There is no cure for what you have. Candidly…in the back of my mind…I continue to wish/dream/hope that some day I will be scanned and everything that ails me will miraculously be gone. The doctor will look at me and say, “Mr. Murtha…there is no evidence of your cancer. Please return in 3 months for another round of tests, however…between now and then…there will be no need for additional treatment.” Yes…this is a dream and like most dreams it is not based in reality. Yesterday as I visited with Dr. Shureiqi he reminded me, “There is no cure for what you have. You will be receiving treatment for the rest of your life.” The CT scan revealed all of the cancerous lymph nodes in my chest and lower stomach have shrunk in size, which is good news. The chemo seems to be working on the cancer cells causing irritation and swelling in these nodes. The test also revealed the tumor on my rib has grown. Now…this is not a watermelon-sized tumor…No…it merely grew from 1.6cm in diameter to 2.2cm. Nothing drastic however it is not good it is growing at all…especially while it is being bombarded with chemo. It appears as though we will attempt to destroy this specific tumor with radiation. Frankly, I am not thrilled with this course of action however…since we are not addressing a tumor in the middle of my stomach near vital organs, etc. I think we will be OK? The tumor is on the outside of by lungs so the potential for collateral damage is reduced. There you have it. The great news is…I will get to stop chemo for a couple of weeks, praise God. The bad news is…the week after next I will be nuked with radiation. This appears to be the next chapter on my journey with cancer. Thank you for praying for my family and me. Your prayers are needed and greatly appreciated. Thank you very much. Amen.
Posted on: Sat, 12 Jul 2014 13:05:25 +0000