And So The Fun Begins....

Leaving the medical oncologists office, we were pretty much in shock. He couldn't officially stage my cancer until further tests were performed, but given the amount of fluid in my stomach, he thought it had spread. Damn!

When we left the office, we were set up with so many follow up procedures/tests/appointments, it was difficult to keep it straight. Over the following few days I had the following performed:

Paracentisis (procedure to have my abdomen drained of fluid)
See the canister on the wall...yep that stuff is being pumped from my stomach. Looks tasty right? They got just under 2 liters out of me. The procedure itself sucked, but I felt so much relief afterwards that it was totally worth it. The fluid they take out will be tested for cancer cells. The doctor has already told us, that he thinks it will be positive.

Needles Suck

Don't Be Jealous of that 6 Pack

PET Scan
This test will light up any other areas that the cancer has spread too.

Can't I catch a break and at least get a hot nurse??

Met with the Radiation Oncologist
We really like this guy, he is very positive that the tumor will respond well to the radiation. As we were checking out of this appointment, we saw a patient walk up and ring this giant bell. Apparently, you ring this after your last treatment.  I can't wait to ring the shit out of that bell!

Mediport Installed
For this procedure, they put a some thing up around my left collarbone. It is right below the surface so you can tell it is there. They will hook up all my chemo treatments to this so they don't have to keep tapping my veins. I think there is a serious black market opportunity here, as this would be the heroin addicts dream!

Radiation Simulation
They gave me 3 little tatoos (the size of a pen point). One one each hip, and one on my back. This is how they will line me up for the radiation.

Day by day, our new reality is starting to sink in. We are trying to be positive about everything, and find little things to be thankful for. We are extremely thankful that the week I was diagnosed and shuffled from appointment to appointment, our kids were Up North (Northern Michigan for you non-Michiganders) with Jess's parents for spring break. It is hard enough for Jess and I to digest everything going on, and we are dreading telling the kids. As much as I might be smiling in the above pictures, I am nervous, scared, and pissed. I wish this wasn't happening to me and my family.