And the results are in ...

(The following Post is based on an e-mail I just sent out to close friends.)

Not good news!

Hi there all,

not been the best day today. Went for my  appointment with the Medical Oncologist re starting Chemotherapy.

That is going to happen, probably ASAP - esp. if I start with using my private health cover. The public system is alas a bit overloaded and it would take quite a number of weeks before they could "find me chair" as the jargon goes.

With this type of chemo they'll hook me up to a portable pump at the hospital. It stays on for about 4 days, and then it's removed again. The process is repeated every 3-4 weeks. So no long sitting about in hospital twiddling my fingers.

The side-effects will probably be not much worse than the those I've already experienced with Radiotherapy - so no big surprises for me there.

The nastier news is that the cancer is more advanced than what I'd previously been told. It's gotten into the bone around my ear.

The only reason to have the chemotherapy now is to try to extend my life somewhat, and keep me comfortable.

They estimate that I have 6-12 months to live.

Because of the depth of the cancer, there is little that surgery would do except waste my time (3 painful months in hospital) in a most uncomfortable manner. The cancer would just return - and faster than before.

I'm getting a full body CAT scan tomorrow at the hospital to see if the cancer has metastasised (spread.) The less spread - the longer I get.

The few people that I've told are all saying "I don't know what to say!" Which is alright ... neither do I, although when I told him, my brother made gratuitous use of the word "Fuck" - which is probably more articulate than I've been on the subject. I'm still in shock. It's not really sunk in.

My close friend who accompanied me to the meeting jumped on the net here at home and got some information about who to contact at places like the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney Cancer Centre etc. for possible second opinions and trials - and I think for my own piece of mind that sort of thing will be worth a try. All I can do is ask around.

Anyway ... I don't think I've any more to say ... for now. I'll be keeping regular updates here.

-- Stephen