As you are probably aware, Dad had a CT scan this week, and met with Dr. Wood to discuss the scan on Wednesday. We received the best news possible. The spots that showed up on his lungs August 1 have not changed in any way, and closer inspection of the 1st scan done in April at another institution (therefore a different machine, and a slightly different angle) show that these spots have likely been there all along. What does this mean? The cancer has shown no signs of metastasizing (spreading) outside of the esophagus. And since Dad has gained back quite a bit of strength over the past month, he was OK'd to proceed with surgery to remove the esophagus and pull up his stomach. This is scheduled for Monday, September 10.
I (Sara) am flying back out to Washington this Sunday (Sept 2) and will be out there for a few weeks. They were told that Dad will be in the hospital for 7-9 days after surgery, and then a few weeks (months?) of recovery at home as he works to gain back strength and adjust to the rearrangement of his organs.
In the continuing "God is so good and preparing things in advance" story of my life this year, a good friend from work who is moving away from Rochester the end of September, ends her apartment lease today and will be staying at my place for the next 3 weeks. She's planning to "move in" on Sunday after giving me a ride to the airport. Isn't it just crazy/amazing/only-God-arranged, how this has all been working out?
I'll post more next week once I find out a few more details about the surgery to let you know how to be specifically praying for Dad (and Mom). Are there any questions you have that you'd like me to answer in the blog?
New home, nieces and nephews, family reunion, random ramblings.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
August
How did it get to be August 16 already? This month is just flying by. So, now in the third week of August, here's where we're at. Dad had a Pulmonary Function Test, CT, and PET scan on July 31 and on Aug 1 he and Mom met with Dr. Wood (the thoracic surgeon at the University of Washington Medical Center who will be performing the surgery) to discuss the results of the Tuesday tests. Dad passed the the Pulmonary Function Test that measures his lung function and capacity with flying colors, however the CT scan shows three small spots on Dad's lungs that were not on the scans done in May. These spots are very small, so small that they can not (yet) be biopsied. So, Dr. Wood recommended that we wait a month, give Dad some time to gain strength and recover from radiation and chemo, and then do another CT scan to see what's happening with these spots. Dad is scheduled for that second CT scan on August 28 and a consult with Dr. Wood on August 29. If these spots have not grown, and are otherwise not worrisome, they'll use that time on the 29th as a pre-op appointment for Dad, meaning (we think) that surgery is likely to be sometime the first week of September.
I (Sara) was able to fly back to Rochester the evening of August 1 and came home to a beautifully kept house thanks to my friends Bobbi and Willi who closed on their own house that same day. It's nice to be back home, back at work, and back at my home church. I am planning to go back to Washington Labor Day weekend to be there for the week or two of Dad's surgery, and it sounds like I'll be able to work from Washington again for few weeks beyond that.
It's a bit difficult to know the "best" way to plan when we don't really know what these spots mean. For most people spots on the lungs could mean many different things, anything from remnants on the scan to scarring from a past respiratory infection to a malignant or benign cancer. For Dad, it could also mean the same things, with the additional possibility of it being some kind of scarring from radiation.
So, we are doing as Dr. Wood suggested and waiting a month and giving Dad time to regain strength. And he has been getting stronger. He's been able to eat actual food, and has been out walking, and (unbelievably from when I left) gaining weight! These are all good things. We are also learning (again) to wait on God and continue to bring our concerns and anxiety to him. I don't know how it has been for the rest of the family, but for me I seem to experience daily, and sometimes hourly, tides where the waves bring in the refuse of anxiety and concern followed by the reminder that God is in control of all of this, washing away the driftwood of concern as the waves recede and His peace is left in the wake. I am no closer to knowing or understanding, but I know that the tide waves will pass as surely as sun rises.
I don't think we'll know anything more until the 29th, but I'll try to keep you updated as we press on.
I (Sara) was able to fly back to Rochester the evening of August 1 and came home to a beautifully kept house thanks to my friends Bobbi and Willi who closed on their own house that same day. It's nice to be back home, back at work, and back at my home church. I am planning to go back to Washington Labor Day weekend to be there for the week or two of Dad's surgery, and it sounds like I'll be able to work from Washington again for few weeks beyond that.
It's a bit difficult to know the "best" way to plan when we don't really know what these spots mean. For most people spots on the lungs could mean many different things, anything from remnants on the scan to scarring from a past respiratory infection to a malignant or benign cancer. For Dad, it could also mean the same things, with the additional possibility of it being some kind of scarring from radiation.
So, we are doing as Dr. Wood suggested and waiting a month and giving Dad time to regain strength. And he has been getting stronger. He's been able to eat actual food, and has been out walking, and (unbelievably from when I left) gaining weight! These are all good things. We are also learning (again) to wait on God and continue to bring our concerns and anxiety to him. I don't know how it has been for the rest of the family, but for me I seem to experience daily, and sometimes hourly, tides where the waves bring in the refuse of anxiety and concern followed by the reminder that God is in control of all of this, washing away the driftwood of concern as the waves recede and His peace is left in the wake. I am no closer to knowing or understanding, but I know that the tide waves will pass as surely as sun rises.
I don't think we'll know anything more until the 29th, but I'll try to keep you updated as we press on.
