#9 Liver Cancer - The Diagnosis (April 5, 2010)

Wife again...

Hunt received a phone call from Dr. Cohen at Kaiser in Vallejo.  Dr. Cohen was brief on the phone informing the pathology report was back and he wanted to see Hunt in his office to discuss the results as soon as possible.  I was at work when Hunt called me and asked if I could leave early that afternoon to go with him to the appointment.     

For all Hunt’s struggling with Kaiser and the health care system in general to get proper diagnosis, for all the constant pain, the painful colonoscopy procedure and the tests he had been through, I had never been with him physically.  For thousand times I regret that if I were with him or if I paid a little more attention, things could have turned out differently and Hunt would not have suffered the way he did.  I waited until the last minute to accompany Hunt to this appointment just to be told that he had cancerous tumors in the liver.

Dr. Cohen said he would quickly send Hunt to UCSF where Kaiser has a contract for liver transplant patients.  One with a sound mind would wonder why Hunt’s case was still being handled by Dr. Cohen of Gastroenterology Department but not by the Oncology Department by then.  But Hunt couldn’t hold his tear back and we for a moment, let our emotion out of control.  All I could murmur at that time was to ask Dr. Cohen to contact the liver transplant board at Kaiser and keep us informed about the process.  We left Dr. Cohen’s office in a state of confusion.

Hunts Notes:

My wife has nothing to feel guilty about. We all do the best we can, when we can, and she has most certainly been the driving force of my team. And lately I wouldn't have made it this far without her. My undying love went immortal.