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It's good news...
Oct. 16th, 2007 08:36 pmconsidering how bad it could have been.
Last week Monday I got a call from my mom who said I should stop by after work because she needed to "talk" to me. There is nothing in this world as frightening as those words, especially when she adds "don't bring Myria". I managed to finish work and head over there.
The news: The doctor's office called. They needed to see my dad and run some more blood tests because some recent tests indicated cancer, most likely bone cancer. Now, this call was to my dad and filtered through him and he is slightly more reticent than I am when it comes to discussing things, so we were shy on details. However, this much was sure: This wasn't a test to see what could be wrong, it was a test to see how bad it was. One added detail -- this cancer usually struck the young, especially children. Which led me to think of leukemia, because that's the only cancer that I associate primarily with children.
The additional tests and consultation with the doctor was today.
Result: It is leukemia, specifically Adult Chronic Leukemia. However at this stage it is not life threatening. In fact, at this stage it isn't affecting him at all and it is only something that needs to be monitored.
The doctor asked how he was feeling. My dad said he felt fine. His appetite is fine. He isn't in pain. He did say he tired easily, to which the doctor replied "You had a stroke five months ago, you should be tired all the time. This is normal." I don't believe that my dad told the doc that he is also tired after he does things like go out into the forest and cut wood. As my brother said, we are so used to his progress since the stroke that we don't realize how amazing that progress is. In fact, I believe that the only reason the leukemia was caught at all at this stage was because of his stroke. With all the tests that they are doing monitoring that, it would be natural to notice this abnormality.
Anyhow, back to the leukemia. His white blood cell count is slightly elevated but nothing to be concerned about. I do know that prior to his stroke he did have a blood test with an elevated count and they gave him antibiotics thinking that he had a infection of some sort. The next blood test was good and that was it. They are going to run a bunch of tests to create baseline from which to make future comparisons. However, as long as he feels good, they are looking at testing once a year.
As my dad said: when you go in thinking that they could tell you you have until Christmas, its amazing to hear them talk in terms of doing further tests in years.
There's no telling how long he's had this, nor how fast it will progress. It says on the site that Chronic Leukemia can't be cured but it can be controlled and that's what the doctor said too. My folks and my brother (who could go with them to the consultation today) were very impressed with the doctor.
So. My dad is just supposed to go on recovering from the stroke and living his life. If he starts to feel sick, he goes in for a check up. If there is something wrong, they will do something.
Sounds like the way most of us live.
And that, that's okay.
Last week Monday I got a call from my mom who said I should stop by after work because she needed to "talk" to me. There is nothing in this world as frightening as those words, especially when she adds "don't bring Myria". I managed to finish work and head over there.
The news: The doctor's office called. They needed to see my dad and run some more blood tests because some recent tests indicated cancer, most likely bone cancer. Now, this call was to my dad and filtered through him and he is slightly more reticent than I am when it comes to discussing things, so we were shy on details. However, this much was sure: This wasn't a test to see what could be wrong, it was a test to see how bad it was. One added detail -- this cancer usually struck the young, especially children. Which led me to think of leukemia, because that's the only cancer that I associate primarily with children.
The additional tests and consultation with the doctor was today.
Result: It is leukemia, specifically Adult Chronic Leukemia. However at this stage it is not life threatening. In fact, at this stage it isn't affecting him at all and it is only something that needs to be monitored.
The doctor asked how he was feeling. My dad said he felt fine. His appetite is fine. He isn't in pain. He did say he tired easily, to which the doctor replied "You had a stroke five months ago, you should be tired all the time. This is normal." I don't believe that my dad told the doc that he is also tired after he does things like go out into the forest and cut wood. As my brother said, we are so used to his progress since the stroke that we don't realize how amazing that progress is. In fact, I believe that the only reason the leukemia was caught at all at this stage was because of his stroke. With all the tests that they are doing monitoring that, it would be natural to notice this abnormality.
Anyhow, back to the leukemia. His white blood cell count is slightly elevated but nothing to be concerned about. I do know that prior to his stroke he did have a blood test with an elevated count and they gave him antibiotics thinking that he had a infection of some sort. The next blood test was good and that was it. They are going to run a bunch of tests to create baseline from which to make future comparisons. However, as long as he feels good, they are looking at testing once a year.
As my dad said: when you go in thinking that they could tell you you have until Christmas, its amazing to hear them talk in terms of doing further tests in years.
There's no telling how long he's had this, nor how fast it will progress. It says on the site that Chronic Leukemia can't be cured but it can be controlled and that's what the doctor said too. My folks and my brother (who could go with them to the consultation today) were very impressed with the doctor.
So. My dad is just supposed to go on recovering from the stroke and living his life. If he starts to feel sick, he goes in for a check up. If there is something wrong, they will do something.
Sounds like the way most of us live.
And that, that's okay.
