I went over to MD Anderson yesterday with Jean and brother Bob. It's a VERY impressive place and it really, really seems they have their "stuff" together and very organized in small boxes, if you know what I mean.
They had us checked in and registered in 10 minutes, I had my basic "physical" done 15 minutes later and we then saw the Dr.'s assistant for the recordkeeping/paperwork/background stuff shortly there after. Also got a cheap thrill here. I don't know how many prostate exams I've had over the years in the AF and during FAA physicals but it's been a bunch. This was my first one by a woman! Unfortunately, she was an old nurse and looked nothing like Angelina Jolie. The good news is her fingers were way shorter and thinner than most male FAA docs!
Then they took all my films off for the Doc to view. He came back and I got a short exam and some more questions and then he laid it out.
He says the tumor is too big and too close to the "ductwork" in the kidney for any reasonable chance of saving some of it. He also said there's absolutely no data that shows saving part of the kidney, a partial, makes any difference in the long term chances of the patient. There are risks to a partial, like bleeding and uring leaks though. In his opinion, there was no reason, given the size and location of the tumor to risk the bleeding or leaks. So, he wants to do a "hand assisted parital laparascopic nephrectomy at sometime on Monday.
I told him that I wasn't going to second guess him so let's get it done. I had questions about the lesions on my liver and pressed him on those. From all of my tests and the biopsy, he feels there is no cancer in the liver tumors. He thinks they are all hemangiomas. He said he would just not worry about it and he said looking at and hand feeling the liver during surgery really won't confirm they are not cancer either.
So, no advantage to doing an "open surgery" with the great big cut over the laparascopic/hand assist with a 3" cut.
He said he could order an MRI that would definitively tell me what's on/in the liver if it really worried me. It DOES worry me and I told him so. He said he wouldn't normally order it but if it would make me feel better he would. So, I'm getting the MRI on Thursday, because I want to know for sure.. or as sure as I can be. You don't get to be an "old pilot" without being a methodical, careful, risk minimizer.
So, here's the plan. Wed.. see the sights. Thursday, MRI and consultation with the anesthetist. Friday, Saturday.... see the sights. Sunday... drink the stuff that cleans out your internals..stick close to the bathroom. Monday, surgery. After that... we'll see, won't we?
I have limited internet access at this hotel, so I'll be online somewhat.
I'll keep you updated.
Any suggestions on cool stuff to see/do in Houston?
