The Wait Is Over | Meeting My Chemo Doctor

[00:00:00][music] [music] [music] Hey, [music] hey, hey.

[00:00:25][music] >> [music] [music] >> Well, ladies and gentlemen, after the longawwaited Wait.

[00:00:57]The time has come for me to finally meet with my oncologist here on Guam.

[00:01:05]Hopefully, he or she, cuz I don't know yet, will allow me to record. So, let's go.

[00:01:23]>> [music] [music] >> Who [music] who ready? We ready?

[00:01:37]Who ready? We ready.

[00:01:41]Who ready? [music] We ready.

[00:01:44]Ready.

[00:01:46]Yo, what's good, beautiful people? It's your boy Clead and I'm back with another video. As I mentioned in the intro, today will be my first oncology appointment here on Guam. I just pulled up at uh GRMC, which is Guam Medical Regional Center or whatever it is. But according to my oncologist in Hawaii, they have a really good program here, which is why I elected to come back here to have my treatment done so that I can be around my teammates and have some type of support system vice doing it out in Hawaii. Um, but [sighs] it it baffles me why it took so long for me to get this appointment. We're going on about 3 weeks right now.

[00:02:44]I know it may not seem like it by the way the videos have been stacked up, but we're looking at about 3 weeks right now since our arrived from Hawaii. So, it's taking that long to get me in. Now, mind you, I had to basically show my ass to get the appointment that I have today.

[00:03:11]Initially, I was scheduled for another week and a half out. And I told him, "Look, this that shit's not going to [ __ ] work. You need to get me in sooner than later because I can literally feel the tumor growing and I can hear it in my voice when I talk. So, we need to get this treatment started.

[00:03:38]Anyway, I'm about to go in here to the house in uh to my appointment right now.

[00:03:45]Don't know if I'll be able to record.

[00:03:47]I'll ask for permission.

[00:03:49]If I can record it, I'll record it. If not, then I'll just update you guys after the appointment's done. But whisper a prayer [sighs and gasps] and let's get going. Well, we made it to where we're supposed to be. But uh as usual, I'm early as Oh, my appointment's not for like another 45 minutes. But that's paperwork I'm sure that I need to fill out prior to. So, we get all this stuff taken care of and then we'll meet with the doctor. Like I said, I have to request permission from the doctor to record. As long as I'm able to record, then you guys will get the words from her mouth, not mine. Uh, but if not, then I'll brief you guys on the back end or what the plan is. But as far as I'm concern, I'm trying to get this started ASAP if possible next week. But uh [sighs] yeah, I know it's going to be a long rough road, but I'm ready to travel it and get over it. So you guys just stay tuned. I'll find out whether or not I can record while I'm with the oncologist and we'll go from there.

[00:05:02]All right, so we finally finished filling out all of the paperwork. It took maybe 20 minutes to fill out the paperwork cuz there's so much paperwork being that this is my first time being a patient here. Uh, and then they brought me back into the uh, well, I had checked my vitals and everything else, but now I'm in a waiting room waiting to see the oncologist. Still don't know if I can record the interaction yet. Uh, [snorts] we'll see shortly once she gets in here. I'll ask her, of course, off camera. Um, and then I didn't realize what that said, but um, ask off camera first and if she says yes, then I'll record the interaction so you guys will understand and see what's going on. Um, like I said, I'm hoping my treatment starts sooner than later cuz I don't need any more an appointments unless it's an appointment to start treatment. That's the only only appointment I want to see next. U but I think that's what it is. I think, you know, she [sighs] had to uh review what was done at Tripler and come up with a game plan based off all of the notes that were provided from the oncology team there to determine what the next course of action is going to be, which as I've already informed you guys, it's going to be radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

[00:06:38]Um the chemotherapy I want to say is weekly and a radiation I think is daily uh for like 8 weeks.

[00:06:55][sighs] I'm just ready to get it done and over with because I can I can feel I can really feel the uh the tumor in my throat now and it's changing my voice. The sound of my voice is very nasely right now.

[00:07:22]It's always been a little raspy, but this nasely [ __ ] sucks. But anyway, I will cut you guys back on once she comes in if I get permission to record. So you guys just stay tuned and ride us out with your boy.

[00:07:44]>> So yes, I can document it. And this is my beautiful doctor right here. Love your hair, by the Thank you.

[00:07:52]Um, yeah. So, it works really well. It works really well. Um, and so, you know, at least it's I mean, it's kind of intense in the sense that it's very concentrated, like all the treatments concentrated into one time period.

[00:08:10]>> Um, but then what's nice is that it's relatively short, you know, as treatments go and then you're pretty much done. So it's not like this really long drawn out, you know, treatment. So some are, some are, but this is not. So, um, basically it's a pretty standard thing. Um, we give a a drug, a chemo drug once a week.

[00:08:32]>> Okay?

[00:08:33]>> And what's nice with the chemo part is that it's like 50 it's very small doses of one drug.

[00:08:40]>> Okay?

[00:08:41]>> So side effects from chemo are pretty relatively, you know, small. Um most of the side effects are really from the radiation part of it because radiation is going to be you know focusing in on the mass of course and the neck and then he's also going to cover kind of a general area just in case there's anything escaped like in the surrounding region that we can't see on the PET scan, you know, microscopically.

[00:09:09]>> Okay. Um and so what that means for you is uh because this is kind of like throat basically and neck you know swallowing tenderness like kind of burning in the throat like maybe you have a really bad throat infection or you know it's just it that that all those symptoms cuz you're kind of burning inside the inside the throat essentially. um they're temporary side effects, so it's it's not going to be long term, but while you're getting the treatment, the hardest thing, I think, is just staying um hydrated and making sure that you're taking in your nutrition and everything, you know, cuz of cuz of all those, >> you know, cuz it'll start to feel like, oh, you know, it's uncomfortable when I swell, like it's a little burny, you know. Um and and um most of the time what patients do is they do a lot of garbling, a lot of swishing, you know, with salt water, with saltwater baking soda. We have a magic mouthwash, just things to keep it like at least calmed down.

[00:10:11]>> And just do the best you can. If you have to use pain medications, you know, we can give you those, you know, all that kind of stuff. So >> the other thing is um like for example, if you and it and it does mount up. So in the beginning you'll be like this is this is like nothing whatever like it's not even a big deal but then as it keeps going it's an accumulative effect. So all of a sudden you get a couple weeks in and you're like actually this is kind of you know this kind of sucks now you know [laughter] but but like but at that point you're kind of like halfway or or more than that done. So you know it's it's like I just need to get to the end of this and um but we can give you IV fluid. So, like if you're having trouble drinking, you know, we can schedule like IV fluids and electrolytes and stuff to help you feel better like during the week.

[00:10:59]>> Okay.

[00:11:00]>> Um, the types of medications that you may need, uh, you know, if you do experience any nausea or like I said, pain or anything, those are things that, you know, we have good medications for.

[00:11:15]um things like fatigue, you know, just feeling tired, wiped out, and all that, that's just going to be you're definitely going to have that like you're going to be tired more than your norm. Uh you'll want to rest, you know, you'll want to just take it easy kind of thing cuz your treatment with the radiation is every day.

[00:11:36]>> Okay? So it's 5 days a week, weekends off, but I mean, you know, coming in every day radiation once a week the chemo. So like uh that time period, which it lasts about anywhere from five or more weeks.

[00:11:53]So it could be up to six or seven weeks even depending on on Dr. Al's treatment plan.

[00:12:00]But [clears throat] during that time, it's probably good to just be, you know, not doing a lot of other stuff.

[00:12:06]>> Okay. You don't [clears throat] recommend that I continue to work.

[00:12:09][snorts] you can try it, [laughter] >> but if you have PTO, you know, or whatever, >> it's just nice to not have to worry about, you know, cuz there's so much that you have to worry about taking care of yourself and getting enough rest and getting enough nutrition and doing your gargling and, you know, it's like it's better to have that time to just be on top of all those things so that you're not thinking about other stuff that you have to do, >> right?

[00:12:41]>> Cuz it's kind of a, you know, it's it's an intense schedule and sort of my, you know, cuz you have your radiation every day and then your your chemo and it keeps coming up every week. So, um, [clears throat] every week we check your your blood count. So, we get a we get a lab, you know, make sure all the counts and everything, liver and kidneys are all okay.

[00:13:01]>> Okay. Um one thing to be aware of with the drug that we're giving which is called cislatin >> it's a cislatin drug >> um is that um in very few people it can cause ringing in the ear tinitis tendonitis >> you have it ringing in the ear >> so [clears throat] just monitor how you know how intense it is right now if it starts to ramp up like get more intense tense then we should you know be aware of that because >> we don't want to cause situation with permanent worsening of the tenants cuz that's an annoying thing to have in the first place it is.

[00:13:46]>> So so like we'll try and not make that worse. Um some people will experience some tingling and and kind of like tingling sensation in the uh extremities >> from from the treatment.

[00:14:00]We have to monitor for that. Make sure that you know if you have it, it's mild.

[00:14:05]Generally, if it's mild, it'll reverse.

[00:14:07]If it gets to the point where it's like completely numb on your hand and then we need to, you know, change the treatment or like decrease the dose or something.

[00:14:17]>> Okay.

[00:14:17]>> Yeah. So, um, how are your veins generally >> as far as >> are they easy to access?

[00:14:26]>> No.

[00:14:27]>> No. [laughter] >> Okay. And they're very well >> trying to get into my arm. It's that difficult.

[00:14:33]>> Is it hard to get a line?

[00:14:35]>> Yes, >> it is.

[00:14:36]>> Yeah.

[00:14:37]>> Shoot. Okay. Um, so we have two options here. Um, well, three options. We can either try and find a line every time, which may not be successful, may be okay. I don't know. Depends on the skill of the person and, [laughter] you know, and luck a little bit, I guess. Um but you know may cause some issues. Um otherwise we have two different kinds of lines that are temporary lines that are in during the treatment you know but they sit in you during the treatment. So like they don't come out >> and then they come out after you're done.

[00:15:12]>> So one of them is a type that sits in your it sits in your arm. So, it's like a peripheral IV, but instead of being just in the peripheral vein, they they use a ultrasound and they kind of thread it up into the the central vein. So, it just sits there.

[00:15:29]>> It sits there like a catheter.

[00:15:31]>> And there's a little tiny piece that sticks out, which is the access.

[00:15:35]>> Yeah. Um and and you have to basically um the nurses do it for you cuz you're here every week anyway, but they do the dressing change and they just make sure it's like covered and clean and everything. That's called a pick line.

[00:15:48]So we can we can do that.

[00:15:51]Um the nice thing there is that it's not really an incision, right? It's just like a big peripheral line.

[00:15:57]>> Yeah.

[00:15:57]>> So when you pull it out, there's no there's nothing open or anything. The other one is called a port access. And that one they actually have to make an incision in the chest wall. Um, pros and cons there. That one's covered with skin, so nothing's sticking out.

[00:16:15]But then again, it is an incision and they have to like insert, you know, this port and it's um it's inserted under the skin. So, it's like a little implant underneath the skin. So, you know, those are kind of the two line options that we have. Do are you feeling like you have a preference towards what?

[00:16:36]>> I would prefer to see if someone can actually stick the vein.

[00:16:39]>> Okay.

[00:16:40]>> Because that I've had nurses who can every time >> but then I've had some that >> they would have to go.

[00:16:47]>> Well, there's some really good nurses here. So, let's see how we do.

[00:16:50]>> Okay. If it's a really big issue, you know, first cycle comes and it's like they're sitting there for an hour trying to get a liner or something [laughter] like that, you know, then um we can think about something like that. But yeah, we'll we'll we'll definitely give it a shot cuz you can do this whole treatment peripheral like it's not contraindicated or anything. It's not dangerous, you know, it's just more of like getting >> the actual line. So, um but yeah, that's that's basically the the summary of it.

[00:17:18]Um, so I would be referring you to Dr. Al who's the radiation. He's right across the hall. Okay.

[00:17:24]>> So you' be like right here, you know, in this.

[00:17:26]>> As a matter of fact, I need to He's across.

[00:17:29]>> Yeah.

[00:17:29]>> I need to talk to some I got a phone call yesterday.

[00:17:32]>> Oh, did you? Okay.

[00:17:33]>> With a referral.

[00:17:35]>> Oh.

[00:17:35]>> To schedule an appointment with right.

[00:17:38]>> So probably you should just go and talk to them. They're really nice. Yeah. And they get people in pretty fast. So, um I actually just like showed him all this like just we were talking and he was like, "Oh, yeah. You know, that's going to be good treatment." Yeah. So, and he was confident about it. Okay.

[00:17:54]>> Yeah.

[00:17:55]>> So, um yeah, I mean, we just have to, you know, take everything as it goes and continuously monitoring your symptoms, seeing what you need and, you know, how to manage all of it, whatever comes up.

[00:18:08]That's kind of how we do that. but give you some things ahead of time like the mouthwash and the nausea med and like you know see if you need anything [clears throat] additionally or whatnot.

[00:18:19]Um >> one thing to note is that the the drugs that you get they're called premeds. We give you premeds before your chemo.

[00:18:28]>> Those can cause some constipation. So just like kind of an FYI on that.

[00:18:32]>> Okay? You know, so if you notice that you're not going to the bathroom for a couple days after your treatment, it's better to just day two like just start a laxative or just, you know, so it's not so tied up for days. Yeah. Cuz that'll make you uncomfortable.

[00:18:48]>> Yeah.

[00:18:49]>> Yeah. Yeah. So yeah. Um and I think that's and then you know we go through with the treatment and um and then at at around generally like 3 months or you know a little after 3 months [clears throat] somewhere there generally that's the time that we repeat one of these scans the PET scan.

[00:19:09]>> Okay. So um the PET scan post about three or three 3 to four months post treatment that tells us you know is there complete response there should be no really much activity on the PET scan at that point. [clears throat] >> Okay. um if there is any residual activity depending on how significant that is sometimes you can see like some post treatment inflammation but as long as the activity is going down. Um certain instances we may repeat that scan one more time just to make sure that it all goes away you know 6 months or something but usually once you have if you have your initial PET scan everything looks like totally good and like non-active then we just monitor with regular like CTS and things.

[00:19:58]>> Okay. Now that PET scan would have to take place at at Tripler again.

[00:20:02]>> Yes. Because your insurance doesn't allow Philippines. Doesn't cover Philippines. Yeah, >> actually doesn't. I think the VA does.

[00:20:13]>> It does.

[00:20:14]>> I think so. I look into it.

[00:20:16]>> Look into it cuz I I know they were like looking to change that and they were >> because I know some veterans go to uh what is it? St. Luke's.

[00:20:23]>> Do they?

[00:20:24]>> Yeah.

[00:20:24]>> Okay. They're not paying cash or anything.

[00:20:26]>> I bet. I'm not sure.

[00:20:27]>> No. Okay.

[00:20:30]>> Yeah.

[00:20:30]>> I have to look into it. It is more convenient, you know, for sure. Yeah.

[00:20:35]>> Um question. Um with the PET scan, did they give you a disc to go home with?

[00:20:43]>> No, she did not give me a disc.

[00:20:46]>> That's okay. Um but uh so you know, that's just I guess that's just one thing. Where is that?

[00:20:55]Um, when you do patch scan in two different places, they don't see the prior image.

[00:21:02]>> Oh, >> that sometimes makes it a little bit like, oh, what am I comparing it to? You know what I mean?

[00:21:09]>> I could reach out to Dr. Anderson. I'm sure I can.

[00:21:11]>> If they could send you the disc then in St. Louis, like if you did get your PET scan there, they could upload that disc and then look at the prior PET scan.

[00:21:20]>> Okay. I'll reach out to Dr. Edison and then I'll Hawaii and ask her for >> Okay. They could probably send it to you. Yeah.

[00:21:27]>> Okay. So, that'd be helpful.

[00:21:29]>> Um, so that's that's basically what we're doing.

[00:21:32]>> All right. So, how soon we start?

[00:21:34][laughter] >> I would say next uh week >> uh one to two weeks maximum.

[00:21:41]>> Can we start next week?

[00:21:43]>> We'll try. We'll try. Yeah. We just have to Well, your insurance actually is really good cuz I don't think we have to get any prior options for your insurance. I think it's a like the way the VA usually does it like um >> like um how is it called? Like a blanket approval type thing, right?

[00:22:00]>> So, that'll make it cuz that's usually the one week delay is the the prior off.

[00:22:04]Yeah.

[00:22:05]>> So, probably could actually.

[00:22:07]>> As a matter of fact, I have I have an appointment with them tomorrow. So, I'll let them know that we're trying to start next week. Yeah, we could probably do that cuz there's no insurance issue. So, and sis flatten we have in stock all the time.

[00:22:19]>> Okay.

[00:22:20]>> Yeah. So, what I'll do is um once we have confirmation for radiation start date, usually our start date is the same day.

[00:22:28]>> Okay.

[00:22:29]>> So, you would be getting your chemo that morning and then your radiation.

[00:22:34]>> Now, for the radiation, do you guys have to build a mask? Um >> I believe we do.

[00:22:41]>> Yeah. Yeah. That that takes like 7 to 10 business days.

[00:22:45]>> No, it's fast.

[00:22:46]>> Oh, really?

[00:22:47]>> Yeah, cuz it's like they mold make your mold and I think it like dries overnight or something.

[00:22:52]>> Oh, >> yeah.

[00:22:53]>> Okay. Well, that's even better.

[00:22:56][laughter] >> Yeah, cuz it's some sort of material that they [clears throat] can mold to your head.

[00:23:03]>> Okay.

[00:23:03]>> Yeah.

[00:23:04]>> Maybe I think it was cuz triplet didn't do it in house. They had to send it out.

[00:23:08]They they said pretty >> it would be 7 to 10 business days for that.

[00:23:13]>> Oh, interesting.

[00:23:14]>> So, I mean, if you guys do it in house and it can be done within a day or two, then that's makes it even better.

[00:23:20]>> Yeah.

[00:23:21]>> I'm I'm ready to start as soon as you guys are ready.

[00:23:24]>> Yes. Good. Good. I'm glad. Yeah. Do you need anything for um like work purposes?

[00:23:31]Do you need any documentation?

[00:23:32]>> No. They my my supervisor everybody already knows what the situation is.

[00:23:37]Yeah. As a matter of fact, that's why I elected to come back here to have my treatment done vice doing it in Hawaii because I have a support network here.

[00:23:45]>> Network. Yeah. That's way important.

[00:23:47]It's really important.

[00:23:48]>> So, that was that was my main objective.

[00:23:50]>> Yes. Yeah. So, you have people in your house then that can help you.

[00:23:54]>> Well, not in the house, but but >> around. Good. Good. Okay. Good. Yeah.

[00:24:00]Um, so, >> all right, ladies and gentlemen. So, we are done.

[00:24:08]for now. Uh, after I finished speaking with the oncologist, I was actually able to go over to radiology and schedule an appointment with radiology.

[00:24:34]So, the plan [sighs] is actually for us to start treatment next week.

[00:24:43]Now, initially, I don't know if I was recording when she said it. She was like, uh, maybe two weeks, two to three weeks. And I was like, no, I want to start ASAP. Can we start next week?

[00:25:01]and her response was yes, we can start next week.

[00:25:10]So, I'm hoping that's the case. I'm hoping we can start next week.

[00:25:19]And then with radiology, they have to make a mask to protect the areas that aren't getting radiated.

[00:25:29]And according to her, it should only take 2 days. I won't know for sure until I talk to radiology next week. But I know at Tripler because they don't do it in house, they have to send it out. So it takes about seven to 10 business days.

[00:25:50]But if they can do it in-house here and get my mask taken care of and start me on radiation sooner than later. Yeah.

[00:25:59]Because the chemo is only once a week.

[00:26:03]The radiation is daily. So yeah, that's the plan. But anyway, I just wanted to give you guys an update since we're done with the appointment for now. Uh we'll be back here next week to start our treatment hopefully as long as everything gets scheduled. Either way, I got to come back next week for uh radiology and I think they're going to do the math thingy. I don't know what they're going to do. I just know we need to get this [ __ ] started. So anyway, there is a positive. But this has been your boy Khalifas checking out with another video. Make sure you like, share, comment, subscribe, click the post notification bell, turn to all so that you know when I drop a new video.

[00:26:49]With that, we're out. Ready? [music] We ready?

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