October 29, 2009-Consultation With Surgeon

The back of Rick's house

The front

Rick

Me and Rick

I'm glad I talked to that doctor. He explained about the radiation and chemo. I would have to have the radiation at least six weeks before the surgery. That gives me time to heal from it. And I'd have to have the chemo also. He says that the chemo they use does not make your hair fall out. But I wasn't worried about my hair. I'm more concerned about the other tissues and organs it hurts.
Anyway, I have an appointment next Wednesday for another scope and Ultra Sound. That way he will know exactly where it is and what size it is then he will have another talk with me about it.
The good news is it has not gone to my liver. He says I really should get at it now because mine is curable. But he also says that they have to do chemo for 6 months afterwards to make sure all the cancer cells have died. I don't like that part. Six months of chemo is way too long.
He also suggested I talk to some of his survivors so I won't be so afraid of it.
Here I go again. Got to get knocked out for him to get the scope up in me. But at least it's only a few inches long with the Ultra Sound thing on the end of it. He said that the Oneida Hospital is the only one in the whole area with one of those instruments and that he is the one that made them buy it.
He's really very nice and takes the time to talk. But as I was there he got a call and had to be leaving to go back to the Or to repair a lady who had been perforated. Then they were telling me about a 47 year old women who he opened up and found that the cancer was in a lot of her organs. That is scary also. They don't know till they open you up and then it's too late. It's mass chemo then.

I had to wait till 3 pm to go today. His office called and he was still in OR so that meant I didn't have much time to spend with Rick. I got out of there at 4:05 and then had to find Rick's place. He doesn't have a driveway from the front. I had to find the alley that goes behind all those houses. In Rome it's like that a lot. But I found it and he was outside by his garage. He took me into his beautiful old historical house. He had redid the kitchen. What a beautiful job he always does on his houses. I couldn't go upstairs because of my legs but I took a quick tour of the downstairs and took some quick pictures and then I had to get going so he could get ready for work. He had to be at the base at 5 pm. I bet he was a few minutes late though.
I'm hoping that next Wednesday I can get Jane to take me and maybe afterwards we can drive down to Rick's new house so I can see it. I hope I'm not groggy or anything.
I'm adding a few pictures of Rick's place and one of him and I that I took quick in the corner of his kitchen. Had to lay the camera on his counter.