Scan Update

John had his follow-up scans last week and we met with the doctor yesterday to get the results.  The doctor still hopes that the cancer is gone. She said she was really happy about everything.  His June scans showed activity in his nasal cavity.  His July scans showed less activity in his nasal cavity.  The doctor said that the activity isn't in the same spot as the tumor.  So it could be tissue healing or something from his congestion, or a hundred other things.  She said it doesn't look like something to be concerned about.  So she encouraged John to get his port out and then set the schedule for scans to be every 3 months for the next 2 years and then after that it will be every 4-6 months for a while and then they will gradually be less often. She said she encourages getting the port out now, but he could leave it in for however long he wants. She said 6-9 months is kind of the typical time frame to see something if we are going to see a recurrence in the cancer, so some people leave it until they pass that marker.  She doesn't feel the need to do that, she recommends just being done with it, and if we have to put it back it, it's simple to do.  We have decided to just be done with it too. 

John is going to get both his port and feeding tube out.  We are hoping that the doctors/surgeons can work it all out and do everything during the sinus surgery in a couple weeks.

The radiation doctor has been optimistic about John's saliva glands fully recovering until yesterday.  Yesterday he said that there could still be improvement over the next several months, but that there is a possibility that this is the best they are going to get.  Right now, John has to drink a lot while he is eating to swallow his food.  It makes eating a real chore.  But he has been eating more and using the feeding tube a lot less.  Some foods are even tasting good to him now.  The doctor offered a prescription that may or may not make a difference for him, John decided for now it's not worth taking a pill three times a day for.

John has been feeling so much better and has been back to work for just over a month now.