4 year follow up

I have my 4 year follow up today. 

This is how it goes with the timeline (at least for me): 

Treatment:

• Diagnosis (Sep 2012)
• Start Chemo (Oct 2012)
• End Chemo (March 2013)
• Rest before Radiation (April 2013)
• Radiation (April 2013)
• Rest (through July 2013)
• Back to work (July 2013)

Post Treatment:

• 1st + 2nd year from diagnosis: CT scan every 6 months, Dr. Visit every 3 months (Sep 2012 - Sep 2014), and 2 PET Scans for diagnosis and remission status.
• 3rd year from diagnosis: CT scan every 6 months, Dr. Visit every 6 months (Sep 2014 - Sep 2015)
• 4th year from diagnosis: CT scan 1 time a year (I had an extra CT Scan due to lung nodule), Dr. Visit every 6 months (Sep 2015 - Sep 2016) 
• HERE ON OUT 5th YEAR:  1 CT scan, Dr. Visit every 6 months (Sep 2016 - Sep 2017)
• 6th year:  I'm cured.  No more CT scans.

What that means:  I only have 1 more CT scan left to do, and only have to see my oncologist 2 more times.  Then no more checkups with an oncologist.  I do however, require an annual check up with my general practitioner doctor for routine blood draws.... though I haven't seen him in like 3 years, given that I've been to the doctor more than more people will ever see in their lives in the last 4  years.

My scan results today:

• "Nothing remarkable" ....which sounds kinda sad, but is actually good.  

I apparently am just fine with my health and not having cancer.  Yay.

After the next year, I should be fine.  Though the chance of having cancer goes up in about 20 years from there (when I'm 58), due to the chemo + radiation I received, but given medical research: that can go down quite a bit, but only if research is happening.

I also saw my old retired primary nurse today.  She's back in while the new head nurse is out for the next month. It was good to see her again.

Here's my (usual) exchange with my doctor today:
Dr: Looking good.  Has it been really 4 years?  That long?
Me: Yeah.
Dr: Well, you only have 1 more CT scan, ever. However, it will be with another doctor.  I'm retiring at the end of the year.
Me: What are you going to do with retirement?
Dr: Travel, while I'm not too feeble.

Though I have 2 art degrees, I work in medical research support (prior to my diagnosis actually).  People I know from "back then" who say, "why don't you try teaching or blah blah?"  Because I'm pretty good with what I'm doing.  I kinda hit a wall with the self-centered art thing, and I like what I do.  I still do that "art thing" on the side, but: I like what I do and what it ultimately means.

I recently took a trip to California, and Tahoe. It was a good "mancation" with old friends of mine from grad school. I needed a vacation, and to almost have a heart attack going up 1300' feet in 1/4 mile.

Those Seattle legs provided a lot of glare

I also saw one of my old grad advisers while in California, Mike Henderson. He used to keep some of my art up in his studio, they were gone when I visited.  His reason:

"I used to have your art up in my studio, old print proofs I pulled out of the trash of your studio one day. Then I heard you had cancer a couple of years ago, and I thought to myself that I didn't want to disrespect you with putting up something that you didn't want to be seen, so I took the prints down, and tore then up, and decided if you got better, you could just give me something to replace it that you liked." 

Well, I suppose I should give him some stuff.

Cat photo (because that's why you actually come here, it's the internet, it's okay). My friends' fat skeptical cat:

Spots on lungs + 3 1/2 years down, 1 1/2 to go

Spot on my lung followup:

So, as follow up to my last post regarding my pulmonary nodule at the top of my lung on the right side, which is where I had my radiation therapy so I had to do the standard follow up, to ensure that it's not cancer caused by the radiation therapy (it was clearly not from a lymph node, so it was not Hodgkin's Lymphoma):

• Waited 3 months (Dec 2015 - March 2016), to see if the nodule grew or went away.  Grow = bad, stay the same/go away = good
• No CT contrast to slurp down, since it's a plain CT scan of only my chest, though I still have a IV contrast while in the machine

They have stylin' chairs in the waiting room now

The nodule was originally 6mm, and it's stayed the same size, but has gotten more transparent, which basically means it's dissipating and may disappear all together on my next scan. It was probably caused by some sort of respiratory infection like pneumonia.

I'll have to have another scan in 6 months (Sep 2016), since the nodule is still there, though should disappear or be much smaller, but that's my next regular scan anyway. If my scan in September is good, that means I won't have to have another for 12 months until Oct 2017, and that will be my last scan all together at the 5 year mark since diagnosis and means that I'm cured.

My oncologist was reviewing the scans before the radiologist finished the report, but we knew what we were looking for.  Then just as my appointment was about to finish, he's scrolling through the slices of my body, and says "hold on... what is that?"  On the scan there was a very-very bright spot in between my lung and heart on my right side, about the size of two to three inches. He then asks me if I still have my port installed, I don't, it's been out for about 3 years now. Then he start muttering and going through all of the possible things he's looking at trying to figure out what it it is.  

The reason why he asked me if I still had my port in, was because only metal would show that brightly on a CT scan.  He then checked the scans going front to back, and found that it was actually much bigger and longer, like a long piece of alien-organic shaped metal winding from my diaphragm to my shoulder.  So then after a couple of minutes, he says "I think it's the contrast that they injected you with, and they just started the scan a few seconds too early so it's concentrated and in your system instead of more spread out."  

Doctor: "I'll just wait for the radiologists report to come in and if it's something of concern I'll give you a call, otherwise I'll see you in September."

Me: "I... uh... alright?"

I eventually got the report and per the radiologist: "nothing remarkable. Follow up in 6 months."  I've found radiologist to be the most dry and non-plused of all doctors encountered, they're like the HAM radio enthusiasts of the medical world (the most hilarious are always pathologists).

I had also sprained my knee and told my doctor, and added "it's probably not within your specialties."  He said "hey... you never know." 

3 years since finishing chemotherapy 

It's been 3 years since I finished chemotherapy.  So I treated myself and went on a 2 day hike of the Olympic peninsula. I went to Hurricane Ridge, and Rialto Beach at La Push (no, don't even think about it).  I snowshoed on what is probably one of the last days to snowshoe of the season.  I only have 1 1/2 more years until I no more regular scans and checks, Wendy and I might go someplace internationally at that point to celebrate.

That guy (still with hair)

Eh, the view is alright I suppose

Continuing Check Ups

I am now 2 1/2 years out, since diagnosis, and a little under 1 year since remission.

When I went into my last appointment check in, I waited in the waiting area.  The front desk girl was still there, and as per usual she never forgets my name (though I'm pretty sure that she has a list of the patients that are coming that day under the counter, but I'm fine with that).

While I waited, there was a code blue  while I was waiting, which means someone went into cardiac or respiratory failure.  Immediately, the code blue response team showed up.  The eventually left, and I assumed the person in need was taken to the ER via internal access.

So then I waited... for at least an hour.  I figured they were busy, with a code blue etc.  I had assumed it was a patient that had an issue... until the head nurse came out, and told me I'd have to reschedule.  My Dr was the one who needed the code blue. I wasn't sure what to say, then the nurse offered up "how about we do your blood work and schedule?" Me: "Uhh... okay?"

I rescheduled 2 weeks later. 

When I eventually say my doctor, Dr: "this is odd... why did you do your blood work 2 weeks ago?  Normally that's done same day as I see you?"  Me: "Well... uh, you were pre occupied... as they called a code blue on you when you collapsed."  Dr:  "... was that 2 weeks ago?  AH, yeah it was. It not so good when the patients I see are seemingly in better health than I am." (He had a kidney stone, and collapsed from the pain. He's not a spring chicken).

I've hit the miles stone of "you've been so far okay, let's see you in August, and then do a scan in December.  If then you're okay after that scan at the end of the year, you won't need a scan after this, and I can see you 2 times a year for a couple of years, and then you're 'cured.'" 

SO:  If it get to the end of the year with not problems, I won't have to have another barium milkshake flavored by someone who has spent their entire life in a lab and doesn't know what "citrus" tastes like (I assure you sir, it DOES NOT TASTE LIKE THAT).

Life note: Wendy and I had our 4th "we've-been-together-and-we're-kinda-married-close-enough-I'm-a-godless-west-coast-atheist-whatever-with-labels" anniversary a week ago.  We celebrated at Rock Creek (great fish).

Awe, eating fish and being cute.

If people still read this:  I highly recommend, rather than blowing money + giving to shitty charities: give to cancer research as a whole, either lymphoma, breast, or basically any other, because really, if we can spend 4,000,000,000,000 on the military and only 4,000,000,000 (that's 4 trillion vs 4 billion)- that's kinda fucked up.

... I'll post a photo of cat next time, if you donate.

1 Year Post Treatments

A couple of weeks ago I had my 1 year anniversary from finishing all of my cancer treatment.

In the past few months, I've slowly regained my stamina and energy, and have improved greatly.  I'm not quite 100%, but I'm about 90% the way there.

I have another CT scan coming up in June (and 4 more years of check ups before I'm pronounced "cured"), and it should be like my last one: NED (No Evidence of Disease).

Critical notes:  

• They have a new barium CT contrast flavor!  CITRUS.  I imagine it will taste like it was made by a guy who has never left a lab his whole life who tried to to make something taste like "citrus" from having it described to him.
• My hair this past couple of weeks has finally returned to it's pre-cancer form, part in the middle and all.

My closest friends threw me a 1 year post-cancer treatment party.  It was great.

Cancer SMASH

Babies everywhere

Appropriate

 Get out of here

 A VERY old obscure joke between friends

 They needed a break too

 I stole their pictures for the blog (I hope they don't find out)

 She wished me a happy birthday about 4 times

"Here's your cancer cake! ...that... name doesn't sound right" 

Still a nope

How did I find out I have caner- well, glad you asked

My friend Andrew asked me over my first hair cut/guys night, "how did you even know to check if you had cancer?"

Well this is how I found out.

Mid summer July 2012, I noticed a swollen lump on the right side of my neck. I had thought it was a pulled muscle, as I get those frequently.  I waited a couple of weeks- it wasn't sore, and the swelling hadn't gone down.  It was a lump the size of about 1.75" on the long side, and .75" on the wide side- right on the middle of my neck on the right side.

After that I thought it was a swollen gland, the last time I had been sick (hardly ever sick) was in April- so I had thought perhaps it was a regular swollen gland from an illness way back when.  Which meant the swelling should go down in 4-6 weeks.  

Come late August- no reduction in swelling.  I had no other symptoms other than the swelling. So I made an appointment with my fantastic primary care physician, he wanted me to see a specialist, otolaryngologist (AKA Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor) to see what was up.  By the time I saw him, the primary swelling mass had started to shrink... and 5 more smaller spots around it started to swell up as well.

I went on vacation to California for a few days, followed up by jury duty for a week.  Yay me.  We also let a crack dealer go, because the state didn't have enough evidence beyond a reasonable doubt, however we were all pretty sure he was guilty.

Early mid-September, my Otolaryngologist had me get a CT scan of my neck.  It took one week to get the the results, which were inconclusive.  So- fine needle aspiration... that was not an enjoyable experience.  The results came back a week later, inconclusive.  However, a serious form of cancer was ruled out (along with anything viral), as there were not traces of cells from other parts of my body present.

Early October, I had to have a Lymph Node Biopsy of the swollen glands.  It took about 5 days for the results to come back- which were positive for Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  My initial feeling was relief if you can believe it, it was finally the first conclusive diagnosis of anything for the last 3 months.I had prepared myself for basically any diagnosis- which of all the cancers it could have been- that's the one to get, as the cure rate is about 90% given my age and what I guessed/hoped my stage was at.

So long Otolaryngologist, hello Oncologist, which is basically a cancer specialist.  My particular doctor (who I refer to as my "doctor" in all of my posts.), is specifically a lymphoma specialist. Newly Diagnosed: If you happen to live in a large city, particularly on one of the coasts (but not always)- you should have a great deal of resources to treat your disease.  Although, if you live in a smaller city/town, or rural area- there's a strong chance your  oncologist will have only seen 1-2 cases of Hodgkin's Lymphoma in their career, and you maybe the first.  It's not *that* common of cancer, but don't fret- it's one of the most curable cancers, and you will most certainly get the same treatment as most hospitals operate generally the same protocols for treatment of Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

I had to get a PET Scan, so my new doctor could stage my cancer.

I saw my Oncologist about 4 days after my diagnosis, who was fantastic.  I got my estimated stage, which was IIA.  Meaning, it was in 2 lymph regions on one side of the diaphragm, and didn't seem to be in any organs, and I didn't have any of the "classic" symptoms   If you ever get a PET scan- totally ask to see it, it's pretty amazing to see the inside of your body with a mouse wheel scroll.  Hooray for science!  Mine was stage II instead of Stage I- because it was in two lymph regions in my body, specifically in my neck on the right side (where most of the activity was) and in my chest, in between my heart and lungs, which had a lot of activity but was just starting to happen- Hodgkin's Lymphoma is a notoriously slow growing cancer- and highly treatable. So to get a "final" stage, I had to get a bone marrow biopsy, JUST to make sure the cancer wasn't in my bone marrow.  My Doc was pretty sure it wasn't, but pretty much everyone will get this- and if they give you a choice to have meds during the biopsy- DO IT.  As a old friend of mine who is a nurse says "we call those the Jedi drugs, we just wave our hands and say 'you will not remember this.'"

Mid October: I also got my medical port "installed" same day, because I have terrible veins.  It's become a running joke with any nurse I have about how terrible my veins are when they have to do a blood draw.  Newly Diagnosed: I cannot stress enough to get a port if your insurance/money/credit card will allow it.

The results of my biopsy came back- free and clear.  I was typical Hodgkin's Lymphoma, AKA Nodular Sclerosis Hodgkin's Lymphoma Stage IIA.

Start of November, which was 2 weeks after my port/bone biopsy,  I started chemotherapy.  And one month later- I've finished 1/4 of my scheduled treatments, and have been responding well to treatment so far, and my 2" swollen lymph node on my neck is virtually non-existent.

I have about 4 or 5 pet charities I donate to regularly,  one of the things that will now be part of my "money I donate to charity" is lymphoma research, and cancer research in general. Specifically: the Lymhopma and Leukemia Society, whose budget comprises about 80% toward research grants.  As a weird side note: I "work" in medical research as a day job, and really- funding is everything.  In a country that prefers to build multiple $5 billion (each) dollar aircraft carriers simultaneously (because you know- we need a fleet of 12), and $1.8 BILLION was spent on the presidential election by both candidates- you know, so they can robo-call you at 6:00 PM, but only $250 million on cancer research last year (talk about stupid priorities, and no- it's not "communist" to spend money on citizens well being), they could use your donations.

Also: cat.

New "cat box"... they fight over the privilege of squatting in it.