Saturday, January 5, 2013

Next Steps

I have received quite a bit of flack for my lack of blog entry after my last posting. It has been a busy week sorting out what treatment option to pursue next and I have been feeling under the weather.

On Monday Kelly and I went to Boston to meet Dr. Chan. Her recommendation was a chemo combination that showed promise in Europe, but before signing off on that she wanted to talk to Dr. B again.
AUGH.

On Wednesday Dr. Chan called to tell me after talking with Dr. B she was changing her chemo recommendation. Just in case the cancer in the liver is related to the cervical cancer. (Quick refresher: No test I have gone through has ever shown they are related. In fact, every test has indicated they are two separate processes.)

I emailed Dr. S for his advice, and he felt the chemo change was okay, but he did wonder if an embolization would be an option worth pursuing (Dr. Chan was not in favor of an embolization).

My gut is telling me I need to pursue the embolization.

So...long story short:

1) On Thursday I will have another liver biopsy; in part to do another test to determine (once and for all...I hope) if the cervical cancer and tumors in my liver are connected.

2) I will start chemotherapy (irinotecan) soon. The side effects sound similar to what I have been through before. I am not 100% sure of the treatment schedule yet.

3) I am in conversations with the liver center at Johns Hopkins to get a second opinion to Dr. Chan's opinion. I will be talking with them again early in the week.

I am flying by the seat of my pants here. I am following my gut, and am grateful for the solid, clear counsel of Dr. S.

2 comments:

Cory said...

I was praying you were going to stick to the original pre holiday plan of going to JH for a tie breaker.

If liver is their specialty than go for it!

angela said...

Follow your instincts Suzanne, sometimes the only thing you can do is to trust them.