Friday, January 19, 2007

Yesterday Andrea picked up a magazine in the waiting room at RMCC called Cure. They had a bunch of them there so people could take one. This is a quarterly magazine put out to help people who have or have had cancer. The issue that we have was a special survivors issue for 2006 and has a lot of information about survivors and some of the things folks go through post the fight. They have some good articles in it and have a web site where you can view other articles on line and a bunch of other info. They have an incredible list of links, some general cancer sites and then they get into the specific cancer types and links to their sites. I have put a link on the right side here to their site. To get to their links page, open up the current issue page from the "Current Issue" link at the top of the page. From their you can view the various articles but in the low right colume, at the bottom, is a link named "Toolbox: Resources to Use", this will take you to their links page. I have subscribed to this and should get my first copy shortly.

Well we didn't hear anything today from the docs in regards to the PET scan so we'll find out what it has to say Monday with Dr. Reznick.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

We started out the day looking for the RMCC Aurora location. For some reason I didn't even think to Google it! We knew the general area so I guess I didn't even think about it! We found it just fine and saw the PET mobile scanning trailer out side of the building. I really like the early morning appointment...you get in on time, no waiting for someone else that showed up late. They had a styrofoam coffee cup waiting for me with at first glance looked like milk but when it moved it appeared more like Elmers glue!!! Went down that way too! (not that I ever ate glue at school!!!!) Nothing like starting your day with a big ol' glass of Barium! Because I was having a PET/CT they wanted the Barium to provide some contrast for the CT scan, as I understand it it helps the computer to stitch the two scans together giving the docs an even better image to review.

While I was chugging my Elmers, the nurse put in an IV into the arm. We went over some paperwork and then we were off to the trailer. Andrea couldn't go with me on this one and had to go hang out in the waiting room. Once in the trailer they put my in a recliner and covered me with blankets...still a bit chilly in there since it was only 5 degrees outside! She injected a little water into the vein and then the gluecose and radioactive isotopes. I was told at that point to relax, don't move, don't talk, don't do anything. So, I took a nap! About 45 minutes later they got me, we went back to the building to use the bathroom and then back to the trailer.

The scanner was very similar to a normal CT scanner just deeper in the tube. They first took a CT of the entire body and then the PET started. It would scan me in one spot for a few minutes and then move me up what felt like 8 to 12 inches and continue the scan. All total it took 27 minutes for the scan. It was no big deal at all. The scanner doesn't make any loud thumping noises or anything...pretty sure I snoozed through some of this as well! We will have the results on Monday when we meet with Dr. Reznick.

I did get an appointment setup with Dr. Leonard, the Radiology Oncologist for next Thursday at 10:30. By that point we will know a lot more and will hopefully be setting up my schedule for the RT.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Not sure I've said it yet but I, we, think we've got some really good doc's! Dr. Dickey called to let us know that the pathology on Earl is more than likely incorrect - per his conversation with the pathology lab and that we'll need another needle biopsy. He called the house first and talked to Andrea and then called me on my cell. He spoke with both of us much more like a concerned friend rather than a doctor. He has called and talked with Dr. Nemechek - the other ENT who's primary focus is cancer in the head and neck and he wants to see me. They spoke about my situation and Dr. Nemechek feels that we will not need surgery, just RT and maybe Chemo and feels that we will have very good sucess. As we understand from Dr. Reznick, Dr. Nemechek is one of the top guys in the country for head and neck cancers...so he comes highly recommended from both docs.

PET Scan Thursday morning, unfortunately we won't know any results from that until probably Monday afternoon when I have an appointment with Dr. Reznick.

I did get an appointment setup with Dr. Nemechek on Wednesday next week the 24th at noon. They are working me into the schedule.

Still working on getting an appointment with Dr. Leonard the Radiological Oncologist, hopefully get that done Thursday.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Nothing really new for Tuesday. It's like flying and you have backed away from the gate and pulled out near the run way ready for take off. Oppps, your going to be sitting there for awhile we're a little backed up right now. Make yourself confortable and the captain will be inform you when we will be moving again. That's kind of where we are right now, sitting on the tarmac waiting to take off! PET scan is on Thursday so Wednesday is my lazy day! Can't do a damn thing! If I have any strenuous activity that is out of the normal it can mess up the PET scan so I get to take it easy!!!

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!

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Well it's almost here, the day we've been waiting for, the meeting with the oncologist. On one side we are ready, let's find out exactly what's going on and how quickly we can get the fight started but on the other side of it a bit of dread on what he could say on the negative side. It's been a bit of a coaster ride through out the day, a lot of ups and downs. Filling out the paperwork makes it hit home a bit more. We tried to do my living will but that ended up being a bit to difficult for Sunday, we'll try again later.

Monday brings not only the oncologist but another visit to the torture chamber! I guess it's not that bad!!! The left side of the mouth really looks good, gums are healing up well and the teeth look great! The doc has done a good job and make me very comfortable through it all. It is amazing how my entire body tenses up while in that chair and no matter how hard I work to relax it is only temporary! I suppose it's like an isometric work out?!?! If so I'll get another good 2 hour work out!

Saturday January 13, 2007

Saturday was a fairly quite day. We did a few things around the house in the morning before heading up the hill. It was nice to get out and away from it all just the two of us. It was a beautiful sunny day and temps in the single digits! They have the road cleared going up the canyon (New Years Eve it was still pretty bad), so the drive was good. We did fairly well up there and came down $130 ahead, and had a two for one at the buffet! Double Score!

I got a packet in the mail yesterday from Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers with a bunch of info and some of the initial forms that I have to fill out so we can get ahead of the game. A lot of the information is about them and their staff and they have a list of web sites. If I see any good ones that have some new info I'll add the link here to the blog. We haven't read everything they sent yet as we got home around 10:30 but we'll get through it all today.

Snowing here again. Can't remember a time that we did not see the streets for so long! Crazy winter!