Clear enough....

Back from another whirlwind trip to Tampa! Met with Weber first thing Fri am. After a complete exam, he clearly didn't want to get into a lot of details, but looked us rather pointedly and said that he didn't see anything of concern on the films and that "Nothing is good!" After a lengthy, repeated history on the whole deal with how I've been feeling, specifically related to my cough and lungs, he did recheck the area on the lungs since we brought him the written reports from the local radiologists and that had figured so largely. Before checking he told us that several patients on ipi had had funny inflammatory places show up in their lungs that most of the radiologists had deemed recurrent disease. One poor person had a large section biopsied only to find that it was inflammation and immune cell reactions. So, he was postulating that the same thing could happen with the PD-1 as well and unless I was symptomatic (which at this point I am much better) we would just scan later and carry on. However, after checking the film again, he didn't think the area was remarkable as anything. So....I am set for another 3 months of PD-1 infusion and vaccines every other Friday starting next!

Then, it was on to the special lab for leukophoresis. That's the process where an IV is started in each arm. Blood runs from one, into a special machine, where the white cells are extracted, and the remainder is returned to you in the other. Saggy Booby Lady (now rendered: SBL) was there, being rude to the patient next to me as well as the very nice RN who seemed to be in charge of the unit for that shift. She had some smirky remarks to us about how and when we had checked in and our paperwork, etc. She was also rather rude to a clinical nurse specialist who is observing and training at Moffitt for 6 weeks from a unit in Germany. She was very nice and observed at my appointment with Weber as well as my set up for the phoresis. Luckily, the very nice RN started both my IV's, first stick each...so that worked out. Got done in my now usual, hour 15 minutes...so...that is done for another 3 months.

Had a leisurely trip home. Ate lunch on the bay. Got an earlier flight home thanks, to Frank-the-bomb counter dude at Air Tran. Drove through atrocious traffic to Roo in Atlanta. Had a fabulous supper with her and got a few veggies and such at H Mart. Back home to the Fred-o who held down the fort while we were gone.

Much love and thanks for all the support and concern that you have all sent my way. It means more than you know. Yours-c