I am back from my Radiation consultation with Dr. Poser in Grayslake. It was a great appointment and I am feeling so blessed for all the wonderful offices I have dealt with throughout this journey!! All of the women at the front desk of this office were so welcoming and helpful that I was put at ease right away! Then when I went into the inner office I found the rooms so warm and comfortable. I was asked to change into a lovely robe and then go to the room to meet the doctor. When I was ready we entered the room we met Dr. Poser and the social worker (who was new and was observing for the day). They were so friendly and very easy to talk with! Keith was sooooo tired (no sleep for over 24 hours will do that to a person!!) that he fell asleep during my exam... but I will say doctors are the most understanding people when it comes to sleep deprivation!! Dr. Poser answered all of our questions and explained everything we needed to understand:
Radiation will be the easiest part of my treatments!! I will have one hour long appointment at the hospital to have scans and measurements to create the best path for the radiation on my body. The doctor will take all the scans and make a virtual set up for me to work out the correct angles and spots to do the radiation on my body. Once that appointment is complete (which is scheduled for this coming Monday) and he has worked out these measurements, etc. I will then begin the daily radiation. I will have 28 treatments of radiation which will take 5 and a half weeks. I will be scheduled for the same time each day of the week but can change occasionally when I have a conflict. The radiation therapists all look very nice and were welcoming as well!
It feels so good to know that this part of the journey will begin and end rather quickly! It will essentially take the entire month of August and then I can begin September having finished the treatments we have known about all along since the beginning of this journey.
Here is the humor that came from this appointment:
Dr. Poser has twins himself who are 4 so he can understand the crazy life I lead. Keith and I are amazed at how many of the people who are involved in making me better have twins or are a twin. We wonder if these are little signs from God to say these are all good people for us!?!?!?
Dr. Poser was very happy to see Dr. Lu had not filled my expanders too much because it will make me more comfortable throughout radiation. I told him I had to convince Dr. Lu that smaller was better for me.. which I am sure he does not hear very often!! :)
Dr. Poser explained how he called Dr. Chung before seeing me to find out some details and then was reminded that I was one of the patients discussed at the panel talk... patients are only identified by initials to keep HIPPA happy so he did not recognize me until she made the connection. We then talked about the change in adding Herceptin and it was wonderful to hear from him why it is important to go through this extra year as a precaution! I am finding more and more peace in having to go through taking this drug for the duration and now we have to pray the insurance company keeps their end of the bargain!
As I was making my appointment at the hospital the scheduler was wonderful and fit me into a spot but then when she described where to go at the hospital I began to giggle... I am going to radiology oncology which is not at either of the entrances I am familiar with. Instead I have to drive to where the ambulances drive into and park off to the side where the spaces are marked for Rad. Oncology. I then go through a side door which is also labeled and then I go down a hallway and take the door to the right. This radiology department is in the basement due to the nature of treatments they have to perform at times (Radioactive "stuff")... so then I will find the doctor and the technicians who will perform the necessary scans and measurements.
Today was a good day for this cancer journey and my spirit! I am always thanking God for everyone He has sent to help direct me on this journey! I also thank God for all of you who pray for me and support me in all forms!! We are kicking this cancer out of me!!
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