Shrinking, Benign, and Dead Tumors

We got the results from yesterday's CT Scan--basically, good news with some caveats. Before I tell you the specifics, let me say that when we were back at Park Plaza Hospital, awaiting Maura's surgery in April, I found myself in the chapel, unable to even form the words of a prayer. I was too overwhelmed. Lydia said, "That's okay, Mom, Just find a word. Or maybe a few, and whatever they are, just offer them up as a prayer." So I did. I could only come up with the words shrinking, benign, and dead tumors.  I just kept saying them over and over because I didn't have the energy or the brainpower to form any coherent prayer. I figured God could make sense of it all.  I wrote them down in the prayer book as I left the chapel.  

So, this is how things stand as of now:

Shrinking: 

The tumors are responding well to the chemo.  As an example, the largest tumor, measuring in at 8.8 cm in the CT scan just prior to chemo, is now at 4.5 cm.

Benign:

The supposed large tumor behind her ovary isn't a tumor.

Dead Tumors: 

By the time Maura started chemo, she had way more than the seven tumors that showed up on the PET scan in May.  She had tumors" too numerous to count." Lots of little buggers.  They are dying off. Some of the biggies have lots of necrotic tissue on the inside, so they are "mostly dead" like Wesley in The Princess Bride. Some of the tinies are just all dead.  The fluid that was around her liver is gone, which is good, but I can't remember why.

Lots of progress, yet still lots of tumor.   Dr. B. says that it is still a long, hard, uphill road to follow, but that these first round results are "spectacular". 

Maura is ready for round 2 of chemo that starts in the morning. When we compare her condition this past week with that of the week prior to Round 1 of chemo, we are amazed and thankful.  The week before Round 1 of chemo she was throwing  up three or four times per day and she was in pain.  This week, before Round 2,  she has had almost no nausea and very little pain. Thank you so much for your prayers and concern. Please keep praying.