Follow-up to fourth chemotherapy

Today is the fourth day after my fourth (and last) RCHOP chemo and I feel good. Now I have two scans scheduled to re-stage the lymphoma.

Tomorrow I have a CT scan at Phelps. Of all the procedures I’ve had this is the one I dislike the most. I’ve had about five of them. The problem is that the prep for the scan requires drinking about 40 ounces of an evil fluid in the hour before the scan is done. The scan takes about twenty minutes, and then for the next 6 hours or so, you have to stay within about 12 feet of a toilet bowl, as your alimentary canal reacts to the insult. Anyway, that’s been my experience. Not pleasant.

The next day I’ll have a PET scan at White Plains hospital. This is a pretty easy procedure – you get an injection (an isotope), wait for about an hour and then the scan takes about 45 minutes. The two prior times I had a PET scan I think I dozed off in the machine.

This re-staging is standard, and I expect it will show that the lymphoma has retreated. Certainly all the small nodules I could feel seem to have completely disappeared. No signs of them at all.

I am really quite anxious to get on to the next chemotherapy stage which will be three sessions of "ICE." The start-up for that will depend on how quickly I can get the scan results to Dr. Zelenetz, and see him for an appointment. Hopefully within ten days.