Second Opinion

I will be leaving for Tulsa, OK on Thursday to go to the Cancer Treatment Center of America (CTCA) for a second opinion. My evaluation will begin on Friday and last until the following Wednesday. I can't thank my brother David enough for making the initial contact with CTCA and encouraging my following up.

Carroll thought is was strange that I wanted to go to Oklahoma for a second opinion when we are living in Southern California. He thought I should go to UCLA or City of Hope, but to me going to these places was just more of the same traditional philosophy for treating cancer -- radiation, chemo, surgery, and toxic meds. At CTCA I will have the additional components of homeopathic and nutritional treatment combined with the traditional. CTCA also has PT and OT which I still need for my left side. That's what I call one-stop shopping. It is really difficult to try to coordinate all of these different treatment components myself.

My oncologist in Long Beach wanted me to start the first course of Tykerb chemo pills on Friday. Unfortunately, if I start the chemo treatment now, I have to wait two months to be evaluated at CTCA. I have decided to wait until I go to Tulsa to decide on a final course of treatment.

As most of you know I found out three weeks ago that the breast cancer had spread to the bone. I am trying to keep the meds to a minimum, but Tylenol isn't quite doing the trick anymore. So the oncologist asked me if I wanted morphine. I am sticking with the Tylenol as long as I can!