First Oncology Visit

Hello all, yesterday was a very grueling day for us. It started out rough for Mitt with pain and vomiting so I called Kaiser. They had told us we would have to wait for all the result to see an oncologist. I called them because we needed help now for pain and nausea management. We ended up with a same day oncology visit... I don't know why I looked forward to this visit; I felt no one but the ER doctor had listened to our long list of symptoms and I wanted someone to know...she did listen and I was grateful for that but the appt. was very emotional; she showed us the scans and pointed out how very large this aggressive cancer is. She said it is currently listed as Stage IV metastasized liver cancer from an unknown primary source. She said it's very important to get all the results in from the colonoscopy and endoscopy into Mike's stomach to see if they can locate the primary source as it will change his course of treatment. She said without treatment he has 6-9 months. With treatment maybe 1 or 2 years. She also said chemo has a 40-50% chance of working at all and told us several times that this was an aggressive form of cancer.

If Mike chooses chemo he will be on it for the rest of his life. (it is the only treatment she recommends; she said chemotherapy is the standard of care and the only proven method) We have not given up. We are anxious to have all the results back from the scopes that he will have done tomorrow. His next appt. with the oncologist is April 9th he will decide then if he will be going with chemo or an alternative treatment as it will most likely be then that we are informed of all of the test results. He is now on morphine and norco for pain and has three different perscriptions for his nausea. We are very grateful that his pain is under control.

I want to thank everyone for your prayers thoughtfulness and love as we feel you all with us. I am so incredibly proud of my Mitt! He faces this with bravery and continues to make all of those we meet on this medical journey, laugh and smile. Even in pain he continues to inspire me, his sense of humor reminds me many times a day why I fell instantly in love with him. I want to say special thanks to Jon Alden, Darcy Smith, Bev Zumpano and Sandra Hymowitz and to ALL our family and friends without your love we would be lost.