12/20/08 Update - Day after Surgery

To say that yesterday was a frustration is an understatement.

Actual surgery did not start until 5:30pm. I only knew that because the nurse I had met called to say she was going home and who the new nurse was. She said the new nurse would keep me updated. Three hours later I received a phone call telling me they were starting to close Gus up, and the Doctor would come see me.

Dr Park spent at least 45 minutes with Cammie, TJ and I describing what he had seen. The tumor was very large and had encased the major artery and vessels much more than any of the tests had shown. In all probability, it was a high grade tumor.

Instead of just calling it quits, Dr Park chose to chip away at the tumor encasing the hepatic artery and send samples to pathology. A well known and highly regarded pathologist had stayed just to assist Dr Park and his surgical team. To everyone’s amazement the sample had no viable abnormal cells. It was fibrosis, which is just scar tissue.

Twice they sent samples to pathology with no abnormal cells found. The third sample did show miniscule spots. It took a high powered microscope to detect them. The pathologist in his years of experience had rarely seen such a positive response to chemo and radiation.

The goal we had been praying for was a successful, 100% removal of the tumor. This was not possible due to its size and involvement of vital blood vessels and arteries. However Dr Park was very pleased with the dramatic response of the tumor to treatment. There was no advantage to Gus’ well being to remove the part of the pancreas affected or the spleen. It would have jeopardized him at this time. Surgery will never be an option in the future.

The goal now is to get Gus walking and eating so he can go home to heal. Then he will start more chemo in three to four weeks. The exact regiment we will follow will be up to the medical oncologist in Bozeman. Once Dr Park releases Gus he will no longer be a part of our lives.

After meeting with Dr Park last night, Cammie, TJ and I could not even put into words our thoughts. We had started our day knowing that there were two options: The tumor was beyond controlling and could not be removed or there was enough scar tissue to give the surgeon the margin he needed to successfully remove the tumor. We ended the day being told that the tumor was more involved than tests had revealed, but that the cancerous cells were all but gone. What was left was so minute the pathologist could not even say for sure if the spots were malignant.

It was two o’clock in the morning before the nurse had Gus completely admitted to his private room in the Hospital. He and I both got about 3 ½ hours sleep with only two interruptions.

They have had Gus up already this morning. They had him sit in a chair and they stood him up to weigh him.

We’re still waiting to see Dr Park sometime today.

We praise God for what He has done. We look forward to what He has in store for us in the future. We continue to covet your prayers that God’s will be done. Gus is in His hands.