Our 1st UAB Visit

Yesterday was our first visit with the Gynecological Oncologist at UAB that specializes with Ovarian Carcinoma.  We weren't sure what to expect and was just praying for a different experience than the one we had week before last.

Thankfully it was VERY easy to find AND they have Valet parking! Whoop Whoop! Which is free might I add (we will still tip of course) for chemo patients.  I think that is wonderful.

We got there about 40 minutes early and they were pretty much right on time with calling Mom back.  The visit was very thorough.  I went back with her initially because she had to have some additional exams.  Once that was all over the nurse got Kyle, Tyler, and my Uncle and brought them back.  They were incredibly nice.

Dr. Warner K. Huh was awesome.  He made sure we knew that he would not be sugar coating anything for us because that ends up hurting us and him.  He will always tell us like it is.

On a scale of 1-5 of fast growing cancer and 5 being the fastest, she has a 4-5 type.  That concerned him a lot because of her young age and it being so fast and so rare.  That only means that she has to be treated aggressively.  There are only 3 places in Alabama that offers the treatment that she needs and that is Birmingham, Mobile, and Huntsville.  So we will stick with Birmingham.

He made sure she understood that she will lose her hair.  It's not a you may or may not... with this treatment, you will.

She has to have an IP/IV which is Intraperitoneal Chemothereapy and will also receive chemo through an IV in her veins.  She will have to have a surgical procedure to have the IP/IV inserted.  Hopefully she won't have to have an additional port put in her chest (like a lot of chemo patients do) and will be able to receive the other through a regular I.V.  That is just precaution not to have to have 2 small procedures to insert ports.

She will have to go one day one week for an all day treatment.  Then will go one day the next week for half a day treatment and then will have the next week off.  Those two treatments and the week off equal one complete cycle.  So every 21 days you start over.  She will have 6 total cycles which is 12 treatments and comes to about 5 months.  Because of how aggressive this has to be handled, he said 25% of women do not finish it (due to the side effects).  Granted, most of those women are a good bit older than mom too.  Average age he said was 70.  But with her being so young, he feels certain she will be able to finish and handle the side effects.

Dr Huh has been practicing Intraperitoneal Chemothereapy for 6 years now.  It has been proven to lengthen the life of an Ovarian Cancer patient by 16 months verses those that chose to just have another form of treatment.

They had not received the CT scan results from the one we had a week ago yesterday.  So unfortunately we were not able to go over those results.  He does want to do another CT scan of all of her abdomen for two reasons.  One is because he did not perform her surgery so he needs a scan to basically familiarize himself with "what's in there".... so to speak.  The second reason is he was concerned because her surgery was from the belly button down.  He is concerned about what might be in the upper part of her abdomen.  The only thing with CT Scans is they can be very harmful to your kidneys.  Since she had one last week, we have to wait until next week to have the one he wants so that her kidney will not risk being harmed.

The compassion that the entire staff showed is unbelievable.  We got a tour of the facility and got to see and speak to patients that were receiving chemo.  One lady was actually having her first IP/IV treatment for Ovarian Cancer.  They explained to us that they will make it as comfortable as possible for Mom.  They keep any snacks she may want on hand, drinks, she can have outside food.  Anything at all.  They have TVs for them to watch, wifi, warm blankets, pillows, and one lady was even knitting.

I will admit that I teared up several times, but got my composure together quickly.  I try so hard not to cry in front of Mom.  While Mom was talking to the lady receiving the treatment, Kyle and my Uncle Sonny told us they would be back.   I was not emotionally prepared to see them at the desk buying bracelets and car magnets.... AND my emotions got the best of me.  I started crying and just had to walk away.  I walked to the hall and Kyle followed me.... just hugging and comforting me.  I really didn't mean to lose it.  Just A LOT to take in.  I saw a nurse walk by me, but I didn't think she noticed me.... but she came back with a hand full of tissues and a hug.  And then another lady gave me a hug and before we left another nurse said, "I love hugs..." and gave me one.  Mom said, "I wonder if they thought you were the patient"? I know they knew Mom was the patient, I just think they saw a daughter that was overwhelmed by her moms life in their hands and were being compassionate.

When we left we had a fabulous late lunch at The Cheesecake Factory. 

I am sorry Olive Garden, but this is the BEST Chicken Alfredo.... EVER!

Kyle's pizza and salad :)

Tyler's pick... forget what it was

.... and that would be a red velvet white chocolate cheesecake, snickers cheesecake, macadamia nut cheesecake, smores cheesecake, & I forget the name of the other one but it tasted like a german chocolate to me.

The absolute BEST strawberry lemonade!

**We were very pleased with our meeting and we are so ready to get things started.  Please continue to pray for Mom to have the strength she needs to beat this. She is in very good spirits and can absolutely do this.