melanomathletecyclist: Scanxiety week and more.

Scanxiety week and more.
Almost on holidays and trust me looking forward to it. Term 1 2013 has been extremely busy, rewarding and personally challenging at times.

Here's the short version of what has happened in Term 1. Last week at assembly I was involved in the promotion of the Tour de Cure (TDC) ride, which one of the dad's(Dennis Gentilin) at school is heavily involved in. As a school we had a yellow casual clothes day to raise funds for the TDC ride. It was a great fundraising event and a very exciting assembly. The group met me at my house and we rode into school together. Great privilege!

The Elevation Chart for one of my rides during the week.

This week also held significance, with scans at the end of the week, hence the word scanxiety, the timing is as follows, 5months since cranial surgery, radiation and 12months since original diagnosis and lymph node removal. I was hoping these scans show shrinkage and no new disease. I feel great and have been working hard teaching, and back riding some big rides. Rode 90km in one hit with a good mate of mine, John Stevens. This ride was tough but has given me more confidence and fitness. During this week also saw me rejoin the Peak Cycle boys. This group is quick and fit. I lasted and enjoyed being back with the 'fold'. This brought my riding weekly average to 115km.

As this week has moved forward things have become more complicated. Wednesday as usual I rode to work, enjoyed the ride and a coffee with my riding mate Matthew Collins.
I got to work and begun the day. It was our campus open morning and the place was a buzz. At some stage in the morning I wasn't teaching, therefore I went and spoke to a few colleagues. At this time I had a seizure and was taken to hospital. Scans done on my brain. The staff at work really did a great job looking after me, till the ambulance arrived.

When I came to, my first thoughts were I've got a new brain mass. However, scans have shown no active or new tumours on my brain.

Lisa came to the hospital and I was admitted for the night, for observations. This disappointed me as I wanted to go home. I stayed the night and had my scheduled scans the next morning. I waited for my oncologist to deliver the report, and to my surprise the brain has no new tumours just scar tissue that may have caused the seizure. The CT scans of the chest, abdomen and pelvis are clear, and the spots that were present on last scans have reduced from 18mm to 13mm and the other from 16mm to 15mm. With no new growth. From the nasty seizure has come good results. These results pleased my wife and I, therefore the dabrafenib drug is doing its thing.

The family is doing well and clearly concerned about the seizure. I am now on anti-epileptic medication. This hopefully will prevent any other.

Not the best shot, but the hair is growing back slowly.

Before the seizure I was flying, feeling great getting strength and fitness back. The hair is also growing, looking more like a fluffy duck.

I have also registered myself to present at a number of educational conferences about the iPad curriculum, this will get me back on the education presentation circuit.

I trust everyone is well and looking forward to Easter.

The other exciting thing that may happen this year for me is being a guest rider on the TDC signature ride. This will be exciting if it happens. Keep you posted.

Another motivational aspect I found out about was my dad's two sisters who are unfit and one smoker, have entered the Conquer Cancer Ride, in October. This is a huge surprise to me and my family. I am keen to do this ride too with Matthew Collins.