Consult with the Radiation Oncologist

So, the results from today's visit with the radiation oncologist were pretty good. It's still going to be rough, but it sounds a lot more hopeful than what we were previously led to believe.

They are proposing radiation EVERY DAY for about 6-1/2 weeks, yes, you read that correct EVERY DAY. I had no idea that they were open on weekends, too! On Tuesday, prior to meeting with the surgeon we will go back to the radiation clinic and they will do some more scans and tattoo Greg, so they know where to aim the radiation. They will also make a mesh-type mask for him, that will basically be bolted down, so his head cannot move during his radiation. He is kind of being treated as a head and neck cancer patient, rather than esophageal, and that's because of how high the tumor is. I'm not sure I said exactly where it is before, so, if you know where someone would put a trach in your neck, right in that space where your neck and chest meet, that's where the tumor is located.

Even though we are not going with any type of surgery, we are still seeing the surgeon on Tuesday. I think we mostly will talk about the feeding tube that Greg will most likely need. If he can keep eating and getting enough calories, we won't need to use the tube, but it needs to be there, just in case. As stated previously, the surgery is entirely too dangerous for him. It's at least 7 hours, and more difficult than open heart surgery! We are just not willing to take that chance.

He should be able to drive himself to his treatments, at least unless and until there comes a time when he's just too sick from the treatments. In that case, we are probably going to need some help from friends and family to drive him to his treatments. I still need to be able to work so we can pay our bills, so I don't know that I can take time off to take him every day. But, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

I'm still working on the second opinion at Mayo, and am hopeful that that can happen very quickly, as it looks like they want to start the radiation treatments as soon as possible. I really want to hear that what's being planned now is the best treatment option for Greg.

That's it for now. Obviously, we still want and need your prayers and are very grateful for them!