Eagle, I am so excited to hear aobut your brother's diabetes. This is unbelievable. I recall when his numbers were off the charts. Answered prayer?

Dotsie, it's still too soon to declare his diabetes permanently gone, but we're delighted with even this reprieve right now - and YES, I believe it's answered prayer, along with his shrinking lymph nodes.

We did just find out that his diagnosis is confirmed as stage 4B lymphoma, which is what I had suspected based on my research (because it affected his liver and pancreas). But my brother thought he was only 3B, so was quite disheartened when he found out it was actually 4B. He was down for a few days, but seems to be regaining morale and a little more energy than he's had in weeks.

He's taking his 5th chemo on Thursday. I definitely see answered prayers all around me these days. It's what keeps me going.

Oh jeez. I am sorry to hear that diagnosis. There are people who survive stage 4b. Do you visit any of the cancer forums? It might be a good idea to find people who have survived that stage and print their posts for him.

More than likely, if it has affected his pancreas, he will have to stay on the medicine for diabetes, but at least it's working! Is his last chemo number six?

Thanks Dotsie,
I have joined an online cancer forum and do print off items of interest for him. I've also told him that many of the people there are 4B's in full remission.

As for his chemo, tomorrow is number five, and as far as we know he has at least eight more to go (two chemo treatments equal one cycle, and the doctor said he wants him to go through 4-8 more cycles, which would be 8-16 more treatments, which will take us well into 2007...so it's still a long road ahead of us)

One day at a time, and we don't think about anything in the future except full remission...

I wish it were that simple - it's when I try to do anything involving the future that the fear hits me hardest...I've been trying to do a little bit of early Christmas shopping but I just keep breaking into tears right there in the stores and have to turn around and go home. I can only think about and manage one day at at time...