Monkey Butt Blues

We have a plan! The latest doctor, a radiation oncologist, met with me this week and developed a treatment plan for the next round. We will continue the aggressive treatment plan that has worked so well so far, and turn up the "heat" with some radiation, too. The good news is that the side effects are supposed to be less than the ones I've already had. If that's as bad as it gets, then I can handle it. They said the worst part of the radiation was that I might get some skin irritation. Looks like I'll be singing the "Monkey Butt Blues."

Pam, however, may "bust a gut" laughing at me. They painted target markings on my butt to aid in the aiming of the radiation beam. She is having visions of what they might say down at the nude gay beach. Fortunately, our local one is closed for the winter. ;)

For the next five weeks, starting on the 23rd, I'll be taking a low-level but continuous dose of the 5FU chemotherapy via a pump, combined with a 15-minute session with the radiologist every weekday. The goal is to shrink the colon tumor enough that the surgery on it will be easy and successful, and to eliminate worries about any spreading cancer to the lymph nodes near the colon.

Some time shortly after that, around the beginning of April, I'll do the last surgery. With luck, it won't be half as hard to recover from as the liver surgery. It involves a small, hand-sized incision vertically below my belly button. With that, I'll be cancer-free and working toward normal life. We'll wrap up with some more chemo treatment just to make absolutely sure that it's "gone gone" and be done with the whole thing some time in June.

Woo hoo!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed and my positive energy up here on the final phases, looking forward to being cured.

Cheers,

Clem