Quick Update

Last week I had a CT scan of the chest. Since this cancer was detected over a year ago, every follow-up scan had shown two areas of concern: one in a lymph node in the left hilar area (where my trachea meets my lung); and the other in the upper lobe of the left lung.

Both of these areas were very small throughout 2006, which was why the doctors had always decided to wait and watch. And since they were so small, it is why the sudden appearance in the brain in 2007 was such a shock.

The CT scan last week showed that the lymph node in the left hilar area is back to normal size. The lesion in the upper lobe of the left lung is now slightly reduced in size.

The feeling of two oncologists is that the chemotherapy is at this point working.

There was only one new finding on the CT scan. There is an odd, long and slender shaped, mystery mass inside the back of my trachea, near where the trachea splits in two. The feeling at this point is that this is not a concern. But, of course, we're playing "better safe than sorry" and we're scheduling a bronchoscopy to get in there and have a look and check it out. I did have some pretty nasty infections during radiation treatments and my gut feeling is that this mystery mass is related to this.

It's going to be a long road recovering from the radiation treatments, but every day I get a little bit stronger. You can see the red radiation burn outline around my head. My head is peeling like crazy. There is a lot of soreness and swelling. My ears are swollen nearly shut and they are ringing constantly. The fatique is still heavy. My appetite continues to be very poor. It's difficult to eat and swallow. My senses of taste and smell are still way off.

But all of those things do continue to improve everyday. It's just a matter of time.

We went for a walk yesterday. And as tough as that was to get started, I think it was extremely beneficial. We're going to start walking every day and try to go one block further every day.

Thanks to everyone for all the continued support! Everyone pushing me and cheering me on back to health is the motivation that leads me and inspires me!