an encouraging CAT scan report, and other good things

We have two good things to report this week.  The big one is that in our Wednesday meeting, our oncologist gave us more information from last week's CAT scan, and it is quite positive and encouraging.  You may recall that the February scan (after our first series of chemotherapy treatments) showed little if any effect beyond what the radiation had accomplished—so the doctor changed to a more aggressive regimen.  This time, the scan shows substantial improvement in every specific item, as far as we can tell from what the scan reader's report indicates.  The lymph nodes are reduced in size; for example, one in the "mediastinum" (central chest cavity) which had measured 2.2 cm is now 1.23 cm, and in the lungs one nodule which was 2.5 cm is now 5 mm.  And extra fluids in the lungs "have resolved," and "no new pulmonary nodules are present."  All of those items (and some other details with which I will not trouble you) sound good to us.  We're not experts, and we remain warned by our medical folk that this cancer is "treatable, not curable"—but this report at least suggests that we may be moving toward keeping the disease "at bay" (our social worker's phrase) for a while.  So, as W.S. Gilbert wrote in The Mikado, "modified rapture"!

 

In addition, Steve drove himself to The Gathering Place (about a 20-minute drive) for his Reiki appointment this week, and was reminded of the increased freedom he felt at age 16 when he first got his driver's license.  (When he drove for the first time a couple of weeks ago, it was much shorter and with me also in the car.)  We have signed up for a Tai Chi class at The Gathering Place starting next week, so then we will also have some organized exercise—the first since taking leave from the Cleveland Hiking Club.  We continue to have visits and support from friends and family, and to be overwhelmingly grateful for all of them.  Thanks to all of you for checking in on us.  And if you haven't visited yet (or recently), please feel free to get in touch and let us know when you might like to stop by!

 

--Carol

 

   

a better week; a wonderful weekend

 

So, after the worrisome symptoms last week I did call the oncologist, who suggested we might make an emergency-room visit (NOT an attractive prospect), and on our declining that called back to ask that Steve get an extra blood test to check on kidney function.  That test seemed to indicate nothing in particular, which we figured was a good thing.  Meanwhile, Steve has been feeling better, and we hope that whatever it was last week was a passing issue.  We went in on Wednesday for the CAT scan.  We haven't had a full report on that, but the doctor's call on Friday said that at least the lymph node enlargement seemed reduced, which is a good thing. J  Our next meeting with the doctor (oncologist) is for this coming Wednesday, when we expect we will get a fuller report on the CAT scan results as well as the next chemotherapy infusion.

 

But the great thing was the weekend.  Matt and Celeste and Dylan arrived by air from Boston on Friday afternoon, and Melissa and Aaron by car from DC Friday evening, and we had a fantastic (though short) weekend visit together.  Dylan is a delight to watch and listen to, of course, as he loves his life with Matt and Celeste and is willing to share bits of it with us.  Aaron made a great buttermilk pancake breakfast for all of us on Saturday, and it was a treat to have Melissa and Aaron in the house along with Matt and Celeste and Dylan.  We watched the baby, and visited (and Margie came up from Ravenna to swell the crowd ;->), and generally had a good time.  All of the kids helped me learn a little more about my new computer, as well…(my old one hung up its spurs a couple of weeks ago, so I've got a new one to learn—aargh).  All of this was enhanced by the fact that Steve's energy level seems to have returned to our recent "new normal," given that he took an afternoon nap when Dylan did—all good.  We were sorry to see everybody leave for home on Sunday, but are looking forward to more visits very soon.

 

Then, today (Monday) Steve had a date to meet with a high school AP English class to speak to them about tips for AP Exam prep—the first consulting gig he's felt up to doing since November.  We drove over to the west side for it; he enjoyed it, and the teacher whose class he saw (as well as the school principal) expressed their appreciation.  And upon coming home he was hungry (a good symptom), and had some of Olivia's chicken soup for supper.  So you see, all in all a good spell. 

 

Thanks again for all of your support, and here's hoping for more weeks like this one!

--Carol

a mixed report

So, another week has slipped by.  It has had many nice features.  Our follow-up visit with the radiologist on Tuesday was good--she was pleased with our reports and with all indicators she could observe.  She is interested to see the outcome of this week's CAT scan, as of course so are we.  But short of that, what she could evaluate was positive.  We had a wonderful five-day visit from my sister Nora, who drove to NE Ohio from W New York to stay with our other sister Margie in Ravenna from Wednesday to Sunday, and came up to see us each day.  On Friday, Keith and Karen came and played bridge with Steve and Nora in the morning, and after I got home from school Margie came up, too.  All of these visits were so heartening and enjoyable.  On Saturday, Nora also joined us at a play reading group meeting, and took a major role!  :)  Another very pleasant experience.

So, why "a mixed report"?  Starting on Saturday, Steve has been unusually tired and weak, and has had several episodes of the nausea and retching which seemed recently to have subsided almost entirely.  He's taken several doses of his "as needed" pain and nausea meds, and seems reasonably comfortable between episodes; but yesterday he ate nothing by mouth (though we continue of course with the Peptamen through the feeding tube), and today so far has had just a teaspoon of jello.  He slept in his chair virtually the whole day yesterday (Sunday).  Today, he was up and dressed  but already back asleep in the chair by about 7:15 a.m.  This could be partly normal fatigue from the extra visiting last week, but it feels like more than that, and I'm (obviously) concerned.  I am likely to report in with the doctor later today if this pattern continues--not that I can think of anything he might suggest that we're not doing already.  

Sorry (again) to end on a low note, but I figure that those of you who are reading this are doing so because you want to know what's actually going on with Steve.  And that's what's going on at the moment.  Thanks again to all of you for your support, in whatever forms it takes including reading our news reports.  

--Carol

an easy chemo and a quiet week

Not much to report this week.  The oncologist seems to have figured out a very good mix of anti-nausea infusions, so that last Wednesday's chemo has caused hardly any problem at all (just sensitivity to cold for several days, mainly).  CAT scan in two weeks will give us some notion how effective this round has been.  Supportive visits, notes, and phone calls have continued [thanks, all!], and yesterday Steve drove for the first time since he got sick.  It was a short trip, but still a nice step forward.  I've suggested that he might want to offer another blog from his point of view, and he has said he may do so pretty soon.  But for now, in case any of you have been checking in and concerned about the lack of news--all is going quite well. :)
--Carol

a quiet week

Things continue to go along fairly smoothly for the present.  Steve has had several visits again this week while I've been at school.  We played bridge with Keith and Karen on Monday, and bridge group met all together on Wednesday.  Steve had Reiki at The Gathering Place, and yesterday attended a meeting of the Novel Club's Program Committee where they finalized plans for this year's Annual Meeting and tentatively set things up for next year.  Together, we finished our Great Courses tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York! 

In general, Steve is usually fairly comfortable.  He is sleeping pretty well at night (albeit with help of a pill—but in the past that hasn't always worked, so we're glad it is working now), and able to enjoy socializing as well as reading and puzzles.  This week he enjoyed a phone call from Uncle Sonny (as well as from Melissa—and likely will talk to Matt later today) and the news that Dennis and Sharon are planning another visit. It's true that any extended activity is liable to leave him tired for a while afterward, but the energy investment is very worthwhile.  Ongoing thanks to all of you who are helping us to keep those activities coming, and to all who are keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

--Carol (and Steve)