Appointment Today!

Neil's appointment with Dr. Steinmetz (radiation) was GREAT. Neil has had four radiation treatments so far and met with the doctor today to have a checkup. The doctor said that at this time he wants to do 17, not 20, treatments. He also said that the lymph nodes had scar tissue but today were so small that it would be like someone who had never had cancer having slightly enlarged lymph nodes and they were not even big enough to measure! He said today, without any other treatment he would give Neil a 97% chance of being cured, and at the end of radiation would be brave enough to say 99.9%!

First Radiation

Neil had his first radiation this morning. He said it was fine, the only issue he had is his hands being numb from having to curl them in one position the whole time. So all in all, pretty uneventful!

PET Scan #2 Clean!

Neil had another PET scan on Saturday and we just heard it too was clean! Excellent news. Technically this was scan #3 since he had one for diagnostic purposes, but this is #2 in terms of seeing if the chemo worked. I have to admit even I was freaking out! So now I can eat and sleep.

Thanks everyone for the thoughts, prayers, lighting of incense, stabbing of cancer voodoo dolls, etc. etc. etc.

Work schedules altered

My boss kindly agreed to let me go with Neil to his treatments and work later for the 17-20 days. Not only is it nice for us to be together, it's practical too as we work within a block of each other and it's cheaper and easier to ride together!

So, starting on the 22nd, we will be at work until 5:30 or 6:00 instead of 5:00, just FYI!

Radiation

A friend recently told Neil that radiation would be ok, because hey--it worked for Spiderman :-)

Neil saw the radiologist today and he told him 17-20 days max, each session 15 minutes, 30-36 Gy. He starts Monday the 22nd and will do it only on weekdays. Dr. said he looked good, all organs were ok and that this should be pretty easy. I 'm asking today if I can alter my work schedule to come in after his sessions so I can drive him. They can get him in at 7:30 a.m. and it would take only 15 minutes so I'd be at work just a half hour to an hour later than usual and just work later.

They said he will have some lung scar tissue as a result but that it's nothing that will interfere with normal life.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers! We're in the home stretch!

End of a routine

Today marks the end of a routine. Since October, Neil has had a doctor's appointment on Mondays every other week. This morning was the first of what normally would have been a chemo week that is no longer! He sees a radiologist Thursday (I'm hoping to go with him) and then he has a PET scan Saturday.

I'm so excited to see how much better he feels after this weekend when it will be the longest chemo-free stretch he's had since this all started. I know there are effects from radiation, but he's been told it's a cakewalk compared to chemo.

Neil is already planning out trips and weekends post-treatment. So far, we're planning on Hocking Hills, Canada, Wisconsin and maybe a trip to Hershey and Philly. Can't wait for life to get back to normal!

8th Chemo

Friday was Neil's 8th, and likely final, chemo treatment. It was an emotional day for all involved. Sadly I was not able to go (I exhausted my vacation and sick leave with the surgeries and appointments and it doesn't reset until March) but my mom took him and Carol met up with them later. Unfortunately, Neil got sick this time but we're counting our lucky stars that it did not start until now. Some people throw up each and every time from the beginning.

Neil mostly slept this weekend--one day over 15 hours--and he stayed home from work today. He sees a radiologist on the 11th and has a PET scan on the 13th. He's going to feel so good when chemo is out of his system. It's been in his body for almost 4 months now.