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MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) called me this afternoon with the first seven items on our itinerary down there. We're headed to Houston Monday evening for the first appoinment Tuesday morning.
The initial plan highlights:
6/23 (Mon) Christine and I will drive down to Houston
6/24 (Tue) I have a series of tests and meetings from 10am until 9:30pm
6/25 (Wed) Meet with Dr. Nicolas Vauthey, the surgeon lined up for my liver tumor
6/30-7/2? I am supposed to plan on being in Houston for 5-7 working days(!) for all the possible tests and consults. And that doesn't seem to include any actual treatment.
Some notes
This came together quickly by the help of Vauthey's phy. asst., Steve Wei, who is a friend of Judy Wu, our friend from Rice. He has been helpful in explaining the process to me and pushing from the inside. One thing he explained to me is that MD Anderson likes the patient to consult first with the oncology surgeon (Vauthey), then the clinical oncologist, even though the treatment is often (and in my case) in the reverse order. Unfortunately, I don't yet have an appointment with a clinical oncologist (there are four at MDA) until the 30th. But Steve seems to think once I get down there and meet with Vauthey, they will work me in.
Steve also explained to me that the delay is not significant in the response of the liver lesion to chemo. It would be an issue if my blood CEA level (a marker for how agressive the cancer is spreading) were in the 100s or 1000s (normal level is below 5). In such a case, immediate chemo might make a difference. Since mine is at 62, it probably doesn't. This was one of my precious few "good" news objective data points from all the first rounds of tests.
Judy Wu reassured me as well on the delay. Hurrying by a week or two is not nearly as important as getting all our ducks in a row and getting a good accurate diagnosis and plan laid out. A good plan is the best way to deal with cancer. This makes sense to a guy who avoided all biology after living in a hospital for most of three years.
One of the tests on Tuesday is a special "liver protocol" CT scan which has thinner slices and intravenous-contrast timing such that it gives a much clearer picture than what I have from last week. As my job at TI is all about image quality, I can appreciate this! It won't be fun to have them "looking for trouble", when I already have plenty. But it is good to know they are being so thorough and careful to diagnose accurately. This further confirms my desire to be down there.
I am beginning to feel an improvement in strength. The best way I can describe anemia from my experiences is that it is like being at very high altitudes. I’m still up on Everest, but I’m not at the peak any longer and I'm on the way down.
Prayer requests
I have some specific requests for those who are praying:
* That nothing new will be found in the diagnosis.
* That a solid diagnosis will be made
* That wise decisions (doctors and us) will be made regarding the treatment plan (chemo choice, possible use of trial drugs, timing of surgery, whether to do the chemo in Dallas, etc)
* That I will be able to meet with a clinical oncologist soon after we get there
* That Christine's migraine will go away and she will be physically up for the trip. She has had a migraine for three solid days now and is in a very dark existence. I have a very bad disease, but she is the one physically suffering. We cannot even really talk much about Houston plans due to her condition.
* That the liver lesion will respond well to the chemo
* That the Lord might heal my body
* That Christine and I will enjoy our time together next week as a gift, and that the Lord will refine us by this fire.
Praise:
* The MDACC trip has firmed and they have agreed to see me and drive my treatment
* The ongoing success of the iron treatments and my change in direction in strength
* For our friends, the Jonssons, who will be hosting us in Houston, and for others in Houston who are willing to help us
* For Judy, Steve, Dr. Jaffe and all my personal allies at MDACC