Starting Chemo Again

I know it's been a while since I've logged in. I just there isn't much to say. I really started to feel better around Thursday. I got my appetite back and haven't taken medication for a while. I enjoyed cooking some of my favorite foods and I know I've put back on all of the weight I may have lost.

But tomorrow everything changes. I have to be at the hospital surgical center at 6:00 am to have my chemo port installed. The port is a little IV type devise that gets inserted under my color bone. I don't know if anything sticks out of my skin. I just know that the chemo nurses will plug into the port for an easier way to transfer the chemo drugs. Then at 9:30, it's over to the chemo clinic to start the 1st treatment of round two. I hope it goes at least as well as the first round. This time I will just stay on the medication and hope it continues to help.

I have learned that I am to have 3 rounds of chemo, not 4. Don't know why. When I am done they will do another CT scan and see how I look. See if the spots still are present or any new spots - i.e. has the cancer spread outside the bladder. And maybe did they shrink the present tumor in my bladder. I will meet with my doctor and discuss when the surgery will take place. looking at things, I'm going to guess mid July. We'll see.

Speaking of Doctors, I am going to vent again. I have tried to ask questions via email to my doctor's staff - who answers his email. They say my questions are good, but are best answered in person or over the phone. So as an example, here's one of my questions. "How many neobladders or ileal conduits has Dr. Dechet performed in the last 12 months? In the last 5 years?" When I asked why this question could not be answered by email, they then told me, "This will have to be answered by Dr. Dechet. We do not keep a list of how many procedures he has preformed. I can assure you he has a lot of experience in this procedure."

I am trying hard to educate myself so I can make the best decisions I can. I read a lot. And one source is the BCAN Inspire forum. I can't tell you the number of comments that say- "Find out how many he's done", "Get the most experienced surgeon you can", "Experience matters".  So how am I supposed to feel about this Dr. Dechet? I have already asked him this question to his face every time we have met and he blows it off and says he does more then anyone else in this area. Well yes I can believe that. But that doesn't answer my Fu#*^#g question!!!

Anyway, the Huntsman Cancer Institute is the only local choice I have. I don't know if I have the courage to look out of state. I am envious of those who live in larger metropolitan areas who can choose from 3 hospitals.

Enough for now. Time to ease my mind so I can sleep. Good night.