Hi everyone. It's been a while since I've been in touch, but here's what's goin on and I would appreciate any feedback anyone might have.

So, my brother began his second round of Chemo (taxotrene 1x, cisplatin 4x and 5FU 4x). Then he was running fevers and had low white counts. My sis-in-law and brother were not happy with the treatment he was receiving at LIJ and so he was transferred to Winthrop. Meanwhile, we were told there was further metastasis to the lungs, even while he was on chemo.

After his transfer to Winthrop he was still running fevers and then became neutropenic. I understand that is a common side effect of chemo. While he was neutropenic his platelet count dropped, and so he was being given hemoglobin, red blood cells and platelets. I am told now that his white count is up, red count up but platelets are still low. Over the weekend the platelets fluctuated between 10 and 17. Yesterday they were at 21 or so. I know this is incredibly low, but Sis-in-law says they can send him home at around 30. That scares me because if he hurts himself, he could have trouble clotting.

I am told he is no longer neutropenic. Is that possible?

Also, he has been put on oxygen, which he should probably be wearing 24/7 but wears only grudgingly and must be reminded constantly to keep it on.

He has lost a lot of weight and muscle mass. No PEG tube has been suggested. No radiation has been suggested.

Under his current regimen he should begin round 3 of chemo on May 31, but with his platelets so low they won't let him begin. Also, they need to switch up the chemo regimen because he is obviously not handling the current regimen well at all. But before they will tell us what they want to do, the want to do a biopsy because they're not sure that what is in the lung is the same SCC that is in the face. Is that possible? Also, they won't do the biopsy before they get his platelets up because of the risk of bleeding.

He just seems to be going downhill so fast.

I have finally been successful in getting him an appointment at Sloan Kettering, but wonder if he will be able to keep it (we can move it though), or if we are just too late to do anything.

Any suggestions or comments anyone may have would be welcome.