In fact it was excellent. Physical exam with no signs of recurrence of disease. Blood test (CA-125) was bouncing around 4 to 5 to 3 last 2 measures. Normal is anything less than, I forget, but somewhere around 30. Next exam in October with CT exam. After that January 2013. After that April 2013 at which point I will have officially made it out long enough that my follow up exams frequency will drop to just once every 6 months because my risk of recurrence will have gone down.
So far so good. Current recovery goal is to once again meet the PHS fitness requirements. Next test scheduled for end of June. Ironically at the moment I can make the push up and side bridge tests but probably won't quite be able to meet the cardio requirement. (or the weight exam - which may be interrelated). Well - I can always try again in September.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
CA-125 associated with March 2012 exam normal
CA-125 from 2 year follow up exam last March 28 = 7. Which remains below baseline. So that is good.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Follow up Exam one year after completion of trial
Wednesday March 28,2012 I had my one year follow up exam after completion of the investigational chemotherapy trial i was enrolled in, which was a 2 year follow up after completion of the standard chemotherapy. CT scan and exam were both completely clean. YEAH!!!
The blood test CA-125 is still pending because we forgot to draw it in advance, but I fully expect it will also be clean.
I also had a longer discussion with my doctor to answer the following questions:
What is the curve of the relapse rate? Rising over time? Dropping over time? Stable over time?
Answer: Highest risk of relapse is in the first 3 years after chemo.
What is the starting point for counting time out?
Answer: the end of standard chemotherapy (end of platinum drug chemo).
So since I completed my platinum chemo in April 2010 i am now 2 years out and still with a clean bill of health. One year more to go before the chance of relapse drops even lower.
To celebrate I had a wonderful one week visit from college friend Rosa Crocker during which we trooped over much of the Western NC mountains. And tomorrow I depart for Omaha Nebraska where I will watch the largest crane migration in the world (sandhill cranes) and then celebrate Easter with Susan Thomas and Sherri Buss - two more college friends who visited Atlanta this time last year to celebrate the end of my chemo. and the following weekend to Oklahoma to see my neice Emily dance in the last ballet of her college career.
Progress on my list of things I have to accomplish before I fully relax continues - the only major thing left on the list is getting all my paperwork at home organized optimally. And a visit with my architect Monday showed progress on the design for the house on the lot in Hayesville NC.
I am looking forward to hosting both my brothers and sister-in-laws the following weekend for the party celebrating the wedding of my first nephew, Judson Cowan and the lovely Blair Hume, which occured in Paris France on March 5.
It is one of those lovely times when life is just going well. I hope your springs are all going as nicely.
The blood test CA-125 is still pending because we forgot to draw it in advance, but I fully expect it will also be clean.
I also had a longer discussion with my doctor to answer the following questions:
What is the curve of the relapse rate? Rising over time? Dropping over time? Stable over time?
Answer: Highest risk of relapse is in the first 3 years after chemo.
What is the starting point for counting time out?
Answer: the end of standard chemotherapy (end of platinum drug chemo).
So since I completed my platinum chemo in April 2010 i am now 2 years out and still with a clean bill of health. One year more to go before the chance of relapse drops even lower.
To celebrate I had a wonderful one week visit from college friend Rosa Crocker during which we trooped over much of the Western NC mountains. And tomorrow I depart for Omaha Nebraska where I will watch the largest crane migration in the world (sandhill cranes) and then celebrate Easter with Susan Thomas and Sherri Buss - two more college friends who visited Atlanta this time last year to celebrate the end of my chemo. and the following weekend to Oklahoma to see my neice Emily dance in the last ballet of her college career.
Progress on my list of things I have to accomplish before I fully relax continues - the only major thing left on the list is getting all my paperwork at home organized optimally. And a visit with my architect Monday showed progress on the design for the house on the lot in Hayesville NC.
I am looking forward to hosting both my brothers and sister-in-laws the following weekend for the party celebrating the wedding of my first nephew, Judson Cowan and the lovely Blair Hume, which occured in Paris France on March 5.
It is one of those lovely times when life is just going well. I hope your springs are all going as nicely.
Friday, January 6, 2012
CA-125 associated with Dec 22 follow up exam
CA-125 = 5 pretty much steady state with my past values of 9 - 4 and way below the cut off that divides normal from elevated.
So all results from dec 22 exam are in and are good. YEAH!!!
So all results from dec 22 exam are in and are good. YEAH!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)