Nagative is Positive!

I finally got the results from the test and the result was negative, which is what we wanted. I don't have to go to San Antonio - that's where they were going to send me if the test was positive. I'm so grateful that I don't have to go out of town for treatments. I'm feeling good, probably since I've had a chemo break for the last several weeks. It's back to the infusion center on April 26th, but in the meantime, I'm going to enjoy this time. Celebrate every day, that's what I say...

Is the cure worse than the the disease?

Is the cure worse than the the disease? I doubt it, but it seems that way sometimes. I've lost 50 pounds! Last week they did a biopsy on the liver and an MRI on my brain. The MRI on my brain showed no activity (who knew?). That was good news.

They are going to use the tissue from the biopsy to do a test and based on the results they will recommend a cocktail of drugs to use.

The surgeon

I had an appointment with my surgeon yesterday. The good news is that I won’t need surgery yet. I’m not even a candidate for surgery for the cancer, this is something else – in case I get “clogged up” they may have to put a stent in. I was very anxious about the visit – I have said before that if you go a surgeon eventually he’s going to recommend surgery. Kind of like if you hang out at a barbershop you’re going get a haircut. Not me, of course – no hair anywhere. One thing about being bald – you don’t have to pay for haircuts anymore! Life is good!

Bad-bad-good

The last six or eight weeks have been good and bad. I got very sick after treatment two and four weeks ago, but I'm glad to say that this week was much better. I'm feeling pretty good, just very tired. The new treatment is working well, so that makes up for the side effects. I have another CT scan scheduled for the end of January to see if there is any new "activity". Right now I''m feeling good and I have 12 days of freedom!! Celebrate every day!!

Baldy

The new drugs I've been taking really had the hair coming out, so I decided to shave it all off. It looked really bad and I'm not sure I can pull off the bald look, but I really don't have a choice.

The good news is that I am responding well to the new drugs, so I got that going for me, which is nice...

Up and Down

My CEA tumor marker has been going up, so my doctorordered a CT scan this past week. The scan was OK, but
some tumors had increased in size enough so that my doctor is going to change the medication I'm getting. She's going to start me on Avastin, and said that a lot of patients have had success with that drug. They told me at the beginning that this would happen - you use one drug until it stops working, then change to another. I'm actually looking forward to the change - I was starting to get tired of the side effects of the old drug. Now I'll just get new side effects! As long as it works, that's all I'm interested in!!

Steady as She Goes

I've been on a routine and things are going fairly well. I had my 4th straight "good number" with the CEA reading, so I think we are going to stay on this schedule for a while. I go in every other Tuesday and have the pump on until Thursday when I get "disconnected". I still get neuropathy from the chemo, but it isn't too bad. As a matter of fact, I was able to swim today at Barton Springs (for a little while).