More Trials and Tribulations

After arriving home on the Friday the 25th July, after the disappointing news that the trial could not proceed, I was greeted home with big hugs, balloons and cards. The kids were in a swim meet the following day and then on the Sunday I visited Cathy in Banff hospital, kids met friends from swim club for a game of capture the flag and Heather had a birthday party. During the week, I managed to get my head around the fact that the trial wasn't going ahead and got back on track with my supplements, organise my Vitamin C, I also was informed of the possibility of 2 more trials that I may qualify for. In order to do so I needed to have my slides tested for HER2 expression and also needed an Echocardiogram. The NIH would do the HER2 testing and I got an echo done in Calgary on Wednesday. There were some fun parts to the week also, went for a family canoe on the Bow river one evening, ran with Erika on Thurs, ran myself while kids swam on Friday and finished by taking in a free concert outside the civic centre as the opening to the Folk Festival. James went to work 2 days and then we enjoyed a weekend with going to see "Wicked" on the Saturday and then hiked up Ha Ling on Sunday with Kerry and Adrian on Sunday.
Monday morning I received a phone call from the fellow doctor involved in the "anti-mage 3 " trial informing me that they had discovered that the condition of the first patient wasn't due to the cells or the interleukin2 and that the trial could go ahead. There was the opportunity to commence on the 15 Aug. Again my world was rocked and again I had to alter my thinking after settling back into my life. I spoke to my mum and skyped with Linda, has a few tears with James and then had to get back into decision making mode.
I also heard from Dr Conlon who is running the Interleukin15 trial, and took the opportunity to then contact all the Drs, Dr Wood, the HER2 trial, Dr Conlon, the interleukin15 trial and Dr Sherry, the anti Mage 3 trial" and asked them to collaborate together and recommend which direction would be of benefit for me. So over the next few days I will wait to hear about the recommendations and try to make a decision from there.
It is funny what you hold on to and reflect to. I know look back to my time there, I would almost have been completed my trial by now. The unit seemed fuller with Janet being there and I remember seeing her before she was discharged, telling her our disappointing news. I also remember how empty the unit and the room felt when we returned later that day to talk to the nurse and Janet had been discharged. I know that we had everything set up, with support for me from my Mum and Linda, support for my Mum from Linda and special moments in Washington  and Safra lodge. I have the horrible feeling that things can never be repeated and I know that my next journey down there will be different, with new experiences and different connections.