Re-Scan

Tomorrow is a big day for BigDFaust. This will be the first scan since Derek's treatment began to determine how well the tumor is responding to the chemotherapy. Since January 12th, Derek has undergone four full rounds of Folfirinox. In that time, he has learned to navigate side effects, new eating habits, and patterns of fatigue. Through each round of treatment, Derek's ability to handle the aggressive chemotherapy steadily improved. With more energy, appetite and stamina, Derek completed his fourth round of chemo this week with the positivity he will need leading into his scan tomorrow.

On Tuesday, we will spend the morning in Milwaukee at the Wisconsin Medical College, to meet with Dr. E who will tell us whether or not he would be willing to attempt Derek's surgery. Later that day, we will travel south to the University of Chicago to see Dr. K to follow up on Derek's progress. These meetings will give us new information that will dictate our next steps.

Leading up to this point, Derek has followed the plan and learned to adapt to his new routine. He goes to chemo appointments, hydration appointments, and acupuncture appointments. He anticipates which days he will feel well enough to participate in typical daily activities. He has learned which foods are appetizing and easy to digest and the ones he must avoid. He manages his own side effects from the chemotherapy with various medication combinations. He has truly lived an entirely new life in these past two months, and he has not complained once. His strength is inspirational.

People ask me all the time how we do it, referring to how Derek and I continue working, parenting, and living with his cancer diagnosis. I usually tell them that we have no choice. But the more I think about it, that is not entirely true. While the situation is outside of our control, the way we handle the situation is completely up to us. We choose to keep moving forward and enjoy the little moments along the way. This mindset has led to a peaceful and optimistic outlook on what lies ahead.

Thanks for checking in. Stay tuned for an update next week when we report back on next steps for BigD!

The Glass is Half Full

Earlier this week, Derek learned that he does not carry the gene mutation for BRCA1 or BRCA2. This is a huge victory for us, giving us peace of mind. With Derek's results coming back as negative, it immediately eliminates the burden our children could carry throughout their adult lives.

Yesterday, Derek and I returned to the University of Chicago for the first time since our meeting with Dr. K last month. It's amazing how much life has changed in such a short amount of time. In this last month, Derek has endured two rounds of chemo, adapted his demanding work schedule, and learned how to manage a myriad of side effects with a medley of medications.

When we first learned of Derek's diagnosis as a borderline resectable tumor, we immediately adopted the mantra "get to surgery" to keep ourselves focused on a short-term, attainable goal. With two rounds of chemo down and two to go until the restaging of his cancer, we were advised to set up a surgical consultation to better understand our next steps. We were eager to hear what a gastrointestinal surgeon specializing in pancreatic cancers could tell us about Derek's case.

When we sat down with the surgeon, Dr. M, he began by drawing a picture of Derek's organs on a piece of paper setting up the game plan for Derek. Because Derek's tumor has invaded the celiac artery, it makes his tumor more difficult to remove. He explained that he hoped Derek would be a candidate for something called the Appleby Procedure, which would allow the surgeon to remove the celiac axis, the bottom half of the pancreas and the spleen.

Dr. M shared with Derek that he believes he will get to surgery this spring. He went on to explain that even though he is optimistic, it may be too dangerous to complete the surgery once they go in. You can choose to hear that information in one of two way: surgery is an option or surgery, though an option, may not be completed. We chose to hear the former. We know that some surgeons may not even attempt a surgery, so we left the meeting feeling very encouraged.

We choose to be hopeful. We choose to be optimistic. We choose to believe that Derek will get to surgery.