Clearing infection, stable scan

Susan’s lab tests early last week were positive for a urinary tract infection, explaining her recent slump.  We coordinated with her infectious disease physician, who meets the highest standards of care we've come to expect at UCLA, but is someone we’ve come to know too well over the years.   He prescribed an antibiotic that seems to be working well, given Susan’s gradually improving symptoms.  We’re relieved to learn there wasn’t something more serious afoot since a UTI is relatively easy to knock down. 

Wednesday found us back at UCLA for Susan’s scheduled MRI scan.  Gratefully, her tumor is unchanged once again, so the CCNU evidently has been working.  We had an unhurried visit with her oncologist, Dr Nghiemphu, discussing plans for her steroid taper, the possibility of having chemo next week, and her treatment schedule once we’re done with CCNU.  Susan’s recent series of blood tests show her platelets are low and trending lower, so she went for more labs on Friday.  If her counts improved, she may have her last dose of CCNU next week; otherwise, she'll be done after five doses. 

Susan spent an extra hour in the MRI scanner on Wednesday for a research study using MRS, or magnetic resonance spectroscopy.  This is a term that can make you feel really smart for a moment while you say it.  The sample of her brain tumor tissue taken in 2007 shows she has a genetic mutation that occurs early in the formation of brain tumors and seems to indicate a positive response to therapy and positive prognosis.  Susan’s neurosurgeon and neuro-oncologist asked if she would participate in their study since they’re searching for a non-surgical way to detect this genetic alteration in others during the early stages of brain cancer treatment.  They know she has it, so they’re experimenting with MRS hoping they can see it.  This extra scan not only was useful in their research it was a useful complement to Susan’s PET scan last year that will help the neuroscience team know more about her tumor.
 

We’re thankful as ever for good MRI results, great care on all sides, and for God’s never ending faithfulness for us.