You guys, IT'S WORKING!!!

Also, I'm back in Mexico.  Olé!

Not Mexico

This trip was planned.  Sort of.  There are plans and then there's what happens.  I think there's a plan and then that plan becomes a different plan and things happen whenever they do.  Embrace it and show up is the name of the game.

Mexico: New friends

Old old friend.  Lobo smooshed his face into me when I said hi to him. 
I'm not sure if he wanted snuggles or if he just lost his balance and had a crash landing,
but it made me happy either way.  

I got here Sunday night for an early and very busy Monday.  Started with an ultrasound, then lab work, an interstitial treatment (BB got a pass this time...lucky), and the usual many liters of IVs.  Because everything moved so fast, I didn't have much of a chance to be concerned about the ultrasound report.  Until the busy Monday ended and I got to wondering.  Every single cancer patient I've met has the same scan trepidation and I'm no exception.  What if I'm not responding how I should?  What if it looks worse?  All of the other what if's you can think of...  Logic, who's she?  Reason?  We haven't met.  Living is rough on the psyche sometimes...

The interstitial treatment this time was much easier.  The treatment is ultrasound guided and my doctor (one of many on my team at the clinic) said the lesion he had been targeting was looking smaller and a different shape.  He was very happy with that and thought it was time to go directly into the largest lesion on my liver (as opposed to "next to").  The approach would be more painful, but not more difficult.  Solved the pain bit with a little extra lidocaine and I was none the wiser.  The inferno is reignited!

The official ultrasound report from the radiologist doesn't show significant differences in the measurement of the tumors, but that wasn't expected yet.  It DOES show exactly what is expected as the first sign of a good response--very little to no blood flow into the tumors!  The shape is also different.  The surfaces were smooth and now they're more brainy.  My doctor said she knew the ultrasound was going to be early in the timing of things.  We were originally going to wait until 4-6 weeks after the final treatment (so, 4-6 weeks from yesterday) and this is 4 weeks from the first treatment...very early.  Everyone was very, very happy to see this much progress so soon in the process.  

I have a short day at the clinic tomorrow, then headed home.  I'll do follow up laser therapy with my naturopath for the next week or so to take advantage of the re-upped photosensitzer concentrations, then...we wait for 5-6ish weeks and take another picture.  Hopefully by then, certain someones will have gotten the hint that they're uninvited to any future photoshoots.  (Realistically, they'll still be there in October, just as shadows of their former selves and put in the back row to disappear behind the tall people)

The cutest damn snack, right?  Cored and sliced apple gooped back together with goat cheese.







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