Monday, July 7, 2014
Well......Mike has had 4 more chemo treatments since that last time I wrote on the this blog which brings him to a total of 10 treatments this time around. Mike finally told his oncologist at his last visit on June 23rd that he was only going to do one more treatment and then head back to Germany. I was not with him at that appointment, but he stated that the doctor seemed happy for him.
At today's appointment, the doctor reviewed Mike's CEA test that he had done last week as well as undergoing the 10th treatment. Now again, the normal range listed is 0.5-2.5. Mike's result was 2.6. I asked the doctor how it can be so close to normal but he still has cancer in his body. He stated that for cancer to show up on the CEA test, you have to have millions of cancer cells in the body. For the cancer to show up on a PET scan or a CT scan, you have to have millions and millions of cancer cells. The doctor stated that he wished Mike would have finished out the total of 12 treatments before going to Germany but said he would see how Mike was doing when he returned and then finish out the last 2 treatments and order further testing. Now, I do not see Mike wanting to come back from having this healthy, alternative treatment to be pumped full of toxins that soon after. However, he does have a follow up appointment with this doctor for the day after he returns. The oncologist said he would see how Mike was as to whether he would put him on a maintenance chemo or just give him a break until his values would start to rise again.
Mike is laying on the couch, which is pretty much what he will do the rest of this week after he comes home from work. The heat and the humidity really bother him, and he is not really able to drink much and is very tired. If he is not working, he is sleeping. I cannot imagine how he does it. We have bought watermelon for him to eat during the day to try to get some fluids into his body. He is thinking that when he goes in to have his take home chemo cassette taken off in 48 hours, he will need to have an IV because he will be dehydrated by then. That happened to him after his 8th treatment. By the time Friday evening comes around, Mike will have pretty much bounced back and be able to enjoy the weekend.
The accommodations for Mike's stay at Marinus am Stein have been made. His flight to Munich has been made as well. Mike will leave for Germany on July 19th and then return home on August 3rd. We will keep in touch through Facetime as well as his international prepaid cell phone. I am happy that he is returning to Germany, but a little bit nervous as well since I will not be there with him.
We have never been apart for longer than a week so this two week period will be rough. I think that knowing that he is getting the help he needs will help carry me through this time.
I will keep posting as I get information from Mike from Germany.
Well......Mike has had 4 more chemo treatments since that last time I wrote on the this blog which brings him to a total of 10 treatments this time around. Mike finally told his oncologist at his last visit on June 23rd that he was only going to do one more treatment and then head back to Germany. I was not with him at that appointment, but he stated that the doctor seemed happy for him.
At today's appointment, the doctor reviewed Mike's CEA test that he had done last week as well as undergoing the 10th treatment. Now again, the normal range listed is 0.5-2.5. Mike's result was 2.6. I asked the doctor how it can be so close to normal but he still has cancer in his body. He stated that for cancer to show up on the CEA test, you have to have millions of cancer cells in the body. For the cancer to show up on a PET scan or a CT scan, you have to have millions and millions of cancer cells. The doctor stated that he wished Mike would have finished out the total of 12 treatments before going to Germany but said he would see how Mike was doing when he returned and then finish out the last 2 treatments and order further testing. Now, I do not see Mike wanting to come back from having this healthy, alternative treatment to be pumped full of toxins that soon after. However, he does have a follow up appointment with this doctor for the day after he returns. The oncologist said he would see how Mike was as to whether he would put him on a maintenance chemo or just give him a break until his values would start to rise again.
Mike is laying on the couch, which is pretty much what he will do the rest of this week after he comes home from work. The heat and the humidity really bother him, and he is not really able to drink much and is very tired. If he is not working, he is sleeping. I cannot imagine how he does it. We have bought watermelon for him to eat during the day to try to get some fluids into his body. He is thinking that when he goes in to have his take home chemo cassette taken off in 48 hours, he will need to have an IV because he will be dehydrated by then. That happened to him after his 8th treatment. By the time Friday evening comes around, Mike will have pretty much bounced back and be able to enjoy the weekend.
The accommodations for Mike's stay at Marinus am Stein have been made. His flight to Munich has been made as well. Mike will leave for Germany on July 19th and then return home on August 3rd. We will keep in touch through Facetime as well as his international prepaid cell phone. I am happy that he is returning to Germany, but a little bit nervous as well since I will not be there with him.
We have never been apart for longer than a week so this two week period will be rough. I think that knowing that he is getting the help he needs will help carry me through this time.
I will keep posting as I get information from Mike from Germany.
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