WOW….it’s been almost 4 months since I lasted posted! Sorry for that but my mind was just not in to it! I haven’t felt like I really knew what was happening with me so writing and updating everyone was something I just felt I couldn’t do. But…things are much better now and I’m back!
As you all know, I’m a detailed and CONTROLLING person and when I don’t feel like I have control of myself and what is going on in my life….I’m not an easy person to live with!
Long story on the medical side, but in summary, I now have a new oncologist who is wonderful and willing to give me the details I need to understand what is going on. The other doctor was ok, she helped get me to this point, but did not seem to be able to give me the details and information I needed. This new doctor is a young girl, explains everything that is going on in my body and gives me the information I need of potential next steps so I have can have a vision of the remainder of my life for more then just 8 weeks at a time!
I had my first CT result meeting with this new onc. on Thursday this week and for the first time in 8 months; I actually saw the CT pictures and the tumors. It was amazing and I was able to see the tumors are small in comparison to the size of my lungs and chest! It’s hard to visualize the scope by just reading results and comments about how measurements such as 1.5 mm compares to the overall size of your body and organs. Also…current treatment continues to do its job! I’m on same treatment for another 8 weeks which takes me to the end of June!
What I have found out over the past four months, although there are a number of tumors within my chest and lungs, the trial I am on is targeting only 4 tumors. At each CT scan, the largest dimension of these 4 are totaled up and compared to prior. If stable or decreasing, I can stay in the trial, if any increase I’m out. So, at initial CT scan in early September 09, total was 10.9 cm, early Nov 09 went to 7.1cm, then at end of Dec 09 they were 6.7cm. The March 10 scan showed they were stable at 6.7cm again, but the largest of the tumors being watched decreased and it was the smaller ones which had increased. Now, the scan I had on Tuesday, May 4th shows a total of 6.5cm….largest still continues to decrease with some of the smaller ones increasing slightly again….but net shows another decrease which is great. I was just hoping for another stable but I’ll take a minus 0.2 cm!!! So we continue with same treatment for another 8 weeks but I can change some treatment dates to accommodate our busy next couple of months!
Caitlin is graduating on Saturday, May 22nd! Yes…she did it!!!! We are so proud of her! Since her graduation is early on Saturday, 10:30 Am and we are 2 hours away, we are going out Friday night and staying at a hotel so we are closer. That week I will have my treatment of Thursday afternoon and take Friday off work to rest so that we can drive out Friday night and hopefully I’ll be ok on Saturday morning. I should be, Sunday’s are normally ok, not much energy but ok! Then I will also have my treatment on a Thursday the week before Caitlin’s Party which is the first weekend in June!
Caitlin is very busy finishing up all her finals and senior papers, her internship at Westfield Council of Aging and she had her last day of work at the Westfield YMCA yesterday. One more week of real school for her, then it’s party time. The entire week before graduation is “Senior Week” and they have scheduled activities each day and night! Sean is doing good also…finishing up his Sophomore year at UNH. Finals week is next week for him also I believe. Still trying to finalize his next years housing arrangements. He is definitely not staying in the apartment he is in now, but still unsure where he will live next year. He is on the housing waiting list for the school…I so hope he gets back into on-campus housing…this rent, utility bills and ensuring he has food is not fun. I rather pay more for room & board and know he has everything he needs!!
Gotta go for now! Bernie and I heading to foxwoods tomorrow afternoon. We are going to the Hall and Oats concert and spending the night down there! Attached here is a movie I made for Caitlin and sent to her….my baby girl has grown up to me a wonderful young woman and we are very proud of her!
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