The Magic Words

I had my scan yesterday. It was pushed back from last Thursday but the delay was no problem because I wasn't scheduled to see the doctor until today regardless. The doctor used the words "COMPLETE REMISSION" today when he showed us the results of the scan. What a wonderful relief. The chemotherapy has done its job and I don't have to have any more of it. I am excited about that. We went to dinner to celebrate. With school starting this week, things have been looking up with so many welcome changes. I feel like life has become new and fresh again. It is hard to believe all that has taken place between that first appointment with the oncologist in March through the appointment today, but we made it. I say we because this has been an ordeal not just for me but for my wife Tara who has been with me every step of the way. Also my little Sophie to a certain extent. A huge thanks to all of our visitors and all those friends here close to us for the help they have given us. And the prayers of everyone else have been a significant blessing.

I suppose I shouldn't get too excited. I still have radiation therapy. It has the potential to make me very tired and, because of the location, make my eating tube irritated. But I think that will be more bearable than chemotherapy has been. The next step is to make an appointment with the radiation oncologist and find out what plan he recommends. I'll let you know as soon as I find out. These changes are so great and the last week has been my best week in months. I feel great besides some tingling feet. That should wear off in a few weeks.

Happy Days

I had my blood drawn yesterday and my levels looked good so I was set free from shots. I made the comment to the nurses that I felt better then I have in many weeks. I have bounced back from the chemo and my other issues have resolved so if I can just catch up on sleep I might start to feel close to normal. Tomorrow I'll get scanned but unfortunately my appointment to discuss the results is not until Tuesday afternoon so we'll have to wait. I think that my oncologist will send me over to the radiology oncologist to discuss my radiotherapy plan. It will be nice to have that in place and finally have a firm conclusion date. Stay tuned.

Is that a light ahead?

Today has been a good day. I was able to enjoy a great Sunday dinner cooked by my mother. I feel a bit stronger and sense a welcome change approaching. I have made it through the worst of my most recent, and hopefully final, chemotherapy treatment. I am confident that my scan Thursday will show the doctor that we are ready to move on from chemotherapy to radiation. Is that something to be excited about? I think so. It should be much more manageable with the most prominent effect being fatigue with a bit of a sunburn. But hey, I've been dealing with tiredness since Christmas (and before - Sophie came along 14 months ago and we know what having a small baby can do). The other welcome change will be going back to work. I have enjoyed being lazy with a perfect excuse to do so but I haven't accomplished much and I think it will help see me through to the end if I can feel like I am once again providing for my family and using my talents.

I look forward to a good week. The things that I can manage are going very well. The things I can't control, the numb soles of my feet and lack of energy, are not so bad that I can't enjoy my last few days of a leisure life. We'll see what my lab test on Tuesday and scan on Thursday reveal. I'll keep you posted.

Last Chemo, Probably

For those of you checking my blog consistently, I apologize that it has been almost 2 weeks since an update. It was a rough time after the last chemo with complications coming to a head last Monday and Tuesday (the 1st and 2nd). I had two women independently tell me that I now have an idea of what childbirth feels like. I told the first one that I was sure that wasn't the case but after the second one I decided there must be something to it. I won't go into more detail other than to say that this time I am starting earlier with copious amounts of Citrucel and Miralax. If that's TMI (too much information) I apologize. I had several good days though and we were able to get out of town to relax a bit at a friends cabin.

As the title suggests I may not be done with chemotherapy as previously thought. The doctor went over a few "unfavorable" characteristics with me yesterday before my last chemo. The three things that might make the difference are the fact that I had chills and night sweats and that my tumor was close to "bulky" at 9 cm. Bulky is technically 10 cm or more. My blood test for inflammation came back very high at 112, well over the 50 they look for. That lab result is what led to that first CT scan way back in March. Seems like a long time ago but at the same time it has gone pretty quickly.

So Thursday the 18th I go for another PET/CT scan, the one that makes me radioactive. The doctor expects it to come back normal but wants to be thorough. I anticipate he'll send me back over to the radiology oncologist for my radiotherapy. It will be nice to know the plan for that particularly when I start and the duration of the treatment. I do plan on starting the semester on the 22nd, just 1.5 weeks away. After a long summer of accomplishing nothing it will be good to get back into the swing of things.

For now, one more chemo under my belt. As usual I was a bit tired when I got home, had a wavering voice last night, and trouble sleeping. Now begins the descent into the drug-delayed, delightful, debilitating bout with nausea. Hopefully by Saturday I'll be on the rebound. I did get the order to take preventative antibiotics with a low white blood cell count. They'll check it on Tuesday to see if it has gone up or if it needs some help. It's good to have Mom and Dad here this time.