Some good news for a change !!

I didn't really expect to feel much benefit from the blood transfusions I had. I was asymptomatic I thought. No shortness of breath, no tiredness (well no worse than usual!), I didn't look anaemic. So it was a lovely surprise to wake on Monday morning feeling wonderful !! Bursting full of energy and all bright and breezy. I guess it had been a slow process and I hadn't noticed the gradual effects of being anaemic. What a difference it has made though - I'm sure I was given 3 pints of Linford Christies blood !!

Tuesday morning and off I went for my MRI scan. This was a first for me, Ive had loads of CT scans but didn't really know what to expect with an MRI. The first thing is that you don't need any 'prep' for it. No nasty drink the night before. And no nasty, stingy injection during. But as far as scary, noisy procedures goes it wins hands down. An MRI scanner is a long tube which you are slid into - completely if you have your whole body done. I only needed my legs doing so was lucky enough to have my head poking out of the end. The end of the tube was only inches from my nose though so it must be very claustrophobic if you are right inside the machine. The worst bit is it its so NOISY. Its like having major road works being carried out right next to your head. I was given some head phones to listen to the radio with which did help but for the 20 minutes I was in there the back ground banging and thumping was still clearly audible.

I didn't have long to wait for the results - I had an appointment for that afternoon. That's pretty impressive isn't it? Martin and I arrived on time, and were immediately shown through to the consulting rooms to meet Mr Tillman - the surgeon on Mr Grimer's oncology team. He brought up the MRI scan on his computer - it was a view of both my femurs looking upwards as if from my toes - the bones showing as two dark circles like doughnuts. The right femur looked fine with the tumour visible in the middle bit, the cortex where the bone marrow is, but the surrounding bone unaffected. The left one showed the bone to be thinner with a small break in one area where the tumour had burst out. But basically the bone itself looked pretty good to me.

Mr T. agreed. Not as bad as we originally thought. Wow !! That has to be a first for me !

He then went on to say we have 2 choices. Either an operation which would entail having the affected piece of bone cut out and a metal rod inserted. Quite a major operation really. Or to treat it conservatively with radio therapy and the infusion of Zometa to strengthen the bone.

I asked him what were the chances of my leg breaking if I decided not to have the operation and he said he didn't think it would - unless I had a fall or something. And then even if I did he could still perform that operation.

So as far as I'm concerned the decision was an easy one. I'm feeling well right now and don't want to risk a long recovery process, the risk of infection etc... and more to the point, being off Sutent for an extended period of time, which I would need in order to have this operation. That is far riskier than having my leg break.

Although it was my decision it was nice to hear Mr T. agree with me. I shall have another MRI in 3 months time (it is SO good to hear a doctor confirming I could well still be here in 3 months time!) to see how the infusion is working and review the need for an operation then.

It looks like I'm having a bit of luck for a change - and it is about time isn't it?