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BLOG PAGE 2: ADDENDUMS 2010
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January 5, 2010: New Year. New stuff on the horizons for me. Here's what's happening. Been half 'deef' for a few weeks. Been fighting a little anxiety about whether this hearing loss was a result of my present chemo therapy. Oncologists didn't think so. Got in to see Dr. Ramesh this morning at 8 a. m. He checked me out and concluded that my problem was most likely due to wax build-up in left ear. Quite an impaction there, he said. Right ear was pretty clear. Anyway, Dr. Ramesh and one assistant went to washing and drilling and pretty soon had me cleaner than a whistle. Hearing is back, impaired as always, but as good as it was. Hurrah! Three cheers. Ramesh is a good ENT man. Don't base that assessment on just this trip; I've seen him in the past and he did a wonderful job on one of my granddaughters who has some problems when she was little. He put some tubes in and best we can tell she's fit as a fiddle today.
Left Dr. Ramesh's office, picked up a sausage and egg biscuit at Jerry J's, coffee and orange juice, and made a 9:30 appointment at Dr. Singh's office. Place was overflowing, no parking places, hardly a place to sit down. Folks in the office said it was kind of typical following the holidays. Anyway, got in and out in a couple of hours. Spent a good deal of time talking with Dr. Singh. He is referring me down to Baptist Health, Jacksonville, where they have some of the newest radiation nanotechnology for a counsult. I have appointment for Thursday, January 7, 2010. Will be seeing Dr. Sonja Schoeppel to review my situation and begin planning if they think they can zap some mischief out of the Big C still hanging around. I really have a good feeling about this, but we'll see. Some pretty amazing stuff going on now in radiation oncology in the hands of competent people. Preliminary understanding is that my new insurance will cover it, and need I tell you, that's a good thing!
Next chemo presently scheduled for Jan. 19, 2010, 8:15 a. m.
January 7, 2010: Kept my appointment with the radiation oncology folks at Baptist Health Cancer Center. Everything seems to be good, including their willingness to accept my new insurance. Told the chief billing lady, with whom I met first, of course, that the single most important question/issue I had is whether they were going to accept this insurance that I had. She said no problem. I said good, 'cause I do NOT want any service from any vendor there that do not accept the insurance plan that I'm presenting with. She said she understood, and I feel good about that. Feel good about all the folks I met there for this consultation. Dr. Schoeppel, a nice lady with an 11-year-old son who is a goalie for his school's soccer team. Dr. Schoeppel was trained at Stanford.
Anyway, they have this new Novalis Tx radiosurgery machine. They've had it since last February, a little under a year, but his whole team of physicians have been dickering with this kind of nanotechnology for a good while and appear to be on top of their game. Dr. Schoeppel said she thought they might be able to kill of this spinal tumor with one shot; said it could be three, but they wouldn't know that for sure until after my work-up. Anyway, sounded good to me and threw in with them and signed up. They'll work out the schedule and planning. I'll be making several trips to Jacksonville in coming weeks.
Don't know exactly how the medical folks are going to integrate the radiation with the chemo, but I'll finish this last Cycle of chemo on the 19th of January; of course, there is some room to move that around if necessary. Anyway, Dr. Schoeppel will talk with Dr. Singh and they'll get back with me on appointment schedule. Looks like I may indeed have a good handle on my status, etc. by the Super Bowl, like I've always said. Am I good or what? (Addendum: chemo on 19th canceled.)
January 13, 2010: Back to Jacksonville today for about 3 hours of scanning. They made a mold of my body, scanned me and then sent me for an MRI. They will apparently merge or fuse all this into a kind of template to help guide the Novalis machine which will zap the spine tumor.
Got to tell you though, these folks at Baptist didn't engender as much confidence as they did on my first visit. About as an incompetent a clerical operation as I've ever encountered. Wound up filling out the same form four (4) times; they couldn't get the paperwork from one desk to the next and one of those dreaded "we don't take that crap you got for insurance showed up" and I told them it was a hell of time to be telling me that after gushing all over me last week and saying something entirely different.
Long story short, they got it figured out after I told them that I didn't want any service they had there if they didn't accept the insurance I presented with and since they had already told me they did accept it, I wasn't paying a damn dime of the money I already owed them. They went to scrambling and called me back and apologized. Apparentldy some old bulldog know-it-all woman at Baptist didn't get the memo. Anyway, they said I was good to go. I'm all marked up and they working on the plan and will call me back in a few days. I hope the medical practice there is better than their clerical operation. By the way, the MRI was done in truck parked out in the parkaing lot. I asked them if they couldn't afford to put that thing inside. They didn't seem like they were accustomed to stupid patients asking questions and stuff. Oh, well, I'm still hopeful.
January 20, 21, 22, 2010: Been burning the road up from here to Jacksonville for the last few days. Had the radiation treatment on the spinal tumor this week: three days, three shots. My vision is that of that old tumor sitting there on the spine chilling in its Donald Duck bedroom slippers, fighting off the poisons we've been socking it with and then all of a sudden this week we shoot the little bastard with these beams of radiation. I can see him now, sitting there, chilling, when all of a sudden he yells, "What the hell is that?" And then he begins to squirm and shrivel up and dies. I have every idea he's ruined -- that's my story and I'm sticking to it. We won't be able to confirm that for awhile, but this machine, the Novalis Tx is quite amazing. It's one of the newest nano-technologies and Baptist Hospital in Jacksonville got their operation set up last February. There have been some really good reports about this technology and I believe with all my heart and the prayers being said for me it's going to give me good results. The machine focuses the radiation to the tumor itself, barely disturbing normal tissue: "Shapes the radiation beam to match the exact shape and size of the tumor or lesion, ensuring the maximum prescribed dose of high-energy radiation is delivered to the entire tumor while protecting surrounding healthy tissue." The machine adjusts via computer calibrations "the treatment beam to breathing and other body movements to continuously maintain safe, complete and accurate dose delivery." It's all out-patient: drive in and drive back home. Piece of cake with the exception of about 3 hours driving time daily. But it won't last nearly as long as the chemotherapy did.
It is painless. You just lay on the table and Novalis Tx just follows the treatment plan the team of physicians, physicists, technicians and nurses have put together and rotates around your body stopping at the prescribed intervals and angels and zapping the miscreant where it hurts the most. Good-bye Big C! Bet you didn't see that coming! Anyway, we're going to introduce the remaining bits and pieces of the tumor in the lung to Novalis Tx and the little spot on the illiac crest (top of hip bone) is going to get one shot and then I'm going to wind up the poster boy for Dr. Singh and Srinivasan and the Baptist Cancer Institute. Thanks for the prayers. Below is a picture of my new best friend, Novalix Tx:
February 5, 2010: Went to Jacksonville Mon, Tues, Wed, and Thursday this week for dates with Novalis Tx. (I'm changing the machine's gender to female; having dates with males just doesn't seem right.) We were zapping the remains of the lung tumor. Tough days in terms of driving and traffic, but the date with Nova was satisfying. Still a piece of cake in terms of treatment and very few side effects. Get a little tired and beat down, but that may be more loss of sleep than anything else. Appointments were all at 9 a. m. and the steriod (Decadron) they're giving me keeps me waking up at night. Been getting up around 4 a. m., out to McDonald's by 6:30 for breakfast and on the road to Jax by 7 a. m.
Will get marked up for the one (1) shot to the hip coming up next week and then I'll be done with Novalis for awhile. Then I guess we'll get a Pet Scan and see where we are. I certainly feel a lot better since I've been off that chemo. Haven't had it since Dec 28, 2010.
February 9, 2010: Made a 9 a. m. appointment this morning in Jacksonville (Baptist Cancer Institute) for the "simulation". This is what they do to get me all positioned and marked up for another date with Novalis Tx. Had a CT scan (wonder how many of these I've had since last May), and lay on a mold that they inflated to make a kind of cast for my upper body, and then marked me up literally, with a Sharpie! Using the mold and the markings and the CT scan, the doctor and the rest of the team will plan the radiosurgery to what's left of the tumor on the iliac crest (hip). When they're ready, they'll call and set me up an appointment to come in for the date with Novalis. They're only going to shoot this one time. Then I'm done with the exception of whatever follow-up is required.
I continue to do well in terms of side effects and debilitation. My legs are still shot, with the neuropathy still very much in evidence in both lower legs: lot of redness and numbness. Stamina is no good. No additional problems with the heart; in fact, I do not think I'm in atrial fib any longer. Don't have a lot of shortness of breath and no noticeable rapid heart rate. All in all I feel pretty good in comparison to what I have felt over the past several months. I remain encouraged and am praying to be able to report a remission in the coming weeks. Keep those prayers going.
February 12, 2010: Hip, hip, hurrah! Had my last date with Novalis today at 1:00 p. m. Shot to the hip. Whole crowd showed up for this one! I thought it was because I was graduating, but it probably was because I was the first "pelvis" they had ever done. Not that the graduation wasn't important: when I was finished they all hugged me and gave me a hot-cold canvas bag big enough to hold a small picnic and sent me on my way with an evaluation form to complete and return to them. Also gave me an appointment for a return visit in six (6) weeks with Dr. Schoeppel for routine follow-up. As the blue bag said on the side: "Novalis Tx, Surgery without a trace." Seems to have gone well, the staff seems to be confident they've accomplished much in my case and I'm confident they did.
As Dr. Bellecci tells me, I probably need a good "detox cleansing" now, especially if Dr. Singh and Srinvasan think I should have another round of chemo (God, I hope not). Another possibility is that they'll recommend a maintenance regime. I guess another PET SCAN will underpin that decision/recommendation. I'm to return to S&S in a couple of weeks. Haven't made the appointment yet.
Finally, I highly recommend the folks at Baptist Cancer Institute. They had some clerical snafus and there is the usual turf guarding behaviors between the departments (Out Patient Center and the Institute itself) that play out in front of patients from time to time, but all in all it's an efficient operation and a nice treatment experience, espcially the Novalis Tx which I had. That seems to be an amazing machine. I'll have to wait awhile before I know what exactly it did, but I can tell you now that whatever it does it's painless, comfortable and quick. It's also very, very expensive.
Through today, the charges for my cancer treatment exceeds $300,000.00! Again, this doesn't mean the vendors will be paid nearly that much, but this is what they have billed.
February 16, 2010: Rats! Met with Dr. Singh today. Had some blood work done and reviewed my status. I am doing wonderful if we're to believe Dr. Singh. But he recommends we do one (1) more cycle of chemo, three (3) treatments make a cycle in my case. Here's why as I understand it. Having Stage IV cancer it cannot be denied that the devil split off and ran to other places in my body. In my case it went from the Lung to the spine (L4) and to the left Iliac Crest (hip). Thus far, there has been no evidence (from Pet Scans, etc.) that the Big C has homesteaded anywhere else. This has always been very good news and remains so to this day.
So we began chemotherapy and there is little doubt the poisons roughed up the Big C a good deal, but he's a doggone good survivor in most cases, mine included. It is hard to kill him. But then you can't take these poisons forever; they'll kill you about as certain as the Big C. So we hit him again with this new nanotechnology via the Novalis Tx machine: "Surgery without a trace!" they say of it. It's a pretty amazing machine and my doctors and I both feel that Novalis kicked ass on the tumors I'm known to have. In fact, they say they're confident they killed about 95% of those cancerous cells. That, of course, means there may be a few laying around waiting to come back; there is also the possibility that there are some traveling cancer cells elsewhere that just hasn't surfaced yet. Hence, the recommendation.
As Dr. Singh explained, there is another option: do nothing but get a Pet Scan now and watch and wait. That is NOT his recommendation, however; he thinks it is allowing too much to chance and that is why he is recommending another round of Chemo, then get the Pet Scan and, if it shows me "clean" then we'll watch and wait. Besides, a good deal of time is necessary to really see what Novalis accomplished -- several months, actually. Anyway coming back with more chemo is consistent with other things I've read and with other advice I've gotten. And this is what I've decided to do.
I do not look forward to more chemo, but now that I've got Big C down I intend to kick out his guts. I'm regarding it as an overtime and I've won the toss! So we'll go for it. More poison next Wednesday, 2-24-2010. Keep the prayers coming. That's my greatest defense and you've done wonderful by me to this point. Thanks a million.
February 24, 2010: Poisoned again this morning. Appointment was at 8:00 a. m.; got out about 11:15 a. m. No problems, but I can tell I had chemo. Look for things to get worse in the next couple of days but then I'll begin to revive. Next chemo is in three (3) weeks. One more after that and then a PET scan if I can find some vendor that will take this sorry-assed insurance the great State of Georgia forced retirees to accept. They would have preferred us get out the State Health Iinsurance Plan altogether. Maybe I should have, but then anything else would have gone a long way toward bankrupting me. Only thing I've seen Barack Obama being right about so far: health insurance companies have become the biggest crooks in American History, rivaling the Railrods in the late 1800's, Big Oil for the last 50 years, Banks and Financials forever, health care providers for the last 25 years.
March 2, 2010: Was in Savannah today (no, not to hang out with Obama; he was at Savannah Tech, but I was just across the street from him.) to see my cardiologist. I sent word over to the Obama man and told him I was just across the way from him if wanted any advice. No one ever came for me so we just left and had lunch at the Olive Garden down Abercorn and came on back home.
It was a regular appointment with the heart doc. He said I was looking good. I told him to add a couple of bucks to his fee for that. Seriously, he said the old ticker seemed to be holding up pretty well and to show his confidence he gave me an return appointment in four (4) months.
March 17, 2010: Happy St. Patick's Day! I had plenty of the good Irish luck today. Went for the 2nd Chemo of this Cycle and it turned out to be the most efficient run-through of this long ordeal. Had 8:00 o'clock appointment. Got in and out just before 11:00 a. m. Bless those people for making it easy for me one time.
Blood counts are all good. WBC has returned to "normal" according to Dr. Sri. I'll probably have some misery in the next 3 or 4 days. But I'm getting jacked now. Have the last chemo in three weeks, April 7, 2009. Then the assessment. I really think we have kicked the Big C's butt pretty well and I'm hoping for big smiles and congratulatory tidings sometime in April. But we'll have to wait and see. Keep your fingers crossed. For those who pray, pray; for those who don't, don't screw it up for the rest of us.
April 2, 2010: Look here. Just because nothing appears here for a period of time doesn't mean that things are worse. If anything, it means things are better. That is to say, there is nothing to report. Just wanted to clear that up for those who have been wondering what the silences mean. Anyway, I went down to Jacksonville today (Baptist Cancer Center) for a routine follow-up with Li'l Sonja. She's the tiny physician who managed by courtship with Novalis Tx. She's so tiny she puts me in mind of me leprechauns, so I call her "Li'l Sonja. Full name is Sonja Schoeppel, M. D. Although I haven't had a PET since December (the S & S boys, Singh & Srinivasan wanted me to have another cycle of chemo before another PET) Li'l Sonja said I certainly "was looking good" and absent any new symptoms she felt confident I was doing well. She wants to see the PET results and I assured her she would get them. Remember, the full effect of the Novalis radiation treatment won't be completely evident for about 6 months. That's a ways off yet. But all in all, I remain confident that I'm greatly improved and once I finish this last chemo on April 7, I can maybe have some time to heal and rejuvenate from these blessed poisonings. Keep the faith and thanks for all the prayers and good wishes. You've been the greatest defense against the Big-C, dreaded scoundrel he is!
NOTE: Since my first diagnosis almost a year ago, healthcare providers have billed right at $700,000.00.
April 7, 2010: Hurrah! Congratulations was the word at today's chemo, my last for awhile. Maybe I can use that 3 to 4 hours for something else in my life. Doogie seems hopeful. L'il Sonja in Jacksonville seems to think I've done well. Pet Scan will be ordered in 2 to 3 weeks. I'm reminded by my doctors that this PET may very well still show some hot spots, especially from the radiation. It'll be about six (6) months out before the full effects of that is in evidence. But we can reasonably hope for a much darker scan and that will be good news. I'm excited. I truly believe that God has stepped in and guided the medical care and that I'm going to have results that surprises everybody. Keep your fingers crossed and the prayers coming.
Job one now is to get through the knock down that chemo always lays on me. It may be rough for several days now, but I can make it with my hands tied behind my back.
April 14, 2010: Pet scan has been scheduled for Wednesday, April 28, 2010. Am beginning to turn the corner from last week's chemo. Feeling better and better now. My fervent hope is to be able to stay away from the poisons. Too many body punches begin to wear on you. I will prevail though. Keep the faith and keep those prayers going for me. Without a doubt they're working.
April 28, 2010: Was prompt for my appointment this morning in Jacksonville for the PET Scan. Today is three weeks out from the last chemo. I am bouncing back real well. PET Scan folks asked how I was doing. Without hesitation I said, "Great! I'm here for you all to prove it!" Results should be in Dr. Singh's office tomorrow or the next day. I'll let you know what the results are and what the game plan is. I really hope that I can come off the poisons for awhile. That will be a miracle I can believe in.
April 29, 2010: Met with Dr. Singh this afternoon to review the results of the PET Scan I had yesterday. It is a great report and we were all hugging one another. The tumor at L4 and the one of the left iliac crest (hip) are gone! The small tumor in the lung has dimmed considerably compared to previous studies and now has a maxium SUV value of 3.1. However, this uptake may be merely caused by some residuals of radiation by the Novalis Tx treatments I had back in January and February and not any indication of continuing cancer. There are things that cause false readings on PET scans; I'm confident this is what we're seeing here. After all, how could the rather large tumor at L4 be resolved, the smaller but troublesome tumor on the hip be resolved and the bean-sized tumor in the lung not be? I'm calling it a remission and a miracle I don't care what anybody says. Dr. Singh even classified my case as an "almost remission" and was very, very pleased with the report. And there are no signs of cancer anywhere else in my body. But to be on the safe side, he wants to give me three (3) more treatments of Alimta. He is taking the Carboplatin out of the protocol (treatment drugs) altogether. Yeah, baby, I'll take that.
In short, I am happy to report that while I'm battered and bloody and beaten down, I'm not nearly as bad off as the Big-C. We've kicked the guts out of his arse, thanks in large part to the prayers and the good wishes of my friends. We won this game, I think, but I don't want to play the sucker again! This was Stage IV Lung Cancer, folks; not often you kick the guts out of this fella. I feel really good at the moment. Darker days may reappear in the future, but if that's a few years down the road then we'll call it a cure and prepare the birthday cake for the 80th.
Thanks for your prayers, and for caring about me. To those who were looking forward to the bell tolling for me sooner rather than later, eat your hearts out!
Want to read the PET report for yourself, click HERE.
May 6, 2010: In today for the first of three (3) more doses of Alimta. Took me about an hour to get in, blood work, analysis and to see the doctor, but then it took only about 40 minutes to get the poisons, etc. -- less than two (2) hours this time. Am anxious to see how this round goes without the Carboplatin. So far so good. Am a little short of breath. I believe the steroid Decadrone does that and I believe I'll insist on doing without that the next time I go in, which is scheduled for May 26, 2010. Decadrone's only purpose in my case is to head off a skin rash that is sometimes a side effect of Alimta; I'll just tell Doogie I'll sign a waiver or something. Hehehehe. All in all I'm still pretty giddy about the last Pet Scan report.
Little Sonja (the doc at Baptist who ramrodded my dates with Novalis in Jan and Feb) called me yesterday afternoon. That was awful nice of her. She was giddy, too, after seeing the Pet Scan Report. Natrually, she tends to credit Novalis for the good news; she's probably right, but I tend to credit all the prayers and everything else folks have done for me and to me. Makes no difference. It was a good report and I look for it to get better. If I can get off the poison for awhile then Dr. Bellecci and I will consider her detox program and maybe get all the toxins flushed from my system. I'm going to beat the unbeatable and of this I am sure. Praise the Lord!
May 26, 2010: In today for 2nd chemo of this 3-treatment Cycle. The last treatment knocked me on my butt for a few days, but I recovered fairly quickly and the wife and I managed a trip to West Virginia last week. We returned on Sunday and took three (3) days to recover. Long haul that trip to WV, but we stopped a lot and walked around and made it okay to and from. Enjoyed it very much and got to see some old friends, all of whom said they were very surprised to see me looking so well. One fellow in a little eating establishment in Alderson greeted me and said, "I heard you was about dead!" "They lied!" I shot back, and I don't plan on accommodating them any time soon. Mountaineers got a way about them you don't see much anywhere else, bless their heart!
Again, let me remind you that any scarcity of reports here is good news: means I have nothing to report and nothing to report means I'm doing great! I will finish this Cycle of chemo on June 16, 2010. Will have another Pet Scan, I'm guessing, about 3 weeks from then. Doogie today described what we're doing now as "maintenance" and "mopping up any microscopic cancer cells that may still be floating around..." We're going to do some serious discussion about getting off these poisons though after this next Pet Scan which I anticipate to be even better than the last one. Keep praying for me. Thanks.
June 16, 2010: I finished this cycle of chemo today. Had an 8:00 appointment; finished up 3 hours later. The delays and waiting game have not improved but I have. Even though these last chemos have been pretty rough: severe fatigue, constipation, constant nausea and the legs, especially the left one, feel like limp appendages, just flopping there and they hurt some, but I don't have to go back to Singh's office for one (1) month, July 15, 2010. Hurrah! I guess we'll talk about another PET Scan at that time. I'm really hoping for a vacation from the poison. Would be great to get to a remission or stable condition where we just watch and wait. I haven't lost faith in that happening. Thanks for all the prayers.
Again, if no reports show up here for awhile it will mean there's nothing to report. That's a good thing. Now I just got to bounce back from this treatment today -- probably take about 10 days. When I know something you will. Talk to you then.
July 6, 2010: Howdy! Had a routine follow-up with cardiologist today in Savannah. He said I looked good but was still having a "little a/fib." He stopped the Coumadin and started me back on Plavix. He seemed to think this would uncomplicate my life some. I'm glad for the move. Will stop the Folic Acid and the Vitamin D also. Bouncing back from that last chemo on June 16 has been rough; I remain fatigued and eating is not fun anymore, but I'm eating and that's the important thing. Lower legs and feet still a mess. Will see onconologist (S&S) again on the 15th. Looks as though I'll be off the poisons for awhile. Will probably schedule another PET scan at the meeting on the 15th. I pray for a remission and hope you'll continue your prayers.
I will let you know what the docs say on the 15th.
July 15, 2010: Hip, hip, hurrah! Got another month of poison free existence from Doogie today. Blood work was all good and he said if I would get off my arse and begin getting "a little exercise" that I would feel a lot better and quit falling asleep in my plate. No PET scan scheduled. Will do that when I go back in a month on August 18, 2010. No one is ready to say that I am in remission (I guess they'll need a near perfect PET scan before they go out on that limb), but I'm pretty sure in my own mind that I've kicked Big C's butt pretty good. I realize this doesn't mean that he won't bounce back and be all over me again, but there's little to no reason (aside from the statistics) that I cannot be in remission -- and further, a cure in four (4) more years.
Am off the Coumadin, off the Folic Acid, off the Vitamin D and no B12 shots and no chemo! I find all that worthy of celebration and I think I'll read a few books..., and by all means get some exercise.
Some eight (8) of my treatment mates (those that I know or have known for years and with whom I sat in treatment with over this past year) have died. God bless them and their families. But I'm still around for some reason and I hope I can prove worthy of the blessing and good fortune.
And for those who might wonder, the medical profession has billed well over $1 million dollars since my cancer diagnosis, most of that for chemotherapy and the Novalis radiation treatment in Jacksonville's Baptist Cancer Center.
Finally, thank you all for the prayers. And to those who have been pulling for the Reaper, Kiss My Grits!
August 18, 2010: Back to S&S (oncologist) this morning as scheduled to have port flushed and to do the regular blood work. First time since starting treatment that I've ever been called in early. Was a breeze this morning. Blood work looks very good, protein continues to improve (whatever that means). I weigh 217 pounds with clothes on which is way down and is a good thing according to Doogie. I feel a good deal stronger and a little more energized. No SOB, no noticeable cardiac problems. Doogie said he will schedule the PET SCAN in the next day or two and let me know. When the PET report gets back we'll get back together and go over the findings. I'm praying for a remission. Feel free to help me out with that if you're a mind to.
Meanwhile, I pointed out a little brown spot on left neck that is fairly new. Doogie didn't think it looked omnious but suggested I see a Dermatologist and have it removed and biopsied. I'll think on that.
August 23, 2010: Pet Scan appointment set for Thursday, September 2, 2010. Got the makings of a beautiful day in Mama's boudoir: declared remission and the full kick-off of college football season two days later. Could it possibly get any better than that? Keep your fingers crossed and the prayers going!
September 3, 2010: Pet Scan review today with Dr. Singh. News so good it has to be written in red: What "hypermetabolic interstitial" signs, even though there are a couple of new and very faint "modular densities" with measurable SUV values, are thought to be "inflammatory secondary to radiation therapy." The bottom line is Dr. Singh was comfortable enough to call my cancer in REMISSION clinically. Will continue to be followed, of course, and will have another PET SCAN in three (3) months. To see a copy of this PET click HERE.
Here's the official discussion of what REMISSION means: Remission is a term that doctors frequently use with patients and it refers to the response of the cancer to the therapy. A complete remission means that the cancer has completely disappeared with the treatment. Remission does not mean that the patient is cured. A cancer, however, cannot be cured without a remission; however, a remission does not always ensure that the cancer has been totally eliminated. To truly say that a patient is cured of cancer, one has to wait and see if the cancer comes back. The critical difference is time. If a patient remains in remission for a several years, one might say that the cancer is cured.
But REMISSION is what we were after today and this is what we got! Like I said earler, on my 80th birthday, to be celebrated on October 13, 2020, we'll definitely call it a cure! Damn, life is good and I am surely blessed. Thank you all who have interceded with prayer on my behalf. They worked and they will continue to work.
November 8, 2010: Things continue to go well. It has been slow but I seem to be getting some strength back although the lower legs still seem to be pretty well shot. None of the doctors seem to be too concerned and do not dwell on the legs much apart from telling me to keep the skin moisturized and to get off my butt and exercise some. I've been pretty sorry about exercising, but I don't feel like getting out and walking and so forth. Just a wimp I guess. I weigh 212 pounds and seem to be holding there. Eating all right, but the great joy in that enterprise that I once had is no longer there. Maybe one day it'll come back, but I think I would rather maintain a desirable weight than returning to my old pig-out self! Don't know when I'll have another PET SCAN, but the docs haven't said anything about that yet and I'm not going to push them.
Again, thanks for the prayers. I'm one lucky dude so far, and I can't help but give credit to the prayers. Will post more if anything develops.
December 12, 2010: No significant developments. Am back with Dr. Bellecci now trying to get blood sugar under better control. The residuals from the beat down suffered from the chemo are still in evidence, including the blood sugar problems and the neuropathy of the lower legs and feet. That may never get any better, but I think blood sugar levels have dropped. Will see Dr. B again on the 15th of this month. Continuing to see the oncologists once per month; next scheduled appointment with them is the 23rd of this month. May schedule the next Pet Scan then. Weight dropped to 210 and now is heading back up -- damnit! All in all I'm doing very well. Getting through Christmas is the biggest problem now! So Merry Christmas all. And happy New Year!