Blood work/See the Oncologist/Get Avastin treatment

Okay so yesterday I went to get my blood work/see the Oncologist/get Avastin treatment.

The wonderful RN was able to unplug the port she pushed the needle into the port and flushed it with saline which I could taste but she did not get a draw back of blood so she flushed it twice with heparin then began to pump the syringe like you would a bicycle pump, then had me lay back and then had me put my right arm up and turn my head to the left. Nothing. So more heparin and more pumping and suddenly she shouted "Got it" LOL everyone started laughing and congratulation her and she was grinning like crazy.

So I told her she was the most talented RN and persistance pays off I guess. Then went to see the Oncologist. The CAT scan was because he wanted to compare it with my last PET scan and the chest X-ray because as I said with the last PET scan the cancer cells in my chest were growing smaller and it "looked" like to him in the X-ray they had grown smaller even more, and this without a month of treatment (remember sick with the cold and didn't go in for treatment?) And he "thinks" the CAT scan has shown they are even smaller now but they had just sent over the tests so I have to call him on Wednesday.

He brought up the clinical trial again yesterday (The one they want me to pay $1500 for) and he said that he thinks since I have such great insurance (Medicare/Medical/Tricare for Life) that he should be able to get me in, I explained to him that all those insurances will pay for the supplies, the scans, the side effect medicines, the visits but not for the experimental drugs themselves, he said that cost would be minimal and maybe he could get the Dr. to waive it or something could be worked out (Oy Vey well we shall see)

So I call him on Weds for the actual results of the CAT scan, and am going to give him all the insurance company phone numbers (which he should already have but if he wants to do this I will help in whatever way I can.) and then on the 25th of this month I go to back to do the blood draw/see him/get Avastin treatment again. And then on the 27th of this month go to the Urologist.

Oh I looked at the blood draw sheet and yes he is ordering the CEA levels again.

Cold, ah still hanging in there but starting to dwindle more, blowing my nose a bit still, the worse is the cough but I always get that as have recurrent bronchitis.

Oh, I had a bad night last night, they stopped giving me the benadryl before the Avastin but are giving me other things for side effects including steriods before the Avastin, so not sure if it was the Avastin or my pigging out last night before the Avastin or my cold just making one last stand but I woke up several times last night coughing to the point of throwing up, hot/cold throwing blankets off then pulling them back on, sweating and just generally feeling miserable. I thank God every day for my Tom, my miracle, as even if there is nothing he can do to help just him being here and holding me helps.

Oh two more things (he he he)

1. I sytmied my Oncologist for a moment yesterday, when he was getting up to indicate our time was up I asked him why he decided to go into oncology, at first he looked puzzled and said I don't know, then walking down the hall he said he had a mentor in med school who guided him along this path.

2. When I was back in Fresno and living with a friend Mary we used to watch "House" all the time and I made the comment I wished I had House as my Dr. (after the cancer diagnosis) well be careful what you wish for as I realized my oncologist is my Dr. House, maybe not the brilliant diagnostician and really not a people person but pretty good at his job for all that (grins)

I hope you all are happy and doing well and again thank you all for being here for me ((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))