My latest scan... not good...

[skypup]

Reporting back in. Had a scan on Monday which showed a 2cm liver met, up from "too small to characterize" 3 months ago, plus a few other still-small liver thingies. Guess I'm not a strict Olymphian anymore. My CEA has taken a big jump for the first time ever. They found nothing to explain the pain I am having in my mid-to-low back and left inguinal areas, but my lymph node mets and the cancer that spills out around them never show on CT (barely show on PET) and I'm pretty sure some of that LN mess has grown to where it is pressing on places it shouldn't be. So in just two months I've gone from feeling pretty darn good while hiking above tree line in Colorado to taking pain meds in order to sleep.

I have appointments lined up with the head of the research center in Dallas, my regular oncologist, and MD Anderson (with traveler001's doc -- thanks for the recommendation) in the next couple of weeks. There is a vaccine trial in Dallas that has had good results that I want to look into; I wasn't eligible before because one has to have a big enough liver met to dissect and do magic stuff with and then reinject the cells... one of those kind of trials. Well, I have got one of those mets now. I will be talking to the regular doc and the MDA doc about what standard treatments are available and what might be expected from them.

When I declined chemo for life, I said I would consider chemo when I needed it to control symptoms (not being a believer that chemo cures and knowing there are only so many bullets in the gun, I didn't want to fire them off too soon). Now the time is coming to make a big decision -- what am I willing to do, at what dosage, and for how long?

Do I regret taking the uncharted road? For me, the very personal decision to try a vaccine trial before standard treatments had failed is one I don't regret. I got to have well over a year of very good living with no cancer side effects and no chemo blues. Did the trial drug extend that good quality time? I'll never know, but 6 months with no rise in CEA was a good run for me.

And now the journey/kidnapping continues... I thank you all in advance for your understanding and support!

[tchan8888]

Take some chemo ..... It does the body good ....

[gep]

Skypup,
My husband used lidocaine patches on his back when he had back pain or if you don't want the lidocaine, he also had tiger balm patches that we bought over the counter at Walgreen's. They smell but work. I think his back pain was also related to those abdominal lymph nodes.
Sending hugs and positive thoughts. Only you can decide about the chemo but it worked really well for a time on my husband's liver mets.
Gloria

[lorrainem]

Sending the vibrations of positivity your way right now. No regrets is a great lifestyle; now on to the next phase!

[edgellc]

Take some chemo ..... It does the body good ....

All the cool kids are doing it!

[Ashlee H.]

So sorry the news wasn't better. But I love that you have a plan in place. No regrets. There is no right or wrong in dealing with cancer.

[Asterix]

Sorry to hear your results. I hope you find a treatment option that you after comfortable with. And thank you for participating in a trial.

[michelle c]

Wishing your results were better but hope you get a good plan in place soon that you're happy with. No regrets. Cancer has a mind of it's own it seems. Sending you strength and very best wishes.

Michelle xox

[Rockovage]

Best wishes on your continuing journey and sending positive vibes your way !

[southernkiwi]

I'm sorry about the scan, and more sorry about the lack of well-being. That's pretty much where I am at the moment, too, after those same five years. I hope a good plan gets you (literally) back on track.

[ams5796]

Skypup, I'm sending out good thoughts to you. "No regrets" has a really good ring to it.







Ann

[vickitwo]

I am praying that the doctors can come up with an effective plan for you. Good luck.

[lauragb]

I am sorry to read of your latest scan report. On the other hand, I think it's great how you so carefully choose what's best for you in the treatment arena with NO REGRETS. It sounds like you had a great year and
checking in on your latest options may lead you into more.

Sending caring thoughts and light your way.
Laura

[smokeyjoe]

Uggh, sorry about the scan. What did the Dr.'s from the trial you are participating in have to say about this? The new trial sounds interesting, what's involved in that .... how often would you need shots etc., I'm sure you'll find out the details as you leave no stone unturned. (My sister sent me an e-mail about someones dog getting an immunotherapy shots which irradicated his tumors and they were going to start with human trials, I can't find anything on internet about this, but she saw it on the news about a month ago, so who knows). Best of luck on your decision.

[jean60]

You have so much in place already! I hope all these appointments yield the information you need to make your decision. And when it is YOUR decision, I am sure you will once more have no regrets.

I just reread what I wrote and it stinks. I don't have the words to tell you how much I hate that things went this way. But I certainly do have a lot of faith in you.

Jean