"... in general, there has been response to treatment with stability and decrease in multiple metastases, and an increased degree of necrosis of the large liver mass and conglomerate."There were some tiny lesions in the lungs that enlarged (we are talking millimeters) but the doctors consider this as an overall indication that the current chemo is working. I knew this already because I have been feeling better, pretty much from the week that they started administrating Paclitaxel. And side effects have been close to nil, aside from hair loss.
On Wednesday, the day after my doctor visit with this report, I got a call from Ann Arbor saying they had an opening in the study and "how is the current therapy working?" I was able to tell them that my response to the drug seemed to indicate its effectiveness. The woman at the other end of the phone was congratulatory but I must say it felt slightly strange to be clutching a bird when there were two birds perched in the bush right in front of me. As I mentioned before, they won't take me off effective therapy for experimental therapy, even if the experiment is in the exciting, cutting edge arena of gene therapy. I guess it is a good problem to have.
So I remain on my current regimen of chemotherapy once a week (Tuesdays) for three weeks on followed by one week off. It's pretty easy, especially as spring is breaking out all around me. The cherry blossoms are buzzing with bees, the lawn is full of violets, the goldfish are once again interested in food and the lily pads are pushing up from their pot at the bottom of the pond. My thoughts have turned to gardening and the new raised beds are already demonstrating fertility with pea and bean plants poking their heads to the surface.
2 comments:
Your attitude is amazing, Chuck. Have fun with those new garden beds!
Oh Chuck -- your writing is so moving, and amusing. A weird emotional rollercoaster just reading it, so I can only imagine what it's like living it. Our thoughts are with you.
Julie & John
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