We have spent our first day at MD Anderson here in Houston. What an unbelievably marvelous facility. It is a huge facility, that is surrounded by numerous other hospitals and medical facilities and is really a wonder of the blessing of knowledge and technology that God in Heaven has showered on His children in our time to help so many thousands and tens of thousands of people who are suffering.
And there were thousands, literally thousands of people at MD Anderson who have come here from all over the world seeking the help aviailable here for cancers of all types, partiularly for rare cancers.
We have gained more information on my condition, the specifics of it, and the road ahead.
Sadly, for us, the news is not good. Dr. Araujo showed us the tumor in great detail from the MRI we had in Idaho. we had hoped that perhaps the tumor was still relatively small and could be removed from my sacrum with as little impact to the sturcture and nerves as possible. Alas, at this time, barring an out and miracle from God in Heaven (which I will not discount), it is not so. The tumor extends on both sides of the sacrum in many of the various frames which represent digital imaging from diferent levels through the sacrum. Only a few showed where the left side of the sacrum was all that was involved. In more than a majority of them, the sacrum was almost completely involved on both sides with only the far upper right "wing" not affected and invaded by the chordoma.
This means that the surgery to remove it will involve a complete dissection, or removal of the sacrum. Vey, very major surgery that is very complicated and very dangerous with significant rehabilitation required afterwards.
One of the first things Dr. Aruojo did for me on hearing of our experiences was to order new pain medication for me. She indicated that percoset was not strong enough to alleviate both the bone pain and neurological pain I was experiencing. I have to admit I had been experiencing some pretty strong pain. She now has me on morphine, both delayed, or long release pills, and immediate release pills as needed when it gets really bad. It was good news and very helpful in the sense that it helps with the pain...not so good news that it is necessary. But that's where I am at.
Dr. Aruojo also indicated that as a medical oncologist, the necessaru surgery treatment would not be her specialty and that I needed a very experienced neuro-surgeon. She indicated that Dr. Laurence Rhines there at MD Anderson has seen my information and had requested that the case be transferred to him. This news is actually good, because he is recognized as a major leader, if not the foremost neuro-surgen and researcher in this type of cancer and surgical procedure in the world. We definitely want him and his team addressing the issue and are unbelievably blessed to be able to work with him. He is the precise person that my brother-in-law, Denni Woodmansee, who is a very experienced and high level PA at the veteran's adinistration, had recommended we see if at all possible three weeks ago when we were diagnosed. To me, coming down here from Idaho, is is a miracle that within three to four weeks we will be seeing one of the world's foremost neuro-surgeons in this type of procedure and I humbly and willing confess God's Hand in the road that led us here with so many people praying for us and being personally involved in helping us along that path.
We will be meeting with him a week from today. I expect at that time, our understanding of the procedure itself, all of the risks, the ramification, and the road to recovery with its adherant rehabilitation will be more clear to us.
Gail, my beloved and dear wife, companion, and best friend is helping in that regard. For those so interested, here are a couple of articles she has already researched about the surgery itself and the recovery and rehabilitation from it:
Total Sacrectomy (sacral removal) and reconstruction process
That article goes into detail about the procedure and includes the following step by step image of the reconstruction process (image A showing the sacrum itself before removal):
Artist's illustrations of the stepwise reconstruction of the lumbosacral junction. A: Dorsal view of the lumbosacropelvic junction. The hatched area will be resected. B: The sacrectomy is complete. C: A K-wire passes through the left ilium in the resected region of S-1. D: A K-wire passes through the cage and the right ilium. E: The reamer is passed over the guidewire. F: A 0.25-in titanium rod passes through the left ilium, the cage, and the right ilium. G: Lumbar pedicle screws, Farsi ilial screws, and the side-tighting bolts at either end of ilial rod are placed. H: Pedicle screws are attached to the ilial screws by using rods. This is the final stage of lumbopelvic fixation.
Rehabilitation after total Sacrectomy
For anyone (including us) wanting to understand the intricate, involved, and complex nature of this major surgery, these links are invaluable, and will help us in our decision process, and in understanding much more fully what Dr. Rhines will be telling us next week.
So, since it is a week before we will be seeing Dr. Rhines...and then another week after that before we have our next tests and really start in the preparation of tretment, we have decided to travel back up to Denton between these visits. We spoke with Lee, and will stay at the property and ranch my Dad and Mom bought all those years ago when they wanted to move their boys ot to the country and where I spent my formative years just before and throughout my teen years. It is peaceful up there, and Gail and I will have a good place to think, pray, consider, and prepare. I look forward to walks in the country and fields of my youth in order to do this.
Before I close for this entry, I have to personally thank a few more people. Certainly my dear wife who has been with me through every second of this. Who is supporting me, loving me, and helping me prepare for this coming challenge. She is an angel and I thank God in Heaven for her and His bringing us together those 32 years ago. Through my own experience in observing her with our family, with our children, with others, and with myself, I know of no one on this earth more uniquely qualified, more disposition oriented, or more willing to help me face this than her. And I know that was no accident. God in Heaven and our Savior havve foreknowledge of all of we face in lfie and have been preparing us for it these many years.
I have to thank my children for their concern, their love, their advise, their support their care and their help through this to this point. I know today's news is not good news, but I also know and trust my God and my Savior and thier wisdom and planning of events and impacts that I cannot fathom or comprehend at this time, but will make themselves manifest in their time. So, in the end, I willingly submit myself to their will and know, with all my heart, despite the hardship, despite it not being what we wanted or hoped to hear, that it will all work for the good...for us and for many others as we live out our witness and testimony of their love in all things.
I thank my brothers and their wives for their love and support. For standing for and with me...for giving me every help they possibly can through these times, and most importantly for their prayers and faith.
I thank the members of my church...my Bishop and others who are assisting us and helping watch over my mom while we are away. For Jeff and Jolene who are doing this two and more times a week, driving out to Emmett and seeing her, comforting her, caring for her. This is true religion, the visit and care for the widows and fatherless. For friends near and far, who have heard of our situation and who are praying for us and exercising their faith on our behalf.
I thank my co-workers at my job for their prayers and concern. Particularly for my my boss for his understanding, support, and his singular efforts to find good, productive work for me to accomplish remotely over the computer (my laptop in this case) whenever practicable and possible on this trip and therby helping to save more of my leave for future needs, which as you can see, will definitely be forthcoming.
I must also specifically thank the Glass family, Kathy and Tom, for opening their home to us here in Houston and providing us a safe haven and for their prayers and faith on our behalf. They are American patriots, and they are fine people who are showing us their care in deed when we are in need...living out Christ's injunction to take others in.
Heartfelt and sincere thanks to Stacie McDavid, for her reaching out to me as soon as she heard of these circumstances...from across the years and our graduation from Denton High School in 1974...and helping facilitate things for us here at MD Anderson through judicous and caring use of her own influence. For Cynthia Cofffman at MD Anderson, for responding to Stacie's call and personally coming down to our waiting lounge and introducing herself and acting as an additional advocate for us here.
Indeed for all the medical personnel from Idaho to Houston who have been nothing but professional, personable, caring, and kind to us through this experience. God bless you each and every one for your commitment to your profession, to medicine, and to helping others. You are each involved in God's work of helping His children from all over this earth, and that service will not go unrewarded by He who sees all and knows the heart.
I will write more next week after we have had our discussion with Dr. Rhines and know more. I expect we will go through 2-3 weeks of testing and other preparations and then develop a schedule for surgery. It may be anywhere from a couple of weeks to 8 or 10 weeks before we have surgery. we will just have to see how that works out. If it turns out to be a longer period of time we will travel back to Idaho to get as much work in and prepare for that experience and its aftermath rehabilitation, whatever it may entail.
Again, thanks to all who are praying for us and exercising their faith on our behalf. As I have said before. my prayer is that our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, will return those blessings to you and yours ten fold.
As always, sincerely, and in Christ,
Jeff