This morning Sandi was scheduled to have blood work and a doctor visit. It was a total cluster you know
what today. Staff shortages coupled with equipment on the fritz
meant they were running over an hour behind. Then, because her
blood pressure was significantly elevated they
made us stay an extra 30 minutes after we were done to see if it
would come down.
MRI shows the tumor has shrunk and is losing its definition which
means the edges are dissolving. It also shows significant scar
tissue in the area from the radiation as well as a very large area extending outside the radiation area that is swollen and inflamed. The
belief is that the severe pain she is feeling is from that as well as the
nerves in the area that are regenerating. If the pain remains severe
they will have her on some sort of steroid regimen to help things.
While her red blood cell count remains stable, her white blood
cell count has slipped significantly again so she starts IVIG
infusions again on the 30th. It would have been next Wednesday, but
they decided to back it up a week and not force her in. It is not surprising that they have to do this, but it is an indication that her blood work is no longer stable.
That's great news on the tumor, at least.
ReplyDeleteThat is true...losing definition gives them the idea that the thing might dissolve completely and vanish. This would be far better than the previous assumption that it would shrink down to about half and then encapsulate itself and remain sitting here in her pelvic region.
ReplyDeleteNot at all happy about the white blood cell deal, but hopefully two rounds of that before the end of the year will stabilize her immune system again. She also tolerates those infusions far better than the chemo ones so there is that on the plus side of things.
What was really weird was the idea that the pain she has felt was sort of a good thing because it means the nerves in the area are coming back and repairing themselves after being burned by the radiation. The hard part of that is that it most likely may take around six months more. Depending on how she can tolerate the pain will determine if they need to try and do something to alleviate that.