Treatment Time!

Treatment Time

Here's the story - I needed to make the decision to either have the Surgery or Have the Treatment ......with surgery down the road

Friday 12/2 1pm   -Dr S! (The gastroenterologist)

He said he would opt for the Chemo if Biopsy is conclusive.  If Biopsy is still inconclusive after 3x he would take the surgery – If the surgery found Vein still connected I would be closed up and treated with Chemo. He noted that it is a very substantial Operation, and could be challenging for me to tolerate the Chemo while recuperating from surgery.

He suggested that there would be No Chemo without conclusive proof, but then suggested he wouldn’t think so, and it would be up to Dr. O

He feels the risk of reoccurance is very similar, however there is a great deal of enthusiasm recently for doing EVERYTHING, all therapies, this would make patient more likely to tolerate. So doing Chemo first then (surgery after chemo)

1- You can better tolerate the Chemo when I’m stronger (pre-op)

2- You are left with a shrunken tumor, making surgery easier

3- Creates Tolerance for the chemo after the surgery

Regarding all my good news he noted, that the tumor looked better than it had, as if it had probably had its environment settle down, but looks can be deceiving

Regarding the vein and the connectivity to it he noted, it was a very small place to see, and we still may find that the tumor is connected. (Oh my)

He felt it would be easier on the body and mind to do the Chemo first.

4:20pm

Spoke to Dr J (The Surgeon) Dr J feels he will be able to have success with surgery, he says its not an unreasonable risk, and he wouldn’t do the surgery if he felt he was putting me at unnecessary risk. He was confident that he could deal with the tumor and remove it, and if he had to address the vein(s) he would.

He then pushed me to ask what I was feeling… I explained to him that I wanted to wait until Monday, so I could discuss it with the Dr’s and with the loved ones and mull it about in my head and sleep on it………..and he said “what’s in your gut Mr. Rampone?” So out came “I feel concern: the surgery that has been a concern for almost a month and now all of a sudden its an option again” I have now built up a strength to deal with the the other treatment plan, I am feeling strong and ready to tackle the chemo and all the side effects etc. The surgery idea makes me feel weak and I need to ‘suck it up” for that.  I also feel the strategy has more hope with treating it, removing it, than treating it again.

He said that he feels that this was the strategy they embraced from the beginning and he was going to call Dr O’Reilly and discuss it.

As the day went on it became clear (I feel) that the surgery angle was being embraced more because of time. We still do not have the proper diagnosis, remember we only have “likely” C Cells. So I am understanding that the Chemotherapy etc. cannot begin until we have certified results.  In order to get those results we need to go back at the tumor (I call the Tumor Peter Griffin sometimes) …….so we need to go back at Peter Griffin and do another Biopsy! Yay another Endoscopy!

Over the weekend I noticed I had been scheduled to have my port installed and my first round of chemo…including the selection of a handbag! J On Tuesday the 13^th.  So I’m thinking “we are-on”…

Monday 12/5

Morning- I am blessed to be in Provincetown! My friend Patrick drove us up here on Sunday morning and it has been beautiful. I love it here, I wish I could do my treatment here; it’s the place that always soothed my spirit. I slept well last night and this morning I made pancakes for us  I love my skillet!! Patrick then started working around the house taking care of stuff that needed to get done- He is replacing the outside lights- I saw my Neighbors Cary & John and Kathy- They are great and caring--I am happy this morning

Late Morning- They told me to stay off the Internet!!

Ya know, I was doing well, I am proud of how I am addressing this situation. I know I am here for a reason and I am never given more than I can handle, I know somehow I can help others through what goes down in this situation. So I’m doing well, feeling strong, and mostly feeling amazing love from others, (The most important learning experience of my life)   

 So I log on to the Sloan site to get Dr O’s #, I want her to call me on the House phone because ………surprise…The AT&T service stinks here. While on the site I see a video of the Dr giving a lecture on changes in treatments etc of Pancreatic Cancer… I said “I should watch this and learn everything about my disease” I start to watch (I knew better at that time) and within a minute I see the statistics showing a very small chance of survival -Nicely presented on a chart – Ouch, it hurt and I went into a tailspin feeling very doomed. When first diagnosed this is what I thought of- then I realized that wasn’t the question to ask and that it was A-ok not to ask it because no one had an answer.

But at this moment I was going down hard and fast- I didn’t want to slam anyone with this so I dialed…….Johnny E (my x) I don’t know why……. he had said many times “you can call me” and he had his own bout with Cancer among other health challenges over the years, He is a TROOPER and always pushed through with a survivor attitude. And he loves me. And I GUESS all that’s is why I leaned on him today. He was great and I hung up the phone 20 minutes later feeling much better and being back on track! As I have found out on my journey people appear when they are needed and I am provided with what I need when I need it. The world is an amazing place!!.... Except for the Internet  I found out John is very strong and I have a great life ahead.

Phone Calls……. Right after recouperating from that NB the calls began, First I get a phone call from Dr S’s Office, Sasha wants to schedule my endoscopy for the 13^th. Then I get a call that Dr O, who wants to schedule the Port installation for the 12^th. (Just what I wanted for my birthday)

At 12 Dr O’Reilly called, we had a brief conversation in which she sort of was moving forward with the treatment plan 1^st then the Surgery later, making sure that’s my choice as per Dr J . I asked her new questions I had regarding rate of survival etc.  She said she thinks the “Treatment 1^st” route is perfectly appropriate due to my condition and strength. She said she feels there is a great deal of evidence emerging that this may be the better route. She mentioned recurring C  after the Operation, and she feels this is a fine choice. ….ok

So here we go, we have a plan…….. 1 week to blastoff wow!

Patrick just came in from Commercial Street, he bought me a present, a silver ring that says, “Believe” and ya know what …..I do! And with friends, family, and the Healthcare team that I have supporting me I know I can do this, I believe. 

Happy Birthday to me LET’S GO!!!!  I CAN DO THIS