It has been more than a month since my last post. I had hoped that I would hear from my doctor via the usual phone call and told that he would see me again in a year barring any other issues. That didn't happen. when I got the phone call in the second week of January, it was Dr. Marcaccio's receptionist. She told me that he wanted to see me again and the first opening he had was for January 29th. So I waited almost three weeks more for my results.
Andrew joined me (as he always does!) and after an unusually long wait in the waiting room, we were ushered in to a room. When DR. Marcaccio entered, he came right out and told me that, yes, they could see one small tumour on my liver. In a way this was not a huge surprise considering I have been experiencing symptoms since last spring that did point to a spread of my cancer.
He requisitioned a 5-HIAA to see if this tumour is producing hormones. This test will take 2-3 weeks to give results so I get to do some more waiting! Also, he is scheduling me for another Octreoscan. I had this scan once before. It will tell him where the tumour is, if there are more smaller ones that didn't show up on the CT (highly likely) and if the tumour is receptive to Octreotide. If it is, he will put me on a once a month injection of Somatostatin or a similar drug in the same family of drugs. This drug will (ideally) not only keep my symptoms suppressed, it should also inhibit the growth of the tumour(s).
Of course we are all hoping that these tests produce the hoped for results!!
If they don't however, that course of treatment is not my only option. There is also a new targeted therapy called PRRT. It is very new to Canada, only recently having been approved for trials.
If neither of those options are available to me, as a last resort, Dr Marcaccio would look into surgery.
It comforts me that as a surgeon, he does not go immediately to that option. I am confident in his care that he wants to do the best for me. I know he is an excellent surgeon from my last surgery, but it is not fun recovering from a huge incision across the belly and having a lot of your inner organs re-arranged!
For now we are waiting for the Octreoscan appointment. it could take 2-3 months to schedule. As always, i know that these tumours grow very slowly so I am not anxious. I am after all, in His Hands!
Marie
Andrew joined me (as he always does!) and after an unusually long wait in the waiting room, we were ushered in to a room. When DR. Marcaccio entered, he came right out and told me that, yes, they could see one small tumour on my liver. In a way this was not a huge surprise considering I have been experiencing symptoms since last spring that did point to a spread of my cancer.
He requisitioned a 5-HIAA to see if this tumour is producing hormones. This test will take 2-3 weeks to give results so I get to do some more waiting! Also, he is scheduling me for another Octreoscan. I had this scan once before. It will tell him where the tumour is, if there are more smaller ones that didn't show up on the CT (highly likely) and if the tumour is receptive to Octreotide. If it is, he will put me on a once a month injection of Somatostatin or a similar drug in the same family of drugs. This drug will (ideally) not only keep my symptoms suppressed, it should also inhibit the growth of the tumour(s).
Of course we are all hoping that these tests produce the hoped for results!!
If they don't however, that course of treatment is not my only option. There is also a new targeted therapy called PRRT. It is very new to Canada, only recently having been approved for trials.
If neither of those options are available to me, as a last resort, Dr Marcaccio would look into surgery.
It comforts me that as a surgeon, he does not go immediately to that option. I am confident in his care that he wants to do the best for me. I know he is an excellent surgeon from my last surgery, but it is not fun recovering from a huge incision across the belly and having a lot of your inner organs re-arranged!
For now we are waiting for the Octreoscan appointment. it could take 2-3 months to schedule. As always, i know that these tumours grow very slowly so I am not anxious. I am after all, in His Hands!
Marie
Ephesians 2:8 English Standard Version (ESV)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Hebrews 11:1
11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Love to you, Marie, as I follow your journey. So thankful to hear your assurance that you are safe in His hands. Praying for patience and for favourable results.
ReplyDelete"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Yes! May you overflow with hope.
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