New Game Plan

To catch everyone up, when we last saw the oncologist in April, we found out that the PET scan was good and there was no evidence of disease.  Dustin was finished with Chemo.  Dr. M did was us to see a radiation onc just to make sure Dustin didn't need radiation, Dr. M was certain he would not need radiation because he did not have a tumor or a large collection of lymph nodes to radiate.

We were very happy and excited with this news, we had been through a rough 9 months, so we decided to go on vacation to the beach.  Dustin was starting to feel better, the side effects of chemo were just wearing off so my parents and the 4 of us headed to Florida.  We spent 6 days in a condo on the beach in Ft. Walton Beach.  We had a great time.  Dustin was still tired some days, but he took one for the team and slept on the beach.  I could not have asked for a better family vacation.  Wonderful memories were made that week.  We all decided when we win the lottery we will be buying a 2nd house on the beach ( I need to remember to buy that ticket!). 

So that brings us to today.  We went to the radiation onc appt today just as a formality, like Dr. M said he wouldn't need radiation, "We just want to see what she has to say".  So we met with Dr. N this morning, she was extremely kind and thorough, she started from the beginning and explained all of his PET scans and pathology.  Sadly his onc had not explained anything to us the entire 9 months we saw him. 

Dr. N explained that since he had spleen involvement and spine involvement he would need radiation.  He would need 18-20 treatments, needless to say this is not what Dustin was prepared to hear.  Dr. N continued to tell us his type of radiation was going to cause nausea, vomiting, burning hemorrhoids, radiation enteritis (eating followed by immediate diarrhea) for up to 1 year.  He starts this process Monday.  He is not too happy or excited about this but knows it has to be done.


:-) Delana