Today is our last day at the Cancer Treatment Center . . . looking forward to returning home this evening, seeing Austin and celebrating our wedding and now our pathway to recovery with our family and friends tomorrow evening . . .
We arrived at the center a little early for breakfast then to touch base with a few people before our appointments began at 11:30 a.m. CST, including a financial consultant. While meeting with her, Scott asked a question which led her to share the story of the founder of the Cancer Treatment Center. Just the day before, Scott met the hospital administrator who stopped him in the hallway. Scott found him to be very accessible and genuinely interested in us. I thought he was the founder! Anyway, the founder was from a family of wealth and his mother had cancer. They literally traveled the world seeking treatment for her. He quickly realized the expense average people acquire when traveling to locations in order to receive not only the best treatment but to ensure a quality of life after cancer for both the patient and their family. To that end, he founded the Cancer Treatment Center of America in memory of this mother, to which we are grateful.
Our first appointment was with a chaplain. She was wonderful, and shortly after meeting her, she looked at Scott and said "she's in it to win it!", and I am :)
We then met with a medical oncologist. She too was impressive . . . very confident and assuring. She talked in terms we could understand and we never felt rushed . . . she was very patient, listened and answered our questions. She had thoroughly reviewed my records and had already consulted with the surgeon we met yesterday. As we continued our discussion, she suggeseted, as our intake doctor did as well during our first day, and we concurred, to conduct a genetics test, which would indicate if I had inherited a chromosome (one of two) from either my mother or father that would make me more suseptible to melanoma, breast or ovarian cancer. She asked her PA to call and have them come down and do it . . . and he did. More on that in a bit. Our decision to have this test was not to influence our decision regarding surgery but for two reasons . . . one, as many of you know, I've not had a big family, and I honestly don't know a lot about the medical/health history on my mother's or my father's side, and secondly, for Austin's sake should I test positive for either choromsome as it could have been passed on to him.
After we met with the oncologist, the gentleman came in to not only conduct the genetics test but to talk to us. His information was very enlightening and He said he would never just make time to come in and do the test and run out :) His information was very interesting. There are two ways to perform the test: 1) blood test or 2) utilizing mouthwash. Both tests are equally accurate. Guess which one I chose? :) You're right! I swished away . . . We will receive the results in a couple of weeks as there are only two labs in the country where this test is performed.
We also met with a case manager, a naturopathic doctor, who prescribed some supplements for me to take prior to and after surgery, then a dietician to discuss foods that feed estrogen, as the cancer in my right breast is estrogen fed, as well as our surgeon's nurse to discuss dates for my operation. The only person we did not get to see was the plastic surgeon but we will meet with him prior to my surgery. At this time, we are looking at Wed., Sept. 4, 2013 as my surgery date. This will be confirmed next Tuesday.
After a thorough three-day evaluation, we realize this team of doctors I have is phenomenal in their respective field of knowledge and their in-depth explanations of what we can expect now, during and after surgery . . . their team approach was impressive as it was evident they collaborated and communicated very often and very efficiently . . . they were very caring and compassionate toward both me as a patient and toward Scott as a care giver. We really like their model of care, which focuses on both the patient and care giver, in one seamless and comprehensive setting to offer more innovative options to manage my care, Scott's care and our quality of life. Scott and I are very confident this is God's pathway for our recovery.
Now, we are anxious to get home as we have much to celebrate tomorrow evening . . .
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