Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Back to Seattle we go!



Today we had a follow-up appointment with Dr Lin, to figure out next steps after surgery.

Our day started at 5:30 so we could arrive in time for a 7:30 CT scan at UW ("U-Dub" for those of you not from these parts). The CT scan shows a mild reduction in the tumors in his liver. There's still more work to do, but he's been off chemo for several weeks so that might explain the slow rate of reduction.

His CEA count today was 1.8 -- which is slightly higher than what it was on his last day in the hospital (1.3), but Dr. Lin said it's essentially the same. It's a very good number and it's in the normal range.

Dr. Lin took Harv off of the IV chemo drugs for the next couple of months which will give his body time to fully heal from surgery.  He'll take the oral chemo (Xeloda) + Celebrex, which Dr. Lin says work well together. That new regimen starts today.

In a month, we'll go back to SCCA for blood work and to check in with Dr. Lin. In two months, he'll go back for a PET scan to check out the tumors in his liver.

Harv is getting stronger and stronger after surgery and is also gaining some of that lost weight back. 

We both feel good about his treatment and his progress. And, there's relief  in not having to have infusions for a while... 

Thanks for checkin' in and keepin' up with us. 

We love you.

2 comments:

Betsy True said...

Sounds like good news! Go Fight Win!

lippy said...

Hi guys,

I am so glad to hear you are getting ahead of this and feeling stronger. Kicks its butt Harvey. I look forward to the day when you tell us Harvey has beat it Carrie. All my love!

Leanne Husdon