O-Day Approaches
Tomorrow morning, at 9:30 am, I have my meeting with Dr. Roger. Dr. Roger is my medical oncologist. I have been checking around, and Dr. Roger is highly respected around this town. He is actually the Director of Hematology/Oncology at another area hospital in addition to his position at mine.
I am expecting a treatment map at this meeting, and since he is an oncologist, I believe that I will learn what chemo protocol he thinks is appropriate for me. Dr. Roger will be the first doctor that I have seen since surgery so perhaps he will also be evaluating how quickly/well I have recovered.
There should be some blood drawing as well to check my elevated markers. And for the first time, it will be my job to insist that all blood draws be done on my left side. Learning to be pro-active is like anything else. One must practice. "Thank you for sticking a needle into me, but can we please use the left side?" Well, that might not work, but I am practicing in my head so that I am ready to be both pleasant and firm.
Leslie will be at this meeting with me. His job is to take notes, while mine is to listen and ask questions. I have done as much homework as I can based on the knowledge I have at my disposal. I am not anxious about this meeting per se. There will be no cutting, sedation or other painful assaults on my body, but this is the beginning of new steps, and so I am perhaps a little apprehensive.
I am expecting a treatment map at this meeting, and since he is an oncologist, I believe that I will learn what chemo protocol he thinks is appropriate for me. Dr. Roger will be the first doctor that I have seen since surgery so perhaps he will also be evaluating how quickly/well I have recovered.
There should be some blood drawing as well to check my elevated markers. And for the first time, it will be my job to insist that all blood draws be done on my left side. Learning to be pro-active is like anything else. One must practice. "Thank you for sticking a needle into me, but can we please use the left side?" Well, that might not work, but I am practicing in my head so that I am ready to be both pleasant and firm.
Leslie will be at this meeting with me. His job is to take notes, while mine is to listen and ask questions. I have done as much homework as I can based on the knowledge I have at my disposal. I am not anxious about this meeting per se. There will be no cutting, sedation or other painful assaults on my body, but this is the beginning of new steps, and so I am perhaps a little apprehensive.
posted by *susan* at
1:41 PM
2 Comments:
I am too familiar with this type of apprehension. However, the waiting continues to be the hardest part...and I expect that you will actually get some relief from this meeting. You will find that you will be able to plan your life again, rather than waiting for the whims of cancer and treatment to pop up, you will be able to schedule things again. You can tell your doc that on Sept. 4 (do I have the right date?)you MUST be there for Lauren, because it's important to your family, and he can work with that. It will be okay.
And when you have questions, I'm here for you. Not necessarily with answers, mind you, but I'm listening! :-)
Kristina
By
Kristina, at 6:21 PM
9:30 your time is 6:30 my time. As I awake tomorrow, you will be at your appointment. I will be thinking of you and wishing you strength and courage...and hoping for a blog or email to hear what the plan is. You are in my thoughts, as always.
By
Kristina, at 1:11 AM
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