July 11 - Doctor Appointment

Yesterday my parents met with Dr. Datta, the surgeon.  Dr. Datta had consulted the day before with a team of surgeons and oncologists who meet once a week to discuss patients who are in their care (I’m guessing patients with bowel related cancer).  Yesterday they discussed the five patients they are most concerned about in Southern Alberta, one of them being my dad.  Dr. Datta said my dad’s case is particularly complicated because of the Crohn’s disease and the high output to his ostomy.  The doctors cannot treat this like a typical case of bowel cancer.  For example, because of the gap in my dad’s body from where his bowel was removed during his surgery in May, his small intestine will fall down into that space a little bit.  Therefore, radiation to that area will cause some damage to the small intestine.  This could lead to a higher ostomy output, which could put too much strain on my dad’s already weakened kidney’s.  This is just one area where my dad’s case is complicated and many decisions have to be weighed.  The doctors, in conjunction with my parents, will make decisions about treatment once they have the results of my dad’s MRI and PET scan.  The MRI is scheduled for July 16 and the PET scan for July 31.  I should be able to update the blog again after we get the results from each of those tests. 

On a positive note, Dr. Datta said the pain in my dad’s butt did not necessarily seem like cancer.  So, we’ll just wait and see.  Right now we’re hoping that the cancer still in my dad is not growing quickly and that my dad will put on some more weight.  The PET scan is the test we are really waiting on that will tell us quite a bit.  Please pray that the PET scan will show us that my dad’s cancer has not spread and is contained.

Papa John playing with grand kids in March.