A Well Overdue Post

It has been over 3 months since I last blogged and a lot has happened which I haven't written about.  I separated from Patrick and I guess I found it difficult to write about what is going on with my cancer when there was a large part of my life I wanted to keep private.  I felt like I wasn't being honest when there was so much of my life, a part that was really affecting me,  that I was not going to even mention.   I won't go into any detail about our separation but just wanted to mention that it happened, to explain my writers block.

I have continued to do chemo every 3 weeks but I've missed writing about my last two CT Scans.  The first one was just after my 6th chemo session and and the second one was jut now on Tuesday.  Both scans showed reductions in my tumours but my last one didn't even show tumours but merely some thickening on the chest wall.  My oncologist said that for the time being while it is working we may as well continue with the chemo.  I agree with him but don't know how much more chemo my body can tolerate.  It seems to be affecting my nerves.  Each time I had a CT Scan I was surprise there were reductions in the tumours because my pain levels seem to be increasing.  I now think it is the chemo that is damaging my nerves.

Anyway today I emailed my oncologist to asked him if I could do a PET Scan before my next chemo session next Wednesday.  The PET Scan shows up active cancer and I thought that there might be a chance that my cancer is no longer active.  My Mesomark test - a blood test that measures the level of mesothelioma - was down to normal.  If the PET Scan result does show no active cancer then it will mean I am in remission.  It would be hard to believe that this will be the case but on the off chance that it is,  it also means that I won't have to do chemo.

It is quite a stressful thing getting test results from a scan.  The difference between a good result and a bad result are life changing.  All my future decisions and thoughts would completely change depending on the outcome.  On Facebook, many of my fellow meso warriors go through this same awful stress of waiting for test results.   As mesothelioma is still an incurable cancer,  a good result usually gives us a bit more peace of mind while we all wait for the cure that medical science will no doubt find.  And very soon I'm sure.  I am surrounded by fighters who continue to keep positive in the midst of this bastard meso.   The hardest part for me is when I see it taking away my friends with meso knowing that a cure can't be far away.

Last week Emma and I were on the Channel 7 news.  They did a story on 'Women and Mesothelioma' and interviewed me for it.  Click here to watch it.

Another thing I'd like to link to was an excellent report on The Daily Show recently exposing and ridiculing Canada because it is continuing to mine and export asbestos.  Shame on them.  It is really hard to believe a country like Canada can allow this.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Ored to Death
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog The Daily Show on Facebook

I really would like to make an effort to post more frequently.  No promises but at least I finally got out a well overdue post.