I received my first lab results after a month on my latest chemo regimen (Cetuximab)- my CEA level (that blood marker I've referred to before, which the medicos use as an indicator as to the efficacy of a given treatment without having to resort to a CT scan each time) has decreased 401 points since the beginning of September! It is currently at the lowest it has been since early spring. To say that my doc and nurse- as well as I- were/am pleased is an understatement. I do have a CT scan scheduled for later this month, to see if the decrease in CEA in fact does correlate with a reduction in the size, extent, etc... of the tumors, but this was and is pretty welcomed news; apparently this regimen is having the desired effect thus far.
One thing I've found to be a bit awkward is, when I talk with people that I haven't in awhile- since before all of this- and the inevitable "So Vito, how're you doing? What's been going on?"questions come up, how to appropriately, yet adequately, respond. Often it begins with "Well... " I mean, let's face it; no one likes to hear- or share- bad news. Certainly if people care enough to make contact, to ask and enquire about things, they deserve an honest response. But no one likes to come off as whining or self-pitying or complaining, either. It can be a dilemma at times...
Anyway... a great come-from-behind win by the Patriots last Sunday! Always great to beat the Bills- my two least favorite teams in the NFL are the Jets and the Bills, always great to beat up on them especially. It should be interesting to see the return of Peyton Manning now in a Broncos uniform. I have to admit, despite his playing for the Colts all those years, I always liked Peyton, always thought he was phenomenal QB and just one of those opponents you always respect.
Go Pats!
No comments:
Post a Comment