Monday, March 9, 2009

I'm Sorry...

A simple note here when we got home from the surgeon followup would have been nice, right? Sorry.

The doc believes I have a 95% chance of no remaining cancer, so I have to do the radioactive iodine treatment sometime in the next 5 to 7 weeks to push this percentage up to 99%. This is the information we get from Dr. Goldenberg and he refers me back to the specialist, Dr Meacham. I think he doesn't want to have anything to do with me after my stupid joke on him. If I get enough comments requesting it, I tell what I did. But you are warned that it was quite dumb. It was Shelly's idea but she quickly realized I was crazy enough to do it and wished she hadn't mentioned it.

---Timeout---
I just remembered that by failing to post anything for several days, I also lost the opportunity to request prayer on my brother's behalf. Loren had his FNA today. Just pray that the results are negative so he doesn't have to go through this too.
It's too late to call him now, at 11 PM. I feel awful for not checking up on him today.
---End of Timeout---

Okay, so today Shelly goes to our family physician (Dr. Watt) to get confirmation on what her mom assumed was an ulcer. It was. Can anyone guess why? While with Dr. Watt, he pulls up my chart with the surgeon's notes along with the full thyroid pathology report -- you know, the one they can do when it is outside my body. I was labeled stage 3 papillary. You are reading this correctly...Shelly's Dr visit yielded more information about me than the visit with the surgeon who just gave the best case scenario and then differed me back to the specialist. This specialist visit is three weeks away. Just before the timeout above, I brushed up on the stages of cancer on the thyca.org website. (If you go there, note that I'm not over 45!!!) I just don't know what to expect if the doctors don't seem to be on the same page! If I'm labeled stage 3 and yet 5+ years shy of that dreadfully old age, has it spread? Who's right? Who knows?

The peace I had all weekend has evaporated. To those updated only by this blog, I'm sorry you didn't get to ride the roller coaster to the top (i.e., the way I felt all weekend and most of Monday) and are just stuck with me in the valley of doubt (i.e., how I am feeling at this precise moment).

On a positive note, my dad is up here for this evening (Grandma Donna is sick) and going with us to gymnastics, Olive Garden, and Children's Museum tomorrow. This will be building good memories for Riley and Sidney, and my bad memories are being diluted.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers,
Emory

5 comments:

tammy said...

You know we are here to ride that roller coaster w/ ya'

Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy! Worrying is only going to ruin the NOW!! It will not change what is to come. ENJOY TODAY!!! {This advise from the best 'awfulizer' there is!!)

Have a great day tomorrow w/your dad. Eat some stuffed chicken marsala for me, and make sure Riley eats lasagne~~~since OG's is the best I hear:)

And what was the stupid thing you did?????? we went around and surveyed the neighbors~~they all want to know too. So there is about 100 request:):):):O

Pam said...

Emory,
My prayers for Loren and also for you while you wait to see the specialist. I don't quite understand why the surgeon didn't give you complete information. My only guess without readin the thyca website information is that even at that stage you are in the 95% cure rate. I'm sorry it is going to be such a long three weeks. Hugs and prayers. Pam

Anonymous said...

Emory,
I appreciate the update. I looked at the apjohncancerinstitute site again that I referred and the knowledge matched the info. of thyca.org. except no combined alternative therapy on the latter. The CAAT (Controlled Amino Acid Therapy) therapy is worth the try for the nutrition side of things to kill cancer cells and build immunity. Note the back up of proof of this therapy.

Also, for the spiritual side, please keep your focus on Christ and his love for you, though he allows things to try us. He is praying for YOU--right now and interceding as much for your spiritual strength as the physical, while his Christians are praying too. "Let US draw near (to God) with a TRUE heart in FULL assurance of FAITH, having our hearts sprinkled (with the blood of Christ), from an evil conscience, and our bodies (spirit, mind, and physical bodies) washed with pure water (living water of Christ). Let US hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to "provoke" (motivate) unto love (each other and even those who consider us enemies as Christ did), and GOOD WORKS. Heb. 10:22-24 Heb. 7:25 says, speaking of Christ, "Because He has an unchangeable priesthood, wherefore He is able also to SAVE them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he EVER lives to make intercession for them!! For such an high priest became us (was made attractive to us) who is HOLY, harmless (innocent and non-violent), undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens!!!"

I love you and am continuing in prayer for you and the family.

Uncle Gordon Allen

Anonymous said...

I pray that God will give you the Peace that passes all understanding. Of course we could blame you for Shelly's ulcer but I know what she does for a living. Sooo, I am sure some of the blame is yours, but not all of it.
Love ya, Rhonda, aka Memaw

Tom Miles said...

Emory,

Hope all is still coming along well. Do you have any new updates? Have you started the radioactive iodine treatments yet?

We're keeping you in prayer, and Nathan prays for you at bedtime as well.

Tom Miles