Almost done!

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile.

The past few weeks have been a barrage of decision making and hearing both sides to the chemo story. I didn't really want to post anything because my decisions kept on flip flopping. If I haven't already mentioned it I, like many other chemo patients, also go to a naturopathic doctor to help on the dietary and supplementary end of things that doctors won't look at. What was scary was that the naturopathic doctor was telling me all about the potential horrors of chemo. On the other side of it, the doctors were telling me all the potential horrors of delaying or stopping chemo treatment. So I had both sides telling me that going the other way was dangerous. It really puts your head in a state of complete deadlock. I've decided to go with my gut feeling that I SHOULD continue and finish my last cycle.

On to good news, every 3 weeks I get a big blood test that not only tells me how my body is doing but it also looks for tumor markers (proteins and hormones that are produced in excess amounts due to cancer). They look at "HCG" and "AFP." My last blood test has shown that the tumor markers are back down to normal levels! HCG was less than 5 and AFP was less than 7. To put that in perspective, only about a month ago HCG was 564 (wow) and AFP was 174! Of course, blood tests can't completely tell you if you don't have cancer or not. It just means that the chemo is working very effectively.

At this point, if I still had cancer, it would be microscopic or at least very small and very weak. That's where the third cycle comes in. It helps to ensure that the cancer is completely gone and then I can be on my way to the rest of my life!

I should also mention that I went to a Rotary Youth Conference yesterday. I got to catch up with a bunch of Rotarians and I got to meet the new inbounds for this coming year. They seem like a good bunch of people. As a bonus, I got to listen to a bunch of presentations made by people making a difference in this world.

Thanks for reading! (and to any Rotarians who may be reading this, thank you for the conference...and the food)