Dennis went for a PET Scan on the 19th of August and they found a lymph node on his left side that has a spot that is cancer. They have decided that he will basically have the same procedure done this time as he did last time. He will start Chemo and Radiation back up. He will have to go and get a port put back in for the Chemo so that will be a day surgery. Then the Radiation Dr. is trying to get approval from the ins. company to get the Proton radiation again. So say a prayer that they don’t give the Dr. a hard time about it. The facility that he gets the Proton Radiation is not on our ins. but regular radiation is. But just like last time the Proton is better for Dennis as it can beam straight to the area needed. So it is not so wide spread. Dennis has already been suited for his outfit that he wears during radiation. They call it being simulated, they go in and make a mold like of your body structure, and they use it each time he has radiation. Of course this one is different than the last one because the cancer is in a different place.
Even though we didn’t want to hear that Dennis had Cancer again but we did count our blessings that the cancer is nowhere that it was before. This is a blessing! The reason they can do the radiation this time is because they did not do it in this area last time. Remember you can only have radiation one time in that specific area. But if you haven’t had it in another area then you can have it there. Each time you have another treatment of radiation done you have a greater chance of some side effects to your body afterwards. But without the radiation the cancer will grow, so it is well worth the chance to have no cancer to possibly some side effects from it.
Dennis had a bad tooth and he went to the Dentist and they told him he needed a crown. He had one put in but has been getting pain from it ever since. Well when they did the PET Scan a spot showed up on the scan for Dennis’s jaw. Well the Dr. feels it was from all of the dental work he had just a week or so before the scan. But Dr. Skinner, Dennis’s Radiation Dr. wants to be sure so he had an ultra sound done on it this past Mon. They were also going to do a biopsy on it to because there are lymph nodes in that area. But Dennis needed to be off his blood thinner meds at least 24 hours and they forgot to tell him so he will have the biopsy done Thursday the nice thing about it that we will have the results that day. Dr. Skinner said he didn’t want to scare us but he wants to be thorough which we definitely agree. We will let you know what happen there probably Thursday night or on Fri.
Dennis is also getting a CT done on his neck and head on Thursday because he has been getting some tingling sensations down his back when he over exerts himself and he puts his head down like he was going to pray. They want to make sure everything is ok. He only gets this feeling when he puts his head down and when he has been working hard or walking fast for a while. His Radiation Dr. feels that he is experiencing something called Lhermitte’s sign, it is very very rare but some people that have had radiation get it. It last about 6 months or so after they finish Radiation and then it goes away.
So this is where we stand right now. They are looking to start Chemo and Radiation around the 10th of September but that is not a definite date. He has to get the test done first and see what the results are and he will have to have his port put back in. So keep those prayers coming it worked last time and it will work again. God is with us and he is also with you. Photos coming soon.