Things are on the move again.
Sadly, it's not us on the move this time.
It's Steve's meso.
The cancer is progressing visibly. July's scan report noted that the lump on his chest (where the tumour has grown through the rib cage) had shrunk after radiotherapy last December. However the weekend before last, some six weeks after the July scan, Steve noticed that it had grown.
There is now a linear swelling on the outside of his chest extending diagonally from the site of the original lump towards his shoulder and armpit. To see this change in such a relatively short period of time is worrying, as you can imagine. If the cancer is growing that quickly on the outside of Steve's chest, there's a good chance it's probably doing the same on the inside.....
....Plus, his appetite has been variable; he has been coughing more, and getting more puffed out on exertion. Not good signs.....
Time for action.
The extra "puffers" prescribed by our GP are helping Steve's breathing and cough, which is good. Hannah, his meso nurse specialist, will arrange for him to see the radiotherapist after another scan to assess disease progression since July and to act as a baseline to judge the effectiveness of further treatment. We now are now in limbo, waiting for the scan date so that an appointment for radiotherapy can be sorted out. Potential referrals to other hospitals are also on hold while we deal with the immediate problem.
Of course, life doesn't stop still in the meantime. In the near future, we have another trip to Bristol to look forward to, and a few more social gatherings in the pipeline. However, plans beyond late September are (of necessity) very fluid.
We'll just have to take life one day at a time again. We're good at that....
Sadly, it's not us on the move this time.
It's Steve's meso.
The cancer is progressing visibly. July's scan report noted that the lump on his chest (where the tumour has grown through the rib cage) had shrunk after radiotherapy last December. However the weekend before last, some six weeks after the July scan, Steve noticed that it had grown.
There is now a linear swelling on the outside of his chest extending diagonally from the site of the original lump towards his shoulder and armpit. To see this change in such a relatively short period of time is worrying, as you can imagine. If the cancer is growing that quickly on the outside of Steve's chest, there's a good chance it's probably doing the same on the inside.....
....Plus, his appetite has been variable; he has been coughing more, and getting more puffed out on exertion. Not good signs.....
Time for action.
The extra "puffers" prescribed by our GP are helping Steve's breathing and cough, which is good. Hannah, his meso nurse specialist, will arrange for him to see the radiotherapist after another scan to assess disease progression since July and to act as a baseline to judge the effectiveness of further treatment. We now are now in limbo, waiting for the scan date so that an appointment for radiotherapy can be sorted out. Potential referrals to other hospitals are also on hold while we deal with the immediate problem.
Of course, life doesn't stop still in the meantime. In the near future, we have another trip to Bristol to look forward to, and a few more social gatherings in the pipeline. However, plans beyond late September are (of necessity) very fluid.
We'll just have to take life one day at a time again. We're good at that....
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