UPCOMING APPOINTMENTS

Hello faithful / curious readers! Mom had her consult with Dr. Billings (the Oncologist) and he has scheduled the following appointments for her: 5/12/08 - 7:45 she will arrive for her MUGA scan (Multigated Acquisition Scan which is a nuclear scan that evaluates the pumping function of the ventricles), an MRI, and finally a consult with Dr. Olinde at 11am or there abouts. 5/14/08 - she will have her first injection (WBBS - what ever that is) at 12, Mammo at 12:30 and another WBBS at 3pm. 5/16/08 - she will have "chemo teaching" at 1pm. This appointment looks like it will last for about 2 hours. 520/08 - beginning at 8:45 she will have lab work - and a follow up appt with the doctor (not sure if it will be Dr. Olinde or Dr. Billings) and beginning at 9:30 am she will have an 8 hour chemo visit. Eight hours? Yep - eight hours.... That will be a long day. I will post again Monday to describe how that day went. I know she is trying to quit smoking. She says she smokes more when she is anxious. Apparently, she has been very anxious, since she is smoking 2 packs a day. She had tried that new miracle drug CHANTIX to help her quit, but I think she came in with the wrong attitude. She thought it would just take away her cravings. I explained that it is only a tool to help her quit. She would have to set a date to stop totally, and then in-between now and that date, she will have to cut down more and more each day, or week, until finally, she is needing a cigarette less and less, to not at all. I just need to help her come up with something to do when she is anxious other than smoking. Her pulmonologist, Dr. Vincent (he did the bronchoscopy and diagnosed the cancer) told her the chemo and radiation treatment would not CURE the cancer, only treat it. I explained to her that it's like her back problems. Her doctor can't cure it, only manage it. When Mom saw Dr. Billings (the oncologist) this past Tuesday, she did not let me go with her. She is worried about me taking off too much work and possibly losing my job, even though my boss is very understanding and has told me to not worry about anything. Mom told me Dr. Billings said "it's treatable" like it's curable. I am thinking she does not realize there is a difference. I'm not sure I want to explain that to her. Maybe ignorance is bliss. I went on line to this website "TLC" and researched wigs and what she will need when she starts losing her hair. I've learned alot. I will be talking to her about her options - I even printed out pictures of wigs with styles similar to what she has now. Keep mom in your prayers, please and check back in from time to time.