Pages

Friday, February 19, 2010

Houston...come in Houston, we have a problem!

Just left my oncologist appointment and must admit, not real happy and even concerned. First off, I'm annoyed as why why why must Doctors offices always schedule appointments when they know they cant fulfil them. My appointment was set for 3:15, it's 4 before a nurse even acknowledges me and puts me in a room and 4:45 before an appearance by the Doctor. Enough said.

I had been hoping after the non event of the lung biopsy, he would reevaluate his regiment. To the contrary, not only does he brush right over that topic he almost immediately starts stressing that we've waited long enough and we must start the treatment...tomorrow if possible, Monday at the latest. I appreciate the urgency, I tell him, however, not only have I felt better than I have in weeks and can actually eat seemingly anything without pain, I feel it is prudent to get myself a second opinion and am awaiting just that. He winces and agrees that is my purgative and then asks if that is a local or mainland opinion. I know his nurse has mentioned and I have no reason to hide anything from the man and tell him it is MDA. I get the yes they are a great facility......but our program here is pretty good too. He goes on to explain my problem here is with time-during the summer MD was taking a month to see people and he is concerned about the weekend as apparently this thing is growing and on the scans there is serious concern about it closing off my airway. He start looking at my throat and telling me if I ever hear any wheezing that is a sign that the airway is shutting down. Ooppss-wheeezing????Um every night I sound like a bad symphony with the array of noises I create-In most cases I even wake myself up.

This stops him cold and he looks and says this is getting serious and he can stop it and he doesn't want to hear I waited and had t go to ER for an emergency tracheotomy just so I can breath.....

OK you got my attention and i don't think this is an ego tactic to scare me just to keep the business-now what? No word from Houston and I'm rather fond of breathing..... I have work to do this weekend to see if I can make further contact as he has pleaded with me to check I for treatment no later than Wednesday if I do not go to Houston and should anything happen prior-get to ER and call him

Time not my friend here and fear factor registered...time for a sunset cocktail and ponder as looks like regardless, this the last Friday I'll have one of those for a while..Uugghhh!

2 comments:

  1. Hi Jeff,
    It has been ages since I have seen or talked with you. Walt and Jeanne Davis forwarded your blog to Jack and me. I plan to follow it daily.
    If at all possible have someone accompany you to all Dr. appointments and be in on ALL discussions. when Jack was diagnosed with cancer in 2007 he readily admits he totally zozned out after he heard the word cancer. We were driving home from a particulary bad news appt (the one that the Dr told me to take him home and make him comfortable as his tumor was not operatable) and Jack's comment was "Well, I think that went pretty good. We should be able to make Hawaii in December" DUH.
    Needless to say, we sought a second opinion at Mayo Clinic and Jack is now cancer free.
    By all means continue to seek a second opinion at MDA or anywhere else. Research the hell out of your diagnosis and treatment options. The unknown is scary. Knowledge can be a comfort.
    We will keep you, Pam & your mom in our prayers.

    Aloha,
    Pam Stanford

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jeff great idea that you are blogging about this, saves you the trouble of updating your zillions of friends.

    Have they said what stage the throat/tonsil cancers is?

    I am pretty good at researching stuff, and an old girlfriend of mine rounds a cancer support foundation. So let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

    Aloha
    Clif

    ReplyDelete