From Bob...

Dad sent this email out a few days ago, and he says things a lot better than I do! I thought I should share....



10/2/08

Brothers and Sisters -


This afternoon Debbie and I went to talk to Dr. Keefer, the oncologist. As many of our class members can attest hearing the word "cancer" in any context is a shock. But still, Dr. Keefer says the plasmacytoma is "highly treatable", and the bone marrow scan only shows 15% of the damaging cells from the 100% possible. The only tumors (lesions) they could see was one on the 8th rib, upper spine, and one right in the top of my head. The one on my head is positioned perfectly that if I were a Christmas tree ornament, it would be exactly where the little wire doo-dad goes. :-)

So, where do we go from here? Dr. Keefer has ordered a new round of blood work and a PET scan. Once he gets all of this new evidence with the old evidence, he'll have a clearer picture of what to do.

Now the choices - I asked about MD Anderson. I explained I didn't want to shoot a gnat with a howitzer but I wanted to get the best treatment possible. I asked him what he would do. He said the leading multiple myeloma docs in the US were in Little Rock, and he could refer me. I asked if we could start the treatment here and watch it for 30-60-90 days and if the treatment did not look like it was progressing successfully, then go to Little Rock. He said that would certainly be fine.

I plan to start the treatment here as soon as Dr. Keefer is ready. All of my support systems (family, spiritual, and medical) are already in place. To go to Little Rock for even a few weeks will impede my progress. I believe I’m doing what God wants me to do. Since all of this began, I have spoken my absolute trust in God, and we have prayed for the doctors to do all they can do for us. God has blessed us with 100% care so far, and I don’t see anything that makes me think he will not bless us as we continue in this path.

Love you--- Robert "Bob" Utley