5/10/2009 Pam adapted well to the portable pump that was attached until May 8th. The pump and case were no larger than a waist pack and did not interfered with sleeping or normal activities. The chemo has begun to manifest some of the negative side effects, such as abdominal cramps, swollen feet and lack of energy. Pam has not had any ill effects from cold temperatures and has enjoyed her sherbet and ice cream . Her next treatment is scheduled for May 20th.

Today is Mother's Day and all the local children and grandchildren gathered at the house. They brought all the fixings for submarine sandwiches which appealed to all of us.

Pam had several non-malignant sebaceous cysts removed from her head yesterday. The cysts have caused some minor discomfort for a while so she chose to have them removed. Daughter Diane plans to cut Pam's hair tomorrow. This will be the first hair treatment since Pam started chemo last year.

Thank you for your prayers and continued support. We remain optimistic we will see improvement in Pam's condition in the future.

5/7/2009 Pam had her first treatment with the 5FU Folfox treatment yesterday. The procedure took about 3 hours and Pam came home with a battery powered pump to infuse additional chemicals for two days. One of the reported after effects of this treatment is a sensitivity to cold air or even food which can cause pain. Fortunately, Pam did not require any special adjustment of the temperature at home or need to bundle up to keep warm.

Pam has been quite active since yesterday and she has not had any special naps. We had dinner last night and breakfast today with a couple whom we knew in New Orleans eons ago and were visiting their children in north Florida. Pam then went shopping this afternoon for some clothes that fit her. The shopping was an enjoyable experience because Pam was catered to and not rushed.

The pump will be disconnected tomorrow, the 8th. The next treatment will be around May 20th.

If Pam continues to feel energetic and active throughout this treatment, we will see God's work in progress. We feel the love and support of our friends who continue to pray for healing and relief from this disease. Thank you, Lord.

5/5/2009 Pam had 11 pounds of abdominal fluid drained on Friday, May 1st. She felt much better and and a bit more energetic. Pam's sister and our son visited and we had many searching questions about the nature of Pam's cancer,, especially the meaning of lower CA 125 scores and the apparent spread of the cancer to the mesentery, the connective tissue joining the intestine to the peritoneum, as reflected on the CT scan. We prepared a list of questions and "what if's" for Pam's doctor to help us decide our next steps.

We looked into the possibility of clinical trials which focus on cancer of undetermined origin, alternative chemo treatments and possible referral to another cancer center for another opinion. After consultation with her doctor, Pam has opted to begin the new chem treatment classified as 5FU tomorrow. The plan calls for 4 to 6 treatments two weeks apart. Each treatment will take two days to complete-day one for actual infusion of the chemo and 2 days of residual infusion of other chemicals through a pump the size of a cell phone. This treatment will target the abdominal area,

For the next two months or so, Pam will stick to this treatment plan. At the completion of the plan, she may opt for a referral or other consultation, but we remain optimistic some evidence of controlling the cancer will be realized.

We thank you for your continuous prayers, love and support during the past year of cancer treatments. May God bless you, all!

4/30/2009 Pam met with her doctor to discuss the CT scan and blood tests. The CA 125 marker came in at 72, a marked decrease from the last test of 238, but we now realize the test is unreliable, especially with respect to Pam's cancer. The scan results show the cancer has spread to tissues around the lungs, abdominal area and bowel. Pam's recent experiences with fluid buildup, constipation, nausea, and lethargy are a direct result of the spread of the cancer, which is still loosely classified as of unknown origin.

Pam has opted for a new chemo treatment plan, called 5FU (fluorouracil) or FolFox. This treatment is supposed to prevent cancer cells from dividing and growing normally which leads to tumor cell death. This therapy has been used to treat patients of many different types of cancer and may be effective here. If the new treatment is effective here, the cancer cells will shrink and the symptoms Pam has experienced will be abated.

The abdominal fluid will be drained on May 1st and the new chemo therapy will begin on Wednesday, May 6th.

Pam is determined to see this this chemo work and check the spread of the cancer. Only a Divine intervention will cure the cancer. The prayers and support of our friends remain a source of optimism and strength for Pam. We love you all.

4/29/09 Pam had a CT scan of her mid-section on Monday and has experienced nearly constant discomfort and nausea. The nausea appears as soon as she arises and greatly affects her appetite. On the positive note, Pam has been sleeping very well at night, even after taking frequent naps during the day, and takes frequent strolls around the house. We will discuss the scan and blood tests with her doctor tomorrow, the 30th.

We are very blessed to have so many friends and friends of friends express their love for Pam through prayers, cards, thoughts and calls. Pam remains uplifted and optimistic for the right treatment because of your wonderful support.

4/23/2009 - Pam was scheduled for a chemo treatment today but her doctor was concerned about her lack of strength and her recent problems with nausea, irregularity and fluid accumulation. He felt her condition would have been markedly improved if the chemo were working as planned. It appears that the chemo treatments have had the opposite effect and have diminished Pam's quality of life.

Our plan is to evaluate the extent of the cancer beginning with a CAT scan next week. We should also have the results of the CA125 cancer marker blood test taken today. Although the cancer markers have decreased over the past several months, the test results are not conclusive.

The choice of further chemo therapy is generally up to Pam. Since the three different treatment plans targeted for this cancer have been rather unsuccessful, any new plan would tend to introduce more toxicity in her body. Any treatment plan decision will be carefully weighed.

Although Pam's spirits are down a bit, she remains optimistic for a successful treatment. She continually thanks all our friends for the prayers, expressions of concern, support, and personal success stories.

4-21-2009 Pam is scheduled to resume chemo on Friday, April 24th. She took two weeks off from the treatment for the holidays, but Pam did not feel any noticeable change in how she felt. Aside from a great Easter, she suffered frequent periods of nausea and irregularity. Two different medicines for nausea did not seem to have any significant effect. Overall, Pam has had little energy and desire to move around. We hope to schedule a complete assessment of the chemo treatment and effects this week.

Your prayers and expressions of support have helped immeasurably in enduring this disease for the past year.