Please Note: The Wangs ask that you continue to "keep things quiet for the family" by using this blog and the albert6363@gmail.com email. (FYI, Al is not using his phone or his email.)
Albert started radiation therapy this week. He is scheduled to have a series of radiation sessions that will continue through the end of next week. Al also started taking Tarceva, a bio-tech agent that he is trying in lieu of chemo. Although there are still side effects, Tarceva has far fewer side effects than chemo.
As for how Al is doing, he is often tired, but his best moments are getting better. For example, while in the radiation waiting room, he was a bit more engaged in conversations. He talked about an Oakland restaurant, Shin-Shin, and also made cracks at his own expense.
Because Al will be extremely tired from the radiation sessions, we continue to hold off on visitors through next Friday. Depending on how Al's recovery from radiation therapy goes, the family will decide how to proceed. We will keep you updated.
THANK YOU all for your continued patience and for all the supportive email messages and blog comments.
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4 comments:
Is Al allowed to receive flowers or plants now that he's receiving therapy or do the doctors say that's a no-no?
Joely
Everyone,
Here are some more details about the anti-cancer drug he'll be starting. It's Tarceva, made by Genentech. It's part of a new class of so-called targeted therapies. As many might know, conventional chemotherapy is designed to disrupt any kind of cell division (a cancer tumor is made of cells that divide and continue to propagate without end). The problem of course is that many cells divide normally, and so chemo has such serious side effects because it's like taking a shot gun to all cells, healthy and malignant.
The new targeted therapies are based in part on the fact that cancer cells show abnormal intra-cellular processes, things happening inside the cell that don't go on in normal cells. Tarceva's designed to disrupt this abnormal process thereby stopping the cancer cells from dividing and propagating, while not affecting the normal cells nearby.
There are side effects, but we hope they're much less than conventional chemo.
You can read more about this online:
Genentech site
Tarceva site
Another nice thing is that it's a pill that you take orally, so Al shouldn't have to go into the hospital like traditional chemo often requires.
On a personal note, I happen to work at Genentech, and in fact did some (small) work on the development of this drug. It goes without saying that this has renewed and made much more personal the meaning of my work. I feel so fortunate to be able to contribute in my own small way to Al's health.
Tse-Sung
Thanks so much for all the news on Albert's condition. I want to send my best wishes to him...it pains me to think of Albert having to deal with all this!
I was part of the BASK group that went to McCovey Cove to sit in DHL's kayaks for Save the Bay during a Giant's game in this past September. Albert was part of our group. He brought a polo ball and his paddle and played by bouncing the ball off the walls of the stadium structure. He tossed the ball to people standing at the railing and played catch with the Giant's Seal Mascot who leaped into the cove with his surfboard.
I always have appreciated his playfulness and good cheer!
a paddle friend, Karen Wagner
A big thank you and hug to the family/friends for updating us on Albert's condition - especially his Albert-ism's! We've all been so worried, and its good to hear that there is hope - I hope the treatments go as well as can be expected! Please give Albert a big hug for me.
-Jenn Else
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