Follow Up, New Plan

I am sorry I am so late posting this update. Cancer is a 2 steps forward, 3 steps back kind of illness. It seems that every time we get a good report, it is followed by a bad one. I am thankful for God’s presence because without it the emotional roller coaster of cancer would be unbearable.

Mike had a follow up appointment with the radiation oncologist 2 weeks ago. Even though, the results of Mike’s PET scan were so good, she refused to offer him radiation. She stated that she would only perform radiation if Mike has trouble swallowing because she views her role as palliative care. Her reasoning is that Stage 4 cancer almost always come back. It was quite a different report than the oncologist has given us. And, for a few moments, a let down.

Mike and I decided that we would tell his oncologist that we wanted a second opinion. We do not want any doctors on the team who are going to approach him as the “walking dying” or who are going to prematurely close avenues of treatment based on what they think the future will hold and not on what the test results show. Mike is not responding like a typical esophageal cancer patient and we want to make sure he is not approached like one.

When Mike went to see the oncologist to discuss next steps, we were reminded what a blessing our oncologist is. He agreed that a second opinion is warranted; but, before pursuing that opinion, he suggested another round of chemo that would present Mike’s body with 3 different medications. Two of them are in families of drugs that Mike has had and has shown response to. One of them is a new drug. The thought is that the new spot indicates that the some of the cancer has mutated and this new chemo should attack it while the other stuff should continue to work on the spots that have shown continual improvement. The oncologist reminded us that he’s not giving up – that he believes Mike is doing incredibly well – and that he will continue to be aggressive in his treatment of this cancer. We are so thankful for him!

So, Mike began the new regimen this week. Every two weeks, he will have an infusion at the Med Center and will come home hooked up to a device that will continue to deliver chemo to him for 48 hours. A nurse will come and unhook him and check on how he’s doing. This will continue into July when a new PET scan will be done. In fact, his last chemo is scheduled just a few days after the 1 year mark of his diagnosis.

Mike’s spirits continue to be up. I have not seen him shaken very much at all in this journey. His faith is strong — and so is his humor. (Some days I’m not sure if that’s a good thing…LOL!) His big hope now is that his hair will grow back.

If you are able, please continue to pray with us. We are praying and believing for healing — no cancer cells — no tumors.