Another quickie update

A couple of things to pass along...first, some news on my ca19-9, which to date has been my most reliable tumor marker in my blood tests. Normal levels of this chemical (and forgive me for not recollecting the proper units, or even knowing too much about its origins or proper function) is around 30 or less. I've had my levels that low a few times over the last four years, though not since mid-2006 has it been below 80. The (modest) good news is that recent tests show that my level has dropped -- from around 560 to around 530. I've seen bigger drops, to be sure, and could hope for still bigger drops with continued treatment with Taxol/Carboplatin. But any drop is a good drop, so this is good news, and one more modest sign (along with a small drop in my pain levels and the apparent shrinking of my near-surface tumors) that the Taxol/Carboplatin combo is working to a degree.

Second, I've had some complications of late that have prevented my return to work. I've only been back the one time, in the middle of December, though I hope to give it another whirl come next week. I've not been sleeping well at all because of some urinary tract issues, which I hope were satisfactorily dealt with in a visit to a local urologist this week. Once I can get a thorough night's rest, I hope I'll then have strength to make it through a full day at the lab.

Please keep me in your prayers, both for the continued effectiveness of the Taxol/Carboplatin chemo regimen, and for a good night's sleep (or more than one, actually!).