Another Battle Won, but the War Continues.

It was an eventful and emotional day on Friday.  Up early and on the road before sunrise for another round of labs and chemo (#15). Skipping the details of wondering why the process seemed slower than usual, but later made sense.  After I got hooked up and prep drugs administered,  I wheeled my pump and rack of drugs to the restroom and back when I found my nurse standing outside my pod.  She gave me heads up that my oncologist stopped by and was already sitting down so I suggested we can get started on administering the chemo.  She said the doc wanted to chat first, so I went in (mask and all), gave a salutation and fist bumped the doc and sat in my heated chair.  Asked how I'm doing, I replied "doing well" in a confident voice, and he stated he is pulling the plug on further chemo. What?!?  I didn't quite understand and said I'm ready for more chemo ... let's kill this thing inside me.  He explained no and that chemo was no longer needed.  In essence, the chemo did what it was intended and was no longer needed (better than expected results).  My original tumor had responded and the liver metastasis cleared except for the three small lesions that he for the first time stated were probable cancer (meaning not 100% certainty) .  I still offered to take more chemo, but doc said not needed and being off  will facilitate my liver surgery next week.  I guess it finally hit me, I get to go home without more chemo, a pump to lug around for 2 days, and days of side-effects.  I was in awe of what I just heard ... perhaps some of the best news I've had since my uncertain journey commenced on 31 Dec 2020.  Then there was a somewhat competitive side in me when told by the nurse that I am 1 of 2 to make it to round 14 of this nasty toxic chemo concoction and wanted to hit 15 (can relate to Mark Cavendish at TdF).  But I'm good ... ties are good especially with this dubious distinction.  I was offered to ring the bell again, but declined sincere I already did once after #12.  Additionally, there is this possibility that after surgeries and this unexpected chemo holiday, I may need maintenance chemo to solidify remission if such an event occurs (🤞).

But, this was not the only good news.  My oncologist called on my way home. My Signatera* blood results were in from a blood draw in August (a test that looks for cancer based on tumor biopsy and compares ... more advanced than any scan).  I was anxious because of the impacts on future treatments.  Results were NEGATIVE!  Meaning, no cancer circulating in my blood.  This was excellent news, huge in fact, and thanked the doc.  

Now, I'm not out of the woods yet.  Subsequently, I can now see the other side of the forest, but remain in the thick of things.  The three liver lesions despite the possibility of being benign, will be eliminated via radiation after fiducial markers (tattoos perhsps) are surgically placed on liver (next week). There is a significant side-effect (liver damage and death) that I'm willing to accept (low probability).  As I mentioned when I went to UAB, I wanted aggressive and not reckless treatments.  So, decided a pseudo Hail Mary pass on the liver was best for survival (especially long term if possible).  If successful, the next phase will focus on the original tumor--resectioning--removing body part(s).  Note:  there is a saying in cancer circles:  "chemo is not a cure, surgery is the cure."  In essence, chemo if successful, gets the patient to surgery to achieve a curative response. 

All in all, I am extremely fortunate to not only survive this long, but stand a chance to live life a little longer than the original prognosis of one foot in Hospice and the other foot in palliative care.  One day at a time though.  Will continue exercise regimen, nutrition, and mental activities--fighting to the end!

More stories to come over the next several weeks.  

* Signatera is a personalized, tumor-informed assay optimized to detect circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) for molecular residual disease (MRD) assessment and recurrence monitoring for patients previously diagnosed with cancer, with broad utility for cancer management.