Here we are…waiting again. On February 26, we originally thought surgery would be the first thing we would do. The nurse navigator scheduled me to meet with the surgeon the next week. I spoke with the surgeon’s nurse the following day, and I asked how quickly they would be able to get me in to surgery. Her reply…about two weeks. I thought, “Sweet!”. I’ll have this thing beat and behind me before summer even gets here. Ha! Joke’s on me! My co-worker, Judy, who went through this a few years ago, told me that nothing happens quickly on this journey. Oh, Judy, how right you are!

The following day I got a call from the oncologist’s nurse to let me know that I needed to meet with the oncologist soon, because we would likely need to do chemo before surgery. <record scratch> I’m sorry, but you must be calling the wrong patient, because I’m supposed to have surgery and no chemo. We met with the oncologist a few days later, and she walks us through the upcoming tests and scans that need to be done before we start chemo. Again, I ask how quickly they would get me in to start chemo. Her reply…about two weeks. Ha! Joke’s on me again! I’m starting to sense a pattern that “about two weeks” seems to be the common answer, and it really means “no sooner than two weeks, but more likely 7,375,864 weeks”. 🙂 During this appointment, the oncologist tells me that I’ll likely be treated with the drug combo referred to as THP, with a tentative start date of March 20.

The following week I went to MD Anderson for my second opinion consultation, which I’m so thankful for now! The MDA med onc reviewed my tests and asked why I’m being put on THP, considering my pathology results. I’m like, I missed that day in medical school; maybe we should ask the other oncologist. LOL Through more conversations between the two of them, my oncologist and MDA oncologist agreed that I should postpone chemo by one week to allow MDA time to review my pathology more closely. So, my drug combo was changed from THP to ACTHP. And my chemo start date…March 27 it is! Or is it???

So, then I had more tests, scans and another biopsy performed between that meeting and now. Guess what??? I received a call at 6:30 on Monday morning. My first thought when my phone range so early in the morning was not very nice. 🙂 But when I realized it was a Houston number, I tucked away those thoughts and answered. It was my MDA oncologist, who sounded like he was already on his third cup of coffee. Did I mention it was only 6:30?? Based on my newest biopsy, he was now questioning the new ACTHP treatment plan and wants to do more labs. Now they’re thinking I may only need ACT, not THP nor ACTHP. Can I pick a vowel??

So, here we are…waiting again. Chemo has been pushed out (again) to next week, with a potential start of April 3. I’m going to continue referring to my start dates as “potential start” until we actually do start, because I’m no longer certain of dates anymore. We are super hopeful that everyone gets on the same page by then and we have a definitive treatment plan mapped out, so we can get started!! Maybe my next update with be an actual update on how chemo is going. If not, I may lose my hair without the effects of chemo. More to come!!!

Proverbs 31:25