The Roller Coaster Ride Continues

Well, it looks like I'm getting another ride on this cancer roller coaster.....the MRI showed no cancer in the liver (yeah!), but (and isn't there always one of those these days?), there is a nodule in the pancreas, approximately one centimeter in size. For those of you that aren't up on the metric system (and I wasn't), that's about .39 inches in size from what I'm told.

So, once again, surgery is off the table for the time being and the pancreas issue needs to be clarified. Yep, more tests. I'm scheduled for a pancreatic endoscopy on Dec. 8th at 1:00 pm and Dr. Karulf wants to go ahead with a brain scan - the brain MRI is also on Dec. 8th, at 11:30 am. Dr. Karulf also wants me to meet with Dr. Karamlou, the oncologist, this week, but no appt. set for that yet.

My "A" team of doctors is growing daily and I am grateful for them and all the kind, caring nurses and other staff. Thought it might be helpful to you to know who the docs are and what they do so when I refer to them, you'll know who does what:

Dr. Scott - Primary Care M.D.
Dr. Karulf - Pulmonary/Critical Care M.D.
Dr. Tsen - Surgeon
Dr. Karamlou - Oncologist
Dr. Jasrawa - Pancreatic Endocrinologist
Drs. Sheley and Cox - Radiologists

No doubt there will be more players to add to the list, but that's the lineup so far.

Must admit, this isn't what I expected or wanted to hear and the best word to describe me at the moment is weary. Emotionally, it's tough to go up and down like this, but I am grateful for a God who never wavers, never changes and I can stand firm in my faith. Great message at church on Sunday about how God is with us even in the fire (read Daniel 3 when you get a minute) and I know as I go through this, whatever it ends up being, He is still with me in every moment. My prayers are we get to shake up Dr. Karulf with another miracle from God. Won't it be cool when this nodule proves to be another "red herring"? That's what I'm praying for!

So what's the blessing? I didn't get this news until today so I was able to thoroughly enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday weekend with friends, family and great food. Hope yours was equally good! And I can now be home in the evenings this week to care for my dog who had to have some minor surgery yesterday night to clear up an infected nail/pad. She's wearing a lovely plastic cone right now - remember the old RCA ads with the dog listening to the old record player? Corbett looks like she's wearing one of the old fashioned cone speakers. Let's just say she's not too happy with the whole thing at the moment :)

Enjoy this Christmas season, keep eating chocolate and savor the blessings of the day. I know I will!

Love to you all,
Susan