Today was just one of those days! You see my mom was getting her follow up CT scan to assure her cancer has stayed far, far away and Joe had his big appointment with his oncologist. While sitting in the waiting room with my mom waiting on her CT scan to confirm she still does not have cancer (I am a firm avid believer that her cancer is gone forever, I will continue praying for that, believing that, and hoping for that forever) I felt somewhat numb. Numb and angry about how much I despise cancer. I know God has a plan in ALL things but sometimes I just struggle with seeing the whole picture while in the midst of it. I know He understands this, I just hate suffering though I know beauty has and does come out of it. We will not know the results of my mom's CT scan for another couple weeks.

I was really disappointed to miss Joe's appointment today but was so thankful Melissa made it and took excellent notes. It was made very clear to Marsha and Joe that though what Joe has is incurable at least it is treatable. We are SO incredibly thankful for treatable. We are praying and hopeful for some better days ahead for Joe. The biopsy of his brain wasn't as conclusive as we had hoped, it basically let us know that the cancer in his brain did originate somewhere else, which we really already knew. The PET/CT scan that he had done last week showed that a few lymph nodes are involved, showed the known masses in his brain and the very small mass in his lung. Dr. Nugent is rather confident that the small mass in his lung is how the cancer spread. Joe will begin radiation Monday. He will get radiation Monday-Friday for the next 3 weeks. After he completes radiation he will then have a repeat scan 4 weeks later to see how he responds. The plan from there will be to begin chemotherapy to target the lung and see how he responds. Melissa talked with another doctor today about Dr. Nugent and she said that Dr. Nugent is a fighter and he doesn't give up!! We need that. Please be praying for Marsha and Joe during these next 3 weeks, pray for increased strength for Joe, peace, pray for protection of his skin and all the surrounding parts of his brain. We want to kick out what doesn't belong and protect what needs to stay!!

Thank you again to everyone for your sweet words, prayers and encouragement!! Here is to kicking some more cancer butt!