amato's research and help to purchase supplies he might need.
http://www.southwestcancerassociation.org/
I'm sure I'll be posting when this website is up and running. I'm really excited about this. You guys know how I love to be involved and especially when it benefits my loved ones. I have been praying for the right foundation to donate to and it basically just fell in my lap. See how God works!

We also found out that the Houston Marathon will be going on when we go back for Alan's next appt. which is January 19. The Marathon is the 18th. Dr. Amato and some of his patients run this, so we might try and make it to cheer them on. Maybe one year Alan and I can participate...hehe. We'll see!!

Thanks again to all of our friends and family and most of all to our Lord. We love you all.
God is Great!