- Sophie is so very excited. I have not seen this excitement in a while. It makes us feel good.
- Other families who are the same brain cancer journey we are on share stories of how they "miss" the family at a treatment center or hospital. We are not like those people. Don't get me wrong, we very much appreciate the nurses, doctors, staff at the hospital, Procure, Marianjoy, everywhere that we've been in the past 2 months. But we strongly dislike the place. It's a super nice building, new, shiny, but we hate the place. We strongly dislike the fact that it beams harmful radiation onto Sophie. I know radiation/chemo is the standard treatment for cancer, and if there were a better way, we'd be doing it. But we strongly dislike that place. We also strongly dislike the CDH ER. Yes, they help people, but our main memory associated with that place is from Dec 1, 2012 when we found out that there was a 5cm brain tumor in Sophie. We will miss some of the people we have encountered, but have a strong dislike for the places.
- If you are not a radiation oncologist or anesthesiologist, you should go back to school and become one. I don't know all the details of course, but it sure seems like a lucrative profession. Each time Sophie goes, they bill $2000 for the anesthesia, and another combined $1500 for the radiation. Of course, our insurance covers a bulk of that, but that's a lot of money. Granted, it is a very specialized job, and it has to be impossibly difficult, especially with the deep emotions of patients/families, but it seems like a very comfortable gig from a financial perspective.
- Jeannie has mentioned a few times that though the 30 treatments at Procure seemed to take an eternity, it did give structure to the days and weeks. Not sure what it's going to be like post-radiation, but we will have to figure out another schedule and adjust accordingly. We will try to get Soph back to school once or twice a week, as her energy permits, and Jeannie will try to get back to her weekly mom's group for book study and fellowship. Hopefully that will give some routine back in lieu or Procure.
Lastly, if you are in the Chicago area, live in the city, or like to go into the city for fun, please attend the Wine Tasting/Food Pairing event on Sat, 2/23. It is being hosted by some friends, and it's more than just a fundraiser. A place/time to meet people, tasting of 4 wines run by a certified wine expert, with music, photobooth, and photographer. Come have fun, mingle, drink, support Soph, and learn a bit more about pediatric brain tumors.
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