The Ugly Beast is Back!

Yes, it’s back! Earl’s cancer has returned… or maybe never left. His CA19-9, which has been less than two for the last year has jumped up to 40. Up to 35 is considered normal, but for Earl, it is elevated. He finished up his treatments at the end of December. So, it’s only been seven months.

He has been experiencing back pain in the kidney area of his back for a couple of months. It mainly occurs at night when he lays down. Tylenol has been controlling it fairly well. Doctors had been trying to track down the cause of the pain.

Then, he started losing weight around the end of May. He had lost 26 lbs. putting him down to 158. He has had no appetite during this time. He had gained about 5 lbs. in the last 10 days and was 165 today.

He is on his fifth round of antibiotics for a bladder infection that won’t clear up. It will clear up, but flares up again after the antibiotics stop. They thought the pain might be from the bladder infections. Another doctor thought it might be related to the radiation. Not according to the radiation doctor! It would have shown up much sooner after the radiation.

He finally called the Oncologist and when he found out Earl had lost so much weight so fast, he ordered a PET scan for last Thursday. We went this morning and got the news that his cancer is back and “glowing” in the area of the pancreas and has spread to lymph node(s) down deep on the left side of his heck…. behind the collar bone.

The Doctor, when asked, told Earl “It is fatal. I can’t cure you, but I think we can buy you some time”. So, we are back to square one. Without treatment, Earl may have six months. With treatment, he might have one to two years. All this will depend on how he responds to the chemo. It’s pretty much the same story we got, when this started in April of last year.

He was told today there were three different chemos he could be given, maybe all together. This would be very hard on him and make him very sick. They are going to try the same one he got the first time. See how he responds to it. Guess the others will be later options. He goes back tomorrow for chemo, then will continue on a Monday schedule.

Earl has contacted his Philadelphia surgeon, who has asked for copies of the PET scan and/or the report. Don’t know if he will have any suggestions or not. Additional surgery is out of the question, according to the Oncologist.

It’s been very hard telling the kids and the rest of the family. Earl’s Mother is 91 and is the last member of her family left. I know this will be very hard on her, as Earl is her only child. Her health is not the best, but she is still taking care of herself at this time. She has her own apartment, where our two car garage was.

We thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for all your prayers, support and encouragement during the past year. It has meant so much to us.

We again ask that you remember us as you pray. We are gearing up and will wage another battle against this powerful enemy. The war isn't over yet!

Lillian