A Treatment Plan

This week's "big moves" involved our initial appointment at The Cleveland Clinic.  

Thanks to a quick referral from a close family friend who is the orthopedic oncologist at Johns Hopkins, we were able to speak with the chairperson of oncology at Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Abraham.  Dr. Abraham promptly referred us to his expert team.  We were fortunate to get a quick appointment with Dr. Shilpa Gupta, who is the director of genitourinary medical oncology at Taussig Cancer Institute at Cleveland Clinic.  She has been quite involved in research to study and treat bladder cancer.   Dr. Gupta was closely involved in immunotherapy and genomic therapy for bladder cancer, and she seems very optimistic and positive about many new treatments that have improved outcomes in this field.

My initial apprehensions about the Cleveland Clinic were quickly put to rest by friendly smiling faces, helpful people, and a clean, healing environment.  

Dr. Gupta laid out a very promising plan with two drugs, including a chemotherapy drug which targets and kills cancer cells, and immunotherapy drug which kicks up the immune system to attack the cancer cells.  The side effects seems not ideal, but tolerable, given the work that the drugs are doing.


I can't express the relief it brings to have a direction, a path forward, and some hope. I think this trip to Cleveland did more for my psychological well-being than for my physical well-being.  

Treatments begin on July 8th.  Mondays will be IV infusions of cancer-killing, immune system stimulating drugs helping my body fight this beast of a disease.  Mondays will also be filled with other appointments and therapies that can become part of my care- massage, music, art, aromatherapy, pain management.  Mondays will be long days. Mondays will be life-saving days. Mondays will be life-draining days. Mondays.

Is it possible to be excited to start cancer treatment?  Yes.  Is it possible to be hesitant? Yes.  Either way, this is the road I'm facing, my family is facing, and it's a road that I'm glad we don't have to walk alone. 

That's week two. 

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Comments

Monica Coventry said…
Jenna,
Just said a prayer for you for tomorrow as you start your treatment. You got this!!!
8:30 AM
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