7 Years Ago Today

 Seven years ago today I opened a report on a scan that I had the day before.  At the end of the report was a note with a recommendation for a further scan.

"Focal abnormal 1.2 cm enhancing focus involving the right pubic bone which also demonstrates diminished enhancement a neoplastic lesion cannot be excluded. Correlation with a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis and bone scan is recommended."

I felt fine.  There was nothing wrong with me.  I had no symptoms whatsoever of any problem.  It was clearly an example of people being overcautious.   Two hours later I had incredible pain in my abdomen.  Two weeks later a scan made it clear - cancer.

Eventually the first #chemotherapy gave me neuropathy in my hands.  It was like someone injected lidocaine into my hands.  I could see my fingers on a fretboard when I played.  But had no sense of feeling.  The neuropathy eventually subsided about a year or so later.

When #Covid started I went into isolation.  And started writing a lot of music for the first time in a real long time.  It was inspired by experiences.  You never know what will trigger the writing process.  This video shows part of what happened

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December Is Here

  November 2021 is in the books.  And I wound up doing the second highest total of running in a month since I

first started doing the triathlon training.  And I just missed my highest by 5 miles.  I blame that whole 30 days has September, April, June and November for missing it ;)

My runs included one on the penultimate day of the short month.  I was tired and it took a lot to get off the couch.  Was supposed to be an off day, but I got on the treadmill determined to do a Z2 run just to keep moving.  I kept a close eye on the HR and when it was done I did not exceed Z2 at any one point.  And got a 6.2-mile run in.  It was a pure f-cancer run in my mind the entire time.  

F-cancer Run

Then I went up to North Haven.  I had an early appointment at Yale the next day for the drug trial.  As I guessed, based on the general report from my CT scan the week before, the targeted/research report showed growth.  My ballpark estimate was 5%.  It was 4.9%.  For those people keeping score, that is a total of 11% growth since I started the trial in June.  

The conversation changed to the next moves.  I probably have 12 weeks or so before having to move on to another treatment.  Right now the big hope is that the drugs I am on have caused the cancer to mutate.  It seems that the drug I am on week 1 can do that.  And if that happens, certain other drugs/immunotherapy could work.  Right now immunotherapy will not generally work on my cancer.

 As we looked at my lungs, I said something like "That is pretty easy

to see, and I am not even a doctor." I laughed as I said it.  Then followed up with "I really should be on a couch on oxygen."  The doctor replied, "Yes, not too subtle."  He laughed too - he gets my sense of humor. He then commented that the way I am taking care of myself is helping in all of this.  Every time I feel too tired to work-out, comments like that go through my mind.  If getting faster is not a motivation to work out, staying alive gives me a greater impetus ;) 

 

 Of course there are some things that give me a bit of hope.  4.9% is a small number.  There is imprecision in all of this.  The images are never taken at the same exact interval (slices) between them.  Lining they up is not perfect.  So a tumor that is 54mm that grew to 56mm is not overly alarming.  My CEA blood test results, which came in later that day, dropped.  So perhaps things are slowing down and I can continue on this drug a bit longer. 

 

 So the game plan is to take blood next cycle start to see if the cancer has mutated and take it from there.

 

 One more bit of good news - this is my 57th round of chemo.  One of the researchers at Yale said I should get a trophy.  I will hold them to it.  You know how triathletes (and me :) ) are - we will do really stupid things to get a t-shirt, medal, cap.  Or a trophy.