Here are some updates. First, I made a command decision to stop taking Orgovyx. My last dose was on 3/20. I’m choosing QoL over longevity. But really, that drug was not right for me and may in fact have hastened me to the grave. I see my oncologist on Monday to sort things out.
Second, I had a comprehensive CT scan on Thursday and met with my doctor on Friday. There are some problems. I had a pleural effusion in my left lung. This is fluid that accumulates in the space between the lung and the chest. The doc wanted to drain it immediately. He called a surgeon to do the procedure, right then and there. Fortunately it’s not complicated and can be done in 20 minutes in a normal procedure room. I sat up and leaned forward to rest my arms and head on an elevated table. It’s liking trying to sleep on an airplane by pulling out the tray and laying your head on it. The procedure is accomplished by inserting a large needle through the chest wall until the tip reaches the fluid. A suction device is applied and the fluid drains into a flask. I looked at the fluid. There was 350ml of the stuff and it looked brown/amber, like a beer, which is the normal color. The surgeon put a small bandage on it and told to take it off after 24 hours. The overall idea for this procedure was to improve my breathing and to analyze the fluid to determine if there is any sign of cancer in the fluid.
The next problem is that my spleen has grown larger and now has more lesions on it than it did in December. These could be benign but could also be some kind of cancer, which is probable given the many cancers I’ve grappled with, including some within the abdomen. The doc wants a PET scan to better understand what’s happening. That’s where it stands right now. Suffice it say that Friday was not a great day.