So I am preparing to leave Israel and go back to London.
There is a fair amount of confusion between my parents about whether I am or am not insured in the States and whether, if the genetic testing comes back positive, I need to be tested at MD Anderson. So, I am potentially facing the prospect of having to decide whether to head to Houston every x months to be poked by American doctors, or whether it would be sufficient to do it in London (or wherever). I think I am arguing that if a doctor knows what they are looking for, then where the test is done becomes irrelevant. But my father swears differently, and says that his tests back in June say, in big letters on them "Patient wanted to know he was clear for cancer. And he is". Sadly, this turned out to be bullshit.
Anyhoos, enough about me. My dad starts chemo in about 6 hours (7am Houston time). I am pretty sure he is terrified, although he talks a lot of fighting talk on the phone. My mother says that I should stay in London for a little while longer than I first thought, as I can be the most use just after his chemo, when he is feeling shitty. He is supposed to be treated every two weeks. Clearly, though, the Israelis are not going to be treating him on a Saturday, so I am thinking his next treatment will be on Sunday 18th (which is a weekday. Don't ask). So I will kick around in London and hope for the best until then.
Funny thing is, I haven't heard from my brothers. I hope they are ok. If they read this, perchance, maybe they would like to give me a call? I miss them.
To sum up, I am still on the short-list for cancer of the everything and going home to think about my dad in peace. My mother finally agrees with us that, if it is the case that he is not going to be with us for all that long, he wants me with him. My dad and I just gave her the you-finally-got-with-the-programme look.
Oooh, oooh. Before I go, a list of lovely screening options for the various forms of cancer:
- Breat Cancer: Mammogram
- Ovarian: Pelvic Exam (which doesn't really tell anyone anything), Transvaginal ultrasound (which is not nice), CA-125 Assay (hoorah for blood tests)
- Pancreatic: Currently no standard screening exists although they are recommending Endoscopic Ultrasound coupled with Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (tubes down my throat. Yummy).
Is it just me, or is cancer starting to sound good?
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Some of those tests sound like a lot of pain for something that is exceptionally unlikely to happen until you're a lot older. If at all. Get independent medical advice, not just advice from your father's doctors.
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