Holly's Notes and Condition

What A Difference - In A Positive Way!

Dave and I met with Dr Chou this afternoon - beginning with the forms I had to fill out - there was a much more professional and positive feeling about this consultation. I was glad that Dr Curcio had given me a 'heads up' to the fact that Dr Chou is young - I'd put his age at 30 years old. I actually spotted him walking from the hospital to his office across the parking lot, as we came in to find a spot to park, in the mess that is the construction area of the new patient tower at Mission Hospital. Dave and I had been to his office before, as it is in the Radiation suite that the Tumor Board met to discuss my 'unique' case back in Sept. 2006. I remember how nervous I was back then, before all my treatment started - a mere 8 months ago. Dave and I were impressed from the start, that Dr Chou, in less than 24 hours had not only gotten my chart information from Dr Okun and Dr Curcio, but had actually 'read' my information - I know this because he brought up information that was acquired back in Sept and compared it to information from scans and pathology reports that were just acquired. He is very bright, but very personable and accessible. Dave asked some very good questions and Dr Chou took each one and answered them - one in particular, that we will follow up with Dr Okun on, which is: 'Are there any new treatments - radiation or chemotherapy - that are coming out soon, that if I have radiation I won't be able to take advantage of? We arrived at 1:40 pm - I got my paperwork to fill out, 6 pages worth at 1:50 and it took me until 2:20 to complete them, I was called back at 2:25 and we finally walked out of the office at 4:20 pm - after an extensive consultation. Yes, he left the room twice to answer phone calls - but he excused himself and apologized for the interruption and really made us feel that he valued me as an individual that mattered and not just another cancer case - probably because of his youth, which is great for me - I want to matter as an 'individual person'. (The previous Radiation Oncologist that we consulted with, is on the other end of the age spectrum - the picture he has listed on the hospital website I would say is 10 to 15 years old - I'd guess his age to be an 'old' 68 and he has been in practice for many years and now teaches and is on the hospital protocol board - so not a novice, but I got the distinct impression that I was just another 'cancer case'. Of course, we caught him on a particularly bad day, as his office's reception area ceiling was being flooded. His office is located in the basement of the building, was being flooded by a broken water pipe from above - so he was naturally distressed and preoccupied.)

Dr Chou will further consult with Dr Okun and Dr Curcio and after my surgical drain comes out and I've healed more and had enough physical therapy to allow for my right arm to be able to be over my head for an hour, held in one place in a personalized foam arm mold, to guarantee continuity of placement - then we will start treatment - he's saying 6 weeks, 5 days a week, with each treatment after the (2) initial set up appointments, which are 1 1/2 hours each, each daily appt will last a total of 20 minutes each - so, just as I've heard - it will take longer to find a parking space than to receive treatment. I feel dramatically reassured after this consultation - now to work on getting that arm over my head, so I can start treatment, so that I CAN FINISH TREATMENT!

posted by Holly @ 6:24 PM