The Battle Begins

We went to the scheduled appointment this morning with the bowel surgeon. I think we got everything out of this morning's doctor's visit that we could reasonably have hoped for.

1. They seem intent on treating me regardless of my ability to pay. They are, however, going to fight with the insurance company to try to convince them that it's not pre-existing. And of course, after the encouraging words from the doctor, we got a call from the hospital itself insisting on cash up front to the tune of $700 and something dollars Monday morning before they’ll do the colonoscopy. That’ll wipe out all of our money for groceries and other bills, but we’ll at least get through Monday morning. The oncologist did indicate that he could treat me at Brisbane Royal Hospital and we could get it done there for free regardless. We’ll see. In the meantime, it looks like between this kind of thing and continuing all the expensive recommendations of the naturapath like supplements and organic everything, we’re going to need some real cash coming in from somewhere, somehow, fast. But treatment is still moving ahead, and that’s the main good thing out of all that at the moment.

2. The bowel cancer didn't look nearly as bad to the bowel surgeon as it did to the general practitioner. He doesn't think bowel surgery will be necessary.

3. I got to see the oncologist this morning, which wasn't expected. He's ready to start treatment. He wasn't any more encouraging about the condition of my liver than anyone else, but he wasn't any less either.

4. The bowel surgeon will do a colonoscopy (& biopsy) early Monday morning. Then midweek, probably Wednesday, the oncologist will look at the results of that to get a better idea of what kind of cancer it is and therefore what kind of chemo I need. He suggested in response to my question this morning that he'll also be ready at that time to give me an updated long-term prognosis, but reminded me that it won't be a crystal ball about what's definitely going to happen to me. It'll just be about the average outcome, and I may do better or worse than average. So that midweek visit will be the next chance to hear their guess about how dire my situation is.

5. After three months of chemo they'll be able to do further tests to evaluate the results. We'll get a much more informed prognosis then. That will also be our next best chance for an official confirmation that a miracle has happened and I don't have cancer anymore.

Meanwhile, I'm following the naturapath's diet, supplement and exercise regimen, which includes walking 10,000 steps per day. I presently have no symptoms whatsoever. Maybe without bowel surgery, and if the chemo at least holds the cancer where it is, I won't have any worse symptoms ever than just the chemo side-effects, and the general practitioner said side-effects from liver chemo are generally less than other chemo's.

Anyway, I feel good physically, I have reason to hope medically, I’m confident of God’s love and power to heal, and I’m surrounded and inundated by the love, prayers and fasting of people who care about me to an extraordinary degree.

God is love and love is enough.