June 23, 2006 - Day 3 - Week 12 - The Kreitler Team At Work

Today you could have found me in the dark if you had a Geiger counter.  I was radioactive for a few hours as Gus stuck me once again, took out my blood, mixed it with a nuclear concoction, and then reinserted it into my veins.  This new imaging machine made by General Electric photographed my heart pumping.  Once again it was the tunnel effect, but only 4 pictures were taken, each of five minutes in duration.   The results were inconclusive as to the correlation between my pump and why my legs keep swelling; but I know that I am not pushing my blood around my system at full throttle. The good news is I am only a little bit below normal and I do not have to worry about my heart at this point. That is good because enough of my structure is not functioning at optimum level.

What next?  I am going to take another little pill called a diuretic. I did not even ask what a diuretic is.  For the time being I do not want to know.  I am already a walking chemical soup and ignorance is ok today.  I will trust that this will do the trick.  Actually, for the first full day in 17 days I am experiencing an evening of almost normal leg functioning.

During my photo session I was in a position not conducive to sleep so I day dreamed. I thought about all the people I did not know a few months ago that I am totally dependent upon now for beating cancer.  At the imaging center there is Gus and Russ, Christian and Jenny and Mike at the front desk and Nicole at the back desk.  Each has a special role to play. Mike signs me in and makes sure that I am seen immediately upon arrival.  I have learned to be the first patient of the day in any doctor’s office, and will delay my visit a day or two so as to assure me that spot. Nicole is Dr. Piro’s scheduler and can find him at any time of day.  Their cell phone contact is indispensable in my being able to know that I can reach Dr. Piro at any time. Gus is in charge of placing the needle in the best vein in the top of my hand.  He is adept and efficient. Russ runs the machine that takes the pictures of my insides.  Jenny is the go to person for personal needs, preparation and general over-sight of my time in the imaging center.  Christian calls me by name and is the direct link to Dr. Piro. Office number two.

Office number one is where I began my journey and where I go for chemo therapy.  I have already mentioned Nellie and Robert and the nursing team there.

Office number three is actually office number one because my primary care physician, Dr. Ernie Prudente, and his team of Amy and Mindy recognized my lymph involvement and recommended the Angeles Clinic and Dr. Piro. Piro and Prudente communicate on a regular basis about my condition and what avenue of treatment is best. They rely on each other’s area of expertise and I have developed an understanding of how the medical profession can and should work.

All of the individuals I have mentioned are part of the Kreitler Team at this point.  Each has their role to play and all roles are important.  Also, those who write, send cards, drop me notes, respond to the daily writings, and stop me to ask how I am doing are essential to my well being. Family, friends, and acquaintances are the triumvirate that emboldens me daily.   All I can do is offer my humble gratitude to all above.

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