First Meeting with Oncology

Today Jay met his oncology doctor, Dr. Karimi, and reviewed the upcoming treatment plan. The treatment plan will begin with 4 cycles of Chemo (16 weeks- each "cycle" is 4 weeks). During one cycle, Jay will receive two treatments of Chemo (so, every other Thursday for four months). This is an aggressive plan in which they expect to see his tumor dissipate, and then decide at the end if they will pursue a round of radiation, or additional cycles of Chemo.
This plan may also change after a few other questions have been answered for Dr. Karimi- Jay must be tested for heart disease to give an "all clear" to the type of Chemo they will administer, another CT scan to help determine staging as well as a bone marrow biopsy next week to make sure that the cancer is still confined to the lymphatic system.

Jay's chemo begins next Thursday.

The Oncology practice is simply that. The entire facility is dedicated to cancer treatment, it operates separately from any other hospital or medical practice. The Oncology Center is Pacific Oncology and is close to our home, the offices of the other doctors Jay has been appointed, and the best hospitals in the Northwest.

Today Jay toured the entire facility, and did a walk through of what his treatment visits would be like. Entering the facility, he checks in and is examined before his treatment begins to make sure his vitals are good, and his weight and height are noted for accurate dosing of the Chemo.

This is where he will spend the next 3 hours.
The Chemo is dosed intravenously, and as long as he is up to it, he can be mobile in the facility, or sit amongst other patients and socialize, bring books, games, iPods, etc. and relax in the lazy boy chairs that face a semi circular wall of windows. There are also several private rooms for other patients that may require them, with depleted immune systems, or simply advanced stages of cancer that wish to receive treatment privately.

Once the Chemo has been administered completely, Jay is set to go home. The next few days after a treatment will be tough, he'll be tired, possibly nauseous, maybe loosing hair (oh wait- that's already covered- as Dr. Karimi pointed out today)...but on his way to recovery.