We met with the doctor yesterday to discuss biopsy results. Apparently, I don’t have adenocarcinoma which is what he anticipated. Instead, I have been diagnosed with a “well differentiated neuroendocrine tumour” which is apparently less common. Is this good news?
Here’s what Dr. F wrote on a small slip of paper:
Adenocarcinoma Prognosis: poor
Neuroendocrine Prognosis: ?
Question mark? My whole life, my future, is wrapped up in that one small question mark!
Dr. F, not one to give a person false hope, appeared to think that the diagnosis was good news, at least better than it might have been. For now, we’ll cling to that as a glimmer of hope.
So what comes next? We still don’t have a treatment plan. All of the information that has been gathered so far has been sent to the Cross Cancer Institute. Located in Edmonton, a two hour drive from here, the Cross is the comprehensive cancer centre for all of northern Alberta. As soon as I heard the dreaded C word, I knew that that’s where I’d likely end up.
The specialists at the Cross have requested a CT scan of my chest, presumably to ensure that the cancer hasn’t spread to my lungs. I fervently pray that it hasn’t and that it doesn’t. Once they have the results of the scan, my next appointment will be at the Cross where we should finally find out what treatment is going to look like.
So… for now, we wait some more! We wait for phone calls to tell me when to come in for these appointments. We wait to find out if the news is good or not.
Waiting is getting more difficult but we’re keeping busy which helps a lot and I know that the prayers of many people around the world are sustaining us while we wait.
Following Augustine 
praying!
Thank you!
I am asking God for a miracle, be healed in Jesus name..
The waiting is the hardest, it is in our nature to DO something.. I pray for peace in this waiting time.
Thank you, Lily! I really need that peace today.
prayers continue
Thank you, MJ!
Praying.
Thank you! 🙂
Thinking of you!
Thank you, Jac! 🙂
Elaine, I remember the waiting !!!! It was so hard. I just wanted them to get going with the treatments !!! It is so important that they get it right. They are so good at the Cross. God is good always. We pray that it will all be behind you soon, with a full recovery !!!! xxxxxx
woops this is new to me !!!!! Last comment was from Eva Morin and family. xxx
Thanks, Eva! I know you’re right and I’m trying hard to be patient.
Continuing prayers for more good news for you.
Thank you!
Hi Elaine! Lisa told me your news! I am so sorry to hear about this, but I know that you are a strong person and you will beat this! I will be praying for you, too. Big hugs from Colton and I xoxo
Thank you, Jennifer!
Elaine, thanks for visiting and I’m saddened to read of your diagnosis and remaining uncertainty concerning a course of treatment. As a prostate cancer survivor (an adenocarcinoma…adeno just means gland…carcinoma means cancer) I have a feel for what your going through at the moment. The early days seem to be the most difficult but with knowledge comes power and we who live in the West are blessed with many new and wonderful tools to deal with these challenges. I realize you’re in a very rural environment and this may be difficult but I found that there are lots of contradictory opinions and options depending on which expert you consult with. I hope you are able to meet with several specialists to get an appreciation of the range of options that might be relevant to your situation. I learned to tell doctors no, I’m not doing certain things based on my individual priorities and my quality of life was at the top of the list. I did a lot of research on my own, consulted with leading experts in different forms of radiology, surgery, and oncology and aggressively sought answers to difficult questions doctors often don’t want to answer. Prayer and miracles are great and I wouldn’t discount them, but I think we’re also expected to carry a lot of that load on our own shoulders. And from what I can tell from reading about you…is that you have broad shoulders.
Best wishes
Kongo, thank you for your very wise advice! It is always good to hear from those who have successfully walked a similar pathway. Though I haven’t started doing the research you speak of yet, I fully intend to. I plan go to my first appointment at the Cross armed with lots of information and questions.
That’s the spirit!
🙂
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