Back to the SCCA

So today I had a follow-up visit with the oncologist at the SCCA. It was interesting. A few things I learned:

1. Nothing changes a conversation with an oncologist like the statement, "I'm not doing anymore chemotherapy after 2014." Suddenly, options start falling out of the sky. Who knew, for example, that there's a pill form of one of the chemo agents I'm on? 

2. Apparently, there are "good responders" and "poor responders," the difference being how the person responds to chemo over time. But for a good responder, there's a reasonable expectation that chemo can shift from aggressive, to non-aggressive, to pill forms, to eventually nothing, even with a non-treatable cancer like mine. So far, I am a responder, but they won't be able to say if I'm a good responder until after a few more scans.

3. While I was willing to take the last three cycles as planed, the SCCA oncologist thought that having already done eight, I could reasonably be shifted onto something less antagonistic. So, yay! Of course, this assumes that my next scan -- to be taken on Tuesday -- shows similar signs that I'm a good responder (i.e., continuing reduction in tumor size). But it's nice to think that there's a possibility I could be off the 46 hour pump before the end of the year.

4. I'm still losing weight. Another two pounds since last Wednesday's pre-chemo check in. This despite the fact that my only significant source of calories for the past week have been eggnog lattes. Expensive habit, but at this point one of the few remaining foods that still tastes like food. 

5. No surgery, or other esoteric liver treatments, for me. Too much cancer, too widely dispersed. Chopping out the nasty pieces wouldn't really work, and would in all likelihood result in a relapse o the cancer; and radiation treatments, while potentially curing the cancer, could very well leave me with cirrhosis of the liver. That would be bad, as once my taste buds are back and the weird reaction to iced beverages is gone, I fully intend to have a drink. Probably more than one.

But all in all, things seem more positive today than they did yesterday. But next up, another CT scan on Tuesday to see if all these new options continue to be available or if I'm reclassified as a poor responder. Poor responder would be bad.