Thursday, March 11, 2010

'bout time I wrote something

I have folks now asking me, "When are you gonna tell us what's going on?"

I phoned my physician that performed the EGD (tummy cam) to get my results. He returned my call later in the morning and was apologetic that I hadn't been notified of my results by the surgeon. The results are in, I do indeed have cancer.

So, that headache is gone.

My surgeon phoned later on that evening and also updated me with the same news. I pressed him with a "why" can't you do something surgically. He said that my body has systemic disease at this point. He told me that the resection of my liver was like closing the barn door after the horses got out. The problem was, we needed a little time and a few more scans to show that the "horses" had gotten out. His suggestion was chemo.

Today I met with my oncologist. He has some good things in mind to try, and I'm quite excited to be doing something again.

Here's what's on the schedule:

I'll be referred to the radiation department for a consult. The idea here is to see if I'm a candidate for radiation ( no tumors in the liver). If they are close by, then we may be able to focus the radiation field to the proper area. With that radiation, we'll be doing Xeloda. The Xeloda works to strengthen the radiation.

So, if radiation is not an option, we will run a course of the Xeloda for 3 months, and then I will be taking a drug "off-label" called Tarceva.

Wow... just saw on the news Merlin Olsen passed away from cancer. Bummer.

In earlier meetings with my oncologist, we had discussed Radio Frequency Ablation. That is currently not an option because of the location of the tumors... yes... you heard right, tumors. So... if the tumors or tumor was in the liver, we could do that. But one is located close to the porta hepatis and other major veins and bile ducts that remain. Hit those with RF and poof! you're bleeding internally.

If we don't get radiation okay'd, we'll be looking at Stereo Tactic radiation while we start my chemo runs.

Ok... so now I'm doing something. I know that I am indeed a "repeat offender" and I have a plan that we're putting into action. That's good stuff.

I had "a" beer yesterday. I felt it, but it didn't bring to me my knees. That's good stuff too.

I've also canceled Cancer Treatment Centers for now. They will be staying in touch with me and we may go yet... but for now, I'm staying home.

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