I'll begin with this day, July 6, 2018 and finish with the progression from last summer to now. Dennis has neuro-endocrine cancer and will undergo surgery at Providence Portland in about an hour to remove the three tumors in and around his small intestine. The cancer has metastacized to his liver where there are approximately 15 small tumors. The surgery will take 2-3 hours and we've been given a very good prognosis since the mass creating the obstruction is well-differentiated (medical term that refers to the quality of the cells).
In 2008, Dennis was diagnosed with NAFLD (non-alcholic fatty liver disease) attributed to exposure at some point to the hepatitis C virus which can damage the liver. Over the last decade we made lifestyle changes that included daily workouts (even Crossfit) and diet modifications. His liver enzymes normalized and aside from that last 20 pounds, Dennis was feeling good about the progress he had made. Unfortunately, in 2016 his liver doctor told him the liver fibrosis (scarring) had increased from stage 2 to 3 therefor semi-annual screening had to be done to rule out cancer. Last August the scans were normal but last month they showed 'lesions'. An MRI was ordered and 15 or more became evident so the next step was a biopsy which took place last Tuesday, 7/3.
To complicate matters, last fall a routine blood test revealed his ferritin (iron) had plummeted which indicated anemia from internal blood loss. He was referred to a hematologist who began a battery of tests like colonoscopy and endoscopy which both came out clear. Next was a capsule endoscopy where Dennis had to swallow a capsule containing a camera that took pictures every 2 seconds as it moves through the digestive track. They found a lesion and said it was an ulcer but weren't sure that was the source of bleeding. Shortly after, Dennis began having horrible pain and cramping in that area. He tried avoiding tomatoes, spicy food, citrus but the pain persisted every couple of days usually at night. He was usually up all night with pain at a 9-10. On the 4th of July ,after spending the evening at our daughter & son-in-law's home, the pain came back with a vengeance so I insisted we head to the ER. There was no wait and a team quickly went to work giving Dennis pain medication and ordering a CT scan of his bowel. The result was a mass that created a blockage and the radiologist thought it was a carcinoid and surgery would be necessary to remove the blockage. Of course I went into search mode and didn't like what I was reading - cancer. We consulted our medical friends and they strongly suggested we transfer to Providence Portland, a larger hospital with more resources.
We connected with Dr. Zink who said she didn't want to perform surgery until the biopsy reports came back so she knew what she was working with. We really liked how she took the time to explain everything to us -helped alleviate our anxiety. Yesterday we finally received a diagnosis that linked both problems. The 'ulcer' was actually the mass/tumor and it had been bleeding making Dennis anemic. It partially blocked the passage of food so anything he ate wasn't moving very well and that caused the pain. The cancer metastasized to his liver. Dr. Zink will remove all three bowel area tumors and use ultrasound while she's in there to look at the liver tumors.
The oncologist, Dr. Simon, told us neuroendocrine cancer is caused by the digestive hormones going wacky and the cells mutate forming a tumor. It's slow growing and doesn't usually move outside the digestive system. He's probably had it for awhile but until he became symptomatic (pain from blockage) there wasn't a reason to look for anything. At present it is not curable but the growth can be stopped with a monthly injection of medicine that suppresses the hormone receptors. After he heals from the bowel surgery they will address the tumors in the liver with these injections. There are more treatment options but this is where his group wants to begin because there are less side effects.
Dennis was just taken into surgery so please pray for the doctor and her team that they can safely and successfully remove the tumors and we can go forward with our plan to treat him going forward.
Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers! It means the world to us to have your love and support! We've entrusted Dennis and our future to Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother and feel confident that with their help and protection anything is possible - even a miracle!
Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions, we can only accommodate a small number of people for Dennis’ services. Please check your emails in the coming days for an invitation from Christ The King church. For those unable to attend the funeral, it will be live streaming on Christ The King’s website at www.ctk.cc on December 31st at 10:30am. Once it is safe to do so we will be having a Celebration of Life party so we can all come together to remember our amazing father, husband, and friend.
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