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I'll begin with the medical information from this week.  I had an MRI Scheduled this Wednesday and dreading it.  I hate them due to all the noise and the IVs.  I arrived and since we had so many test at Lemmon Holton in the early morning the Receptionist knows us fairly well.  She asked  what I was there for and when I told her she said at least they were easy.  I told her I "hated them".  We went through about 3 or 4 vollys of her telling me they weren't bad and me repeating that I hated them.  The other receptionist politely interjected that she thought I wouldn't change my answer.  Of course she was right!  She told me I was having a very nice tech and it would be o.k.

I was pleasantly surprised.  I avoided the IV due to asking for port access.  Although it wasn't exactly fun at least it was numb and they did a great job accessing my port.  Per the noises they were still present but they used ear plugs so they were much better than the previous times I had the test.  Overall I wouldn't endorse MRI to anyone unless absolutely necessary but based on my experience this time I would almost consider it.

On to the title part of the post.  I arrived home after stopping at the store for a couple of things during one of the least visible snow storms of the current winter.  Leah said our neighbor brought over dinner.  Pork Chops were in the oven and shortly after I got home our neighbor delivered Cheesy Potatoes and freshly made applesauce.  It was a great meal especially after Leah had a couple of days of low energy levels and didn't really feel like preparing a meal.  We thank God for those who want to help us during our journey.  Especially if it is Random and "just because".  It is always greatly appreciated.

Thank you Neighbor for a great supper and leftovers for tomorrow's lunch.

--Kent

_________ of Steel!

Where do I begin?  Last Thursday meeting with my oncologist he suggested and hoped treatment # 5 or 11 (depending on whether you count the first round of 6 or not) would be my last chemo treatment pre surgery.  He referred me to both of my surgeons.

Monday I met with my Liver surgeon.  He said the pet scan showed 2 spots on the liver (both sites treated in the previous surgery).  He wants to take a closer look to make sure nothing has regrown.  He ordered an MRI which I will have next Wednesday.  During Surgery he will do an ultrasound on the liver itself to take care of any remaining lesions in/on the liver.  Following my appointment with him, his office tried to make an appointment with my other surgeon.  They also told me to see my Primary care doc to get my pre-op done asap. 

Tuesday I had my Pre-op with my PCP.  This went well.  The last time I had a pre-op the EKG turned out with a little fluke in it.  Nothing my Doc was concerned about then so he cleared me then and the Surgeon's office was still concerned so they made me go for a stress test.  This time the EKG turned out the same as last time. Fortunately I passed the stress test last time and the results are valid for one year.  Yea for not having to repeat that test.

Today I met with my Colo-rectal surgeon.  He went over the whole procedure explained the process and told us what to expect during and post surgery.  He explained all the risks whether large or small.  Then he took the barrage of questions we fired back at him.  He answered all questions very well and I look forward to his expertise during surgery.  He excused himself and told us his nurse would come in talk through surgery prep and would then have to talk with the nurse at my other surgeons office and schedule a time the two of them could do the surgery.  After leaving the room and waiting a few minutes He returned and explained that while he was meeting with us the 2 nurses had talked and already put a date on the schedule.  He told me the date and told me his nurse would be in shortly to go over the details.

Moments later she came in and talked over all the particulars of prep, diet the day before, Antibiotics the day before and then again told me we needed to wait 4 weeks minimum from the last chemo treatment.  Due to that waiting period and the Doctors schedules I am scheduled for surgery Friday February 22 at 1:00 p.m.  They picked that time slot so I would be in the last surgical slot of the day.  This way if there were any complications from either surgeon they would have time to complete their work carefully without having to worry about any following bookings for the OR room.  I arrive at 11 am for registration and intake.

If you haven't figured the title out by now the underline is suppose to be Nerves.  Not that mine will be the strength of steel but mine will be high for the next 4 weeks until we get to the 22 of February.

Prayers for my anxiety and nerves would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

--Kent

POD

Pod makes me think about a lot of different things. Podcasts, iPods, Pod Races (familiar to star wars viewers). Chemo patients will identify with me in knowing about a chemo pod.  This picture shows what a chemo pod looks like (at least in the facility I visit).  I am behind the table with my computer so you don't see much of me but you get an idea of the small cube like feeling with walls a little taller than chair back height.  This prevents a small amount of privacy and allows you to hear/talk with others freely.

This week I saw and talked with the woman I met two weeks ago during my last treatment.  She said she did well during the last two weeks.  I was glad to hear that.  I don't know if or how soon I will see her again.  I will explain why in the following paragraph.  Both her and my nurse were disappointed with the possibility they may not see me for a while.

Yesterday I had a PET-CT scan and today I met with Doctor to find out the results.  What you have to understand in order to really get this is the CT part is to tell what and where and what size it is.  Physical perspectives.  The PET part shows activity so more active areas "light up" while less or inactive areas are not lit up rather shades of grey.  That being said there were two spots that light up.  First is the Tumor in the colon.  The Doc said chemo is not making the tumor smaller while it is not growing either.  He said the Cancer/Tumor is stable.  His suggested treatment is to remove it with surgery.  This was part of the original plan and expected to happen in February some time.  The second spot that lights up is in the liver.  While there is activity there, the CT part of the scan showed no lesion or tumor in that location.  That location is in the left half of the liver (the only part I have left) specifically where the Surgeon did ablation on surface lesions.  The Doc's answer to the activity was due to inflammation likely from the ablation process.  The Doctor had me proceed with my 5th chemo treatment today.  He indicated this may (and he hopes) be the last treatment before surgery.  This all depends on what my surgeons have to say.

Next up will be meetings with both my Colo-Rectal surgeon and my Liver surgeon.  At this point my Doc/Oncologist thinks this will be a combined surgery with both surgeons.  I have heard from my Colo-Rectal surgeon they work together often and get along well. I have a great team of Medical Professionals and with some hesitation look forward to this surgery.  The result of this surgery will likely make me cancer free from then into the near future.  Then likely starts the "watch phase".

-- Kent

Hands and Feet!

This past Thursday we planned our day around a potential Chemo treatment.  Since being turned away last week we weren't sure what would happen.  A lab revealed my Neutrophil count was 1000.  One correction I need to make is that the normal range is between 1.5 (1500) and 7. ( 7000).  So for treatments I am a little low but not as low as I believed I was.   As a result of my really low count last week and delaying my 4th treatment by a week they reduced the amount of Irinotecan (One of the Chemo drugs) in order to attempt to keep me on a two week schedule like I am suppose to be.

Treatment went as normal as the last three treatments did.  Next week I will be scheduled for a PET scan in order to see how effective the treatments have been and to see what the liver and colon tumors/spots look like.

Now on to the Hands and Feet part of this post.  It may seem I want to talk about my fingers and toes.  On the contrary actually.  While getting treatment i was sitting in the pod next to a woman who I overheard was receiving her first treatment.  I started by giving her a pointer on what med she wanted to Numb her port.  a bit later I felt like I "needed" to talk to her and provide answers considering I probably had been through what she is going through.  As I got up to go talk to this woman who was working a puzzle Leah asked what I was doing.  I told he I was going to be Jesus to someone.  Many of you may not know this but to talk to a "stranger" is at the bottom of my comfortable list and something I need much pushing to do.  I got no earthly pushing on this one but rather some internal/ Heavenly pushing.

I walked over to the puzzle table and introduced myself and offered to share a little of my journey and answer any questions she might have.  She had surgery to remove stage 3 colon cancer and is on the same regimen of Chemo I was on in my first round before my liver surgery.  We talked for about 10 - 15 minutes enough to learn a little about each other and provide information that might take off some of the anxiety she has.  I remember that first treatment and having more questions than answers and wish there was someone who could answer all those questions for me.

Without having shown my faith I hope this Woman felt and understands the love and help Jesus is through his believers.  After sitting back down in my pod I heard a nurse walk past her and talk about going to the same church and where they each sat.  I at least know she attends a church.  Assuming I have Chemo in two weeks I will see her again and hopefully get to talk with her.

Somehow you are pushed by the spirit when you need to be.  Glad I could listen and do my humble part.

-- Kent