Celebrating with Celebrex

10/20/06

Final Bone Scan Report: normal
Preliminary CT Scan Report: stable
Blood Counts: White Count and ANC: lowish; Hemoglobin and platelets: normal
Buenger Report: happy, relieved

What's next (medically): On to Round 11 of oral etoposide, starting on Monday. We are also adding 400 mg of Celebrex daily (200 mg at breakfast and 200 mg at dinner) to the mix. No, Erin has not developed arthritis. Unexpectedly, celecoxib, the active ingredient in Celebrex, appears to have a couple of anti-tumor effects: 1) it reduces the level of a particular protein (cyclin D1) that is important for cell replication (thus, if there is less cyclin D1, tumor cells can't "grow and prosper" as well); and 2) it blocks the signal tumor cells send calling for more blood vessels to form--without new blood vessels to feed them, the tumors die. We don't expect this to be a miracle cure, but we do figure if we keep punching away at Erin's tumor cells on a daily basis and in different ways we'll have a better shot at making it behave (or perhaps leave the party altogether because we've been so inhospitable).

What's next (life): Erin is going to help her buddy Adam celebrate his 7th birthday this afternoon! The rest of the weekend looks very soccery. The RHCP (Red Hot Chili Peppers) take the field tomorrow morning to try and keep their perfect record in tact. Then on Sunday, Erin and several of her teammates have been invited to take part in a couple of "friendlies," matches that are not part of a league, tournament, or organized competition. Two teams of girls from the Woodlands are coming over to play. Afterwards, most of the girls will cheer on the Aggies in their match against Missouri. Then a select few (actually, Erin and Samantha--whose mother also plays with me) will get to top off the weekend by watching my match.

Next week, the fourth graders at Mary Branch will perform their musical program--songs with a decidedly eerie theme. Erin will also continue practicing for the UIL Oral Reading contest coming up in mid-November, and if the rain holds off and the pasture dries a bit, she will get back into the groove of horseback riding. Add in church choir and homework, and her life is more than complete.

One Final Note: I am adding a new link on the left frame, The Davis Report (remember to use the French pronunciation for "Report"--ra-'por) to track the latest happenings of College Man!