Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Our progress

I haven't written in the blog for a while because last week the site was down which prevented me from posting anything  -- kind of upsetting!! 

Arnie completed the last week of radiation treatments at CTCA last Friday, May 13th.   We saw the Radiation Oncologist Thursday, May 12th, and he was very positive about the success of the treatments.  We will do scans in 6 weeks, but in the meantime the Medical Oncologist, Dr. Neelam, wants to do some additional chemo treatments beginning in 3 weeks -- sort of a "clean up" following the radiation treatments.  We have been told that cancer cells can be present in the body even if there are no active tumors, so she wants to clean up whatever may be floating around. Those treatments will be on a 3 week schedule, which will make the traveling a bit easier. 

It will depend on scan results to determine how long we will be on these chemo treatments. 

I saw my Neurosurgeon today for my post-op visit.  It has been 8 weeks since my L4 - L5 fusion has been done.  I got x-rays yesterday and took them with me to the doctor's appointment.  He showed us the films and explained what we were looking at.  Everything looks good.  The fusion is healing and the nerves are no longer being pinched causing pain and tingling.  I am still having some intermittent pain in my left leg but nothing like how it was before surgery.  Damaged nerves can take quite a while to heal.  Dr. McCormick seems happy with my progress, which I think is a good thing!  I am scheduled for some aquatic therapy which will begin the middle of June.

Please keep us in your prayers.  God is good and prayers have been answered!   We have much to be thankful for as we continue on this journey.  We thank God for His blessings to us!  Please keep in touch!

2 comments:

  1. I bet Arnie and you are glad to be home and have the radiation treatments over. It had to be hard living over there for 4 weeks. Hope the clean up goes well. In our prayers as always.

    Also good to hear you are doing well.

    Jim & Barb

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  2. I am so glad Dad gets this 3 week break. Hopefully a few chemo treatments and then it will all be over!!! I'm also very glad you are recovering so well from your surgery. You guys are always in our prayers. I love you!

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