FURTHER TESTS

Well, we still don't know if Medicare will pay for the new drug. Although we may not go that route, we still need to know if that's an option. The clinical study will be enrolling in about two weeks or so. It will be a 2/1 blind study, meaning two of three will get the real drug and one will get a placebo. If we go that way, and don't tolerate the side effects well, we can just drop out of the study at any time. Judy is not nearly ready to limit her activities. She feels she has much work to do yetand can't let drugs keep her from it! At our appointment with the doctor, while listening to Judy's heart, he heard a slight heart murmer. He said that sometimes the harmones emitted from the tumors will go to the right side of the heart and mess with the valves. He's not really suggesting this, but he wants us to do an echo-cardiogram to check it out. We should have that done in the next week or two. So, our next appointment with the Oncologist is August 6. Then, we should know all we need to know to make a decision about further treatment. Thank all of you again for your unfailing prayers and heartfelt concerns. WE love you very much. Judy and Ronnie

DECISIONS

OK all you prayer warriors, we need your help. We will be seeing our local Oncologist on Friday, and we will need to make a decision. We will have three choices concerning Judy's treatment. What we desparatly want is for our choice to be in perfectly in harmony with what God wants. By Friday, we should know whether Medicare will pay for the new drug (Everoline). If they will, then our choices will be: 1) Take the new drug along with the monthly shot that Judy has been taking all along. 2) Sign up for a Clinical Study using the same drug, but with only a 50/50 chance that we will get the drug versus a placebo. 3) Do nothing now, which our local Doc believes would be the proper thing to do, since the progression of the tumors is only up by 20%. Also, we could possibly just increase the current dosage of the Sandostaten shot. A large consideration in choosing the first or second option is, for the patients currently taking the Everoline, either full time or in the study, only 5% have reported positive results, There are also side effects that Judy doesn't have to deal with now. So, if we go with 1 or 2, and the side effects begin to drag Judy down, then we will cease the drug. Judy is not nearly ready to be slowed down or hampered. Please pray that will know the mind of God and make the decision to follow His path, wherever it may lead. Thank you. Judy and Ronnie