One thing I know for sure (sorry, Oprah) is that if you go on a journey with Bev it will almost always be a bumpy ride. And so goes this next chapter of my cancer story.
At the end of September I had a CT scan that showed the cancer to be in remission. A couple weeks later, tumors started to appear on my skin, and following a biopsy of one, indicating that the mantle cell lymphoma had returned (or maybe hadn't really gone away). This was a most disappointing outcome as it felt like I'd gone through the chemotherapy for nothing, but the chemo did at least shrink all the enlarged lymph nodes in my body.
Needless to say, there was much hemming and hawing and head scratching by all the doctors involved as, apparently this scenario is very rare and they didn't quite know what to do with me. So, because of this I've moved from the status of "cancer patient" to "cancer lab rat" because everyone wants to examine me, including photos.
For the last 6 weeks we've been spending much time at hospitals in Comox, Victoria and Vancouver getting poked, scanned, biopsied, x-rayed and meeting with specialists. All the while more tumors have surfaced, and existing ones have grown and the whole thing has become quite frustrating, because we still don't have an action plan for treatment.
Most recently we met with a new doctor in Vancouver to discuss candidacy for a clinical trial for a new therapy that was similar to a chemo cocktail but in pill form. I've decided not to participate in this trial because the time and logistics involved are too onerous. I understand, though, that I am eligible to start on a different therapy pill and hope to confirm so this coming week.
Because the lymphoma has returned so quickly, we had to cancel the stem cell transplant using my own cells, and are now looking at a transplant using cells from a donor. But first we have to get these new tumors under control - more to follow on this.
We're into the rainy season here on the island but still managing to get in some nice hikes between the showers. Interestingly, everything is so beautifully green here this time of year which makes the grey clouds and rain easier to take. And, I definitely do not miss shoveling snow and winter driving conditions.
We have no big plans for Xmas as waiting to see how this all plays out. Jody and Krysty will be joining us on the island for Xmas, and I'm happy and grateful for that. Otherwise, we're just taking things one day at a time and enjoying our time together. I'll be updating my blog more regularly again as things unfold. Hope you're all well - happy shopping if you're a Black Friday shopper!