Newest Scans and CEA Update

Today Steve and I saw the doctor and received the results from his CT Scan on Friday, his Bone Scan on Monday and his CEA blood work.   The CEA is 17 right now... it was 12.  It is slowly rising but not a huge jump in a month.  The bone scan showed some new "Spots" on his spine but nothing big that can be measured.   The CT Scan showed his tumors for the most part are "stable".  The doctor thinks the CEA rising is due to the new spots on his spine.

What the doctor doesn't know is if the chemo Steve is on right now is slowing down the growth or not working at all and the growth is just slow.  That's impossible to know unless he stopped the chemo all together, which he isn't ready to do just yet.

That being said, we have another family trip we are going to take next month.  This time we are taking the girls to Disneyland.   They've ALWAYS wanted to go and Steve really wants to be there so we've decided this is important to do now, while we can do it all together.

The doctor suggested, and Steve and I agreed - to keep him on the same chemo right now because at least the growth is "slow" and the side effects are "manageable".  He will check his CEA in another month, if it is still going up, then he'll change his chemo after our trip to the Oxiliplatian (for 6 months) which is the 3 days on with the bag that he takes home and the not so fun side effects - mouth sores, weight loss due to not eating because of mouth sores, loss of taste and neuropathy.    This would essentially happen the first week of May.   Then as long as his body can handle it, he'll be on that chemo for 6 months.   And then that will be the end of chemo.  So as of right now, that brings us through to November.

So that's the latest news.   

Last Friday was dress in blue day for Colon Cancer awareness.  The girl's school participated in the day by dressing in blue to spread awareness about Colon Cancer.  I love that they are supporting us and trying to get the word out about this horrible disease.  The local town paper came to take a picture of them and interviewed me.  You can read it here...

http://warwickonline.com/stories/greenwood-students-go-blue-raise-awareness-of-colon-cancer,109977?

The school raised $300 in donations for the Colon Cancer Alliance!!  Isn't that great??!!!!