Thoughts

I guess I had more time to work on my blog when I was in the hospital.  Now that I am home it seems like there is less time to post.  But, I will try to keep up with what is going on.

It has been a couple days since my last post.  Thanksgiving has come and gone.  It really doesn't seem real that now Karlye has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer.  Believe me I wish we didn't get that news last week.  I mean I can handle my diagnoses and treatment for AML, but now my focus is on Karlye and what has to happen to get her healthy.  I am more concerned for her than I am for myself.

Part of it is because her course of treatment involves surgery and mine does not.  Surgery concerns me more, I don't care what is said about any surgery there are risks.  My mother was supposed to go to the University of Michigan for a routine procedure and be back to St. Joe in 24 hours.  She past during the night after the procedure.  That is something that has always bothered me.  My mother had been in and out of the hospital all my life and it was the one time that I didn't take off work to be with her, not that the outcome would have been any different.  But, I wasn't there.

A couple nights ago Karlye asked Cindy.  "Why does all the bad stuff happen to us?"  I was impressed by how Cindy handled it.  She told her that we have lots to be thankful for, we have a roof over our head and we are together, for that I am glad.  I am glad that we could be together for Thanksgiving and that I was home when we got the news about Karlye.  But, I too wonder how much more my family will have to endure.

We had been given a couple of recommendations from Dr. Bovenkerk for Karlye's treatment.  A Dr. Blair out of the University of Chicago and a Dr. Bradford out of the University of Michigan. We have decided to meet with Dr. Blair out of the University of Chicago.  Karlye actually made the final choice.  Both doctors are leaders in their field and I am sure either one would be a good choice.

I had also made a phone call to my oncologist Dr. Brinker for a recommendation.  But, I have yet to hear back from him.  I will be seeing him tomorrow for my biopsy and possibly then we can get some information that might help us decide if Grand Rapids is even an option.

Right now I am just not sure what I should do next.  I am not sure when my next stint in the hospital will be, that I am sure we will discuss with Dr. Brinker tomorrow.  I had really been thinking about trying to go back to work even though Dr. Brinker would prefer that I not go back to work until all my treatment is completed.  Now I have to consider what will be going on with Karlye and we are just going to have to see when the specialist is going to want to schedule surgery. We should know more in the next couple of days, by the end of the week I will have the results of my next bone marrow biopsy.  We will know how effective the induction chemo was and I am sure Dr. Brinker will lay out all the possibilities of my continued treatment.  I am just hoping to stay out of the hospital till after Christmas.  But, if that happens I am sure it will be right after that I will be in the hospital for my six days of chemo.

Well, I think that is all for now.  I have other things that I need to take care of.  Later.