23rd Treatment at the Block Center

We left Fort Wayne with the sun shining, flowers blooming and birds chirping!

      "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,
       for his compassions never fail.
      They are new every morning
       great is your faithfulness."     Lev 23:22-23 

This is Cathy's 23rd treatment in Chicago. For the past 11 months she has been undergoing hormone therapy along with a proper diet and good supplements.

My goal on this trip was to assess Cathy's side effects from head to toe as she is considering the drug, Prolia, to combat osteoporosis and needs to take some ibuprofen for aches and pain.

With this information in hand, we met with Jen at the Block Center. One of the drugs that Cathy is taking is Arimidex. This class of drugs, known as non-steroidal aromatase inhibitors, prevents the conversion of androgen to estrogen within the body. Jen recommended switching to Femora which is in the same class. Women usually respond with less side effects when they make this change. It may take 2 months before Cathy notices a difference. During that time, Cathy will have the results from her quarterly tests which are: CT scan, tumor markers, echocardiogram, nutritional lab panel and dexa bone scan. Once all this information is gathered and her body has adjusted to the new drug, Cathy will be more prepared with the decision to "stay the course" or consider a different treatment plan.

Please keep Cathy, Mike and the staff at the Block Center in your prayers that God will guide them in wisdom to provide the most effective strategy to battle Cathy's cancer.

I would also ask for your prayers to find a local doctor who will provide the Block Center's protocol for high dosage vitamin C infusions (ascorbic acid and its salts.) It needs to be administered 2 or 3 times per week through Cathy's port. Pray also that her insurance will cover this expense. If you are interested in the research behind this treatment I can provide that information from the Wichita State University.

That concludes my notes on this trip. We are so grateful for you support and encouragement. If you have any questions, I can be reached at home  260-459-0254.

Gratefully,
Lori