I’m in my bed at the hotel, trying to get some rest. Brian is already asleep. He’s pretty sick with a cold, so he’s been feeling lousy all day. I feel really sorry for him. I wish there was more that I could do to make him feel better. It’s a good thing we have separate beds! It would be really bad if I got sick now. My immune system is shot! We both wash our hands and use hand sanitizers like crazy.

I had a busy day at the hospital, which looks more like a hotel, by the way. Everyone there is really nice and cheerful; one wonders where they find the courage. Looking around at the other people there, you can easily tell who the patients are and who the caregivers. First, we all wear personalized tags with our names on. They all have a nice big “P” for patients and “C” for caregivers.

Of course the dead giveaway is the fact that most patients have no hair, their color is yellow-green, and some are in wheelchairs. I asked Brian when we got back “Do I look as sick as those people?” He said I didn’t, but I’m suspecting he was trying to be nice. He did say though that when we were there he was thinking about how “beautiful” I look compared to the others. Should I believe him?

I met the oncologist after lunch. He was very kind and seemed trustworthy and knowledgeable. We went over my medical records, and then he examined me and told me that he wanted to run a bunch of other tests that would provide more info about my condition. Very important on that list are the PET scan, that tells you where and if there are more cancer cells in your body, and the genetic test that will show if my cancer is hereditary, or if I’m the first lucky one to have mutated DNA in our lineage. He also prescribed a stronger pain medication that is extended release, so I can manage my pain better.

I had my first blood tests (10 vials total) and an EKG right after. I felt lightheaded and tired. When the first results came back, the nurse came and told me that my hemoglobin was low (what’s new?) and that the doctor wanted me to have a blood transfusion tomorrow morning. Crap! I hate that!

They gave me my schedule for the rest of the week. It looks like Wednesday is going to be another busy day. They want to be done by Thursday so I can have my treatment on Friday, if I choose to. I’m not sure if I’m going to do it or not.

I don’t know why, but I miss my doctor in Ohio. I have this crazy thought that I would really like him to be with me right now. What can I say, I really trust the guy! It might be the fact that he’s the first doctor since I’ve moved here to actually give me his cell phone number, LOL!! I sent him a text once and he called me back within minutes. Plus he knows his stuff and he’s always up to date about current treatments and researches.

So…what am I doing here? Good question! I think tomorrow I’ll have a better idea of the different approach they claim to have here. I have appointments with a nutritionist, a pain management specialist and a naturopathic consultant (he will suggest natural supplements and treatments). I will also have a “mind & body” session with a therapist that teaches you how to reduce stress and focus on happy thoughts. It sounds pretty ridiculous right now, if you ask me. I’m thinking I might try acupuncture too. What the heck, I’ll try anything at this point!

Well that’s all there is for now. It’s late and I have to get up at 6:00 am. I’ll let you know how things go.