First specialist's visit

I met my surgeon, Dr. Timothy Geiger, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center last Thursday (September 19). Technically, he is not an oncologist. However, his practice is in Vanderbilt's Ingram Cancer Center and, since he limits his practice to colon and rectal surgery, much of his work is with cancer. Mom and Dan went along to provide support and help take in all the information. I like Dr. Geiger a lot and feel very comfortable with him guiding my treatment. Mom and Dan feel the same.

The visit provided some new details and his recommended course of action over the next few months. The rectal cancer is near the mid-point of the rectum; thankfully, not the worst location. The colon cancer is at the opposite end of the colon. Dr. Geiger did not provide an indication of the size of the growths or their severity. I didn’t ask. Frankly, I didn’t think to ask and I don’t think it matters at this point.

His recommended course of action has to be presented to a panel of other doctors, which he expects to occur on Tuesday. The recommendation is six weeks of radiation and chemotherapy. Most folks can tolerate the type of chemo used in this situation and I should be able to work while undergoing it. Then there would be a break of up to six weeks with no treatments. During the break, the radiation and chemo I previously received will continue to work. After that, surgery will be performed to remove the two growths and the necessary portions of adjacent colon. The hospital stay is usually four to six days followed by three weeks of recuperation at home. It will be necessary to have a temporary ileostomy while the colon heals. That will be reversed.

The visit with Dr. Geiger didn’t provide any great surprises. I’ve already thought the worst regarding chemo and surgery, so some of his comments were a relief. More than anything, it is good to have a map that shows the road ahead and someone I trust in the driver’s seat.

Shocked

It has been two weeks and a few days since I had my upper GI endoscopy and colonoscopy that revealed the presence of colorectal cancer. Even though follow-up tests were required the following day to provide confirmation, my gastroenterologist seemed confident. I had chosen him based on Mom’s past experience with him and her trust in his work. I didn’t have any reason to doubt his diagnosis other than the idea that I shouldn’t have cancer. The follow-up tests – CT scan and blood tests – confirmed the original diagnosis.

Even with the passage of two weeks, I still don’t know how I feel or what I should feel. This is a shock. There is very little incidence of cancer of any type in my family. Heart disease is the common problem on both sides. I am relatively young; just a few months shy of 50. I have never smoked and have drunk very little alcohol in my entire life. I’m not overweight. I eat a sensible diet, not perfectly healthy, but low in fat and the other bad stuff. I don’t exercise as much as I should, but I in recent years I have been walking fairly regularly. After giving me the confirmed diagnosis, my gastroenterologist said that sometimes a person can do all the right things and still get cancer.

This Thursday I will see an oncologist and hopefully will be told a recommended course of treatment. I haven’t done much research, but enough to know that surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are often used depending on the type and severity of the cancer. The likelihood of having all three at some point in the next few months seems strong. I just want to know what is ahead and when it is going to happen.