May 18 ... Coasting Along

Been a while since the last post and most of the time has been spent either waiting or haranguing docs and their assistants. Have I mentioned how much I hate phone tag? Especially when someone's message says they will return calls within 24 hours and then you never hear from them! Why don't these people learn to manage expectations? Tell me you won't return my call for two days then I'll be pleasantly surprised when you call back in one day. It's one of my pet peeves and those of you who have ever worked for me or with me remember me lecturing about phone call returns. Geez!!

But I do have some wheels turning. Kelly, Dr. Lee's medical assistant, is supposed to have faxed the appropriate medical records to Pat at MD Anderson yesterday. Pat did a good job of managing expectations by telling me it could take a couple of days to get an appointment set once she had the records. And she gave me her direct phone line so I could call and see if the fax made it. Now that's how to handle a client/customer/patient!

I am still waiting to see Dr. Morris, the surgeon here. I spoke with Kelly yesterday and she said that she is still waiting for Dr. Lee to give her the OK for the referral. Don't know exactly what is holding him up. Whether he is busy or reluctant. But the result is the same ... I wait. If I get in at MD Anderson, this one isn't as important to me, so I'm not stressing over it as much. But still frustrating.

George found a clinical trial going on in Scottsdale (http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01300533) ... I will likely e-mail them today for more information. Although it is a phase I trial and they are just trying to determine toxicity and dose levels, it might be something to consider. Need more info though.

The week has gone by slowly and depressingly. I want things to move along quickly and they aren't. Thank heavens I have this cruise to look forward to. If Melissa is reading this, I don't know what my recurrence means for the opportunity to be a cruise escort, but I am still very interested. We will have to talk on the cruise.

Kate and Mark will be on the cruise as well. It will be great to see some familiar faces and have the distraction of not thinking about cancer for an entire week. I will take my laptop and blog of course, but it will be about cruising and Alaska.

Thanks to all who have written or called or posted on Facebook that they are praying for me. Although I am not a religious person, I am very spiritual and I believe I can feel the prayers and good thoughts supporting me. I really, really appreciate all of you!