Scan results -- good and bad

Well, I just got the results of my MRI bone scan yesterday. I have multiple bone mets. Been on chemo (FOLFIRI + Avastin + Zometa -- for strengthening the bones). PET scan after 4 cycles showed shrinkage, MRI after 4 more showed some not visible. But this scan (now after 12 cycles) showed no change in the bone mets (size, number). Sigh. So, my onc wants me to carry on with the chemo. Have already done 12, he thinks he'll ask me to do a total of 20-24. He has one patient who has done 26 on this cycle. I'm slightly discouraged....

But here's the good news! ("always look on the bright side of life ta da, ta da ta da ta da"). Stable is good! And, my CEA dropped a little (after stubornly hanging at around 18, it's now down to 10). And my onc says bone mets often take longer to respond. A PET scan might have shown decreased metabolic uptake. (He doesn't want me to have too many PETs -- will after next 4 cycles again, I guess).And, most importantly, I am really tolerating this regime well. Moderate hand-foot problems, some fatigue....that acute diarrhea stuff stopped (he decreased my dose then increased again -- never recurred - weird). And, he discussed other options for if/when the chemo is intolerable or not working so well. (radiation).

I can keep doing this.

Started wearing wig a couple of weeks ago. Difficult at first but OK now. Everyone telling me I look younger -- ! Not worth doing chemo for that, but a nice "side effect"- !!

I took a trip last week -- for the first time in months. Yea, that felt great.

Tara