The oncologist visit....

Today we went to see Dr. V, he removed the feeding tube, so now he's "tube-free", nothing hooked up to the abdomen anymore. He's happy, maybe now he can sleep comfortably at nighttime (and me too). Dr. V is happy with his progress, he hasn't lost anymore weight and wants to see him again in two weeks.

Then we went downstairs to see the oncologist for the first time. It seems that the margins of the tumor were not clear, they showed signs of dysplasia. Dysplasia is pre-cancerous cells. The cancer cells in the tumor itself were very aggressive cancer cells. There is a 70-90% chance that they will come back. So we are going to treat it with chemotherapy and radiation.

Monday he is going to have a "port" put in his chest, that will allow them to do the chemotherapy without using an IV and looking for a viable vein every week. Then Tuesday he will have a CT scan of the abdomen and chest just to verify that the cancer was removed and has not migrated anywhere else. Wednesday we meet with the nurse practioner to go over his chemo protocols. He will be receiving chemo 1 day a week for three hours. He will do that for two months, three weeks with chemo and then a week off. Three weeks with chemo and then a week off. After that session is done, he will start radiation and chemo. Radiation will be every day and the chemo will be by pill. Two months of that and then we repeat the first month of chemo only.

It makes me tired just to think of it.

The oncologist told Burt he has to stay active, he has to try to eat more and gain some weight. The pain from the surgery is diminishing and hopefully if this new prescription we got today for insomnia works he will be more rested when he wakes in the morning. His sugar levels have been great, he is pretty much eating what he wants, three meals a day. I try to get him to snack and he won't, says he isn't hungry. I am hoping his appetite returns soon.

Dr. Oncologist says he has a good chance to survive this. With the grace of God he will.