pictures from the inside out...

The good news.
Frank's AFP # last week (the last day of chemo) was 7.9. The normal range is 0-8.
It is one of the few times that Frank can claim "normal."
That is even when he looks like this:

BOOYAA!!
The down side.
Today's CT showed that shrinkage has occurred, but.
But the mass is still at least 3x5 cm and so it will have to come out. It's not just snot; it is still an enlarged renal lymph node.
We will be FedExing the results of the CT to IU later today and will wait to hear from Dr. Foster's office about his opinion and to schedule the surgery.

Other news today from the "it can't always be easy file":
Today's CT write up mentioned something about his lung looking "unchanged." In the words of Jon Stewart: "WAAAA?" Seems Vinny's got some kind of "granuloma" thingy on the bottom part of one of his lungs. It was in the previous CTs just not reported on.
Dr. V and brave nurse G went to bat for Vinny and had the radiologist read the scans pronto for us. Within an hour of having the wind knocked out of me and complaining that really, the finer points of "in sickness and in health really should be spelled out in fine print" prior to taking the vows, nurse G called to say that it's a granuloma, nothing to worry about; we'll keep an eye on it.
So, it is a reminder that when someone says they have a “medical practice” we all must remember they are all just "practicing" medicine.
All that is to say that there will not, at this time, be an additional hole created in his body. Just one long slit where he'll be opened up to get the nasty enlarged renal lymph nodes (and possibly a kidney) out.
Have I mentioned lately that cancer sucks?
Vinny may have other more colorful things to say, but I knew that you would want to know.
Later,
Sarah

Did I mention that I get to be red b/c Vinny is bald?