5th Inning: "Complete Metabolic Response"

One-baseball-season welcomes guest 5th inning blogger Erik!

Top of the 5th, bases loaded, nobody out. The Phils have been channeling the Bad News Bears lately, with base-running blunders, dropped fly balls, and blown late leads. Katy Jo steps to the plate with a chance to change the course of the season. She knocks the first pitch out of the park. Grand slam.

Ok, so even Katy might not be able to save the Phils this season. But the 5th inning was a grand slam in every other sense of the word. Before the treatment, we received word from Dr. Nasta that the PET scan results were in. “A Complete Metabolic Response,” raved the report. In other words, Katy’s rebellious lymphatic system, which had been sneaking out of the house and driving its parents crazy for months, had been grounded. Not to leave the house again. Indefinitely.

In other words, the cancer cells are no longer cancerous. The chemo treatments are working – and not only that, they’re working ahead of schedule. The desired results for the first PET scan were half of the cancer gone (a “partial” metabolic response, if you will). The complete annihilation of the rebellious cells was enough to bring a beaming smile to our typically game-faced Oncologist, who awarded Katy an “A-plus patient” rating for the first two chemo cycles. Once a valedictorian, always a valedictorian.

After receiving the good news, we decided to celebrate – across the street at Au Bon Pain. A delicious sandwich and mac-n-cheese platter later, we were back at Penn for our regularly scheduled infusion. Despite the rapid progress, the treatments will continue as scheduled: every other Thursday through the end of September.

As I write, my beautiful wife is getting sleepy (Benadryl doesn’t mess around). We have a beautiful view from our room on the 4th Floor at Abramson, directly overlooking 34th Street and West Philadelphia. Before she got sleepy, Katy and I were discussing how convicted we are that God is working in these moments – not only in our own lives but in those around us. We have been so blessed by our friends and family. The healing power of your love and prayers is working.

Get the bullpen warmed up – on to the 6th.