Earlier this week I flew into Texas from Florida where we are completing our short-term assignment as Interim Pastors. Since we are out of state, I have been scheduling all of my scans, doctor visits, and treatment all in the same week. I am here from Sunday to Sunday. On Monday I had a bone scan, CT scan of chest, abdomen and pelvis. Tuesday was the Echocardiogram. A couple of days at home and playing with the grandkids was a nice reprieve. Today (Friday) I saw my oncologist and got my treatment. I was in a bed-room. Yes, I had a bed. 😊 Tim joined me this afternoon as we are here to experience the launch of our newest church plant this Sunday.
As stated in a previous blog, I had an MRI of the brain the last time I was in town, which seemed to indicate a new lesion on the left frontal bone of my skull (brain was all clear). Yet, the whole body bone scan completed last Monday showed continued stability, with no new growth. And the CT scans were also normal, with no lesions or new growth. Basically, everything is still stable! For that I am grateful.
As it turns out, the MRI was completed on a new machine in The Woodlands (I have been going downtown for these). The radiologist looked at the pictures again, and he amended the report. Instead of new lesions on the frontal bone, he saw lesions on the parietal bone, which is where they have been all along. It has something to do with the slices, and how they view the pictures. My doctor is on top of it. He admits he isn’t a radiologist, but he looked at the pictures and they didn’t look any different to him. He asked for the radiologist to look again, who then amended the report. Here’s what the addendum says, in case you need some reading material to put you to sleep 😂:
The reported enhancing marrow replacing lesion within the LEFT frontal bone on further review is actually in the LEFT parietal bone and when reviewed on the 3-D T1 post contrast imaging is seen to not have changed in size compared to the October 2019 examination. The apparent increase on spin-echo T1-weighted post contrast imaging is likely due to slice selection. The lesion is is best seen on the current study coronal 3-D T1 post image 91 where it measures 17 x 6 mm. On the 3-D T1 post contrast coronal imaging from the October 2019 examination, the lesion is seen and measures 17 x 6 mm.
This is all good news! Still stable. No new metastasis. No new growth. My blood work looks normal. Echo was fine. Now we have all of my scans in The Woodlands, so they can compare from this point on.
I am in the process of moving most of my other doctors and scans to MD Anderson as well. They now do colonoscopies and endoscopies right there in The Woodlands campus. My last colonoscopy was in 2016, so it’s getting close to time for that. They also have dermatologists, and it is time for my yearly skin check. Looks like this facility is going to become my one-stop shopping for all my preventative care. 😊
Á la prochaine…until next time…