My Battle with Merkel Cell Cancer

Not a Good Day Today, + Real Estate Discussion
(off topic)
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Wednesdays are the day for radiation and chemotherapy. Radiation Oncology and Dr.
Flam are in the same complex, owned by St Agnes Hospital. The Oncology group rents
space and is an independent entity while Radiation Oncology is owned and run by St.
Agnes. Surprisingly, perhaps, the Oncology practice is much less efficient from the
patient's point of view.
After my radiation treatment, I arrive for my chemo just after 9:00 AM. the waiting room
and the adjacent corridor are filled with patients. I sign in and find a rare empty chair. The
folks in the waiting room can talk of nothing except to express their unhappiness about
the long wait. It made me feel guilty, because when I worked at a place called "La
Clinique Medicale Des Groupes" in Montreal, in an average morning, a total of 25
fluoroscopic examinations were scheduled, with the last usually completed at 1:00 PM,
and the latest appointment was 8:30 AM.
At 10:45, they finally call me to the lab, where they weigh me and send me back to the
waiting room, because my blood draw is to be from my port. The blood draw and port
access was done about 11 AM. I finally get to see Dr. Flam around 11:15. I am told he
has 90 patients on the schedule for today.
My lab results are discouraging. the Hemoglobin is stable at 10.9, but my white count has
dropped to 3380. My platelet count is not bad at 129,000.
Because of this, I will need shots of Leukine. This is given subcutaneously, for 5 days,
after oral Tylenol, 325 mg tabletsx2, and Claritin. Potential side effects are allergic or flulike
reactions, hence the Claritin. and musculoskeletal pain, hence the Tylenol.
There are two areas where the chemo is given. One has about 16 chairs and two rooms
with a nursing station between them. It is very busy and noisy, without internet access,
and without windows. The second, called "The Clinic" is bright, relatively quiet, and has
wireless internet. I ask to go to the clinic, and this is agreed to. However, when I get
there, I am sent back because I reported a "Reaction" to the Taxotere last week. The
reaction I reported was slight flushing and warmth around my ears. I return to the nursing
station just after 11:30, but they have no empty chairs to give me chemo. I am seated at a
bench to await an empty chemo chair. By this time, I am uncomfortable, getting hungry,
and needing to use the bathroom. I get up and inform the nurses to call me on my cell
phone when they have a space for me and that I am going home. We finally agree that I
can go home and return around 1 PM.
I go home and have some lunch, and fall asleep for a few minutes. Judy goes to the
Pharmacy and gets the Tylenol and Claritin. She also learns that my insurance will not
cover the refill on Carafate, and they want $50 for a small bottle which, taken as directed,
will last 1 week.
I return for my chemo and injection. I end up home about 3:00 PM.
It is now after 5 PM. I am having some pain in my lower chest and back. I presume this is
from the Leukine and not from my esophagus, but I will be very nervous if the pain gets
worse. I am also feeling mild nausea. I may need to self-medicate for that.
I have said that when you go to see Dr. Flam, you must park your "Type A" personality at
the door and go with the flow. Today, I could not do that. I complained to the nurse, and
that's how I learned that he had 90 patients scheduled for today. I complained to Tom
Hackett. an associate of Dr. Flam, who looked in on me today, and I complained to Dr.
My Battle with Merkel Cell Cancer
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