Vince's Journey

Since we started treatment 4 weeks ago the node has gone down 30% so we're definitely moving in the right direction. That's the good news. Unfortunately, for the node to be consider in 'significant shrinkage' mode it needs to be 50% reduced. Anyone who went to Notre Dame can do that math, we need this node to 'shrink' a minimum of another 20% before we can schedule a 'destentizer' (or whatever they call the procedure) and since I can't have a CT scan every week, we probably won't be able to do another scan until early May. I can't tell you how bummed this makes me - four more weeks with this uncomfortable tube of plastic (which I learned is today is 12 inches long)shoved in my kidney...this is not fun. So tomorrow I'm going to start back up on the Rapaflow to see if it might have an impact now. Back when I first had the stent put in I was so uncomfortable it just didn't seem to be working. I really don't have much pain now so maybe I'll notice a difference...I sure hope so. We have some travel coming up and it would truly suck if all I can do is wear a path out to the bathroom. I guess that's the update. Not exactly what I was hoping for but at least we know everything is working and that, obviously, is the most important thing. So I guess I need to suck it up and figure out a way to not be miserable over the next 4 weeks....mind over matter for the month of April. And I'll also be adding a new prayer to my ever growing list of prayer intentions....in addition to a cure for cancer I'm adding a prayer for a better, more comfortable way to 'stent' a kidney! Thanks for checking in....I'm going to get through this but I don't think I'll look back and laugh.