Ivan rocking it since 2003
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1678
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:32 pm
- Location: Sammamish, WA USA
Re: Ivan rocking it since 2003
Dear Olga,
I am so grateful for your thoughtful update with this wonderful news, and I am so happy about the very good and successful outcome of Ivan's Cryo procedure! Please give him a gentle hug and celebratory High 5 for me, and my best wishes for a full and speedy recovery from the procedure.
Sharing your great relief and joy with much happiness, deepest caring, warm friendship, and continued Hope,
Bonni
I am so grateful for your thoughtful update with this wonderful news, and I am so happy about the very good and successful outcome of Ivan's Cryo procedure! Please give him a gentle hug and celebratory High 5 for me, and my best wishes for a full and speedy recovery from the procedure.
Sharing your great relief and joy with much happiness, deepest caring, warm friendship, and continued Hope,
Bonni
Re: Ivan rocking it since 2003
I'm home and feeling pretty well. This was obviously a more difficult ablation than I had last year in Detroit. I wanted to get into some of the technical aspects of the procedure as performed by Dr. Liu because I think it's pretty cool. So basically you have this ~2 cm met next to the heart which you need to freeze off, but how do you get it done without risking damage to the heart? Well, here's what it came down to.
A small amount of air was injected to induce a localized pneumothorax so that the lung would fall away from the chest wall and the heart. There was some doubts whether this would work or not, considering how many adhesions I have in my lungs, but it did - at least partially. There was still an adhesion nearby which prevented it from being totally successful.
Then, a so-called "Popsicle stick maneuver" was performed by freezing the probe to the met slightly so it would stick to it, and then using the adhesion as a point of leverage to twist the tumor into position for ablation - away from the heart.
Isn't that a marvel of modern medicine?
A small amount of air was injected to induce a localized pneumothorax so that the lung would fall away from the chest wall and the heart. There was some doubts whether this would work or not, considering how many adhesions I have in my lungs, but it did - at least partially. There was still an adhesion nearby which prevented it from being totally successful.
Then, a so-called "Popsicle stick maneuver" was performed by freezing the probe to the met slightly so it would stick to it, and then using the adhesion as a point of leverage to twist the tumor into position for ablation - away from the heart.
Isn't that a marvel of modern medicine?
Re: Ivan rocking it since 2003
2 weeks after the ablation, and I can hardly feel anything. Played a little bit of volleyball yesterday Was taking it very easy, but felt fine. No pain, and no real shortness of breath. I'll probably go jogging in the next few days. Been riding the bike every other day, around 20 km. Not going crazy, but putting in a reasonable effort.
Cryoablations continue to amaze. It was awesome doing it at home, and not having to pay or travel very far. Now the question is whether it was a complete ablation, and we'll be able to see that in 6-9 months when the area clears up. Doctor felt pretty confident regarding how it went, so I am not too worried.
Cryoablations continue to amaze. It was awesome doing it at home, and not having to pay or travel very far. Now the question is whether it was a complete ablation, and we'll be able to see that in 6-9 months when the area clears up. Doctor felt pretty confident regarding how it went, so I am not too worried.
Re: Ivan rocking it since 2003
Had a scan yesterday morning. Doctor's appointment is in a week and a half, but I got the CD with the scan and had a look at it myself. Everything is perfectly stable (over a period of 3.5 years) to within 0-2 mm, except for one nodule (well, and all the ones that have been ablated and resected between now and then) which is clearly growing. I actually spotted it last time 6 months ago, but it was still not 100% clear. It's gonna be hilarious if the radiologist says everything is "stable". That's what they've done to me in the past twice. They only report growth when the offending met hit around 1.5 cm, and then we have to run around hectically setting up an ablation once, and a thoracotomy another time. No more LOL, I'd rather spot it myself
Starting in 2008, it grew 5->7 in 2 years, then 7->8 in 6 months, and finally 8->10mm in 6 months. Already emailed the doctor who performed the last ablation here in Vancouver. He agrees with me, and he said that this guy should get ablated. Actually, they are in the process of getting the Fluoro CT (continuous during the procedure) upgrade for their machine, which he says would be very helpful for the specific location of this met. It's relatively near (I already asked - not close enough to invade like what happened in 'K''s case) to the pulmonary artery, so this Fluoro setup is needed.
I have to say, looking at the old scans which had TONS of mets in both lungs, it's quite amazing to see how clear the right lung in particular looks right now. Well over 100 mets were removed from there. There are maybe 5 visible nodules, but the majority of them are probably scar tissue (biggest one is 8mm). Neither of them changed even a single mm since 2008.
Starting in 2008, it grew 5->7 in 2 years, then 7->8 in 6 months, and finally 8->10mm in 6 months. Already emailed the doctor who performed the last ablation here in Vancouver. He agrees with me, and he said that this guy should get ablated. Actually, they are in the process of getting the Fluoro CT (continuous during the procedure) upgrade for their machine, which he says would be very helpful for the specific location of this met. It's relatively near (I already asked - not close enough to invade like what happened in 'K''s case) to the pulmonary artery, so this Fluoro setup is needed.
I have to say, looking at the old scans which had TONS of mets in both lungs, it's quite amazing to see how clear the right lung in particular looks right now. Well over 100 mets were removed from there. There are maybe 5 visible nodules, but the majority of them are probably scar tissue (biggest one is 8mm). Neither of them changed even a single mm since 2008.
Re: Ivan rocking it since 2003
Hello Ivan
YAY!!! I am so happy for the great news! You are blessed as i feel i am also ... I will tell you what my Onc tells me I will see you in 5 years 10 and 15 years as he is walking away smiling! With every thing over the past two weeks this news of yours and Bonnies post and another friend i am feeling alot more positive Now get off the forims i want to see more pictures i am getting ready to start now also in local stuff an will share also
YAY!!! I am so happy for the great news! You are blessed as i feel i am also ... I will tell you what my Onc tells me I will see you in 5 years 10 and 15 years as he is walking away smiling! With every thing over the past two weeks this news of yours and Bonnies post and another friend i am feeling alot more positive Now get off the forims i want to see more pictures i am getting ready to start now also in local stuff an will share also
“Many times it is much more important to know what kind of patient has the disease, than what kind of disease the patient has”.
"The microbe is nothing, the soil is everything)""
Claude Bernard~
Amanda
"The microbe is nothing, the soil is everything)""
Claude Bernard~
Amanda
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1678
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:32 pm
- Location: Sammamish, WA USA
Re: Ivan rocking it since 2003
Hi Ivan
Congratulations on your mostly good news from your recent six month scans, and congratulations too for being so vigilant and pro-active in monitoring and tracking your mets which is so critically important in fighting this disease. I am sorry that one of your mets is showing some continued growth, but am grateful that it can be Cryoablated in Vancouver, and that the the added technololgy of the Fluoro CT will soon be available to help with the ablation of this more difficultly located met. Your continued relative disease stability with the exception of the slow and small growth of the one lung met, and having had no new tumors or disseminated disease in other areas of your body, is truly remarkable and a great victory, and offers great encouragement and Hope to all of us in the ASPS Community. Please keep the Board updated on the results of your appointment with your oncologist to review and discuss your scans and the scheduling and outcome of the Cryo, and know that my most caring thoughts and very best wishes are with you as always. Take care Ivan and stay warm and dry in the now cooler and rainy Pacific Northwest Fall weather.
With warm hugs, special caring thoughts, healing wishes, and continued Hope,
Bonni
Congratulations on your mostly good news from your recent six month scans, and congratulations too for being so vigilant and pro-active in monitoring and tracking your mets which is so critically important in fighting this disease. I am sorry that one of your mets is showing some continued growth, but am grateful that it can be Cryoablated in Vancouver, and that the the added technololgy of the Fluoro CT will soon be available to help with the ablation of this more difficultly located met. Your continued relative disease stability with the exception of the slow and small growth of the one lung met, and having had no new tumors or disseminated disease in other areas of your body, is truly remarkable and a great victory, and offers great encouragement and Hope to all of us in the ASPS Community. Please keep the Board updated on the results of your appointment with your oncologist to review and discuss your scans and the scheduling and outcome of the Cryo, and know that my most caring thoughts and very best wishes are with you as always. Take care Ivan and stay warm and dry in the now cooler and rainy Pacific Northwest Fall weather.
With warm hugs, special caring thoughts, healing wishes, and continued Hope,
Bonni
Re: Ivan rocking it since 2003
Guess what - the radiologist did call it "stable" yet again Doesn't matter, the doctor who does cryoablation (Dr. David Liu) was with me on the scan reading haha.
Anyway, I should get that cryoablation done sometime in early December. Having one more scan on Wednesday, and then the final scheduling will proceed.
Anyway, I should get that cryoablation done sometime in early December. Having one more scan on Wednesday, and then the final scheduling will proceed.
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1678
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:32 pm
- Location: Sammamish, WA USA
Re: Ivan rocking it since 2003
Dear Ivan,
Thank you for the update. You are to be congratulated and admired for your very proactive and vigilant monitoring and comparing of your scan results instead of just accepting the radiologist report as being absolutely accurate. As we heartbeakingly know FAR too well from the inexcusable mistake that was made by both the radiologist and the interim oncologist in failing to observe/mention Brittany's clearly visible spinal tumor on two consecutive chest CT scans in 2008, errors and negligence can and do occur. Your findings of radiologist error are a strong reminder of the critical importance for all ASPS patients/families to be extremely pro-active and vigilant in all aspects of this difficult battle.
I am sorry that you have to undergo yet another lung procedure, but am grateful that Cryo is a viable treatment option, and that you have been able to schedule it to be done locally without the expense and physical demands of traveling out of country to Detroit. My best wishes will be with you for a very successful outcome to your December Cryo procedure, and a full and speedy recovery that allows you to quickly return to your many physical activites, and to enjoy a very happy healthy Holiday season.
With warm hugs, special caring thoughts, healing wishes, and continued Hope,
Bonni
Thank you for the update. You are to be congratulated and admired for your very proactive and vigilant monitoring and comparing of your scan results instead of just accepting the radiologist report as being absolutely accurate. As we heartbeakingly know FAR too well from the inexcusable mistake that was made by both the radiologist and the interim oncologist in failing to observe/mention Brittany's clearly visible spinal tumor on two consecutive chest CT scans in 2008, errors and negligence can and do occur. Your findings of radiologist error are a strong reminder of the critical importance for all ASPS patients/families to be extremely pro-active and vigilant in all aspects of this difficult battle.
I am sorry that you have to undergo yet another lung procedure, but am grateful that Cryo is a viable treatment option, and that you have been able to schedule it to be done locally without the expense and physical demands of traveling out of country to Detroit. My best wishes will be with you for a very successful outcome to your December Cryo procedure, and a full and speedy recovery that allows you to quickly return to your many physical activites, and to enjoy a very happy healthy Holiday season.
With warm hugs, special caring thoughts, healing wishes, and continued Hope,
Bonni
Re: Ivan rocking it since 2003
Ablation is scheduled for Tuesday, with a single night's stay. Got it perfect this time, my indoor volleyball season ends on Monday and starts again in January. I won't have to miss anything
This is SO much better than having to do it in the spring after the next scan when the radiologist would finally see growth.
The only real downside is that I can't go on Vacation in early December. That will have to wait.
This is SO much better than having to do it in the spring after the next scan when the radiologist would finally see growth.
The only real downside is that I can't go on Vacation in early December. That will have to wait.
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1678
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:32 pm
- Location: Sammamish, WA USA
Re: Ivan rocking it since 2003
Hi Ivan,
My best wishes and most positive thoughts will be with you next Tuesday for a very successful ablation, and then a speedy and full recovery which allows you to enjoy a most happy and healthy Holiday season and a belated vacation in the New Year . Take care and keep the Board updated on the outcome of the ablation when your time and recovery allows.
With special hugs, healing wishes, and continued Hope,
Bonni
My best wishes and most positive thoughts will be with you next Tuesday for a very successful ablation, and then a speedy and full recovery which allows you to enjoy a most happy and healthy Holiday season and a belated vacation in the New Year . Take care and keep the Board updated on the outcome of the ablation when your time and recovery allows.
With special hugs, healing wishes, and continued Hope,
Bonni
Re: Ivan rocking it since 2003
Hi Ivan
I just read this im sorry How are you doing?
I just read this im sorry How are you doing?
“Many times it is much more important to know what kind of patient has the disease, than what kind of disease the patient has”.
"The microbe is nothing, the soil is everything)""
Claude Bernard~
Amanda
"The microbe is nothing, the soil is everything)""
Claude Bernard~
Amanda
Re: Ivan rocking it since 2003
Everything is done, I'm home. No pain, procedure went well.
Re: Ivan rocking it since 2003
I just wanted to add few comments:
- the cryoablation was done today and Ivan feels really good, they decided not to keep him overnight and released home in a few hours after the procedure after performing 2 consecutive X-Rays with 2 hours interval to see if there any airleak/bleeding. He was coughing a little blood (called hemoptysis) few times during the evenings but it is very insignificant amount;
- we feel that it is really beneficial to have an ablation on a smaller size as it is much easier for the lungs to tolerate - this time the size was 11 mm;
- Dr.Liu (our interventional radiologist) is now teaching other docs from other countries, today he had a fellow from UK that studies from him all the trade secretes and tricks, it is good to see the advanced level doc available locally (and to sleep in our own beds at night after the procedure because of that).
- the cryoablation was done today and Ivan feels really good, they decided not to keep him overnight and released home in a few hours after the procedure after performing 2 consecutive X-Rays with 2 hours interval to see if there any airleak/bleeding. He was coughing a little blood (called hemoptysis) few times during the evenings but it is very insignificant amount;
- we feel that it is really beneficial to have an ablation on a smaller size as it is much easier for the lungs to tolerate - this time the size was 11 mm;
- Dr.Liu (our interventional radiologist) is now teaching other docs from other countries, today he had a fellow from UK that studies from him all the trade secretes and tricks, it is good to see the advanced level doc available locally (and to sleep in our own beds at night after the procedure because of that).
Olga
Re: Ivan rocking it since 2003
Hello
@IVAN,
I am happy you got to be home and not away! I am also glad it went well! The bleeding would have freaked me out lol I am glad it was not a big deal
@OLGA,
This is great news that you can be home and not fly all over! I am also glad we have an option for mets that size with out the huge surgeries
@IVAN,
I am happy you got to be home and not away! I am also glad it went well! The bleeding would have freaked me out lol I am glad it was not a big deal
@OLGA,
This is great news that you can be home and not fly all over! I am also glad we have an option for mets that size with out the huge surgeries
Olga wrote:I just wanted to add few comments:
- the cryoablation was done today and Ivan feels really good, they decided not to keep him overnight and released home in a few hours after the procedure after performing 2 consecutive X-Rays with 2 hours interval to see if there any airleak/bleeding. He was coughing a little blood (called hemoptysis) few times during the evenings but it is very insignificant amount;
- we feel that it is really beneficial to have an ablation on a smaller size as it is much easier for the lungs to tolerate - this time the size was 11 mm;
- Dr.Liu (our interventional radiologist) is now teaching other docs from other countries, today he had a fellow from UK that studies from him all the trade secretes and tricks, it is good to see the advanced level doc available locally (and to sleep in our own beds at night after the procedure because of that).
“Many times it is much more important to know what kind of patient has the disease, than what kind of disease the patient has”.
"The microbe is nothing, the soil is everything)""
Claude Bernard~
Amanda
"The microbe is nothing, the soil is everything)""
Claude Bernard~
Amanda
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1678
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:32 pm
- Location: Sammamish, WA USA
Re: Ivan rocking it since 2003
Thank you for the thoughtful updates Ivan and Olga and for the wonderful news that the Cryo went so well . Ivan's having tolerated the procedure so well and being able to be discharged from the hospital without the anticipated overnight stay is truly a testimony to the benefit of having the tumor ablated at the smallest possible size, as well as to Ivan's dedicted physical excercise and conditioning. I am grateful that the Cryo procedure performed by a well qualified and experienced doctor is now available to you locally without the great burden and expense of long distance travel and out of town housing, and I am so happy that international doctors are being trained so that this much less invasive treatment option can be made available to more patients with lung mets which are unresectable or located in dangerous or difficult to access areas of the lung. Take care Ivan, rest well, and have a full and speedy recovery.
With gentle hugs, special caring thoughts, healing wishes, and continued Hope,
Bonni
With gentle hugs, special caring thoughts, healing wishes, and continued Hope,
Bonni