sarahandkawika

Donna,

I feel for you care-takers…it is a hard job, stressful, emotional, and demanding. You not only have to help you loved one but often you can be their best advocate. I think she needs that from you.

There are doctors at the top of their class and doctors at the bottom – sadly it is not posted. Walk away. Get the path report and all the biopsy reports that have been done and make sure it wasn't that same dr. who did the path report (my first derm did this…not good) and walk away. Don't look back.

Now find a dr. who can answer all the stat questions, can tell you how biopsies should be done, can tell you treatments and where the specialists in your area are. quiz the dr. with info you already have the answers for…so you know that he is on top of this. and a GOOD derm will know where all the BEST derms are.

You can do this – sorry you have this new junk job but no one loves you like your mother, i am glad you are loving her back! best wishes

Donna,

I feel for you care-takers…it is a hard job, stressful, emotional, and demanding. You not only have to help you loved one but often you can be their best advocate. I think she needs that from you.

There are doctors at the top of their class and doctors at the bottom – sadly it is not posted. Walk away. Get the path report and all the biopsy reports that have been done and make sure it wasn't that same dr. who did the path report (my first derm did this…not good) and walk away. Don't look back.

Now find a dr. who can answer all the stat questions, can tell you how biopsies should be done, can tell you treatments and where the specialists in your area are. quiz the dr. with info you already have the answers for…so you know that he is on top of this. and a GOOD derm will know where all the BEST derms are.

You can do this – sorry you have this new junk job but no one loves you like your mother, i am glad you are loving her back! best wishes

Donna,

I feel for you care-takers…it is a hard job, stressful, emotional, and demanding. You not only have to help you loved one but often you can be their best advocate. I think she needs that from you.

There are doctors at the top of their class and doctors at the bottom – sadly it is not posted. Walk away. Get the path report and all the biopsy reports that have been done and make sure it wasn't that same dr. who did the path report (my first derm did this…not good) and walk away. Don't look back.

Now find a dr. who can answer all the stat questions, can tell you how biopsies should be done, can tell you treatments and where the specialists in your area are. quiz the dr. with info you already have the answers for…so you know that he is on top of this. and a GOOD derm will know where all the BEST derms are.

You can do this – sorry you have this new junk job but no one loves you like your mother, i am glad you are loving her back! best wishes

If you want a drive UCI –  Dr Smith…She is excellent…doing research cell research on melanoma. There is a surgical oncologist there Dr Jackowitz that is highly recommended…(though i haven't seen him personally) UCLA is closer though. I am in ventura and have struggled finding a derm here…I simply choose to drive the 80mi rather than cont. a hunt and peck ordeal that landed with 2 bad biopsies.

If you want a drive UCI –  Dr Smith…She is excellent…doing research cell research on melanoma. There is a surgical oncologist there Dr Jackowitz that is highly recommended…(though i haven't seen him personally) UCLA is closer though. I am in ventura and have struggled finding a derm here…I simply choose to drive the 80mi rather than cont. a hunt and peck ordeal that landed with 2 bad biopsies.

If you want a drive UCI –  Dr Smith…She is excellent…doing research cell research on melanoma. There is a surgical oncologist there Dr Jackowitz that is highly recommended…(though i haven't seen him personally) UCLA is closer though. I am in ventura and have struggled finding a derm here…I simply choose to drive the 80mi rather than cont. a hunt and peck ordeal that landed with 2 bad biopsies.

Wow, if you have the energy to be online that is awesome! You are doing great!

I did 1 month of interferon in March 2010. And with kids it was brutal. I talked to 2 specialists in 2 diff settings…Angeles Clinic and UCI.  They both said 1 month. One suggested GMC-SF for the rest of the year but neither thought that the full year with 4 young kids would give me the benefit over the life with my kids. My decision was made by looking at the poss. benefits and comparing to the cost of my family.  I can honestly say it was the right decision for my circumstances. the 1 month was so hard on my children, I cringe to think of the effect on them with a year of interferon.

You can make this decision! You will do the right thing for your package, because we all have a different package, different plan, different circumstance to conquer.

I wish you the best in your month of intensive…I barely remember much of mine! LOL

Wow, if you have the energy to be online that is awesome! You are doing great!

I did 1 month of interferon in March 2010. And with kids it was brutal. I talked to 2 specialists in 2 diff settings…Angeles Clinic and UCI.  They both said 1 month. One suggested GMC-SF for the rest of the year but neither thought that the full year with 4 young kids would give me the benefit over the life with my kids. My decision was made by looking at the poss. benefits and comparing to the cost of my family.  I can honestly say it was the right decision for my circumstances. the 1 month was so hard on my children, I cringe to think of the effect on them with a year of interferon.

You can make this decision! You will do the right thing for your package, because we all have a different package, different plan, different circumstance to conquer.

I wish you the best in your month of intensive…I barely remember much of mine! LOL

Wow, if you have the energy to be online that is awesome! You are doing great!

I did 1 month of interferon in March 2010. And with kids it was brutal. I talked to 2 specialists in 2 diff settings…Angeles Clinic and UCI.  They both said 1 month. One suggested GMC-SF for the rest of the year but neither thought that the full year with 4 young kids would give me the benefit over the life with my kids. My decision was made by looking at the poss. benefits and comparing to the cost of my family.  I can honestly say it was the right decision for my circumstances. the 1 month was so hard on my children, I cringe to think of the effect on them with a year of interferon.

You can make this decision! You will do the right thing for your package, because we all have a different package, different plan, different circumstance to conquer.

I wish you the best in your month of intensive…I barely remember much of mine! LOL

Wow, if you have the energy to be online that is awesome! You are doing great!

I did 1 month of interferon in March 2010. And with kids it was brutal. I talked to 2 specialists in 2 diff settings…Angeles Clinic and UCI.  They both said 1 month. One suggested GMC-SF for the rest of the year but neither thought that the full year with 4 young kids would give me the benefit over the life with my kids. My decision was made by looking at the poss. benefits and comparing to the cost of my family.  I can honestly say it was the right decision for my circumstances. the 1 month was so hard on my children, I cringe to think of the effect on them with a year of interferon.

You can make this decision! You will do the right thing for your package, because we all have a different package, different plan, different circumstance to conquer.

I wish you the best in your month of intensive…I barely remember much of mine! LOL

Misty,

My Oncologist started a program w/ his students at UCI called Spot a Spot. It is focused on school aged children. You may want to look into it. They get alot of donations to give to students and have med students help with presentation. I think you may like the info….I will e-mail you  w/ other stuff. 

I have approached cancer in the same way…I am working with UCI to get them to help me do assemblies for the schools around my home.  Thanks for passing it forward.

Sarah

Misty,

My Oncologist started a program w/ his students at UCI called Spot a Spot. It is focused on school aged children. You may want to look into it. They get alot of donations to give to students and have med students help with presentation. I think you may like the info….I will e-mail you  w/ other stuff. 

I have approached cancer in the same way…I am working with UCI to get them to help me do assemblies for the schools around my home.  Thanks for passing it forward.

Sarah

Misty,

My Oncologist started a program w/ his students at UCI called Spot a Spot. It is focused on school aged children. You may want to look into it. They get alot of donations to give to students and have med students help with presentation. I think you may like the info….I will e-mail you  w/ other stuff. 

I have approached cancer in the same way…I am working with UCI to get them to help me do assemblies for the schools around my home.  Thanks for passing it forward.

Sarah

Misty,

My Oncologist started a program w/ his students at UCI called Spot a Spot. It is focused on school aged children. You may want to look into it. They get alot of donations to give to students and have med students help with presentation. I think you may like the info….I will e-mail you  w/ other stuff. 

I have approached cancer in the same way…I am working with UCI to get them to help me do assemblies for the schools around my home.  Thanks for passing it forward.

Sarah