[stanford_status] Chemotherapy starts today

[John R Larsen]

Hello Everyone,

Joyce and Stanford left this morning at 7:00 AM for Dartmouth Medical Center (DMC).  Stanford will 
undergo surgery to have the port implanted this morning.  He will then start the first round of 
chemotherapy staying the night and coming home tomorrow evening.  Joyce is staying there with him.

Yesterday the doctors decided that a biopsy of the tumors in Stanford's liver wouldn't provide additional 
information worth the risk of the procedure.  Dr. Grier is very concerned that the cancer has spread in the 
abdomen and recommends that treatment begin as soon as possible.  

We were given a choice of DMC or Dana Farber for treatment.  Both facilities provide the same level of 
care and use the same protocols.  We left the decision up to Stanford.  He was satisfied with either 
facility so we chose to go to DMC even though it is farther away.  The drive is more predictable and much 
less stressful and actual drive time is about the same.  Dr. Chaffee still has access to all the expertise of 
Dana Farber and other facilities as needed so we feel comfortable with this decision.

Treatment will last 9 to 12 months.  He will be receiving 5 different drugs.  Treatment will follow a 
schedule of 2 days at DMC, 3 weeks at home, 6 days at DMC, 3 weeks at home.  This schedule repeats 
for the duration of the treatment.

As most of you know, we are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Yesterday 
evening we met with our Bishop to discuss this whole situation and also to receive priesthood blessings 
of comfort, strength, and in Stanford's case healing.  We trust the Lord is watching over us and guiding 
us through this experience.  Stanford has a great attitude and knows that everything is going to work out 
fine.

More to come as time passes.

John

_______________________________________________________
John R Larsen <john at larsen-family.us>
http://larsen-family.us