Outome of Bone Scan and What’s Next

Well the bone scan results were not the best, they showed that the reason for the excruciating pain that caused me difficulty breathing and brought me into hospital via the Blue Light taxi were as a result of the fact that the tumours have now metastasised (spread) into my ribs and I guess, as they grow are slowly working to fracture them. Morphine is definitely the way ahead now!!!

I was discharged from hospital on Tuesday evening after a good session with my consultant to discuss the way ahead. Regarding the ribs there may be some more radiotherapy coming my way to slow/stop the growth of the tumours there.

The outcome of the CT scans I had a couple of weeks ago show that the tumours have now spread from my right into my left lung also. Also spread into my abdomen, liver and kidneys, so really not good news. Chemotherapy has clearly not worked so we have stopped that. The way ahead now is my Consultant is trying to get me onto a drugs trial using something called Ipilumumab, which is a US drug that works to fire up the bodies immune system and hopefully use my own body to attack the tumours. Hopefully getting on the trial won’t be a problem.

They seem most concerned at the moment about the tumours in my head again, one of which is apparently now growing rapidly. That would explain the severe headaches – hallelujah to Morphine – and dizziness I’ve been getting. On Friday night I had another set of MRI scans with contrast to assess the size of the brain tumours as they are now. Because I have already had Whole Brain Radiotherapy I cannot have any more, it would cause brain damage if they used a dose high enough to be effective and they would have to use such a low dose it would be pointless. My only hope really now is something called Gamma Knife Surgery – or Stereotactic Radiotherapy – which is highly targeted/focussed beams rather than whole brain. I think the tumours need to be under 30mm in size though so it will be a bit touch and go. If it happens it will be at the Cromwell Hospital in London, thank God I was lucky enough to be able to have BUPA.

Morale – it’s been a bit up and down in the last couple of weeks, the physical symptoms that took me into hospital were a bit crushing but I’m bouncing back now. Lots of key decisions going to be made and hopefully taken forwards in the next couple of weeks so that could be a bit traumatic.

The NHS, the Army, friends, family and in particular my Mum and Kady have been wonderfully support as always, cannot thank them enough.