Countdown

Steve's last day of radiation treatment has been scheduled for Monday, March 10. We learned today that Dr. A is considering adding an extra day or two. (There are limits on treatment, and Steve's original schedule had the fewest number of possible days.) Dr. A will let us know by Friday his decision.

The last day of radiation will also be the last day of this round of chemotherapy. Then he'll take about a month off and start a new chemo schedule -- most likely seven days on, 21 days off.

His next scheduled MRI is April 4 at M.D. Anderson. We'll meet with Dr. C, our Houston oncologist, later that afternoon to learn the state of the tumor and next steps.

Folks continue to be amazed by how well Steve is doing. He's worked in the office the past two days. He's getting around relatively well, though he's not super steady on his feet. My protective (overprotective?) traits are tested often, and I frequently remind him to slow down a bit.

As with so many symptoms, we're not sure if his unsteadiness is related to the tumor and/or swelling or the effects of the steroid. His legs have lost so much muscle mass from weeks on the Decadron. He is continuing to step down the dose. The past week he's been on 4 mg per day. Today he dropped to 3 mg. He'll drop to 2 mg Friday and 1 mg Monday.

The tremors have improved. Last Friday may have been his worst shaky day (it was awful and scary for a few hours), but since then he's noticed fewer problems.

His blood oxygen level remains lower than ideal -- today it was 94% -- but no one seems concerned.

He's exhausted, worn out from radiation, chemo, emotional wear and tear and his body coping with so much so quickly. Importantly, though, his spirit isn't worn out.

His vision remains his most troubling symptom. The double vision just isn't improving. It's not getting in his way too much, though -- he continues to work, read books with Katie and Cooper (tonight included Click, Clack, Splish, Splash with Katie and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix with Cooper), read on his own (he recently finished Wicked and Steve Martin's memoir, Born Standing Up) and watch movies and TV (tonight's primary results are keeping him up late). We give thanks every day that the awful Damm Spot has not stolen his cognitive abilities or sense of humor.