Long time without a post - but lots of news,

And for good reason. After starting to recover from by kidney infection we got a call from the oncologist saying my blood test also included elevated bile levels, which means the stent installed during the ERCP back in January will have to replaced (with a permanent one) soon rather than later. It is scheduled to be done at the same hospital, but the same surgeon Monday 4/7 @ pm. In the meantime I have to eat easily digestible foods to avoid the pain from that problem. I still take Vicoden for the tumor pain.

My first chemo session was supposed to start Tuesday 4/8 but we are sure that will happen then because of the ERCP surgery being done the night before.

I did have my PET scan this morning arriving at the facility @ 6am. Our good friends from the Chorale, Susie and Wayne Kelley were lifesavers. Wayne came over with Susie @ 5:30 to make sure I could get down from the bedroom to the car. He went on to work and Susie came along with us. The procedure was not uncomfortable, however in preparation I could only eat either meat, hard cheese or eggs, all of which gave me lots of pain due my inability to digest well. After the ERCP my digestion should be much better.

We also got approval yesterday for a 2nd opinion, as to treatment options at UC Irvine Med. Center. Hopefully that will happen next week