Last week I gave all of us the challenge to consider using Breast Cancer as the framework to impact Lung Cancer. It made me begin to think, what was the trajectory of breast cancer, how did they get to where they are today, and what is the roadmap for Lung Caner. In order to understand where we may be able togo with lung cancer, we need to understand where we originated from with breast screening, breast...
Recently I had the privilege of speaking to a colleague and catching up on a former project we had collaborated on regarding Multidisciplinary Care, or MDC's for oncology service lines. During the conversation we got on the topic of Nurse Navigators and Care Coordination in Oncology/Cancer Care. During our discussion, we touched on some of the variations of the nurse navigators amongst the 30-45 programs. My colleague has a ton of experience, and she was an...
Today I received a call around 8:55am from my mother. I was driving on my way to work. I had just finished saying my morning Rosary for my father. I could feel my heart begin to race. I answer the phone. My mother says, "How are you?" I answer, "Fine. How's dad?" My mother responds, "After you left last night dad stopped being restless. He slept the entire night. He was calm. He's been calm all morning long....
When I arrived at my parents home this evening and walked in things seemed to be peaceful. I entered and my mother greeted me at the door. I asked her how she was doing. She looked at me and said, "I am good. Today was a good day. Your father really liked the pastor and I got the nurse I wanted." I proceeded to walk into the living room. My father was lying back in his...
Today I happen to be in a business meeting when my phone goes off. It is 2:16 pm CST. I know my father is at the medical oncologists office for his weekly appointment, labs, and preparation for his weekly infusion. It is my mother and her message reads: AT MEDICAL ONCOLOGISTS GIVING DAD AN IV TO HYDRATE, CALLING HOSPICE FOR BOWELS & ANXIETY. ALSO DOING URINE FOR INFECTION. My reply: SO HE DECIDED TO STOP TREATMENT? No response...
I got out of the shower in my process of getting ready to go over to see my father for his Birthday. I noticed my phone had gone off, so I checked it, and there was a text from my mother at 11:35 am, it read: DAD JUST TOOK A SHOWER & IT WORE HIM OUT. HE SAID NO COMPANY BUT I THINK HE NEEDS SOMETHING ELSE TO THINK ABOUT FOR AWHILE. HE SAID HE JUST...
It's Saturday October 26th and today I went to purchase my father a birthday card. As I am in the store looking at the cards, I begin to pick them up to read. There are the small cheap funny version, the large ornate versions, and then there are others that play music or have some saying in them. As I begin to read a few of the cards, it begins to sink in, this may be...
Called my fathers phone Thursday evening to check in on him. My mother answered the phone and I asked her how he was doing, her response, your father is getting annoyed with me. I think he is doing fine. She turned the phone over to my father and he begins to explain, "Hey, your mother asked me what I wanted to eat and I told her an egg. She made me some toast and I didn't...
My phone goes of at 4:59 pm and I look to see who it is. It is my mother. Text message reads: PORT WILL BE PLACED TOMORROW @ 10 WITH CHEMO TO FOLLOW. INTERVENTIONALIST DOING IT. I respond: OKAY. HOW'S DAD DOING TODAY? Mother replies: ABOUT THE SAME JUST MADE HIM THE DRINK WITH PROTEIN YOU GAVE HIM AND BANANA. Me: ARE THEY GOING TO ADDRESS THE ASCITES? Mother: THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION. NAVIGATOR SAID WE WOULD SEE...
It is Thursday, day 23, of my fathers experience into the world of cancer. Today he begins to write about his own experience in meeting chemotherapy; seeing the relationship they will develop, and the style of dance they will embark on together. I look at the clock and it says 2:30pm. A manager walks into the office and asks how I am doing. I respond by saying I am hanging in there and just taking it...