Meeting Dr. Brinker.

October 4, 2013

We drive to Grand Rapids down 196.  It is pretty much a straight shot all the way to GR.  Then exit 78 College Ave to Michigan Ave.  We have some basic directions that the new patient person gave me over the phone on how to get to the office.  It ends up being suffice to get us there.  We actually end up getting there about 15 minutes early to my surprise.

As I sit here and write this now it is hard to remember what we talked about on  the drive up.  Cindy probably remembers more than I do.  I know we talked about Emily and the girls and how they were taking the news.  I know that we told each other that everything was going to be o.k.

I thought about all the information that had been thrust upon me in the last 24 hours and all the possible scenarios that had been presented so far on how the treatment would proceed.  I also figured I was in for a bone marrow biopsy and really wasn't looking forward to that after how many times I had been stuck with needles in the past 24 hours.

We get to the office and check in.  Of course they need all our insurance information and consent forms signed, etc.  Then we sit in the waiting room to waiting to be called back.  We didn't wait long and we were in a room waiting for Dr. Brinker to come in.  When he came in the room I could tell that he was a professional and he just had a way about him that showed confidence.  He begins by telling us that he had been in discussions with Dr. Patel and that they felt I might have Acute Myeloid Leukemia.  But, he also stated that we will not know for sure until we do a bone marrow biopsy and get the results back.

He goes into detail about how we will treat the Leukemia.  He repeats most of what I read the night before, the information that nurse Jennifer gave me, on how they put you in the hospital for 4 to 8 weeks.  First week is a 7 + 3 Chemo.  7 days continuous with one drug and daily pushes with another drug the first 3 days.  Then wait 7 days and do a bone marrow biopsy and see if the chemo has killed all the Leukemia cells.  Time frame and everything else depends on the biopsy at day 14.  Good results and I am out in 4 weeks.  If there are still Leukemia cells after 14 days but much less then we might wait a week and do another bone marrow biopsy.  If there is more than when we started.  Then another round of chemo and the 4 week clock starts over.  That would also mean he didn't choose the correct drugs the first time.

Anyways he goes into great detail about the process and that is reassuring.  He says.  "You are young and we are going to beat this.  I will fight for you."  He does a physical exam and tells us that he has to do a bone marrow biopsy today.  That he needs to know for sure what we are dealing with and that is the only way to know for sure.  He asks if we have any questions.  I say not really.  He says.  "Well most people want to know how long they have to live?  But, that is not a question that we will talk about now.  We need the results of the bone marrow biopsy to tell us what sub form of leukemia you have and then we can talk possible outcomes."  I tell him that I might want to be sedated for the biopsy.  He tells me it only takes 10 minutes and he will talk me through it every step of the way.  (I only asked for a sedative because nurse Jennifer suggested it.  She says it can be quite a surprise with the size of needle that they use.)  I tell him.  "Since you are telling me you are that good.  I will give you one chance to prove it, but only one." And with that we were off to another room for the bone marrow biopsy.

This room happens to be bigger and it has an adjustable table off to one side.  So, he gets a couple nurses to assist him and Cindy sits down in a chair across the room.  He directs me to lay down on my side with my face facing the wall and away from him.  The wall has four pictures on it.  Labeled peace, comfort and I am not sure what the others said.  What was more interesting about the pictures was they had glass frames and everything was just at the right level so that I could see what he was doing to me.  He would tell me and if I wanted I watch him, which was most of the time, I watched.  He numbed the site with Lidocaine and just had to wait a little bit before he started.  Let me tell you even in a reflection that needle was big!  It was like 6 to 8 inches long and had a handle on it.  like a T handle.  Come to find out this was so once he pushed it in and contacted bone he would twist it back and forth to drill into the bone.  All I felt was pressure.  He did says.  "You have some really thick bones."  It did take him two tries to get a biopsy and one time he put the needle in I felt it and he had to numb me some more.  He also said.  "Your body doesn't want to give up the bone marrow."  It must have been taking longer that he anticipated.  But, we got through that part.

 He tells us that we need to make another appointment for Monday.  He says.  "If I get the results back over the weekend I will give you a call.  Otherwise we will have result by Monday for sure."  He tells us.  "When you come back Monday make sure to bring your toothbrush."  Because once the diagnoses is confirmed we need to start treatment right away.  He also told us that once he know exactly what kind of Leukemia it was he would have more details for us on a treatment plan.  We leave his office and head home.