Finally, some good news!!!

I was in Ann Arbor today for a CT scan, and while I was there I found out that my HCG is finally dropping! I will not have the results of the CT scan until Friday, but I received the results of last Thursday's blood draw and my HCG was 2553. Just 3 days prior my HCG was tested in New York and it was 7541. That is a 5000 point drop in just 3 days! I haven't seen a drop like that since the high dose chemo in Indy nearly six months ago.

This is obviously good news, and we are celebrating a little bit. We still have some work to do to get that number down to zero, but we are finally moving in the right direction. In fact, the reading in NY last Monday was an early sign that things maybe improving. When I started this study, my HCG had risen to 2500. After 2 weeks it had risen to 6500, and then two weeks after that (last Monday) it was 7541. At that point it was still rising, but at a much slower rate compared to the previous two week time span. Then, just 3 days later it was back down to 2553. This is back to roughly the same level as when I started this chemo, but hopefully it is the start of a downward trend. I will have my HCG checked again this Friday, and then again on Monday in New York.

I am so excited to get this information. I have felt for some time now that I was beating this cancer, and finally it looks like the tests are beginning to reflect this feeling. Going through this process you learn to keep a positive attitude, tempered with realism that the tests results may not be what you are hoping to hear. You learn to focus on the things you can control, to avoid disappointment when you hear that tumor markers continue to rise. You learn to be happy with small victories, like although the HCG continues to rise, it is rising slower. Finally, today, when we were least expecting it, we heard that the HCG is dropping, and dropping quickly. We still have a ways to go to be cancer free, and we could find out this week that it was only a temporary drop, but for right now, we are celebrating progress.

I am also excited about another article in the Free Press written by Kristen Shamus about my meeting with Lance Armstrong. If you have not seen it already, here is a link to the article; http://www.freep.com/article/20090906/COL26/909060349/1025/FEATURES07/With-inspiration-from-Lance-Armstrong--Dr.-Matt-fights-back. Kristen was in touch with my Mom prior to the Pelotonia, and she also contacted them to help arrange my meeting with Lance. Thanks, Kristen, for your help with meeting Lance, and for the great article.

The past week has been a busy one, and it has been exhausting. This chemo has a much stronger effect than the last chemo. I have felt much more fatigue after this last trip to New York. The first couple of days I was under the chemo fog. I was never really sick, but I just did not quite feel myself. Tuesday and Wednesday of last week were pretty much a blur. I am feeling better now, but remain tired and plagued by the cold-induced neuropathy. I cannot eat or drink anything cold or my throat will go numb, and I have to keep my feet warm to prevent the neuropathy from getting worse in my feet. It seems to be wearing off a little bit, but it is taking longer than it did the last time. To make the fatigue worse, there have been some nights that I wake up at 3 or 4 am and cannot get back to sleep for hours. I cannot pinpoint a pattern to the sleeplessness, but assume it is somehow related to the chemo.

All in all I am forging ahead just fine. Today's news makes all of this seem very bearable. Megan and Ethan are doing well, and keep me looking forward to the finish line. I very much enjoyed Michigan's thumping of Western Michigan this past Saturday, and look forward to this week's game against ND. Megan and I will be going to the game together. She did not make it to any games last year, and I only made it to a few. It will be good to have her back at the game with me again, even if she is cheering for ND (remember, she is a Saint Mary's grad). We have not fully ramped up the trash talking yet, but I am sure it will begin before Saturday.

Go Blue and Livestrong!