Happy new year to all of you! 2012, like 2011, comes with good cancer news for the Deans. As good as it can be anyways. Dad had another round of androgen deprivation therapy back in the early fall. ADT comes in the form of a shot, which goes around and starves all the cancer out. We know its worked when his PSA is lowered enough to satisfy his oncologist. So, for Christmas, Santa/God gave dad a PSA reading of " undetectable ", meaning the ADT had starved the cancer down to microscopic levels. (mom also had surgery the same day for trigger finger, unrelated to any cancer treatments we think) So that means Dad can go off the ADT until his PSA begins to go up again. Thus far he has had two rounds, and both worked in just one treatment, which is great because eventually each round can become less effective as time goes on. He's gotten the best out of each one so far, and being on the treatment less also means less of the hot sweats and negative heart and bone effects. He's still running like a champ, too! Only bad news this time was that his white blood cell count was down significantly- which the doctors didn't seem worried about but he is making sure to have double checked.
Meanwhile, 7/8 of the Deans traveled to Florida for Amy's Disney Soccer Showcase. Amy was tough and had a very impressive tournament (at least in this big sister's eyes- that girl is a tank!). While there, we went to Universal Studios and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter where we sipped on some delightful Butterbeer, and reminisced about how nice it was (at least for our feet) to have a wheel chair exactly a year before while mom was on chemo. And at the same time- how absolutely not worth it all that was for a wheelchair to rest in! We are very happy that God has brought us in the direction He has since last years' trip, which seemed to kick off a new year with much better health outlooks for our parents. We loved that trip last year, but this year to be doing it with a cancer free Mom and clean PSA Dad was fantastic.
Best to all of you for a healthy and happy year!
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