Friday 5 June 2015

One Year Post Treatment!

Time flies and another three months have gone by.  Justin had his scheduled MRI and chest x-ray on May 26th.  We got the preliminary results (which means the oncologist looks at the scan, but hasn't got the official report from the radiologist yet) that evening and everything seemed to look good.  Such a relief!  So to say I was a little unnerved when two days later the oncologist called back is an understatement. 

The phone rang in the early evening on May 28th.  I looked at the call display (as I do every time the phone rings), saw the familiar phone number and my heart leapt into my throat.  I answered tentatively.  Hel-lo?????  It was Justin's oncologist.  He asked if I had received a call from radiology, which I had not.  He then told me that they would likely need to repeat Justin's MRI.  He went on to say something about...nothing to worry about...the area where Justin's tumour had been didn't show up well on the initial MRI...something about artifacts and the movement of his heart...Honestly, I wasn't really processing what he was saying.  I just sat there with the phone to my ear listening but not really registering the information.  The emotion and shock of this bump in our smooth road overtook me and it was just one of those 'nod and say uh-huh' moments.  At the end of his "doctor language" explanation of what the problem was, he did say, "I don't think there is anything to worry about.  Everything else looks good, it's just that the area around where the tumour had been is blurry and they need to get a more defined image to be sure he is clear."  He told me that I should expect a call from the radiology department to schedule another MRI. I hung up the phone and immediately called Trevor.  I tried to relate to him what I had heard or thought I heard.  The only thing I knew for sure was that he said it was likely nothing to worry about.  Trevor decided to call the oncologist himself because I was unable to give him a clear enough explanation.  He was then able to get a first-hand description that seemed to make sense to him.

The next day I got a call from Radiology and his MRI was scheduled for Monday, June 1st.  Even with the reassurance from the oncologist that it is likely nothing to worry about, naturally doubt and worry wriggled their way in.  It was the area around the tumour site that they could not see clearly, so in my mind they couldn't be sure that there was nothing to worry about.  The MRI was performed and this morning at Justin's routine Cancer Care appointment we found out that the radiologist's report showed that he is indeed clear! Hallelujah!!!  His blood work is also normal, so that is more good news.  Upon physical examination, however, the oncologist was looking at Justin's back and called me over to take a look.  There were a lot of moles all over Justin's back.  He asked me, "These weren't here before were they?"  I said that they weren't.  So...now we have to keep an eye on these.  We need to watch for changes in size or colour and report to him if we see any changes.  They may be nothing, but with all of the radiation that Justin received to his back and chest...I can't let my mind go there.  We will keep watch over them and pray that they remain just moles.

We are now officially one year post-treatment and Justin is feeling great!  He is gearing up for his final exams and looking forward to summer.  Hopefully summer is uneventful and you will not hear from me until September after he has his next scans.  Please continue to keep Justin in your prayers.

Until then.