Tuesday, September 4, 2007

HALFWAY: What is next?

OK, I'm halfway through my treatments (we hope). So here is the plan:

PET/CT Scan on 9/14: I expect results no sooner than the morning of chemo IV. This scan will tell if the tumors are shrinking and if the disease is still alive and present. In my mind the biggest question mark is my equivocal abdominal and lung spots. If they grew that is worst case. If they stay the same, they are likely benign. If they go away or shrink, they are likely lymphoma responding to treatment. Benign sounds good, but I like the idea of it just being lymphoma and going away????

If everything is working (as we suspect it is), then we continue with my treatments as planned.
If not, I return to Emory to discuss stem cell transplant....I have been instructed by Drs. Vrana and Wiggans not to even "go there". As a planner this is not my nature, but I feel pretty confident as do they (just b/c I could actually lean back in my seat after the first treatment) that the treatments are working.

If everything is working, but there is still some issue about the remaining tumor at the end of treatment, I may need radiation...also to be determined at Emory.

3 comments:

Sarah said...

Hey Laurel -- I now have you bookmarked in my websites. Thanks for keeping this up. It is so imformative and helpful to keep track of what's going on. You continue to be in my prayers and I look for good news with the PET scan this week!

Anonymous said...

Now you've gotten yet ANOTHER blogger on your case, and virgin, no less ;-)

Laurel Alberty said...

Jennifer! Welcome aboard. Thanks for blogging on...is that correct blog speak?