i'm ba-a-a-a-a-ack...

I am sure everyone thought I had dropped off the face of the planet, but I am still here and kicking. The past couple of months have been CRAZY busy. I posted descriptions of my most recent appointments and added my next scheduled appointment in March. Please read both and send any comments. I would love to hear from anyone who is reading my blog, just so I know I am not just talking to myself (like I usually do).

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year. My warmest wishes to everyone and your loved ones during this Holiday Season. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers over the last year. I truly have a lot to be grateful for.

All my best,
Steve

oncology follow up appt. & labs...

Another Oncology appointment. I feel like I am having deja vu all over again. It seems like I had one of these 2 months ago...oh, that's right, I DID!!!!!

OK, now on to serious matters. The appointment went well. My scans were clean...HURRAY!!!!! My blood counts and other levels/factors all look great...HIP HIP HURRAY!!!!!! The tiredness/lack of energy that I am still experiencing should diminish as time passes. He did say that some of the tiredness may be attributed to getting older --did he just say I was OLD!?!?!?!...I really don't think he should.

Anyway, Dr Hei's orders are to keep doing what I am doing and come back in 3 months (rather than 2, the appointments are starting to stretch out, I like the sound of that). In the new year, I will be starting to train hard again, working on my cardio, muscle tone, and Taekwondo. I plan to get back into "fighting shape" by February (yeah right), really by the Summer. I figure it took 6 months of treatment to take me down to this level, so I can allow 6 months to get back to the fitness level I want.

we had joy, we had fun, we had a CT scan for one....

No if's, and's, or but's, this CT scan was not very much fun.

First, you GET to drink 4 glasses of contrast (see details at the end) --a chalky, slightly orange flavored liquid the consistency of a melted shake (at room temperature)-- over 1.5 hours. Next, the contrast hits your system and gives you stomach cramps, intestinal distress, and the runs. But wait, it gets better... Now comes the scan itself. You GET to go through a 3 feet diameter tube, 5 feet in length about 6 times --in, out, in, out, and just when you think it is over, in very slowly, out very slowly. Then, change positions and another 3 times in/out.

To make this even more fun, you GET to have an injection of a 2nd contrast (see details at the end), right before the scan, which gives you 3 special EXTRA presents - the smell of spray paint fumes, the taste of metal, and a warm sensation like you have just wet you pants. HOW EXCITING. And that is it. All that fun in a 2.5 hour window.

Granted, none of this scan was painful nor torturous (unless you are claustrophobic). So, it could be worse. I will get the results at my Oncology appointment next week.

The purpose of the 2 contrasts is to help eliminate erroneous scan results. They each "light up" or highlight different internal systems, as follows:

chalky drink version -- shows your digestive tract
injected version - shows your blood vessels

More detailed info can be found here - body scan - head scan.