Me and the Cancer
Me and the Cancer
This is likely to be a shorter than usual post oncologist visit blog posting or email. The primary reason for the short posting is that I have nothing but good news to pass along.
I had my PET Scan on Tuesday. That was fine. By the way, PET stand for Proton Emission Tomography. A PET Scan is designed to find traces of cancer throughout your body. The oncologist, Dr. Wang, used the term that the PET Scan “light up any cancer cells in the body.”
So much for the technical stuff; I’ll go with the simple explanation in words everyone can understand.
The PET Scan showed no new cancer cells in my body. That’s sweet.
My colon is clear except for what Dr. Wang called “physiologicals in my colon.” They are not cancerous and something that appeared in the Scan. It seems likely that they may be polyps and will be removed when I have a colonoscopy at the end of the chemotherapy cycles. That should be in June sometime.
Dr. Wang has set me up for an appointment with a colo-rectal surgeon to discuss what to do with the physiologicals.
The two spots on my liver did not “light up.” But, they are still there. It may be metasized cancer or it just may be the results from my misspent youth. They have not grown and that is good.
I think the oncologists and the surgeons will decide to operate and remove that part of my liver sometime this Summer. This seems to be the most likely course of events and most logical treatment plan.
I have two more cycles of chemotherapy scheduled and they will conclude in June. Beyond that, I don’t know what the doctors have planned for me.
I feel very happy and good right now. I don’t want to say that I am cancer free right now because cancer can always come back, especially in someone like me who has already had it.
I feel like I won this battle with your prayers, kind words of encouragement, and support. I thank you so very much for all of for everything.
Celebrating
Doug and I talked about a minor celebration after we heard the Scan results from Dr. Wang. I suggested that we go to the Original Tommy’s Burgers for lunch. Doug was agreeable to hitting Tommy’s for a Mega Combo. But, as time dragged for what seemed like forever, our options were closing down and we ended up at Giuliano’s instead.
I had thought about going to Coldstone Creamery for ice cream this weekend as a celebration. Somehow, the idea of having ice cream when it is only 64F / 18C did not appeal to me. Besides, I didn’t want to drip any ice cream on my jacket.
The week will be warmer before I have another chemotherapy treatment so there is still hope for an ice cream run to Coldstone Creamery or Glacier Gelato, or the Ice Pan. If worse comes to worse, I can always buy a quart from the market and have my ice cream at home.
The Lighter Side of Medical Treatment
One of the oncology nurses nagged me because I didn’t dress up when I went to her clinic on Friday. I told her that maybe my choice of clothes had something to do with the interminably waits in her clinic. Doug and I had to wait for two hours to get my papers for the next series of tests, infusion, and oncology visit.
There had been a mix up in handling them. The nurse offered to explain why it took so long. I said thank you but I was not interested in learning why it took so long; we just wanted to leave.
For those of you who don’t know, I make it point to dress up when I go for a dressing change; it seems to make the nurses happier and they smile more. That translates into better treatment for me or so I believe. You can look at my arm that has been covered with tape since January and there are no sores.
Be well and stay happy.
This is likely to be a shorter than usual post oncologist visit blog posting or email. The primary reason for the short posting is that I have nothing but good news to pass along.
I had my PET Scan on Tuesday. That was fine. By the way, PET stand for Proton Emission Tomography. A PET Scan is designed to find traces of cancer throughout your body. The oncologist, Dr. Wang, used the term that the PET Scan “light up any cancer cells in the body.”
So much for the technical stuff; I’ll go with the simple explanation in words everyone can understand.
The PET Scan showed no new cancer cells in my body. That’s sweet.
My colon is clear except for what Dr. Wang called “physiologicals in my colon.” They are not cancerous and something that appeared in the Scan. It seems likely that they may be polyps and will be removed when I have a colonoscopy at the end of the chemotherapy cycles. That should be in June sometime.
Dr. Wang has set me up for an appointment with a colo-rectal surgeon to discuss what to do with the physiologicals.
The two spots on my liver did not “light up.” But, they are still there. It may be metasized cancer or it just may be the results from my misspent youth. They have not grown and that is good.
I think the oncologists and the surgeons will decide to operate and remove that part of my liver sometime this Summer. This seems to be the most likely course of events and most logical treatment plan.
I have two more cycles of chemotherapy scheduled and they will conclude in June. Beyond that, I don’t know what the doctors have planned for me.
I feel very happy and good right now. I don’t want to say that I am cancer free right now because cancer can always come back, especially in someone like me who has already had it.
I feel like I won this battle with your prayers, kind words of encouragement, and support. I thank you so very much for all of for everything.
Celebrating
Doug and I talked about a minor celebration after we heard the Scan results from Dr. Wang. I suggested that we go to the Original Tommy’s Burgers for lunch. Doug was agreeable to hitting Tommy’s for a Mega Combo. But, as time dragged for what seemed like forever, our options were closing down and we ended up at Giuliano’s instead.
I had thought about going to Coldstone Creamery for ice cream this weekend as a celebration. Somehow, the idea of having ice cream when it is only 64F / 18C did not appeal to me. Besides, I didn’t want to drip any ice cream on my jacket.
The week will be warmer before I have another chemotherapy treatment so there is still hope for an ice cream run to Coldstone Creamery or Glacier Gelato, or the Ice Pan. If worse comes to worse, I can always buy a quart from the market and have my ice cream at home.
The Lighter Side of Medical Treatment
One of the oncology nurses nagged me because I didn’t dress up when I went to her clinic on Friday. I told her that maybe my choice of clothes had something to do with the interminably waits in her clinic. Doug and I had to wait for two hours to get my papers for the next series of tests, infusion, and oncology visit.
There had been a mix up in handling them. The nurse offered to explain why it took so long. I said thank you but I was not interested in learning why it took so long; we just wanted to leave.
For those of you who don’t know, I make it point to dress up when I go for a dressing change; it seems to make the nurses happier and they smile more. That translates into better treatment for me or so I believe. You can look at my arm that has been covered with tape since January and there are no sores.
Be well and stay happy.
posted by Chuck Reinhardt at 9:02 PM
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