I think the plan is gettin' more firm.

If you haven't figured it out yet, I will let you in on the fact that I am a control-freak. I like flexibility sometimes, but I define that as "controlled flexibility." I like to know what's happening as much ahead of time as possible. 

One of the (many) things I don't love about cancer is the fact that we are totally at its mercy. We must drop everything if the cancer misbehaves (which it is currently doing) and make ourselves available for kickin' its butt. The doctors are good about working with our schedule, but really, how much leeway do you want to give to something that's trying to ruin your life? And, so... we pretty much plan our lives knowing that we may have to plan things differently later. This control freak doesn't want to do things that way. I'd like to make a plan and stick with it. 

So...anyway. The other day, as I was helping the girls get ready to leave for New Orleans, we received a call that said we needed to be in Seattle on Thursday for chemo. That kinda messed me up 'cause I didn't have that plan in my head for then. The plan in my head had a week that was pretty open so I could do house projects and stuff. Plus, that meant that I'd need to make arrangements for Raney and other things. But, what can a girl at the mercy of cancer do? She joins in the fight to kick cancer's butt. And, so I got my mind ready to go to Seattle on Thursday (day after tomorrow).

The next day, though, we heard that we had to wait for insurance approval so it would probably be next week. "Ahhhh... a little more time to breathe," said my brain. A few days of "no schedule."

Later that day, however, we received a note saying that things were on again...and that we could still do it on Thursday if we wanted to. In addition, the chemo is gonna be more involved and, pretty much, we'll need to be in Seattle for most of the next 42 days after we start the chemo. 

Hmmm.  Hurry down to Seattle for (basically) the next 42 days to kill the cancer or wait a while and ease into the gigantic new regimen? 

Turns out, that the nurse said those few days won't really make a huge difference. And, for my sanity, it might be best to wait until next week when all the insurance questions have been answered, lodging has been arranged and home situation is taken care of.

This is how the chemo plan will look:

FIRST ROUND:
Day 1 - chemo (6 hours +), take chemo pump home
Day 2 pump chemo
Day 3 - disconnect pump + get injection -- Must be at SCCA for the injection to watch for serious side-effects (we're not sure what all that means, but one thing is possible extreme low blood pressure.) probably a 30 minute appt.
Day 4 - 6 - injection at SCCA
Day 7- 14 - injection at SCCA (different drug) probably a 60 minute appointment
SECOND ROUND:Day 1  - chemo + take chemo pump home.
Day 2  pump chemo
Day 3- disconnect pump
Day 3-6 -- NOTHING!!!! yippee!!
Day 7-14 -injection at SCCA probably a 60 minute appointment.
THIRD ROUND:Day 1 - chemo (6 hours +), take chemo pump home
Day 2 pump chemo
Day 3 - disconnect pump + get injection -- Must be at SCCA for the injection to watch for serious side-effects (we're not sure what all that means, but one thing is possible extreme low blood pressure.) probably a 30 minute appt.
Day 4 - 6 - injection at SCCA
Day 7- 14 - injection at SCCA (different drug) probably a 60 minute appointment

And, all of THAT means that we have to make a decision about whether we feel like driving to SCCA every single day (90 minutes each way if there's no traffic) for the next 42 days for 30 - 60 minute appointment (not counting chemo days) or if we'd rather figure out lodging there.

SO! We have a busy next month and a half.

Prayers for my sanity would be appreciated.

We love you.