Woo Hoo!

Time to celebrate! It's been a good week filled with good news. Within the last couple of weeks Kavan has had an MRI of his left foot, a bone scan and a heart scan. Yesterday, Kavan had his routine pre-chemo check up with his oncologist, Dr.Chu. At the appointment they reviewed the results of the recent scans and discussed Kavan's most recent blood work AND.....

THE SCANS WERE CLEAR! Woo hoo! His heart is functioning within normal limits which is good news considering the doxyrubicin he is receiving. This chemo agent is notorious for placing strain on the heart, so it was welcome news that half way through treatment the ol' ticker is still working well. The bone scan, which was his first, was also clear. This was of great relief. Kavan's cancer, Ewing's sarcoma, is one that in some cases penetrates the bone. So good news, no evidence of it in Kavan's bones! Lastly, Kavan had an MRI of his left foot. Because of the radiation, the MRI was a month or so late. Kavan's leg was so swollen from the radiation and it is likely an earlier MRI would not have been useful as the swelling could show up as active areas which could be misleading. The MRI shows that while there is still swelling present in Kavan's leg, there are no signs of tumor regrowth! This is a great relief as we've been told that Ewing's sarcoma tends to first reappear at its original site.

Kavan and his oncologist also reviewed the blood work that Kavan had drawn yesterday morning. All of his blood levels were within normal limits. This is FANTASTIC news because it means Kavan can start his next round of chemotherapy on Monday, but more importantly it shows that Kavan's bone marrow is responding well post-radiation. The doctors had warned us that following radiation Kavan might not bounce back so quickly between chemotherapy cycles because of the impact radiation has on the bone marrow (the bone marrow is responsible for producing blood cells). Also, his hemoglobin level had also jumped about 30 points since his last labwork. This is the part of the blood that is responsible for carrying oxygen to our vital organs. People with low hemoglobin often feel easily fatigued and can be light-headed. This is exceptionally good news because it means that Kavan will not need a transfusion in the immediate future. While the safety of blood transfusions has drastically improved in the last 30 years, it is always safest to not have a transfusion. That being said, I know the day when Kavan might need a transfusion may come and at that time it will be necessary.

So, Kavan will proceed with his one day of chemotherapy on Monday as planned. He is most excited these days about the return of NHL hockey and is elated to be attending the Oiler's home opener on Tuesday night. Hopefully he will feel well following chemo and will be in optimal shape to cheer on his favorite team!

Have a good weekend and stay warm!