I’ve thought about starting a side blog on which to keep people updated on Shane, but that feels like too much work for me right now and this blog has always been just what it is–a reflection of what is going on in my head–so if there is too much cancer talk here right now that is only because now that the holidays are over that is what is occupying our time and our minds.

We are blessed to have relatives (essentially cousins who married doctors) in the medical field who have offered to advise us as needed. Their help has been invaluable. One in particular found himself fighting cancer at the young age of 35. It was at his urging that we decided yesterday to call Huntsman Cancer Institute now, instead of waiting until after the surgery as one of our surgeons had advised.

One of the difficult things about finding yourself looking for an oncologist is that everyone has a strong opinion about who you should go to and who you should avoid. For better or worse, people are passionate about their oncologists. But my cousin’s husband gave us contact information for the Sarcoma Services at Huntsman. I like the idea of a team approach–it’s so, well, House-like.

Unsure anyone would be in on the Friday after a holiday, I gave them a call.

Wow. The service is amazing. Despite the short notice, I was able to make an appointment for Wednesday–the day before Shane’s schedule surgery–with a Dr. Bentz.

Then, yesterday afternoon, we got another call from our oral surgeon. He was checking in to see how we were doing and to see if we had any questions. I have to say I love a doctor who will call you at home on a Friday afternoon and then spend all the time in the world with you. Every time I have spoken with Dr. Dobson he has taken care to answer every question and made an effort to empower us to feel comfortable in making sure we doing what’s best for Shane, even if that means rescheduling surgery.

After speaking with him I decided to call the patient coordinator at Sarcoma Services again (even though she told me she’d only be working until 3p.m. and it was already after 4) in order to check if we could get in to see Dr. Bentz a little sooner than one day prior to the surgery. If we do end up postponing surgery, I’d prefer to give the surgeons more time to fill their schedule with someone else who may be waiting for help (because I know the waiting is one of the hardest parts). She was able to squeeze us into Dr. Bentz’s schedule on Monday–that’s this Monday. That does give us a little more time to get more information and consider our options in order to make sure we are doing the right thing.

We’ve been advised that because sarcomas are rare, the treatment protocol may not be as well established as that for the treatment of, say, breast cancer. We’ve both felt that the focus up to this point has been on the surgery, mostly because we are seeing surgeons and that is what they do. But we need to see further down the road than that. We want to get a second opinion not from someone who just sees something like this occasionally in his or her broader practice, but rather from someone who essentially lives, eats, breathes and sleeps sarcoma. We want a more holistic approach.

Hopefully that’s what we’ll start to get come Monday.

Just so you know, yes we feel blessed to live within an hour of a well reputed Sarcoma Services center and yes we feel blessed to be able to get in on within one business day to see a specialist. Thank you again for the thoughts are prayers–they are working for us. We are inviting family and friends who may be fasting this Sunday and who are so inclined to please remember Shane and join us in praying for the best possible and most successful treatment–for healing and well being.