Preliminary Biopsy Results

The definitive results won’t be in until later this week, but the preliminary finding is that I have a “GastroIntestinal Stromal Tumor” (GIST). A GIST is a type of sarcoma, which in turn is a type of cancer. It’s pretty rare (of course), about 3,000-3,500 cases in the US annually. The good news is that they’re talking cure not treatment. But it’ll be another open surgery (the tumor is badly placed for lathroscopic surgery).

In other news there is apparently a nodule on my left lung and some kind of spots on my kidney.

My next step is to get another CT scan, this time with IV contrast (or possibly a PET scan). We’ll know more about all of the above masses after that scan. Pending new information from the coming tests, I’ll probably be going back for surgery sometime around mid-november…

8 replies on “Preliminary Biopsy Results”

  1. Wow. I can’t believe that any of this is happening at all, let alone all at once. You are certainly in my thoughts (I don’t exactly pray), and I hope that you recover quicker than the doctors think is possible. Best of luck.

  2. Wow. I can’t believe that any of this is happening at all, let alone all at once. You are certainly in my thoughts (I don’t exactly pray), and I hope that you recover quicker than the doctors think is possible. Best of luck.

  3. Good lord, man, are you trying for some sort of random health issue award?! Seriously, there have to be better ways to get your friends to hang out with you more.

    I, too, am sorry to hear that you’re being dragged through the health care quagmire and that your body is not behaving as it should. I know you can’t be looking forward to another surgery at all, much less this soon. Please let me know if there’s anything my clan can help with. I’ll definitely push the babysitting idea a little harder so you and Missi can have a few moments of peace (and the adults here can certainly do some, too – if you need it at any point, just ask.) In the meantime, we’ll continue to hold you in the Light and send as much healing energy your way as we can.

  4. Good lord, man, are you trying for some sort of random health issue award?! Seriously, there have to be better ways to get your friends to hang out with you more.

    I, too, am sorry to hear that you’re being dragged through the health care quagmire and that your body is not behaving as it should. I know you can’t be looking forward to another surgery at all, much less this soon. Please let me know if there’s anything my clan can help with. I’ll definitely push the babysitting idea a little harder so you and Missi can have a few moments of peace (and the adults here can certainly do some, too – if you need it at any point, just ask.) In the meantime, we’ll continue to hold you in the Light and send as much healing energy your way as we can.

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