Saturday, May 30, 2009

Well rested after getting home.

Man! It felt so good to be back in my own bed last night! I slept like a baby.

So...here we go with the "action" stuff.

Wednesday I go in for a left hepatectomy. What that means is they're going to take about 40% of my liver out. Some weight loss plan huh? The surgery will take about three to five hours to complete with about three to four hours recovery time. I may or may not end up in the I.C.U. following the surgery. That all depends on how well things go. Dr. Visser, my surgeon, feels confident that everything will go quite nicely. He did, however, point out that "things" can happen while they are in there. Stanford takes a very conservative approach to care and recovery, airing on the side of caution. So, if I wake up and hear the bells and whistles of I.C.U., I don't need to freak out.

I'll be spending five to seven days in the hospital. I get my first day off after surgery. Thursday, the real fun starts as I begin attempting to move from my bed to my chair. Friday might bring walks down the hall and even maybe some food!

I'm making light of this, but it's going to be a really hard haul this time. This is major stuff, but I'm confident that I have what it takes mentally and physically to make a rapid and good recovery.

After I return home, I will have home recovery of about five to six weeks during which time my liver will begin to regenerate. The liver will not take on it's old familiar shape, but will "poof" out returning to the same volume it was prior to the surgery.

Every three months or so, I will return for another CT scan to make sure I don't have more cancer again. That will continue until the folks at Stanford get sick of seeing me ;-). Then I'll be marked as a "free man" so to speak.

The hospital is both cell phone and computer friendly. So, I'll be able to post while I'm there to tell you how much fun I'm having!

Friday, May 29, 2009

CT yesterday - Surgeon Today

Yesterday I had to do a new CT scan to check on tumor growth. More blood work as well.

Today, we meet with the surgeon.

I'm pooped. It's been a long week and I"m ready to head home.

Just for kicks, while killing time waiting for our appointment time, we took up driving in San Fransisco and finally found our way to the "Rock". Neat tour!

Slept like a baby last night! No loud neighbors.. girl-friend did good!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Yesterday at Stanford

Yesterday Julie and I met Dr. Fisher. After a brief check-in with the front desk (should I mention they had their act together?), we were led to quite possibly the warmest exam room I have ever visited.


Briefly, Dr. Fisher shared with us a number of options and scenarios. But he seemed to indicate the based on my good health, the early detection and the location of the tumor, that removal by surgery is a likely course of action.

He said that the surgeon had already looked at my CT scan and pet scan. The surgeon indicated that if no great amount of tumor growth has happened, then we will move on it.


Today's events:
A fresh CT scan to confirm that the tumor hasn't grown too much and more bloodwork. Then, maybe back to Chico or perhaps an appointment with another doctor on Friday. If we don't get an appointment tomorrow, we get to come back next week.


NOTE: Girlfriend picks motels from here on out. I finally gave up at 4am and threw a Carman "fit" at the neighbor who seemed to think that shouting a conversation with his wife all night long was ok. We never have this problem when Julie picks the rooms.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

At Redwood City

We made it to Redwood City yesterday, though before the morning had passed, I was beginning to wonder.

I phoned the staff to make arrangements to pick up the files, slides and cd's that were going to be ready on Friday. (Couldn't pick them up Friday because the office left for an early long weekend). No answer, or a busy signal... I guess that was understandable after the 3 day weekend.

I drove over to the office, and requested the files. The office worker was surprised that I was going a day in advance (even though the worker was sitting right there when the doctor suggested I do just that. She checked to see if someone else had already copied the files. The files had not been copied. So, I offered to return 2 hours later to give the worker time to complete the task. THEN she reached into her desk, rifled through a stack of Post-It notes, found the one with my name and the instructions for my files and went to work.


Just a suggestion: Post-It notes are for helping you remember. They are not a project management system, and they probably aren't much help if they are in a stack in your drawer. a stack! About the size of a pack of cigarettes. Sheesh.


I return, and one of the two copies I was promised was ready. That's ok... I have a copying machine. I asked if the slides from the biopsies where there. The worker just glazed over! Oh my god! This cannot be happening to me! Office mate, also glazed over, got on the phone. 20 minutes later, I'm directed to pick up the slides myself across town.


This office must be one of the rings in Dante's inferno. I'm quite positive I am paying for past transgressions.


Sheesh! Today is going to be better! Stanford can't be that bad.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Moving right along!



I go to Stanford Cancer Center early next week. It'll be an all day event to meet with a specialist who who take the history, slides and CDs with my scan results and add to that a history he will start with a question and answer period as well as a brief examination.


That doctor will release us for a while the team meets to discuss my options for liver treatment as well as confirm the suggested chemo course of action for the pancreas.


Now... just gotta get those files from the oncologist!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

The best night sleep in a long time...

Last night I slept like a rock! Man I feel like a million bucks!

Later this morning, I'll be posting a longer version of what will be happening in the next few weeks.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Freakin Yeah!

Ok… VERY short form here….

My PET/CT scan came back negative.
All of my blood work with one exception came back negative.

The marker for the pancreas came back elevated. It’s supposed to be 30 something, it was 300 something. That means that my pancreas may or may not have the cancer. Odds are, the pancreas does have cancer, and that it’s so tiny it cannot be seen with our equipment. THAT’S GOOD!

Ok… so I’m in a box that most people don’t get put into because of an accidental find during that ultrasound.

I will be going to Stanford to get a secondary consult to discuss treatment options for the liver tumor as well as chemo options to address the elevated marker.

Liver treatment will take place at Stanford. Chemo here.
The type of chemo (I can’t recall the name) is well handled… won’t lose my hair… may feel blah the next day.

VERY FREAKING COOL!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

The "tummy cam" results.

Diagnosis: Gastric antrum (biopsies): No diagnostic histopathologic abnormality



English translation: no cancer in my stomach, esophagus or throat.




That's a good start! Now to just wait for the PET scan update tomorrow.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Thought I'd better put something here....



I haven't been doing anything new yet. First appointment tomorrow. FINALLY!


I'm tuckered out... and I don't know if it's because of the cancer, or just my mind (stress) making my pooped out. I'm sure I'll feel better once I have a plan of attack!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

When is a "promise" not a promise?



Yesterday I felt like I went one round with Mike Tyson (with any other boxer in my weight class I may have made 2 or 3 rounds).


Anyway, people who I love and care for were doing their jobs as part of "Team Stanley"... to make sure that I don't miss something along the way.


The 1 round part came when I was pretty much told to be a little more "proactive" with this an not wait until Wednesday to at least get my results.


I caved in and phoned my oncologist today asking for my results of the lab work on the PET/CT scan. The person who took my call indicated that they would speak with the doctor and see if he would allow the results to be shared over the phone. "I promise to call you one way or the other" was what I was told.


Six and one-half hours later I phone back. "The doctor prefers to discuss your results in person, during your appointment. There aren't any cancellations yet, but if one come up, I promise to call you and let you know.


Ok... I'm still waiting for my call back from last Friday to reschedule my appointment. That was one promise broken.

I had to call you back to find out that promise two was broken.

You really expect me to believe that you'll really call me back to let me move up if there's a cancellation?


Yeah... Right!

So far, I like the doc and I'm not too terribly impressed with the front office. Perhaps I'm just having a shit day? Ya think? Yeah... that's probably it.


Bottom line for me is, don't promise something you cannot stick to or have no intention on doing. I've got cancer, I'm not stupid.


GRRRR

OH... and one more thing....

Folks worked for years to teach me to be patient, now I'm being too patient? Yikes! *grin*

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Nothing new to report in my world.



Until next week, I won't know anything. It's kind of rough, the waiting game. I'm ready to get things started, start beating this.

Friday, May 8, 2009

PET/CT scan



Today I went for the PET/CT scan.


I started my morning with a tasty pineapple-barium smoothie! Yummo!


Then a little itty-bitty needle to test my blood sugar and to pump in the isotope.


Finally! Something perfect! Lisa (my PET/CT operator) said my blood sugar was perfect at 99.


The hardest part of today was sitting calm and still for 45 minutes while the isotope made its rounds in my body. I am like a 6 year old little boy and it just kills me to sit still. I did well though.


Once they put me in the big donuts (there were 2, one for the CT and another about a foot away from the first for the PET). I'll be darned if I didn't wake myself up snoring. This was WAY better than the liver biopsy!


Results are next week, so I get some time away from doctors and needles for a while.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Yesterday's Tummy Cam Adventure.

Yesterday I felt like Norm from the TV show Cheers. He walked into the bar and the crowd yelled Norm! I walked into Adventist Hospital and a number of folks said (didn't yell) "Stan!"


Talk about a smooth operation. That place has their act together. From the moment you check in at the volunteer desk, to admitting, to pre-op and then in for procedure.... freaking awesome!


The hardest part of the entire process was when they asked me my name, date of birth and what I was there for. Name and date of birth was a piece of cake... I had to tell them I didn't stand a chance of correctly pronouncing the proceedure name so I hoped the EGD was good enough.


I didn't feel a thing... not even a sore throat afterwords.


Initial findings were two erosions that were sampled for biopsy and a small hernia. We already knew about the hernia, so no biggie there.


I have my PET scan on Friday, then hopefully... if I feel ok after getting gamma rays pumped into me (hope I don't turn into the Hulk or something) I'm going to go catch Wolverine!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

The word of the day...

The word of the day today is:

esophagogastroduodenoscopy


Very loosely translated into something understandable:

Tummy cam!

Monday, May 4, 2009

Todays appointment!

Today I met with Dr. Keech at the Enloe Cancer Center. Terrific gentleman who fielded a lot of questions from me and my mom.

He told me today, that my prior blood work was "bland". Pretty much, he indicated that if I hadn't gone in for another issue, nothing in my blood work would lead anyone to believe there was any problem.

He also indicated that the mass on my liver was "unremarkable". That is, it's not all that big and I am a great candidate to have it surgically removed. Basically, this mass is about the size of a walnut.

Now what remains is to narrow down where this cancer may have originated from. My colonoscopy was terrific. A pair of polyps that were "hyperplastic" (non cancerous). Other than those the entire pathway is good to go.

Tomorrow, I go in for an EGD. They'll give me a "conscious sedative" and send a scope down my throat and take pics of everything down to the stomach.

Friday, I go in for a PET scan. Dr. Keech indicated that this will look at everything inside me, even the bones, to drill down where the bad guy is.

Finally, today I gave a blood sample at the lab. I've been told that certain cancer in certain organs have markers that can be detected with specific tests. Again, more drilling down.

Today was a great day! I still have my work cut out for me, but I feel like the numbers are more in my favor now.

Today's the big day!

Today I finally get to meet the doc at the Cancer Center. It's been what? Like 5 days or something? Sheesh...

I'm all worked up. Partly excited to get things going... partly spooked cause I'm not really sure what to expect when I get there... and WAY shakin from WAYYYYY tooo much freakin coffee!

Friday, May 1, 2009

Thursday, April 30

Thursday was a busy day. That was very good because with some of the things I'm working on, I'm feeling more in control of what's going on and what I'm doing.

I picked up a copy of my complete medical history from my primary physician. That goes into the Journey binder so that I always have everything with me when I go to see any docs. All the new stuff will go in there as we go.

I spent lunch visiting great friends over at the zoo... I mean Lifetouch's lab. That was fun!

I spent the better part of the day at the Social Security Admin office. GREAT folks helped me out a lot!

Spent about 35 seconds at the VA office. Nice folks... no help at all.

Then, an unplanned trip to Ft. Bragg. Julie (my girlfriend) needed to get over here to do some emergency things with/for her mother.

Today, I continue to work on my binder ... I had a truck load of medical history.