Shew....what a long day yesterday. We finally got home after 8pm, putting me in Hamilton after 9:00. The time was worth it, though. Much was learned, much was accomplished, and Mom, Dad and I left on an "up." There is somewhat of a plan in place, and that's very much what Dad needed to hear. He's a planner. His immediate plans? Golf tomorrow. Baltimore Ravens game on the 14th....a much better reason to be in B-town!
Our appointment with Dr. Alexander was in the morning. He was as impressive as I thought he'd be. He confirmed when looking at the MRI what Dr. Darwin had seen during the endoscopic ultrasound -- that the tumor appeared to be localized to the head of the pancreas. It had not appeared to have spread into any surrounding organs, blood vessels, or lymph nodes. Stage IIA. Although cautioned that neither MRI nor ultrasound images are 100% accurate, we are optimistic and PRAY that when surgery is performed, Dr. Alexander will observe with his very own eyes that the tumor is localized. Go prayer warriors!
Sounds easy enough, right? Well, not so fast. When you have pancreatic cancer, nothing is really that simple. There's always something that throws a bit of a challenge to the team of doctors. Based upon my experiences with teams of doctors, they embrace a challenge, and that they did. The team effort was amazing.
The tumor is up against a fairly important blood vessel. There does appear to be a thin, fatty layer between the tumor and the blood vessel, which indicates that the tumor hasn't invaded it. It's just "kissing it," for lack of a better descriptor. So, the question that came up yesterday was whether or not to treat with radiation/chemo first, or surgery first? Enter impressive doctor #3 from UMMC, Dr. Regine, Head of Radiation Oncology. With him was, who I believe to be an "attending," Dr. Ingelman (Grey's Anatomy has taught me so much). These doctors also believe that the tumor is localized to the head of the pancreas, but showed concern for the location next to this blood vessel. The bottom line is getting a decent size clear margin when performing surgery. The bigger the margin, the better the chances of totally eradicating the cancer, which is always the ultimate goal. At one point in time, there were 8 of us in the exam room discussing next steps. This 4cm tumor was getting lots of attention, and so was Dad. Just the recipe for boosting spirits.
On Tuesday, October 9th, Dad's case will be reviewed with a more comprehensive team of doctors. At that meeting, they will determine step #1: surgery or radiation/chemo. Regardless of Step #1, the UMMC team has prepared us. We are ready. Dates are scheduled, and Dad's been temporarily tattoed and belly molded for radiation. If surgery is first, our pre-op is Oct 17th with surgery on the 22nd. The surgery will last about 4-5 hours. Dad will be hospitalized for about a week. Dr. Alexander said that Dad should be able to at least use a putter within 5 weeks after surgery. Imagine how much he'll milk the golf handicap after that! Gives the term "geezer golf" a whole new meaning:) If radiation is first, Dad will begin Oct 15th for 28 Monday-Friday treatments. If he doesn't miss any, his last treatment day will be November 21st, the day before Thanksgiving.
Soooo..... the question came up about whether to stay at the "Hope Lodge" in Baltimore. The Hope Lodge is funded by the American Cancer Society. It provides accommodations for cancer patients and caregivers. It was highly recommended by the oncology team, "Mr. Snead, everyone who stays there is very pleased. You will be tired during treatments. You won't want to travel back and forth. They offer yoga, meditation, support groups for patients and caregivers, but you'll also have your privacy." [Picture in your head Charlie Brown's teacher talking--wah, wah, wah. This was pretty much how Dad was taking this all in. Dad in yoga? Seriously???] Dad didn't seem too interested at first, and then....music to his ears....."...and Mr. Snead, the Raven's cheerleaders tend to visit and make appearances...." Ummmm, need I say more?
By the time we finished with the radiation mapping, it was after 5:00. We were tired, but on an adrenaline high. Dad still has much ahead of him regardless of what comes first, but there is a plan. We pray that the UMMC plan parallels God's plan.
Our highest accolades to UMMC! Much appreciation and love to all who sported purple yesterday in support of not only my family, but also our dear friend Sharon, whose first post-surgery chemo treatment for pancreatic cancer was yesterday. We love you, Sharon!
Much love to all.....Jen
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