Yep I knew it.

The phone call came Thursday afternoon. The spot on my dad's lung "lit up" on the PET scan, indicating cancer. I absolutely thought it was cancer all along and expected the phone call to go the way it did. The doctor did not shock me.

He will have a biopsy in the next 2 weeks to determine if the spot is actual lung cancer, or colon cancer that has spread to the lung.  This will determine how they treat that spot.  If it is lung cancer they will go after it with radiation when my dad is on breaks from the chemo.  If it is colon cancer, they will hope the chemo will shrink it, since the drugs he'll get are targeted to attack that kind of cancer cell.  

Chemotherapy should start in the next two weeks as well.  As soon as the doctors know the plan for the lung, they will get started on dealing with the colon cancer.

As for how my dad is dealing with the news. Its hard to tell.  The doctor called him right before she called me.  He was very concerned about making it downstairs to the ham and cabbage dinner being served in his building's community room so we didn't chat for long.  If you know my dad, you know that food taking priority over everything else is a pretty normal thing. If ignoring what he just heard and heading off to eat a good meal is what he wants to do, I'm not going to judge.  The guy with the cancer gets to do whatever he wants.

Quick Update

My dad had his PET/CT on Friday afternoon in Buffalo, and we were told we will have the results by Tuesday.  We will know then if the cancer has spread to his lungs.  I really don't feel like dealing with the reality of this.  I wish I could have a time out!

Cue the Jeopardy theme music

Still waiting....and waiting for the phone call to schedule my dad's PET/CT.  He had a follow up appointment with the surgeon last Wednesday.  He drove himself, which worked out well since I spent the morning at the doctor's with Emma who had a double ear infection.  While there, he spoke to the oncology nurse and she said they would let him know when they heard from Buffalo about the scan.  We still haven't heard.

On the home front, I decided it was time for me to address the big "C" word with Emma.  I went to Barnes and Noble and bought the only book they had for talking to kids when a  family member has cancer.  I took her up my room to get away from household distractions, and I read it to her (skipping some parts and summarizing others).  She listened and nodded, and when I asked her if she had any questions she said "can I go downstairs now?"   I didn't know what to make of it, I don't know if it all went over her head, or if she's exactly like her dad when it comes to unpleasant discussions (his method is avoid them at all costs).   I know she's only five and I can't expect her to react like an adult, so I've let her be.  I only asked her one time since if she wanted to talk about Grandpa, and she said no.

Even though the wait is frustrating, especially for my dad, I'm still enjoying this "whole lot of nothing" that is happening right now.