First Trip to Beth Israel in New York

Thursday a.m. update - At Beth Israel (BI) Wednesday night we filled out paperwork and then we were put in an exam room at 8pm. Robin was examined by the Chief of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, the Chief of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and the Director of Prosthodontics & Maxillofacial Surgery. Hmmm...sounds like a good team to have on our side!

The recommendation is to do chemo and radiation first (for seven weeks) and then probably surgery afterward. They have had several great successes using this treatment. In some past cases when they got to surgery there was no cancer to be seen. These folks reiterate that the location in the lower sinus is a great plus.

The plan is to have the Chief of Pathology review her slides, and to schedule an appointment with the Chief of Radiology Therapy and an Oncologist, preferably Monday at BI. Presently we have confirmed an Oncology appointment Monday – the Oncologist is on vacation, but will come in to see R. We are still awaiting word on the Radiology contact.

The last few days our stress level has increased. We would really like to proceed with these folks and we would like to count on the fact that all this will be approved by our insurance company. If we have an issue with approval then next week our world would be turned upside down. As we have done in the past we decide to trust that everything will work out and move ahead as quickly as possible.

We return home with a list of follow-up actions to complete. Robin has been feeling nauseous and sick for 4-5 hours a day so we need to get that checked out. Also the BI folks have asked us to find a local doc to insert a PEG tube into Robin. This is a port on your stomach which goes into your digestive tract and allows you to pump food into yourself without having to eat it.

Meanwhile, her upper right molar is being overtaken by the growing mass in her gums. A couple of weeks ago I would use a flashlight and mirror to check behind that tooth. Now she just opens her mouth and it’s easy to see the expanding mass enveloping the tooth.