This past Monday we received the results from Natalee’s, MRI and CT scans and it was heart breaking. Natalee’s tumors have grown, which also means that the chemo in no longer being effective. L Our first day with this news, we were in shock and felt like we had lost all hope. It was a bad, sad day at the Waltons. Since hope is what we rely on to keep us on the upside of life, I have anchored my hope and faith in the statement that ‘when a door is closed, God opens a window’. Sometimes we have to fall a little backward to go forward, and since that day of bad news, I have come to believe that this is the course. We have been informed of a new drug that was FDA approved in Oct. 2009 for advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma, (called Pazopanib Hydrochloride). It has been tested on adults (phases 1,2 & 3), but not on children. OHSU is now doing a clinical test (phase-1) on children with advanced carcinomas, where they cannot find a chemo that will help them. This makes Natalee a double qualified candidate. Monday Emmanuel called to try and get her in, but they were already full, so she is on a waiting list.
Three days later, today, Thursday Jan. 14, 2010, I have spent the day talking with Emmanuel and OHSU/Dornbechers. The great news, Natalee has been accepted into the program!! We are excited, nervous, and relieved but we really don’t know how this will affect her. It is a pill and has similar side effects as the one she previously was on, one concern is that it may cause high blood pressure. With blinders on, we cant see the picture our Heavenly Father has in store for us, but 3 months ago we didn’t have a backup plan if Sunitinib didn’t work and it worked long enough to keep her alive. Now amazingly we have a study right here in Portland. I will let you decide if this is a miracle, but no matter how you see it, it is great timing! As for our family we do believe in miracles.
*Prayer request: That the Doctors will speedily figure out the correct dosage for his patients (not just Natalee), with this new drug.*
