Time For Action

Yesterday I came off the infusion pump which completed my 40th chemo treatment. I also received blood test results. The liver enzymes seem to have stabilized. They’re not going up or down. So although they are higher than they should be they are not getting any worse. Unfortunately however my CEA count is still rising. It went from 28.7 to 39.9. It’s still not as high as when I started this FOLFOX regimen but I think it’s clear that the benefits I enjoyed at first are beginning to wear off. That’s to be expected. There is no chemo agent known yet that kills adenocarcinoma cells. Sooner or later they mutate to become immune to the chemo. I just wish we could have gotten a little longer response from this one because there aren’t too many left. Dr. Nosher, the doctor who did the SIR Spheres treatment, has been away this week. Dr. George, my oncologist, plans to talk to him on Monday to explore other treatment possibilities. She was able to find out that his advise last week to wait about three more months and then we may be able to retreat, was not based on a possibility that that the remaining tumor may resolve itself. Rather, it’s based on the precautions they take to protect the liver. They like to wait at least six months since the last treatment. I am not content to wait. I have begun exploring the possibility of surgery to remove the liver tumor and/or external radiation. I should know more next week. I learned early in this battle that you have to be your own advocate. So I’m advocating for Jerry. This is a time for action, not waiting. Carry on. -----------------------------------------