Anna and I were at the Cancer Centre in Sudbury yesterday for a regular checkup. Dr. Herst says that my treatment is working. He can feel that the lump in my neck has decreased in size. Based on this, he does not feel it necessary for me to receive other diagnostic tests, such as a CT scan. Why expose me to all that radiation just to confirm what he can feel with his fingers? As for the question of 6 versus 8 courses of chemotherapy, he says there is not much data to indicate that one is better than another. He leans toward the full eight courses for two reasons. First, the Ontario government will pay for a lifetime maximum of eight courses of rituximab (my most expensive drug), and it's better to get eight courses of rituximab than to get six now and two sometime later. Kind of like how you're supposed to complete your vial of antibiotics, even if you feel fine after taking half the bottle. Secondly, doxorubicin (Lynn calls it the red devil) is cardiotoxic and has a lifetime maximum, which I will reach on my eigth treatment. Better again to max out with eight treatments than to take six now and an additional two in the future.
I'm celebrating today by going skiing with Nikita.
3 comments:
Wow!!! Great news indeed. Way to go!!!! We don't have enough snow around here now for any skiing or snowshoeing on our back yard trails. Turkeys are loving it, though. They can roam more freely and vary their diet from corn and oats.
Lots of love to both of you,
Mom
Hurray!!!! Fantastic, and congratulations to you and Anna both for your total committment to outwitting your cancer with diet, exercise and lots of love and care.
It's a quiet Saturday evening where I am - Dario is away, it's warm, I have the door open and can hear the sea while I read my book about Tibet (and check your blog).
Sarah
Bob... I haven't had a moment to get on and then I read this... what amazing news!! I am so so happy for you. I know you are going to beat this thing 100% without a doubt! You guys are amazing! Glad to hear you celebrated with a ski!
Jodie
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