Lung follow up

Appointment today with Dr Einhorn to follow up on the status of my lungs - had chest CT a week or so ago.  Basically, the good news is that things are apparently stable.  Certainly, the spread to the brain gives cause to pause.  However, no real change in the lungs themselves.

As a result, however, of the brain lesions, we will now take a course of action that assumes the possibility of spread elsewhere that is not detectable.  In a couple weeks, Dr E will start me on a drug called Tarceva.  This particularly second-line treatment has had good success with non-smokers with adenocarcinoma (my specific lung cancer).  Based on my good results from the first-line chemo, Dr E expects that this drug will benefit me.  It is much easier - just a single pill that I will take daily.  He says that it is the kind of thing I can be on for quite a while.  Known/expected side effects should be pretty minimal - and are typically controlled with OTC type stuff.  

I ask Dr E about the big-time swelling I am getting in my legs and ankles.  He indicated that to likely be from the steroids and expects that it will clear up as I wean off the steroids.  He said to watch and he would be concerned if the swelling is ever not equal on both sides.  So...elephant ankles for me for a while longer.  And, it sure does slow me down since standing up gives me the feeling that I am not necessary sure-footed.  Just forces me to slow down a little.

Of course, I have my 9th radiation treatment this afternoon.  But...given how routine that has become, I probably won't bother with another post just to say same-old-same-old.