Tysabri #3

I have a lot to write about this week.

First, my last Tysabri infusion was December 1. That evening, I noticed that my balance had improved somewhat. I was no longer running into walls and doorways. As of today, my balance is as good as it was five years ago--that's when it began to get bad. Three days ago, I took my first walk with my husband and Montana. That made both of us very happy; we had grins on our faces. It wasn't easy, and halfway through the walk my legs got shaky, but that's because my legs are weak. A walk with Montana and Arnie has been a dream of mine since he came to live with us.

My tremors have also improved. However, we don't know if it's because my neuro adjusted my Klonopin dose or if it's because of the TY.

I have energy again. Instead of sitting like a big lump in my chair, I'm able to get up and do things around the house.

Second, Arnie had a CT scan and he now has cancer in his lungs. The oncologist said that it probably has been there for a year (he had his kidney removed in January due to cancerous tumors), and that the cells traveled through his bloodstream from his kidney to his lungs. However, it took them awile to get large enough to be picked up on CT scanning. Monday, he began chemotherapy. It's called IL-2, and it's given by injection five days a week for six weeks. Then, they will take another CT scan. This only works in 15% of the patients with cancer like his. If it doesn't work, then we will go to a large teaching/research hospital, either in Charlottesville, VA, Raleigh-Durham, or Winston-Salem, NC. We want the best, and we're afrad that the small hospital here in Salem can't give him the best. I think he's going to be one of the 15% that this works on--I've got to think that, because the alternative is not good.

Third, we went to New Jersey for Thanksgiving, and we had a marvelous time. Our son, DIL, and two grandsons were able to fly in from LA to be with us, and that made it even more special. The picture I've posted is Aaron, Arnie, and Montana in Ocean City, NJ (my favorite place to be).