New Path, New Hope

We made God laugh again!

If you tell God your plans He laughs, and laughs, then shows you the real plan….His!

Our trip to MD Anderson was amazing.  Our plan was to discuss a specific clinical trial that Rachel and Laura had researched for us.  Prior to the trip I wasn’t able to talk on the phone to anyone at MDA about clinical trials.  Their requirement is that you schedule a 5 day trip to Houston and go through a series of testing before you meet anyone regarding a trial.

Our first meeting on Friday morning began with a PA for my new doctor.  She introduced herself and promptly brought up my entire medical record from this disease.  Before I could even ask her about clinical trials she told us they already have a trial in mind for me.  Then, my new Dr. Bent came in and had even more enthusiasm for this brand new trial.  She told us she had already talked with the principal director of the trial and they think it would be perfect for me!

God stepped in and changed the narrative we were expecting with an even better plan. He is so good to us. 

So briefly, the trial just started recruiting recently to test a brand new development in Immunotherapy.  The trial we wanted to look into involved two newer Immunotherapy drugs Opvido and Yervoy, that were approved by the FDA several years ago and have shown great promise in slowing down tumors in advanced cancers.  The trial being suggested for me by MDA involves a new drug that is built using a combination of those two therapies.  Rather than try to explain any deeper I’d like you to click on the link below and read a description of this new trial.  This explains it so much better than I can.  I think you will see why we are so excited to be a part of this study.

https://www.asbestos.com/news/2022/05/11/mesothelioma-clinical-trial-md-anderson/

For those of you wondering, this is a Phase II trial which will NOT involve any placebos.  All participants will be given the medicine and studied separately.  

We received genuine attention from everyone at MDA.  As of this writing I have not received final confirmation of acceptance.  I can tell from the procedure that they have many requirements to meet for the FDA to finally confirm participation. But, the good news is, they have already scheduled my first treatment for August 29th!  We hope to hear from them early this week.

Here’s the new lifestyle changes for Mark and Diane.  The treatments are every two weeks in Houston! We are now planning strategies to make this as painless as possible. We will shop a few different airlines for the best fare on direct flights (2 hours, 15 minutes).  There are many charitable operations that help patients in treatment in Houston’s Medical District.  For example, the hotel shuttles do not go to the airport but an organization provides free rides between the airport and the Med District. The same is true of housing opportunities.  This first trip we stayed at a Hilton 3 blocks from MDA.  All the hotels provide medical discounts and free shuttles.  

At the Hilton pool!

Our initial plan is to travel on Sunday for a Monday appointment.  I’m able to do all my tests and then my treatment on Monday.  The actual treatment is only a one hour infusion and one hour observation.  The medicine is administered the same as chemotherapy, through a port in my chest….painless!  So, we will have two nights in Houston and back to Phoenix.  I told Diane, I don’t want to “live” in Texas (apologies, to my Texas friends!)  We will find what system works best for us…and rack up some frequent flyer miles over the next two years. That’s how long the trial runs.  

We did have the weekend off from appointments so we walked the Houston Zoo.  It was very large and done quite nicely.  The weather was under 100 degrees and with a slight breeze it mostly felt cooler than everyday in Arizona. 

Play Fair….Don’t Be A Cheetah!

As far as how I’m feeling, I get stronger everyday.  My abdomen is still quite tender but I’m told 5 weeks out of surgery is still early.  I’m getting antsy though.  I’m not lifting anything heavy, I’m not twisting or straining just to make sure I have no setbacks.  No pickleball or softball either…yet.  All the other drawbacks to surgery have run their course.  Our current mission is to add weight because I am still at least 15 pounds short of where I want to be.

You know we appreciate all the love and prayers we feel through this blog.  A good support network is worth it’s weight in Gold.  I know I seldom reply to your comments, but trust me I read every one of them and they inspire me.  

Thank you for following our journey.

Mark & Diane