...but Nine is 75% of Twelve

We decided today that 12 is the plan for this series. CT results were good...no growth, and we assume they are dying in place. Whether they shrink or not is not as big a deal as I once thought, because it is impossible to tell on a CT whether the lesions are alive, dying, or dead. That would take another PET scan, to see the vigor, or lack thereof.

There is also a test called the "CEA" test, which most people refer to as the "tumor markers." It measures the growth of fast-growing cells, as when a healthy, pregnant woman is helping a new baby grow...and also when someone might be hatching cancer cells. For me, this test is completely lacking in direction, because my CEA numbers have actually been lower than most. Back when we took out the colon chunk, the numbers were really low, thus not helpful. Each time I visit the doctor nothing shows that I should be doing this...Yet we know from the pictures that we need to continue. (I'm learning more science in this journey than I thought about taking in school.) The bottom line on this lesson is that I don't mention, or care about the "tumor markers" because the number provides no guidance in my case.

We talked about and scheduled the last three sessions in this series, and also about additional pathways when that's done. What we'll do is complete session 12 in April, go on what Dr. Chang described as a "chemotherapy holiday" to see whether anything further happens...and then attack with radioactive beads and possible surgical intervention if needed. There is also the possibility of further chemotherapy treatments, but we're hoping to find that the little jerks just pass out from exertion and give the challenge a rest. That phrase, called "remission," is not something I thought about using much, but is one we hope to describe quite often.

I'm fortunate to field phone calls from lost friends, enjoy fabulous meals with others, and share time with those who might be having their own challenges in life...Work has gone well. So when I start whining, and someone near and dear says, "gee, I don't know a lot of firms that would promote someone on disability, you ought to shut up and go with the flow a little more" I learn to shut up...

Much better to indulge in wine...than whine.