After a lunch visit with Cadge and Bob in Richmond, we arrived in Houston for Rusty's regular monthly MDAnderson visit on Monday afternoon.  Lakeview RV Resort, where we stay, has a free shuttle that runs about every 1 1/2 in the morning and stops at all the major institutions in the Medical Center...it is a great benefit of this RV park since it relieves us of having to battle Houston morning traffic and saves us parking costs.

Waiting for the shuttle

Other than routine labs, which results "look good", Rusty had no other diagnostics on this visit.  He met with the melanoma team, including Dr. Amaria, and they were positive in their assessments and comments.  He was cleared for his immunotherapy infusion and heartily encouraged to undertake the travel we are planning for later in the month.  We are planning a trip to the Pacific Northwest to visit John and Tracy, Jacob and Jess, and our great grand, Julian Austin (Jude), who is now 15 months old.  We also plan to spend some time exploring the area.

Finishing up Tuesday's infusion

We return in a month for scans, team visit and treatment.  At that point it will have been 21 months since Rusty's dire diagnosis - we still feel incredibly blessed, still treasure every day, and are so grateful for the support, caring, understanding, and prayers of all of you.   

On Monday and Tuesday, Aug 13 and 14 Rusty had interim appointments at MDAnderson to assess the status of the brain lesion that was problematic after the gamma knife surgery.  The lesion was treated with a potent infused drug over two months in April and May.  Yesterday (Monday) he had labs and a brain MRI,  and today (Tuesday) we saw the neuro-oncology radiation team. 

Good news.  The lesion has stablized and there is no new necrosis or inflammation.  While the tumor that was irradiated is still present, it is "dead".  The team feels that Rusty has improved in his appearance and his cognitive and motor competencies, and they are happy with his status.  They will check him again in two or three months. 

In the meantime he is getting physical therapy three times a week to help with balance and stamina.  The therapy seems to be helping, although Rusty is impatient and wants much faster results!  As if all of this were not enough, he had some major dental work here last week for problems under two old crowns...it went smoothly and was relatively painless, thank goodness.  He will get his new crowns next week.

We return to MDAnderson at the end of August for appointments with the Melanoma team and an immunotherapy infusion. 

We're feeling very blessed, grateful and happy with the today's news.  Thank you for the prayers, love, support and good wishes!       

  

At the RV Resort pool after a day at MDAnderson Cancer Center