A Morning with Oncology
Glenn and his daughters, Olivia (left), Steph (right)
We had our first oncology appointment today with Dr. Kroll and Dr. Maciel at the University of Iowa, and it gave us a much clearer picture of what Dad is facing and what comes next.
They confirmed that Dad’s cancer is stage 4 bladder cancer and that it has spread to his bones. Hearing that out loud is heavy, and there’s no way around that. At the same time, the doctors were very clear that there are strong treatment options available, and they feel optimistic that treatment can help him start to feel better—especially with some of the symptoms he’s been dealing with like low appetite and fatigue.
Both doctors were both so thorough and we feel good about the plan they have in place for Dad.
Treatment will be a combination of two drugs—one that directly targets the cancer, and another that helps his immune system recognize and fight it. He’ll also start a medication to help strengthen his bones, which is important given where the cancer has spread.
The schedule will run in cycles:
One week with both treatments
One week with just chemo
One week off to recover
Starting next week, he’ll begin treatment at the University of Iowa, and then we’re planning to transition his care locally in Waterloo with Dr. Rahim. The goal is to make things as easy on him as possible while still keeping that connection to the team at Iowa.
One small piece of good news—he won’t need a port, so everything will be done through a regular IV.
There are still a few more steps ahead, including scheduling a bone biopsy to help guide treatment moving forward.
This has all been a lot. Not only for Dad, but for our family. There’s no way to sugarcoat it.
While this isn’t something that can be cured, the focus right now is not on the long road ahead—it’s on the next step in front of us. Starting treatment. Helping him feel better. Getting his strength back.
The doctors shared that many patients do start to feel improvement once treatment begins, and that gives us something real to hold onto.
For now, we’re taking it one step at a time. And we’re doing it together.
❤️
