I had my 3 month CT Scan to monitor things last Saturday, 2nd June.
I am very relieved, reassured and grateful to report that things are all still stable. A couple of nodes even reduced by 2–3 mm.
For context I’ve now been off the immunotherapy for over 1 year, with the disease stable during this time.
I took out my old scans and looked at the the one from 30th May 2016, exactly 2 years ago, the baseline scan taken the day before immunotherapy started. The opinion reported back then was ‘unequivocal progression’ (of disease in several nodes), and a line read ‘I think he is developing liver metastasis’. That trajectory was not looking great.
I then had 16 cycles of immunotherapy from June 2016- May 2017.
I’ve been sitting with the latest update, absorbing how blessed and lucky I am to still be here, still alive. Possible thanks to the love, support, prayers of thousands of people. I asked for help, and you all responded. I thank you, I love you.
To remember what was going on in my mind those two years ago before reaching out with the fundraising campaign, and to write these words now, and to have my book Choosing To Stay out on Amazon for a special launch on Friday 15th June feels completely unreal. I couldn’t have written the script.
I am experiencing certain side-effects; arthritis and colitis, which makes day to day a struggle. But I am naturally curious and always exploring, searching, and have now found a doctor who I am working with to understand more about what might be going on inside. Dr D, I’ll call him, was referred to me by my oncologist and has an interest in micro biome and immunotherapy. We are very early in our exploring, but I am excited.
I am also mindful that things can change very quickly, so I remain grounded. One day at a time. I appreciate how lucky I am. While there are breakthrough studies reported, and many from the recent oncology conference in the US, they are still not readily available, and many are in the early stages of research. My work with Bowel Cancer UK related to immunotherapy for colon cancer on the NHS, has been put on hold unfortunately. The two appraisals have been suspended by NICE. If I hear more, then I will no doubt share.
If you’re still reading, thank you, your support means a lot. One small request (shameless of me) put a reminder in your phone for the 15th June please, haha. I’d love to get my book to reach a wide audience as possible.
Love always, Mo
