A good day today. I had my lab/blood tests and then saw Littman and Eleanor without the expected long wait. The nurse Suzanne who helps arrange things for us when we're at the chemo center is probably even nicer than the legendary Simon the Likeable. She even gave us hugs today.
The results of the CT scan were considered very positive because it showed no increase in the tumor size since the last scan a month or two ago. Littman was very pleased. The normal trajectory is an increasing size, then a leveling off, and finally and hopefully a decrease. So I may have reached the leveling off stage. There wasn't any evidence of other cancer locations outside the pancreas but the scan is not definitive. Littman asked us a lot about the Brody lecture last Saturday, and she is up on all the new finidngs and potential new trials in the future, for which I may be eligible. She even mentioned the possibility (not likelihood) of a resectable operation (the Whipple) coupled with a reversal of the colostomy at the same time. This seemed to be a lot better than the miracle scenario originally mentioned by Dr. Yeo months ago.
My next chemo session is set for next Thursday, Oct. 27; so I have another week of freedom. Littman may modify my protocol to minimize the adverse reactions. I also gained a few pounds which made everyone happy.
We celebrated by going to Caribou Cafe for lunch where I got a garlicky escargot appetizer along with a sandwich. Then we went to Macy's where I bought several pairs of pants to accommodate my new svelteness. (I'm such a clotheshorse; I probably spend several hundred dollars on clothes almost every year).
Tonight Linda ia being honored by the CLI Board for her services to CLI and in honor thereof, I plan to shave off my billy goat goatee, my first shave since the day before the wedding.
Have a good week.
Elkan - late Tuesday afternoon
Hi Elkan and Linda,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear it has been a bad week. If there is anything we can do, let us know.