PET Scan Results! More FABULOUS News!

On Wednesday, we saw the oncologist for the results of Greg's PET scan.   We were not expecting anything different than the EGD and biopsy results, so it seemed like just a formality.  We were not disappointed!   Greg's PET scan showed absolutely no signs of any cancer!    We are SO happy!  This is such an aggressive cancer, and with Greg not being a candidate for surgery, we really had no idea what to expect.   We have been so blessed with how Greg has responded to his treatment.   It's really been incredible.  The doctors could not believe that he actually drove himself the 30 miles (one way) for every one of his radiation treatments, and that he was able to do the same for each of his four chemo treatments.  At his age, and with the amount of chemo and radiation his body has endured over the last 25 years, it's simply unheard of!     

As the results were everything we were hoping for, we were able to have Greg's PICC line removed!  Fortunately, that's not a surgical procedure, so we were able to have it done in one of the "clean" chemotherapy rooms.  Of course, I need to share some pictures!  Don't worry, they're not very graphic!  

And here's some video!  It was like pulling out a tapeworm!  LOL    

The best news of all is that he is getting his PEG tube (stomach tube) removed on Tuesday!  That means we don't have to worry about it accidentally "popping open" when he's in his tux at our son's wedding!  YAY!  And it's an office procedure, so that makes it even easier!   For once, all the paperwork was completed and approved by the insurance company without a fight, so we're good to go!  

All the praise for this belongs to the Ultimate Physician!  God is the only one that could have given us such an incredible outcome for such a horrific disease!  All the praise and glory is His!   Once again, our Father has healed Greg!  He must have some amazing things planned for him on this earth to continually heal him!   

Thank you to everyone for your prayers.  It is obvious to us that they were heard!  

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!

Today's the Day!

Well, today's the day.  The day we find out what Greg's treatment options are and here I sit with my limpy limbs -- I had a training session with Ian yesterday, so my arms feel like rubber.  Greg told me to take my limpy limbs to bed!  LOL  So, it's 5 in the morning and I'm unable to sleep.  I was exhausted yesterday because I hardly got any sleep on Sunday because of massive thunderstorms.  My weather radio went off four times!  Here I thought I'd be able to sleep longer, seeing as I didn't have to get up with an alarm, but my body said nope, not happening.  

So many things are running through my head right now, and most of them are not good.  I've mentioned in the past that Easter time scares me because so many bad things have happened at this time of year.  This Thursday, Holy Thursday, marks 25 years since Greg was first diagnosed with cancer.  I'll never forget that day.   I'm not going to rehash it here.  Suffice it to say, I was a terrified young wife, only 25 years old, with a one year old son.   Fast forward to April 12, 2000 (Aaron's 9th birthday, by the way), and we find Greg having a bone marrow transplant.  Tomorrow marks 17 years since his transplant.  The day his brother saved his life.   Since that first diagnosis, we had two miracle babies (chemo usually makes you sterile!), built a house, moved up north, opened and closed our own business, started raising chickens (who'd have thunk it!), and best of all, found new life in Jesus!   

Now, almost 17 years to the day of his transplant, we are heading to the Oncologist office to find out how we are going to battle esophageal cancer.   Greg is back to his usual (cancer fighting) self.  Let's get this going!  Whatever needs to be done, he does, usually with a smile while I'm the one cringing.  It's a little different this time, because my girls are older.  They were too young 17 years ago to really understand how horrific that time in our lives was and how scared I really was.  Now, they are adults, and they are scared.   While they were used to health issues with Greg, that was just his heart.  I know that sounds callous, but when you have congestive heart failure, your family learns how to deal with frequent hospitalizations.  This is different.  I'm not sure how Aaron is feeling about this.  He was 9 when Greg had his transplant.  I know he remembers a lot of what happened.   I just don't know how he's feeling about all this.  To be honest, I'm scared, too.  Who wouldn't be?  We try to be tough and say, well, this is our third time dealing with cancer, we're used to it.  But you know what, we're NOT used to it.  No one EVER "gets used to it."   

So, here I am rambling at 5 a.m., just waiting for time to pass before our appointment at noon.  

Preliminary PET scan report!

Greg had his second endoscopy yesterday at Aspirus in Medford.  They had a problem getting an IV in again (they said he has "tough" skin), and his veins are shot from all the chemo he's had in the past.  He was to have his PET scan today, and would need another IV.  I woke up in the middle of the night thinking . . . why can't they leave the IV in, so he doesn't have to have it done again?  Well, lo and behold, they checked with the providers doing the PET scan (Aspirus Hospital in Wausau), and they said SURE, they could definitely try to use the one from Tuesday, but if it didn't work, they would have to poke him again.   

Fortunately for Greg, it worked and he did not have to be poked again!  YAY!  We certainly were not expecting any results today, but we did get preliminary results!  

They do not believe they saw an swollen lymph nodes or spreading of his cancer!  YAY!  That is the BEST news we could have possibly received!  PRAISE GOD!   

We still do not know what stage his cancer is, but will find that out, along with our plan of attack on Tuesday.   Please continue your prayers for Greg!  Our AWESOME God is listening!    Thank you, everyone!  

Endoscopy Results were NOT what we wanted.

So, I have been putting off this post for a couple days until we knew for certain, and today was the day.  Greg had to have the endoscopy because he was having problems swallowing.  As it turns out, the reason he is having trouble swallowing is because he has a mass in his esophagus.  On Friday, the doctor told us that he would be "surprised if it wasn't cancer."    He took biopsies and sent them to the pathologist.

Today, we got the results.   Based on the sections that were examined, he has esophageal cancer.  We don't know what stage yet or any other information.  That's because the mass is rather high in his esophagus, which makes it hard to get to with the traditional endoscope.  

Because we also don't know if it has metastasized (spread), he needs to have what is called a PET scan.   Cancer cells show up as bright spots on PET scans because they have a higher metabolic rate than do normal cells, so it's the best test to use to see if the cancer has spread.   PET Scan Info  Greg is scheduled to have the PET scan this Friday, March 31, 2017.   

The other test he needs to have done is similar to an endoscopy, but they will go through his nose, instead of throat.  That way, they will have a clearer view of the tumor and be better able to take more biopsies.  He's going to have that done on April 4th. 

We have an appointment with the oncologist for April 11th.  One day before the 17th anniversary of his Bone Marrow Transplant!  When we see the oncologist, he will have the results from the tests, and will discuss with us a plan of action.  Once we have that done, I will be in a much better place than I am right now.  I HATE not knowing!  Once we know what stage he's in and what we have to do to combat it, I will feel better and more confident. We've been through this before.  We can do it again.   

A little more background on this cancer.  Seventeen years ago, Greg had a bone marrow transplant for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma (you can read all about it here:  Greg's Blog Starting in January, 2000 )  As part of his transplant, he had to have Total Body Irradiation (TBI).   Not only that, but about two years after his transplant (in 2002), he was diagnosed with something called Barretts Esophagus.  Unfortunately, between the TBI and Barretts Esophagus, he had little chance to avoid this diagnosis.  

Greg was originally diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma on Holy Thursday in 1992.  Aaron was just a year old at the time, and of course, neither of the girls were born yet.  After the chemo he went through, they are my miracle babies!   Greg was in remission for six years, and we found out his cancer had returned in November, 1998.  He went through two years of chemo, trying to destroy the cancer, which didn't work.  Our only option at that point was a Bone Marrow Transplant.   Greg's brother, Tom, was a perfect match for him.  The link goes to Tom's harvest page on Greg's blog.  

So, that's where we're at right now.  Your prayers will, of course, be appreciated.