The C Word

Busy day at the Dreyer house.  We had tile done in our lanai, and they came and scraped the sod for the start of our pool and patio.   Lots of neighbors came out to watch and ask questions.   We met with Pete, who is the project manager, and we got a better timeline as to what would be happening.   Nothing new until Monday next week, but that will be when they put in the forms for the shape of the pool.  Excitimg Today was also a busy day for me.  This morning I went to do blood work for DNA/Genetic information.  This may help with future treatment plans.  Today’s medical community has made a lot of advancements in specialized treatment based on the individual.   While I was at my appointment, I received a call from Kelly at Moffitt.  She let me know that she had presented my case to the review board and they agreed with me meeting with the surgeon next Friday.   She also said that my initial MRIs were loo...

The news of yesterday was good that it does not seem to be Stage 4 cancer, but I realize that it is STILL cancer.   I am excited at the thought of having the mass removed from my liver, but I realize that the surgery to do that is not an easy one.   Unfortunately, that got me thinking about some things…. When my Dad passed away in 2010, I became the family photo organizer.   Today I started to go through all the physical photographs that I had in 6 or 8 plastic bins.   Luckily before my Dad passed, he had done some sorting by kid.   1 group for me, 1 for sister Deb, and 1 for Traycie.   Fortunately, I found a small tub that had the group that was pictures of me.   As I searched through the other bins, I found lots of other pictures that Debbie and I have taken.   I found lots that were group pictures as well.   I did find a LOT of childhood photos that I am not sure will be seen by anyone else. At some point last year, I started a project...

Let me start today’s post with a NOTE that what I am writing below is not the final diagnosis, it is only the thoughts of the Doctor we met with today.  And then filtered through Deb and I.   All of this could change as more tests are run. After meeting with the Doctor today, she is leaning toward thinking it is bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) which is a rare cancer. I have an MRCP/MRI 3:00 PM on Feb 6th a t Moffitt.   This scan should show a clearer picture of the mass and also help to eliminate the possibility of it being Stage 4 from pancreas or stomach.   Every Monday at Moffitt they have a tumor review board were representatives from all specialties meet and have cases presented to them to concur on treatment.   Dr Terranova will be presenting my case on Monday and she is recommending that I see a surgeon to have the surgeon determine if the mass can be removed. I have set up an appointment to meet with a surgeon on Feb 10 th at Moffit...

  Chuck Brackney caught me in an awkward moment of NOT THINKING last night when he called me and asked if I wanted to go at 7:45 to Lake Okahumpka to do a Kayak orientation .  I said “sure”.  For my entire adult life I have called Kayaks, “Water Coffins”.  But this morning at 7:20, he picked me up and off in golf cart we went.  I am SO GLAD I did not chicken out.  It was so peaceful being on the lake.  It was pretty darn easy to paddle and direct the kayak.   I can only explain it as exhilaratingly peaceful.   Something I NEVER thought I would do, and now I cannot wait to do it again.     Tomorrow morning at 7:30 I will be at Moffitt.   I will post when we get home about what they say.   We are thinking that we are still in discovery mode, so more tests to be run, and not much in treatment options to be discussed, but we will see.    I am hoping they have had a chance to look at the CT scan and...

 Got the results of my CT Scan back.  (They are below).  The scan showed NOTHING in the pancreas or the stomach.  I spoke to my local oncologist and he said there may be no reason to do the MRCP/MRI, since it appears there is nothing there.  He suggested I do another Colonoscopy, which I will bring up to Moffit.  I feel that this is good news, (Maybe it is not stage 4, but just an independent mass that is cancerous).  At least we have more test results for Moffitt to look at to plan an attack.  I feel that there will be LOTS more tests in my future.  They may just do a PET scan to see if they can find cancer ANYWHERE else in my body.   FINDINGS: Airways and Lung Parenchyma: There are ground glass opacities within the right middle lobe and lower lobes, probably due to mild atelectasis or pneumonitis. There are no suspicious lung nodules. There is no consolidation or mass. Pleura: Unremarkable. No effusions. Mediastinum & H...

  Today I had my CT scan.   This was a much simpler test than I expected.    It was done with contrast dye.   This is similar to an MRI, but you go into the machine feet first and you are not in there very long.   I feel like they took 2 before pictures and then they injected the dye and took 2 after pictures.   The entire time I was on the table for the machine was less than 15 minutes.    The images are being sent to my local oncologist and to Moffitt in Tampa.    My REAL hope is that this scan shows NOTHING in my stomach or pancreas.   I hope to get the results some time on Wednesday. As for scheduling the MRCP/MRI, that is not going well.   Apparently, it is being held up my insurance.   I am going to call Blue Cross tomorrow and ask them what the holdup is. Enough talk about that, since it is just a small step in my journey to wellness.    Tonight, we took our friends Don and Carol out to dinner. ...

 Just got back from our cruise.  It was on Norwegians newest ship, Prima.  It was different than any other Norwegian ship we had ever been on.  It had a sleek, high-end hotel feel to it.  There were lots of cool things, but I feel there were more misses than hits.  1)       The thermal area had a lot of sauna and spa areas that were new, but the pool (which is our favorite part of other NCL thermal areas) just was not enticing.   There was not hot tub, and there were no beds to lay in that had the bubble jets.   The entire area felt a bit like a maze. 2)       There did not seem to be as much to do on the ship.   Maybe it was because the daily planner listed the open times for each venue as a different line item. (It should have just had a section for Go Cart, Stadium, Mini-golf…., then listed each daily open time).   With each one taking up a slot on the planner, it made it too hard ...

 First off, Dr Hussein is an amazing Dr.  He had not been in the room 3 minutes and I already felt like I was talking to an old friend.  He was so kind, and caring.  He asked a lot of questions about me and was able to read that I was a NERD, in less than 10 minutes.   He explained things to us in a wonderfull way.  Great analogies and gave his honest opinions. Observations about the office.  Since it was a Saturday, and our first visit, they let Debbie come in with me.  It seems that the standard procedure is for ONLY patients to be in the area.  We will have to see how that is when it comes to treatments.   The nurse that took my vitals was very nice and understanding that it was my first time seeing a Dr after the Biopsy results.  My blood preasure was 117/76, surprizingly normal under the circumstances. Hussein explained to us what the biopsy showed and what it didn't show.  He was hopefull that the lack of any pa...

Got a call today from Kelly Terranova.  She is the Oncologist I will be first seeing at Moffitt.  She wanted to clarify what scans I already had.   Since the pathology shows that the ICK in the cells on my liver came from either the Stomach or Pancreas, she wants to get a scan of my stomach (and probably a redo of my pancreas/liver).  This will either be an MRI or another CAT scan.  I informered her that I will be on my Cruise next week. So hopefully they will call on Friday to schedule it.  It will most likely be on the 23rd before I go to Moffitt.   Next step in diagnosing where the ICK came from.

 Today, Deb and I had a WONDERFUL day at EPCOT. We got there before 9AM, so we were able to get in at rope drop. Here is what we did with my time and comments. 9:05 Soarin line 9:15 in seat 9:23 done 9:27 Living with the land 9:42 done 9:56 Nemo 10:01 Aquarium 10:30 Figment 10:38 done 10:53 Canada “Far and wide” 11:20 Les Halles Boulangerie & Patisserie line to buy food 11:38 order out 11:50 done eating 11:53 Ratatouille line(says 50 minutes) 12:37 on ride 12:44 done 1:30 Singers “Voices of Liberty” 1:45 American Adventure show 2:30 TIGGER 3:00 egg rolls / boba tee 3:28 Three Caballeros 3:40 done 3:53 Mission:Space 4:12 Done 4:18 Guardians 4:30ish pre ride 4:50 on ride 4:55 Done 5:15 into “Turtle Talk” 5:20 theater 5:33 done 5:40 EXIT 5:48 car We then went to Giordano's, since we had both been craving REAL Pizza. We got the thin crust, because we don't actually like Deep Dish from Giordano's (Always seems under done). Wa...

Since I do not have an appointment with Moffitt until the 26th, we are going to take the next week and a half and go on with the plans we have. Those are EPCOT on Thursday.  Deb does not think she has been to EPCOT since she was a teenager. Cruise starting on Sunday.  We have a cruise planned on the Newest NCL ship PRIMA.  I am looking forward to a relaxing vacation and gearing up to kick the shit out of whatever is inside of me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We saw the movie A Man Called Otto tonight.  It was a really good movie, but the timing was bad.  It is about a man who lost his wife to cancer and had lost the will to live.  He ended up living a wonder 3 1/2 more years and turned out to be a good guy. Slowly we are telling people about my situation.  So many people knew that I had a biopsy, so now they are all asking if we have the results.  It is tough trying to let people know, since we are still in the diagnosis phase.  We don't even know where th...

 This morning I made an appointment with the Oncologist for Saturday the 14th.  At that point I am hoping to find out what the next steps are in identifying the type of cancer that I have. At Noon I received a call from Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.  I have an appointment with them on January 26th in Tampa. Today also was my follow up with my normal doctor.  She was very impressed with the weight I have lost so far.  50 lbs since August 15th.   My numbers were better, triglicerides were still up, but they ALWAYS are.  So she suggested leaner meats and some fish oil. Tomorrow we are going to EPCOT, trying to keep things as normal as they can be. People in the neighborhood are starting to ask about my biopsy results, so slowly it is starting to get out that the results were NOT GOOD.  I am not ready to have everyone feeling sorry for me.  I just want to fight this and kick it's ass.   I am very thankful for the support that I k...

On December 8th I found out that a college friend of my passed away suddenly at the age of 52.  I start with that, because if it were not for that AWFUL news, I would have brushed off the intestinal pain I felt that night.   As it was, I just went to bed, assuming it was something bad I had eaten and it would go away in the morning.   Well I woke up and it had not gone away.  I went about my day and headed off to the driving range.  The intestinal pain had not gone away, but instead the acute pains were more frequent and I thought about heading right to the ER from the driving range, but I did not.  Later that evening I was still experiencing pains and as each attack came on I would loudly grunt or groan to express my pain.  This caused Deb to ask if she should take me to the E.R.    I told her YES.   Afraid of suffering the same fate as my friend drove me to not just "be a man" and brush it off, instead I said it needs to...