The Battle Is Not Over

Two Pablo pics from Polly's archives. Both were taken last Monday the La Brea Tar Pits. This is one of Pablo's fave spots to go and adventure with Polly.

The positive and healing energy from YOU, our army of supporters, proved to work for phase one: the big tumor on Pablo's right kidney is DEAD! We are most grateful. So grateful, that we are making a plea to all of you to keep the up the intensity. Why?

Simple: the battle is not over!

The next six weeks of treatment MUST do the trick to shrink the tumors that have planted themselves on the most critical part of Pablo's kidneys. In layman's terms, the tumors have taken up residence on top of the collecting area, the part that collects waste that flows into the ureter down to the bladder.

Tuesday is the first day of the next phase of our battle.

Dr. Leo Mascarenhas, whom Pablo endearingly refers to as 'Mr. Mascarenhas,' is thinking about our exact strategy, and we will have more to report after we meet with him on Tuesday.

What we do know is that a third chemo drug will be introduced into our little boy's body. He will now be receiving Doxorubicin. This drug is red (notable cos all the others so far are either clear or yellow). It's the first one we've come across that has a nickname: Red Devil. And, like the Castelaz family bloodline, the heritage of this red devil began in northern Italy, at the Farmitalia Reseach Labratories in Milan. Our family emigrated from Trentino. The exact origins of Doxorubicin can be traced back to soil cultures taken on the grounds of Castel del Monte, a 13th Century castle in Apulia, Italy.

Even though that big nasty tumor responded well to the previous treatment, Drs. Mascarenhas/Stein feel that upping the intensity of the treatment in the coming six weeks will give Pablo the best chance at hitting the next goal: for both tumors to shrink considerably, and pull away from the kidneys.

We are ONLY focused on the death and dying, shrinking and shirking of those nasty tumors. Some of us need to know what we are fighting against. So, for those of you (like us) who need all the details in order to put up your best visualization or intention, the reality is, if those tumors don't up and leave–at least enough for Pablo to retain a good part in one or both of his kidneys–Pablo could lose both of his kidneys.

So, prayer warriors, your beautiful work up to this point is working, now let's keep it steady and continue to hold Pablo in the light. He will win with the assistance of all of us!

XO,

Jo Ann and Jeff