Therapists, Genes, and a Wig

Things have been plugging along pretty quickly lately. Monday (10/25) we met with our Oncologist, Dr. Sawhney, and reviewed the plan for chemo. We talked about her getting an injection of Neulasta to recover from the low blood count that is caused by the chemo. Later that day we also met with our surgeon, Dr. Wynn, for some more post-op consultation. Both doctors gave the green light to chemo starting this coming Monday (November 1).

Tuesday (10/26) we were back at San Ramon hospital, this time for an echocardiogram. There was a little miscommunication; what we *thought* was going to happen was an EKG, which is limited to attaching leads to the skin and letting the computer record whatever it does. An echocardiogram, however, is basically an ultrasound of the heart. Since they have to place the wand on and around the breast area, this would obviously be uncomfortable for someone in Christina's condition. Instead of getting frustrated when we found out what the test actually was, she started laughing, explaining later that she had just "had it" with things getting the better of her, and that she wouldn't let it get her down.

That evening we met our first organized support group. I don’t think either of us knew what to expect. Dr. Sawhney had suggested that we go, so without a lot of expectations, we drove to Livermore and walked into a conference room set aside for us by a fitness center. There were 8-9 women there, most post-menopausal (guessing), a few I’d consider elderly, and a few roughly our age (late 30’s to mid 40’s). I was the only man present. We went around the room giving our ‘story’, with the ladies that had more experience at the support group going first to get things rolling. The first several women had cases that were far different than ours, and I caught Christina’s glance telling me she didn’t want to sit through the whole thing. Then there was one that had a lot of similarities to Christina’s case, and she could relate to a lot of her fears and thought processes. Then a few newer ladies gave their stories, which helped to show that other young women are fighting this alongside Christina. One in particular had discovered her lump just about the same time as Christina had, and had her surgery the same week. So they related to each other in many ways.

Wednesday (10/27) turned out to be a rather enlightening day. We started with a visit to a Psychologist, Dr. Severson, who specializes in cancer patients. It was a good meeting, and we've decided to continue seeing her. She validated some of our medical choices and offered to coordinate with the oncology clinic to ensure that Christina has the medication she needs to get through her first infusion. We then travelled into the city to UCSF (University of California, San Francisco) to their cancer center to meet with a Geneticist for a session of genetic counseling.

The two doctors we met at UCSF (I cannot recall their names, many apologies if either of them stumbles onto this blog!) were specifically interested in the genetic component of Christina’s diagnosis. As she has been tested positive for the cancer gene BRCA1, they explained that others in her family tree (specifically, those related to her mother) would need to be tested as well, to determine who also is at high risk for cancer. The goal is to encourage more comprehensive screening for those that are at higher risk.  They also made the point that this gene basically kick-starts the cancer process several steps. Because this is a genetic condition, the root of it was at conception. That means that no diet, environment, stress, or anything else caused this cancer. Christina’s only hope was in early detection – which she did, just over a month ago.

They also pointed out that while Christina is at a very high risk for Ovarian cancer, she doesn’t have an elevated risk for Uterine or Cervical cancer. Since these last two have good screening methods, it isn’t necessary for Christina to have her uterus and cervix out.

We’ve collected a number of hats, scarves, and beanies in expectation of Christina losing her hair during chemo. A couple of times over the last few weeks, we’ve visited a shop that specialize in cancer prosthesis. Initially, Christina was reluctant to try on a wig. But after the nice lady at the store coaxed her a bit, Christina agreed to at least try one. We wanted to wait until I could clear it with insurance, so in the meantime we discovered that the local American Cancer Society provides a complimentary wig to cancer patients. So, we traveled up to Pleasant Hill today (10/28) and she picked out a long auburn wig. It’s a little splashy, but very pretty and totally in character.

She also cut off the rest of her hair; I’ll here’s my (almost) bald beauty: