Where Things Currently Stand: Saturday, December 05, 2009
Here are some basic updates on where things are currently standing.
Next week should be my final week for treatment. If I understand correctly, I have three more treatments to go … which is great! The only down side to this is that they’re three of the treatments that I got in the beginning, you know, the ones that make you feel sea-sick. Those high level IMRT treatments that spread far and wide through out your body.
The reason for this is that they’re used as a kind of broad general “clean up” to assure that all areas of the tumor and surrounding area have been heavily radiated. Like a second coat of paint sort of speak. This is an important finishing step that can’t be ignored. So, my guess is, if they’re anything like last time I’ll be feeling crappy for the bulk of next week … but then, all treatments stop for six weeks.
On January 21, I need to return to the Proton Center, and do some heavy testing and scans that will begin the process of looking for what damage was actually done, and how much the tumor was effected. At the same time they’ll be looking for new growth, not only in the treated area, but anywhere else the cancer may have moved to.
That’s one of the “not very funny things” about Chondrosarcoma and some of the other cancers. When it knows it being attacked (like we’ve done with this treatment), it has this nasty little habit of sending off little groups of cells elsewhere in the body, in an attempt to save itself, and take up residence in another bone or cartilage, somewhere else in your body. That’s precisely what they don’t want to happen and what they have to watch out for.
That’s the reason that chondrosarcoma is so dangerous and deadly. It never really goes away and leaves your body completely. There is always some, somewhere in you. Trying to control it, and keeping after it … is the best they can do. So this is what we need to learn to live with.
They also gave warning about the burns (or whatever they’re considered) that cover a good sized area of my lower back, the warning was that they may blister and become sensitive about ten days after all treatments stop. I’m not clear on why that is … but that’s what they said would happen. Keep it clean and dry and they should heal with in a week.
So all said and done, I’m feeling pretty positive and upbeat about where I am at the moment.
