Patient Conference

I've decided to go to the NorCal CarciNET Support Groups patient conference the end of January.  This is a 1 day conference sponsored by the Northern California Carcinoid Support Group.  I'm really, really excited.  3 top doctors will be giving presentations.  This is in San Francisco (a great place to visit).  My friend is taking me for my birthday, which is in December.  We were going to go to Las Vegas that weekend but when I asked him if he would go to San Francisco instead, he said "sure"...  The conference is on Sunday  so we'll fly in Friday night and spend Saturday doing all those fun touristy things!  Also, one fellow "noid" patient whom I've had contact with through email and FB, lives in San Francisco so she said she'd love to show us around!

Her is the link: http://norcalcarcinet.org/index.php/component/content/article/80-meetings/90-netcon13

I'm still debating on whether or not to call the surgeon I was told about.  He is on my insurance.  I just don't know if I should "stick to the plan" and wait until I meet with my oncologist again in Feb.  It's scheduled for Feb. 5th so I should be having another scan the end of Januray or 1st part of Feb.  I'll probably wait so I can talk to him about it more.  I read somewhere that liver cytoreduction surgery can stimulate tumor growth since your need to stimulate growth for the liver to regenerate.  Wow!  I hadn't seen that mentioned anywhere before and now I can't remember where I saw it.  I think it was in an article about the pro's and con's...  Just another factor to consider in the decision.  Of course, it still depends on what my insurance will approve.  Argh.

Another fellow Zebra is having major risky surgery today.  She was diagnosed in 2008 with mets to her liver.  Her primary tumor was never found.  Now she has lymph nodes in her chest, between heart and lungs, that have been invaded by tumors and have grown and attached themselves to her vena cava and pulminary artery (I believe).  She has gone through radiation to try and shrink these suckers but they've shown little response.  She is having trouble breathing so this surgery is pretty much her only option  to buy more time.  I am thinking and praying for her today and always.  She is such a sweet, funny and kind person.  Another fellow Zebra was told by her oncologist that this cancer was a "bland" cancer.  Try telling that to these patients whose tumors are invading their every organ!  I don't think 4 years is "slow-growing"....

I did have a blood test to see if I am on the right dose of Sandostatin.  It'll take two to three weeks to get back though.  My heart palpitations have not gone away with my latest injection so I doubt that the problem is too low a dose.  Going to the OB-GYN this Friday so I'll ask her to run a thyroid panel. Maybe I'll get some answers and find out what she thinks about my ovarian cyst that may not be a cyst!

I will try to post an update next week after my appointment and let you know what I find out, if anything.

Blessing to all...

Namaste