CT Results

Here is the latest results of my CT scan from this past Tuesday, 4/17 of my chest, abdomen and pelvis. Overall, the study states that everything is stable, as it states, "STABLE DISEASE WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT INTERVAL CHANGE WHEN COMPARED TO 02/03/12. Yay! This is great news. Since I've been stable for the last 6 months on Gemcitabine chemo, my Dr agreed to do scans at 3 months interval instead of every 2 months. I know it's a little riskier to wait an extra 4 more weeks to do scans, but it's a good baseline to start doing as it's awful to keep getting the toxic contrast and radiation at every 8 weeks. It's a good compromise.

After seeing my doctor, I went upstairs to get chemo and my monthly shot of Xgeva (denosumab),which is a bone strengthening drug to help prevent bone fractures. The nurses used my power port to draw blood labs and also used it for my chemo infusion. I was a little nervous to use it as it's still itchy and feels funny underneath my skin, but it went very easily and smoothly with just a little tiny bee stung poke. It wasn't too bad at all and feels much better than the regular needle stick poke into a vein. For the easiness, it's no wonder many patients like having the power port.  Still though, I don't like having this plastic tube clamping to my neck vein 24/7...but I guess having cancer, this comes with the territory.

Work is getting busier and busier and so I may have to come in a bit earlier, like 7AM so that I can get my routine morning gym workout, shower and get ready for work by 8:30AM. I'm going to try this new schedule this coming week so that I can get the gym workout out of the way and focus on work. I'll be back on Wednesday for lab draws and chemo again this coming week. And another good news is this time, I'll have a good friend accompany me. It's great to have caring friends. Now, hopefully with my routine chemo, I won't have to always come alone all the time as perhaps with 2 friends volunteering to come along with me at least once a month, it won't be so lonely. 

Other than keeping busy with the kids, I've noticed that I get easily tired or run low on energy running around with the kids at places. Ever since I've had the port, my neck feels a little funny and I just can't wait to someday have this removed. I've heard some patients have this power port as long as 8 years! Yikes..that's a long time to wait..but then again, having 8 years onward to look forward to instead of the 2% of lung cancer patient make it past 5 years and beyond is an amazing milestone and a miracle to hope for. The weather's been nice and hot here and we're loving it. Lots of Love.