Status Update

I went to see my oncologist, Dr. G, on Monday, 24 August 2009.

The good news is my weight is up to 142.8 pounds.

The bad news is that was the only good news.

The results of the PET scan show that Frank's evil little minions are spreading: the spots in my liver and right lung have gotten bigger, I now have a spot in my left lung, a couple of my lymph nodes in my abdomen have spots, and my left hip bone and sternum have spots too. (This last one explains why I constantly feel like I've been punched in the chest.)

So, what's next?

Not urn shopping.

We're going to try everything all at once: the erbitux, camptosar, and the 5FU (via the fun take-home pump). The difference this time is we are going to more aggressively manage the side effects. Treatments will be every two weeks, so hopefully I feel somewhat human every other week.

Also, if the pain in my sternum gets too bad, I might go in for more radiation.

This cancer stuff is more fun than a kick in the head! (But not really.)

Now with less nasty Taste!

On Monday, 17 August 2009, I went in for yet another PET scan.

Typically, the process involves:

1. getting injected with a radioactive sugar solution
2. drinking a cup of "contrast" solution
3. waiting 90 minutes for the sugar solution to circulate
4. drinking another cup of contrast solution
5. getting a 20 minute CT scan

Normally the contrast solution tastes like stale, moldy ass juice. However, my nurse had good news for me: the solution tasted better now. And he was right; it tasted like light sugar water with just a hint of ass juice.

Now this may not seem like such a big deal, but after spending the last year and a half being poked, prodded, sliced, diced, poisoned, and fed various noxious things, I'll take any improvement I can get.