Good News for a Change

Last week on Monday I had a CT and an MRI of the "after" chemoembolization I and II. As I've mentioned, I tend to avoid even looking at the disks they give me before I leave Suburban Imaging. So this morning I was again pretty nervous for my consultation with Dr. Amatruda.

Fortunately, this time he had relatively good news for me. The tumor(s) on the right (probably the dark spots to the left in the picture) -- treated in the first chemoembolization -- were smaller, and the one(s) on the left -- treated in the second round -- were the same size. There was a side note that there was a nationwide shortage of the particular type of chemo used in I that wasn't used in II. So our course of action is to continue another right-left go with chemoembolizations, and preferably with the one with which my tumor(s) got smaller.

With that, we're heading to Bismarck tomorrow for the holiday weekend. I'd better get to packing soon.

Chemoembolization Followup II

Much like the last time, it took me about 10 days to start getting back to normal. Of course I'd started trying earlier than that.

I'd spent all of Monday (June 8) in the hospital, coming home Tuesday about noonish. My issues with the bed disappeared with the morphine drip that I hit more regularly this time. As explained to me by Dr. Tom, the backaches and sore shoulders were projected pain from the liver. So I took the pain meds more liberally this time around.

Angie had asked if I'd wanted her laptop the previous time, but I declined. This past time, however, I decided to give it a go. It was rather nice to have internet access, even though I didn't really feel like being "on" that much of the time. Still, it was a more interesting way to kill time when the available TV channels did not interest me.

I took it easier that Tuesday being home, and didn't even try to go in to work on Wednesday. I was feeling a little more achy or tired, I thought, this time around. Or maybe I was just attending the pain with meds again more freely. Either way, I think it was probably better that I'd tried to take it easy. I did about a half day of work on Thursday, and darn near the whole day on Friday, leaving a little bit early.

On the weekend I tried not to do all that much, but did break down and decide to borrow a bigger hammer to pound the stakes for my raspberries' new "tennis court" that I'd started the weekend before when I planted the tomatoes.

This week Monday was almost normal, work-wise. But I had a hard time sleeping that night and Tuesday I worked from home. Today was pretty much the first day back at "business as usual" for me. My appetite has been returning this week after its absence in the previous one.

Happy 5th Birthday, Heather!

It's a cold and rainy day today, putting a little damper on Heather's 5th birthday. We had been planning to go to the Minnesota Zoo today; Heather was even counting down the days. But alas, 55°F, the steady rain, and Brooke's freshly-broken ankle changed our minds.



The four of us went to the movie Up, which we all enjoyed. Later we went to Chuck E Cheese. Heather has been saying all day that she's having a really fun birthday. Now it's time for a little ice cream cake.

Thank You

For about a week now I've been trying to come up with words to express my thanks to everybody for the benefit last week Friday. To me, "Thank you" just doesn't seem to say it well enough.

Words may have escaped me, but I want to let everyone know how blessed I am to have you wonderful people in my life. Thank you for taking the time to keep me in your thoughts and prayers; I will do well to keep you in mine. Thank you for your overwhelming generosity, it is very humbling. And special thanks to those who made long journeys to share the night.

I wish I could say it better, but thank you all from the bottom of my heart.