just me

[jojo]

Supra nodes:

just about the same, maybe just a TINY increase in size;
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CT scan of abdomen / pelvis:

all clear, except one small lung nodule (6mm) on left (affected side) & a little pleural fusion on right.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow up:

Repeat CT scan;
Repeat brain MRI;
Bone scan;
Pending scans coming up within next 2 weeks;
Appointment with oncologist within 3 weeks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Symptoms:

None!!! Except continuous & annoying hot flashes!

[Rozebud]

Girl - You've got to email me before your scans so I can be praying for you!

What is up with the lung spot....anything to be concerned about?

[jojo]

Rose,

Lung nodule / pleural fusion are commonly signs of cancer. However, I DID have walking pnuemonia kitty last spring & I came down with such a nasty flu last month. (Thanks to Hubby, who contracted 1st & passed it on to me.) I'm still coughing out gross phlegm, thanks to a dry mouth, due to lack of saliva ('late' side effect of radiation seeds, cuz the cavity of the old tumor is right behind my left ear on the lower part. I've been going around with a good ole faithful bottle of water for a good while now. I can't live without water for the time being. I tell ya, we definitely take our saliva for granted!

Additionally, the nodule could represent simply as scar tissue, cuz in my case, it is situated right behind my mastectomy scar.

The next scans coming up should give us a better idea. If the nodule and / or pleural fusion increase in size, then it is more likely cancer. :-(

So, back to the waiting game once again. Sigh!! :-(

[pattyz]

Jo,
Waiting. It has changed for me since my attention span is so screwed up, lol! Hopefully, you have certain 'loves' that can keep you distracted and/or occupied til the next round of look-sees.

All in all, doesn't sound too bad, 'cept the no saliva. Since I have dry mouth and drink h20 plus chew sugarless gum nearly non-stop, I feel a panic attack coming on thinking of you with NO saliva!! Big hugs, Jo.
xoxoxoxpatty

[pattyz]

p.s....Jo....
lol!! just read your post to Suzie re: distraction! Great minds afterall... :o)
xoxopatty

[StephN]

Hi Jojo and anyone else who has DRY MOUTH problems.

I like to use BIOTENE toothpaste and mouthwash. Discovered this a few years back when the mouth sores were rampant with weekly Adriamycin.

We still use it and has actually STOPPED my husband's gum deterioration problems. It did help me also when, earlier this year, I was on the mega dose of Decadron, which does weird things to your tongue and mouth.

These products are available in my local independant pharmacy.

[StephN]

P.S.

I also have had a very small - 5-6mm spot on a lung for about 4 years. It just sits there and has not changed. Not considered to be cancer.

Hope yours will turn out to be one of "those."

[jojo]

Thanks, Patty, I need all the big hugs I could get!!!

Yesterday, I tried not to cry in the exam room, when NP & onc told me of the terrifying news (of course, based on cancer history).

Just hoping that it's all it is... NOTHING like mets!!

[jojo]

Thank you, Steph -- I wonder if Whole Foods or Trader Joe carry Biotone? Well, time for me to go do some serious shopping!

[mickey]

Steph, have you had that spot on your lung forever, or at least since the time of first scan, or did it show up at some time, making you wonder if it was cancer at the time?

[Hope]

Jojo,sendingmy prayerer and thoughts and healing energy to you. God bless you!

[Lolly]

Jojo, I'll be thinking of you while you play the waiting game; I too have a couple of nodules in my lungs that "come and go" depending on the CT(enhanced or not) and who knows what, probably whether I breathed at the wrong time! But anyway, they don't change so we just keep an eye on them.
I just had a PET, and the tech told me when I asked about false positive results that recent pneumonia was one of the few things that could skew the scan.

<3,
Lolly