It's Not a Too-mah!

Actually, it is a too-mah.

It's been a long time since I posted anything because I was waiting for clarity. I should know better.

My change in circumstances began on September 20, when Elvira and I learned from my oncologist that my MRI revealed an anomaly on my cerebellum, near where I had melanoma last year. The growth at that time was zapped using a process called stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), and subsequent MRIs for more than a year had shown no evidence of melanoma on my brain.

To put this news in context, my CT and PET scans, taken the day before the MRI, showed no melanoma. There were still spots on my kidney, where the original mega-tumor had been, but the PET did not light up, indicating that the spots were probably not cancer, but residue from the tumor. Also on the good news front, the proximity of the new tumor to the old one suggests that the new tumor grew from cells not destroyed by the last SRS procedure. That's good news because it would mean the growth is not new cancer.

After some confusion concerning the referral process, I returned to the oncology radiologist who had done the previous SRS procedure. He was hesitant to repeat the procedure because the new tumor was very close to the one he had zapped before. He referred me to a neurologist, who thought the SRS procedure could still be effective and safe, kicking the case back to the radiologist. And there it sat, while the tumor grew at unknown speed, for two weeks, despite repeated phone calls from me asking whether they recommended SRS or brain surgery. My oncologist was waiting for their recommendation as well.

Finally, yesterday, Elvira and I met face-to-face again with the radiologist, who had re-examined my MRI. He stood by his opinion that the old and new tumors were close, but now recommended that we go ahead with the SRS. It would be just as effective and pose less risk than surgery.

We asked four thousand questions, or thereabouts, before agreeing with him and signing up for the SRS. We did ask for my case to be fast-tracked before the tumor began growing out of my ear. The next day, which is today, I received a call to come in tomorrow for my SRS prep meeting. Hooray!

These are all good doctors, wonderful doctors. But if there's a message in all of this, it's probably that even with the most skilled and conscientious of medical personnel, patients need to keep pushing and not depend on good communication among different doctors. For us, it took more than a month, but we have a plan in place. Elvira and I are ready for the next subway stop on the Cancer Line.

Oh, and lastly, I also have an appointment with the colorful and brilliant melanoma expert down at UCLA on Halloween Day. I will report on his costume in my next blog.