The Hard and The Easy

It's nice to have Teddy around. I say that first-off because it's so important. He gently helps me remember, when I'm worked up about something, that I'm lucky to have the luxury of being upset about the small things. And it's true! All-in-all, it's a good day for me.

As I hinted, I was upset today. I've been working since my last update in January to get an appointment with a new hematologist due to switching from my COBRA coverage to Teddy's United Health Crap. Hopefully, this will all soon be obsolete! But in the mean time, the appointment that I've had put off again and again what with one thing and another was this afternoon. This morning I got a phone call from the new doctor's office and I assumed it was a confirmation of my appointment - albeit a little late in the game. No, in fact, it was the receptionist (a lovely woman) giving me good and bad news:

Bad news: The hematologist that Dr. Larson recommended to me doesn't see leukemia patients. . . . Once again, the doctor that I've been working with to make an appointment won't even see me. Head, meet desk.

Good news: Some other random guy in the office will, on short notice, at the same time as my appointment was supposed to be. Whew, dodged a bullet there, right...?

...Right?

Dr. Erwin Robin isn't a fun man to talk with. He speaks quickly and aggressively, uses medical jargon and Latin interchangeably with English, and has a generally domineering personality. However, he also admits when he isn't sure, goes to someone who IS sure, and then gets more opinions when it still doesn't sound right to him. He's sharp, thorough, and he clearly cares, even though he is hard to talk to -- even though my Med-Speak is up to snuff, it's just as important that Teddy understands every word he says. And after all, he took me on short notice and he did it with alacrity.

So, onto the appointment itself. The offices are cozy and personalized, in sharp contrast with airy, sterilized Rush. The lab is one room, with one guy named Bob who had my Complete Blood Count finished while I held the gauze on my GAPING STAB WOUND (I kid... mostly). And Dr. Robin was impressed with my blood levels and how well I'm tolerating chemo doses that are, apparently, six times higher than normal for my diagnosis. That was what was puzzling him - why am I taking so much medicine? It's abnormal, even for someone who is high-risk (I am) and didn't get enough intra-thecal chemo (I didn't). He conferred with Dr. Venugopal, the head of hematology at Rush and a long-time friend of his, and Dr. Venu wants me to continue what I'm doing, but Dr. Robin is still not certain it's in my long-term best interest. This causes me a small amount of anxiety, but it's good to know that I have a doctor who is worried about me and who is taking every measure to ensure I'm getting what I need and no more.

For now, things continue as usual. I am as healthy as a horse, except for that pesky cancer. I'll update you if Dr. Robin updates me! And, as Teddy so aptly reminded me, we should all remember that I'm in the home-stretch now.