It's official. I've been accepted to Duke Cruise Lines

After arriving back home it was time to wait. Paula began setting up appointments for me because she was confident that the approval from the drug company was just a matter of shuffling papers. She and Dr. Blobe had already signed off on their approval. She calls on Thursday with a verbal OK from the drug company and then on Friday with the “official” word. We are excited to have this opportunity but this is crazy. Certainly not a vetting process I was ever looking to be a part of. So, how does this all work?

It’s planned for 6 cycles of 4 weeks that include 3 weeks in a row of treatment and 1week off. I will be treated on Tuesdays because that is the morning Dr. Blobe is in the clinic. Tuesdays will be long days. Start with a blood draw followed by about an hour for results to process. Doc and nurses check lab results and examine me to be sure that I am well enough for treatment. Once they see that I’ve met those parameters, a call is made to the pharmacy and treatment room to thaw the TH302. Thawing takes an hour. After thawing, the drug stays in the pharmacy for another 45 minutes to be mixed into solution. I will receive Zofran-an anti nausea drug followed by TH302-experimental drug. Then and hour and a half break until getting Decadron-steroid-helps with nausea followed by Gemcitabine-standard pancreatic CA drug. The Gem has to start two hours after the TH302 ends.

That’s what we know at this point. Molly is on her way for a weekend “pre cruise” visit. We have decided that this Duke experience will be my Duke Cruise. At one point Dr. Blobe was explaining Paula’s role as the protocol nurse. She’ll take care of all the logistics, communication, setting up appointments….oh, you know what “she’s the cruise director”. Oh boy, Duke Cruise Lines here I come.