Powered by WebAds

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Medical Update -- pain, markers, & mets

Remember the old days, when Mets was just a baseball team?

(not mine, of course. I'm a Yankees fan!)

Welcome to my world, where mets is slang for metastasis.

:-}

(my attempt at lightening things up a bit)


I feel a little bad that my posts have been a bit down lately. It's not so interesting to read, day after day, about pain, and feeling sad. It's not so great to be feeling that way either.

Oh well, welcome to my world. (staaaaam*, it's not that bad....)


So, here's what's new.

I asked my doctor how high the markers have to get before we really start to worry.

To my chagrin, he answered: "we're there already."

Between the increase in my markers and in my pain, he is concerned (and has been, for some time).

He's going to look over my CTs again.

From CT to CT, there is no apparent change in my bones. However, perhaps, over time, there might be some evidence of progression of disease. There do not appear to be new tumors. But it is possible that existing tumors have been growing very slowly. Because of the bone drug that I take, it is difficult to tell.

The problem is, if the cancer has been growing in my bones, how should this affect my treatment?

The cancer in my liver and lungs has responded WELL to treatment. As of now, there is no longer any evidence of disease in either my liver or lungs. That is amazing.

If we alter treatments, there are no guarantees.

Maybe another drug will be better for my bones. Maybe not. Maybe another drug will also be effective on my organs. Maybe not. There is no way of knowing in advance.

But we won't deal with this dilemma until we know the facts.

So, for now, I have to wait.

And, as we all know, the waiting is the hardest part. (dating myself with this link!)

"You take it on faith.

You take it to the heart.

The waiting is the hardest part."

(Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - The Waiting, 1981)



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

* stam (loosely translates as "just kidding")

5 comments:

rickismom said...

Yea, waiting is hard. My brother once had a growth on his spine, and the doctor and lab disagreed on whether it was cancerous or not. Finally they said...well, wait a year, if it doesn't come back, its not cancer.
... Was a long year.

As for sad posts... well, you have to be honest. Life isn't always what we want.

Anonymous said...

Hi RivkA

From one of your silent partners

I am routing for you always

How can I not support a Yankee fan

Shanah Tova

Aliza Zutra

Baila said...

Yankees eliminated yet again, and have played their last game in that great stadium.

We'll all be waiting with you.

Rahel Jaskow said...

I'm also a fan of the Yankees... and of you.

Eliyahu S. said...

Well, RivkA, you're one for two with me on this post... Of course I connected with "Tom Petty" and feel just as "dated" (1981, but don't they look like they've just stepped off of "That 70's Show"?) But I'm a METS fan. And still resent the DH rule. :^)