Sorry if I freaked a few of you out, got caught up with getting ready for Rolling Thunder and didn't get to posting here! Well after recovering from a weekend of riding the motorcycle and spending time with a couple hundred of our close SCRC friends, back to business.
Saw Dr. Heyer on Thursday and he confirmed what I saw on the CT scans, the chemotherapy shrunk the tumor over 60%! And he was overall happy with the results and my tumor markers in my blood are all back to a normal level.
What they can't tell at this point is if the remaining tissue is just 'scar tissue' or it is still metabolically active (ie still a viable tumor and growing) Based on previous studies less than 25% of the time is the tumor still alive. So to determine if this is the case, I'm going to have a PET scan (Positron Emission Tomography) at the end of June. With the help of a tagged sugar, this scan determines if the area is still highly active (indicative of cancer)
If the PET scan comes back as normal, then we are into the watch mode following treatment that can go on for 3-4 years. If the PET scan comes back with the tumor as still alive/active, then I have surgery to remove the residual mass (now possible due to being post chemo and the size of the remaining mass)
So right now just getting back on with life, softball is winding down, school ends in a couple weeks and Shannon will be graduating to Middle School! Working at least half time in the office, and slowly increasing that over the coming weeks. But taking it slow as I regain my strength and stamina.
Not the ideal outcome from the Doctor's visit, would have loved to hear that the tumor was all gone! But better than it's still the same and chemo had no effect on the tumor.. YIKES... that would have sucked! So we are just trying to put this on the back burner and keep busy with life, family, friends, work, etc. We'll see what happens come the end of June. Will keep writing here every week or so, keeping ya'll up to date.
Your thoughts, prayers, and everything else has certainly been invaluable and I can't express enough what it has meant to not only myself but Marnie. We are still in awe of all the support that we have received from all corners of our lives, you guys ROCK!!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Catching back up
Wow been almost 2 weeks since I last blogged here, sorry for falling off the wagon. Let me update you on the happenings since I last posted.
So had the last chemo on Tuesday May 5th, and found out that I was pretty anemic. That would explain why I had mentally felt good the week before, but was so physically exhausted. I was unable to do a lot and was resting with morning and afternoon naps because my body wasn't getting enough oxygen.
Dr. Heyer said we could do nothing and it would take me 6 to 8 weeks to recover, or I could have an infusion of 2 units of blood and that put some pep in my step. Well that was pretty much a no brainer! So spent 6 hours on Wed May 6th getting infused with 2 units of whole blood. Took a couple days and then I was raring to go. Some folks who saw me before and then a couple days after the infusion said it was like two different people! The bags were gone from under my eyes, my skin tone went from Chemo Grey to normal and I looked all around more healthy.
Since then I have been trying to get out of the house, now that I don't get exhausted so easily. Been working half days in the office last week and this week, and jumped back into coaching softball. Keeping busy and trying to keep my mind busy and feeling good to be out and about again! Had a nice long walk yesterday with Shannon (riding her scooter!) and after this weekend will start some light weight lifting again.
Went for my CT scans on Monday May 18th (Chest, Abdomen, and Pelvis) it was a quick in and out for the scans, which was nice, although I felt the contrast throughout my body the rest of the day. It has been hard with waiting for the results, all sorts of thoughts going through my mind and I have been trying to keep my mind busy with other things, yet it seems to swing back around to here again and again. Been hard to communicate and that is a primary reason why I haven't blogged in so long.
See Dr. Heyer again on the afternoon of Thursday May 21st and will get the results of the CT scans then as well as the next course of action. This being in limbo is driving me batty!
Will post here tomorrow evening and let you all know what happens...
So had the last chemo on Tuesday May 5th, and found out that I was pretty anemic. That would explain why I had mentally felt good the week before, but was so physically exhausted. I was unable to do a lot and was resting with morning and afternoon naps because my body wasn't getting enough oxygen.
Dr. Heyer said we could do nothing and it would take me 6 to 8 weeks to recover, or I could have an infusion of 2 units of blood and that put some pep in my step. Well that was pretty much a no brainer! So spent 6 hours on Wed May 6th getting infused with 2 units of whole blood. Took a couple days and then I was raring to go. Some folks who saw me before and then a couple days after the infusion said it was like two different people! The bags were gone from under my eyes, my skin tone went from Chemo Grey to normal and I looked all around more healthy.
Since then I have been trying to get out of the house, now that I don't get exhausted so easily. Been working half days in the office last week and this week, and jumped back into coaching softball. Keeping busy and trying to keep my mind busy and feeling good to be out and about again! Had a nice long walk yesterday with Shannon (riding her scooter!) and after this weekend will start some light weight lifting again.
Went for my CT scans on Monday May 18th (Chest, Abdomen, and Pelvis) it was a quick in and out for the scans, which was nice, although I felt the contrast throughout my body the rest of the day. It has been hard with waiting for the results, all sorts of thoughts going through my mind and I have been trying to keep my mind busy with other things, yet it seems to swing back around to here again and again. Been hard to communicate and that is a primary reason why I haven't blogged in so long.
See Dr. Heyer again on the afternoon of Thursday May 21st and will get the results of the CT scans then as well as the next course of action. This being in limbo is driving me batty!
Will post here tomorrow evening and let you all know what happens...
Sunday, May 3, 2009
I'm going to Relay for Life
Well as the Chemo is winding down, I'm starting to feel normal, just get tired out way to easily! Got out to work for a bit on Friday and it was good to be out of the house, doing some things. It was great to see faces and not the four walls of the house! Here's a photo that was taken by a co-worker while I was at the office.
Saturday, I got out to Shannon's softball game and sat on the bench (well mostly! LOL) and helped coach for the first time this season. The girls were excited to see me out there and I was really enjoying being there, watching them play ball and improve. I miss this and look forward to getting back to coaching soon! However, it certainly takes a lot out of me, had a two hour nap that afternoon.. LOL Then went over to a friends for a nice relaxing evening of poker.
So, Thursday afternoon I was down at the girl's school and found out that Shannon's teacher from last year (Whitney Cook) is also a Cancer Survivor, along with several other faculty and staff from Clearview Elementary. They invited me to join their team and walk with them in the Relay for Life. I was honored and agreed to participate.
I'm wanted to let you know about this decision I have made and ask you to again support me in my continued fight against this insidious disease. It would be great to make a big contribution and hope that you will consider assisting me in this endeavor! You can help out by visiting the link below:
http://main.acsevents.org/goto/rogmon
If you would like to come out in person and be a part of the actual Relay for Life activities, here are the details:
Where: Herndon High School
When: Saturday, June 13, 2009
Time: 1:30 p.m. until 8:00 a.m. Sunday morning (Luminary lighting 9:00 p.m.)
Location: 700 Bennett St
Herndon, VA 20170
I'm still in awe of all that so many have done and continue to do as I battle the Cancer that invaded my body. We talk about friends and being there for one another, well if there were ever any doubts in my mind, they were eradicated as I have watched and received so much support, thoughts, prayers and help from people near and afar! I am honored, shocked, humbled and truly appreciate what you all have done to support not only me, but Marnie and girls during this challenging time in our lives.
Saturday, I got out to Shannon's softball game and sat on the bench (well mostly! LOL) and helped coach for the first time this season. The girls were excited to see me out there and I was really enjoying being there, watching them play ball and improve. I miss this and look forward to getting back to coaching soon! However, it certainly takes a lot out of me, had a two hour nap that afternoon.. LOL Then went over to a friends for a nice relaxing evening of poker.
So, Thursday afternoon I was down at the girl's school and found out that Shannon's teacher from last year (Whitney Cook) is also a Cancer Survivor, along with several other faculty and staff from Clearview Elementary. They invited me to join their team and walk with them in the Relay for Life. I was honored and agreed to participate.
I'm wanted to let you know about this decision I have made and ask you to again support me in my continued fight against this insidious disease. It would be great to make a big contribution and hope that you will consider assisting me in this endeavor! You can help out by visiting the link below:
http://main.acsevents.org/goto/rogmon
If you would like to come out in person and be a part of the actual Relay for Life activities, here are the details:
Where: Herndon High School
When: Saturday, June 13, 2009
Time: 1:30 p.m. until 8:00 a.m. Sunday morning (Luminary lighting 9:00 p.m.)
Location: 700 Bennett St
Herndon, VA 20170
I'm still in awe of all that so many have done and continue to do as I battle the Cancer that invaded my body. We talk about friends and being there for one another, well if there were ever any doubts in my mind, they were eradicated as I have watched and received so much support, thoughts, prayers and help from people near and afar! I am honored, shocked, humbled and truly appreciate what you all have done to support not only me, but Marnie and girls during this challenging time in our lives.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
