Surgery Follow-up and Oncology Visit

Another update from Max.

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We sent to the Surgery Follow-up appointment at University of Utah Hospital.  The main thing was to review the incision and take out the 36 staples.  They were starting to irritate the skin and always felt like they were hindering my movements, like moving from my back to my side while laying in bed going to sleep.  Not a big deal, but kind of annoying.  The incision looks good considering the number of days it's been since the surgery, and I am not taking any narcotic pain medicine.  Just Tylenol or Ibuprofen on an occasional basis since there is no real constant pain.  Anyway, everything was good so staples were pulled.  Kind of a pinch kind of feeling that quickly subsided.

We went to the Oncologist for the initial consult.  His name is Dr. Gilcrease and he is very patient in answering every question about the planned procedures, schedules, support systems, etc. 

Chemotherapy will start with the first infusion scheduled for August 29th.  There will be three cycles (9 weeks total) so we’ll be done sometime in mid-October.  A cycle by infusion is composed as follows: infusion on the first week, one week later the second infusion, and the third week off.  Symptoms will be nausea, some hair loss (but not all of it), and some fatigue.  The nausea should be well managed with anti-nausea medicine, so if I should ever throw-up, they aren’t doing their job and will adjust the medication.  Fatigue will exist, but it won’t be that bad if I remain active and doing things every day.  They will implant a “port” to administer the chemo as well as to take blood for testing, and I am supposed to get a CT-scan that will be used as a baseline.

After the nine weeks we will do CT scan again and some other blood work to determine how well the chemo is working.  Adjustments could be made, future schedules determined, other therapy tried, etc.

He said the cancer probably has been going for about a year, although it is impossible to say with total confidence.  It is a fairly aggressive cancer, but not nearly as bad as pancreatic cancer for example.  It moved from the gallbladder through the blood to the liver.  

It is unlikely that chemotherapy or any other treatments will get me to the point of saying I am “cancer-free”.  That’s kind of hard to hear and think about, but the things that can make the biggest difference are keeping a hopeful, positive attitude and staying as active and strong as possible throughout.  

We’re looking for a miracle.  I’ve had some miracles already in terms of my life’s health challenges.  One of the colitis flares I had when I was in college took me down to 140 pounds; I was extremely weak.  Faith and prayers and the support from others is what pulled me out of that one and allowed me to have a good life.  So another miracle can certainly come.

Anyway, thanks so much for your support.  It touches my heart to know I have a very strong team that will help with this challenge.