I have been watching what I eat and it is paying off. I have lost all the weight I had put on while taking the steroid. The steroid caused me to gain thirty pounds and I have lost that and feeling a lot better for having done so. There is still more to lose and I will keep working at it.
Well, it’s now June and time for another CT Scan. The results were not unexpected, but at the same time, disappointing. The scan showed a tumor growth estimated to be about an inch in diameter, so I am back on chemotherapy called Temozolomide. These are capsules to be taken for five days in a row, once a month with an anti-nausea (Ondansetron HCI ) one hour before. I have to take this treatment for three months and then a CT Scan will be taken. These pills will be taken for as long as the chemo is working. Dale and I make trips to London Regional Cancer Centre once a month to pick up the drugs and to see the Doctor. After talking with me and doing the usual examination the Doctor wanted to know if my weight loss was deliberate and I assured him it was.
Time for another CT Scan. It is September 10th and once the CT Scan was done we had to see the Doctor and find out the all important question – Did it work? Good news. The chemotherapy is working and it is estimated that it has shrunk the tumor by 50%. That was the best news ever. I have been feeling so wonderful I thought it might be working, but until I got the word I couldn’t be sure. There have been no side effects at all from any of the chemotherapy and I am grateful for that. Taking the anti-nausea may be the reason. I also found out today that there will be more drugs to try when or if this one stops working. Experimental drugs are now no longer an option since I have been on two separate chemo drugs which would compromise the trial. My weight has stayed the same as it was a month ago, but I still intend to lose more. I have lost thirty-seven pounds so far. As for my general health – I feel great !!
December 3rd has rolled around and time for another CT Scan and a regular check-up with the Dr. As the appointment got closer I did feel as though the chemotherapy was still working and hoped that my tumor had continued to shrink. I was right!! It has now shrunk a total of 80% and that was wonderful news. So I will continue taking the chemo and go for my scheduled appointment each month. My next scan will be in March 2002.
March 5th, 2002 and the tumor has continued to shrink. Only an outline can be seen with the CT Scan. I continue to take my chemo each month and remain healthy and feeling well. Next CT Scan is May 27th.
It is May 27, 2002 and I had my CT Scan today with very good results. The Scan did not reveal anything new or active, leaving me with these options – stop chemo or continue with the chemo. So I decided to stop the chemo and if need be I can go back on it at a later time should there be any sign of activity from the cells remaining. If, at that time cancer cells have become immune to the chemo or I have developed a sensitivity causing side effects, then I have the option to try another chemotherapy treatment. All in all that was very good news and I won’t need to go back to see the Dr. until my next Scan at the end of August. It will be great not having any chemotherapy for 3 months.
August came and I had another scan. No change from my May visit. That was such great news. Therefore, no chemotherapy for the next 3 months and no appointments until November.
November 19, 2002 and my CT Scan was, once again, good news. No changes, no sign of any tumor. That also means no chemotherapy for another 3 months. My next appointment will be in February of 2003.
February 25, 2003 and another trip to London. I had my CT Scan at the hospital and went to the Cancer Clinic to see the Doctor. When he brought in the scan for me to see I thought, oh, oh, this can’t be good. On the contrary, he wanted me to see how good the scan looked. He told me that if things are this good in another three months, then he’ll extend the time between scans. My next scan will be in May, 2003.
Well, once again I’m a happy man. It’s May and my CT scan was clear again and the Doctor told me I could add another month onto our next visit. So that means I’ll go every 4 months instead of every three. That was very good news. My next appointment is the first week of October.
As things turned out, my appointment for the first week in October was changed to the end of October and a good day it was. After almost 5 months since my last scan this scan showed no changes. Wow – that sure made my day!! My next scan will be in February of 2004.
Actually, my appointment got changed again from February to March. These five months sure went by fast. The scan showed no changes and my next appointment will be in September. I finally made my goal of 6 months between appointments. Feeling great and very lucky.
September 10th, another appointment and another scan. Still feeling great. Still feeling lucky. The scan was clean once again. That six months went by so quickly and the next six probably will as well. I’m just so pleased at how good I feel. My next appointment will be in March 2005.
It’s really hard to believe it’s over six months since my last scan. The appointment in March was rescheduled for April 25, 2006. I won’t keep anyone in suspense it was a great scan. Every once in a while we get to see an intern along with my regular doctor and that’s what happened this time. It was a good appointment. My next one will be sometime in October.
We went to London on October 27th, only to be told that our appointment had been changed to November 3rd. because the Dr. would be unavailable for appointments that day. Since we were not informed of the change they were kind enough to fit me in for the CT Scan. So now I‘ll have to come back to see the Dr. We were notified our follow-up appointment would be November 24, 2006.
Well, we just got back from London with a great report. Not only was the scan clear with no changes, but the Dr. told us that from now on I only need to go back every nine months. That will mean my next scan will be in July 2007. It’s over six years since I was first diagnosed. I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating – "I’m a lucky man!"
July 27th and another scan to report. Good news again. My next appointment will be in April 2008.
Nine months sure goes by fast. It’s April 25, 2008 and we just got back from London. My CT Scan was good once again. Next appointment is in January 2009.