So, there was another clinical session held yesterday and the decision is that I’m going to have a third operation, as soon as possible. Although the tumours in my liver have disappeared (or don’t appear on either the CT or PET scans) apparently it is prudent to remove surrounding tissue from where they were. The two spots on the peritonaea may also be removed. It’s not clear from the PET what they are, but Ricardo thinks they are most likely scar tissue from peritoneal tumours that were killed off during my two months of chemo.
I have an appointment with the surgeon on Tuesday so I will get more information about the operation then. I’m hoping they’ll just be removing small segments of my liver rather than an entire lobe.
Anyhow … this is good news! I’ll have to do more chemo once I’ve recovered from the liver resection, so there is still a long road ahead of me, but at least now I can see some light at the end of the tunnel (yeah I know, mixing my metaphors – so sue me).
Time to break open the 
that zoomer left for us!
(well, a bit later on today …)
casa azahar 
Great to hear, az! 🙂
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Wahay!
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Sounds good. Give your oncologist a boot for me.
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I hope I never have to speak to the oncologists again other than to do ‘chemo maintenance’. Apparently they just go by the book when prescribing the chemo anyhow, so there won’t be any discussion about that. I’ll save my REAL questions for the surgeon and Ricardo.
Just waiting for Pablo and Pipocas. They are coming over for lunch to celebrate. 🙂
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Good news! cheers.
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Interesting. Our experience was almost the exact opposite. Surgeons generally come across exactly like The Todd in Scrubs. Absolutely nothing up top but brilliant hands.
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This is fantastic news Az! Fingers and toes crossed for you.
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Well, it’s almost unbelievable. Less than a month ago I was given a death sentence from an oncologist who still hadn’t seen the results of the biopsy taken during my last operation. And even when it came back negative she called me at home to tell me that it was sure to come back showing malignancy after the second testing. What an asshole.
I’m still cautiously optimistic about all of this. And I know I’m going to be terrified about going in for yet another op. But hey, it sure beats the alternative.
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And still, every day is precious, even though they are no longer numbered. None of us know when HE may call, riding on Binky 🙂
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awesome news!!! celebrate everyday!!! u know i always thought that evil oncologist was a man.
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Great news az!
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It is good news – I’m allowing the Optimism-O-Meter to rise a bit!
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This is such good news, and it makes me very happy. Have a little compassion for the poor oncologists, though. They are compelled to be as circumspect as possible when they talk to people. Imagine if he had told you that it looked like everything was just fine and then it turned out that you were filled with malignancies and going to die in a couple of months. How upset would you be? They have such a fine line to walk between being optimistic and being realistic. I’m so glad it ain’t my job!
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Yay! Would’ve hated to have had good news on my own. My turn to raise a glass!
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Good news! 🙂
Make sure the sent whatever they cut out of you body for a proper pathology examination – and don’t assume things before reading this report.
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Wow, good news! F*ck being nice to the oncologists. They need to learn how to communicate.
I thought it was a man, too, BTW. Interesting.
So – we’ll see you in Greece next June, eh, Az?
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I am soooooooo into going to Greece, Beth! We’ll stay in touch about that.
And also maybe London for Christmas. That would be one of my dreams come true.
And after this afternoon … Pablo insists on taking me (and my entourage) to Tangiers for a weekend. I really think this could be totally amazing.
As Pipocas said earlier … “gee, you should almost die more often!” Ha!
I know I’m not out of the woods yet, but my friends here are helping me laugh and remember why I want to keep being alive…
Kissitos….
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way to go Az! And way to go team!!
I am on my way out to buy chocolate to celebrate with this instant! 🙂
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That’s brilliant. So glad there’s light at the end of the tunnel now.
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Wow! Tangiers? I could almost die but I don’t have any friends that would offer to take me to Tangiers. Sheesh.
I hope you go and have a fabulous time.
What do you need in order to make it to London for Christmas? To not be sicker than a dog with chemo? What about money? Is that the issue? Tell us so we can help.
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Well, Tangiers is so close, hmh. It’s about a 2 1/2 hour drive to Tarifa from here and the ferry across only takes about 40 minutes. It turns out that Pablo has been to Morocco a lot and so he will be an excellent tour guide. Though I think we probably won’t go until January because Nog will have to save up some ‘travelling money’.
Yeah, both trips will have to be planned for when I’m having a good chemo week. I still don’t know what the new chemo is going to be and how I’ll react to it, so I hope I’ll feel well enough to travel at least some of the time.
The Morocco trip is more doable because it’ll probably just be overnight, at the most two nights, and so it will be fairly cheap. On the other hand, London would be crazy expensive and I can’t see it happening. At least, not this year.
Thanks for offering your help towards financing Christmas in London, but the truth is, I’m still not sure where my half of December’s rent & bills is going to come from. And in any case, I can’t imagine using donation money on a holiday. I feel guilty enough when I sometimes use it to buy a book or a dvd.
But first things first. Which means I have to manage not to die bleeding like a stuck pig on the operating table … it’s been hinted at that the op is going to be on th 17th. Eep!
*waves to truce and SL* 🙂
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Wonderful news, azahar — and I hope the surgery goes even better still.
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Woohoo, that’s pretty fast, but it also means that you’re moving forward, and not just left hanging!
Do take the Moroccan trip, at least, and don’t forget your video camera.
HuGS and Snibbles
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Great news az!
Now that you’re distracted by the good news, maybe I’ll sneak ahead in the scrabble game…:)
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This is fantastic news, and I’m really glad to hear that they’re still going to take out the surrounding tissue; my mother died because twenty years ago nobody thought that was a good idea. You’re a fast healer and I know that this new optimism because of the great results can only help ease your path.
London at Christmas? I’m so jealous!
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Me alegro de esta nueva luz en tu vida. Un beso muy fuerte amiga mía
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Gracias Carmencita … y Feliz Cumpleaños!!! Here, have some cake (hope I got the candles right).
Muchos kissitos! 🙂
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Hi Az – am glad to hear that you’re pleased with the present situation. It is wonderful that things are now looking up.
What I don’t quite understand is why they cut you open to remove the tumors and then cut you open again to remove the tissue around the tumors. Wouldn’t it have saved you a lot of trauma to have it all done at once? Excuse my ignorance….
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Hey TC – long time no see. The very first op in May was a colon resection and the second one in September was supposed to be a liver resection. But when they opened me up they found what looked like metastasis on the peritonaea and so they took a few samples to biopsy and then closed me back up again. They didn’t touch the liver at all because it would have been too dangerous if the peritonaea stuff had turned out to be malignant.
Ricardo is pretty certain that the liver tumours haven’t disappeared totally, but thinks they are too small to appear on the scans, so that’s why they want to go in again to ‘clean up the area’, so to speak. I should know more about this tomorrow.
Don’t be jealous, Rain. It’s very unlikely that the London trip will happen – especially as I still don’t have rent money for December!
In your dreams, Puddock … 😉
*waves to Ben and SC*
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I am pleased as Punch to hear the latest word, az!
“Now that you’re distracted by the good news, maybe I’ll sneak ahead in the scrabble game…:)”
Someone seems to have forgotten they have a Scrabble game going with me…. but then I am willing to giver her some leeway on that…. She has had just a little on her mind recently. 😉
BTW, I called your friend in TO, az, and left a message.
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Thanks for the reminder, Anneke. Hey, I’m even winning that one! 🙂
“Do take the Moroccan trip, at least, and don’t forget your video camera.”
I passed a travel agency yesterday that had a big sign outside offering weekend trips to Tangiers for 65 euros. Which basically includes hotel with brekky and ferry – we’d still have to get to Algecires. I’m seeing Pablo today (he and Pipocas are coming to the meeting with the surgeon) so I’ll ask him if this is cheaper than if the four of us just went on our own.
Descubre Marruecos
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