INFORMATION OVERLOAD!

Overload for sure!  Yesterday Jason has his first appointment at the oncologist.  They wanted us there at 11:30 to fill out paper work and our appointment was at 12:00.  We were there until 3:00!

Once we got there, Jason filled out some more papers and then we waited!  They took him back first to do his vitals and then they came back for us.  The room we got to sit in was all of 6'x6'.  It was so small, no windows and with Jason's mom also there.....PACKED!  Our first sight of Dr. Chua was when she came breezing into the room to tell Jason she has to get her team busy on making appointments for him.  A small oriental woman, but so much power came from her!  She walked over shook hands with us then said, I will be back!  Ha Ha Ha "Nice to meet you....bye bye!"  When Dr. Chua came back she was still a bit of a busy body, but she handled business.  She told us that She wants him to have several scans, CAT, PET, and an MRI.  She also wants us to see the ENT. (Ear Nose and Throat Dr)   She gave Jason a once over and then told him what we most likely had in store for us.  This was her educated guess, until the scans come back we will not know for sure!

Dr. Chua said he will need a 3 course treatment, this includes chemo, radiation, and surgery.  If the cancer has indeed spread to his lymph node as they think it may have he will have to have that node removed.  He has a small knot there, could be cancer or since it is the node that gets all the drainage it could be inflamed.   Chemo will be the worst chemo treatment they have, 3 treatments 3 weeks apart.  Radiation will be 5 days a week for 6 weeks.  She also said that due to where his radiation is (in his mouth) it will cause problems with eating while he is in treatment.  The radiation will cause a burn on the skin that looks like a sunburn and will cause serious irritation inside his mouth and throat.  The way they treat this is they will insert a "G' tube.  This is a gravity feeding tube through is stomach to be sure he gets the nutrition he needs.  Her suggestion was 7-8 Ensures a day during treatment.  He must keep things in his stomach to flush the Chemo from his body or it will attack other organs in his body.  Dr. Chua has a way of putting things, as this freaked Jason out a bit she replies....."You can choose not to and I will end up having you admitted to the hospital and we will do it anyway after your malnourished" At this point reality set in with Jason.  Dr. Chua said she has her staff working on setting up his scans and an appointment with the ENT, that makes it much easier for us!!  

Dr. Chua then walked us across the hall to the radiologist. Jason and I headed back to once again another tinny room but this time it had a creepy chair as Jason says.  Our first visit here was the nurse practitioner, I'm sorry I can not remember her name...so many names were thrown at us!  She did a recap of how Jason found the cancer, congratulated him on day 12 of not smoking and talked to us more about radiation.  Same info just more detail.  Weeks 1-2 he will feel fine, no change.  Week 3 he will notice a change and by week 5 and 6 he will hate them!  Radiation treatments will probably be only 20 minutes long. (Another guess until we get the scans)  The will create 2 things for Jason, a mouth piece that will protect the roof of his mouth from the radiation.  And a mask that will go around his face that will mark where they need to place it. Once treatment is over we get to keep the mask...some destroy them others paint and place it in their house.  Jason wants my sister to paint it so we can keep it!  :)  We talked again about the "G" tube and then she did a look and see check on Jason.  She said the knot in his lymph node was not that big and that made her very happy.  After her look and see she said she was going to talk about us with the Dr.  They were learning very quickly that we have a sense of humor and they LOVED that and came right back at us!  That makes it so much easier!

Dr Gerson.....like Person but with a G as she said came in shortly after that.  Rinse and repeat what I wrote above....it was the same talk different person!  Both Dr. Gerson and her nurse practitioner were very happy with how much he could move his tongue.  Her comment (now that she new we had humor) was your treatment will last about 20 minutes....unless you make me mad then I will make you stay there longer!  Once we get our scans back we go back to have Jason's accessories made then it will take them a week to get ready for him.  Dr. Gerson, Dr. Chua and the ENT will meet and discuss what they think the best game plan is for Jason.  Then Dr. Gerson will work with her staff to figure out where and how they want to do the radiation, from there her team of physics people will take the CAT scan apart slice by slice to be sure they hit the exact depth of the cancer.  When she felt his tongue she did not think it was very deep, she didn't feel it in the center of his tongue which is GREAT!  

With treatment Jason's immune system will become non-existent, we talked with the kids about hand washing like CRAZY!  In talking about his treatment we brought up that he has a healing dog, Radar.  This got her attention so we explained that he is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and seems to be able to sense when people hurt or are not well.  He started his "healing" with Jason a few weeks before we found the cancer, and since then he lays across him or cuddles as much as he can!  I explained this and also said I thought he would be a great therapy dog, if I could get him to not jump!  That was when Dr. Gerson said "I give you permission to bring him here!  He can be Jason's therapy dog"  Also she wanted to see him!  Dr. Gerson was a horse girl until she fell off of one and injured her back.  After all this she looks at us and says, "any questions?"  We both laughed and I said maybe once we lay in bed and process the day!  I told Dr. Gerson I understand that this is the hurry up and wait point and she agreed.  She said she understands that we want to just get started and kick cancers ass, but we have to have everything set just right.  We set up our follow up appointment and went back to the oncology side for lab work.  THEN we got to go home, made it just in time to grab Austin off the bus go to Ridge and pick Noah up after his dance and shoot to Freedom to watch Faith's last volleyball game and awards.  

I will be trying to get in with my doctor Alexis today....I have had sinus issues and now a cough with it.  This is not the time for me to get sick!  Jason is in talks with work about the best way to go with FMLA, short term disability etc.  ThreeBond  and the employees have been amazing and so supportive with this!  I also want to tank and ask for extra prayers for one of Jason's employees.  Just before Jason found his cancer he learned that Rachel (works for him) is also battling cancer.  Although she is in her own fight she has been a great support for Jason!  As you keep Jason in your thoughts and prayers please say an extra one for Rachel!  

I'm sure I forgot a lot, but as I said before....information overload!  I have to go through and figure out what days we have what and hopefully Noah can step up and help with watching Faith and Austin since they are on break!  I'm sure he will do great...we all will be because we have amazing support!!!


ADDED INFO (I knew I forgot stuff)  Dr. Gerson said that on a positive note....Jason's cancer is VERY treatable and she can cure him of this!  She said that he has many pluses...he stopped smoking, he is in great health minus the cancer and he is young!  She cures many older people of this who don't quit smoking or drinking etc.  She said that he will be fine!  Sorry, that was a really good chunk of info to forget!  :)