O BCG

It has been a big week. Rick and I celebrated birthdays, our friend Sonya came to visit, and Rick had his fourth BCG treatment.
What he is told about the BCG treatments seems to change from week to week. At first he was told, “It's like a vaccination.” It is immunotherapy, meaning that the BCG revs up his immune system, as a vaccine would. His immune system then attacks the BCG, as well as any cancer cells that are hanging around. This idea pleased Rick: “They're making my body into a cancer killing machine!”
Yesterday someone explained to him that yeah, the BCG does activate his immune system, but unlike a vaccination, the treatments do not produce a permanent effect. When the treatments stop, the effect stops.
So gradually we learn what's going on.
He has two more treatments, two more Fridays, to go in this course of treatments. Then he'll have six weeks off, at which time he'll have a biopsy to see how the inside of his bladder is doing. After that he'll have three more treatments, and then, perhaps(?) six weeks after that he'll have another biopsy. If everything looks peachy then, he'll go six months before coming back in, and if he's looking OK then he'll go to annual check ups to monitor his condition.
At least that is the myth I'm telling myself today. I think this is what we can expect, but things change and we learn something different.
Today he said he felt lousy when he got up, and he went back to sleep for an hour or two. As he was frying an egg for Allysan, he told me, “I think I'm having a BCG day.” So he's not feeling so great today. Knowing that he's not supposed to be feeling great might be some small consolation, but doesn't make him feel any better. Only “tincture of time” and the prayers and good wishes of those who care for him will do that. Thank you for those prayers and good wishes.
The birthday celebrations were lovely.
Sonya came up on Monday, and on Tuesday we observed my birthday. On Wednesday, the eve of Rick's birthday, friend Gregg came over for dinner and we put some little candles that Sonya got on the pizza. They were letters on toothpicks that said “Happy Birthday,” and we put them around the rim of the pizza, lit 'em up, and sang the birthday song to Rick, then ate the pizza. I got out my guitar and sang “When I'm 64” and “In My Life,” among other songs. Then I brought on the birthday brownies. A good time was had by all!
Thanks for all the birthday calls and emails – these things mean a lot to Rick. He has really been enjoying hearing from you.
So that's week 4 here in bladder cancer treatment land.