Keating calls an Audible

OK so for you non-football fans, an "audible" is when the quarterback changes the play that was called in the huddle at the line of scrimmage - he shouts out code words left and right to his lined-up teammates to take advantage of something he sees in the defensive alignment or to counteract a defensive play such as a blitz. 

When we spoke with Alice this morning, she was prepping us for hyperCVAD - when we would start, when we would finish, when my hair would fall out, etc........and Dr. Keating came in and sat down in front of me and said "I lie awake at night thinking about how to cure people like you - people your age - because I have children your age - and I think to myself, 'if this was my son, how would I treat him?' "...... with that touching preamble, Dr. Keating said that he wanted to find out if I am carrying the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) because recent research has shown that this virus shows up a lot in "Richter's" patients;  they think that it's the virus that is often driving the lymphoma - If I have it and if it is driving the lymphoma, then curing the EBV may be all the treatment that is required for the lymphoma......

So basically, Dr. Keating asked us to "chill" for two days while he runs this to ground.  If I don't have EBV, I think we're back to hyperCVAD, starting Wednesday.  If I do have it, the treatment will be very different and much less (if at all) toxic to my immune system, and in fact, directed at the virus, not the lymphoma.

So - hyperCVAD is on hold for at least 48 hours while Dr. Keating investigates this thread.  Chill we will, trusting the Lord in everything.

Thanks as always for your faithful friendship and prayer support.......Dan and Renee