And welcome to the Graham update, which is bought to you by the “Count” and umm well a character you have not been introduced to, my medical oncologist, who I will have to ponder on who he reminds me off (I have some ideas). 

Quick Summary

I had a Brain MRI scan and PET/CT scan done this week.  Yesterday and today I have had follow up meetings with the “Count” and my Med Oncologist.

The Results are in – drum roll please. 

INCONCLUSIVE!!

What!!! Thats not an update.

Well it is, but it isn’t, let me explain in stages and it will make sense. 

Radiation Pneumonitis

I need to continue on with the “Dex” for the next month – so be careful people – I am officially a druggie. In a months time they will work out how to wean me off this stuff. The Mad Scientist was not that happy about this news me thinks as I was up at 0400 this morning!! I need to take some extra drugs as my immune system is going to be a bit blah – so extra drugs to fix that (tick).

Brain MRI

I have an “unremarkable brain” – that is a good thing I have learnt. It means – ain’t nothing in there that should not be (although a nice – smart looking brain, well used, or something else would be nice – come on Doctors, where is your marketing team!!)

PET/CT

This is a CT (CAT scan) done with some cool nuclear dye injected into me. I then rest for about an hour then they scan me. Nothing should light up, unless I have some damage going on.

For instance, unrelated, I  have torn a shoulder muscle which lit up heaps as its trying to repair itself. 

Well I also have a neck lymph node that has lit up.

This is on my right hand side of my neck near my jugular vein – for those geeky of you its the Level 4 one (who knew my neck lymph were stacked like a hotel). So I need to go and get an ultrasound done and get someone to ram a needle in that sucker and take a sample. Then the sample is analysed (takes a week) to see if it is something benign or cancerous.

The results will work out what the next step is, so now more waiting for a few weeks.
So there you go – life goes on as it was – me wired and buzzing and waiting !!!!!!