Another Face Off

Generally I'm not much of a talker. But on occasions, when necessary, I can talk the talk. There is no question that my oncologist is quite a speaker and I have no doubt that he's addressed meetings of doctors.

Yesterday, we faced off. It was all good. It was all positive, of course. But we both became very interested with the conversation and followed it through. I knew that I needed to secure enough of his attention so that I could get as many answers, as much wealth from his brain, as possible.

Even though Sloan-Kettering recommended one of two kidney cancer drugs, the only two I haven't tried yet, my oncologist is not feeling real strong about the idea. I do understand his point of view. He thinks I have reached a point where any drugs he would give me would hurt me more than help me. I've had chemo for more than three-years! I've had at least five Gamma Knife brain treatments! They've certainly raked me over the coals. I am pretty beat.

But the doc will concede and let me try anything I want. We talked about it. I guess I am basically, right now, kind of my own oncologist.

I told the doc that althugh I understood his point of view, I still felt compelled to fight on, because of my faith, for my wife, my daughter, my families and friends. But I did had that life and cancer was not necessarily always a black and white thing, and solutions sometimes were gray. He agreed.

It was an interesting debate. There was a resident student in attendance. I have a feeling he go a lot more than he ever expected.

So basically we're going to run the current Interferon injections out until early January when we'll do a scan to check to see if the drug has has any effect on the cancer. Depending on the result we'll continue the Interferon or switch to a new, recently released drug.

A big thank you to Alyssa for driving us into the health campus yesterday. It was a raw, cold, just nasty day yesterday. It looks like more of the same today.