Home And What's Next

Good stuff first. Mr. Bo Baker had a set of follow up scans last Wednesday and still remains cancer free.

Made the trip without incident. Got out and stretched the legs several times vs. in trips past, I would have filled the car with gas before leaving and driven straight through for 5 hours. Coming back, had to wash road salt off of the car as I did see snow this weekend. Good stuff. Will even post a short video of it on here in the next day or two.

Talked to one of the MCV doctors on Wednesday AM and he told me he had looked at my scans and the biopsy results and was still considering the next step. As mentioned in the past, there is the low-dose radiation option to eliminate anything that could be hiding under the radar. He also mentioned that there may be a surgical option for the same reason. He is consulting with the surgeons at MCV and will get back to me possibly today or tomorrow.

There are potential complications with either option. With the radiation option, there could be damage to organs that are located close to the area that would be radiated. The organs that are of concern are intestines. With the surgical option, bleeding could be a complication as there would be multiple vessels involved. Also, since it is a lymphoma tumor, there is the possibility that some of the alien cells could break loose and move into other areas of the body.

He did mention that based on the information, there is no concern that we have to move ahead immediately.

When he does come back to me with the options, I will have multiple questions including, "What if we wait until the next set of scheduled scans which would be in February and see what the level of activity is then?"

Then, of course, there is the whole insurance consideration thing. As I have reached my maximum co-pay for the year, if I move ahead before year end, then it's easier to deal with financially than it would be after the first of the year. I'm not telling you that because I'm asking for a fundraiser. I'm telling you that because it's a reality and part of all of this that I promised to share with you. I never really paid much attention to health care insurance options prior to all of this. I feel I'm a little wiser now about it as a result. I know there is lots of debate about the current health care bill, but it needs to be discussed and all options need to be put on the table for discussion. Similar discussions about issues with passion happened over 200 years ago in this country. Not listening to an option because of your bias to an individual or an idea is not democracy. There are ideas out there that I'm not wild about, but they deserve to be put on the table for consideration.

Also, moving ahead before year end could bring any momentum I've started to build up after being released from "house arrest" to a screeching halt. Especially the surgical option.

Adulthood, and making decisions for yourself is highly overrated.

An expression that assures me came to mind yesterday. I may have said it here before. I'm saying it again.

"That which is not natural, is not permanent." - Source unknown...it could have been made up by me.