The Plan

d I met with the Medical Oncologist today.  What a ton of information!  Kent took notes and I just cracked jokes.  We all have our giftings....mine is not notes...

So, the Dr sat in front of me and said, "how are you?"

Immediately I was in tears.  The brave front washed away and I was left bare to be honest and truthful.  The best part of this moment--I was starring into the eyes of my friend Dee.  Dee and I have known each other forever--and Dr. Fitzgerald was just like hanging out with Dee.  It made me feel comfortable and at ease.  She had amazing bed-side manner exactly like I would expect my beautiful friend.

So, Dr. Fitzgerald said it is an aggressive form of cancer.  It is birthed in the bone marrow along with the red and white blood cells and then moves about the body.  So we can't hit it with radiation in one location--we will have to do chemo.

So the plan is set -- we are underway.

Next week, April 10 I will have a bone marrow biopsy.  This is not for anything more than for interest sake--it seems.  They want to see how extensive this is.  The bone marrow biopsy could add 1-2 rounds of chemo to the plan.

The following week I will be off to Vancouver to have a PET Scan.  They will shoot me up with radioactive stuff and then see where in my body the scan "lights up" and we will then know how extensive the cancer is, the brain lights up--not because its full of cancer, but rather it's an active body part....and I can tell you....right now, it's VERY active.

The following week after that, we have decided that we will start chemotherapy.  I asked for the treatment to take into consideration 2 weddings that we will be going to in June.  I may be bald, but there is nothing holding me back from going!

Then, every 3 weeks, I will go in for chemo for the next 4 months--possibly 6.

I guess in order to get better I have to get sicker first.  I can't say I am looking forward to this except that I know that this will be a time of refining.  Purifying.

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.