It's all about the lungs

First off, I have not yet received the results from the PET Scan. Should hear about that on Monday.

Went to Dana Farber today. Let me tell you, I feel a lot more confident being in their care.

I brought all the films and reports I was able to get out of UMass. To say that I'm aggravated is an understatement. UMass has not been forthcoming with all my records and I found out that Dr. Silver from Dana Farber is missing some important films. So now he's going to get on the horn with UMass and get ALL my records.

Dr. Silver had his pathologists look at the films we had. Everything depends on what the nodules are in my lungs. He has a suspicion that they are cancerous, there are just too many of them. Life would've been a lot easier if they were not cancerous, but I've never done anything the easy way.

There are 2 scenarios:

1) If the nodules are NOT cancerous, they can cure me with surgery and chemotherapy and I can go on my merry little way.

2) If the nodules ARE cancerous, they cannot cure me, they can treat me with chemotherapy and hormone therapy and try to keep the cancer at bay as long as they can, he said something along the lines of years.

Dr. Silver wants to get his thoracic surgeons to get a biopsy of one of these lung nodules so that they know definitively what they are dealing with.

I have another appointment with Dr. Silver next Friday.

I wish I had more, but things are going to start moving faster and I am in very good hands. I have a lot more confidence being in Dana Farber's care.

Oh yes, I have decided not to go to Pennsylvania. The fact that Dr. Silver has never heard of this place doesn't instill a lot of confidence in me. Also, Dana Farber is ranked #5 as the best cancer hospital in the United States, so why would I go anywhere else? And lastly, I want to start treatment as soon as possible. So all those factors made me decide that I don't want to go anywhere else. And each time I hear this news, it's just like the first time. It doesn't get any easier.

I'm holding up pretty good. I'm trying so hard to remain optimistic. Thom and I are going to see the Blue Man Group next weekend with a group of firefighters (Hi John!!), so I'm looking forward to that! I've never seen the Blue Man Group, but I hear they're awesome!!

Thank you all for the cards and emails!

With love,
E