Knowledge makes us get well

I will start this post by reciting VUMC's new slogan "Kennis maakt ons beter" which means that knowledge makes us beter (or get well). This has been a week from Hell. It has been extremely hard work trying to get things sorted out regarding my treatment. I had talks with Baayen the neurosurgeon at the VUMC and last week I spoke to Van Triest in the AVL about the radio therapy. It has been a major task to get the necessary information regarding my head. As you all know, I wasn't too happy about the decision to start with radio therapy as surgery to me seemed like the best option for the tumor on my head. After a 45 minute wait, Dr. Baayen finally saw us and took the necessary time to explain what the complications were. It turn out that the fear of infections was a secondary complication. The trouble is that the tumour is growing into a major artery in my head. (I believe it is the jugular artery, which a main feed to the entire brain). If this artery hemorraghes in the frontal part, it would lead to paralysis on one side of my body. If it hemorrages on the back part, it could lead to instant death. These factors have lead to the decision to not operate. On top of that, the skin has become so thin on top that if they were to operate me, they would not be able to close it up again. The skin was actually so thin that the doctor begged me to cancel my trip to Jamaica to start radiation therapy immediately. I was still debating what to do when Marcus bribed me that if I would go to Jamaica later, he would join me. So this is where we are at. I have cancelled my trip and will be starting approximately 6 weeks of radiation therapy. It was truely heartbreaking to tell Kiara that the trip was cancelled. Luckily she will be spend time with her father.

My meeting with Gerritsen was far from satisfactory. He acknowledge a few of the mistakes but once again was badly informed about my case. Lips seemed to be used as the scapegoat which was certainly not my intention. All in all, Gerritsen has offered to put together a new team of doctors. I have left this option open but have also started to work on an alternative in which Dr Luykx has played a significant role. She is an excellent doctor who certainly knows her stuff. Besides having my radiation therapy in the AVL I have already got my first appointment there for follow up in the other fields. In other words...I am changing hospitals and have chosen for a more personal approach.

Aside from all this information there has also been a lot going on domestically. Life is very busy for me as there is so much to arrange and manage around my illness and at home that I seem more occupied than when I was still working full-time. Life is very emotionally charged and intense right now and people don't understand that there is no time to get bored. It was time for a break, so last night I told Marcus to grab the fishing rods, I went shopping and we drove out to the lakes in Almere to do some fishing and Bar-B-Qing. It was nice to get away from the city noise and enjoy the peace and quiet of an summer evening in the nature. The kids enjoyed themselves, and Marcus and I, only for a wee while, were able to get things off our minds.