Ben Friday 9-12-08

Peter

They are calling Adenocarcinoma. It did not originate in the colon but outside and grew 2 directions. One toward the left kidney and around the two left ureters and the other had just breached the colon wall. If it had not grown around the ureters (normally there is one but Ben is not normal in any circumstance) and squeezed them shut and backed up the urine in the kidney causing extreme pain. The Dr.s said that they would have never found it in time before doing surgery if it had not done that.

They are not sure of what caused it as it did not start in a usual place for colon cancer, it has spread to the lungs and liver as well as into the abdomen and the lymph nodes. But supposedly at this time the liver is clear. The Avastin must have worked there but not elsewhere.

He is hanging in tonight. He will hopefully be release on the 20th to the Northern California Rehabilitation Hospital on Eureka Way. It is directly across from the Seventh Day Adventist Church there. That is the plan unless something else happens. The Dr. says to expect to be there any where from 2 weeks (minimum if all goes well) to at least 3 months. He says that some cases have taken that long to heal. That mans that Ben would be without anything by mouth for that long. Right now they are afraid to try to give him anything else in case he should sprout more holes and these haven't healed. He was saying that all these holes are popping up above the illiostomy in the small intestine and he would cause more damage trying to go in to fix them right now that to let them try to heal on their own. The Dr. kept knocking on wood when ever he gave a time limit on what he thought to expect. So that tells me that he isn't really sure it will work. He also said that he wouldn't even try to go back in to fix anything until he has given it at least 3 months to try to heal on its own. So he can be expected to be there until about Christmas time if things go as they have been. He is trying to accept that but it is hard.

He is resting quietly tonight. He called the house this time instead of me calling him. So he must be feeling better. You all have a good night. Love to all. Ben and Illa