Radiation Oncology consult

We just got home today from the Shaw Cancer Center in Edwards CO. Great place. I have found out that I cannot post to this blog from my iPad while we are gone. So I will have to wait until we get home on the weekends to update on our desktop computer.

Tuesday 12-18-18 Doug had the radiation oncology consult with Dr. Patti Hardenbergh. When we last saw Dr. Matous in Denver on 11-28-18, he found that  the mass on Doug's upper right arm is a plasmacytoma (myeloma cancer cells). At that time he noted there was a small palpable node on Doug's supraclavicular area (above the collar bone). Dr. Matous said the arm mass would need to have radiation because of its size, but the SC node would be taken care of by the new chemo (which hasn't started yet). But by the time Dr. Hardenbergh saw Doug, the SC node had grown quite a lot! So she is going to treat both the arm and SC area. That's what I was hoping.
Later the same day, Doug had part of the treatment planning done - one of the radiation therapists made a 'mold' to hold Doug in position during treatment. It is made of special plastic mesh that is heated and stretched over the patient. When it cools, it becomes solid.  At this time, a planning CT was done, which is not for diagnostic purposes; it's just part of the preparation for treatment so accurate measurements can be done.

The next day, Wednesday 12-19-18, Doug had the PET/CT done. It almost didn't happen - the truck that delivers the radioactive isotope for the PET was stuck on the other side of Vail pass which was closed due to weather! We got a phone call letting us know there was a delay, and the tech said that if the isotope didn't get through, the scan would be delayed until Friday. We prayed it would get through and a couple of hours later, it did.
This scan will show the extent of any new lesions that are not visible. We won't know the results until we go back the day after Christmas.

I'm feeling much better now that things are in motion instead of waiting to get appointments.

Verse for the day:
"Bless the Lord, who is my rock. He gives me strength for war and skill for battle. He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my deliverer. He stands before me as a shield, and I take refuge in him."   Psalm 144:1-2