Burn out!!

As of the last post today was suppose to be a day filled with Chemo therapy.  Last Thursday after I arrived home due to low counts I got a call from the Doctor at U of Mi.  He had presented my case before the GI tumor board.  Radiologists, Radiation Techs, Surgeons, and Oncologists were all present looking at my most recent MRI and PET-CT scans.  The consensus around the table was they should RFA (Radio Frequency Ablation) on one of the tumors present in my liver.  He told me the others were stable and they would like to watch those and others with repeated MRI's. Not my most favorite test but I guess if it gives the docs a better view why not just suffer through them.

I wondered  exactly what stable meant but never really asked the doc.  A couple days ago we received a UPS package.  Leah opened it promptly to find the Discs of my MRI and PET-CT scans.  I looked a little closer at the package when I got home only to find reports from radiologists at U of M.  To summarize what the report said I have one tumor that is metastatic in behavior.  Another appears as maybe metastatic or possibly cystic in behavior.  The remaining 3 or 4 are believed to be Post-Surgical Cystic.  So in plain English I have 3-4 that are cysts and one that might be on it's way to becoming a cyst.  For those they will be watching via follow-up MRI's  The one they are most concerned about is a small tumor near the upper middle part of the liver. 

Today I travelled to Ann Arbor for an ultrasound of my Liver.  This was the first step in a 2 step process to perform RFA on this tumor of concern.  On the phone call with my doctor I had asked if this was surgery.  He said no and quickly explained this was done through a needle in my abdomen.  My frame of reference was to compare this to my liver biopsy I had in Grand Rapids.  This is the only other time someone stuck a needle in my abdomen.  I assumed sedation and the rest was similar to that time which was a walk in / walk out same day type of appointment.  I was surprised to hear all the details of the procedure (many of which I will spare you).  This sounded a whole lot more involved than I was expecting.  Full sedation, Breathing tube down my throat, and a whopping 5 hour recovery after the procedure.  I realized I likely wouldn't be driving home but sort of expected I would be returning to work the next day.  Leah asked that only to hear the response I shouldn't lift heavy things for a week and I should probably stay home from work for a couple days.  That was even after we explained I had a desk job.  So this whole venture is much more like surgery than I originally thought.  I have always been a big fan of Burn outs and since this is supposed to burn out one of the tumors I am trying put excitement above my hesitation and concern.

This procedure is to take place on October 2.  We need to arrive 2 hours before the scheduled noon procedure and will likely get to be escorted away from the hospital late evening that day.

Prayers for peace and safety and effectiveness of the procedure are greatly appreciated.

--Kent