Mid June and holding steady

So far this new chapter has just been new, not horrible. It's been two weeks now since my Dad started on the oral chemo drug Sutent, and he is doing well in terms of side effects. A yellow tinge to his skin is the only side effect that he is experiencing at this time. Since there are far worse things....I think that having some skin discoloration is not too hard to sallow - I mean swallow (okay, boo hiss --I know I know, I couldn't help myself) Anyway...I was researching on-line why the skin discoloration happens and I didn't gain much insight, one theory was that it could be because of the drug's color, and another was that it represents that blood levels of the sutent are adequate enough to reach the skin and other organs. Either way, it doesn't sound like an alarming side effect. A positive side effect is that my Dad's appetite has increased. This is great, as he was having trouble with his appetite in the month or two prior to starting the sutent. His taste buds had been altered from the radiation and he just didn't have much of an appetite. The increase in appetite from the sutent, in combination with his taste buds slowly being restored, have led to him being able to keep his food intake up and blood sugar levels in better range. Good stuff!
Next week he will have his first scan since starting the sutent and we will be able to get a good idea of how it is working. We hope that the scan will show that the existing tumors have shrunk, or are at least stable, and that there has been no new progression of the disease.
Enough medical stuff and a little bit of good family news!
Recently we have had the following events occur: Megan and Lauren both finished up their first and last years of College, respectively. Amanda graduated from 8th grade and Kyle graduated from kindergarten, Taryn finished 5th grade, Carsyn finished 3rd grade and Matt finished the first year of his electrician's apprenticeship. Yay everybody :) Jon's two beautiful girls are doing just great as well, they are growing so quickly!
In addition, my parents have had several special visits lately! My cousin Wendy and her family stopped in on their summer vacation route; Gary and Kathy Young and Gordon Hill, long time friends from Plymouth Haven Baptist Church, came down from Northern Virginia for lunch; and currently Jacquie is in from Tampa for an extended visit. This weekend they will all meet up with Sandi and her family and celebrate Father's Day at the Quackenbush River House. We really are blessed with close family and friends and we try and always remember that in the midst of dealing with the crazy hectic cancer life. -- Tami