Tough Week

Sorry I've been away for a few extra days. I've been a pretty sick
puppy since I got home from Boston. I think I must have picked up
some type of stomach virus cuz my belly has been a-rockin' and a-
rollin since Wednesday. It has gotten slightly better each day but it
sure is slow to leave.

If you remember I told you a while back that they had declined to
give me conventional beam radiation to the new lesion on my spine
because it was too close to areas where I had radiation treatments
before. Thursday I had an appointment with a new doctor that
specializes in unique types of radiation. We were asking about
radiopharmaceuticals, radioactive isotopes that are injected directly
into the bloodstream. But after consulting with this doc he came up
with a new idea - stereotactic radiation. Sound familiar? If you have
been following my saga it should, this is the same type of procedure I
had done to my brain last November. It is a highly accurate form of
radiation that delivers a very high dose with pinpoint accuracy. A
ThyCa friend I have in Texas had this done to his spinal mets a year
or so ago and he described it as being shrink-wrapped to a table when
it was done. Obviously to get the kind of accuracy they need they
cannot allow any movement at all. The main risk is permanent spinal
damage if for some reason they "missed". I am told that they
currently have a 2mm window in which to work. I asked about a
percentage of risk and he could/would not answer. Normal radiation to
the spine has about a 5% risk, each time after that it goes up. All
he would say is that the risk is considerably more than 5%. I didn't
like that answer.

I have 2 appointments this week - 1 is regular monthly follow-up with
my oncologist, the other is with the neurosurgeon who did my back
surgery in May. We will ask his opinion on surgery to this new lesion.
After we talk to him then hopefully we will have enough information to
make an informed treatment decision. I have been advised not to wait
because that 2mm window could close up.

Lots of heavy duty info to absorb, and all just to relieve pain.
Whatever happened to being able to pop a few pills?

I'll be back to you with more info soon.

Be Well - Be Blessed!