The Big Day dawned. Time to go to hospital to hear the results of six cycles of chemo over the last five months.
With an appointment at 12.30 pm, we guessed we would have to wait to see the doctor. Steve still tends to feel nauseous if he doesn't eat quickly when he starts to feel hungry, so we took the precaution of having toast and coffee before setting out. A wise move as it turned out.....
....We arrived in good time and were directed to the waiting area ready to be called into the consulting room.
15 minutes later, still there....
30 minutes later, still there....
45 minutes later, still there....
60 minutes later - at last! Steve called to be weighed, then on to the consulting room where we sat and waited again....
5 minutes later, no sign of doctor....
10 minutes later, no sign of doctor....
15 minutes later, no sign of doctor....
20 minutes later and the doctor arrived - the same one that saw Steve after four cycles of treatment and gave him the all clear to have two more cycles of chemo in January and February. He recognized us. However, given the circumstances, it was rather disconcerting to hear him go on to say "So, you've now had four cycles of treatment?"
We put him straight, expecting him to move on to the scan results...but no - it was the usual questions - How are you feeling? Any problems? How's the breathing? Side effects of chemo?
Then, at last, after an agonising wait, he opened the file on the page with the radiology report and simply said that there had been a positive response to chemo - a further reduction in the pleural thickening. Did we have any questions?
I think it must have taken a second or two for the news to sink in, but then it was like a great weight lifting!
We looked at the scan and, boy, did it look good to our untutored eyes! The left lung is still clean. The small pleural plaques are still there in the right lung, but the misty cobweb of cancer cells around the lining of the lung has definitely shrunk and there is a nice big black space in the middle, which is as it should be!
The doctor confirmed that the mesothelioma is still confined to just one lung. Nothing else had shown up on the whole body scan - so no metastasis.
Steve has been signed off until June. His next appointment is a matter of 10 days off the fourth anniversary of his diagnosis. We have three whole months to enjoy ourselves, starting with a bottle of prosecco tonight! Please join us in a virtual glass to celebrate :-)
The news has already gone out to family and some close friends. Our son will get it when we wakes up tomorrow morning in New Zealand. I think we will still have smiles on our faces then and for quite some time to come!
With an appointment at 12.30 pm, we guessed we would have to wait to see the doctor. Steve still tends to feel nauseous if he doesn't eat quickly when he starts to feel hungry, so we took the precaution of having toast and coffee before setting out. A wise move as it turned out.....
....We arrived in good time and were directed to the waiting area ready to be called into the consulting room.
15 minutes later, still there....
30 minutes later, still there....
45 minutes later, still there....
60 minutes later - at last! Steve called to be weighed, then on to the consulting room where we sat and waited again....
5 minutes later, no sign of doctor....
10 minutes later, no sign of doctor....
15 minutes later, no sign of doctor....
20 minutes later and the doctor arrived - the same one that saw Steve after four cycles of treatment and gave him the all clear to have two more cycles of chemo in January and February. He recognized us. However, given the circumstances, it was rather disconcerting to hear him go on to say "So, you've now had four cycles of treatment?"
We put him straight, expecting him to move on to the scan results...but no - it was the usual questions - How are you feeling? Any problems? How's the breathing? Side effects of chemo?
Then, at last, after an agonising wait, he opened the file on the page with the radiology report and simply said that there had been a positive response to chemo - a further reduction in the pleural thickening. Did we have any questions?
I think it must have taken a second or two for the news to sink in, but then it was like a great weight lifting!
We looked at the scan and, boy, did it look good to our untutored eyes! The left lung is still clean. The small pleural plaques are still there in the right lung, but the misty cobweb of cancer cells around the lining of the lung has definitely shrunk and there is a nice big black space in the middle, which is as it should be!
The doctor confirmed that the mesothelioma is still confined to just one lung. Nothing else had shown up on the whole body scan - so no metastasis.
Steve has been signed off until June. His next appointment is a matter of 10 days off the fourth anniversary of his diagnosis. We have three whole months to enjoy ourselves, starting with a bottle of prosecco tonight! Please join us in a virtual glass to celebrate :-)
The news has already gone out to family and some close friends. Our son will get it when we wakes up tomorrow morning in New Zealand. I think we will still have smiles on our faces then and for quite some time to come!
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| Steve on his birthday, with the Meso Warriors flowers |
Posts
I am so pleased- enjoy that prosecco!
ReplyDeleteYou've earned it
Amanda
I think we should all be celebrating, Amanda. If Ray's condition is stable, then that's good too! We lived with and loved "stable" for three years; happy to let sleeping dogs lie. Focus on the positive! xx
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