Health Update -- Chemo & Immunotherapy

This morning was my final chemo treatment (#4).  After this, treatments will continue with infusions for immunotherapy.  They will still be every 3rd Monday, but the duration of the infusion will be much shorter than the chemo treatments (2 hours vs. 5-6 hours).  

The immunotherapy treatments will endure for a year.  It remains to be seen what kind of reactions I will have.  I have been told that some have developed a rash.  Others have nausea.  Others get fatigued.  I guess I will have to learn by experience what effects I will face, but I am hoping that it will be minimal and that my schedule will not need to be altered because of it.

I had a PET scan back on September 20, and the results were very good.  My oncologist, Dr. Manam, said that they were not only improved, but much improved.  I am grateful for that.  Since I never felt bad to begin with, it was hard to know if I was getting better.  According to Dr. Manam, things are better.

I am grateful that the Lord has spared me from some rather difficult treatments and after-effects that are common in many others.  I am grateful for doctors who pursued their concerns and caught everything early so that my condition was not beyond help.  I am grateful for so many who have expressed their concerns and offered up their prayers.  And I am hoping that these treatments will allow me to continue to in my various vocations for many years to come.  But even if everything falls apart health-wise, I am still in God's hands, and that is a good place to be.

Health Update -- New schedule

A trip to the oncologist this past Thursday revealed a new schedule (at least, new to me).  What was scheduled to be six weeks of chemotherapy has been reduced to four weeks.  So, I am halfway through, which is nice.

That was followed by the oncologist saying that I will have infusions for immunotherapy every third week for a year.  A year.  Okay.

I am guessing that the infusions will not be as debilitating as chemo has been.  At least, I hope so.  

I will be having a PET scan in mid-September to see what three treatments of chemo have accomplished so far.  Radiation is not out of the question, but that depends on what the PET scan shows.

Is this all good news?  I suppose so, but for me is just what is on the schedule for the coming year.  There are still some questions, but they will be answered as we progress.  No matter what, I am in God's hands, and that is a good place to be.