And the MRI doughnut of fortune says...

We met with the physician's assistant today.  The blood tests came back fine, except that my creatinine levels are higher than they would like to see which means my kidneys are struggling.  The elevated levels are being caused by the chemo drug Cisplatin.  So it looks like I get to start chugging several of liters of water a day to try and help 'em out.  Frankly, it's nice to have something I can actively do to help the cause.  The most I've been able to do so far is to react in the short term to side effects.  Things like: acid reflux coming, down the peppermint tea; hiccups in sight sir, man the yoga breathing; digits have gone numb, don't panic! 

The PA also told us the baseline post-surgery tumor protein marker levels.  AFP shot up from about 187 pre-surgery to 2,391 and LDH was 321 while HCG was 7808 (we don't have a pre-surgery levels for the last two markers).  We were both surprised at the huge jump, but the PA didn't seem concerned in the slightest.  Putting on my "let's play oncologist" hat, I went back to the office and reviewed the materials I had been given and determined that, according to the master flowchart from the oncologist, I should be downgraded from "good" risk to the "intermediate" risk necessitating a change in my chemo routine from four rounds of EP to four rounds of BEP.  I called the PA back to discuss the issue, but again, she was unflappable and thinks we should hold to the present course. 

The best news though, by far, we received was from the MRI results.  There was no indication that the cancer has spread to the brain.  Downside was they couldn't find a brain, but that was another matter.  When the PA delivered the news, I could have kissed her.  I told her as much in front of my wife!  I don't think she really appreciated how thrilled we were for the results.  It is comforting to think we know the extent of the territory the enemy has taken so we know from whence we need to beat it back.  For me, it's like Christmas come early. 

End result, I plan on drinking my weight in water and getting ready for round 2 of chemo-extravaganza the week of Christmas!

Two views of a "non-remarkable" brain.  I've never been so flattered and relieved!