Meeting the new oncologist

Last Monday, I met with Dr. Angel who is my new oncologist.  I was nervous and apprehensive.  The first two oncologists I met - Dr. Diaz-Montes and Dr. Tweed were not very good and they were rather abrasive.  Dr. Jewell was a jewel.  I did not know what to expect when I met with Dr. Angel.  Turns out Dr. Angel is indeed an angel.

After I was checked in, I was looking at the computer monitor and noticed this line of information next to my name  "ENDO CA TRANSFER OF CARE".  Endometrial cancer is like my permanent brand.  I  was curious to see what kind of surveillance plan Dr. Angel would propose because Dr. Jewell changed things last May.

I immediately liked her.  I liked how she tried to connect with me and get to know me better.  Before our appointment, she reviewed all of my records.  She asked me how I was feeling overall.  She recommended the following surveillance plan that Dr. Jewell initially started.  Pap smear plus vaginal, pelvic, and rectal exams every three months for one more year then every six months for the next two years.  For the fifth year and beyond, once a year.

She took an interest in my genetic test results and read through the report.  We agreed to have me do CA-125 tests routinely just in case.  The CA-125 tests for tumor markers of ovarian cancer and I need to get started on my routine mammograms.  The next follow-up appointment, she'll do an ultrasound to take a look at my ovaries.  She examined me and said that all the surgical incisions looked really good.  Two are now hard to notice.  I had to point those out to her.  She was surprised how small they were.  She said everything looked and felt great.

What made it a really good appointment was the quality of the sign language interpreter.  The University of Rochester Medical Center has some awesome interpreters.  It was nice to be able to live locally and know for sure I would get good interpreters unlike the experience I had in Annapolis at the Anne Arundel Medical Center.  I did have to fight with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City to provide me with quality sign language interpreters at the beginning.  It's really nice not worrying about the interpreting services so that I can just focus on being the patient.