The “C” Word – Day 192 Five Months Post-Op

Today we met once again with the surgeon.  Dr. Bastidas has become more like a “friend” each time we see him.  He is very congenial, has a sense of humor, but also knows his business.  He strolls in with his white jacket, bow tie and black clog shoes, takes a seat on his rolling chair in front of George, and simply asks “How’s it going?”  He addresses any questions we have and, if needed, backs it up with research data. 

Today’s question from George:  Does the HIPEC have any residual effect?  The response was that the actual chemotherapy does not… but the heated factor does.  He noted that there was a doctor at Sloan Kettering that, from the late 1880’s up through the 1950’s, injected a ‘toxic bug’ (I think that was the term he used but not sure) into cancer patients in order to cause them to break out into a high fever.  This high fever then, in turn, used to kill the cancer cells.  These days, Dr. Bastidas is doing another clinical trial where they do a whole-body heat up during chemotherapy to help eradicate or slow down cancer cells in women who have been diagnosed for a 3^rd recurrence of breast cancer and have no other options to try.  It has been fairly successful thus far.  He said that the “heat” somehow boosts ones immune systems and kicks it up to fight the cancer. 

Also, today we have arranged for the baseline CT scan which will take place in two weeks.  George asked what should be expected of this scan.  Dr. Bastidas said that most likely it will throw red flags to whomever reads the scans.  He expects there to be visible scar tissue as well as some of the abscess which he says is quite small compared to where it was 4 months ago but is still there.  There will be spots and things that the radiologist will not be able to confirm are cancer or whatnot, but those are the areas that we will be able to watch in subsequent scans.  This is “baseline” – the starting point.  He told us he might call or email us if anything shows up but he does not need to see George for six months.  Note: By then it will be time to schedule up the next CT scan and then it will be one year between future scans. 

All in all – a good day mentally.  Physically, George is having a hard time with his back today.  He also has started to get a sore throat so is not feeling well.  Will need to keep an eye on that – and this is probably a signal that he needs to start going back to his regular doctor to keep an eye on things as well.  He hasn’t been ill since surgery and without the spleen to fight things it will be more difficult – and he will need to stay on top of it so things don’t get super bad which will make it harder to fight.