Merry Christmas!!

Update from the last entry where I was preparing for the surgery.  I updated this on my Facebook status, but here's a recap.  Went in for the surgery in September and the Dr peeked around inside and decided that the chemo was doing a pretty good job and closed me up and sent me home.  Went back to see Dr Coscio and she wanted me to do four more treatments and then do a scan.  Did my four and had a CT and MRI last Friday.  Nothing like getting up at 430 am in order to drive 35 miles into town (sounds like I live out in the country or something!) to MD Anderson main campus.  Rolled into the valet about 630 am and prepped for the CT scan of the chest.  Piece of cake, been there, done that.  Finished up and went down 3 floors and prepped for the MRI.   This time was better than the last MRI.  I got the newer MRI machine which is a little bigger so it wasn't so claustrophobic feeling.  They also gave me headphones that seemed to be playing the Mike and Mike sports talk show.  Sometimes it was hard to hear the machine instructions to breath and hold your breath....MRI's are LOUD.  The good thing about early appointments is you finish early too.  So I was back home for lunch and then into the office for a couple hours.

Today, December 12, was my doctor visit today to review the CT/MRI...Met with Alicia, the PA today, I guess Coscio was busy.  Anyway she said "good news, the scans looked great..."  The two smaller lesions did not change size, the larger one moderately decreased in size...So, still responding positively....and so.....I get 4 more treatments!    Good news, I don't have to start up again until after the New Year.  Four more treatments then we'll scan again and go from there.   I'll take advantage of the break to get out there and walk some more.  During the period between last chemo and the planned surgery, I walked about 150 miles in 7 weeks, and felt great.  I tried to continue walking after I started chemo again, but man, I could not find the energy.  But with this winter break of a few weeks I am going to try and get out there again.

This time around (the last 4) has been the roughest, emotionally.  Just didn't feel like I was going to get to the 4th one any time soon.  But then it came and I was done.  Yeah, I was disappointed that I have 2 more months of chemo after the first of the year, but I am just ready to knock this thing out!!  The treatments aren't too bad.  I feel very fortunate that I feel as good as I do.  Alicia said I was a rock star with the treatments.  All of my lab numbers are great and my liver enzymes are great, meaning the liver is tolerating the chemo very well.  After this next round, if all three lesions continue to shrink, I guess we will keep going until the tumors stabilize and then the liver Dr will decide what the next move will be.  

So....bring it on!  Looking forward to Christmas with my grandson, greeting the new year with a new grand daughter and an awesome 2015!  I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and I look forward to bringing more good news in the new year!!

Light at the end of the Tunnel

Well, big news.  No more chemo.  The Doctors have decided that I've had enough and the two lesions on the old liver are small enough now that they can surgically remove them.  So here we go again with some serious cuttin'.  So a couple weeks ago I had an appointment with Dr. Aloia, the liver Doc, and he wants to go over the last CT scan and tell me my options....He said everything looks good to go ahead and remove the two lesions, they have responded well to the chemo and have shrunk from 7 cms in November to about 1.3 cms now.  He said we have to consider it now as well, because I was getting to the limit on the amount of chemo the old liver could take.  He said after 8 sessions, the liver starts to be affected, 12 and it is starting to suffer, after 18 its difficult to operate on the liver.  I was at 15, so it was time to stop.

The Doctors at MDA are terrific.  They are very flexible with their schedule.  I thought he was going to tell me after the consult that he had time next week if I wanted to have the surgery.  I was surprised when he said I needed to be off chemo for at least 4 weeks to get it out of my system I guess and give the liver a chance to rest.  I told him I had a conference in Hawaii in mid-September and he said no problem, we'll just wait for you to get back.  Easy Peasy.....So, September 23 is the big day.  He told me that between now (the appt last week) and the surgery, he wanted me to walk 30 mins in the morning and 30 mins in the evening and wants me to lose at least 10 pounds, all in an effort to strengthen the liver and make the surgery/recovery easier.  Been doing it and already down 3 pounds.  I want to do better than 10.

The week of the surgery starts with a Sunday MRI, Monday consult with the Doctor and the anesthesiologist, and then Tuesday admission.  The way he explained it, on the day of the surgery he'll start by inserting a little camera (hopefully I will be deep into sleepy land) to look around at the condition of the liver.  Then he'll take a biopsy and analyze the tissue to make sure it is strong enough for the surgery.  If everything looks okay they'll proceed.  He drew on a little diagram of the liver the two spots he was going to work on.  He quickly drew two squares around the areas and said "I'll take this one out! And then, "I'll take that one out!"  There is a tiny one he said he will just zap with a heated probe.  YIKES.  I asked him just how big his little squares on his picture were going to be and he said about the size of a lime.  Okay, a Key Lime or small lime, or a big lime?  He didn't say.  I'm praying for the Key Lime!!!

Anyway, I'll be at MDA main hospital for about 5 days, then home for about 3 weeks.  No driving, for a month, just recovering.  Not looking forward to the surgery, but its my best chance for a cure.  Now I may have to have what they are calling 'maintenance chemo' for a while afterwards, but that is okay, I can tolerate it fine.  So, keep me in your prayers for a healthy liver in about 5 weeks and the surgery can go forward.

Is it July already???

Wow, I haven't update this since December.  I have updated my status on Facebook, but its not the same in a blog it seems.  So, in my last post, I told you about my planned trip to Korea.  It was fantastic, chance of a lifetime, I'll probably not have another trip there again.  I was a little worried being out of the country for so long, not knowing what to expect with health, etc.  Turned out okay.  Korea, for the most part, is a fascinating place.  With my Japanese heritage, it was great to be in a similar culture.  

So two weeks in Korea, I flew back, restarted my chemo schedule, repacked and headed somewhere else, then another trip, then another chemo, then a little more chemo.  My last regularly scheduled 8 round treatment schedule ended April 18.  As I updated on Facebook, Dr. Redhair greeneyes, uh, Coscio, said she wanted me to go for 4 more treatments because I was responded well to the regimen.  She eliminated the weekend 'buddy' bag, which was a big psychological step.  I never felt I was making any positive movement when I had to drag my 'buddy' with me.  Leaving him behind helped alot.  I still struggled with the mere fact she wanted me to do four more, as I referred to them as my 'bonus' treatments.  But I knew I could do it if it was making a difference.  My next CT scan was in late April and it was good.  Reduction in the size of all the lesions.  All of my labs are excellent.  Dr. Coscio started to think about talking with the liver surgeon about next steps.

So, its May now, and Dr. Coscio is getting ready to go on her maternity leave.  Really?  Doesn't she know how important I am and she has the nerve to take time off to what, have a baby???  Just kidding.... Men don't ask the right questions, and then they have to report to their wives all the details.  I failed....again..."when did she have the baby?....uh, May?"  "what did she have?...a girl, or uh maybe a boy."  Anyway, she went ahead and took her time off.  So I met her colleague, Dr. Nelson.  Sigh.  No red hair, green eyes, and all the other Angela stuff.  I guess I'll just consider him...the Doctor.  So, first meeting (older guy, serious look as he peruses my chart)....so, you had a CT scan in April.....looks like the lesions were showing reduction in size....looking at your lab work....(I REALLY HATED THOSE PAUSES!!!)...everything..looks..great!  You are responding well to the chemo, we are going in the right direction.  MAN...WORK ON YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS!!!  I was expecting during anyone of those pauses for the...

"however....", but everything looked good.  I told him about Coscio's plan for surgery and he said maybe we won't do surgery and just kill them off with chemo.  Okay, you're the Dr.  But we will probably look at long-term chemo just to keep things in check.  Bummer.

So fast forward.  July 23, last of the four 'bonus' treatments.  Hooray.  CT scan planned for the following week.  July 2, CT scan at the main campus of MDA.  Been there, done that, know the routine.  You go in early to do blood work...then you go to the Imaging Dept and get in the queue to prep for the CT.  They call you back the first time to get your vitals..then you wait..then they call you back to start your IV for when they inject a contrast medium during the scan.  And they give you this extra large plastic cup with the drink of your choice (Sprite, Sprite zero, of some other juice) with oral contract poured in. "Okay, drink down to this line (the portion where those drink cups get small at the bottom) in an hour.  Save the last until when they call you back."  I picked Sprint Zero...zero calories, gotta watch my weight!!  ;-0   This time around though, they threw in a kicker..."and did they tell you that you are going to get a barium enema too?"  SAY WHAT???  Oh well, when you go through all you do to stay upright, what's a hose up the bum.   Oh yeah, they do that once I get on the table, they didn't make me sit in the waiting room with my 'bag-o-barium'.  

So, into the CT room, get on the table, same old routine.  Then this 'extra' nurse is in the room.  Hmmm....what do you do?  Oh, okay, turn on my left side, ok, you're going to count to 3....1, 2, HELLO, 3.  She needs to work on her delivery.   Anyway, I won't go into the details.  They hurried along the scan because they knew I was trying to keep a quart of barium inside.  Finished the scan, scooted out of the room in a hurry to find the bathroom.....ahhhhh.  Uh, no details.

Now its Thursday, July 10, follow up with Dr. Nelson.  He's more upbeat today, second meeting, so as guys, we're 'buds' now.  Big smile..."so, you have the CT results.  They look...great!  Continued response to the treatments.  Lesions have reduced another 25% from the last CT so we are moving in the right direction.  Labs continue to look great."  He changed his position on surgery this time and said he would send a note to the liver guy about surgery.  He said the only way to be cured would be to remove the tissue.  If we just shrink them with chemo, they'll always be there.  I think Dr. Coscio will be back by the time I have my next follow up, and maybe I'll know what the liver dude has to say by then.  So this was  a very long post, sorry, but catching up with 6 1/2 months...

I am super encouraged by the news.  I am progre...oops, responding to the treatments.  I learned from my excellent friend who works at MDA, Heather, that in cancer lingo, if you are 'progressing' that's bad, means the cancer is progressing.  To express good news, she said you say you are 'responding' to treatments.  Thanks Heather!!! Responding, responding, responding....

Did a treatment today...I guess in the spirit of the World Cup, having finished regular time (eight original treatments), extra time (four bonus), I guess we are into penalty kicks.  Feel yuck tonight, but not too bad.  Looking forward to a better tomorrow.  Still don't like having to do the chemo, but I am bound and determined to beat this one again.  I have a great family and the best of friends along with me on this ride.  I remain positive, there are cancer patients I see when I am in for treatments working much harder than I am to keep ahead of the bad guy and my heart goes out to each of them.  I have a great team at the infusion clinic of MDA-Woodland, everyone of them!!  So, onward and upward.