Disappointing Wednesday - God is still there

Dear Friends and Family,

Its 11:05, just got home from the 45 min. drive from Concord and the hospital. Nan was ready to fall asleep when I left shortly after 10. I took her walker back in from the car so we could walk and she was ready when I got there at 8. Why are we still in Concord? Well I'm not sure.....

We thought we would see Nan moved to UCSF this morning by ambulance. However when I got there I was told that the move had been put on hold due to someone somewhere suggesting that nan was to have procedures done in Concord. True there were no orders written and no one seemed to know who put the move on hold. Shortly after I arrived and talked to LeAnn, the person who arranges moves to other hospitals, Dr. Shoba (first name, I can't pronounce or spell her last name) our oncologist came to the room. She explained that when she had finally spoken to a urologist at UCSF he had given her a list of things we wanted to have done to and for Nan while she was in Concord. Most would have been done by interventional radiology but some might have needed assistance from the Concord urologist, the same one that on two occasions told Nan and me that he was not willing to do anything, not remove the old stent, not introduce dye to spot the leak, he was not willing to do anything for fear of making something worse. He was very clear that he would not be doing procedures on Nan period. Now the urologist from UC was asking that a number of things be done for and to Nan. Our experience has been that the urologist usually runs the show and the intervential radiologist carry how his directions. We wondered if something started to go wrong during a procedure being done by the intervential radiologist what urologist would be available to assist. The answer is none.

We let Dr. Shoba know we preferred to have all medical procedures done in the same place and by people with extensive experience, that is UCSF. She agreed but the UC urologist was unwilling to be the admitting doctor for Nan. Dr. Warren, the oncology surgeon and chairman of the department, has an assistant. That person worked hard today to locate another doctor who would admit Nan and as of this evening had not located another doctor to admit Nan. I have placed calls to Dr. Warren's private number, to Dr. Bertagnolli's office and to Dr. Warren's office seeking their direct intervention. Meanwhile Nan is hospitalized in Concord with antibiotics morning and night, with low grade fevers, waiting for a move to a place with experts who can help solve her leaking problems. Meanwhile she is off Gleevec and Rapamune, her only line of defense against returning tumors because the doctors do not want her immune system compromised and both Gleevec and Rapamune can do just that. See why we are a bit ansy!

For a while I get worked up over this lack of care and then I try to remember words that have been spoken to me by Sharon, Art, Pam, Bob and Carrol, Roger and Carol, allow God to work out His timing and His plan. I do know that God is on top of all of this and I'm sure things will work out eventually. Its just very hard to sit and wait when people are talking past each other and all we have in inaction as a result.

So that has been my day, drove over this morning, spent time, then after finding out there would be no move today nan and I decided I should come home and work on Tax preparing. I did and made major strides on that front, then back to see her this evening and now home to sleep. Work has fallen to the wayside this week and Steve is working night and day picking up the slack, how I appreciate that guy. I'm also glad Loree is back and she has been a wonderful helper.

So can you please keep nan in your prayers, prayers that God's will will be done, that His healing arms can hold her, that his guidance will be evident in the doctors and nurses that care for her.

Thank you in advance,

love

tim and nan

ps part of our problem is that Dr. Warren and Dr. Bertagnolli are both in Chicago this week for meetings so we have no high powered advocate at UC pulling for us.