And the Results are In!

May 28 (Thursday)...all tests and procedures complete. Now for another visit with my oncologist. I knew he would have all the results and put it all together in one big package for me to understand. 

He told me that the PET scan results came back the previous Saturday and the radiologist called on his day off to discuss my case. My body lit up with the cancer in my liver but then surprised him when it also lit up in my bones. We now know that the cancer has spread to my skull and right femur. I would later find out that a possible spot on my back  also. All of these spots are small at this time and I will need radiation.  This was unexpected and verifies that I have stage 4 cancer. However, our primary concern remains the liver tumors and the large polyp in my colon. 

The plan is to treat the liver with a method called embolization (glass beads placed in the arteries feeding the liver tumors to help shrink). This would take two procedures going from one lobe to the next. This process would include chemo or radiation to be determined by the radiologist. Then I would have the colon polyp removed and biopsied. Once these procedures were complete we would complete radiation to the cancer in bone. Then reevaluate the situation. This would like take most of the summer.

 

When he finished his evaluation, he asked if I had questions. My response was to know when we could get started. That was all he needed to hear to set everything in motion. He would call me back after scheduling the first procedure.

More Testing But Moving in the Right Direction

 May 13 (Wednesday)...the next step in the process was to rule out all other cancer origins. So I would need to have a colonoscopy. Turns out you don’t just have a colonoscopy without meeting the doctor first so I had to set that up. 

I met with the GI specialist (Dr. Bullock) by telemed. I felt like this was more of a formality. Yes, I am a living breathing person. Yes, the doctor had read my file case and agreed i needed to have a colonoscopy and endoscopy done as soon as it could be scheduled. 

Box checked and procedures scheduled for later in the month.

May 20(Wednesday)... a scheduled PET scan took place today. This scan would tell us if there was active cancer cells in my body. It was painless. It was a time for prayer. I felt confident that we were making progress to determine the extent of the cancer. 

I thought I was told to fast for this procedure. So i did not eat that morning. I figured I was going to be starting prep for the colonoscopy the next day so I was just getting a head start. My last meal was the night before. Turns out I could have eaten that day. Oh well...a little less food would not hurt me.

May 21 (Thursday). I had been warned that the colonoscopy purge was worse than the treatment. I believe that to be a true statement. Not a fun experience but after that it was not so bad.  Thankful for the meal provided that night by friends. I would not have been able to prepare a meal and of course could not eat it.

May 22 (Friday). Arrived two hours early to sit in waiting room. I slept most of that time. The colonoscopy and endoscopy were a breeze. No adverse side effects. Ready to go home but was told I had to wait for doctor. Since I was seeing others leave quickly from recovery I knew my procedure did not have good results. 

My mom was even allowed to come in and wait with me. And we waited for almost two hours. I guess the specialist had to finish all other procedures before he would have time to talk to us. We were the last ones to leave except a poor woman who needed to be admitted to hospital. Bless her heart. I spent a lot of my waiting time praying for her. 

The doctor finally got out to tell me that i had several polyps in the my stomach and colon. All were removed and would be biopsied except one very large (peach sized) polyp that would need to be removed surgically. And along with the polyps I had erosive gastritis which is a inflammation of the stomach lining. 

This meant more waiting for results before we could progress to treatment. I hoped to have results when i met with  Dr. Drengler the following week.

The Test of Patience

May 4 (Monday)... in the grand scheme of things ten days is not a long time but even my oncologist had hoped this first test would happen earlier. I just looked at it as a time to gather my prayer warriors. Also get used to the idea that i was now going to spend more time in a doctor’s office than any other time in my life (other than routine prenatal care). 

Now the day had come for my biopsy. Maybe those liver masses would be benign. This is what we wanted to find out. 

I arrived early for a full panel of blood work. I had never seen so many vials for me to fill with my precious blood!  But i got it done. Then off to the biopsy procedure. 

I was told that after the procedure it would feel like I had done a crunch work out. He lied!  Wow!  That was painful!  I did not even know how painful until I was back home and the pain meds wore off. I could barely move it hurt so much. That pain lasted three days. But I got through it. Lots of talking to God during that time. 

My crew were so good. They let me rest. All of this time (from the initial nausea in April) I woke up each morning feeling nausea. The crew took over all chores so they knew the routine well. School continued also and it was quickly going to come to an end thanks to their diligence. 

The biopsy results came in by the end of the week and definitely cancer. Up until this point, I kept it low key with the children. Also did not talk much about it with my college student. He had finals to worry about. 

By this time, all were ready to hear the full news and what was to come. Everyone was home except the two oldest girls. I got one on the phone and the other I prayed would find out some way. 

They all took it well. We prayed for the doctors and that was the extent of the results revealed. I think the crew just fed off the peaceful message I gave them. That is how I wanted it to be. Have faith and see what is to come. It is still early and much to discover.