Gary update - 5/29/10

I went to see my radiation oncologist yesterday. We were so glad that everything he said matched almost verbatim with what the radiation oncologist in Tampa had said on Wednesday.

He said that one of the main reasons a bone scan is the best way to determine if I'm a candidate for the Samarium or not is that the bone scan contrast uses the same medium that is used by the Samarium, so if the cells uptake the contrast, they will also uptake the Samarium. So if the lesions show dark meaning no uptake, I am not a candidate and if they light up, then I am a candidate.

I go this Wednesday morning to St. Vincent's Hospital's Imaging Center for the bone scan, then hopefully will meet again with the radiation oncologist also in the same week -- hopefully Thursday or Friday.

If I am a candidate, the good news is that my local radiation oncologist can administer the Samarium! In fact, he said he had already administered two doses just this week alone. He said with cancers like breast or prostate that have gone into the bone, they can guarantee that it will work. With neuroendocrine tumors, it's not always 100% guarantee. He says if the bone scan comes back positive then that will be a pretty good sign. He said when it works, it works great. He shared with us that one of his patients had come in with such bad bone pain that he could hardly move. He said 6 weeks after receiving the Samarium, that patient was out playing golf!

So here's hoping the bone scan will show I'm a good candidate. Otherwise, I will have to have the regular external beam radiation on both shoulders, both humeruses (upper arm bones), and cervical spine. The Samarium can knock out mostly everything with one punch, so that's what I'm hoping for.

Just to clarify, this is not a cure. If I'm a candidate for this, it will affect most if not all the lesions to some degree, but it will not get rid of them entirely. That part is entirely in God's hands.

So that's the scoop. Until then the doctor has said I can take two Oxycodone at a time (20 mg total) but, as Cindy put it, two of them make me "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"! I'm in little pain, but then I'm unconscious and/or loopy (not unlike I normally am in other words :) ). The choice right now is a lot of pain yet conscious or no pain and unconscious. Not a great choice either way.

I appreciate your continued love, prayers, and support throughout my fight. I hope to send an update next week with the good news that I AM a candidate for the Samarium.