Hi Norma, That's some good news! I hope the pain meds kick
in soon.
Love Jacqueline
Norma Steele writes:
>
>
>
> From: Norma Steele <nosteele1_at_EARTHLINK.NET>
Date: Thu Mar
> 30 2006 -
> 22:25:59 EST
>
>
>
>
> Dear friends and family,
>
> Today was Gordon's last chemotherapy. Maybe.
>
> Today was #7 of 7 scheduled chemotherapy treatments. By
all rights it
> should be his last however after talking with the
medical oncologist
> briefly today, there maybe subsequent chemotherapy
treatments. That
> news could have been really ruined our private
celebration but it
> really didn't. Well, at least not too much.. Let me
explain.
>
> Gordon got the results of last weeks PET scan this last
Monday. It was
> all good, in fact it was great! His radiation
oncologist came in with
> one big smile on his face as he read the following:
>
> Previously described increased FDG uptake within a
large left neck
> nodal mass has completely resolved Previously described
asymmetric
> slightly increased uptake within the left hypopharynx
has also
> resolved. Resolved increased uptake within the left
neck and
> hypopharynx
>
> Basically, what this seems to mean is that the PET scan
shows that the
> chemoradiation has done its job! This is fantastic news
but we are
> being cautiously optimistic. When we were talking to
the doctor today
> I asked if the PET scan results meant that Gordon did
not need surgery
> and was told that was what they were shooting for but
the doctor does
> not want to confirm that surgery will not be necessary,
at least not
> right now. He also mentioned that he may want to do
further
> chemotherapy.
>
> We will meet with him as scheduled this coming Monday
At that time we
> will find out whether the CT scan confirms what the PET
scan showed
> and am assuming that we will get an answer as to
whether there will be
> surgery and whether there will be more chemo.
>
> Even after hearing this bit of surprising news our
spirits remain
> quite high due to the encouraging news from the PET
scan. Believe me
> it is very hard to not break into a happy dance yet,
especially when
> we heard from the medical onc nurse that the doctor
literally jumped
> up and down with joy when he read the results of the
PET scan. Both
> oncs are quite pleased with the results but as the
medical onc told us
> this morning, he wants to make sure he does everything
possible so
> that he can sit down and have a drink with Gordon in 10
years. Okay,
> fair enough, we can live with that I guess, no pun
intended!
>
> So, in the meantime, Gordon continues with his
radiation which is
> really taking a toll on his throat. His skin has
stabilized and is
> doing quite well thanks to a new topical ointment,
Xclair that we were
> given samples of. It has done a fantastic job of his
his skin
> lubricated and he has had no further skin breakdown.
>
> Gordon describes the pain in his throat and esophagus
as if someone
> has been running a belt sander up and down in that
area. It is very
> difficult for him to swallow and we do butt heads often
as I try to
> get him to continue eating even if it hurts like hell.
No matter what
> he tries to eat, it hurts. Cold hurts, hot hurts,
liquid hurts, his
> bigger meds have to be crushed so that they do not
hurt. He has now
> lost 30 pound to date however since treatment is almost
over it seems
> like he may have avoided the necessity of a stomach
tube.
>
> They have started him on Prednisone for 5 days to help
reduce the
> inflammation in his throat and espousals and they are
also hydrating
> him daily since he can no longer drink the 4 liters of
water that he
> was drinking per day. (When he does drink fluids he now
is drinking
> Gatorade because the minerals in water were too hard on
his throat.)
> The Prednisone has helped a bit, he looks much better
than he did
> earlier this week but he still is in great pain so
there has been yet
> another addition to his drug arsenal.
>
> They started Gordon on a Fentanyl patch this afternoon,
so between the
> liquid Vicodin, liquid Motrin and the Fentanyl,
hopefully he will find
> some relief. While it seems like it just cannot get any
worse, I have
> to remind myself that the worst is yet to come. We were
told the
> following 10 days or so after radiation ended would be
the worst so
> hopefully we can find what works for him as far as pain
control before
> that time comes. As of this afternoon, there are only 4
more remaining
> radiation treatments with next Wednesday being his last
day.
>
> The end of treatment really is drawing near, it is just
around the
> corner but damn it, what we just don't know right now
is the exact
> date and what will be required to make it officially
over. Additional
> chemo treatments are doable but the fear that surgery
will still be
> required hangs over our heads so I try not to allow
myself to think of
> that right now.
>
> As you can see, it continues to be one hell of a roller
coaster ride
> with all the ups and downs we have been going through
this week.
> Just in writing this update I have felt such extreme
highs and lows.
> Boy, will I ever be glad when we can take off the seat
belts and
> start to dance.
>
> Much love to all and once again our thanks for all you
love and
> concern.
>
>
> Live, love and laugh!
>
> Norma Steele / San Mateo, CA Crazy Cat Lady
~,,,^..^,,,~
>
> <mailto:nosteele1 earthlink.net>mailto:nosteele1earthlink.net
>
>
~~^^o()o^^~~^^o()o^^~~^^o()o^^~~^^o()o^^~~^^o()o^^~~^^o()o^^
~~
>
> "Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the
control of fear."
> - Dickey Chapelle
>
>
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> Received on Thu Mar 30 22:38:49 2006
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