Greetings All,
That's how I've kind of felt this week. Check Please! This week the frustration of it all set in for a few days. Another weekend of sleeping through most of it and my stomach upside down and I started to get a little discouraged. I know I'm now half-way through my treatments, and that the time has gone by fairly quickly. But for some reason 4 more treatments seems an awful lot to me right now. It's strange because soon I'll be done with another treatment and 3 doesn't seem like a lot, but 4 does. I've tried not to give it any thought that I could have to do more if the cancer is not responding, but we're not even going to go to that place.
I did meet with the Radiologist before my last treatment to discuss my options after Chemo. He was really good about setting out the short and long term affects of Radiation. One of my major concerns is that there are chances of secondary cancers later on from doing Radiation and I have read blogs of other people with Hodgkin's that have not done Radiation so I wanted the scoop.
The Radiologist pointed out that the percentages of secondary cancers are based on treatment methods from a few years ago when they treated the entire upper body. These days they are much more focused and with my cancer being confined to just the tumor site that the amount of other tissue being touched by Radiation would be minimal. Also, they use lower doses for Hodgkin's than for other cancers. That combined with the fact that if I don't Radiate I would be looking at a minimum of 4 additional treatments of Chemo and I think I'm going to choose Radiation.
So, after Chemo they would do another PET scan to make sure the cancer is dead and then I would go on to Radiation. The brutal thing about Radiation will be it's Monday-Friday for 4 weeks. But, Lord willing, that will be the end of things.
Finally, I have my chest scan set for this coming Monday so we'll get to see if the tumor has reduced in size and we're making progress. Treatment number 5 is on the horizon and then we'll be down to 3 (hopefully). Thanks again to everyone who comments or don't and are sending their good thoughts and prayers. I know that they have been helping, I wouldn't have gotten this far, this well, without the strength that you all have been praying over me and my family.
Peace,
Ben
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Praying for progress and strength and that this process feels swift!
ReplyDeleteHi Ben, I understand that 4 seems like a whole lot, but 3 doesn't. In college, I remember that as a Freshmen, well, everything was new and exciting. Sophomore year was horrible because the goal seemed so far away. But, by Junior year, I knew there was an end. Just sayin'. Anyway, just this past Monday, one of my best friends, in Colorado, Renye (Renee) found out she has a very rare cancer, called "Germ Cancer." She begins her treatment on Monday. She will have 6 hours on Monday, 2 hours on Tuesday and 2 hours on Wed. Then she'll be off for a week and then the whole procedure starts again. Yikes!!! Both of you will be fine, and this will be but a bump in the road. Love, Aunt Lynne
ReplyDeleteBen - even though I haven't commented lately, I think about you & Kim every day, and I'm sending my hopes and prayers for you.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine how hard this must be for you. Hang in there, and I hope the next 4 are easier on you.
Think about you guys daily! Love you more than I can, or even know how, to show. Praying this goes by QUICKLY and with complete remission!!! Give your woman hugs from me and those beautiful children!
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