... and the doctor said...

We heard back from Doctor Maroni Sunday afternoon and he and Doctor Glode confirmed that I will not be continuing chemotherapy but instead I will be going to IU Medical Center sometime shortly after the holidays. So that means that I was home for the holidays instead of in the hospital. The reason that I am not continuing chemo is because we did a CAT Scan and some blood work last Friday afternoon and there was no change in the tumor markers. In other words, the tumors are not reacting to the chemotherapy. The next option is surgery and that is what the doctors in Indiana will be doing sometime in January or early February -- we should know early next week when exactly we will be headed out and the date of the surgery.

We emailed with Dr. Foster's assistant on Monday and what we know is that we will likely be in surgery late January. They said they like 6 weeks after chemotherapy to start surgery. We will go in one day, do the pre-surgery administrative stuff and get some tests done, meet with Dr. Foster and have the surgery the next day. Dr. Foster's assistant said they typically keep people in the hospital for 4 days after surgery. We can go home right after that (if we want - Katie thinks that's kind of crazy to put me on a plane that fast) we may stay another day or two at Katie's grandparents OR in a hotel. All of the follow ups/stitch removal can be handled by doctors back here.

It sounds like the facility is in Indianapolis (at one point we thought it was in Bloomington). Luckily, either way, Katie has family in and around Indianapolis so that is nice. Here is the link to the medical center where they are doing the surgery.

http://www.iupui.edu/

Last we heard (last Tuesday 12/23) Dr. Foster had looked at the CT Scans and was getting a thoracic surgeon to look at them as well.

We may know more of a schedule on Monday or it may take more time.

How am I feeling? Katie would say "awesome" ... really I am feeling pretty good. I still don't have a big appetite but eat because I should. My taste buds are also somewhat muted. Of course that doesn't mean I am eating well... people keep sending sweets and they are too good to pass up!

My hair is now thinning. After re-shaving my head and face awhile ago, little to none has come back.

So now I sit back and get myself healthy and ready for surgery. The doctors have said that there is a 50/50 chance that they will not have to do treatment after surgery. It's quite a bit different from the last time around because all that was done was surgery -- no chemo because the the tumors were benign. It gets a little more complicated the third time around because I have already had this surgery twice before and this type of cancer should be cured after the 5-year mark from 2002. It only comes back after the 5-year mark in less than 5%.

The doctors that I am going to in Indiana (I believe that I have said this before) are the experts in this field so, I am relieved that me doc out here has suggested that I go to the them. Once we know more (early next week) I will give you all a heads-up.