I have now been to see both the surgeon and the proton beam radiation specialist. The good news is that they both say they can rid me of the one tumor that is acting up right now. The surgeon, whom I had consulted last year, reminded me that I have responded very well to treatment so far. He says that makes me unusually well situated for localized treatment. Normally the surgery for pleural mesothelioma is brutal and involves peeling the pleura off the lung. I would not get that kind of surgery but a much more circumscribed procedure. His encouraging words were enough to get me thinking seriously about surgery. By the same token, though, I am also a better candidate for proton beam therapy than is usually the case with mesothelioma.
So I am still (or again) leaning toward proton beam therapy, as it is non-invasive. And it being proton radiation, rather than conventional radiation, the radiation dose to the rest of my body would be slight. Protons deposit virtually all their energy at the end of their path, which is carefully tuned to be where the cancer is. So there is no exit path and very little energy released along the entry path. That sounds good to me.
Next week I'll see my oncologist, and the week after that, my consulting research specialist; then I'll make my final decision.
Meanwhile, I have already gone for a "simulation" for the proton radiation. This included, among other things, a test to see how long I can hold my breath. Breathing is a challenge for aiming radiation properly when the tumor is at the base of the lung. (There's an irony in breathing being a problem for a procedure intended in the long term to keep me breathing.) Luckily, I passed the test.
In other news, I am looking forward to going to the Grapholinguistics in the 21st Century conference later this month.
And I finally have blooming Canterbury bells.
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| Biennial Canterbury bells: Patience rewarded |
That proton thing sounds really cool, to be honest. And "breathwork" is supposed to be good for you too, though I guess holding it in isn't usually what they mean. But at least now you'll develop a skill that could also come in handy if you ever have to escape from a submarine. Meanwhile, I'm very envious of your in-person trip to Reading later this month! I'll be in Vancouver then, and in that time zone your talk will start at 1 am... so I hope you won't be offended if I wait for your video to get posted to YouTube.
ReplyDeleteVery understandable! I am having doubts as to whether I will make it myself. We'll see!
DeleteI hope you can go, but whatever you decide it will be a reasonable decision, and you'll be a star wherever you are! (I'm working on a new line of greeting cards.) BTW your child phonology OT stuff was cited in a conference talk I attended today (CLA in Calgary).
DeleteThe proton beam sounds promising. That's amazing that they can determine how far the beam goes and that it doesn't leve the body. How long do you need to hold your breath for the treatment to work?
ReplyDeleteThey had me hold my breath for 40 seconds in the simulation.
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