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| Rachel, Katie, Lindsay and Nikki. Not pictured: Dr. Meek, Jennifer and Leanna |
Although this blog is dedicated to choral music and closely related topics, I have from time to time written an off topic post. With that in mind, I feel compelled to write a follow-up to my last post about the journey I have been on the last several months. Many of you read my previous post and are aware of my diagnosis, surgery and treatments. As it turned out, my oncologist recommended I not have chemotherapy based on the genome test I mentioned in my last post. I agreed with his recommendation and am thankful I don't have to face such an intense and grueling treatment. I am currently undergoing radiation treatments. I require 33 treatments in all (as of Friday I have completed 30!). Once my radiation treatments are finished I will begin adjuvant therapy (in the form of a daily pill) for the next five years.
And now I come to the heart of this post: When one seeks treatment of this nature, one wants a great Radiation Oncologist, the latest equipment, well qualified nurses, therapists, dosimetrists, physicists, etc. It is also essential (for me) that they are carrying and empathetic individuals. I am happy and grateful to say I am blessed with such a team. Dr. Allen Meek, Lindsay, Jennifer, Katie, Rachel, Nikki and Leanna of Provision Radiation Therapy in Knoxville have made me comfortable and confident in the quality of care I am receiving. I hope this doesn't sound like an advertisement, as I hope no reader of this post will ever require their expertise, I simply want to express my gratitude to these lovely, caring people.
Katie and Jeniffer take care of me day in and day out. I have come to enjoy their company and our getting to know one another (their love of maxi dresses, my car buying journey, a bit about my work at Union, etc.) They have tremendous responsibilities and are professional and dedicated to providing the very best of care.
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| Katie and me. Sadly, Jennifer wasn't there on this day:/ (Btw, I have not shrunk, Katie is just wonderfully tall!) |
Most readers of my blog know of my daily struggle with positional vertigo. Jennifer, Katie and the entire team worked with me to make sure my vertigo was not agitated. They put my mind at ease and insured my quality of life was not going to be put in jeopardy.
To be sure, driving back and forth to Knoxville for 6 and a half weeks (6,000 miles!) wasn't on my agenda for this summer, but by the grace of God I am receiving wonderful care. I will not miss the drive, nor the treatments, but I will miss being greeted with a smile, treated with kindness and professionalism, and knowing I could call upon Dr. Meek (one of the top Radiation Oncologists in the nation) if I had a question or concern (and you know I had more than a few:))
I am looking forward to healing over the next several weeks and then, God willing, going to the office and doing some work (well, a vacation is also in order). I already miss my students and am looking forward to their return.
As I draw this post to its conclusion, instead of coming up with a musical selection (and there are many that would be fitting) I want to end with something I found in the Patient Care binder I was given by Rachel my first day at Provision.
What Cancer Cannot Do
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit
Author unknown
Sola Gratia,
Virginia Gay