www.cancermonster.net

I saw Dr K yesterday.  Yes, saw a surgeon on a Sunday.  This is not your run-of-the-mill surgeon.  I really like this doctor.   Dr K comes down here every other weekend from Portland to see patients and do surgeries.  He has been very kind and supportive.  When I call him, he knows who I am.  It is a shame that knowing your patients is a special trait in a doctor.  I don’t have to jog his memory about what we last talked about.  He is not worried or bothered about me not having insurance.  He says not to worry; “We are going to take care of you.”   Not worry.  That is harder to do than to say.

So, the good doc aspirated the fluids built up in the cavity left by the removed part of the tumor.  Yucky stuff.   When asked about the delay in naming this thing, he said that the test could take up to three weeks.  They have to be sure to rule out everything else before they say for sure what it is.  He is relatively sure that it is Rhabdomyosarcoma.  “How does a 41 year old woman get Rhabdomyosarcoma?”  That is the mystery.  I asked him about radiation - is it really done everyday?  Yes. Monday through Friday.  In my case maybe six weeks.   Six weeks.  Two and a half hours away from here.  We came to this town to be together and now I will be trading places with Dan.  I am going to find child care here for the kids and find a place to stay during the week in Portland, driving back on the weekend. Kelli doesn’t have a place I could share, but Dan’s Brother and his beautiful wife have offered their home as a hostel. I don’t like the idea of imposing on them for so long, but I appreciate the love they have offered.   Dr K said that the Oncology group might be able to arrange housing for me.  That is something we will definitely ask. . .

. . .Tomorrow, when we go in for my first appointment at the cancer treatment center.

Today, I am getting all my paperwork in order.  And attempting to stay sane.  The waiting is over.  Tomorrow the party begins.  Dripping Cocktails and Laser Light Shows daily.  It will be a blast.

Yah.  OK, let’s run with that theory.