The oncologist visit

Before I begin this next post, I want to say thank-you to everyone who responded to my first entry.  One of the things that I have been thinking about since I found out about the cancer is the fact that I read a lot of what everyone else has to say on facebook, but I don’t usually put much on there myself.  I read about things going on in other people’s lives, both good and bad, and while I silently celebrate or sympathize with the person who posted, I don’t usually send anything.  I guess I didn’t realize how much that small comment or “like” might mean.  I do now. 

 

So again, I say thank-you for your kind words, your wishes for my quick recovery, and most of all, just the time that you took out of your day to simply show your concern. 

 

I went to the oncologist on Thursday and didn’t really receive any new news, we did get a couple things accomplished. I have an appointment for a PET/CT scan in Petoskey on Oct. 11^th, and an appointment with the radiation people on the 17^th, also in Petoskey.

 

That scan will be the next big piece of news because that will let us know whether it’s one battle we’re fighting, or multiple battles.

 

I wasn’t really sure what to expect when we went to the oncologist. I expected a general consult, and I figured that my chemo and radiation treatments would probably start on Monday. It’s not going to be quite that simple as we have to wait for the scan and to see yet another doctor.  I’d really like to just get this started and over with, but the oncologist pointed out to me that a couple of weeks isn’t going to make a difference based on the kind of tumor I have and that it’s better to be right than fast.  He seems confident that the chemo and radiation will be effective in making the surgery easier and lessen the likelihood of the cancer coming back.

 

I’m sure that most of you have read Tom Sawyer, but if any of you have not, please do so immediately. The reason I say this is because while driving to St. Ignace on Thursday, the thought struck me that I must be doing something wrong. In one part of the book, Tom was ordered to put a few coats of whitewash on a fence. He got out of it by showing his friends a bad cut on his big toe in exchange for them whitewashing a portion of the fence. I’m showing doctors, nurses, medical students, and pretty much anyone wearing a stethoscope or a flower-pattern medical outfit stuff way more gross than a cut on my toe, but so far, there have been no offers for so much as a car wash.  I’m sure I’ll have more opportunities though, so maybe something will turn up.

 

I’m going to try and expand my blog a little bit and talk about more than just this one thing going on in my life.  I mean, there can only be so much to talk about between appointments.  I know that I have repeated myself a lot on this sentiment, but thanks again to everyone for their support and good wishes.

 

I. Will. Win.