Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Update after 5 weeks of treatment June 6, 2013

Hey everyone
Just wanted you to know that so far so good Ray is tolerating treatment. We went to Duke last week and feel good that after 5 weeks of treatment they will introduce the 3rd medication into the mix. They have ordered it and we will just wait for it to arrive and then Ray will begin it. This medication he will take for 12 weeks and will be the hardest leg of the treatment. Ray will be Dukes 4th or 5th post transplant patient to be treated with this new triple therapy. One man they are treated right now once he began the 3rd drug Teleprevir, after 10 days his viral load was UNDETECTABLE!! Amazing right! The teleprevir is taken 3 times a day and MUST be taken with 20g of fat each time to be processed through the body...whoo right! It is a difficult drug.
As he is getting ready to start this next treatment and his one year anniversary post transplant is coming up I am asking for you all to SURPRISE him with happy anniversary cards or encouragement cards in the mail. Send this to others you may know who may send cards too- bible studies, church friends, family, etc....Just encouraging words, a bible verse, anything to encourage, lift his spirits and let him know there are TONS praying for him and rooting for him.
Our address is 1101 Hayley Court Greenville NC 27834
We are calling June 13th his anniversary date since surgery BEGAN on that date but didn't FINISH until wee hours of the morning June 14th (heaven help remembering all that time June 12th-14th is a BLUR in my memory from last year) Thank you all for continuing to think of him and just PRAY for him on a daily basis. He takes his interferon shot each week on Tuesday so Tuesday night, Wednesday and Thursday are rough days. By Friday-Monday he is feeling a bit better, able to get out, so some things, but also nap. He is very close to being anemic.
Thanks guys!
-Janet