“Dramatic Improvement”

And I suppose I have you to blame, I mean to bless, for those words I heard today. As with any undertaking, it’s the support team, the cheerleading squad, which always seems to be overlooked. I think that’s unfair. I may have done the suffering, but you guys have done the supporting, which may be even harder than suffering, and I thank you for it.

The feeling I got from the PET scan technician has proven correct. The three lymph nodes that had contained cancer cells appear to be clear, no sign of cancer activity. The tumor in the stomach has been reduced by 1/2 to 1/3 the original size, which was pretty big to begin with.

I’m hoping to get copies of the scans. When I do, I’ll post them on the blog.

Doctor Patel stated that their expectations, their hopes, after the second course of chemotherapy is to simply have held the cancer at bay, to have kept it from growing any more. To find that the cancer has been substantially reduced after Round 2 is a “dramatic improvement!”

It seemed significant to me that my Nurse For The Day, Nurse Diane, seemed to know which two words I meant when I mentioned hearing two good words from the doctor. One of the other nurses that heard about the results from me has already used the “R” word: remission. There's hope, yet!

That still means that I have to suffer through Round 3 of chemotherapy. But with any luck, and the support of my cheerleading squad, there may not be a need for Round 4. I have no knowledge of what will happen after Round 3, though. I think that we’re playing it by ear, here.

But, to help me get through Round 3, I have obtained an agreement from Dr. Patel allowing me to use my vitamins and minerals. I will also be able to use some of my other supplements like the turmeric and curcumin for joint pain, melatonin to get to sleep, etc. I will have to run other supplements by him for approval. I’m hoping that I will be able to use the Enzymatic Therapy IP-6 for several reasons. The strength I have isn't the "cancer" strength, but it will help with joint and other issues. But the Vitamin D and the magnesium will certainly help my “quality of life.”

So, things are looking good!

My thanks to all of you for helping to keep my spirits up. I have a certain core strength in my “stubbornness,” but it always helps to have support from “lots of people who love you,” as one of my email correspondents has put it.

So give yourself a big pat on the back, have a drink if you do (I was told by a nurse that I could have an “occasional” drink), and help me celebrate this victory!