Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Huntsman Cancer Institute

I have to admit the day I got that phone call from HCI, was one of the hardest days! You just don't ever expect to get a phone call from the biggest cancer center in your area.
Because of Colby's physical state, driving is hard. For him and for me. It takes a lot of effort for him to get in and out of the car, and same for me. I have to get the wheelchair, put it together, take it to him and help him get out. At every stop! We decided that since we just came home last week, we were going to fly up to SLC for these dr. appts. We have a VERY generous friend who offered to fly us up there in a private jet so that we didn't have to deal with the airport, and other people.





We met with Dr. Howard Colman, and his PA Sean Strope. They are very intelligent men. A lot of what they told us went straight over our heads, but I'm sure in time we'll figure it all out. He talked to us about the treatment process:  6 I.C.E. (Ifosfomide, Carboplatin, Etopiside) chemo cycles - 3 days of treatment, day 4 is a shot of Neulasta to help raise his blood levels, and then 3 weeks off. Can't wait to see how it all plays out!

After this appointment, we drove over to LDS Hospital where we met with Dr. Hunter, a Radiation Ocologist. He explained to us the radiation treatment process which will be 6 weeks of cranial spinal radiation; 3 weeks whole brain and spine, 3 weeks boost only to tumor site. 

We asked both doctors about doing the treatments in St. George, and they both agreed that it would be ok. Especially for the radiation, it's 6 weeks, 5 days a week. We would have to move up to SLC just for that. School starts in only a couple of weeks and I don't want to have to move the kids, or depend on someone else to take care of them for that long, so it's a huge blessing that we can stay home for treatments!!

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