" The Plan "

There is a line in one of my favorite movies that went "Those rooskies don't take a dump without a plan, son" Same scenario for the lung cancer team at St Joe's. To say they are dedicated and thorough is an understatement. "The Plan" was formulated only after: a brain CAT scan (nothing found there-what?) a chest CAT scan to measure the tumors (size of a golf ball), a PET scan to identify if the cancer has spread (it hasn't), a lung capacity evaluation (surprisingly just below normal) a biopsy of the lung tumor and a mediasconoptomy of the lymphnode that I wouldn't wish on anyone. Only then did the oncologist, thorasic surgeon. radiologist and"infusionist" (remember that term) sit down in the same room to formulate the path to the cure. They convinced me that cancer is no longer a death sentence if caught early, my tumors are small and less than 2 years old, so "the plan" is that by early Spring, the cancer will be gone.
Like it, let's go.
Surgery was ruled out so radiation and "infusion" are the weopons of choice.
I'm now into my second week of treatments. Radiation 5 days /week and "infusion" on Tuesdays. They call it "infusion", I call it "cocktail hour" and it all means "Chemotherapy" which NO ONE says, EVER! Some stigmas take longer to lose than others. The "cocktail" consists of a bag of saline, a small bag of an anti-nausea drug, a half jigger of steroid and a shot of benadryl before the big bags of Carboplatin and Paclitaxel with blood pressure checks every 15 minutes...hmmm, haven't questioned that yet, don't want to know. The cocktail is modified by my oncologist based on blood draws taken every Monday. White blood counts haven't taken the big dip yet but is expected to in the next two weeks.
Jo and I decided to take part in a case study spearheaded by the MAYO CLINIC cancer team that basically increases dosage and length of radiation treatments which has proven extremely successful in treating throat, brain and colon cancers. When you're looking at a 20% success rate, you tend to take a shot at anything to better the odds.
Treatments are scheduled through December 22nd (Merry Christmas ) with two double doses of the cocktail in January, just about the time I'll be shedding like Holly, but they tell me it will grow back. Cat scans will occur in February(when the glow is gone from all the radiation) to see if we hit a home run or not.
OK, I've bored you long enough - tomorrow we talk about my favorite subject - people.
LIVESTRONG