Friday, August 26, 2011

Nervous about CT scan results coming up

I had my CT scan this week and waiting to go back to see Dr K on Monday. I really haven’t been feeling so great over this past chemo cycle. Physically I have been drained and haven’t felt this bad for about six months ago when I was on the full blown chemo. I have had a big couple of weeks at work which I know hasn’t helped, which my Beautiful Wife Meghan has reminded me of. She understands I need to work too keep my mind active but yes I need to get the right balance. Mentally the CT results have been playing on my mind. What if the PET scan is wrong and I haven’t seen any reduction in the tumors which would account for the higher CEA blood counts??? Or it could be the scan will prove the PET scans correct which would be fantastic. The only reason I have doubts is the high CEA result and the way I have been feeling and just yesterday I found a lump in my armpit. I will raise this with Dr K and hopefully it is nothing, but when you are not 100% these things weigh on your mind. All will be revealed in 2 days at the appointment.
Wish me luck and will update again after my Doctors appointment.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Lastest results have left me in Limbo

I am now back from Brisbane and had my PET scan. Went back to see Dr K and the PET scan results told us they could only find signs of a tumor in the right lobe of my liver. Fantastic news, BUT Dr K bought me straight back down to earth. He suggested the results may be floored and for various reasons may not be showing all the cancer spots in my liver. Looking at the big picture the results are still good, as one of the reasons they may not be showing up on the scan is they have reduced enough in size not to show up. If I compare to my last PET scan nearly 12 months ago where they could see two large tumors and a multitude of splattering throughout my liver to now only showing one tumor is a great result. So I will keep again keep positive and look at this as a good improvement. I also had my regular blood tests. The results of this are not so good. My tumor markers have increased again to 43. So in one hand we are saying the cancer is reducing in my liver but the tumor markers are telling us an increase in activity, hence my state of limbo. We have decided to do CT scans and have another close look at the liver and hopefully they will support the PET scan and show a reduction. So a CT scan and back to see DR K before the end of the month. Wish me luck. I am still on the chemo cycle and managing the side effects day by day. Working fulltime keeps my mind occupied pushes me to get out of bed everyday although some days are a struggle. Not sure how I am feeling emotionally at the moment. Maybe I am just too impatient, but I just want to know my exact situation so I can plan an attack on the cancer. Now nearly 12 months since I was diagnosed and funny enough although it has turned my world upside down it is now just a part of my life and take it in my stride and push forward every day. I have made fantastic progress from last year so I am very lucky considering the Doctors told me to go home and get my “affairs” in order. In other words prepare to die within the next 6 to 24 months!! I think the prognosis is much better now and my goal is to be able to go into remission in this year.
Thanks to everyone who has supported me over the last year, I would not be where I am now without this support. I will update again once I have the CT scan results.