Can’t we just say NED and call it the day?

Today was a FANTASTIC day! I met with a physician’s assistant at UCSD. Dr. Bazhenova is speaking in Canada about lung cancer and Jennifer (my NP) is on vacation out of the country. The nice thing about UCSD, everyone I have met there has been so great! And today was no exception. Today was another day of great news! While there have been two lesions in my left lung … yesterday’s Contrast CT Scan now only shows one lesion. Yep, that is right, the other lesion shrunk down to nothing! Now here is where I wish things could be nice and black n’ white. The remaining lesion has not done anything in the last 16 weeks as far as changing size. It could be that this lesion is not cancerous. It could be scar tissue, it could be something else, there is the chance that this 1.3 cm lesion is NOT cancer. So of course, I want to find out if it is or not. I want to know if I am truly NED (NED = No Evidence of Disease). I want there to be celebrations, bells ringing, fireworks, high fives, everything that would come with the celebration of “NO CANCER!”. But here is where I will just have to live with the not knowing 100%. Options in finding out if this lesion is cancerous … They could biopsy it, but why stick a needle in my lung if not absolutely necessary. They could remove it … but again, why have lung surgery if not absolutely necessary. We could zap it with radiation, but what if somewhere down the road, I might need radiation in the same spot / same area, they would not be able to do radiation in an area that already had radiation. So in the end, none of these possible scenarios to find out if the final lesion left is actually cancer are a good idea. But FANTASTIC news … no cancer in my back, down to one one lesion in my left lung … and quite the possibility that this final lesion may not even be cancer! Now that makes today a very, very good day! Am I NED … quite possibly so!

Now, just to share my “needle issues” from yesterday & today: Regarding yesterday’s Contrast CT Scan, I just have to share the not so fun part of yesterday & today. I think I jinxed myself. As they were taking me back yesterday, the nurse asked me if I have had a Contrast CT Scan before … I made light of it, mentioned how I get these every 8 weeks and they are a piece of cake. Well, I spoke too soon. After a couple of scans without the contrast fluid, they then announced the Contrast fluid was about to be injected into my blood stream. They had set up an IV for this. Well, as the fluid was to be entering my blood stream, I felt a pain in my elbow. I had not experienced this kind of pain before during the injection. It turns out, my vein was not taking the fluid. So they had to remove the IV and try it again, this time in my other arm. That did not take either. Apparently I was a bit dehydrated. They brought in a new nurse, for her to try … nope, she poked my left arm, failed. She then poked my right arm, failed. So then they brought in nurse #3. This was getting frustrating, but at least nurse #3 was quite cute, so I had that going for me. But I was not happy about my getting poked by a needle a 5th time. She did a few things to prep my arm and in the end, apparently 5 times is a charm. The 5th one took. But then fast forward to today’s blood draw. After my arms were just a little bruised, the NP today, when she went to inject me for the blood draw, she did not succeed, so she had to get a 2nd nurse. I was thinking to myself, “what the hell is going on here?!?” Luckily the 2nd nurse succeeded on her first try. I am not afraid of needles, but I definitely don’t love them either … hopefully yesterday’s and today’s issues with the needles is a one time occurrence and this does not become a regular thing.

But back to the GREAT news … one lesion in my left lung … and possibly not even cancerous. Am I NED? I sure as heck would like to say I am … And with that I will end this post. Today was a FANTASTIC day! And as always, F’Cancer!

Contrast CT Scan time!

Blood draw and Xgeva Injection time!