Baseball used to be a game played with wooden bats, Converse tennis shoes and kids who gathered from the local neighborhood. The backstop was concocted from a makeshift fence. The bases were either paper plates or pieces of cardboard that never stayed in place. Usually, we only had two or three ratty baseballs, so if we hit the ball in the ditch or creek, we had to run and retrieve it quickly before it became waterlogged. I remember that there was only one game on television to watch on those Saturdays, so whatever the Game of the Week was, that is what we watched. And when the neighborhood boys came knocking on the door looking for players, I’d ask, “Can I play this time?” And they’d always say that I could only play if they were short a player. Much to my chagrin, I wasn’t asked to play very often.

Times sure have changed, haven’t they? Not only have we seen a plethora of changes in baseball, but also in the medical field as well. It is amazing what we are about to share with you, as our journey to find a cure for Dave continues.

Dave and I are flying to Seattle in just under two weeks. We will be consulting with Dr. Cassaday at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) to discuss CAR-T Cell Therapy. If Dave is eligible and the timing is right, he will undergo a procedure where his T-cells – a type of white blood cells that destroy bacteria, viruses and cancer – are separated from his blood. The cells are engineered and duplicated to become cancer-fighting cells, called CAR-T cells. They are grown in the lab until there are millions of them. Then, they are infused back into his body to recognize and destroy any lingering cancer cells. This clinical trial is a type of research study that tests how new medical approaches work in people. With SCCA being the premier location for cancer research, we feel this is his best opportunity for a cure.

Cancer research has come a long way. We feel fortunate that 23 years ago Dave was cured of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma by using a similar treatment that is still used today. We also know that he received excellent treatment for ALL that quickly put him into remission. This allowed him to receive a bone marrow transplant October 10. His BMT could not have gone any better than it did. It was textbook, but the dreaded disease returned. We are now about to meet this new challenge head-on and hope he is eligible for the CAR-T Cell Therapy. I equate it to him becoming a bionic man. From a wooden bat to an aluminum bat and from Converse high tops to Nike cleats, we are about to attack this game in a cutting-edge way.

I know some of you could just hear me break out into song when you read that title. I still do that even in the most challenging times because singing makes me happy. I’ve been listening to a lot of inspirational music lately because it reminds me of all that is good. It reminds me that even when you feel beaten down it is your choice whether you keep going or not. It reminds me that there is a plan that only He knows.

Our plan is to fight again and get Dave back into remission. He is now on a new medication called Ponatinib. He will receive Round B of chemotherapy and will have a bone marrow biopsy in three weeks to determine if this plan succeeded. We will travel to Karmanos three times a week and hospital stays will be determined by his counts and overall health. Blood and platelet transfusions are inevitable. We will watch closely for any changes and respond accordingly.

Our team is growing larger and stronger and we are fortunate to have so many teammates “pulling the rope.” Day-by-day, even hour-by-hour, we will conquer cancer and kick it to the curb.