rowena32

Hi, again,
I got a call from UCSF today telling me they had not received the CD of the CT scan. I called and it was sent a week ago, so it must be sitting on someone’s desk. If it does not show up by Wedneday, I will ask that it be sent, again. I will call tomorrow to make sure that Dr. Demanes received a copy of the CD for my appointment is next Tuesday and I want to be sure he has a copy of it.
When I told the oncologist at UCSF that I was seeing someone about Brachytheaphy, she did not sound very encouraging about that treatment, but did not discourage me from meeting with him. My next appointment with her is the 14th of May. I am really pleased how she returns my calls and keeping up on things, such as calling because the scan had not shown up.
Lainy, what chemo is Teddy getting that was shrinking the tumors? Couldn’t you ask for another radiologist to read the scan?
Marion, I should have the results from the radiologist at UCSF by the l4th of May or maybe, sooner if they find the CD or get a new copy. I will stay on it until they have a copy to read.
Best wishes,
Theresa

Kathyb,
I haven’t seen a post from you for a few days so hope that means you are feeling great.
I had my blood test last Thursday and a CT scan Tuesdays and all the results have been sent to the doctors. The doctor from UCSF is suppose to call me tomorrow and let me know what she thinks of the results and if we should start chemo now or wait awhile longer. I have an appointment with Dr. Demanes from UCLA to talk about branchytheraphy or any other treatment that might be useful for me. I asked about having a MRI this time instead of a CT scan, thinking that it might show up more (I don’t know the difference). But I had another CT scan for the doctor wanted to compare it to the one I had six weeks ago. The doctor had mentioned gemzar and cisplatin as the next choice but I am wondering if the oral chemo would have the same results and less side effects. Does anyone know how good the results have been and what kind of side effects it has?
Best wishes
Theresa

Thanks, Kathy, I sure hope it isn’t the cancer. But I guess I will know after the CT scan on Wednesday. I called, again, today about the appointments at UCLA and the one that does the scheduling said she was working on it and would call and let me know when it is set up. In the meantime, we will have positive thoughts!
Best wishes to you.
Theresa

Varun,
So glad that your mom is home and I hope she is doing better each day.
You said that she has had brachytherapy. This is an option that I have asked if I could have. Did it help your mom and how did she feel after the treatment?
Best wishes ,
Theresa

Hi, to all,
As you know I was expecting to find out today if brachytherapy was something that I might be able to do. The doctor was too busy to make our phone appointment this morning and they told me he would call later today or Monday as he would be out of the office Friday. I am not very good at waiting, so about 4:00, I called, again and who do they put me through to, but Dr. Demanes himself. He apologized about this morning and said he had my scans but had not gone over them, but would like to have another doctor there to see them, too. He will set up an appointment for Tuesday afternoon and said he had not forgotten me, but had been so busy. I told my chemo oncologist about having contact with Dr. Demanes and he was pleased that that might be an option for me. Gemzar and Cisplatin will be the combination I will be having when I have to start chemo, again. I would rather have Xeloda since I wouldn’t have to have a port, but I don’t know that much about it . My next appointment is May 3, after I have had another blood test and a CT scan and have heard from Dr. Demanes.
Marion, we all want to see that “Cure” for this cancer and glad that the Foundation has you and the others working for us.
Best wishes to all of you.
Theresa

Kathyb, it does sound like we have a lot in common. I, too, feel good but I have lost 30 pounds since July, 09. I know some of it has been my diet of mainly fruits and vegetables. I do eat fish and chicken but only a bite or two of red meat and pork. I try to eat asparagus or spinach or broccoli at least 5 days a week I have been drinking a “green drink” every day and now I have started to add a protein drink because of the weight loss. But even with this diet, it isn’t keeping my cancer count from going up. Last month the CA-19-9 test was up to 6400 and the CEA test was 5.3. What are your numbers?
My diet might be helping the other blood tests as they look like a healthy person’s test. I did not have a port when I took the chemo last time for I had good veins, but it always took two or three tries before they could get the needle in. I did not want a port for like you said, there is a chance of infection. I know someone who thought he was going to die and they finally found out he had an infection because of the port. Is the PICC line the tube going under the skin to the port? Have you talked to anyone about brachytherapy? I talked to a doctor from UCLA last Thursday and he did not have all of my CT scans at that time, but I am suppose to talk to him tomorrow and find out if I would be a candidate for the treatment. If my next blood test in a couple of weeks has not gone down and the CT scan shows more growth, it means more chemo will start.
I am so glad that I found this board for there is so much information here.
Marion, you have been so helpful with all the information you have passed on.
I will let you know what I find out tomorrow about the brachytherapy.
Theresa

Thanks, Harmony. Yes, that is what the doctors say, everyone is different and will respond differently. My doctor called tonight (8:00 p.m.) and said that she wants to see change in the CT scan before she starts chemo, again. As long as the doctors return my calls, I don’t care what time it is. Keep doing what you are doing and keep those markers low.