Wednesday, May 13, 2009

The Wait For CT Scan Results

One of the difficult things with Stage 4 cancer is the constant tests that are done and the important implications each test brings. Every two months Kathy will have a CT scan to see where the tumors are and whethor they are growing, shrinking, or staying the same.

This last Monday Kathy had another CT scan and we are waiting for the results. If all goes well, the CT will confirm that the tumors have not spread or grown. That will mean she can stay on the same chemo treatment she has been on since the hospital. She has done well with the chemo since the hospital with few serious side effects so this is a big issue. If the CT scan shows the tumors have spread or increased in size she will have to add another chemical to her chemo mix. The problems and side affects can increase substantially with a new mix and you don't know what that will mean for quality of life. In short, the CT scan will dictate our life for at least the next two months.

The goal is to stay on the same chemo treatment as long as possible. Changes mean bad things. It means that the disease is spreading and we need to try another way of combating the problem. Sadly, the disease always mutates and so it is a matter of time before the cancer figures out a way around the chemo and you have to try another line of defense. The end result is pretty certain but it is how long you can delay it and the quality of life you can maintain that determine what you do.

So we wait. Aggravating, draining, waiting. Grinding, depressing, waiting. Dragging, worrying, waiting. Waiting is not a strong suit of mine.

I'll post another blog when we get the results.

In other news. David graduates this weekend. He will be moving in with us for the summer as he tries to get established in the translation world.

Michael's HS volleyball team won their conference and went to the playoffs but got beat in their first game. They didn't play very well. He was chosen as an all star to play in an all star game a week after the tournament ends.

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