Could this be a new lesion?
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Dear Melinda, YIPPEE for John’s great news! I am so happy for you both and your party sounds like a perfect way to celebrate! I have had this shadow thing too for surgery I had and believe me I want to add the word shadow to my favorite words like stable! I am wishing for you to celebrate Thanksgiving as well!!! Thanks for letting us know and it appears you went to the right place for John’s treatment! All good news deserves another YIPPEE!
Best news possible for three month check up. We just saw Dr. Gangandeep Singh at City of Hope and he explained that the shadows on John’s three month ct scan were surgical remnants, meaning scar tissue and fluid accumulation from his resection on May 2. John remains cancer free and blood work is good. Continuing with Gem/Cis until Thanksgiving, for a total of six months. I guess we will truly have reason to celebrate at this Saturday’s family party at our house. Thank you all for your positive energy, prayers and encouragement. they kept me going until our appointment today. Nothing but great things to say about Dr. Singh and City of Hope for giving John the benefit of the doubt and doing the resection when others might have said it was inoperable.
MelindaWhat a beautiful poem Lainy thank you for that…you’re right, I got nothing I wanted and everything I needed. I will try to focus on this as I head into the day and weeks ahead of me. Some of your message is so familiar to me, especially the scrambled eggs with cheese and then apologizing because they tasted salty or “off”. I will try again with the Carnation and bananas…I will keep trying and will be strong. Thankful that our son will be home from DC on Friday and a family get together is planned for the 23rd. Both things to look forward to. I have to just keep positive, while recognizing his need to vent and just “be”.
Thank you all. We’ll see how the day goes.
Melinda A.Dear Melinda, what a wonderful and gentle man your Husband must be. I believe this is the hardest part, watching a loved one go through this heinous Cancer. I guess it’s true the good ones get the bad stuff and I guess it’s because they really do handle it better. I just cannot think of another reason. It’s the age old question of why do bad things happen to good people. You must be very strong for him and sometimes it really helps when the 2 of you can talk things out. Teddy and I talked and talked about everything right up to his last breath. When my 2 kids were really kids, I couldn’t even remove a splinter from them as I didn’t want to do anything wrong and hurt them. Who would of ever thought I could take care of the love of my life like I did! Changing bile bags? What is that? Watching Hospice in the house with a hospital bed in the living room? Not my idea of décor. Then trying to give him a scrambled egg with cheese in it when he felt like having that and then him always apologizing that he was sorry I made an egg but he couldn’t eat it? Him apologizing to me for what he went through? Yes, it is very hard but we do sadly get more accustomed to it in time. I really think just seeing his ONC is going to help. If he doesn’t want to eat try the Carnation Instant Bkfst, Vanilla and blend in a banana,,,Teddy’s favorite. Hospice told me it not only has all the nutrients it can take the place of any meal even 3 X a day. How I wish I could lighten your load!
I asked for strength. God gave me difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for wisdom. God gave me problems to solve.
I asked for prosperity. God gave me brawn and brain to work.
I asked for courage. God gave me dangers to overcome.
I asked for patience. God placed me in situations where I was forced to wait.
I asked for love. God gave me troubled people to help.
I asked for favors. God gave me opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted.
I received everything I needed. By Aaron HoopesDear Marion, Melinda B, Mary Beth, Gavin and Lainy,
You don’t know how much your posts have helped. We just returned from dinner which John picked at and the whole time he was just so discouraged. It’s so hard to carry on a conversation when he is afraid and disappointed that his chemo brain is preventing him from doing the things that came so easily in the past. John was a school principal for 37 years, all at the same school for severely handicapped students. The children were with him from age 3-22 and he often offered the only hope and inspiration that these parents received in a public school setting. Now, with his health in jeopardy, he doesn’t allow himself to look beyond this blip in his treatment course.
The chemo is indeed been cumulative as this, his fourth round, is manifesting itself with longer and more severe nausea and lack of appetite. I know to push water and meal replacement shakes, etc., but it’s just so hard when you see your Rock of Gibraltar start to chip and erode.
I will call tomorrow and see about getting an earlier appointment with Dr. Singh. The 25th was a date established back in May after his surgery. I know that I will be able to work something in as his doctor is such a compassionate man.
We will get through this and if it’s bad news, we will weather that storm as well. It just sucks that a man who lived his live in service to his beloved severely retarded and handicapped children, can not have more than 2 years into retirement before faced with such an aggressive and deadly cancer. I have read success stories on this site. I know that people are walking miracles and have made it. I guess I’m just finally having a moment, brought on by seeing such a strong and caring man in pain.
To Rob, Mary Beth, and all those facing the anxiety that accompanies the wait…my prayers are being sent up for you all. As always, thank you all for your support and God Bless.
Melinda A.I too am wondering how this type of metastases could be visible in this short of time. The most accurate description comes from the surgeon’s eyes during open surgery. That and the ensuing path report is the most accurate description of the tumor(s) and metastases. Considering that surgery was approximately 90 days ago and the scan plates are 1cm in thickness (anything beneath this 1cm is not visible on scan) it seems impossible for the cancer to have spread so quickly.
As mentioned by Mary Beth and witnessed on this site, at times, a repeat scan has shown to reverse the previous report.
I am holding out for hope that both Rob and Malinger’s husband will receive positive news.
Hugs,
MarionDear Melinda and Mary Beth,
I am keeping both your husbands in my prayers. I hope the wait is made shorter so the anticipation and anxiety will lessen. Please keep us informed of your results and sending all my positive thoughts your way!
Melinda B.
Hi Malinger,
This is Rob’s wife Mary Beth. This is just a total roller coaster ride that you wish would end!! The 25th is WAY too long to wait! I would start calling tomorrow and get the MRI as soon as possible. I thought waiting until tomorrow or Tuesday was long! I have some what of an advantage since I am a nurse in the recovery room at the local hospital and know the surgeons. The thing is, is that this cancer is so rare that it seems to be puzzling everyone! Rob’s first diagnosis in our town was metastatic stage 4 adenocarcinoma. We thought he was full of cancer and were told on the Thurs before Easter weekend and had to wait until Monday for the PET scan because of insurance! We had to tell our 3 kids and believe me; it was the longest weekend of our lives! The PET scan was clean except for the one tumor in the liver! Now they are saying Rob has mets all over his liver and spleen! I actually texted the surgical resident that assisted with Rob’s surgery and he said it would be highly unlikely that the cancer would grow back that fast with negative margins and lymphs. Rob’s local surgeon contacted another oncologist here since Rob’s is on vacation and he said he had a patient who had a liver resection who had spots all over her scan post resection and the repeat scan a month later was negative. This is what we are hoping and praying for; for both your husband and for Rob!!
You’re most welcome Melinda, glad to be of help if i can be. And yes, hoping that both you and Rob get the best possible news that you can and hoping as well that John will get to see Dr Singh as quickly as possible. Let us know how things go, we’re here for you.
My best to you and John,
Gavin
Thanks Lainy and Gavin, You’re right. After I posted my question I saw that Rob was in the same boat. Hopefully, we will both have great news soon. I appreciate your prompt responses and will try to get in to see Dr. Singh at City of Hope sooner than the 25th. We are confident that we are in good hands with him and his team, but waiting is for the birds.
God Bless you both for the work you do here. I will keep you posted.
Good luck to Rob too.
MelindaHi Mainger,
I’m with Lainy here on the not jumping to conclusions about things yet. I know that it can be hard sometimes to not jump to such conlcusions about things, but please try not to. I do hope that you can get to see the surgeon and get more info on all of this before the 25th and I hope that the MRI will give some good news here. My dad never had surgery or chemo so I can’t share any personal experiences here but hopefully the others will be able to help a bit more. Please let us know how things go, we are here for you.
My best wishes to you both,
Gavin
Dear Malinger, wow, you are running neck and neck with Rob. Please try not to jump to conclusions until your ONC gives you the full report. It could even be from the Surgery. I am glad you have an ONC who wants to get another look at it. Rather be safe then question it later. I know the waiting is hard. I can’t help on the Chemo as my Teddy had Radiation and then Cyber Knife. But I do know about the waiting. Wishing you the very best and stay strong!
In May, my 68 year old husband had a liver resection to remove a large tumor after his cc diagnosis. The surgery was a success and John had clear margins and lymph nodes were clear. We started gem/cis and he is almost half way through with his 6 month treatment plan. He receives both drugs each Wednesday, two out of three Wednesdays.
Last Monday John had his first ct scan after surgery and we were heartbroken to see that there is “something” on his left lobe. The oncologist didn’t know what it is, just suspicious and surprised that a new tumor would grow during such an aggressive chemo regimen. We see his surgeon on August 25th if not before. I expect he will order a MRI for a better idea of what it is.
Any thoughts out there? Has anyone had a recurrence just three months after surgery, while on gem/cis?
As with everyone, the wait and see is the most worrisome. Any ideas are appreciated.
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