Cancer Treatment Moves Slowly

I thought I would update folks on what is happening (or not) in regards to my treatment.

My oncologist is out of town all this week, so my chemo cannot be scheduled until the week of June 23. But, between our schedule and the doctor's schedule, we couldn't get a chemo appointment set up until June 30. This is a longer wait time than I would have liked, but I am trusting that it will be okay.

Last week we met with an oncologist in Midland to try to get a treatment of Zometa for me. This is a bone building drug that has been shown to reduce a breast cancer recurrence by almost 33%! Fantastic, fantastic news for any breast cancer patient! (This is a very recent break-thru -- for more information, Google "Zometa" and browse news articles).

Long story short, I was not able to get the Zometa last week. It was a big disappointment for me, particularly because the delay was due to communication error between Midland and Royal Oak oncologists. Hopefully will get the Zometa on June 30 -- or earlier if it can be scheduled once my oncologist is back in town. (Yes, I have thought about calling my onc's office during his vacation to get someone else to order the Zometa treatment, but that is like having "too many cooks in the kitchen." I think it is safe to wait another week, and keep as few people out of the loop as possible.)

So... June 30 is the big day for me. It is when I'll find out what M.D. Andersen has found, and when I hear for sure about chemotherapy from my oncologist. I am 95% certain I'll have more chemo, and frankly, I'll be disappointed if he says, "No chemo." It is not that I want the drugs or to put my life on hold again, but I also want to FIGHT this cancer.

I've been reading a book called Mistaken Identity. Actually, I only started reading it this morning, but it is one of those books that you just cannot put down. It is the true story about two girls who were in a car crash in 2006 -- one lived and one died. Only after five weeks in the hospital, did anyone realize they had pronounced the wrong girl dead.

Books like that really intrigue me -- how normal people work through life changing events. The families in the book are incredibly strong Christians -- stronger than anyone I know and certainly more so than me. At one point, the mother of the living (but presumed dead) daughter explains how her daughter ended up attending Taylor University -- that all the circumstances fit together in such a way that it was clearly God's plan. The logical argument is that the car crash (and the mixed identities) must also be part of God's grand plan. Not something that anyone would wish for or can even understand. But part of the plan, nonetheless.

I guess I feel the same way about my cancer. In April when I was being diagnosed, all of the doctor's visits just "fit" into my schedule without any conflict. The cancer prayer group that I started for other people several months ago was a real source of encouragement for me recently. And, the unexpected extra time at home with the boys has been one of real bonding. The boys are old enough to be a help around the house (they're learning new skills!), and old enough that we can enjoy movies, games and such together. And, since I'm not supposed to be driving on my own for several weeks, Shane has been my chauffeur. He's had a great attitude about this, and we've had some interesting talks that I am sure would not have happened otherwise.

So, do I understand or even like this cancer. Definitely not! Do I feel like it is part of a grand plan, bigger than my way of thinking or understanding? Yes, I do. The trick is to accept this, and to live contently with it. Truth be told, I'm still working on that. But, I guess we all are a work in progress, aren't we!?