Good News/Less Than Stellar News

The verdict on last week’s MRI scans is this:

There’s been either no growth or no appreciable growth in the monster mass on my thoracic spine. Maybe the proton radiation worked. More time will tell. 

This was the good news portion of today's post.

The motherfucking meningioma, lazing over my frontal lobe, has gotten bigger. I’m not symptomatic yet (GOOD!) so I can have a few months or so to consider my options and continue to rehab from the past four surgeries (snugly sandwiched within a two year span). Doc Plotkin has suggested that, instead of cracking open my bean (AGAIN), I may want to try the magic chemo pills or radiation.

Despite knowing the news wouldn’t be 100% cheery, I was still knocked back on hearing that I’d need to do something relatively soon. "Relatively soon" is defined as "within this lifetime." I have an online how-ya-doin’ follow up appointment with the proton radiation folks tomorrow. I’ll ask what they believe they can do, if anything, about the ratfucking frontal lobe asshole.

To be clear, both the chemo drugs and radiation will, if successful, only temporarily halt the tumor’s growth. Given that I’m 64, will growth be quashed for the remainder of my life or just for a few years? If I’m ultimately going to need surgery, wouldn’t it be better to do it sooner, while I’m, relatively speaking, young and sprightly?

I am by NO stretch of the imagination eager to jump back into the OR but if I’m headed there no matter what, wouldn’t it be best to do it sooner rather than later?

On top of this, I’ve another meningioma over my motor cortex. The last bastard in that position took away my ability to walk (and could’ve stolen my arms too). Plotkin says this new fucker is very small. That’s nice—how long before it’s not though? Is this even knowable?

Plotkin was impressed with my recovery especially after watching me walk up and down the long hallway outside the exam room. Yeah, I did it without walker, cane or Ten’s arm to lean on. Showing off? Oh, you fucking bet!

This afternoon in PT, I’m gonna attempt to walk a quarter of a mile sans external support. That’s two times around the indoor track. I have high hopes.