2nd opinion at Vandy Monday at 1..........*******UPDATE with GOOD NEWS*******

Buzzard
Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I have an appt with another Onc to see how my protocol matches up with my wants against the Onc I now have here at home. I am now looking at maybe getting another opinion that gives me a wider range of choices in the longevity of my lifespan in case something comes back up and exactly how I can do more with less so that the long term quality is not diminished. I have gotta stick around here for another 40 years just to meet a deadline with a very dear acquaintance...so I am gonna have to get off my butt after a month long break from it all and start to relocate my game plan towards higher standards of care and disease interception. I have gotten my head wrapped around where I am going when I do pass away but I will not go gently, I never have been a quitter so most likely I won't start now. I will update when I get home.....if in fact I am placed on a maintenance chemo that will cause me to lose my hair I have already made arrangements at our church with our Childrens Ministry Leader to hold a drawing for strictly donations to see who gets to shave it off...and donations will help the outreach for children in need in our community...Although the kids won't know that it would come out anyway I can make it ok for all to get use to it, and get a smile to boot.............ya know, in life it makes no difference which way you go if you have your heart right, for every step will be uphill..........Love to you all, and good night...Clift

**************UPDATE************

My "NEW" onc is a female at Vandy and when I asked her several questions about all going on...

First off....I will not be doing any post op chemo....She is saying what I was thinking so we are pretty much in the same ballpark on treatment options....There were no nodes affected and all margins were clear so we both agreed that if there is nothing to treat then there should not be any adjuvant chemo. Yay for me !!!

Secondly...She informed me that in her opinion that there could have been lymphatic drainage during and after surgery that expelled the cells into the system and placed them in areas then they simply went dormant ( there is a word for that but I didn't write it down so dormant will have to suffice). She explained also that this was an educated guess and not a fact but it was along the same thought process that I had, that this may arise again somewhere else, or it may never show itself again and simply stay dormant, or that there are no more cells out there........again, Yay for me !!!

Thirdly.......I had a CEA Baseline done today at Vandy for my new Onc there and then I will not have to return until January for another blood draw...its back to square one on the 3 month interval blood checks (thats Ok also) but, she is going to do a CT scan in 6 months and then a CT once a year for a year or two and that is what my thinking was as well, for the most part one of the main reasons that I am changing Oncs is that CEA is not a good indicator for everyone and I was skeptical as to why a CT was never done..Maybe the pros and cons of radiation vs need, dunno, nevertheless, it will be a part of my regimen now. I do value what my first onc did for me, he was a great man with a great demeanor and wise, but I was at a point to where in my opinion I could maybe "leave my yard" for a bit and see what else is out there. Im glad I did...

Fourth....I did learn that Colon cancer has the tendency to re occur more often in the liver and rectal cancer more often in the lungs...news to me but news just the same...

Fifth...She asked me why I still had my port in, I said that my onc wanted me to keep it in until the end of the 5 year mark in case ...She told me that I should get rid of it, It does nothing but cause you to have to have it flushed every 3 months and if there ever was a need for it it was a simple task to put it back in...sooooo, its coming out...Yay for me again !!!

and last but not least....one of the things most noted on this trip, she asked where all my knowledge and where all the questions came from...I informed her of this place and all my friends here and let her know that without this place, I would have never had the knowledge to even begin to know what to ask, much less take control of my treatment. I feel like this site (my mother hen) has kept me in the loop on treatments and precise protocols and questions and answers that make people stand up and listen when we go into appointments...Its much easier for us to understand what we need and for them to explain the reasoning behind their calls made and for the both of us to come to agreeable terms on treatment regimens. For that, and all of the other wonderful things that all of you do in here , I sincerely thank you, and so does my family. I really think this place I call my second home has saved my life, I will always think that........I love you all and I wish the best for all of us......"Yep, Life is Good"

Buzz
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Comments

  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    glad
    Hi Clift,

    I'm glad you have an appt for another opinion. You know that's a wise thing to do, so I'm glad you're pursuing it. Hope the fishing trip was nice and relaxing. Hopefully talk to you soon-

    Lisa
  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    You're a very good man Clift!
    I love that you are going for a second opinion AND looking at the big picture. There is no doubt in my mind that I would be dead today had I stayed with my local docs. They understood, they just didn't have all the big guns that I needed. I also love your shave your head idea, can I bid?

    Kind of like the old adage, you get lemons; make lemonade. And when you're all done with this, I will personally teach you how to juice. JK, but had to make you smile and I'll be sending positive vibes to you tomorrow at 1PM CST.

    Love, Lisa P.

    PS. When I made the post about my semi-colon friend FitLisa's Dad calling me Friday I thought about some on this site that will hopefully get calls/emails years from now out of the blue from people you have helped, you were one of the people that I feel confident will get one, so get this BS out of the way please sir!
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    Monday
    I'll be thinking of you tomorrow.
    Winter Marie
  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    Clift:
    We wish you nothing but the best with your second opinion. You seem to have thought this through thorougly and have taken control of your disease and treatment options and are leaving no stone or opinion unturned. Good for you.

    Take Care - George and Tina
  • pluckey
    pluckey Member Posts: 484 Member
    Clift -
    I LOVE your spirit.

    Clift -

    I LOVE your spirit. Please bottle it up and send out iv bags to all of us!!!

    Peggy
  • Kerry S
    Kerry S Member Posts: 606 Member
    Sounds like a great plan
    Clift,
    Sounds like a great plan. I am doing the opposite in that our regional hospital is now becoming a regional cancer center. They brought in a new Onc that I am going to give a shot at me.

    I have not seen an Onc for over 2 years. I fired the one I started with. Then I had a real dips&*t Onc in STL. I told the liver surgeon that hooked me up with him to tell him I croaked. That well educated idiot could not pour piss out of a boot if the directions were on the heel. The only doc that I trust completely is my colon surgeon.

    Kerry
  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    Hey Clift
    I am happy to hear you are getting a second opinion; that can really help your 40 year plan stay in play. I really like your head shaving idea to; very innovative! All the best to you, Clift.
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    Opinion
    Hope that this doctor will give you many options to choose from and that you are happy with him. You deserve the best. Like your hair cut idea too. Good luck.

    Kim
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member

    Opinion
    Hope that this doctor will give you many options to choose from and that you are happy with him. You deserve the best. Like your hair cut idea too. Good luck.

    Kim

    best luck buzz
    all best of luck tomorrow Clift.....hope you like the new onc and get some answers

    maggie
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    maglets said:

    best luck buzz
    all best of luck tomorrow Clift.....hope you like the new onc and get some answers

    maggie

    been updated with good news
    "life is so good right now"
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    Buzzard said:

    been updated with good news
    "life is so good right now"

    Wonderful News!
    Dear Buzz,

    It sounds like you and your new doc have a great raport.

    I don't know that you could have gotten any better news.

    You are absolutely right LIFE IS GOOD...enjoy every day of it!

    Hugs,

    Marie who loves kitties
  • Patteee
    Patteee Member Posts: 945
    hurrah
    believe it or not,

    hurrah
    believe it or not, the port removal was a HUGE deal for me. Right up there with clear scans, low CEA and final surgery. And I got mine out, "because I could".
  • lesvanb
    lesvanb Member Posts: 905
    Buzzard said:

    been updated with good news
    "life is so good right now"

    Excellent news!
    I agree; getting the port out ranks right up there on the "yay" scale.

    So happy for you Clift!

    Love, Leslie
  • LivinginNH
    LivinginNH Member Posts: 1,456 Member
    Good news, I'm very happy

    Good news, I'm very happy for you! I'm so glad that you got another opinion. Best wishes, and take care, Cynthia
  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member

    Good news, I'm very happy

    Good news, I'm very happy for you! I'm so glad that you got another opinion. Best wishes, and take care, Cynthia

    Bravo Buzz! I am so happy
    Bravo Buzz! I am so happy for you! Hugs!!
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    Yay!
    Well, Buzz.

    That's really great news! I'm so glad you decided to go to Vandy, and it looks like you are going to get excellent care! I bet you feel tremendously better now, because all of this is so positive!

    Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!!!

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    OMG CLIFT
    I am sooo thrilled for you. My happiness know no bounds at this moment about your news.
    I have tears of joy in my eyes as I type this for you.
    HOW ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!!!
    My words can't express how Happy I am for you.
    Winter Marie
  • ketziah35
    ketziah35 Member Posts: 1,145
    Glad you got the information
    Glad you got the information you were looking for.
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    Just Buzzin' I Bet
    Great news, Clift

    Really, really happy for you - the worm has certainly turned for you:)

    -Craig
  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    Sounds like your onc is a "keeper"!
    Clift,

    I am so happy for you. It sounds like your onc is wonderful I think having the CT done is a good thing. All the best to you, you certainly deserve it! Maybe you should be an honourary Canadian, you have lots to give thanks for on Canadian Thanksgiving!