Some of you who read my last post have e-mailed me privately saying that patients need to be fully recovered from chemo before radiation and that is so true.
What scares me, yes scares me is that Clark is not cancer free. While the tumor is smaller it is still there. With such a long duration between treatments I have to wonder if the tumor will grow and I pray that it does not.
While I have been more than vocal about Clark's doctor I recently found hope within Kaiser. It has a new cancer treatment in Oakland. Apparently for example, "patients with a newly diagnosed breast cancer will have the option to participate in a clinic where they will be able to meet with a surgeon, a medical oncologist and radiation oncologist – all in the same visit – to get expert options and a coordinated care plan."*
What a great concept. In fact, recently a friend who works in Kaiser HR told us that if Clark needs to have treatment in the future to try and get into Oakland's cancer center. It said to be the best Kaiser place to be treated when you have cancer.
And truly when it comes down to it, you want the best. You want doctors, nurses and administrators to be the best and not numbed by seeing a thousand patients. You want understanding, compassion and follow through.
But ultimately you want to be cured. You want the best, because you deserve the best, because no one, no one deserves to have cancer.
*Kaiser Press Release-Northern California-May 1, 2009.
Absolutely, no one deserves it. I was speaking with my sister about it last night. She had an area of her shoulder cut out as a result of a cancerous mole that was discovered. So far, no threads from the area removed have been found that connect with any glands, but she fears it anyway. We discussed the topic of Cancer and I shared with her about Clark. It is such a mystery as to whom it affects and as to the effectiveness of treatments and how they vary. I am praying for Clark's recovery every day -- I pray that it will be eliminated.
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