Colonpalooza crew

I hope everyone is having a great time at CPT! I wish I could be there with you all, but I have very good reason not to be. While I didn't qualify for SBRT (due to positioning of one measly node out of the 4), the radiology oncologist felt very strongly that I should have radiation to try and knock out these stubborn abdominal mets I have been chasing for two years. He feels they are the "seeds" for sending out other lymphatic system mets, and that if we can reduce my tumor load by taking them out, we'll have a much better chance at long-term management of my cancer, with hopefully more chemo breaks too! This makes sense, because we've killed off a few distant nodes with chemo, but those 3 in the abdomen are stubborn and never go. They trick us and look gone sometimes, but come right back if I stop Irinotecan. Right now I have one near my esophagus, and three in the abdomin - near my bowels - with the troublesome one being on the duodenum.

Today was my first radiation. I thought of all of you. I hope you are having a great time! While I am sad not to be there, I am happy to be starting radation and feeling like I have some power again against the beast. Right now this is the most important thing for me. (No chemo during this time - today should have been chemo day, but instead was radiation day - so much easier!)

Have fun. Please update us on your adventures, and post photos!