Friday, August 03, 2007
Rigorous Radiation Starts Monday
Once we got over the bridge returning home, our Cape oncologist, Dr. Aviles, called and told us that Mark could be seen at Cape Cod Hospital radiation dept. if we could make it there in an hour. We stopped at the Mashpee CVS to pick up a new script the Boston doctor's had prescribed but found it cost $1,200 for 14 pills and required a prior approval and only the pharmacy in Falmouth had some. By the end of the day, the pulmonary and oncology doctors on the Cape decided it was completely unnecessary and that Mark should just remain on the antibiotics he had been taking.
We made it to Cape Cod Hospital by 1:30 and immediately saw the radiation doctor who heads the dept. and is covering for our regular radiation doctor. He spent more than a half hour TALKING to us, going over scan results on the computer, etc. He marked Mark's right chest to begin radiation Monday, August 6. There will be a very rigorous 6-7 week regimen of daily treatments that will probably burn the skin as badly as the radiation did last fall. And, in addition, Mark will probably experience problems swallowing and with swelling in his neck, etc.
and have to resort to a liquid diet after a while. Fortunately, milk shakes are one of my few specialties!
It will be a tough period but Mark is definitely up for the fight, elated to be home, and so grateful for the wonderful care and attention he receives on the Cape. We spent more time on the phone and in person with Cape doctors THIS AFTERNOON than he did with all the doctors combined for the 10 days he was in Beth Israel Deaconess! So, he appreciated them more than ever and thanked them profusely while complaining about the care in Boston. He will also probably start some chemo treatments in a few weeks after his pneumonia is more under control. The scans show a pooling of fluid laying on the bottom segment of his lung (which is the pneumonia) and this may also be masking more tumors at the lower part of the lung but the main concern at the moment is keeping the airway open. The tumor is beginning to grow back already and should be squelched by the radiation which is what the immediacy is all about. This radiation is on the opposite side of Mark's body than the radiation he received last year. The radiation will cover most of the right area over to mid-chest where they radiated on the left side last year. After this round of radiation, neither side of his chest will ever be able to be radiated again. There is no cancer in his liver or any other body parts at this time and so we are hoping that the radiation is as effective on the right side as it was on the left side last year and buy him some more good times like we had last winter, this spring and at Mike and Steph's wedding.
Scooter welcomed us home and Mark was totally exhausted from the day's saga so he crawled right into bed and fell asleep with Scooter at his side!
Unless something unforseen happens, I won't update again until mid-week around August 8th to report on the status of radiation, etc. Meanwhile, thanks as always for all the well wishes and pats on the back for our endurance dealing with our week of medical mishaps! The week seemed to strengthen our resolve to fight but to keep the battle on Cape Cod!
We made it to Cape Cod Hospital by 1:30 and immediately saw the radiation doctor who heads the dept. and is covering for our regular radiation doctor. He spent more than a half hour TALKING to us, going over scan results on the computer, etc. He marked Mark's right chest to begin radiation Monday, August 6. There will be a very rigorous 6-7 week regimen of daily treatments that will probably burn the skin as badly as the radiation did last fall. And, in addition, Mark will probably experience problems swallowing and with swelling in his neck, etc.
and have to resort to a liquid diet after a while. Fortunately, milk shakes are one of my few specialties!
It will be a tough period but Mark is definitely up for the fight, elated to be home, and so grateful for the wonderful care and attention he receives on the Cape. We spent more time on the phone and in person with Cape doctors THIS AFTERNOON than he did with all the doctors combined for the 10 days he was in Beth Israel Deaconess! So, he appreciated them more than ever and thanked them profusely while complaining about the care in Boston. He will also probably start some chemo treatments in a few weeks after his pneumonia is more under control. The scans show a pooling of fluid laying on the bottom segment of his lung (which is the pneumonia) and this may also be masking more tumors at the lower part of the lung but the main concern at the moment is keeping the airway open. The tumor is beginning to grow back already and should be squelched by the radiation which is what the immediacy is all about. This radiation is on the opposite side of Mark's body than the radiation he received last year. The radiation will cover most of the right area over to mid-chest where they radiated on the left side last year. After this round of radiation, neither side of his chest will ever be able to be radiated again. There is no cancer in his liver or any other body parts at this time and so we are hoping that the radiation is as effective on the right side as it was on the left side last year and buy him some more good times like we had last winter, this spring and at Mike and Steph's wedding.
Scooter welcomed us home and Mark was totally exhausted from the day's saga so he crawled right into bed and fell asleep with Scooter at his side!
Unless something unforseen happens, I won't update again until mid-week around August 8th to report on the status of radiation, etc. Meanwhile, thanks as always for all the well wishes and pats on the back for our endurance dealing with our week of medical mishaps! The week seemed to strengthen our resolve to fight but to keep the battle on Cape Cod!
# posted by The Sheehan Family @ 5:00 PM 
