Asking for prayers [Updates at Posts #113, #131 and #157]

Mods, please merge with my earlier post about having cancer and post the post # in the title should that be how it’s done. Thx.


First trip to MD Anderson early last month scan showed 2 of the 3 “suspicious” lymph nodes had returned to normal and the Tumor Board would review my case the following week. Tumor had increased from 5.5 cm when diagnosed early August to 6.6 cm.


Second visit early this month had a lymph node biopsy that came back negative - no cancer in lymph system and no metastasis elsewhere. Met with the radioembolization team (y-90 therapy, implanted isotopes) and radiation oncology (CT-guided radiation, their “gold standard”) team. Chose the latter. So impressed with that team.


Third trip was last week. Tumor had only grown to 6.7 cm and still no involvement with vascular system. “Perfect candidate” according to the doctor. Had fiducial markers (small carbon seeds) implanted alongside tumor to help aim the radiation. Had a Simulation lab done where they make a mold to lay in to immobilize me during treatment and used video googles to train me how much to hold my breath.


Start 3 weeks of 5 day a week treatment after the WLOCP. Nurse Practitioner and Doctor have both said they believe I will be cured. Doctor, head of the lab there, returned a call last Friday while on travel at a conference at Harvard. What doctor does that these days?!


God stopped the aggressive tumor from growing before it hit a vein or artery. Another miracle. EVERYTHING I’ve needed, prayed for has been delivered. I’m humbled.


Please continue prayers or good thoughts. They’re working! And having you guys show up for me means the world to me. So grateful.

 

Update on my cancer journey. Finished 3 weeks of radiation at MD Anderson before Thanksgiving. Doctor is confident the tumor will die off over next 3-6 months. Getting post-procedure scans mid-January. Feel pretty good, get a little fatigued at times but shouldn’t complain as SO many good folks I met have it so much worse. Met a woman in bad shape and her husband had on a nice Gator jacket, we had a friendly talk about football.

Doctor told me two things that were so unusual with my case:

1) It was caught so early. They had trouble staging it (stage 1b/2) because they almost always get patients at stage 4 or some at 3. NEVER at my stage! Pancreatitis that let them find it best thing to happen to me! BTW, haven’t had pancreatitis since. Hmmm…

2) Tumor was growing at rate of 1.1cm per month. Just grew 0.1cm before treatment started, stopping just short of a vein where it would have spread. As it is, tumor remained contained to liver only and they hit it with as much radiation as possible.

Doctor said those two things made him think I had someone looking out for me. I told him I did. I talk to Him every day and call Him by name.

Thx for your support GatorNation. You guys are awesome. Plz keep the prayers and good thoughts going!!