9/14-Decisions

Hi All, Thought I'd better let you know what's up lately. We went to see Dr. Rigberg, my Oncologist, on Tuesday. He was able to go over all the tests and scans I had done the previous week. There does not seem to be anything popping out at this point that seems concerning. Yes...this is a big praise God!! But, since the tumor had spread into a couple of lymph nodes as noted on my surgical path report, he is eager to get me going on preventive treatment in the event that there might be any leftover danger that is just not detectable. He would like to start me on a 4 month course of Chemotherapy as early as this Monday. It's 2 different kinds of medicine. Each takes about a 1/2 hour to administer for a total of one hour. He would do this 3 times in one week and then wait 4 weeks to do again 4 different times. Then he would like to follow this up with radiation and a lower dose of chemo at the same time. One of many possible side effects to the chemo treatment would be hairloss. At the end of this appointment Larry and I had a sharp dissagreement on what to do. We were not on board with one another about this approach. Dr. Cameron the surgeon said that this type of carcinoid does not respond to chemo. And being such a radical and drawn out process and seeing that this type of tumor (neuroendocrine carcinoid) is exteremely rare and since we didn't agree...we have decided to consult a second opinion. Larry was up really late last night looking on-line for information and he came across a Dr. Anthony Heaney at Cedar Sinai Medical Center. He is a Neuroendocrine carcinoid expert. So I called this morning and had the all records faxed to his office and they will review them and call me to set up an appointment. This doctor only sees patients one day a week and does not have any openings until mid-October. So that puts us out another month to wait. I honestly feel peace about this. I am not sure what will come of it...maybe just similar info. confirming Dr. Rigberg or a different approach to treatment. With these rare cases they say a second opinion is a very good idea. Please just keep this in prayer for me. I really do appreciate it so very much. I know that whatever is the right thing to do, both Larry and I will have a peace about this step. This one feels like a bigger step than the surgery.

Thanks again and much love to all, Peggy