Tumors and Rumors

I went to see Dr Lunin today because I have some swelling around my jaws and a tooth ache. I think I may have an infection and I don't want it to get worse. He prescribed Amoxicillin 875 mg... to be taken 2 Xs a day for 10 days. Hopefully this will knock out any infection I may have.

While I was there, Dr. Lunin called to get the results of my x-ray. The tumor has shrunk from about 6.8cm to about three something cm in diameter (about half the size) which may translate into a larger percentage, in terms of volume. Again, it is hard to see and measure, but what we know is that the treatment is working as hoped to reduce the tumor size. It is very encouraging news and perhaps the most we can hope for at this stage. The PET scan, which will give us an idea about the metabolic activity (how active the cells are) will be the real test in January. We had SUV values in the area of 5 to 6, which is highly active. A reduction of SUV values to 2 or so would be a very good outcome. Keep praying. So far so good! We plan to revisit the question of surgery once more. If Dr Robinson thought the tumor was now resectable, that would be the very best outcome. I am not too hopeful, but we'll see.

I met with a client who I had not seen for a while. He was somewhat insistent that there must be something wrong with my health and both he and his wife were concerned because I had lost a lot of weight since they had last seen me. I did not feel comfortable continuing to deny there was a problem, so I decided to confess. In light of all the leaks I felt this would be a good client to "test the waters" and see what his reaction would be. After I told him I had been diagnosed with lung cancer, said he regretted having pressed me. I explained why I decided to keep this information private and he understood and agreed with my thinking. In fact, he said that I "had nothing to gain by telling clients." Hmmm.... we'll see what happens now. This particular client will keep the information to himself and is outside the country for more than half the year, so I am not concerned that he will be telling anyone beyond his wife and children.

I found out tonight that the google search engine picked up anything I had written about in my blog. Apparently, the executive director of St Vincent de Paul learned about my illness two weeks ago! (He googled St Vincent de Paul and saw my blog....the rest, as they say, is history.) Who know how many other searches have turned up my blog. I do know my profile was seen 178 times...two days prior to that it had only been viewed 150 times. (I finally figured out how to eliminate my blog profile from being searchable as well.) So much for secrets.

Yoko and Jessie picked Mom up from the airport. Her flight was uneventful, but it was a long day for her. I came home from work at 4:30 so I could spend some time with Mom before running off to a Rotary Board meeting tonight at 6 PM. I got back from Rotary at 8:30 this evening and we had dinner -- fried fish, garlic rice and beans. After dinner we sat around the kitchen table chatting until 11 PM. Our talk covered so many things I could not possibly summarize them all in the time I have tonight. But I do want to report that we decided the menu for the remainder of the week. Yoko and the girls are going to be busy cooking. I am looking forward to enjoying every bite and the swallow that follows!