Anticipating Follow-Up 3 at NIH

In a few days, I will be heading out to Bethesda again.

In store for me:  three scans in one day.  The PET will require a modified diet for the 24-hours leading up to it.  According to the written instructions, I may eat "meat-only sandwiches without bun or bread and without vegetables or other toppings"...so...just "meat", then?  I guess?  Who writes this stuff, I wonder.  Sugar and carbs are a no-go.  I will stick with eggs and bacon.  Or (to simplify) bacon and more bacon the day prior to the PET.

Fasting will be the name of the game on scan day!  Scan 1 (PET) requires 6 hours of fasting prior.  Scan 2 (CT) requires 4 hours of fasting.  Scan 3 (MRI) requires 4 hours of fasting.  That is a lot of fasting in one day.  It will mean the downing of extra contrast, too.  gack!

Since my last post, I've gotten word on three people in various stages of participating in this same trial.  I am filled with hope for each one of them!

If you're a crc patient and wondering, "What is all the fuss about?", watch this in-house lecture given by The Guy himself, in April.  He gave a more-recent (but shorter) talk in September (the immunotherapy presentation is the second half of the video).  If this approach to curing metastatic cancer interests you, please check out this link.  The trial is open to many types of cancer--go look!

Life these days is sweet.  Chemotherapy started for me in October two years ago.  Since that time I've never been able to walk more than about two miles at once mainly due to neuropathy in my feet/legs (a side-effect of oxaliplatin).  Yesterday though, I was able to go further!  I went 3.7 miles, and today I managed 3 miles (over some wicked hills, too).  My energy is back, and the beast of cancer is losing its hideous grip on me.
I am so thankful!