It's ba-a-aack... maybe!

Okay, so there's something showing on my brain MRI. Confirmed by signs of lots of cell activity as shown on my PET. A blotch on the brain... actively absorbing sugar... sounds like a new tumour.

Or possibly necrosis, says the doc. I didn't hear that, Deb did. That's why Deb goes with me to see the doc. Necrosis? Dead bit of brain? Lots to learn today...

We go home (via weekly shopping). A bit later there's an email from the doc. She has contacted the radiation specialist. He prefers the necrosis option. That is (I think) a dead area, a common after-effect of radiation. Where was it at the last scan?!

Post radiation necrosis -- we find out from another source -- may appear up to 20 years after radiation. (We have some good sources of good information!) So a bit of dead brain is, indeed, a possible explanation.

The doc also said that she'd talk to the brain surgeon. The one who's been in my head before, he knows the area. The doc was going to talk with the surgeon because today's blotch is in a slightly different area. In an area which would be more difficult to access. I'm not sure if she has yet spoken to the surgeon. No rush, because...

In the hope that this new blotch is necrosis, next step is another scan. An MRI with more: "spectroscopy". Whatever that is, it will give a better picture of "the lesion". That's what the doc calls it. I prefer "blotch" :-)

The new scan will be in six weeks... If it's a tumour, that will give it time to grow. More evidence, one way or another. At the moment it is -- if a tumour -- still a lot smaller than the original tumour.

The blotch is in a difficult area but in a part of the brain which is not used for anything important, says the doc. That could be any part of my brain, I think. As a more sensible view:

It may not be in the "thinking" part of my brain. It's on the surface of a catchment area for blood flowing through the brain. So if it's a growing tumour it could block drainage from the brain. Leading to... exploding head syndrome... or something. I lost track of the technical details.

So. The tumour may be back. Or I may have an area of necrosis, dead brain. Or dead lining of the brain. More info in six weeks, after the next scan. Either way, noone expects me to die within the next six weeks, so that's good :-)

But it does mess up holiday plans :-( Whether I'm dead or alive, six weeks from now is when we should be going to NZ. If the scan is sooner I'll have time to get last-minute plane tickets. Everything that can be cancelled is already booked, we'll lose something but not the lot.

It all depends on a, the timing of the scan. b, the result of the scan. And c, if the cancer is back, what will happen next... Which appears to be a choice between surgery and radiation. Whoopee :-)

But that's in the future. For now, I'm just waiting. 

Though I may need a new motto on my shirt: change "enjoy life, three months at a time", to "... six weeks at a time".

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
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"I took out a loan to pay for an exorcism. If I don't pay it back, I'm going to get repossessed." … Olaf Falafel
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