Happy Holidays!!!!

Happy Holidays everyone! The last few weeks I have just been focusing eating better and spending time with family. I was able to meet and start seeing a local hematologist for my anemia. I couldnt imagine dealing with my anemia problem and an aggressive chemotherapy at the same time. In that way, God answered my questions as to what to do next. For now, I am going to just focus on getting stronger and getting a better handle on my anemia. if it's God's will i'll get another chance at cancer treatment. I currently feel good and i'm just going to take it one day at a time. Thanks everyone for the great prayers, treats and foods. God Bless R.B.
s

Prayers and strength needed

Sorry for the long break in posting. I have been using the time to determine which path to take. I also had a friend and a relative pass away during the Thanksgiving holidays.

My new oncologist wants me to exceed the lifetime limit for Adriamycin. Doing so will cause heart damage and possibly heart failure (4% chance). He feels adriamycin was the reason i went into remission from 2001 to 2010. MD Anderson doesn't follow chemotherapy lifetime limit guidelines. They supposedly exceed the limits all the time.

Well my old longtime oncologist feels that Adrimycin wasn't very effective at all. He gave me 6 cycles of it in 1999 and the tumor actually grew. He also feels that  I'm not physically strong enough for Adriamycin. He feels that proceeding with this chemo will definitely kill me. It could deplete my bone marrow reserves  and or increase my chances of getting pneumonia.

My new oncologist is hoping that over 10 years, the cancer may have lost its immunity to Adriamycin. So pretty much I would be definitely hurting myself, for the chance the cancer may be slowed or stopped. I'm not thrilled about the possiblility of decreasing my quality of life or shortening my life for what isn't a sure thing.

Another option I have is to have a procedure where they get a small sample of the tumor and send it off to a lab where they expose it to different types of chemo to see which chemotherapy drug is the most effective. The only drawback regarding this option is that my nerves are shot and i've begun to experience panic attacks. I dont't think I could pull this off mentally.

I'm still praying on what to do next and I know that regardless of the choice I need to step out on faith. Thanks for keeping me in your prayers.

UAB

I met with my long time oncologist in hopes of being able to do my chemotherapy at UAB. After reviewing the information from Houston, my UAB oncologist decided that he could not order my chemotherapy because he feels that my body isn't strong enough to handle the aggressive chemotherapy regiment that Houston prescribed. He even went on to say that the regiment itself could be fatal. He gave me three scenarios where the treatment could do more harm than good.

At this point, I have several concerns regarding this plan and I plan to try and go over each one with my Houston oncologist. I have a great deal of respect for my UAB oncologist, so I definitely plan to take his warning seriously. I will most likely now be doing my future treatments in Houston. My hope is that we can start chemotherapy soon. I have my doubts about the current chemotherapy regiment, I'm hoping that the Houston doctor has something else I can try that is a little safer

Clearer Picture

I recently had to make quick
trip to Houston. My oncologist wanted me to be evaluated by his hematologist. The test result revealed that I have anemia. I'm either not asorbing the iron properly or my body is just not using it efficiently.

I have an appointment next week to meet with my local oncologist at UAB. At that time,  my local oncologist will order my chemotherapy drugs and  schedule my chemotherapy infusion appointment. I am going to try and schedule the procedure to have a main line port put in, for the same day to try and cut down on the trips to Birmingham.

I opted to continue my treatment at UAB/Kirklin Clinic because the staff there is really nice and I know the facility really well. I'm hoping that my chemotherapy is scheduled for next Thursday or Friday. The oncologist in Texas will direct and guide my treatment plan.

I'm looking forward to finally getting chemotherapy and hopefully starting to feel better. I also will need to start drinking at least 3 liters of water each day. It will be tough but I have to do it to protect my kidneys. I feel blessed to have the opportunity continue treatment and I'm praying everything goes as planned.

A week in Texas and thereafter

The two tests that I mentioned in the last post came back normal. My blood work also showed that my Hemoglobin was dangerously low, so it was necessary that I get a blood transfusion right away. The day of the testing we had to get to the hospital at 8 am. We ended up not leaving the hospital until almost midnight that same day.  We learned that a transfusion was needed around 11 am. We were hoping that they would be ready to start the transfusion by 2pm and it ended up not starting until 6:30pm. It was a long day. Luckily, the next day's tests didn't start until noon and my parents were there, to watch our son so my wife and I could sleep.

My chemotherapy that was supposed to start last week was postponed. The doctors want me to meet with a hemotologist first to try and figure out why I have needed so many transfusions lately. This most recent one, would be my third in three months. The earliest the could get me in with their Hemotologist was early this coming week. I'm praying that this appointment goes well and that we can quickly move forward with chemotherapy
I have to give my wife a lot of credit . In the midst of taking care of me she's been able to take care of the kids in a way that the kids haven't really missed a beat. She has:

- provided the kids with two great birthday celebrations

- just finished potty training our just turned 3 year old

- made sure our daughter has made it to all of her extracurricular practices and games

- made sure our daughter has continued to stay on the honor roll

My wife has been nothing short of amazing and I hope that she knows that I really appreciate all that she does each day.

While I was in Texas for my appointments, I got a surprise visit from my cousin Deborah. She is my dad's first cousin. She is from Carson, CA. She made a special trip Texas just to visit with us for a couple of days. I really enjoyed it. It has probably been about 10 years since I last saw her in person. I really learned alot from talking with her those two days. Including the importance of knowing and documenting your family medical history. Deborah has spent alot of time putting together the genealogy of my dad's family. She was able to trace our history back into the 1800s and maybe even further. She shared some information with me regarding the cause of death of my great-grandfather and great-grand mother that I wasn't aware of.

Before talking with her, I didn't know that my great-grandfather had passed away from stomach cancer. I also didn't know that Deborah's brother also passed away from cancer. Deborah's mom is currently receiving cancer treatment. When I was first diagnosed back in 1999, I really didn't know of any relatives that had dealt with cancer. Since then I had an aunt and uncle have battled cancer. So now, I have a better picture of my medical history and can say that there was most likely a hereditary factor in my diagnosis. I think having a complete medical history is really important.

I am treatable

I spoke with my new oncologist and after reviewing my case he determined that he had several treatment options for me. I was glad that he didn't just turn me away. I think his plan, if it works, would significantly improve my health and would put me back in a position where my cancer would be more manageable and that I would be able to go back to my normal routine of going to work and doing all the things that come with being a husband and a father.

There are some risks involved. I have some tests that I have to take and pass in order to even attempt this aggressive treatment. I really don't want to go into too much detail as to what we plan to do, since I have yet to take these tests. So far, I am very impressed with the knowledge and experience that these doctors have with my specific cancer. I am also pleased with the fact that I will be able to do my treatments in Alabama. I'll be able to do my chemo treatment in same facilities that I have used in the past and recuperate in between treatments at my home. I only have to return to Texas, every few months to be evaluated and discuss the next move. My new oncologist and my long time oncologist will work in tandem during this process. I just wanted to give everyone a quick update. I'll try and provide another update just as soon as I get the results back and hopefully prepare to begin treatments.

2nd, 2nd Opinion

I just wanted to give everyone a quick update. I'm feeling pretty good. My appetite is back and I'm eating everything I can. I'm getting stronger each day. This week, I was walking for the first time in about a month.

For the most part, I've been pain free. Recently had some pain in my side (ribs). I have some medicine that is helping but I plan talk to my doctor a stronger prescription.

I was recently able to visit my relatives on my mom's side of the family.Prior to this visit, I really didn't know when I was going to get to see them again. I had a great time. I hope I'm able to visit with them again soon.

Well, in the near future, I hope to get another opinion regarding my condition. I would like everyone to continue to pray for good news. For the last three weeks, I have had a real good feeling about the whole situation.  I feel that I'm definitely in God's hands and that regardless of what the doctors say, I will be taken care of. I love my family and my friends and if there is a possibility where I can get healthy again, I definitely want to go for it. If that isn't the case though, I want to spend as much time with my family as possible.

I've really enjoyed being able to continue to work. When I'm working, being sick is the furthest thing from my mind, which is a great feeling. I really appreciate my coworkers' patience in allowing me to work in this capacity. I am blessed to work with such great people. I also wanted to tell my team members thanks for the gift last week and that you guys should be getting something from me this week ;) .

Thanks and God Bless,

Randy

P.S. - Thanks. Mrs. S. for the great brownies.

Leaving the door open

After a lot thought, research, and prayer, I decided to go on and get a second opinion from the facility in Texas. I am definitely content with being on Hospice as I am now. I was watching a sermon and the message prompted me to try and leave the door open for a miracle (not to say that a miracle can’t happen in other ways) . I have always believed that when you pray for something, you go after it with everything you have and then allow God to do the rest. That’s the way I’ve always operated. So I did some research and found that the facility in Texas has treated my cancer more than any other facility in the country. Before, I was solely wanted to go there because I heard they were the best. Now I know they are the most experienced with my cancer, whereas the previous facility I went to for a second opinion was less experienced with my type cancer. This way I know I went all out and consulted the best.

Quality of life is very important to me. Unless this facility, is pretty confident that can get me back to where I’m cancer free, I will return home without further treatment. I do not want to undergo endless chemotherapy treatments, which will slowly deteriorate my body, for little to no gain. I have no problem coming back home and continuing Hospice and enjoying life with family and friends. I also will not undergo any experimental trials that risk shortening my life in any way.

Currently, the chemotherapy I just had, has left my body, my hair is growing back, and I’m currently able to eat regular foods again (though my taste buds are slightly off). I getting stronger every day. I’m happy. After I gain more weight and the rash on my face clears, I plan to visit with family and friends. Especially my friends at my job, I really miss them. I also would like to personally thank one of my mom's co-workers who has consistently and on an almost weekly basis made me some of best cookies I have ever tasted (for over a year now). I hope to be able to meet her soon.

I already have an appointment scheduled in Texas. I don't want share dates online, but I will update everyone on how things go as soon as I can.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

Then and now

Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Southwestern Regional Medical Center

I know I haven't posted in a while so I am going to try to bring everyone up to speed with this post.Since my surgery in April, I had been just going to work and spending time with my family, just like always. On August 1st , I got very lightheaded and nauseated while I was at work. I went to the emergency room. After several tests, I learned that I had two large tumors that were located in the chest cavity where parts of my lung was removed in my last surgery in April. On August 3rd, I met with my oncologist. He tearfully told me that there was nothing more he could do. He said that I had already taken the eight most powerful osteosarcoma drugs available.The tumors are two large for radiation, and the placement of the tumors made surgery impossible. He recommended that I sign up for Hospice. He also said that if I wanted to get a second opinion that he would completely understand. My oncologist, at UAB was always prepared and knowledgeable. He was my oncologist for 13 years and I feel blessed that that God allowed our paths to cross. The nurses in infusion there were always really nice and helpful. A few of them have become really great Christian friends, who call and check on me ( even as recently as last week).

Around this time, I noticed that my left hand was beginning to swell. It wasn't long before my left arm had become swollen, all the way up to the shoulder. It was three times its normal size. The weight of the arm was too much for my shoulder to bear. The only time I wasn't in pain, was if I was sitting with an arm rest or pillows under my arm. I did eventually get pain medicine to control the pain, but my arm continued to increase in size. My right ankle and foot were unusually swollen as well. For a couple weeks, I had to sleep in a chair.

After a few weeks, we decided that it wouldn't hurt to try and get a second opinion. We contacted the MD Anderson Cancer center in Texas. The earliest available opening was six weeks out. We agreed to get on their waiting list. We continued to research other cancer facilities. We ended up coming across the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, OK. We decided to give them a chance because they could see me within a weeks time. They offered to reimburse gas expenses or cover the cost of one plane ticket, and they offered heavily discounted hotel rates. The facility has rooms onsite and at a Hilton across the street. Patients without kids stayed onsite. For the initial visit, we had to stay in Tulsa for seven days. The facility appeared to be brand new. Unlike other medical facilities, you can tell they designed the facility with the patient in mind. Some of the larger medical facilities will have you walk back and forth, from one doctor to the next, until you feel like you have walked several miles. For most of my first day, I was placed in a room, and all of the doctors and specialists came to me. I was very impressed by that. Cancer Treatment Center of America (CTCA) believes in comprehensively fighting cancer. I was assigned a nutritionist, a naturalist (a doctor who looks for organic supplements of foods that would complement my treatment the most), a pain specialist (to make sure that I had all of the pain medication necessary), psychologist, pulmonary specialist, and oncologist.
The facility is also open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.


The Lobby at CTCA.

Another thing I like about CTCA, is that most of the staff I met spoke openly about God and prayer. When I met with the psychologist, our discussion quickly moved to Bible verses and God's forgiveness. By the time our meeting was over, I was very moved and clutching a Kleenex. Also on two separate occasions, I had two different x-ray technicians to offer to pray with me before the scan ( which I accepted). I also had at least five different patients share their testimonies of how great CTCA has been to them and how they should have began their treatment at CTCA from the very beginning. One lady I met called the facility "God house".

While meeting with the pulmonary specialist, I learned that my arm was swollen because one of the tumors was blocking the drainage vein for my arm. I was then able to schedule time with an onsite message therapist. The therapist showed my wife how perform lymphatic message therapy. This therapy is commonly used by breast cancer patients. This therapy allows the excess fluid to drain through the lymphatic system. In the first session, we could see immediate results. Within a few days of treatment by my wife, my arm, foot, and ankle were back to there normal size. I still receive therapy from time to time to prevent future swelling.

The facility is like a resort for cancer patients. They have a huge cafeteria where they prepare primarily healthy and organic foods. They prepared protein smoothies to order. You can add any fruit to it you like. The prices of the food are very inexpensive. The food was always fresh and very high quality. The cafeteria always had people flowing in and out. They also had what appeared to be a salon onsite where female cancer patients could go to be pampered (hair, nails, messages, etc).'They had onsite childcare available. There offered a number of other unexpected amenities available that I won't mention for the sake of time.


The salon is on the left and the clinic area is on the right.

After many tests , we met with the oncologist. The oncologist felt that he could control the cancer with chemotherapy. Based on conversation regarding my treatment, I got the feeling that he didn't have much experience dealing with my type of cancer. Against my better judgment, I agreed to begin chemotherapy at CTCA.

CTCA is a great place to receive treatment. I would recommend it to anyone. They are supposed to be breaking ground on a new CTCA facility in Atlanta next fall. Everyone there was very helpful.


As for me, I don't think CTCA is a very good fit for me at this time. Due to rarity of my cancer, its best that I see a sarcoma specialist like my old oncologist. I would like to work with a facility or oncologist who have seen thousands of osteosarcoma cases. I don't think CTCA have staff with that type exposure to type of cancer I have.

The last few weeks for me have consisted of dealing with chemotherapy side effects. This chemotherapy has had the worst side effects I've dealt with so far. Five days after chemo, I had to be admitted to the ER. I had shortness of breath, severe mouth sores (which made it very difficult for me to talk for several days), and low blood counts. I ended up having to get a blood transfusion. Since then I developed a severe skin rash and the standard loss of appetite, and other side effects I won't mention. Currently, I'm home resting waiting for the rest of the chemotherapy to leave my system. I haven't been to Tulsa since my initial visit. I feel blessed that I feel as good as I feel. At this point in my life, I think i would prefer letting my body heal and focus on spending quality time with loved ones than continuing chemotherapy. I am going to continue pray and continue to put my future in God's hands and try to stay in his will as I always have. He has never guided me wrong in the past.

I also wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for their prayers and well wishes. I really appreciate it.

Osteosarcoma

The type of cancer I have is called
Osteosarcoma. For those who mightt be interested, I have posted a brief summary of what it is, that I found online.

Osteosarcoma is a cancerous (malignant) bone tumor that usually develops during the period of rapid growth that occurs in adolescence, as a teenager matures into an adult.

Osteosarcoma is the most common cancerous (malignant) bone tumor in youth. The average age at diagnosis is 15. Boys and girls have a similar incidence of this tumor until late adolescence, at which time boys are more commonly affected. There is another peak in incidence among adults in their 60s and 70s. The cause is not known. In some cases, osteosarcoma runs in families. At least one gene has been linked to an increased risk. This gene is also associated with familial retinoblastoma, a cancer of the eye that occurs in children. Osteosarcoma tends to occur in the bones of the: Shin (near the knee) Thigh (near the knee) Upper arm (near the shoulder) This cancer occurs most commonly in larger bones and in the area of bone with the fastest growth rate.Osteosarcoma can occur in any bone, however.

Symptoms

Bone fracture (may occur after what seems like a routine movement) Bone pain Limitation of motion Limping (if the tumor is in the leg) Pain when lifting (if the tumor is in the arm) Tenderness, swelling, or redness at the site of the tumor Signs and tests Biopsy (at time of surgery for diagnosis) Blood tests Bone scan to see if the cancer has spread to other bones CT scan of the chest to see if the cancer has spread to the lungs CT scan of the affected area X-ray of the affected area

Treatment

Treatment usually starts after a biopsy of the tumor is done. Before major surgery to remove the tumor, chemotherapy is usually given. This can shrink the tumopr and it makes surgery easier. It also may kill any cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body.

Common chemotherapy medicines include: Cisplatin Carboplatin (Paraplatin) Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) Doxorubicin (Adriamycin) High-dose methotrexate with leucovorin Ifosfamide (Ifex) Surgery is used after chemotherapy to remove any remaining tumor. In most cases, surgery can remove the tumor while saving the affected limb (this is called limb-salvage surgery). Rarely, more radical surgery (such as amputation) may be necessary.

Source

Chemotherapy Drugs

Some people may not know this but I have been dealing with cancer every since 1999. Below is a list of chemotherapy drugs I've taken so far. If you click on the name of the drug it will take you to a webpage that describes how the drug is administered, how it works, and its side effects.

• Adriamycin
• Ifosfamide/Ifex
• Methotrexate
• Cisplatin
• Carboplatin
• Etoposide
• Cytoxan
• Navelbine
• Gemzar
• Taxotere

God is good!!!

Last week, I met with both my surgeon and oncologist. The surgeon stated that they were able to completely remove the tumor. Only 50% of the tumor was active cancer cells. The other half of it was actually dead tissue (thanks to the chemotherapy). The areas around the tumor was mostly scar tissue and not cancerous. All of my lymph nodes appeared normal as well.

My oncologist said that the surgery had the best possible outcome and that he was very pleased with the results. Going into the surgery he thought that there was only a 30% chance that they would be able to remove all of the cancerous tissue during the surgery. He was surprised and happy that all of the cancer was removed. He felt it wouldn't be necessary at this point to continue chemotherapy. He just wants me to return in three months for follow up appointment and chest scan. I just want to say thanks for all of the prayers and that I'm looking forward to returning to work soon.

Surgery and Recovery

I finally had surgery to remove the tumor on Thursday, April 21st. I had to do pre-surgery paperwork and blood work the day before and then I had to be at the hospital at 6 am the day of, so my wife and I, spent the night at a hotel near the hospital.

I think I got back to the presurgery prep area around 7:30 am or 8 am. While I was back there, they started two IVs and implanted an epidural. I think I was taken to the operating room sometime between 10 and 11 am.

Going into to the surgery, the doctor felt that based on the placement of the tumor, that he was going to have to remove the whole left lung. He did say that there was a small chance that he could save part of left lung ( one of the lobes). Well, due to the grace of God, he was able to do much more. He was able to save both lobes. He removed a small part of one lobe and half of the other. As of today, I still have two lungs. In my mind this is nothing short of a miracle and a testament to God's power. I feel very much in awe of God and very blessed.

It appears that I was woke up shortly after the surgery. I remember being out of it but hearing one of the doctors talking about a "resection". I knew that that term resection is only used when a section of tissue is removed. This gave me hope that the lung was saved. I immediately began waking myself up and asking questions about what actually happened in the operating room. It wasn't long after that I received confirmation that the surgery went better than expected.

After the surgery, my left arm and ribs were very sore. My left arm was also very stiff due to how I was positioned during surgery. It took a few days before I had the full range of motion back. I was able to check out of the hospital the following Sunday. My wife has been doing a great job of taking care of me. I'm currently off my pain medicines. I'm not in any pain but still experience a little soreness from time to time. Less each day. I'm taking it slow, I'm hope to be back at 100% by the end of May. I feel stronger everyday.

The Surgery will happen...

We met with the surgeon on Wednesday. After reviewing my most recent scan, he determined that surgery is now an option pending a breathing test and a radiology test. The the doctor feels both will come back good. The tests are scheduled for next week.

After the tests are done we will plan a date for the surgery.The date may be about 4 to 6 weeks in the future because the chemotherapy needs time to get out of my system. Having chemotherapy in my system would interfere with my ability to heal after the surgery. After surgery, I will be in the hospital at least four days. The recovery time is normally four to five weeks.

Last July, when I met with the surgeon he stated that surgery was not an option because of how close the tumor was to several major arteries near my heart.  This week, he noted that the chemotherapy had a significant impact on the tumor and that miraculously the majority of the tumor's shrinkage occurred in the areas close to the arteries. He said that the shrinkage occurred right where it needed to in order to make the surgery possible. God is good! If all goes well, after the surgery I'll be cancer free and done with chemotherapy.

We will continue to keep you posted. Thanks for all of the prayers and please  continue to send them up.

Surgery may now be an option

I got my latest scan results today and the current chemotherapy medicines (Navelbine and Cytoxin)  seem to be nearing the end of their effectiveness. The small tumor that was almost gone on my last scan now appears on this scan as just scar tissue.

I currently have only one tumor left. It is the original large tumor. There was no noticeable shrinkage of this tumor from the last scan. It is now 8 cm (or  3.2 inches) in diameter.  Last June, the tumor was 15 cm in diameter.

All of my lymph nodes appear normal. In the past,  I had some lymph nodes in my chest that were larger than normal. My doctor feels that I may now be ready to have surgery to remove the last tumor. I am currently not scheduled for anymore chemotherapy. I will meet with the surgeon next Wednesday afternoon.

If the surgeon agrees that I am ready, I will most likely have surgery soon and afterward will just be closely monitored by my oncologist.

If the surgeon still thinks that I am not ready. My oncologist will put together a new chemotherapy drug regiment to try and shrink the tumor further.

I haven't spoken with the surgeon at all since July but I'd be surprised if I am not approved for surgery this time. In July, surgery wasn't an option to to how close the tumor was to a major artery. Hopefully the reduction in the tumor's size will remove this obstacle.

Thank you for all of the prayers. They are definitely working.  I have been back at work for almost two full months now and I feel normal. My energy level is normal. My mind is clear which has makes work alot less stressful than when I first attempted to work will undergoing chemotherapy.  It always helps that everyone at my job has been patient and supportive as I try to get myself back up to speed on everything.
I am definitely excited about where I am health wise and about moving a step closer to being cancer free.

Blessed

I just wanted to write a quick post just say how thankful and blessed I feel to be healthy enough to be able go back to work. I work with a great group of people and I enjoy being back in the office.

As much as I enjoy being back at work, I definitely miss being at home. I got to spend alot of quality time with my family in the past few months that I wouldn't trade for anything. I have a beautiful family that I look forward to spending time with each day.

I have started a daily Bible reading plan that if I continue to follow  will allow me to finish the whole Bible in a year's time. I was worried that when I started back at work that I may not be able to stay on track but so far I have been able to consistently make time by reading at work or before bed. I prefer to read as soon as I sit down at my desk at work. It's great way to start the work day. Regardless of how many times you read the Bible there is always something new to take away from each passage.

Next week, I start another 3 week cycle if Chemotherapy. After that I believe I will have another scan. I currently feel great and I definitely hope that continues and that I can get to point in the near future where I can stop taking chemotherapy and give my body a rest. In the meantime I am very thankful to be able to get back to our normal everyday routine. Thank you everyone for the prayers. Please keep them coming. They are definitely working!

Update / What's next

Next week, I'll complete the third cycle of my current chemotherapy drug regiment.  After another four week cycle, another scan will be scheduled. If things continue to progress as they have been, surgery may once again become an option. Once the smaller tumors have completely went away or resolved, my doctor will setup an appointment for me to meet with the surgeon to discuss removing the remaining larger tumor. Hopefully at that point, I'll be cancer free.

In the meantime, I ask that everyone continue to pray. Thanks for all of the kind words, thoughts, and prayers. I really appreciate it. I feel really blessed to be at this point, especially based on where I started from. And not just physically but mentally and spiritually as well. Physically I feel as good as I have in about a year. I have a great appetite and I'm currently not experiencing any side effects from my chemotherapy or the cancer. I also feel as though I've learned alot these past seven months about what's really important and about making time for these important things and for important people. I have also been in contact with a lot of really great Christian people who continue show me how to be a better person. 

God bless!

Scan Results/ Return to work

Today I received the results of my latest scan. The doctor gave me a good report.He said that I am responding really well to the Chemotherapy and he has cleared me to return to work without restrictions. Thanks for all of the prayers.

An excerpt of the scan report is listed below.

There is a calcified mass in the upper left lobe extending to the the left apex.In comparison with the previous examination the mass has decreased in size.I would estimate the overall decrease in volume of the mass to be about 20 -25%.There is still considerable abnormal mass present.No bone destruction is identified.


On the previous examination there was a mass interposed between the ascending aorta and the vena cava.This mass has decreased in size significantly.On the previous examinination it measured approximately 2cm in maximum diameter. The small well defined nodule on today's examination measures about 1.4 cm in maximum diameter.The overall volume I would estimate has decreased at least 50%.There is still some infracarinal density present.It has decreased as well.It measures approximately 1.1 cm in maximum diameter compared to 2.3 cm on the previous examination.

No new adenopathy was found.

A precarinal lymph node is stable. Hilar structures remain grossly normal.

The right lung mass along the right cardiac border inferiorly has almost completely resolved.I would estimate that the over all loss of volume is 80-90%.

The small pleural-based nodule in the right lung just above the level of the carina is no longer present.

Pleural thickening associated with the right pericardiac mass has not changed.This may actually be scarring.

A very small area of pleural thickening occurs in the right posterior costophrenic angle.This was not definitely present on previous examination.It is not specific. ( Per the doctor who did ct scan)