Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Belated Update...Lots of News

My last post was July 8th and now it is July 17th today.  The reason for such a delay is because the quality of effective care at the Radiology Department at McKay-Dee is greatly lacking.  I had a CT scan on July 9th and they did not inform me that I needed to provide them with a copy of the first CT scan from the clinic where it was taken. The next day I went and got another copy from the Tanner Clinic and drove it up to the Radiology Department at McKay-Dee and hand delivered it and then things just went downhill from there.

A radiologist reviewed the first CT scan and instead of finishing his report and attaching his addendum to it, he didn't finish it until Friday the 13th and didn't finish it until the evening which by then resulted in my doctor's office being closed and unable to receive the report. I had an appointment yesterday July 16th with Dr. Johnson and even though both CT scans were in the system with their reports, the Radiology Department did not do a comparison of the two CT scans and therefore Dr. Johnson was unable to make an exact determination of the progress.  How does it take someone a whole week to do a work up on one CT scan and then not even compare the two?  Talk about inefficiency and a complete disappointment. Please note that this is the Radiology Department only.  Dr. Johnson, his staff, and the oncology nurses at McKay are awesome!

The good news from all of this is Dr. Johnson was able to look at the two scans and determine that the tumor has shrunk around 40% from the first two rounds. That is great news! 40% is almost half and that is great progress.  Dr. Johnson immediately consulted with Dr. Goff and even though Dr. Goff said he could operate it would be better to do two more rounds of chemotherapy to see if we can get the tumor down to another 40%.  This would take away the danger and complications of having to sacrifice some major blood vessels and a major nerve that controls the diaphragm on the left side. So today it is July 17th and we are in the hospital for another round.  I look at it this way.  I've gone two rounds with this tumor, I have blackened both of its eyes, drawn blood from its nose, face, and mouth.  I haven't quite knocked it out but that will happen after a few more rounds. I am kicking its butt and I don't plan on letting up on it.  This is the Rocky in me.

Of course in all reality it is not me that is kicking this cancer's butt.  I still truly believe that the Lord has his hand in every aspect of my life and that he is blessing me with the ability to be healed. In the New Testament of the Bible there was a blind man that was called by the Lord to come unto him.  When he came unto Jesus he was asked what Jesus could do for him.  He asked that he could have his vision restored and Jesus said to him, "thy faith hath made thee whole" (Mark 10:52).  If faith can make a blind man see again then faith can heal me of this tumor.  Thank you again to everyone for your continued support and prayers!

2 comments:

Mom said...

LOVE you buddy!!!! You are amazing and so is Gloria!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey guy...hope all is well...or let's say tolerable....we are thinking of you and are impressed that you go to church even when you are sick....we didn't see you Sunday but there was a large crowd there for Andy Osorios homecoming.....so, Hna Black's dad is getting baptized and Pdte. Osorio's dad is getting baptized Saturday in California....Angelo wants to know when you want your yard done...would it be easier to have a sign up sheet for people to sign and then you guys call them to let them know....hope your a/c works..ours died but Angelo is like your dad and he fixed/cleaned the coils...now our pilot light keeps dying....I imagine you've had some things go wrong...do you need/want Angelo to help? Take Care.....oh ya...Hna Noami Sanchez is the new RS Pres...she's an angel....Your baby is almost 1 !!! My baby will be 4 in Sept!!! :( Take Care, Jennifer Sinatra