The first Post Radiation MRI Results

After 6 weeks of Radiation and Chemo, I have been on a 4 week vacation from treatment protocol to allow me time to heal. Per protocol, I had to have an MRI done today. They have been telling me all along that this MRI will more than likely not tell us alot. They actually expect to see some tumor swelling and even growth at this stage.

So, I woke up this morning around 4am overthinking the entire upcoming MRI event. Finally got out of bed around 6am and had breakfast. After a quick shower and getting ready to leave, my nerves got the better of me and I vomitted breakfast back to General Mills. What a lovely visual huh? Imagine what a great start to the day it was for me!

Once we got going, Kim and I picked up my Mom and headed North to Madison. We had a 9:30 MRI appointment which was then followed by lunch at the UW cafeteria, and then off to our appt with Dr. Ian and his coordinator Diana. So we went and had the first of two conversations with Dr. Ian.

MRI RESULTS- "No Recurrence of the tumor, secondary focus is "entirely stable!", report even shows some resolution of tumor (shrinking). The Report looks GREAT" It was the best report that we could have received. It was even better than "No Progression" ...in essence - The Radiation Worked!!!!

So, being the smart ass that I am, I jumped right in and said..."So Dr. Ian, this means I can start driving today RIGHT?" Well...after a 15 min tirade and explanation..."You do have a serious Brain Tumor, Liability, Legal thing, High risk patient, blah, blah, blah....I LOST... No Driving for me.

Now being the pouting baby that I am, what I took from the entire conversation...was just the no driving thing. From that meeting, I had to go get bloodwork done and wait for the results so they could dispense the chemo. So I sat and waited for the results of the bloodwork...totally pissed off about not winning my battle to drive. Now I understand the reason he is so strict. He is worried about being liable if he says ok. It is still incredibly frustrating considering I have never had a seizure and I am feeling so well, but I obviously don't want to take the chance of hurting someone else if I have a seizure while driving, but I was still PISSED OFF!

So being the ROCK that she is Kim says...in her own way (I am paraphrasing)..."Hey Dumbass, don't you realize what that MRI Meant...YOU TOOK A BIG STEP TOWARDS REMISSION TODAY!" You can LIVE without driving!" :)

Which of course she is right, so by the time we collected all of the chemo drugs, I finally felt the excitement of the MRI Results and had created a solution to the No Driving Thing....

He said no driving, not NO RIDING... at least with this I can only hurt myself. So don't be suprised if you see me this summer cruising my way around Marengo and my friends at Flatlanders in this hot new ride...

So in closing, it looks like I am going to be around a little longer to be a pain in the ass to my doctors! :) My Chemo will probably last 12 cycles. I take 5 days of Chemo every month at twice the dosage that I took before. I start tonight and go through Monday. I will go up to see Dr. Ian and Diana once a month for new bloodwork and picking up the next month's chemo drugs. I have some new targets that I heard Dr. Ian talking about today... Once a Survivor of a GBM makes it to the 5 year mark, he considers them cured. So, one step at a time, but I have a new goal. 5 Years!!!! Please keep up the positive thoughts and prayers, they helped me accomplish the AMAZING....a GREAT MRI REPORT after Radiation when the doctors expected it to be much worse!!!

LIFE IS GOOD!!!

PEACE OUT!!!