Here we go

After about eight weeks of fiddle-farting around, I am quickly approaching my first step in treatment. Let us back up.

I was referred to U of M by my oncologist in Traverse City, after a preliminary diagnosis from slides created from the lung tumor biopsy revealed sarcoma instead of melanoma. Of course we had to burn a few precious day waiting for the final results from the Mayo Clinic so my oncologist would not be embarassed by sending me immediately to the sarcoma clinic at U of M and possibly having a change in diagnosis, but I digress. After hand delivering all of my records a week earlier, we had a meeting with my new oncologist, Dr. Baker here at the U of M cancer center. He repeated that I am in serious condition (I have been told the same since February, but nobody wanted to act until a formal diagnosis), and ordered a CAT scan the same day. The scan uncovered an "orange to grapefruit" sized tumor wrapped around at least one length of my small intesines. I am still wondering why the gastro-intestinal doctor who oversaw the camera pill through this portion of my guts did not see fit to do this some time ago after discovering a significant number of lesions on the inside, but again, I digress.

Dr. Baker called with the results of the CAT scan on Thursday of this past week and also to say that Dr. Chang, Chief of Surgical Oncology, would be calling to discuss surgery for Tuesday, April 14th (tomorrow) and all of the related fun stuff such as stomach tubes, catheders, epiderals, ect., which takes things to the present. I am sitting here at midnight, waiting for my night, night IV and will hopefully be getting a little sleep before this all commences tomorrow, early to mid afternoon. Dr. Chang will be opening up with a cut from my ribcage to my waist line, pulling out all of my small intestines, including the tumor, and removing any and all bad stuff he finds.

Wish me luck, it sounds like a quite a show for the students. Well, I have to go as the night nurse has arrived and it is time to take a squirt and get my IV in place.

Bye for now.