For eighteen months, the cancer in my body has been mostly stable in my bones, with some signs of progression within the bones at times. Monday's scans actually showed lots of healing in the bones and they are looking very strong, with no signs of breaking, etc. There are no new tumors in the bones.
However, the scans did show that I have multiple/numerous (both words were used) "low attenuation lesions" in my liver. A low attenuation lesion just describes the specific radiographic appearance of a spot in the liver as being less dense than other (normal) liver tissue. While such a description doesn't say exactly what the lesions are, it has been noted in my scans that these are consistent with the development of metastatic disease. All of the lesions are very small.
In short, I now have liver mets.
I was taken off the trial drug and will start an oral chemotherapy named Xeloda. Xeloda is an established drug with proven success in keeping breast cancer metastases stable. One of the women in my local mets group was on Xeloda for two years without any progression ... I hope I can be on it just as long, or even longer. This drug has a two weeks on/one week off cycle and I will be rescanned in mid-July after I complete three cycles.
Blood work shows no liver impairment. There is no fluid build up anywhere and all other organs (lungs, heart, stomach, etc.) are clear.
I do have intestinal inflammation (not related to cancer) that hopefully will go down now that I am off the trial drug. In fact, that's a big positive in this scene ... that the diabetes may disappear now! The next few days will determine if my glucose levels return to normal on their own. I will probably always have to watch my carb intake, but hopefully, I won't have to be as stringent about it as I've been for the last few months.
I continue to live a daily miracle. I don't feel like I'm seeing the light at the end of a tunnel because I'm not even in a tunnel. However, I do see the light of the world who gives me life.
I am grateful.