Mayo Clinic Update

So I'm back from Rochester MN, and I have to say I have thawed out some. It was a long flight in, so much snow on Thursday in Minneapolis I thought they were going to turn the plane back around to Portland. Stayed at a funky old hotel right across from the Mayo Clinic, which is accessed either by the sky walkway or the underground tunnel. Absolutely bizarre, the whole downtown is connected this way so you never really have to go outside, which I immediately loved as it was 0 degrees the morning of my appointment. Here would be appropriate to give a huge shout out to my brother in law Brian and his glowing wife Sue, who took great care of me during my stay in the Arctic - I mean Rochester.

Anyway, it seems some of you are anxious to hear about this appointment! I met with Dr Alberts, a very distinguished doctor that I wish I could have back in Bend, he is just so knowledgeable and nice and experienced - i.e, gray, and not bright eyed and bushy tailed like my doc in Bend. The appointment was short, very informative, and to the point. He says that it is more than likely cancer of the small intestine, but he will stick with the official verdict of 'cancer of unknown primary' - but it is NOT pancreatic - which makes me do a little dance. He advised a completely different regimen of chemo than the two others docs before him, and did not ask for any other tests or such. Just said ' go home, get chemo, get better'. I believe that this chemo will shrink down those nasty cancer cells until they disappear forever - and at the same time I will remain in vibrant health!

So that's the plan. Right now I am waiting for the local office to schedule my appointments to get my chemo 'class' - sounds captivating! - and to get a 'port' in, which is (I guess) kind of like a souped up IV placement pad for the chemo treatments. All this should happen sometime later this week. I'm glad I went to Mayo, and quite satisfied with the appt. One other funny thing... Dr. Alberts also had some 'good' news - he does NOT think I have celiac! I'm taking it easy (no, I did not go out and eat a giant waffle right away!) but so far he seems to be correct. Ha ha, right?

For now, I am enjoying time with my boys and noticing the beauty and relevance in every moment. Brice had roses for me when I returned from MN, and each day they are so differently beautiful and smell more complex... life is amazingly good if you let it be, no matter where you are. Enjoy!