No changes in my last CT; infusion #62

Last week I had another CT scan, which means 12 weeks had passed since my last one. Since I was diagnosed with bladder cancer in November 2011, I don't think I've ever gone more than 12 weeks without having a CT or PET scan, and sometimes I've had them far more often. I think I'm approaching 40 scans. When I get to 50 I'm told they'll give me a commemorative pin made out of depleted U235. Dr. Maughan looked at my scans and said it appeared there was no significant changes from 12 weeks ago. Good news in that there's no new mets. My persistent tumor at the base of my neck remains essentially unchanged in size:

Slight interval decreased size of the lymph node conglomerate within the left superior mediastinum, measuring approximately 1.3 x 1.1 x 2.5 cm (AP, transverse, craniocaudal. Additional scattered subcentimeter nodes are present. These do not demonstrate aggressive features.

The obvious question was, why the radiation didn't seem to have reduced the size of the tumor. Dr. Maughan said that sometimes radiation can cause inflammation, and that a scan a couple of months after radiation can give a better reading. Or it just might be that my tumor is radiation resistant. So the bad news is that there doesn't seem to be an immediate benefit to the radiation. But since it hasn't caused any side effects, and I got a nifty mask and some good stories as a souvenir, no harm done. And maybe it will have some therapeutic effect down the road. I knew that radiation was never intended to be curative, but to instead turn that persistent tumor into an inert lump of tissue.

Opdivo infusion #62 was routine. Doing infusions every 4 weeks instead of every two weeks (as I had from 2015-18) makes it seem even less of a big deal. Since I'm having no side effects (except the occasion minor rash), I'll keep riding the nivolumab horse until someone comes up with a better idea.

Speaking of riding, I found that I've been missing motorcycle riding. I sold my last Harley in 2017.  The day after my scan and infusion, I bought a used Harley FLSTFI Softail Fatboy with some sweet sounding V&H big radius 2-into-2's. I've already added a Corbin solo seat with backrest and HD hard bags. I've been riding it daily around Northern Utah's mountain roads. On July 2 I rode from Huntsville up to Monte Christo at around 9000 feet, and was having so much fun I kept going all the way to Woodruff, Based on the number of bugs in my teeth after each ride, I must be having a good time.

Two Fatboys