Friday, August 22, 2014

Blah

We headed out to Tampa on Wednesday evening for Bennie's 12 week CT Scans and Brain MRI. 


                                         Here is us on the plane coming to Tampa

Thursday we spent most of the day at the hospital waiting for all the scans to get done.  We then spent the evening being completely nervous, trying to hold a conversation about anything other than cancer.   We woke up pretty early this morning to come back to Moffitt for the Dr. appointment to go over results, and to get treatment.  The Dr. came in and said that the brain MRI looked stable, but there are three new lung nodules that weren't there before 12 weeks ago.  These nodules could be melanoma tumors, or could be inflammation from the immune stimulating drugs he is getting.  One of the side effects Bennie has been dealing with is a lot of sinus issues/ clogged nose and inflammation in his head.  So, hopefully it has extended down into his lungs as well and that is all that the nodules are.  Unfortunately we don't know this for sure.  So, it is something to worry about until it isn't.  He will go ahead with treatment today, and another treatment on September 5th.  However, his next visit or the one following will have to include a CT scan of the chest again to see what has developed in 4-6 weeks.  If the nodules are bigger... then it is most like melanoma and he will get kicked off the trial.  If they are smaller or the same size it most likely is inflammation, and he should be able to continue getting the nivolumab.  The nodules are too small at this time to biopsy or do a pet scan to come to any further conclusions.... so we just watch and wait!!!!!! 

He just finished his 12th nivolumab infusion... and we are off to grab lunch and then go to the airport so we can go home to see our little munchkins!!!!  It's not the best news to go home with... but definitely not the worst!!!! WE are happy the brain is clear, and we will just keep praying these nodules clear up in the next month. 

Hopefully it can be life as usual for another month, and we can get Emmi and Colby into a nice routine with school starting up again!!!  I am going to miss my buddies at home with me all the time.  They are growing up waaaaay too fast!!!  I wish I could pause time and just live life forever how we know it right now ( well maybe yesterday before the Dr. came in haha)