A Discouraging Report

Yesterday was a tough day...

I had a scheduled CT Scan and follow up consultation with my SCCA oncologist.

Cindy and I went into the day not expecting bad news

We were wrong:(

When we met with my oncologist to discuss the results of the CT Scan, he informed us immediately that the tumor in the lining of my left lung had grown significantly from the first CT Scan taken the end of February.

In 3 1/2 months it has grown approximately 40%

What was thought to be a slower growing tumor has shown itself to be much more aggressive

Really hard news

His contentment one month ago to "do nothing" because I was feeling good, changed to a concern that I needed to proceed immediately with chemotherapy in order to hopefully slow down the tumor growth.

Though, of course, potentially/probably negatively impacting my quality of life

Life and death decisions...

We declined to begin chemotherapy

I am only five days into The Treatment Program described in an earlier blog and we are committed to being committed to it

The Treatment Program and chemotherapy wouldn't work together

The plan is to return in 3 months to have another CT Scan and consultation with him

Such news is exhausting...usually impacting me for a couple of days or so

Kind of like getting walloped by someone's fist in your face

Not that I've ever experienced that:)

But I think it would take me a couple of days to recover from that!

So we regroup and keep working away at The Treatment Program

With a mixture of hope and tears and exhaustion and daily diligence to do what I need to do

Thanks so much again for praying and caring and sharing encouraging thoughts and songs

This is no sprint...