If you remember me saying we were heading to the mayo clinic after Dad has completed 8 treatments (for stage 4 colon cancer) because the local oncologist did his last scans and said there were "no visible signs of cancer". Because his CEA was at an 8 (down from the previous two weeks at 15) we knew going up to Mayo there was still SOME residual cancer but because our local oncologist was SO optomistic we couldn't help but be too. The plan was for Mayo to do their own CT Scan, blood work, EKG etc Tuesday morning and then he met with the oncologist and surgeon in the afternoon. The surgeon said that they still see "some" cancer in his colon but have no idea how much or where it is?! They said because he has a colostomy bag his lower colon is basically laying down kind of in a heap so he can't tell?! The surgeon that did dad's origianl surgery in April evidently didn't dictate in his notes where the tumor was so he said he didn't know?! WHY he didn't pick up the phone and call the surgeon in Sioux City I have no idea. We told him it was in his sigmoid colon (and we knew we were right because how else in the heck would we even know that word) but he acted like we didn't know what we were talkign about. He then said, if it's in the lower sigmoid, why is his colostomy bag so high? I agree because his stoma is VERY high (like probably three inches lower than his chest. He said he will not feel comfortable opening Dad up without knowing how much cancer there is in there because in the 6 to 8 weeks of recovery the cancer could spread to other areas?! He also asked why they think they need the surgery anyways?! My parents said that they were told by local oncologists to have the surgery would mean getting as much of the tumors and other little cancer areas out of his body to be that much more "ahead of the game" and also if possible to reverse his colostomy bag. The doctor at Mayo acted like there is no real need to get his tumor out (keep in mind he has just finished telling us he doesn't even know how much there is even in his colon) and that my Dad can live with a colostomy bag for his whole life like my Dad was being stupid for wanting to get rid of it?! Can people please let me know what your thoughts are??? Are WE the crazy one's here? Thank you thank you thank you!