The Long and the Short of last Monday's Rush Visit

Hi everyone,

Here’s the latest news from my magical medical crazy cancer tour.

This past Monday, June 27, I was scheduled for an Avastin infusion for 30 minutes at Rush.  Supposedly, a relative short visit.  Somehow that elongated into 8 hours in the hospital.  I arrived for blood work at 10:00 a.m. and left the hospital at 6:00 p.m.

Here's how the time stretched out:

I have to have blood work and a urine sample done when I first arrive so they can analyze the results before they start me on treatments. The staff was running late.

Then I had to see Dr. Bonomi after he reviewed the blood work in order to get approval to make up the Avastin infusion mixture.  And we all know that appointments with him always take a lot longer than planned.  For this particular appointment, he was more concerned with my spinal issues than earlier visits and had someone schedule another consultation later that day with Dr. Marwaha, the radiation oncologist, after I finished the Avastin infusion.  This was a big surprise and really threw the day off course since nothing really changed from 11 days earlier when I had the spinal MRI and both doctors had a consultation based on that MRI.  I couldn't finish with Dr. Bonomi until Dr. Marwaha's resident came over to agree to set up the appointment with Dr. Marwaha for later in the day.

I was supposed to have my infusion done by 4:00 originally.   They got a late start. It didn't end until 5:00.  Then we were in Dr. Marwaha's office until 6:00 p.m.  All for naught.  Nothing had substantially changed in my condition and the reasons not to radiate the legs remain the same:  There is no concentrated place of cancer in the spine where they can focus the radiation; I'd have to be off both the Tarceva and Tagrisso during the whole 10-day course of treatment; and I'd have to be completely off of the Avastin for some time before having radiation because they are not always compatible and could be dangerous if taken together.

My next appointment is in three weeks, July 18, and will include an MRI to the brain and another Avastin infusion in addition to blood work and appointments with Doctor Bonomi and Dr. Marwaha.  Another very long day at the hospital.  Ugh!

Meanwhile, I continue to have my battles with my gastro-intestinal system.  As Roseanne Rosanna-Danna would say, "If it's not one thing, it's another."

I continue to get physical therapy twice a week for 45 minutes at a time.  I now have leg braces to help strengthen my legs, but so far, my legs seem to only be getting weaker. I can’t pull myself up and down the stairs without one or two people physically moving each foot up/down each step.  Hopefully, the PT will help me get stronger, but it sure isn’t happening very fast!

Hopefully, I will have no further news until the July 18 visit.