Yardwork and IPODs and treatment continues...

Well, it's been a while since I've updated the blog. Sorry about that; in this case that's mostly good news. Over the last week, I've been getting stronger and better; the only downer has been some neuropothy and severe cramps in my right leg/calf, so please pray for those. I'll seee a Dr. about it on Thursday.

But, back to the good news, last weekend I felt positivly, "spry.” On Saturday I did some yard work, which these days consists of riding around in a golf cart giving encouraging instruction to a kid who is swinging around a spin-trimmer. Pretty sweet way to do yard work, eh? The kids, so far, have been great about it. We'll see how long that lasts.

Also, Caleb and I installed an ipod-adaptor in my car… what a job. I mention this because I have only recently become an ipod-user, and this is thanks to a good friend who decided I needed one for the long days in the Hospital or Drs office. It’s been great – especially in the infusion center (which is where I spend my Thursdays). It’s also great at home when I’m tired and can’t sleep but too I’m nauseous to read (which, thankfully, happens less and less – maybe a few times / week).

As far as the medical update, still no sign of ascites (abdominal fluid). This is great news. It definitely means one of the drugs is working (I think it’s the Avastin, but my Dr. won’t commit… that’s because the Avastin was NIH’s idea and the oxaliplatin/5-FU/leucovorin was his (that’s only partly true -- Avastin was first mentioned by NIH, and my oncologist agreed it was the best treatment option in a phone call between UVA and NIH the day I was told I was too sick to do the NIH study). By the way, one of oxaliplatin’s main ingredients is platinum… pretty cool huh. I’m not just silver- or gold- dude. I’m the platinum-dude (by the way, this is the hardest of the drugs I’m taking – I’ll get it again this Thursday. I’ll talk about the side effects in another blog sometime… some are pretty cool)

Anyway, back to the update, the ascites is good, but I have two small tumors (I think I mentioned them before) just under my skin that are easy to feel. These tumors these aren’t shrinking (they’re not growing real fast either), so that’s a sign that we may not be beating back the cancer. We won’t know for sure until I have a scan which (every one is asking) is scheduled for next Thursday, June 4. We’ve been putting it off because we need to give time for the Avastin/5-FU therapy to work. If I get scanned earlier and it doesn’t look good, we’d just say, “well, the treatment hasn’t had time to work, let’s give it a few more weeks.” So, an earlier scan is pointless.

About those grape-sized tumors (if you care – this entry is getting kind of long): They are on my lower-right side right abdomen – right where they removed my Kidney. Earlier scans showed that there was some cancer on the abdominal wall at the nephrectomy site (perhaps they didn’t get everything when they removed the kidney… it’s hard to say. There certainly wasn’t any detectable cancer at that location after the surgery). Well, it turns out that when they tapped me in this area (lower right side), they stirred things up and the cancer re-seeded. I noticed a small lump almost immediately after the tap, and I mentioned it to every Dr. (and Nurse) that saw me. Every single Dr/nurse said, “no, that’s not cancer, it doesn’t spread that way.” I kept saying, “ok, what is it?” They would mumble something about a scar or hematoma. It wasn’t until I had a CT scan in the hospital and the radiologist said that the tumors were consistent with metastatic PRCC that the Dr’s finally admitted that it was possible.

The plan for these is to probably radiate them at some point. Normally pRCC doesn’t respond to radiation, but these are so close to the surface of the skin that they might be able to really blast ‘em in a way they can’t if it’s inside the abdominal cavity or in/near a major organ. We’ll see. I don’t really care (as long as they don’t hurt, and they don’t). In a way it’s nice being able to tell easily if things are growing, shrinking, or staying the same. And, as I said, I think “staying the same” is where we’re at right now. Hopefully that’s enough for today.

Again… thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. I am constantly surprised and super-encouraged by the folks who tell me that they read the blog and are praying. It’s not just my friends (who are the backbone of my support) – it’s friends of friends, and relatives of co-workers, and parents of my kids friends… you are all amazing. I’m blessed and humbled by your love and concern – which, for me, is the one of the main ways God is showing me His love and concern. May he bless you as His love flows through you to me. Thank you!!