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Met with surgeon
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Aug 04, 2010 - 12:29 am
Well I met with my thoracic surgeon today and we agreed to schedule the surgery for the lung met the week of August 16th. This means I will be gone that week and hopefully getting home that weekend. After two of these surgeries I know that the next week at home is pretty hard. Unfortunately that is the first week of school for the kids, Julene and myself. For those new, I'm Stage 4 here dx 8/06 with liver mets. Had colon resection 9/06, chemo, pulmonary embolism 12/06 , liver resection 2/07, chemo, lung resection (left thoracotomy) 11/07, lung resection (wedge 3/09) and now it looks ike a right lower lobe resection the week of 8/16/10. All of this has been done at Stanford. CEA had been rising from 12/09 from below 1 to 7 and the CT/PET on July 30 showed a solitary met in the right lower lobe about 1 cm. Because this area had had a wedge resection done, there was a lot of scaring and staples in the area. The team there felt that the scaring showed some uptake in the PET scan but were unclear if this is something or not. They decided that abaltion is not the best as they want to take all the scarred area out as well as the met. They could ablate the met but scaring tissue could not be dealt with. The thoracic surgeon also said after ablation, if they do surgery, it is much harder. They didn't choose cyberknife due to the scarring and the fact the met was deeper in the lung. I did have to do two lung tests to determine lung volume and I showed an 80% on the test which is pretty good since I have only one and one quarter of the lungs left. I have to go back one day next week for some nuclear medecine test where they measure how much each lung works currently and that is for a baseline for future surgeries. They had to wait 2 weeks for scheduling for the surgeon and that is a bummer but what are you gonna do... I feel good that there is an option but damn..I hate that surgery.I know exactly what it feels and looks like and I do not know if that is a good or bad thing. To all others facing big hurdles..good luck and keep fighting. It's playoff hockey baby... no soft hits. |
Joined: Jan 2009
Chip
Chip,
You have a great team working for you! You will be in my thoughts and prayers. I hope you get some good waves before surgery day.
Aloha,
Kathleen
Joined: Aug 2006
Thanks "Eddie Would Go" was
Thanks "Eddie Would Go" was the T-Shirt I wore in to the office today.
Chip
Joined: Jan 2009
Speaking of the "Eddie"
Chip,
Wonderful that you were wearing the Eddie would go Shirt. What a spirit Eddie had. Our daughter went to the Eddie big wave competition to watch this year. It was a highlight.
You have the fighting spirit too.
Aloha,
Kathleen
Joined: Oct 2009
Chip
Good luck with your upcoming surgery. You have been through a lot successfully + you will get through this too. I know what you mean about you know what to expect; don't know if that is good or not.. p.s. I like that saying "it's playoff hockey baby ....no soft hits". Maybe because I am Canadian?
Joined: Aug 2006
thanks.. yea.. I coach and
thanks.. yea.. I coach and one day when it was really hot here I talked to the team (volleyball) about the diference between hockey and playoff hockey. They all understood the intensity and serious level rise. So often right before someting grim we use either the phrases "Eddie Would Go" (search... eddie aikau... its a great story or "Playoff hockey" in my family.
Chip
Joined: Nov 2001
Good luck mate.Ron.
.
Joined: Jun 2009
Hi Chip,best wishes and best
Hi Chip,best wishes and best luck to you with the surgery.Hope everything goes smoohtly and a successful surgery.Take care.
Joined: May 2008
Chip
good luck with the surgery and wishing you a speedy recovery.
michelle
Joined: Apr 2009
Hey Chip
Good luck on the upcoming surgery.... sending good vibes your way. Getting beads put in Friday for my cyberknife...... kick butt on that nasty stuff!!!! Take care
Jennie
Joined: Oct 2004
good luck!
You are strong, and no doubt will come through this with flying colors. You have been an inspiration to me in the past, and will continue through this. I understand how knowing what you are getting into can be a double edged sword; you know you can do it, but you know just how hard that fight is going to be! Stay strong and when you feel up to it, let us know how you are doing! August is one of those months that are a good/bad for me; my birthday is the last day of the month, but my original diagnosis was in the middle of it!
mary
Joined: Aug 2008
Right behind ya buddy............
Im guessing Im right behind ya...You and I will do fine as well as Jennie and the others..Its just another hurdle....Buzz
Joined: Apr 2007
Chip can do it!
Hey Chip... long time no see and all that :) Double edged sword is right... on the one hand, you don't have to be worrying about what it's going to be like, how are you going to feel, what level of pain is involved, etc. On the other hand, you know exactly what it is going to be like, how you are going to feel, and the level of pain, etc.
The good news... it is one met and they are going to get rid of it as well as all the residue scarring from previous treatments/surgeries. Yes, the recovery time is going to be a b*tch, but after you get over the nasty week or two, your met will be gone and you are back in fighting mode with nothing to fight over at the moment. This is a GOOD thing :)
I wish you all the best, and will be waiting to hear that you are doing fine... which there's no doubt at all that is exactly what we are going to hear!
Joined: Apr 2009
lung met
Best prayers for your lung met erradication Chip; I have the same history as you, just had my third solitary lung met removed and after 5 weeks feel good.Been diagnosed since 2007
We are survivors........whooopeee
Serrana
Joined: Feb 2008
Praying
Chip,
I'll be praying for you, and I'm sure you're going to have great results.
*hugs*
Gail