Last week, Tristan did not have chemo, the doctor decided to give him a break, because the plan was to check his numbers and kidney function to see if he could tolerate the chemo. And they were going to proceed with putting in the reservoir on the side of his head, going into the ventricle side of the heart. The way it works is the chemo, Retox, will go into this reservoir and slowly get into the blood stream that goes to the brain. I didn't know this either, but the brain does not have any feeling. I know it seems weird, but I have it from a nurse that knows what she is talking about, that the brain has no feeling. Of course the reservoir is put in by surgeons and that will probably hurt for a while. The first week they put in the Retox, the next week they put in another type of chemo, then Retox, then chemo, then Retox, then chemo, then retox. He will have days in between treatments to recover or to have a break....this is a clinical trial...

Dr. Wong has researched Beijing, France, Sweden, America, about ten different countries,Oncologists, to find any cases of this returning to any of their patients, and no one has a case like this. She is truly dedicated to finding something that works for this "miracle guy".
She is one of those doctors that we all would want on our side.

The BMT Doctor has found another cord match for the bone marrow transplant, this one is better than the other in the markers that match with what they need to match. They also have two live donor matches, but say that the cord match is best way to go.

He went to the hospital last night with a fever, which generally means he has an infection somewhere. His infection is in the Broviack, which has two different lines that are connected but receive different meds. There is some type of bacteria growing in one of the lines. So now he is taking antibiotics for it and until it is gone and his kidney function is up, it is currently at 74%, and needs to be at least 90%, everything is on hold until this infection goes away.

Can you believe it is raining on January 29, 2008. I am listening to the rain or the pouring of the rain. Weird!!!!

I will update you as soon as I know what and when he will be getting the reservoir and this Retox.

I know I ask this every time I send you an update, but I have to ask, please, please, please keep him in your thoughts and prayers....we need all of the positive, optimistic, loving, caring thoughts we can get. Send it to your family and their friends just to add more thoughts into the universe, circling Tristan, making him better.....

LETS GET THE WORD OUT, "MAKE HIM BETTER"

Charlotte
Tristan's grandmother