Freda saw the doctor on Monday, October 27...

Freda saw the doctor on Monday, October 27, for follow-up after the first round of chemotherapy which was very challenging because of complications. But, she felt your prayers and knows they made the difference. At the appointment she was told that there were still myeloma cells in the bone marrow. The doctors wanted to do further testing to determine the best type of chemotherapy to give for the second cycle and to determine if a stem cell transplant or a stem cell boost would be most appropriate. They scheduled an appointment for Monday, November 3^rd at which time they were to tell her the new protocol and begin treatment. Critical test results were unavailable on Monday and the appointment was rescheduled for Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Freda met with her doctor and the head of the myeloma center who is also a doctor. After a lengthy consultation in which they looked at her treatments over the last nine years and her current test results, they came up with a treatment plan. They decided to set aside her “nasty” cytogenetics results that have been bad off and on since her first visit in 2000 and consistently bad for the last 6-8 months. They decided just look at her current level of myeloma in the bone marrow. This is a major change in treatment because normally bad cytogenetics are an indication that the cancer will increase rapidly and thus require a more drastic treatment. This rapid increase of cancer cells has not been true in Freda’s case up to this point.

Therefore, their decision is a complete turn around from the treatment planned a week ago. They decided to try a combination of three chemo drugs that can be taken orally and administered and monitored in Gainesville by Freda’s local oncologist. She will mail labwork to Arkansas every other week for them to determine cancer levels. If the levels remain stable or decrease, and if her body can tolerate the treatment, she will continue this protocol and return to Little Rock in January. If levels increase, she will return to Little Rock for a stem cell transplant. Please pray that this will not be necessary.

Freda feels very confident about the doctor’s decisions and views this change of treatment as an answer to your many prayers. After finishing things at the center in Little Rock, Freda and Pastor Gary will return to Gainesville. She is very excited about being back with family and friends and very grateful for your prayers. Your prayers, financial support for medical expenses, cards, and emails have made a great difference for her and Pastor Gary during these five weeks away from home. Please continue to pray for her.

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