Round One Done

Well I guess this is more like round one, take two, but you know what I mean. I got in on time (actually a little early!), got a scan done and then the rads. It was quick and easy. I got scheduled for the rest of the week (and it fits my work schedule - a relief). I am glad to get started and cautiously hopeful that it will work this time.

And Now We Have a Plan

We're back from seeing the radiation oncologist and we've got a plan. It isn't what we were expecting (gamma knife). I'm going to start getting whole brain radiation (wbr) tomorrow. From the sound of it, the cancer isn't growing in clumps, but in sheets, so it doesn't lend itself to gamma knife. Having wbr after having the partial brain radiation I had in November isn't ideal, but it is the best option (according to the doctor). There is a chance of damage to my cerebellum (since it will be getting radiated again). The cerebellum controls balance and coordination, so we'll just see how that goes. Radiating the front of my brain may leave me with some short term memory issues, but since I'm in good shape now she doesn't seem overly worried that I'll have serious issues (just things like forgetting my keys - and I do that already!). I'm not excited at the prospect of having to go and get radiated every day for 10 days (not including weekends), but I am relieved that it can get started quickly and my doctor expects my symptoms (headaches) should ease after just a couple of treatments.

Having a plan is good. I know I'll get radiation for the next two weeks or so and then I'll wait 6-8 weeks before I get another brain scan. Here's hoping this time it really works!!

Can You Believe It?

We're still waiting. My appointment on Friday was cancelled at the last minute (family emergency) and now I'm scheduled to go in on Monday morning.

Urgh!

Warning, this is a post full of complaining:

So the waiting continues. I'm getting a little calmer - I mean, if things were really bad they'd figure out how to get me in faster, right? I did get a call from the receptionist for my radiation oncologist (after I emailed and left her a voicemail). I'm scheduled for my "consultation" on Friday afternoon (if you were just going to schedule me for this anyway, couldn't I have gotten this call Friday?). Now you all don't know this, but I was supposed to fly back East to celebrate my mom's 70th birthday on Friday night. So I tried to wiggle out of the Friday appointment- could they see me any other time? The response was that the doctor only sees patients on Monday and Friday and since she's all booked on Monday I'd have to wait until the following Friday. Urgh, I don't want to wait another whole week. The thing that irritates me the most about this is that I know how it's going to go. I'm going to spend 45 minutes waiting for her, we're going to talk through the proposed treatment option/s and that's it (all things that we could do over the phone). Maybe I'm wrong, maybe there will be some neurological evaluation...

In a last ditch effort to get someplace, I sent my radiation oncologist another email. I told her the story about the trip back East and asked if there was some other way to do the consultation. I feel like I'm being a big pain in the arse, but if she'd just called me after the first email (last Thursday) we wouldn't need to do this at all. I haven't heard back from her anyway.

OK, enough bitching. Despite all this crap I'm feeling pretty good. Yes, I have headaches, some of which are probably the result of tumors, some are probably the result of stress. Either way, a couple of Advil keep them at bay (as does a good soak in the bathtub). I am headed out to walk the dog on this beautiful February day (we need rain, but I can't help but enjoy this warm sunny weather!).

Not So Good.

Well, the results are in and it isn't great news. There is an area of enhancement (cancer) growing in the same area as before and there is a new spot on the surface in the front left side of my brain. The results were preliminary (I love that my oncologist just calls right away - even if it is bad news, I'd rather know than be in the dark) but from the sound of it these are small spots. I am officially off the trial again (good - no puking, shitting and sleeping day and night; bad - no cancer killing).

I don't know what's next. I'm waiting to hear from my radiation oncologist. She'll take a look at the scans herself and come up with a plan. I'm hoping they're small enough that we can just blast them with targeted radiation, but we'll just see. As usual, I hate the waiting around and wish my radiation oncologist was more like my medical oncologist. I like them both, but I don't get quick responses from my radiation oncologist- things are much more plodding when dealing with folks in that department (no sense of urgency).

In the mean time, since I'm feeling good, I took advantage and got both cats to the vet, took the dog to the dog park, went to Costco to pick up a couple things and am in the middle of doing laundry and a little cooking. Keeping busy helps keep my mind off the crappy news and uncertainty. I'll feel better once I have a plan of attack!

Weekend Away

Things are motoring along here. Last round went ok, same as before, puking, shitting and fatigue. I don't remember being so tired last time around, don't know what that's about, but it is crazy! I've complained about being tired before, but it just doesn't compare. It is on my list of things to talk about with my doctor.

Keith and I (and Red) are just back from a lovely little weekend up in Marshall, CA. We rented a cute little cottage on a ridge overlooking Tomales Bay. It was a beautiful spot nestled amongst cypress trees with great views of the water. We left Friday evening when Keith got home from work (I was done early Friday and had an appointment for yet another CT Scan - I don't really understand why I needed another so soon... it has something to do with the trial, but at least I'm not anxious about the results). We stopped in Sausalito for dinner. It isn't really on the way, but our favorite fish restaurant is there... We pulled up to the cottage before 9pm and I promptly jumped into the hot tub and had a little soak under the stars.

Saturday we did a little hiking along the coast, had a great lunch in Point Reyes Station (Keith had a conserved tuna salad that was AMAZING - next time I get too much tuna to eat in one meal (Costco) I'll have to try making it), went back to the cottage took a nap and a soak and took a drive at sunset over the hills to explore Petaluma. This morning we got up and took Red for some ball play at the beach before we headed back home.

I've got to head in to UCSF for a blood draw and a doctor's appointment on Tuesday, then a brain MRI on Wednesday and then back on Tykerb on Thursday. I'm nervous about the brain MRI! Please cross all fingers and toes that things look clear!!