sending healthy vibes and lots of love
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Please send up a healing thought for my Papa?
- Thread starter carolpetunia
- Start Date
Keeping the coming.
For your Papa.
Originally Posted by CarolPetunia
Okay -- rather than calling, I just went over to the oncologist's office first thing this morning, and it's a good thing I did. Since they hadn't seen Papa for chemo in a couple of years, he was no longer showing up in their records, and they started to treat him as a new patient, which would have put him 'way down the list for appointment availabilities.
Since I overheard that conversation as they were checking their records, I was able to stop them and say no no no, he was here for a followup a few months ago... so they checked with the head nurse and she confirmed it, and I'm taking Papa in at 2:45 today.
Please please please heaven let there be a solution for him -- at least a time-extending treatment, if not a cure. I thank you all so much for your good thoughts and prayers.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #46
Well... we hadn't told Papa yet what the X-ray and CAT scan showed, so I had to sit down and explain that today. He's always very calm about these things -- he's had bladder cancer, colon cancer, two skin cancers, congestive heart failure to the point of near-death, and a six-way heart bypass, so bad news is not new to him. It's always, "Okay, let's find out what's wrong and what we have to do about it." A good practical approach.
The oncologist was very frank:
1. He's certain this is cancer, but wants to test and prove it as a matter of procedure.
2. Even if surgery is possible, he feels it might not be advisable for someone of Papa's age (86) and condition.
3. Although Papa stood up well to the very mild chemo he went through after his colonectomy, the much stronger chemo that would be necessary in this case would generate a great many side effects... and it would have virtually no chance of actually curing the cancer. At best, it would control it for awhile.
So... not good news at all. But once the doctor saw that all of us, Papa included, were ready to stand up and fight this thing, he said "All right, if you want to treat this aggressively, and I see that you do, then I'm going to do everything I can to help you do that."
He wrote up some orders and sent us down the hall for a blood draw, and while we were still in the building, I got two calls on my cellphone from people wanting to schedule the things Dr. Stone had ordered. Three more calls within the next hour, and everything was set up, Papa was pre-registered for it all, and we were good to go. I'm so glad everything is moving fast!
-- The first step is a PET scan to prove it's cancer. That's happening tomorrow at 11:30.
-- Next is a liver biopsy on Thursday -- just a long needle, guided by CAT scan.
-- Then we meet with Dr. Stone next Tuesday to hear the results and decide how to proceed.
-- Most likely, we'll meet with a surgeon to see whether it's operable.
-- And whether surgery is done or not, Dr. Stone will almost certainly prescribe some chemo. If Papa is able to handle the chemo, he'll stick with it; if not, he can decide if he wants to stop.
I know it's foolish of me, but in my heart, I still hope this is just a cyst of some kind, or something benign, not cancer at all. Miracles do happen, right?
The oncologist was very frank:
1. He's certain this is cancer, but wants to test and prove it as a matter of procedure.
2. Even if surgery is possible, he feels it might not be advisable for someone of Papa's age (86) and condition.
3. Although Papa stood up well to the very mild chemo he went through after his colonectomy, the much stronger chemo that would be necessary in this case would generate a great many side effects... and it would have virtually no chance of actually curing the cancer. At best, it would control it for awhile.
So... not good news at all. But once the doctor saw that all of us, Papa included, were ready to stand up and fight this thing, he said "All right, if you want to treat this aggressively, and I see that you do, then I'm going to do everything I can to help you do that."
He wrote up some orders and sent us down the hall for a blood draw, and while we were still in the building, I got two calls on my cellphone from people wanting to schedule the things Dr. Stone had ordered. Three more calls within the next hour, and everything was set up, Papa was pre-registered for it all, and we were good to go. I'm so glad everything is moving fast!
-- The first step is a PET scan to prove it's cancer. That's happening tomorrow at 11:30.
-- Next is a liver biopsy on Thursday -- just a long needle, guided by CAT scan.
-- Then we meet with Dr. Stone next Tuesday to hear the results and decide how to proceed.
-- Most likely, we'll meet with a surgeon to see whether it's operable.
-- And whether surgery is done or not, Dr. Stone will almost certainly prescribe some chemo. If Papa is able to handle the chemo, he'll stick with it; if not, he can decide if he wants to stop.
I know it's foolish of me, but in my heart, I still hope this is just a cyst of some kind, or something benign, not cancer at all. Miracles do happen, right?
Praying for a miracle for your Papa.
keeping my fringers crossed that your dad is going to be ok!!!!
I sure have seen respected, bright vets be wrong re my cats (the old, we've never seen that before!), so I do believe in "miracles" and that they can happen for humans too
You are all still in my prayers and willl stay there!
You and your father are still in my thoughts and prayers.
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Oh Carol
my deep wishes for a soon recovery and good health for your DAD!
Oh Carol
Sweetie miracles DO happen. I've seen several over the past couple of months. The power of prayer is amazing, and its sounds as though your Papa is a fighter, which always makes a difference.
I'm going to keep praying, and you stay strong. If you want to talk, you know that I'm here.
The very best of vibes from Plano. I am a 14 year survivor of prostate cancer and 10 year surivor of bladder cancer that had spread from the prostate. Never give up. There are many of us walking around that were pronounced beyond hope many years ago. Many of us, and I am praying for your Dad to join our ranks.
Sending many "miracle" prayers your way for your dad.
Doctors are wrong all the time, Carol. (This I know for sure...I work with them.) There's no way they can know it's cancer without a biopsy.
