Jeanine's next step

After Jeanine came home from the hospital, we went back to see her Oncologist. He inferred that there was one last thing that could be done to unblock her biliary tubes. He told her she needed to go to a Radiation Oncologist. While Jeanine was otherwise busy, I talked to the oncologist myself and told him that Jeanine was living by herself at home. He suggested strongly that she is in a very precarious situation until she can get the biliary tubes unblocked. He said that someone needed to be with her most of the time.

This was my cue to move in with her. I did so on Wednesday. This cannot be a long term solution, but until we find out how her radiation is working, I will be with her at her home. I am not there 24/7 but pretty close to it.

The radiation oncologist met with Jeanine on Wednesday and told her that he can do pinpoint radiation on the specific tumor blocking her tubes (or are they ducts?). He also told her that there is a "fair chance" that it will work. You see, renal cell carcinoma is resistant to chemotherapy and radiation even if it is in the liver. He estimated that the chances were 50/50. That has made for a very nervous woman.

Jeanine is still a very vibrant yellow and the whites of her eyes are a nice yellow also. She gets very tired, manages to not throw up if she takes her anti-nausea medicine, has a lot of pain, and eats like a bird, but at least she is eating, she didn't in the hospital.

Jeanine's radiation begins Tuesday and she will do 5 weekdays of high-dose radiation. The doctor expects few side effects. The ones he mentioned were extreme tiredness and nausea. They said that it won't burn her skin or anything else but the tumor. The procedure that they are doing with her was developed for brain tumors and is very precise. She would welcome your prayers.