Today makes two weeks home from the hospital, and Curt is getting stronger each day. The doctors say that gaining all his weight back right away is not something that we should worry about…to the contrary, they don’t want to see a rapid weight gain. (This would mean a gain of water weight, which is not a good thing.) So one or two pounds per week is a good goal.
We met with the doctor at the radiation center yesterday, and we left very impressed and encouraged. The Pacific Cancer Institute, right next to Maui Memorial Hospital, is very up-to-date with their technology. Our son Jim has done a lot of research and is amazed at how cutting-edge they are, right here on our little island! We are very comfortable with the chemo and radiation regimen that the doctor recommended. Curt will go in this coming Tuesday to do all the preliminaries for the radiation, and then begin treatment about week later.
There will be six weeks of treatments, five days a week. The actual radiation sessions are very short…just about 15 minutes long. The doctor works with their full-time nuclear physicist on staff to map a 3-D image of the tumor bed. They will be doing Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), which is an advanced mode of high-precision radiotherapy. In IMRT, very small beams, or beamlets, are aimed at the tumor bed from many angles. During treatment, the radiation intensity of each beamlet is controlled, and the beam shape changes hundreds of times during each treatment. As a result, the radiation dose bends around important healthy tissues in a way that is impossible with other techniques. Because of the complexity of these motions, physicians use special high-speed computers, treatment-planning software, diagnostic imaging and patient-positioning devices to plan treatments and control the radiation dose during therapy. Chemotherapy will be done at the same time as the radiation therapy.
Thank you again for all of your prayers over the past five weeks! The next couple of months will be challenging in terms of the side effects of the chemo and radiation (fatigue and nausea, etc.). We would greatly appreciate your continued prayer for Curt as he goes through these treatment sessions. Mahalo!!
Love,
Patti and Family
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We will continue to pray for Curt during his treatments and for your whole family.
ReplyDeleteMarina
staying in my prayers. Thanks for the updates! XO
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have that first class cancer treatment center so close to home. Now that we live on the mainland, we have become increasingly respectful of Maui medical resources, and less and less enamored with mainland medicine. In Maui, you have doctors who actually know you and care, and that's a significant benefit during treatment. You all remain very much in our thoughts and prayers. We trust that the Lord and His people are comforting and encouraging you, as we have been encouraged in our trials.
ReplyDeleteMuch love,
The Johnsons
Thank you so very much for updating Curt's condition and upcoming treatments..You are a treasured family and we continue to pray for healing! Joyce and Jesse
ReplyDeletePastor Curt, Patti & Family:
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much for your update. Ive been checking, anxiously waiting to hear about our beloved Curt. Chemo/Radiation... and the best little spot for this is right here at home :) what a blessing! I will continue to keep you all close in my thoughts and prayers. Your smiling face is missed BIG time Curt around the courtyard. Mitchell has been asking about ya too Curt. Love you bunches Curt! our love & prayers go out to all you!
Les
Curt and Patti- there is that wonderful picture of Curt with his little white thingies and the Hope staff with theirs at my desk at the clinic here in Kainaliu - you are all in my prayers and heart. Love, Jean Lane
ReplyDeleteDear Curt, Patti & Family,
ReplyDeleteI keep you in my thoughts and prayers each day. You both are kindred spirits and I love your family very much. May God really bless you through this trial and stay close in comfort. Love you tons!
John, Becky, Jessi and Julie
Curt and family,
ReplyDeleteWe are praying for you guys and are stoked to hear about the treatment options available right here on Maui. Love, Clint and Taylor
This is just the news we were waiting for, God is so good. Our prayers continue for the Franks family.
ReplyDeleteAll our love,
Jerry and Janis
Praying daily for you. Love you guys.
ReplyDeleteDear Curt and Franks Ohana,
ReplyDeleteYou can count on us, we have not stop praying and will focus our prayers on beaming that cancer away. Amen!
Love you guys,
The Strickland Ohana