Sorry it's taken so long to update everyone on what our next step is going to be. We found out Steve is ineligible for the clinical trial because of other cancer he had. We were actually relieved when we found out. We are willing to do what the doctors recommend but the clinical trial would have required so much from us and we just weren't ready for it.
The good news is that they will consider doing a stem cell transplant as long as they can get his cancer into remission. The STM's have proven to be very successful for many people, keeping their cancer in remission for many years with some not requiring any maintenance therapy.
Treatment #4 will begin sometime this week or early next week. It all depends on when we get all of his medications. The new treatment is actually a rather old treatment. It's an oral regimen with 3 different drugs, melphalan, prednisone, thalidomide (MPT). Both doctor's agree on this next course of treatment. If Steve can tolerate it he will have up to 6 cycles (28 days each) of MPT. This regimen can damage his stemm cells so they are treading cautiously so as not to eliminate Steve's chances for an STM. The doses will be low and they will monitor his blood weekly.
Due to the many possible side effects from all three drugs we are asking for everyone to prayer specifically that his body will tolerate the treament and he will have minimal, no zero side effects! Why not ask for what we really want, right? And more importantly he would have a complete response to the treatment (remission).
We know our God can heal anyone, at anytime, through any means he chooses. Maybe this is the means. We shall see.
Thanks again for your faithful prayers and love. Steve and I stand together, trusting our Father in Heaven, believing in his word and desiring to glorify Him with our lives!
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