Treatment

Yesterday we received the results of Courtney's surgery.  As of right now she has a Stage IIC cancer, although the results of the lymph nodes are not back.  I am still praying that this will come back as negative today.  The doctors told us that she has a very high risk melanoma, it is dividing quickly, and it has ulceration. The depth of the melanoma tumor was 7 mm, which is very deep, and the likelihood that it will spread is high.  She will receive the new drug, peg-interferon alpha 2-b.  She will get her line put in today, and she will start her treatment tomorrow.  The first part of her treatment is called induction, and will last for 4 weeks.  She will receive a high dose of interferon alpha 2-b (Intron A) 5 days per week for 4 weeks.  She will also receive something before her treatment to help prevent possible side effects.  The 2nd part of her treatment is called maintenance, which will last 48 weeks.  She will receive Peg-Intron once a week.  Peg-interferon has been used mainly in adults with Hepatitis C.  Peg-interferon has been shown to work just as well or better than interferon.  There are a lot of side effect that i will not get into, but I feel that she will do very well on this as she is otherwise very healthy, young, and very strong.  We have a lot of people praying for my sweet girl, and all I do lately is pray.  I do believe our prayers will be answered, and she will be the percentage that survives this awful diseases.  I was telling a friend this morning that she is going to kick the cancer's ass and then I went on Facebook, and Choose Hope.com has a new shirt that says Kick'n Cancer - one day at a time.  This is Courtney's motto... One-Day-At-A-Time!!  I am learning from her.... I love my daughter so much!!  She has so much life, love, she is so smart, and sooooo funny.  She makes me laugh every day.  I know it may sound corny, but she really is the light of my life as she is such a "sunny" happy person.  <3