CANCER ! - what now?

Thursday afternoon, June  21

It took a minute for the electric shock that ran through my body when Dr. Cameron told me the ulcer is cancer to dissipate but I sucked it up and asked him what I should do now. He suggested I call Dr. Reddy or others that are oncologists in Cumming. I immediately called Dr. Reddy's office at Atlanta Cancer Care. I told the lady who answered the phone that I had just received the news that I have esophageal cancer and would like to make an appointment with their group. She was kind and helpful and made an appointment for the following Monday. I, of course, wanted treatment to start about twenty minutes ago but knew I had to wait.

Dr. Sreekanth Reddy met with Teri and me for a good while asking questions about my life and family. He also made appointments for a Pet/CT scan at the hospital Friday and an appointment with Dr. Girish Anand at Atlanta Gastroenterology for an endoscopy ultrasound to determine the stage of the tumor. I was feeling a little better at this time because I could see some movement toward treatment. I had the Pet.CT scan as scheduled and had the results faxed to Dr. Anand so he would have them Monday for the endoscopy ultrasound. That was accomplished as scheduled and Dr. Anand found that I have what is considered T2 tumor. He had discussed my case with Dr. John Moore, a thoracic surgeon and told me to call his office and make an appointment to meet with Dr. Moore.

I did and we did. Dr. Moore is a great guy from the hills of Kentucky and a straight shooter if there ever was one. He explained what had to happen before surgery and why. He also explained all the
things that have to be done before surgery will be done and what the surgery will accomplish.
In addition, he said he would install a "port" in my upper chest for chemotherapy administration.
This was Monday, July 9. The port was put in on Wednesday the 11th and here it is the 14th I had a training session at Atlanta Cancer Care yesterday and will have my first chemo on Monday.  The protocol calls for once a week for 8 weeks of the chemo.

Also I met with Dr. Simon at the Northside Hospital radiology department for scheduling of radiation treatments that will begin next Thursday and be administered 5 days a week for 28 sessions.

In a little less than a month, I have four new doctors in my life, have had 2 CT scans, Pet scan, 2 endoscopy, a port installed in my chest and been to three different hospitals for procedures. It has
been a whirlwind. Everyone I have met at the many offices and hospitals have been wonderful.

 I am ready for what ever comes next.