The second eye doctor today wasted little time in diagnosing the problem with my right eye: Choroidal melanoma. He did some confirmatory tests, and then did an immediate — real time — referral to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He then got hold of my primary doctor and discussed the “work-up” that needs to be done before I go to Houston.
I start Thursday morning on the first phases of the work-up that will include brain scan, MRI and a raft of blood tests. All this will be done in Lubbock.
If I understand correctly, he is expecting to send us down to Houston some time about 2-3 weeks from now. I don’t know a lot right now.
I went into the doctor’s office at 2 p.m. By 2:45 my eyes were wide open. By 3:15 he had completed the first exam of both eyes. His first words were, “I’m afraid it’s not good,” and then he used the “m” word. He was very blunt. He said sometimes they can do radiation, “you may lose the eye,” and he suggested, “or worse,” depending on what they find.
The preliminary work-up is designed in part to find evidence of metastasis / other cancer.
I called Nancy in Phoenix almost as soon as I knew, and then I fulfilled my regular Wednesday night temple assignment. At the temple I received a wonderful blessing from President Hendricks and Scott Wells after the 8 p.m. session.
Now you know as much as I do.