Oh yeah, scans.

Believe it or not, it is possible to become much less anxious about scans. So much so that you forget to share results.

It was a long, long day yesterday. I had a mini reaction to infusion and earned myself some additional drugs and more time at the Big House. After the requisite shower upon my return home, I made myself a gin and tonic. But I forgot the gin 🙂

So back to those results. Suffice it to say this will not be my last trial. The good news is that my biggest consolidations of tumor remain stable–and they are the areas that were making me symptomatic previously.

However, speaking to the heterogeneity of this disease, I have a series of small nodules that are enlarging, but slowly. Of greatest concern is an 11 mm left nodule that has increased in opacity. We will watch that one closely.

Curiously, some of what is reported is in my left lower lobe. I don’t have a left lower lobe. Evidently this is just an error and an addendum will be added to the report.

It underscores the importance of not only listening to one’s oncologist, but of also reading those radiology reports carefully. Some years back I had one that included an enlarged prostate. Now, never one to take anything for granted, I googled women and prostate glands. Turns out we have a bit of anatomy homologous to the male prostate, referred to as a Skene’s Gland. However, it is tiny and the prostate gland in my report was grossly enlarged.

There had been some cutting and pasting, with my chest CT attached to someone else’s abdominal report. The interesting thing is, it was never redacted from my records. My vestigial prostrate.

So. Not a perfect scan, but one that allows me to currently stay the course. Buying time. Day by day.

xo