12/18/07 - BIG STEP - The Pelvic CT scans were negative.

1/2/08 - another BIG STEP - The Chest CT scans were negative.

1/14/08 - The results were positive from the Ultrasound  - this is a clinical diagnose .

List of medicines

Here is a great page on cancer  - Short read - How many things fit you?

Since the diagnosis I have seen a colon surgeon  William G. Robertson, M.D. This guy is a hoot.  I found out that words that we speak sometimes have different meanings. While we were talking to him about the surgery he kept referring to a digital exam that he would do before we left so that he could see the tumor. I found out quite quickly that his meaning of digital and my meaning of digital were in know way alike - believe me it was no camera or cute little gadget.  (Digital Rectal Exam— use of a physician's gloved finger to examine the rectum for lumps or growths )  He didn't talk much about the surgery until the chemo and radiation is done. He did say that when he does the operation and the hospital stay will be 7 days and the recoup will be approx 7 weeks at home. He was unable to "Stage" it at this time but speculates that it is probably be a 2 or 3.  The challenge is that the connectivity back after the tumor is removed - if there is not enough tissue to reattach then they would have to do a Colostomy  (this is highly unlikely) - unlike the colon that is ~6ft long and they can stretch it to reconnect after the tumor is removed. 

Dr. Robertson also had me go to to Seton In Burnet to have a CT Scan. This will be able to tell if the cancer has spread. Here is the scan results

I was then referred to Dr. Aung - Oncologist. I have to do chemo and radiation for 6 weeks - the technology and research for colon cancer has apparently zoomed in the past several years. The chemo that I will be taking is Xeloda - it is taken orally along w/ the radiation. The best thing about this I won't lose any hair and the side affects are very minimal. I have to also do another round of infused chemo for 4 months after the operation is complete and I will not lose my hair.

12/20 -  We met with Dr. Alcocer about  the (Endoscopic Ultrasonography) ultrasound so they can determine how much of the tissue is affected.

1/14/08 - Did the ultrasound today

12/21 - Today was a very interesting day @ St Davids - Georgetown w/ Dr. Lewis Smith to talk about the Radiation treatment. Here is an overview of how radiation is applied and the side effects.

Today they did a CT scan of the abdomen - for diagnostic purposes - and put on the tattoo for the laser - there were ~7 laser that they used to align the area that will be radiated - also made a casting of my legs and hips - that is what I will lay in so that the lasers will be aligned and the right place gets the radiation. Dr. Lewis said that the first week would be fine and then there will be no more Digital Exams for quite sometime :). Then the effects of the chemo and radiation would then kick in pretty hard. The major affect is fatigue (like not want to get off the couch) - The first treatment will be in a wide cone that will treat the whole abdominal area and then they will reduce the cone to where it is just on the tumor. The procedure takes approx ~15 minutes - the actual treatment is only 2 minutes. The worst affect is the burning of the skin - just like getting a bad sunburn - they will treat all the way to the rectum and that brings on a whole new set of issues....

Dr. Lewis did a Digital exam today and he said that he was able to feel 3 - 4 cm in and could not feel the tumor and that the rectum and colon felt flexible. The original report after the scope was done was that it was just right inside the anus and would be very challenging to repair.  The ultrasound shows that it is about 6cm in the rectum - Dr. Robertson said that 3 cm was the least that they need to be able to reconnect.