THE DEATH WATCH-TWO
(When I started to write this Blog again I had planned to keep the entries relevant to the dates like a daily diary but unfortunately I got caught by my own lay-off. Apparently the Blog was sold to Google since I stopped making entries and when I wanted to post a new entry I actually started a new Blog. Hopefully, I can get this corrected so that the entries will stay in the same order BUT they won’t be chronologically correct. )
The results of the biopsy, taken on Monday, alerted my Radiation Oncologist who called on Wednesday to set up an appointment with him, preceded by a CAT scan. The following Monday I had the CAT scan and Tuesday morning I saw the doctor. He felt very badly about having to tell me that not only was this cancer located in a new part of my esophagus but that there seemed to be some extra spots on my lungs. The spots were too small to identify clearly and the lung is a very difficult place to biopsy so he suggested I get PET scan, which isolates cancer sites. The bottom line seemed to be that what was happening now was not curable and that we had to work out a treatment procedure. I scheduled a PET scan and also visited with my other Oncologist. He agreed that the PET scan was the first thing to do and then we could discuss options for my treatment. The first order seems to be to try to reduce the size of the constriction with radiation and then see if chemo seems worthwhile doing based on the extent of the cancer spread.
Thursday I had the PET scan and by that afternoon the doctor called to say that the cancer had spread into the bones. As I write this, it is Monday and I am waiting to hear from the doctor’s office about scheduling the radiation treatments after which we will discuss what further treatments are possible. I will probably get a better idea of my Time-Line, although I’m not sure how much of this the doctors can predict.
I plan to tell the doctors that I have only two requests, one that I don’t die on a holiday and two that I don’t die in pain. A question that I will have to ask my lawyer is that if my life insurance policy has a suicide clause, does that apply here in Oregon where doctor assisted suicide is legal. I have yet to discuss the doctor-assisted suicide with my doctors. Working in a Catholic hospital may prevent their participation.
Further thoughts at this time revolve about my loved ones and how they are reacting to the news of my terminal illness. I have not had the experience of trying to ease the impact on them because I only know that for myself I am not concerned. I guess I will be exploring these items in future items I hope to write.
The results of the biopsy, taken on Monday, alerted my Radiation Oncologist who called on Wednesday to set up an appointment with him, preceded by a CAT scan. The following Monday I had the CAT scan and Tuesday morning I saw the doctor. He felt very badly about having to tell me that not only was this cancer located in a new part of my esophagus but that there seemed to be some extra spots on my lungs. The spots were too small to identify clearly and the lung is a very difficult place to biopsy so he suggested I get PET scan, which isolates cancer sites. The bottom line seemed to be that what was happening now was not curable and that we had to work out a treatment procedure. I scheduled a PET scan and also visited with my other Oncologist. He agreed that the PET scan was the first thing to do and then we could discuss options for my treatment. The first order seems to be to try to reduce the size of the constriction with radiation and then see if chemo seems worthwhile doing based on the extent of the cancer spread.
Thursday I had the PET scan and by that afternoon the doctor called to say that the cancer had spread into the bones. As I write this, it is Monday and I am waiting to hear from the doctor’s office about scheduling the radiation treatments after which we will discuss what further treatments are possible. I will probably get a better idea of my Time-Line, although I’m not sure how much of this the doctors can predict.
I plan to tell the doctors that I have only two requests, one that I don’t die on a holiday and two that I don’t die in pain. A question that I will have to ask my lawyer is that if my life insurance policy has a suicide clause, does that apply here in Oregon where doctor assisted suicide is legal. I have yet to discuss the doctor-assisted suicide with my doctors. Working in a Catholic hospital may prevent their participation.
Further thoughts at this time revolve about my loved ones and how they are reacting to the news of my terminal illness. I have not had the experience of trying to ease the impact on them because I only know that for myself I am not concerned. I guess I will be exploring these items in future items I hope to write.
posted by Michael at
12:22:00 PM
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