Moffitt update

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 at 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 10th at Moffitt.  The surgeon will see the results of the MRCP and then meet with me. He will (probably) again present my case to the board on the 13th, to agree if surgery is needed.

If surgery first, they may still have to do some chemo to make sure everything is gone. This means that I will probably not have any new updates until the MRCP

For reference, my mass is around 4.5 cm. So somewhere between the size of a walnut and a lime.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I do not know which section my tumor falls under, but this describes the different types.

https://www.cancer.gov/types/liver/bile-duct-cancer/stages

  

Comments

  1. Andrea WalenJanuary 26, 2023 at 1:26 PM

    Continuing to pray for QUICK healing and a FULL recovery! We have way too many cruises planned and way more to still plan than to deal with this crap. Can’t wait until this is all behind us. Love you! ❤️🙏❤️

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJanuary 26, 2023 at 1:42 PM

    Praying for healing and Devine guidance for your doctors decision making. Thank you keeping us up to date.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJanuary 26, 2023 at 4:31 PM

    Keeping positive prayers for help for drs to be guided in the right direction

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJanuary 26, 2023 at 5:27 PM

    You are in good hands at Moffitt. Continuing with prayers. Hugs to you

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Finding out I have cancer

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...
Read more

ONE MONTH!!!

ONE MONTH!!!!  I cannot believe it has been an entire month since I had surgery.  I apologize for not updating anything in the last 2 weeks, but that is because there has not been any real news to report.  My pathology is still not in.  I do have a note in my portal, that looks like it might almost be ready.  I have a zoom call with Dr Richard Kim from Moffit on Monday the 24 th .  My guess is that he will have the results and go over them with me.  I think that Dr Kim will be the one that sets the chemo schedule, so I think by Tuesday, I should know what the next step in recovery is going to be.    I have been sleeping much better.  Now that I am staying up to midnight, I am able to get 5 straight hours of sleep, then I force myself to go back to sleep and get about 2 more.  This has completely helped with my daily energy levels.  I am starting to feel much, much better.  I am so grateful for the ...
Read more

Chemo update - will be starting, but not sure when

 We met with Dr Hussein (my local oncologist) and he put in the order for me to start Chemo.  I do not have a date yet, since they will be sending the pills to me via FedEx.  As soon as I get the pills, he would like me to start on a Monday.  The regimen will be 2 weeks of taking the pills, then 1 week off, for a total of 6 months. Due to my “size” I will be taking 5 pills in the morning and 5 pills in the evening.   He prescribed me some medicine for nausea.  He did not think I should be impacted, but better to have it, just in case.  He also mentioned that I may develop a rash on the palms of my hands and the bottoms of my feet.  He suggested I use Udder cream.  Apparently, this is cream they use on cow udders to prevent soreness from milking.  MOO!!!! Part of the plan for seeing if the chemo is working is to do frequent blood draws to test the blood for tumor markers.   The company provides a service where they come out to...
Read more