My Doctor Saved my Life

I am blest to have a physician that truly cares about his patients and wants to do only the best for them. Rather than mildly encouraging his patients and pushing them to a healthier lifestyle, as he does that too, he also looks for impactful technology and leading edge tests to head off and diagnose early signs of cancer and disease. I am so blest that my doctor felt that it would be helpful to his patients if he participated in a trial of a new blood test that detects over 40 different cancers, that was not even approved by the FDA at the time. But he had taken the time to study and evaluate the effectiveness and felt it was something that could possibly protect his patients. The test would cost the patient $ 700.00 to administer and get the results, but it was an investment that he felt would be worth the cost, if it only found a few of his patients to have positive results. I was one of those patients. My wife had a history of cancer, and wanted to take the Galleri Grail Blood Test. My family had other medical issues, cancer not necessarily being a real risk. However, I chose to take the test and support my wife in hers. Her test came back negative even though she had tested positive for the BRCA gene. Mine however came back positive for esophageal/stomach cancer. My doctor referred me to a gastronenterologist. He lectured me for 15 minutes that he was performing more wasteful tests as a result of these leading edge tests. The day he called with my results, his first words were, "Well i will be damn, you are positive, and I am calling Dr. DeAtkine to get this same test for my wife and me". To make a long story short, my doctor and oncologist that he was close to, wanted to refer me to M D Anderson for follow up. That again is a decision that would save my life, again! Even though after having three different upper GI tests from three different physician, each one of them claiming this was the earliest that they had ever diagnosed esophageal cancer, and not to worry, the result should be positive. In the end, they could not get clear edges with an attempt to take out my tumor through my esophagus. They then determined they would have to remove my stomach in order to guarantee my healing, but it would not require any follow up with chemo and/or radiation, again as a result of my very early diagnosis. But, eventfully, my three month scans revealed that my esophageal cancer had in fact metastasized to my liver. It was then determined that I needed to have chemotherapy, of which I endured, to the point that it almost damaged my liver. But yet my wife and doctors found it the morning of my liver cancer surgery when she asked them why my eyes were so yellow. After treating me for my damaged liver, I then underwent liver resection where they removed 20 % of my liver, finding that the chemo cocktail had in fact killed 100 % of the cancer on my liver. It has now been 5 months since my liver surgery, whereas my first CT scan screeing indicated that I have no more active cancer in my body. I cannot continue to take the chemo regimen as it was what almost damaged my liver in the process. But i remain taking a targeted therapy that is teaching my immune system to identify bad cancer cells and unlock them so that my immune system can attack them. All of this, started with the decision first from my physician that he would not wait until normal cancer screenings would happen before he could help his patients. He first chose to actively take advantage of the technologies he felt would be the best choice. He followed up with connecting me with the right local oncologist while the two of them made the right choice again in connecting me with the best cancer professionals available. Because he chose not to allow patients on his watch to not have the best treatments and best opportunities available for survival. Again, my MDVIP doctor saved my LIFE! And i will forever be grateful! And he has followed up with making himself available by text messages, phone calls and endless encouragement and support from him personally and from his staff, throughout this entire process! My wife and I are truly blest!!! The only part of this that I can take credit in, is the original decision over 10 years ago to be an MDVIP patient AND to follow my doctor's recommendations unequivocally! God divinely put us together so that I have this testimony to share, I am thankful and forever blest! Thank you Dr. DeAtkine that God has blest you with a desire to truly live out your calling, to protect those under your care above all else!