CT Scan Results and Thoughts

Two days ago I went through the CT scan routine with drinking the barium and then being injected with dye before the procedure.  By now, I know what is coming and what to expect, so, no sweat😏.  However, I do know how the procedure prep effects me and have to stay near a bathroom for part of the day.  No big deal, I am used to that too💪
So, I will type what the radiologist wrote with his findings and his opinion.
I might add here that the favorite word I look for for all the "organs" mentioned on my scan list is the word "unremarkable"...that means no change and nothing out of the ordinary:)
So, here goes:
"1.  There are 3 new lung nodules in the left upper lobe.  Given the history of pancreatic cancer, metastases must be considered a likely diagnosis.
2.    The pancreatic primary lesion is now very inconspicuous, really only identifiable with comparison to prior studies and identifiable because it represents the junction of the relatively well preserved pancreatic parenchyma in the head and the atrophic change in the body and tail that occur distal
 to cancers.   It now measures 7 x 9 mm.
3.   There are some degenerative changes in the spine and there are several findings compatible with hemangiomas at multiple levels.  There is a less well-defined lesion in T4, but this may also be a hemangioma and in retrospect is unchanged from prior chest CTs back to at least February, 2017."
So, the day I picked up the report, Ruthie encouraged me to ask my oncologist, to call me with her take on the report.  I do have a chemo appointment on Monday, April 30!
Dr. Paul told me that the nodules were too small to biopsy or do a PET scan at this point.  She would watch them.  Meanwhile, to keep up with the 3-week regimen of chemo treatments.  The tumor in the pancreas is very small now.
I just personally don't think those nodules are on my mind at the moment.  I feel fine and life is going by fast for everyone anyway.
I have gotten to swim twice this week so far and that goes very well.  I will be very happy when the warm weather is here and I can go swimming outside in Bill and Ruthie's pool.
Lately I have noticed that my thinking process sometimes looses focus, more than when I was younger.  I wonder if that is "age" or "chemo brain".   I actually blame it on "chemo brain".   I have also noticed that my stress level has to be low or I get too tired.   I just cannot deal with being stressed.  I think that has a lot to do with all the years I felt under stress just with living under deadlines and performing.  Maybe that is why I no longer have the desire to sing publicly (or privately for that matter).  There is so much that goes into performing and preparation for singing. Just living and working around the house keeps me busy:)
Monday will be my 25th treatment of Folfirinox.   I started treatment of this toxic combination of drugs in December, 2016.
Praise to the Lord for His mighty arms and loving care which surround me daily even when I feel lazy and unproductive at times.  Thanks be to God for surrounding me with a loving husband and caring children and grandchildren.  And, praise and thanks to God for friends and family from near and far who faithfully pray for me on a daily basis.   This is truly the Spirit of God urging our prayers and our lives to follow His will for the trust He wants from each one of us.
Which reminds me of the hymn we sang last Sunday at church and which I have sung with a different tune many times: "The Solid Rock".

Five days after chemo treatment #24

It has been a wonderful Easter-tide celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ and enjoying family activities which included the profession of faith and the baptism of our daughter-in-law Hailey on Easter Sunday.  Praise the Lord!
Monday was chemo day and I came home feeling nauseated, etc, but still able to eat what was appealing.
Tuesday was a bit better, and Wednesday the pump came off and I had a liter of fluid.
Wednesday and especially Thursday make we wonder how long I will put myself through the "torture" of nausea and weakness for this "miracle" of shrunken tumor.  But, as "quality of life" has it, I will start to feel better as the nausea leaves and I gain more energy over the weekend.  That is after a bout of diarrhea which is expected any day now.💩  Sorry to be so candid but that is the life of a chemo treatment,  full of toxicity!
My tumor marker remains the same level at 9 according to their system of measurement of the cancer in the blood.  I still get a little confused about the tumor marker because it doesn't tell all nor does it tell what according to what I have read.
I go for another CT scan on April 23 and that will tell how small the tumor is, if it has grown, stayed the same or  has shrunk more.   Meanwhile, life goes on.
Tuesday our friend from Colombia, Juan, will arrive in Lynchburg at the train station and we will welcome him again into our home.  He will be on his way to Raleigh, NC, to study more English.
At the end of this week, we will celebrate our oldest granddaugher's birthday, Sarah, of 19 years old and the birthday of our son-in-law Joe, April 13.  How ironic that both our only granddaughters were born on the same  birth dates of our only sons-in-law.  Ellington was born on Bill Gillespie's birthday, Oct. 17! Then, of course, our youngest grandson was born on his Mom's birthday, Oct.24!
I am always so grateful for the food provided for us during this week by the family and friends and for the transportation help when my family cannot do it to the cancer center!
Have a beautiful Friday, the 6th of April, 2018!