Cancer: Sometimes it's a Shell Game

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I have been chasing the ellusive pea in a shell game, and I am growing cross-eyed!

Those who share my shoes blanche at the usual cancer tropes. My newest personal visualization is not original, but it sums up my fall season.  Monitoring my health has not been a game of medical skill, but of chance and opportunity. With all such slight-of-hands, if you stay focused you can get lucky and track the path of the disease. Take your eyes off the trajectory for a second and the forces will push the "pea" to unexpected destinations. The gamer, as always, is unscrupulous.

June 2011 - "Evolving lymphatic metastasis" / "hypermetabolic focus also seen in the anterior abdominal wall near the base of the umbilicus...soft tissue metastasis cannot be excluded"

...I then started on an aggressive regimen of supplements; bi-weekly high dose IV vitamin C; and weekly ozone infusion treatments...

November 2011 - "July 2011, core biopsy sampling of left axillary lymph node demonstrated metastatic invasive lobular cancer [but at this time] no suspicious abnormalities are identified...may represent positive response to treatment."

...I then tapper off aggressive regimen and opted to do a modified maintenance program of supplements only...veins can only take so much sticking.

August 2012 - Concurrent pneumonia and shingles. Both controlled with broad-based antibiotics.

September 2012 - Sharp intermittent chest pains and shortness of breath unresolved. PCP orders EKG and Chest CT, and refers to pulmonologist and cardiologist.

October  2012 - "Subpleural nodule in the left lower lobe" / "metabolic activity in left axillary"

November 2012 - "Shadow present on right lung...recheck in 2 months with follow up chest CT with contrast"

...Weight loss of 6 lbs over the course of a two plus weeks...Chest pains are now accompanied with nausea and heart burn. Falling asleep curled up in weeble position, propped up because laying on back increases pain. Laying on side makes rib cage feel like its splintering. Not much recuperative sleep happening. Sucks!

November 2012 - "Chronic pericarditis secondary to invasive lobular carcinoma...recheck in 2 months with follow up echocardiagram"

...Restart ozone infusion treatments. Start pounding "Meriva (aka Curcumin") like "skittles" (to challenge the inflammation).  Scheduling IV vitamin C treatments. The game plays on.

 

A Little Further Down the Rabbit Hole (or am I now tripping down the Yellow Brick Road???): PART I

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After my last free fall with the radiation onc (refer back to September 24, 2009) I decided to follow her advice. I went forward in pursuit of the 3rd and 4th consults. Heck, why not? I think I am turning into a med-pro junkie. My tete-a-tetes with the med pros have opened my eyes in so many ways that I just can't get enough of them. I just need to know what they will say and do (or not do) next.

So off I went.

The first adventure began with trying to get the appointment with the first recommended 3rd medical onc. Radio onc encouraged me to meet with the famous Dr. Jeffrey Isaacs, because "he has a brilliant mind." I recalled the name - he had been referred to me by a medical malpractice attorney friend. I had actually called his office during my initial investigations, and was told that he would not see new patients prior to surgery. Consequently, I had drawn a line through his name back in July.

Radio onc warned me about Isaacs' front office staff's personality deficits. (Yes, I begin recalling a prior surly encounter.) She advised me to "smile and nod" because meeting with him was so worth the frustration..."He's got a brilliant mind for tough cases!" And she assured me that her personal nurse would help get me an appointment. Yeah right! I don't think I had ever seen a 50-something, salt n' peppered lady roll her eyes until then.

To that "instruction" radio onc's personal nurse sighed heavily and said, "you call first and see what you can do, if you can't get an appointment let me know." Thanks personal nurse, Beverly.

But, I was intrigued (not by the eye-rolling, mind you). So I called Dr. Isaacs office, again. . . .

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"Have you consulted with, been seen by, or started treatment with any other oncologist?"

Umm, I tried to consult with Dr. Isaacs previously, but I could not get an appointment pre-surgery.
"Have you consulted with, been seen by, or started treatment with any other oncologist?"

Umm, I have been meeting with another oncologist, but I am not pursuing treatment with him. My radiation onc...[insert name]...highly encouraged me to discuss my case with Dr. Isaacs.

"Dr. Isaacs will not meet with anyone who has consulted with or has been seen by any other oncologist."

But, radio onc is the one who referred me to Dr. Isaacs. You see, I have this high-risk complex situation.

"Honey (oh you so did not just say that?), you and everyone else. Dr. Issacs is a very busy and sought after specialist. He only sees new patients that have not consulted with, been seen by or started treatment with any other oncologist. He is selective." (Who anointed this guy the "Great Oz"?)

Oh, then why would radio onc insist I meet with him?

HUGE SIGH...SILENCE..."Ask radio onc to fax over your file. Dr. Isaacs will review it and will determine whether or not he will meet with you."

TIGHTLY GRIPPING THE COFFEE COUNTER...Thank you, may I have the fax number?

"Radio onc's office will have it. The records must come from her office. Someone will call you in a couple of days with Dr. Isaac's decision." ~CLICK~

Beverly? T.C., I just had an interesting conversation with Dr. Isaac's office...blah...blah...blah

"So, you are asking me to fax over your records?"

At the least. Do you think you can call, as radio onc offered previously? See if you have better luck?

"They asked that the records be faxed?"

Yes...
"So you are asking me to fax the records over?"

Umm, yes, but would you also call?

"They asked for the records, I can fax the records if that is what you are asking of me."

MY KNUCKLES HAVE LOST ALL BLOOD FLOW AT THIS POINT.... If that is all you will do to assist me, then yes, Beverly, do fax the records.

"I will fax them shortly." ~CLICK~

If I had not been in a public coffee house I think I would have had my second cry since this odyssey began.

Dr. Isaacs' office did call -- four hours later. The Great Oz deigned to offer me an audience. Yipee Skipee!

"Make sure you bring a CD of your PetScan. He will look at films too, but prefers a CD."

Of course he does . . .

. . . .to be continued