Finally - it's Answer Day!

Or so I thought... I got in to see the surgeon today. It turns out, he didn't even review my file yet! He had a good excuse though - he was on call for surgery and was in surgery that morning - he was late for my appointment. He was pretty crafty, though. He asked me to tell him what I know about what was going on and took copious notes! He then had to "take a look" at me. I was kind of confused - I didn't realize he needed to check me out, but okay. I'll go along with this. The whole time I'm thinking, "Oh man, is he going to get some kind of butt camera or something?" He comes back in the room after about 5 minutes and I'm sitting there with one of those huge paper towels in my lap. He listens to me breath a couple of times, checks my ticker, and has me lay back so he could feel my abdomen and ask if it hurt... Then he says "okay, put your clothes on, I'll be right back..." Ahhh... I see what you're up to, doc. This is your time to review the files... I guess he's a speed reader.

When Dr. Comstock came back in, he had a lot more knowledge of my case. He proceeded to tell me where this polyp was supposedly located - 11cm up from, well, you know, the opening down below... That places the resection kind of low, but he thinks we have enough guts to pull around and fix me up. The problem with it being that low is that now we're looking at something that is cradled in the sacrum and in my pelvis. He showed me how it would look using my water bottle... this guy is on top of his game! So, the other problem, other than having to pull everything out of my pelvis is where exactly is this spot? Front or back? If it's on the back side - the sacrum side, well, we have yet another layer of complexity to this surgery. But... it's do-able, not a slam dunk as if it were up higher in my colon, but they can do it. They can rebuild me - {queue 6 million dollar man music} better, stronger, faster ... OH, sorry... got carried away... it's late, I'm punchy...

Okay, so now we know the surgery is definitely on. I just don't know when - still. Comstock is really laid back too. I asked him when we needed to do this and he said it was up to me - next week, or a couple-three weeks... whatever... Huh?

What he wanted to do, though, is look at the actual CT scan and MRI pictures for himself to see what he's dealing with. He isn't the type of guy that just takes what he reads and goes with it. That made me feel a lot better. He's not clueless after all! He's just on call today and didn't get to my file... phew! He definitely knows what he's doing. He is one of those people who just oozes with confidence - you know the type I mean, don't you? He really is on top of his game. Blinkoff wouldn't have sent me to some goof ball anyway. I know I'll be in good hands. As cousin Bill says, this guy has all his sh-t in one sock! {yeah, Navy guys have weird sayings...}

So, the only real question that I want an answer for is when are we going to get on with this so I can recover and become a lean, mean, fighting machine!? That's the plan, anyway, This is my slap in the face to get me fit and healthier...

Here's what I found out today:

1. Laparoscopic or Open surgery? - They usually start out with a laparoscopic surgery - you know, punch some holes in you for the equipment and work on you that way? It's less invasive than open surgery. That's how they pull out gall baldders now. If they need to, they'll shift to an open surgery. This website has a cool picture showing how it works...
2. I was worried about having to have a stoma or a colostomy or even wearing a bag for awhile. Comstock said it is unlikely, even though the area is low. I really don't think we'll know until Comstock is in there digging around.
3. Recovery time. Since I sit on my butt all day, probably 2-3 weeks off of work (I'm thinking a month! Why not?! Deb had a month off for just a simple hysterectomy! :D ) The usual no heavy lifting for 6 weeks or so and NO SPORTS for up to 8 weeks! Oh man! 8 weeks! No soccer for 8 weeks... damn!
4. What about visiting an oncologist? Well, it's up to me. I can see one before the surgery, but they won't be able to tell me much. We have to wait and see what is pulled out. If they find cancer in the lymph nodes, then I'm looking at an oncologist visit and some type of therapy like chemo. {fingers crossed, please!}
5. We won't know the stage or grade of cancer until after the surgery and pathologists report.
   
6. MRI Report wasn't in the file, so I don't know what is up with the spot on my liver. Of course, I didn't like Dr. Comstock's words he used to describe it - lesions! Um, woah, excuse me... lesions? Aren't they bad??
   

So, I guess that's it for now... I have all my answers - except that one. I'm sure I'll have more questions as I move along.

Tonight I played what may be my last soccer game of the season. I didn't want to walk away from the pitch without telling my team mates what was going on. I'm a little more open than that - not sure if you can tell... Wow! Telling the team what was going on was really hard... I guess I'm still trying to accept it. I didn't think it would be that hard. I got all choked up... Everyone is really supportive. Poor Ricky tonight... man, I was a major dill hole to him when we bickered during the game... I let my temper get the best of me which I've been on top of lately. But I let the poor guy have it. Luckily I didn't unleash with both barrels though... He was the first team mate I told; We were apologizing for being morons to each other and I just told him what was going on and that I was on edge. Piss poor excuse for losing my temper... but I am a bit emotional... His mom is great - Kim. She plays on the team too. Ricky told her what was going on and she came over and gave me a big hug! Well, if that don't choke a guy up, I don't know what will...

I'm hoping to play next Friday. That will definitely be the last game for the season. Part of my recuperation after the surgery will be to hit the gym several times a week and then work at getting in top shape. Then, I won't run out of steam so quickly on the field when I play midfield... ha! I will, of course, be at the pitch after surgery cheering for the all mighty Flashbacks! :o) We have a great team this season - lean & mean! We have a couple of young guns on the team and they are fun to watch handling the ball and playing. The average age of the team, without the youngin's is early 40's. So, having some players in their 20's is really helpful - especially as skillful as our new players.

I heard back from my buddy Bob "Boze" Bell today. Did I write that he had a massive heart attack in mid March that nearly took him out? I think I did, he's blogging his recovery and he had friends blog what happened to him when he keeled over on his drum set. I had emailed him to let him know how shocked I was at his news and wished him a great recovery. I also told him to lay off the Mexican food since, in his blog, he always tells people what he eats when he goes out for a meal. Mostly Mexican. I need to take that advice too... no more Nico's for me...

Anyway... In my email, I also told Bob what was going on with me. What does he do? He tops me! He went to his dermatologist and they found a "suspicious mole"! Yep, this Arizona sun is brutal. Boze & I grew up in a time when there was no such thing as SPF ratings or sunscreen. I just used a t-shrit in the pool... rarely wore a hat. I can't tell you how many times I was burnt so bad that I blistered!

Okay, that's off subject... So, my big day of answers is over. Flashbacks 5 - 1 Illusion (yeah, we spanked them!) I won't go into detail about my missed shot tonight either... Man, Jessica delivered a perfect, beautiful pass too... and I biffed it! It's that impatient thing I have...

I should know more on Monday. I have to call Comstock and see what he has to say. I'll try to post on Monday night, but we have Scouts, so we'll see. I'll make a quick post so it's not agonizingly long like this one...

HTWR