Thursday, December 26, 2013

December 26, 2013

I am straight up spoiling you readers. Three posts in three days? Who is this guy? What has he done with Nick?

Figured I'd get the news out there before it starts circulating otherwise. Scans came back with new developments, which I expected and I think most should've expected. There was the camp praying for the Christmas miracle but realism takes over at a certain point in my mind and you have to realize the nature of the disease at hand. I have bony metastases in four locations: my once mighty right arm near the shoulder (you're right I guess it's still quite mighty), my left hip, one vertebra in the lumbar region (L2), and the most concerning is in one vertebra at the top of the spine in my neck. The reason the vertebra at the top of the spine is most concerning is due to its proximity to the spinal cord, which it is not yet endangering - but if untreated could potentially paralyze me.

Interestingly enough, during my time in Mexico and even after, I have felt twinges of discomfort in all of the spots mentioned that lit up on the PET scan. Even more interestingly, all of these spots' discomforts have gotten less painful/uncomfortable directly after a Coley's treatment. The only one of these spots that I currently have any discomfort in is my arm, which started acting up yesterday - I'l be interested to see how it feels after Coley's tonight.

The reason that I don't find these scans all that negative is because my last set of scans was on October 3rd. Since then, I have had one chemotherapy (in Mexico), and that was in late November or early December. That being said, I went for about 2 whole months without chemotherapy and now only have four spots. Who knows what it was like before I started Coley's, after my big reaction/border crossing adventure, or during the rest of my treatment down there. I think it would obviously be beneficial to get some more chemo under my belt down there, but let's see if it makes sense to radiate this little bugger in my neck before that becomes a nuisance to the rest of things, shall we?

Merry Day After Christmas everyone!! Until the next update...

3 comments:

  1. Go forward with determination and peace. Don't forget he's on your side. Always my prayers. Mrs. V

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  2. A Christmas miracle would have been awesome, but what you're saying makes sense and promise. Thanks so much for the update. You are on our minds each day. Love you Nick XO

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  3. You're amazing, Nick. Your posi tude is so freaking inspiring and refreshing. Keep chugging, my dude. Sending you lots of anon Newton campus love and energy. lots.

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