Friday is the day!

Okay, here's the short version:
Friday, 12:30 p.m., I get an excision.

Here's the long winded version:
Well, I met with Dr. Adkins today. I'll give you the short version of our 1 1/4 hour talk. Dr. A was very thorough in his discussion about what exactly I have. He specialized in colo-rectal surgery, so he's seen "zillions" of cases like mine (his words, not mine). Needless to say, he has a lot of experience with what I have and has seen many people in the same boat I'm in with the same pathologists report. He drew pictures for me, we discussed the path report mainly. Based on that report, he feels that there is a small possibility that there is cancer in the submucosa of my colon (follow that link for a cross section picture so you'll understand). There is probably a very slim chance (less than 5%) that it has spread any further. He talked about the normal, open cancer surgery - the resection, which is very extensive, much more than I thought. He explained in painstaking detail about the many risks involved and how hitting a nerve is very possible thus rendering Mr. Happy, very sad. Since that surgery is very risky and the chances for the cancer spread are very small, this is ruled out.

Next option - an excision. He doesn't have to cut me open for this one and he only will take a small amount (2cm) around the nearly healed polyp area. Since it's nearly healed, he has to act soon to get to the right spot. The tattoo didn't really work and is all diffused around the area. There are risks involved with this procedure that are not pretty, but it's better than being split open - of course peritonitis doesn't sound so great. It would be a complex procedure because it's not closer to a certain opening. But we won't know until we try!

Next option - let it go, for now anyway. I'd have to come back to Dr. A's office every 4 months to have him use his little periscope again to see if the spot grows again. I would do this for a year to monitor the situation and if nothing showed up, just have it checked every year when I get my colonoscopy.

So, I walked out of the office with a decision to make. It didn't take me long to move from wanting to leave it and see what happens to deciding on the excision. It was Dr. A's little picture of the polyp area and how he thinks the cancer may be in the submucosa. I decided that the little chunk around there had to come out.

With this option, I was told that I can return to normal activities immediately. Dr. A said I may not even feel it. I can even return to soccer as soon as I feel comfortable. (hmm... kickoff is 8:40 Friday night! I can make it! yeah!!) He said the worst part is the prep (no yucky liquid, but I get to take some OTC laxatives - a bunch of them - and this starts at noon instead of the regular 4 p.m. yehaw! Then the next bad part is coming out of the anesthetic - which isn't supposed to be general if he gets away with using the smaller of the two instruments...

On that note, I'll ask you to think positive thoughts and hope that it works out way better than he thinks it will. Your positive thoughts & prayers have helped me thus far. Keep your fingers crossed that something doesn't go wonky and he has to flip me over & open me up to fix things. Then he'll revert to a regular cancer resection.

Check Saturday morning for my next post. I'll be helping with a Merit Badge clinic with the Boy Scouts.

Slàinte mhor a h-uile là a chi 's nach fhaic
(Scots Gaelic: Great health to you every day that I see you and every day that I don't)