We decided to tell quite openly about my situation to relatives, friends and neighbours right from the very beginning. We got a lot of calls and messages back with encouraging words and support. Many started searching the internet or used their personal network to find information about cancer treatment. My family in Norway hooked me up with two persons that had gone through treatment of cancer that has spread from elsewhere to the liver. I've now learnt that this is in medical terms called metastatic cancer. I called them both and had both long and helpful discussions. All this support has definitely helped bringing my thoughts away from the doctor's message on Friday and onto a hope that it is possible to extend my time left to something more than months.
On Monday morning my wife called the hospital to ask what would happen next. We got to talk to a secretary who said I'd been scheduled to meet a doctor (oncologist) Tuesday 15th July. We felt disappointed to have to wait for another week. We did not manage to get in touch with anyone else at the hospital during the rest of the day. We called in my parents-in-law as baby-sitters and on Tuesday morning we drove to the hospital to try and get answers to a lot of questions and possibly an earlier appointment. We spent about two hours there and got to talk to the nurse that had done the arrangements. She was very helpful and understanding, but getting an earlier appointment would be impossible as every hour was booked. In fact, she was happy she had been able to book me in so fast as it was another patient's cancellation. She went to ask the oncologist if she would be able to meet us for a few minutes or if she could give us a call. That didn't work out, but the nurse gave us a hint that we could contact an oncologists in the Finnish Cancer Society if we had a lot of general questions around cancer treatments. She also told us that the treatment would be chemotherapy and that it would start within the next weeks. We felt in fact quite good after the visit to the hospital as we got answers to many of our questions.
In the beginning of the week we were very busy studying the internet to learn about cancer, the combination of treatments that are possible, how they work, and on which grounds different treatments are proposed. As much as this is a journey into uncertainty this is also a research journey. I have to admit that my wife has been fantastic. She's spent hours and hours studying and is already very knowledgeable.
We got tipped off by a friend of mine to contact a professor at the Helsinki University Hospital who is an expert in cancer treatment. As we have a whole week to wait for my appointment, my wife started a mail conversation with him. He said they're cooperating closely with the Tampere University Hospital and that I would get the best treatment that is possible. He read through my diagnosis and lab tests and said chemotherapy is the right treatment for me.
I also called the Norwegian Cancer Society and Radiumhospitalet in Oslo to ask for information. To get treatment free of charge in Norway I would need a permanent address in Norway. We have decided there is no reason to go down that road as I would probably get as good, if not better, service here in town. Norwegian Cancer Society offers a lot of forums for patient with different types of cancer. Those could be useful at some point of time.
I feel surprising well actually. No pain. Some trouble falling asleep as thoughts keep spinning around.
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