Anatomy lesson

Unfortunately I'm dusting off this old blog since it seems that after 6 years I am having a recurrence.  To sum it up, my ca125 went from single digits at the end of 2013 to a series of rising results starting in May.  35 to 41 to 49 to 75 during the following two months.  July 2nd I did a CT scan which showed 2 or 3 growths. After getting these results over the phone the next day, I spent the week in semi-panic mode.  I should know better and not try to investigate things like this on the internet!  

After my appt. Wed. the 9th with the oncologist I felt calmer.  The CT showed two growths, one in a lymph node, sort of a pencil shape, and the other between my liver and kidney, marble shaped.  These aren't in the same area of the abdomen as my initial occurrence, but in the retroperitoneal space.  I am still having trouble figuring out exactly where all of these various spaces are.  Up until now, I didn't know the abdomen was divided into multiple areas.

Because I tend to go to the catastrophic, I asked the oncologist for a frame of reference and he said that we caught it early and as far as they can tell, it's localized.  He was very optimistic that we could treat this successfully.  Treatments he brought up include surgery, IORT (radiation done during surgery), general radiation and chemotherapy.  Looks like the chemo is certain, the earlier part will be determined by further scanning.  I'll be having a PET scan this Friday which can show active cancer in greater detail.  If there are lots of smaller bits floating around they won't do surgery.  

Emotionally, I'm on the rollercoaster, ranging from denial to gravedigging and all the areas between.  I'll probably feel more stable once we have a more specific plan.