Earl - Scan results

We just returned a few minutes ago from seeing doctor and getting results of PET scan. It's little good, some BAD. The two places, around pancreas area and in his neck are a little improved. Both places are a little smaller than the last scan.

The BAD is that two small places have showed up in his liver.

He is to take some pills daily until next Monday. Three pills twice daily. These are same pills he took each day he got radiation before. They were to help the radiation work better. Earl says they are chemo pills.... he is to take them 14 days straight. No weekends off. Then, he will be off seven days.

He goes to see Dr next Monday and will get new treatment following. Different chemo combo is relatively new for pancreatic cancer treatment. It has been used for some time for colon cancer, but only approved for pancreatic about six months ago. If I remember correctly, he will get the chemo daily for two weeks.

Side effect is he will lose feeling or have numbness in his finger tips. If he stays on it for some time, he will have numbness in his feet. Didn't think to ask if it would clear up after treatments ended. Sounds like treatments won't end until Earl decides he's had enough. We have discussed it not being worth being deathly sick and having no quality of life just to buy a few weeks or months.

Earl has some fluid buildup in his abdominal cavity. Dr. said it like having an injury and the skin weeping. Not real bad at this point, but if it builds up to the point it makes his stomach pouch out, they can go in with needle and drain it off.

I so hated hearing Earl's cancer has spread into his liver. That scares me to death! When it gets into the liver, it is usually just not good news!

Earl's Dr. said today it is much too early to give up on treatments. Still said there is no cure, but "if I can buy you a couple of years"...... So, we plod on with some hope the new treatments will control the spread or, at least, slow it down.