At today's appointment with the Oncologist, after waiting and being "patient" for 1.5 hours, I got to see both the Nurse Practitioner and Dr. Chang. I think I was the last patient of the day although I was scheduled at 3:40!
Both of them were more excited about the "Reduced Tumor Load" than I expected them to be. Basically, Dr. Chang said "keep doing what you're doing". He said that sometime in the next 4 months, before I see him again, I should see the Gastroenterologist (sp?) for another "scope" because those are so dang fun.
He said we are outside the window available to do surgery, but he said in light of what's happening, that may be alright. His plan is just to monitor the tumor 4 months from now and if it is still going well, then 6 months after that for several more years. He said the chance of recurrence in this type of thing is still high (he says more in the 40% range than the 90% range, but there aren't too many studies in this type of decision and treatment).
All my blood work looked normal and "perfect".
That's great, because I'm ready to go on vacation!
Love ya'll!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
The Incredible Shrinking Tumor
The last Pet scan was in November. The Tumor was 4.6 cm across. It is now 3.9 cm across. That's a 15% reduction. We think that's a good thing!
Also, the SUV number which supposedly measures the activity of the tumor, was 14.1 and is now 10.4. That's a 26% reduction. However, in the previous previous PET scan in mid-2009, it was 9.2, so it's heading back down. We think that's a good thing too!
Also, there is no visible metastasis! No spread is a good thing too!
These readings were from Dr. Dramov, my Naturopath. I go see Dr. Chang, the Oncologist, on Thursday and we will discuss what the next plan of attack will be.
I'm assuming we will have another PET scan in 6 months or so. Our portion of this is $500, so we want to do these as sparingly as possible, but it is good to monitor the tumor area and get some handle on what is going on there.
Will report more after Thursday's appointment...
Love ya'll!
Victor
Also, the SUV number which supposedly measures the activity of the tumor, was 14.1 and is now 10.4. That's a 26% reduction. However, in the previous previous PET scan in mid-2009, it was 9.2, so it's heading back down. We think that's a good thing too!
Also, there is no visible metastasis! No spread is a good thing too!
These readings were from Dr. Dramov, my Naturopath. I go see Dr. Chang, the Oncologist, on Thursday and we will discuss what the next plan of attack will be.
I'm assuming we will have another PET scan in 6 months or so. Our portion of this is $500, so we want to do these as sparingly as possible, but it is good to monitor the tumor area and get some handle on what is going on there.
Will report more after Thursday's appointment...
Love ya'll!
Victor
Thursday, April 1, 2010
28 Minute Cat (Pet) Nap
The PET/CT scan today went well. No surprises at the actual scan. As always, after the 28 minutes of lying perfectly still, the technician told me I could put my arms down from above my head...I needed help.
The chair in the staging room at EPIC imaging is almost worth the $500/hour I have to pay to sit in it...
We will know the results Monday and/or Thursday as I have two doctor appointments next week with separate doctors.
The chair in the staging room at EPIC imaging is almost worth the $500/hour I have to pay to sit in it...
We will know the results Monday and/or Thursday as I have two doctor appointments next week with separate doctors.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Flucation 2010
So Jeanah and I tried to get away for a 4-day weekend and it turned into a 5-day because we both went to Klamath Falls and had the flu all weekend long. The Running Y Ranch seems to be a beautiful place, much like Eagle Crest in Redmond. We would have loved to report better on it, but we were horizontal most of the time.
On the cancer front, I continue to visit Dr. Dramov 2x/week to get Vitamin C drips and will have the next PET/CT the last week of March (no firm date yet). Will visit with Dr. Chang after that for the results. Hoping the tumor area is shrinking with the Vit C treatments.
We plan to go on vacation in Mid-April to sunny California for 16 days of fun in the sun.
On the cancer front, I continue to visit Dr. Dramov 2x/week to get Vitamin C drips and will have the next PET/CT the last week of March (no firm date yet). Will visit with Dr. Chang after that for the results. Hoping the tumor area is shrinking with the Vit C treatments.
We plan to go on vacation in Mid-April to sunny California for 16 days of fun in the sun.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Be sure to take your Vitamin C!
So today I will start an 8-week, twice per week, Vitamin C IV regimen. I go to my Naturopath, Dr. Dramov, from 1:45 till about 3:45 on Mondays and Thursdays and he will put a large dosage of Vitamin C in my with an IV. I did this once back in October, but because it is $100 per visit and I didn't have the money, we tried to get the insurance company to pay it.
Recently, Dr. Dramov called and said somebody wishes to take care of the cost of this. I do not know who, or even if I know them personally, but we're going forward with it. Jeanah and I have discussed it and prayed about it and we think we would be crazy not to do it and see if it has any effect on the tumor.
Since the tumor has not grown or shrunken in the last two PET scans, it will be interesting to see if doing the Vitamin C IV does anything. I will be doing going in for another PET scan on April 5, so we shall see if it does anything.
Dr. Dramov is confident that this is enough time to see an improvement if one is going to occur from the Vitamin C IV. Our goal is to be able to use the Vitamin C to "shrink the tumor out of existence" or at least "make the SUV number go to below 2.5" which is in the "normal" range.
Both Dr. Chang and Dr. Dramov say that the SUV number being higher than 2.5 on the last 2 PET scans could mean that there is either still cancerous cells having activity and/or healing taking place in that region. Since the tumor has not gotten larger, there is a good chance it is just healing, but it's "tough to tell because of the mass of scar tissue in the area due to the radiation therapy".
All for now...
Recently, Dr. Dramov called and said somebody wishes to take care of the cost of this. I do not know who, or even if I know them personally, but we're going forward with it. Jeanah and I have discussed it and prayed about it and we think we would be crazy not to do it and see if it has any effect on the tumor.
Since the tumor has not grown or shrunken in the last two PET scans, it will be interesting to see if doing the Vitamin C IV does anything. I will be doing going in for another PET scan on April 5, so we shall see if it does anything.
Dr. Dramov is confident that this is enough time to see an improvement if one is going to occur from the Vitamin C IV. Our goal is to be able to use the Vitamin C to "shrink the tumor out of existence" or at least "make the SUV number go to below 2.5" which is in the "normal" range.
Both Dr. Chang and Dr. Dramov say that the SUV number being higher than 2.5 on the last 2 PET scans could mean that there is either still cancerous cells having activity and/or healing taking place in that region. Since the tumor has not gotten larger, there is a good chance it is just healing, but it's "tough to tell because of the mass of scar tissue in the area due to the radiation therapy".
All for now...
Monday, January 11, 2010
I'm Lucky!
Is it always good to be lucky? I guess not. Today I had a visit with Dr. Chang, my medical oncologist. I only had one question, it's one that has kind of been hazy for me over the last year. "Why me?"
He said we had, in fact, discussed this in our first consultation, but there was so much to go over then that maybe it got lost in the shuffle.
Basically, the answer is "You're just lucky."
He said that in simple terms, everybody's body is different. Everybody's environment is different. When a person gets carcinogens introduced into the body from the environment that the body cannot deal with properly for one reason or another, sometimes cancer happens. This makes plenty of sense.
He also said that this type of cancer happens more often in western society. He thinks it's because we eat more. He personally doesn't think it has as much to do with the "what" we eat as much as the "how much" we eat. (But, if we eat less, we should focus on higher nutrient things).
That answered that question, I guess...
We also discussed treatment proposed by Dr. Dramov, my N.D. Dr. Chang doesn't think there is enough evidence that the Vitamin C treatment works for it to be warranted, but he said ultimately it's up to me.
He did say that both Vitamin D and Aspirin in low dosage daily amounts have shown a small amount of help with colorectal cancers.
He said the result of the last PET/CT scan (back in November) was encouraging in that there is no spread and the tumor is the same size. He said the SUV number did jump to 14, and that it is tough to say what that is due.
Hope all is well with everybody in the new year!
He said we had, in fact, discussed this in our first consultation, but there was so much to go over then that maybe it got lost in the shuffle.
Basically, the answer is "You're just lucky."
He said that in simple terms, everybody's body is different. Everybody's environment is different. When a person gets carcinogens introduced into the body from the environment that the body cannot deal with properly for one reason or another, sometimes cancer happens. This makes plenty of sense.
He also said that this type of cancer happens more often in western society. He thinks it's because we eat more. He personally doesn't think it has as much to do with the "what" we eat as much as the "how much" we eat. (But, if we eat less, we should focus on higher nutrient things).
That answered that question, I guess...
We also discussed treatment proposed by Dr. Dramov, my N.D. Dr. Chang doesn't think there is enough evidence that the Vitamin C treatment works for it to be warranted, but he said ultimately it's up to me.
He did say that both Vitamin D and Aspirin in low dosage daily amounts have shown a small amount of help with colorectal cancers.
He said the result of the last PET/CT scan (back in November) was encouraging in that there is no spread and the tumor is the same size. He said the SUV number did jump to 14, and that it is tough to say what that is due.
Hope all is well with everybody in the new year!
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