Oncologist Visit

Well, the news wasn't great. According to the doctor, 10 years ago, the textbook average for me would be 12-14 months life expectancy. As of now, the textbook says that I have 2 years. Obviously, I'm anything but textbook and have always been an overachiever. People do make 5 years or even beat this, which I will.

The overall Kaiser experience was great. The doctor was very up front and very patient with us. He answered every question and probably gave us about 20 minutes or more. He referred me to a fantastic social worker. She was able to provide us with information about sperm banking (just in case we want to have another baby). It turns out that Bank of America won't handle sperm. That's one deposit I won't even try to make there.

We also had a tour of the oncology area. It looks very positive and has many people hanging out. They have a kitchen and people often bring snacks for everyone to share. I had a cup of some very good, nutty coffee. It felt like a very nurturing environment.

The doctor was very forthcoming. He asked if we'd like to get a second opinion, to which we said definitely yes. He suggested that we go to a completely different Kaiser facility. So, we now have a referral for a 2nd opinion at Kaiser Orange County. I asked him about different treatments, including City of Hope and alternative therapies. He suggested that if this type of cancer were something like melanoma, he'd suggest City of Hope. He said that there are some cutting edge clinical trials for that sort of cancer and would therefore recommend City of Hope. As for colon cancer, he felt that the treatment was the treatment (it is what it is). He said that there are many drugs available, and if one doesn't work, they try another. He also said that he wouldn't spend too much time with alternative therapies, because he'd rather see me do what's proven to work. He said that they treat the cancers with chemo and when they get down to one or two that just won't go away, they look at surgical removal for that isolated piece.

Also, the doctor said that he already knew a lot about me. Apparently, my surgeon has already presented my case as a sort of case study to a room full of doctors. I'm famous.

The appointment was very tough, but I feel very positive. Most of us spend our lives wondering what's going on inside of our bodies. I know what's happening and know what I need to beat. It's plain and simple. By the way, I can't update the blog from my phone.