One month into 2026 and I had a marathon 5 days of completing a PET scan, follow up visits with my oncologist and oncodermatologist at UTSW and a follow up visit with one of my GI doctors at WashU. Yes, I had to Google oncodermatogist as well.
Before I get into all the results, let me share how the last two and half months went. I started and completed five treatments of radiation. The first treatment took about forty-five minutes once I was on the table in the body mold. It starts with a quick CT scan for the team to build a computerized plan for treatment. The radiation oncologist reviews or changes the plan and then approves it. The remaining time is for treatment. I know there are both CT and MRIs for radiation treatment, but the CT machine I was in was very open. When I was done, I got dressed and went to my car to drive home. After almost four years of battling cancer, I keep a long blue hospital barf bag in my car. Five minutes into my drive home, I needed that bag many times. The minute I got home I dissolved a Zofran under my tongue while still using a fresh bag. It took about an hour for the Zofran to make me feel better. On all future treatments my doctor had me take a Zofran 30 minutes before treatment and that did the trick.
After my third treatment, I flew the next day to Nashville to see “Scott Hamilton and Friends: Rock the Rink” show at Bridgestone Arena. It was an amazing show and it was for such a great cause. I was already starting to feel weak from treatment during my trip and I stayed that way until three weeks after my last treatment. Then it was pretty fast that I started feeling back to normal.
Getting back to the results of my appointments and PET scan. For this PET scan I decided to try the coffee flavored contrast drink. Never again, I will be switching back to berry flavored. I got the results about three hours after my PET scan and there were no new findings. The lymph node had returned to normal size with a very low FDG uptake. My oncologist was very happy with the results and said he hopes to have no uptake on the new scan in three months. I asked him if he believes in liver transplants yet. Nothing like putting him on the spot in front of a fellow. We will ask him again in 6 months and I might share his answer.
My oncodermatolgist was checking me over for skin cancer. The medicines I take to prevent liver rejection also prevents my body from fighting skin cancer naturally. I have to be checked every 6 to 12 months. No findings. We spoke briefly about how I still have dry skin from my Vectibix treatment back in June.
The GI visit also went very well. I’m still getting lab draws every two weeks and the doctor reviewed my results. She was happy with all the numbers and no signs of rejection. I had her look at my belly about half an inch below my rib cage. I have two identical bumps on each side. She feels that both are hernias. She is going to have a surgeon look at them next visit, but I will likely have to have a surgery to have them repaired. I’m about 17 pounds away from my weight loss goal so she wants me to spend the next 6 months reaching that goal before having surgery. I was moved to a six month schedule for my visits to WashU. It will likely move to yearly appointments after the next visit or two.
I will be getting my next ctDNA draw in a few weeks and my next PET scan in three months. Unless something comes up, I will post my next update in three months.
