At least it isn't the Mad Hatter Tea Cups...

I've described this journey as an on-going roller-coaster, and that's where I find myself this week. In my most recent meeting with Dr. Chang, we discussed the results of the Pet/CT completed about ten days ago. Here's what the diagnostic report stated:

"The liver demonstrates evidence of progressive metastasis with an increase in number, size and metabolic activity of focal lesions...."

It then goes on to describe various sizes, locations and the amount of "light" given off by the metabolic activity for the various tumors in my liver. I don't know how to quantify the metabolic activity, but it is the level of "light" demonstrated by the organs when they run the nuclear sugar through my body for the PET scan.

In brief, then, I'm back in the lion's den. I'll visit with the interventional radiologist in the next two weeks to determine which pathway is medically indicated. The options will be another couple of sessions like I had last spring, with the directed infusions...or perhaps another plan of attack that brings in the nuclear weapons. Y-Trium -90 beads would be directly injected into my liver, and radiate the bad guys. Dr, Chang continues to emphasize the importance of this effort being limited to my liver, and reinforces that we don't see any challenges in other organs. He likes to have some set of good news plans, I think, and that's his positive mantra for me.

We'll make a game plan, I'll continue to stay in touch, and we'll move forward on the roller coaster. As evidence of my positive outlook, in case anyone thinks I may remain in the dumper for too long…

***I’m ordering new Callaway irons this week, the benefit of the Miners’ Jubilee victory. (This will be the second set of brand new clubs I've ever used, the first coming as a benefit of my promotion to officer status at Standard in 1992.)

***I spent much of the weekend working on the wine cellar in my basement, clearing room for more bottles of the good stuff.

***I’m planning week-end vacation trips with Jillian in October and November.

Work is good, I feel really well...which is part of the disappointment. One would think I'd start feeling badly if something was really going on, and I don't notice a difference. A little less appetite, but that's probably from the mental stress and anxiety, nothing physical.

I'll keep doing the things that make me feel well. Judy was a trooper, as always, in our conversations. I have an incredibly patient, and encouraging, care team around me that makes a difference. This clearly isn’t news one should gloss over, but at the same time I’m not looking deeply into a cavern and wondering…I’m trying to shine a light back into the dark and know for sure where I’m headed.

...oh....AND

I had a dear friend warm my heart in a way he couldn't understand this week. Commonly known as "Our Captain," one of my high school buddies called to check in this week. Not that we're terribly close, we may not have spoken in a year or so. But when he said he'd be in Oregon this weekend, he didn't really grasp that Roseburg is three hours away--and thought we might spend some time together.

That, however, was not the heartwarming news. This is how THAT went...

"Marky, I had a colonoscopy, finally, because of you...."

"Great...how did it go?"

"Well, they removed four polyps that had been growing awhile, apparently..."

"Removed...that's a good thing. I'm so glad you did that, Captain."

You see, without such a scan, those polyps would have continued to grow, eventually driving the Captain to the oncologist and all this turmoil. To know that even ONE person avoided that journey because of me makes me feel like I've made a difference in this world. One friend at a time is fast enough.

Congratulations, Captain...there might not be many who know you, but readers of this blog that know their Captain is OK will be tickled to death...This journey doesn't need to be a team sport because we wear the same medical equipment...the team is the group that stands alongside and chants, "T C T F O"

Lazy Weekend....

Vickie departs on Monday for her final year at Valpo. Nate arrives Monday night for a quick zip, to pick up the dogs and head back to Colorado. It means he can feed them, and is enjoying his new job in Vail, though I'm sure he'd like more tips, people who drink fancy wine, and more time with snow on the ground so the REAL tourists will show up.

Me?? I'm just juggling it all. Hard to have Vickie leave, and without Max there will be some lonely evenings this next week. The good news is that it distracts me from the diagnostic test I'll take on Monday morning. Full-body PET scan, supposedly to see where anything negative might be hiding.

I prefer to think that it is a cleansing process, and that maybe the nuclear sugars will strip any bad cells from my body. A Zamboni, perhaps...chewing up the bad stuff, melting it down, and flattening any rips or tears in my cellular structure.

Life is good. Still basking in the victory of the summer, in Baker City. Amazing what some confidence does to one's golf swing....I had the chance this past week to tear up a local private track, Columbia Edgewater.

When there is news, in the next ten days or so...I'll post that, too. Otherwise, it is a lazy weekendn to ramble on, do some chores around the house, and get everyone packed up to go. Should I get Max a going away present??