Monday, January 15, 2007

Busy day! Started out at the dentist and got the filling done and the rest of teeth cleaned. Got a million dollar smile again! ;) The jaw is hurting from this one...I knew the torture part was coming...due to the nerve for the tooth that needed to be fixed. 2 1/2 hours with the mouth open was helpful to this as well. At least that is done! I do already have an appointment set up for July for a check up and cleaning.

First visit to the Oncologist

We went to see Dr. Reznick this afternoon...we like him...and spent over an hour talking with him alone. We don't really have a defined plan yet due to a couple of questions that we are still going to need to answer. The pathology on Bill (on the tongue) is definitely SCC, however, the pathology on Earl (the one in the neck) came back as a benine tumor!!! At this point it puts everything into a holding pattern until we can verify that Earl is just a tumor.

Next step is a PET/CT scan that has been scheduled for this Thursday at 8:00 am. The PET/CT scan is a Positron Emission Tomography (sounds like something from Transformers!) and it is like a CT scan except that they will inject, via an IV, a small amount of radioactive glucose into the blood stream. I have to take it easy for about 45 minutes and then they do the scan. What this does is shows any heavy cellular activity e.g. a cancer. I am not suppose to work out or do anything strenuous the day before because then the muscle building shows up as heavy cellular activity and messes up the results. I'll end up being there for 1 1/2 to 3 hours. The results will then be sent to Dr. Reznick.

Monday we'll meet with Dr. Reznick again and get the results of the PET scan. If Earl is benine and there are no other cancers other than Bill then I am Stage I and we'll procede with extraction of Earl and then begin the Radiation Therapy. If Earl shows as a cancer on the PET scan then I am probably looking at Stage III and we will do another biopsy of Earl, probably next week, and see what it shows. The next biopsy will be a cut of Earl not a needle so we make sure we have enough cells for pathology testing.

One of the big things we were told is that SCC is not a fast growing cancer and that it is not going to double overnight so we are moving forward and not to worry that Bill is going to beat us.

A couple of other things that we discussed: I need to set up an appointment with Dr. Leonard, the Radiation Oncologist so we can get together and discuss the RT. Dr. Leonard is on the RMCC staff and top notch. I also need to set up an appoint with Dr. Nemacheck (sp?) who is also a head and neck surgeon like Dr. Dickey but his specialty is in Oncology of the Head and Neck. He heads up the Head and Neck Oncology department at Swedish and is one of the hot shots in the field and really knows his stuff. He will give us a second opinion on any surgical options if it is Stage III.

Either way we are looking at RT. If Stage I probably just RT. If Stage III probably RT and new (approved by the FDA last year) drug called Erbitux. There is a lot of info and data from the clinicals on the web...once I find a good article I'll post the link. The RT is going to be tough per the doctors. They will be in essence burning out Bill. I may have some skin burns on the outside as well. The RT will make it difficult and painful to swallow which typically leads to possible dehydration and fatigue due to lack of necessary caloric intake need for normal daily functions and to heal from the cancer and RT. In this event they will put in a feeding tube so I can get the nutrition and calories I need to continue the fight. The doc said your young and healthy but even so it may get to a point where I will probably need the feeding tube. Oh well, whatever it takes!

I think that covers most of it...if I forgot anything I'll put it in my next post.

The big questions are:

Will I glow in the dark after the PET/CT scan? I hope so! That would be fun!

If you drink beer through a feeding tube is it like drinking beer through a straw? And will I get drunk faster? We may have to wait and see!