Yay! 7 to go…almost half way! And with the 2 month mark, I had my follow up scans done…just a CT…and it shows that the masses have GREATLY diminished in size. For comparison, the mediastinal (area of chest that separates the lungs and is between the sternum and spinal column),mass previously measured 9.4 x 8.1 cm and is now 5.4 x 4.0 cm. Whoohoo! Another precarinal lymph node now measures 1.1x 1.7 where it was previously greater than 3 cm. The masses in my lungs have decreased also…the largest mass in the upper left lob previously measured 6.6 x 6.9 and is now 4.1 x 3.3 cm. So yay, super awesome news. I will have a PET scan follow up after the 8th treatment, which will show how much of those masses remaining is scar tissue and how much (if any) left is still lymphoma. The PET dye targets active cells, and as cancer cells are more active, they show up highlighted on the report. The masses themselves can leave some scar tissue and it is also a side effect of the bleomycin, the B of ABVD.
Side effects pretty much the same…queasiness following the treatment for about 4 days. Fatigue, but that is getting better. I don’t know if I mentioned previously, but I am also receiving acupuncture treatments. I go about once a week and the acupuncturist puts needles at different points to help the flow of Chi/Qi through the body’s meridians or channels. Points can target symptoms or functions or organs of the body. I SWEAR by the points for constipation. Also, as my kidneys are taking a beating with the chemo, she does points to support those as well. In my last visit, I mentioned that my whole body had been very stiff, muscularly. That day I had also taken a long walk, which, based on the sporadic exercise I have been doing, would have had me the next day super stiff and with shin splints. I felt a deep achey feeling on the point that she hit, which she said is a good indication of taping into the Chi flow. The next day, I was limber and feeling so much better than the day before. Really amazing stuff. The ‘she’ I mention is Susan, owner of Confluence Healing, Community Acupuncture & Herbs. A very cool aspect is she operates on a sliding scale for treatment, requesting $25-$45, making it so that it is affordable for everyone. www.pittsburghacupuncture.net
I have been receiving so many wonderful cards and notes from friends, family and co-workers. I am very touched.
