Next step in my journey...Dr. McDreamy has arrived!

So much has happened since last week! Here is an update of what all took place....

Last Tuesday's appointments:
My PET-scan still wasn't approved....and was canceled again Wednesday (and still pending insurance red tape). None the less, the MRI confirmed that there was good shrinkage of the tumors during my first 4 rounds of chemotherapy. Then my oncologist surprised us with a turn of events and had arranged for us to meet with the "Director of Interventional Radiology" immediately afterwards.....as our next step along this process. He is considered "THE Doctor or Guru" and is the best specialist at what he does and fortunately he is at Northwestern....people come from all over the country to see him for the above procedure called TheraSphere.

Our meeting left me feeling grateful and even more hopeful. Despite his busy schedule they made an opening for me and scheduled an innovative procedure called a "TheraSphere" (see video above). It is a 2 phase procedure.

"TheraSphere is a relatively new targeted cancer therapy that consists of millions of tiny glass beads containing radioactive yttrium-90. The glass beads are delivered directly to the liver tumors. The doctor will inject TheraSphere into the hepatic artery of the liver through a small flexible catheter. The tiny radioactive glass beads flow directly into the liver tumor via its own blood vessels of the tumor. The radiation destroys the tumor cells from within the tumor, with minimal impact to the surrounding healthy liver tissue. The radioactive microspheres will continue to emit radiation over the course of several weeks. The procedure has common side effects, including fatigue, pain and nausea for about a week."

The first phase was scheduled two days after our initial meeting....on Thursday. After multiple comments were made regarding my rare cancer, I realized I was considered a unique case (ie: rare cancer, young healthy patient), especially after his head nurse said "we will move mountains for you to get squeezed into his busy schedule".

Grateful for doors opening up so quickly and for having the ability to have this procedure/surgery....just tired of hospitals! :) Felt so hopeful after leaving the hospital on Tuesday.


Last Thursday's Appointment:
This was my first day in what they called a "Pre-Planning Angiogram" (ie: "road map" to help plan for the TheraSphere procedure).

In a nutshell, I was given pain medication and sedated and then a catheter was guided through the femoral (groin) artery and into the hepatic artery of my liver. Three important steps were then performed:

1. Mapping the arteries of the liver to identify any blood vessels that may be feeding the tumors.
2. Possible insertion of coils into small blood vessels going to my stomach or intestines. This prevents any radioactive microspheres from traveling to my stomach and causing an ulcer.
   
3. Finally, diagnostic imaging spheres (or what I call fake beads) are injected into the liver. These spheres consists of harmless proteins that are similar in size to the TheraSphere yttrium-90 microspheres and will provide the doctor information regarding blood flow within the liver. By using these diagnostic spheres, the doctor is able to ensure that the TheraSphere will stay in the liver and does not travel to other organs that could cause side effects.

After the test, the tube in the groin was removed and then I was moved up to the nuclear medicine floor while I was scanned and observed....making sure the "diagnostic spheres" were staying where they needed to be. It was an extremely long day.  The procedure took 4.5 hours and then I had to remain FLAT and couldn't move my legs for 6 hours (to allow the groin puncture site to seal up). It was brutal and I threw up in recovery due to the sedation.  I had a difficult time walking that night and part of the next day.

Regardless, prior to leaving we meet with the doctor again....and he said he would see me on Tuesday for Phase 2 of the procedure (kind of interesting considering the interns all said that patients typically return in two weeks). He confirmed he would be able to reach all of my liver tumors....so that was excellent and reassuring news.   I do have masses in my gallbladder (next to liver), but for my own protection and other medical reasons that I won't bore you with right now, he wants to do a separate procedure for just my gall bladder in about a month after I have fully recovered from this (or possibly even have it removed at a later point).

Anyway...for any of you Grey's Anatomy lovers, I thought you would be happy to know my doctor is known as "Dr. McDreamy" here at Northwestern - by all the young nurses on the floor. He is indeed easy on the eyes and it makes my visits much more interesting! :)

So....tomorrow (Tuesday) is the big day! I have to arrive at 6:30am for the procedure. It should be similar to last Thursday's pre-mapping day, but this time around with the radioactive beads. Here's to the beads destroying and zapping all of my tumor cells! Feeling hopeful and full of optimism.



Peace, Love and Miracles!
dawnbfox@hotmail.com