Finally a word about our visit to the SCCA

We did have our consult with Dr Stirewalt at the SCCA (Seattle Cancer Care Alliance / Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center) on Thursday. For me, the hardest part was the driving just after leaving the center. We weren't sure if we were very hungry, even though we had missed lunch, but I needed to get out of the car and relax after leaving those messed up streets. We ate at a Chinese restaurant in Issaquah and it was so peaceful that I wasn't sure I wanted to leave. It's a good thing I did want to go home or I might still be there :)
Too bad I can't get familiar with those roads before having to drive them.
Even with the frustration I know we had a little tender mercy - I just followed the car in front of us, even if it looked like he was going the wrong way / against the road signs, it was where we thought we should be and if he could do it, so could we. Certainly he was supposed to be there at that very moment, and he was. Without him, I might not have even made it to that peaceful restaurant. (Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad, but it was a pretty stressful event.)

We did learn a lot and our minds were filled with concern for many things. The timing, insurance and finances, housing, family responsibilities, farming, etc. There were so many things to think about I'm not sure we remembered the biggest thing of all - health.

I didn't feel like I knew what to post about what we learned, so I just avoided it until today, after some gentle prodding by loving friends. So, here goes:

- We are still unsure of the date of the transplant. We think we know that it will take place no earlier than the first of April, and it will probably be no later than June. Just today we are wondering if maybe it will be May. Who knows right now?!?!?!?

- Terry will have his scheduled chemo treatment the first of March. Dr. Stirewalt will talk with Dr. Smith (Terry's oncologist in Wenatchee), she will take x-rays/scans, and discuss the findings, and decisions will be made. They need to check if there is an issue with the condition of his lungs, and clear it up if there is.


- We wish we could just pick the three or four month period and get it decided, but we can't even find a good section of time that suits us all. One thing we do know is that we want to keep it as good a time for Dennis as possible, because in reality, he doesn't even have to be there. We are grateful for him and pray that it works out okay for him.

We have studied our options and will discuss our findings with the doctors, and then we will turn it over to the Lord. We have a great need for Divine help and guidance. We have decided to ask that He guide the doctors and all involved, knowing all He knows about our lives, which is more than what we know, and He can help make that difficult decision. No one can do it better than He.
My new slogan is, "I'll go WHEN you want me to go, dear Lord"! We place our lives in His hands, and there are definitely no better hands than His. He will help each of us thru this no matter when we go.

Other little things we learned include:
- Terry will never be admitted to the hospital unless there are complications. He will stay with me in the apartment and we will travel daily for his visits and treatments. I was glad to hear that I might not have to sleep in a hospital chair night after night, but I am worried about the little unknowns.


- Dennis (his donor) will need to come on the first day, and will be there for about 10 days.

- We must find housing, and get ourselves on their list as soon as we know a date. I guess we will have a summer house in Seattle this year :). It will most definitely not be the most fun summer of all, yet it may be a most memorable and possibly even a favorite in some ways. It will hopefully be a new and better beginning for Terry.

- I am not liking the idea of having to rely on so many others for so many things for so long a period of time. Maybe even more scary is the fact that I will have to come home and take over all of it again and I worry that it will be so foreign that I'll still need help. You know how you feel when you come home from a vacation - you loved being gone, but finally wished to be home; you got home and had to get into real life again and you wanted to go back on vacation. I remember some of our return missionary sons coming home and feeling like they wanted to escape the noise and attention from their siblings that wouldn't leave them alone for one minute. (maybe their parents too :) I didn't mean to make them feel that way). And, who's to say my kids will want me back after being "free" for so long? Well, don't I have the strangest concerns. I'll try to let go of them too.

- Before we head out, I'm getting a priesthood blessing, and I'm making sure each of my children get one too. And most obvious, Terry will certainly have one.

- I've decided on a label for the upcoming posts about the transplant - I'm labeling them Medical Madness. Isn't that a most ridiculous thing to concern myself with. I guess it fits for several reasons - I really must be mad, crazy mad. I love M&M's :) (almond are my favorites :).

It's late, so Ta Ta for now!
(I hope this post makes some sense)