Remember that ticket I got last week? Well that trip (through life) has been delayed. So they un-punched the thing!
Yesterday, in the middle of one of my classes, I got a call from Dr. Garcia in Houston. Since I was waiting for the results from my biopsy, I left class to take the call.
Bad News! The cancer is back!
I called Cheryl right away with the news. She was in the middle of driving back from Kansas City where she has been working on our house there. Obviously, she was upset. We have both been praying that we were done with this beast. You have to remember that cancer strikes families, not just the person with the disease! She told a few folks about this as she drove home and we finally got together for hugs around 10 tonight.
Biopsy Results
The biopsy showed a very small spot, about 1mm, in the gum on my lower jaw this time. It is right next to a tooth that snapped off a month ago, mostly due to extensive fillings over they years, and due to all the radiation I had in that area over the years. The fact that it is small is good news, but this is a new area, which is not good news.
Treatment options are limited for now. They are planning on surgery to remove it, but they really will not know what is going on until they get in that area, and I will need some plastic surgery to cover the area they remove. Since it is inside my mouth, a very "dirty" area, they need to be careful there. Apparently, the M.D. Anderson plastics folks are swamped, so my surgery might push into after the Christmas/New Year holidays. They are looking into all that now.
Durn!
Friday the 13th
The Biopsy was on Friday, and most folks view the 13th as a bad luck day. I suppose getting the news that you have active cancer is bad news, but you know what? On reviewing everything that happened, I have a different view.
If the tooth had not broken off, I would never have asked the dentist at M.D. Anderson to give it a look. My CT scan showed nothing, but when the dentist looked over the area, she got suspicious, and decided to do a biopsy to make sure. So, my concern led to her review, and her concern led to the biopsy, and we found something that would have gone unnoticed for another four months! We got that thing identified when it is very early, and the chances that they can cut it out are very good.
Bone Worries
The one concern they have now is finding out if it has made it into the bone yet. If so, the surgery will be more extensive, and potentially more troublesome. I have already lost the joint on that side, so my jaw swings side to side easily now. If too much bone gets lost, eating will be a problem. I am not going to worry about all of that for now. Dr. Scholl told me folks live fine on Ensure alone, and I did that for over four months when I had my first cancer surgery eight years ago.
Dr Scholl
Since Dr. Scholl is still my local cancer doc, I called him to tell him the results. He called me back a few minutes later for a chat. He is not happy with the news, but there is nothing he can do. This is an M.D. Anderson issue now, and they will guide the process. If he does anything, they will just do it all again in Houston.
We did talk about options. With the spot being so small, Chemo will not do much. Chemo is basically used to shrink a tumor, and slow its growth. It does not really remove the cancer, they do surgery for that. Or radiation. However, I have had so much radiation in that area, the chances I can have more are basically zero. Still, we might check into that.
It looks more likely that surgery is the best option, and that is what M.D. Anderson is planning. They know this beast well, and will do a good job, so I am in their hands (and God's!)
Next Steps
Sit and wait. I have been through this three times before. It is not fun, but I try to keep busy so I do not dwell on it.
And Pray a lot.
Prayers help, and I have several dozen folks who have already checked in to tell me they are praying as well. (I had over 15 responses to my Facebook posting in 2 minutes. Hey folks, get off Facebook and live more of this life we have!) Thanks for those prayers. Cheryl thanks all of you as well!
Thanksgiving
Almost to the day, eight years ago I got the news that I had cancer. Now, a few days before Thanksgiving again, it is back. I managed to go five years after that first news before it showed up again, and a year after that surgery before it showed up a third time. Now, on number four, it has been 18 months. Hopefully, they will get it under control this time, and I do not have to hear this a fifth time.
So, what do we have to be thankful for? Let me see! I am still here! I have the best cancer team in the country at work on this! I have dozens (hundreds) of folks praying for Cheryl and me as we work through all of this. Plenty of things to be thankful for!
So, we will celebrate Thanksgiving with a few friends here at home. Cancer may be a topic of some discussion, but that will be limited and not all we talk about!
Try not to get tryptophan poisoning, folks!
Cheryl and I wish you all the best for this holiday, and for the rest of this season. Remember what most of these holiday celebrations are all about, and enjoy your time with family and friends!
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