Finally

Today was appointment with C-Dr.
And...another procedure to be done. Oh great. More on that later.

This appt was review of results from endoscopy and, I hoped, a treatment plan. However, first thing noticed was new beard growth he was sporting and told him it looked like he enjoyed his vacation to which he answered: "Just got lazy."

Then, straight to business. Funny guy, he asked me if I remembered what the scope-Doc (not what he called him of course) told me after the procedure was done. After an awkward silence, as I desperately tried to go back to that morning, I finally chuckled. Told him I have the pictures (showing a narrowed esophagus and 'normal' label on everything else) but in my opinion he came in too soon and my foggy head hadn't really cleared and so that is still fuzzy but what I do remember is it seems like he didn't find horrendous bad stuff; that he did pull a biopsy sample and that result would come later. C-Dr smiled, said that was okay if I didn't remember everything. He then reviewed the information he had and verified what I'd thought and that is after he'd seen the PET scan and due to the "intense cancer cell activity" in the esophagus area he needed the endoscopy to rule out a possibility of esophageal cancer and that, in fact, has been ruled out. Which, of course, is a good thing. And as weird as it may sound, if there's a choice between the two cancers, better to be dealing with what I do have and not that. C-Dr continued on for another minute or two at which point I realized I hadn't started the recorder on my phone and pulled it out to do just that. He backed up and restarted again but at the point after scope-Doc report.

In very brief summary, as I emailed some family that day: "I'm a Stage II (2) which usually would be a 'watchful waiting/do nothing scenario' but because the lymphoma mass is around my esophagus, which is already slightly narrowed and a concerned possibility of it eventually closing, C-Dr believes it best to move forward now. Chemo starts 7/29." There will be two consecutive days of infusion [2 difference chemo drugs, both on day#1 and only one on day#2], done every 28 days [1 cycle] for at least four cycles at which point he usually has another PET scan done to see how I'm (my cancer) is responding with perhaps two additional cycles after that. Then, as maintenance, one treatment with one of the chemo drugs every other month for two years. Some to many side effects with the chemo drugs being used on me, but no hair loss. Also he went through an assessment of my outcome based on a scale they use and I do show as a Low Risk with a 10 year survival rate of about 70%. I hesitate to even mention that as there are some of you out there going ONLY 70% HOW AWFUL! BTW, that's not how I look at it. Take note:

C-Dr also is recommending a Port Placement be done. This is the 'procedure' I mentioned earlier. C-Dr is hoping it can be done this week and his office will call me once they've cleared everything through my insurance and have me scheduled at one of the hospitals. I was disappointed for a bit about another procedure needing to be done. Okay, GET OVER IT. It's for the best and my overall best health. The port will keep my veins from getting 'blown out' by repeated needle sticks over and over and over again during the next few years of frequent blood draws and the chemo infusions.
Also, prior to the first infusion they have a "Chemo Class" which family can also attend that is done by one of the nurses. From information, and other cancer blogs I've read this is standard. Another good thing. Before I leave their office, the class is scheduled for tomorrow at 4pm. Wow. For all those times it seemed to me everything was moving along much too slowly...this is not one of those times!

On my way to the front desk to get Chemo Class scheduled, one of the C-Dr nurses is in the hall and C-Dr introduces me to Lisa. It just struck me funny: "Lisa, this is Marilynn; Bendamustine and Rituxan" at which point I said it was nice to meet her and we shook hands. My new identification? Think I'll shorten it to: "Marilynn, B&R"

After my appointment, and since I'm dressed for public (that is, no shorts or old and dirty yardwork jeans and t-shirts like I wear around home!) there were several errands to do. By the time I got home there was a message from the C-Dr office and they had the Port Placement scheduled for 11am this Friday. That seems to me awful close time frame to Monday infusion when they'll use the port but they're the medical folks who know, not me. Next is emails to family inviting them to the Chemo Class but not much I can do about short notice. Also an email to chauffeur sister as I'll need a driver after Friday's procedure.

I'm working on the transcript from this visit and will post it soon.




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