Time for an update...

OK, it's been awhile since I've posted an update to the blog. I have no excuse. So here goes.

First of all, if you remember, there were some "abnormalities" on my last CT scan. My oncologist said that I shouldn't worry about them, so I didn't. But when I went in to discuss the scan with him, he said that he received a letter from Dr. Sugarbaker, who said it looked like it could be the return of disease. That's a phrase you never want to hear. Well, needless to say, I was stunned. All these things started going through my mind, "Will I need another surgery?", "Will I end up with a permanent ostomy?", "Will I need more chemo?" Once those thoughts start, it's easy to spin down into despair.

A day or so later, I started to feel better. Especially after I started thinking about what the CT scan showed. Two of the abnormalities were unchanged from the last scan, and the one that did change, was on the liver. Now, I haven't gone back and checked yet, but if my memory serves me right, the thing on the liver was there from the very beginning, and Dr. Sugarbaker said it looked like scar tissue. I don't know why it would have grown, but who really understands all of the intricacies of the human body?

Anyway, Dr. Sugarbaker suggested another CT scan in 6 months, but my oncologist suggested another tumor marker test in a month (which is about now) and another CT scan in about 3 months (about 2 months now). So, I need to call and make an appt for my tumor marker test soon,.

Aside from that, I am still dealing with learning to be a cancer survivor. While it may seem that should be an easy thing, I really believe that PTSS is a part of what I am dealing with. Not as bad as what soldiers or others in life-threatening situations go through, but maybe to a lesser degree. While I am thankful for being alive and surviving all that I did, the fear of cancer is something that always dwells in the back of my brain.

On a more positive note, I got a new primary care doctor about a month ago. While going over my medical history with him, and after a quick physical, he suggested a new medication (after he found I had my gall bladder removed) which was supposed to help with the diarrhea and multiple bowel movements. It is called Cholestryamine, and while it kind of resembles Tang flavored mud, it has really helped in reducing the amount of diarrhea and the amount of BMs I have a day. Heck, at times I even feel almost normal again. Before that, I would say I felt about 80% normal, now it is more like 90%. So things are looking up in the area.

Well, that's about it for now. I'll write again after I get my next tumor marker test.

If you are a praying person, I'd appreciate prayers for my next tests (blood and CT scan), that the tumor markers will be normal and the "abnormalities" will either stay the same, or decrease (or better yet, just disappear). Thank you all again for your continued support and prayers. No matter how long I live, I will never be able to say "Thank You" enough.

Kevin