Went to Tampa as scheduled. The trip took 2 ½ hours each way. The South Florida University complex of which the Moffitt Cancer Center is a part, is large and lovely. We got there at 11:30 and I thought we’d have time for coffee but when we registered, the paperwork and preliminaries took us right up to 1:00 which was our appointment time with the doctor. Her name is Laronga and she was personable and very good at explaining things. She said I was not to worry about the outcome, that the conditions for a good one were extremely favorable.

A team of doctors looks at cases every week. My case will come up next week. They’ll show the film on a large screen and collect evaluations. I am to meet with radiologists after this meeting and the treatment will be pinned down.
I am in a category that is eligible for a new technique. They will, if the measurements are right for it, administer a dose of radiation right after the lumpectomy. This will be definitive and no more radiation will be needed. An ultrasound will measure the area and feed the numbers into the device. If the size/location/density of tissue are right, they can proceed. If not, the machine will not allow the process to continue as the patient would be burned. Moffitt is one of only about 3 or 4 facilities in the country that has this capability. If I don’t get this treatment, the alternative is to have 5 separate doses of radiation administered in the days after.

I am lucky to get treatment in a facility that has the latest technology and it was Edward who insisted on going there (not that I would argue with him in these matters since he has a medical background).

And to add a note of irony, my gynecologist, who had prescribed the mammography, had an assistant call three working days after the info got to him to give me the news. I said I already knew and asked her wasn’t she glad she didn’t have to tell me herself? I do think the doctor personally should have called. I was biopsied on Wednesday and my internist called Thursday night. (Yes, I’ll be changing gynecologists. I didn’t feel connected to him anyway.)

That’s all for now. I’ll get back to routines now and wait for next steps.

xx, Teal