We saw Dr. Tolcher today and he is continuously optimistic and encouraging. He is so wonderful and uplifting. Yesterday was really hard and we were bummed out about the news of the medicine not working. I think I knew it wasn't, but I/we were still so hopeful. When we left the dr's yesterday we felt so downtrodden. Its been one treatment after another ending in failure. Even still, mom has her head up and is ready to take the next step. I know she feels better having the stronger pain medicine and it is not affecting her in woozy way at all. When she explained that the pain medicine wasn't having any affect on her, the doctor explained how pain medicine works (he explains Everything!!! He's amazing!). Pain medicine works by counteracting the pain-nerve receptors. So if someone is in pain the pain meds essentially turn off the pain receptor and so the person is their normal alert self (unless they take too much or mix). If someone is not in pain and takes pain medicine, well then the medicine doesn't have anything its working against and so the woozy/weird side effects become present (that's my understanding/layman's guide of it).
Anyway, last night's stormy weather was refreshing in its own. It was as if the hard rain was washing away any feelings of hopelessness or defeat. This morning the sun was out and it was beautiful. My mom, older brother, and I met at the doctors office and waited to hear his words of encouragement. His demeanor is jovial and he enlightens us with his knowledge and compassion. He explains the next clinical trial (I'll write more on it in a separate post) and how its supposed to work. Mom, my brother and I are ready to move on in this direction and mom is ready to head back downtown for a Mediation hearing (still working). I stuck around to get the final copies. After getting the copies of we needed to keep I went back to Dr. Tolcher and his nurse to say thank you. I wanted to thank him for being our doctor and being the amazing doctor that he is. We are so grateful to be at the START center finally and have such a compassionate medical team working with us. He said to me that he really does care about my mom and loves working with her. I started to cry and he immediately brought me a tissue and gave me a big, comforting hug! He truly is a gift from God and Canada!! ; ) -He's from Canada.
So we go back next week and mom will start the new trial on Valentine's Day.
-Vanessa
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