Update on Wayne

Wayne recently found out that he has bladder cancer. In a procedure called a cystoscopy, tumors were removed from the bladder. It was determined that his cancer is urothelial carcinoma, papillary and non-papillary types, high grade, with substantial micropapillary component. There's more, but no need to continue with those descriptions unless you're writing a paper on them. The cancer had not gotten into the wall of the bladder, so normally the cancer would have been treatable. However, the substantial micropapillary component indicates a very aggressive cancer which undoubtedly would come back. So, on October 24, at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, he will have surgery to remove the bladder, the prostate, and lymph nodes in the area. It is a big surgery which usually will take from 5 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours. The average hospital stay is 7 to 10 days. Recovery period is usually 6 to 8 weeks, during which time he will not be able to drive a tractor or lift much of anything.

This has been a busy week for him. We both went to M.D. Anderson on Tuesday. We left the house at 5:30 AM and had appointments all day long. He had a CT scan to check his kidneys...they are fine. We finally left the facility at 5:00 and, of course, we were in rush hour traffic. We did stop to eat, since we hadn't had a meal since breakfast. Finally arrived home at 8:30.

Wayne had to go back to the Mays Clinic at M.D. Anderson on Wednesday morning where he met with Internal Medicine, Anesthesiology and Genitoururinary Oncologist. He got back in the late afternoon. He's been busy all day today, Thursday. Friday morning he is going to Houston to earn continuing education hours for his Funeral Director's license, which he has kept up. So, evidently there's no rest for the weary.

I'm sure this is more than you need to know, but now you do. So, there! I'll try to post updates as we go along. Read, don't read...whatever.