Second Opinion Updates

I've been asking for a second opinion for a while. Finally, I heard from Karmanos, a specialist cancer hospital in the Detroit area. I waited months to hear from them...when they finally contacted me, they said they were not taking second opinions due to their long waiting list. However, they said, an oncologist there did look at my case and agreed with the care provided by my local oncologist. This saddened me a bit because I felt like I was just waiting for the cancer to return, which my oncologist said undoubtedly will happen.

So in my last post, I talked about going to see a surgical oncologist. Well, I finally did yesterday. Firstly, they explained that I've responded really well to the chemo. More so than I was led to believe. They pulled up my scans, and they showed the cancer almost completely gone in both the colon and the lungs. We then discussed multiple options, including more aggressive chemo, radiation, and surgery. They also informed me that I have a rather atypical type of cancer that might be more receptive to treatment. Furthermore, they believe with aggressive treatment, my chance of survival will greatly increase, and there is a small chance for a cure. They referred me to a different oncologist that specializes in colon cancer. I'll start with a more aggressive chemo regimen. If that doesn't work, they might try radiation. If there is any cancer left, then we'll discuss surgery. This appointment gave me something that I have not had in a long time...hope. I couldn't believe the options they offered. I've asked my current oncologist about all of these, and she has said because of being stage IV, they weren't options for me. I am so happy to have these doctor's who are able to look at my case individually instead of just treating me like a typical cancer patient, which I am not. With my renewed sense of hope, I begin the second stage of my journey which will begin with the oncology consult. Please keep up the prayers, God definitely has a plan.

Love and prayer,
Holly