Meet My Oncologist

Daily Quote: "During chemo, you're more tired than you've ever been. It's like a cloud passing over the sun, and suddenly you're out. You don't know how you'll answer the door when your groceries are delivered. But you also find that you're stronger than you've ever been. You're clear. Your mortality is at optimal distance, not up so close that it obscures everything else, but close enough to give you depth perception. Previously, it has taken you weeks, months, or years to discover the meaning of an experience. Now it's instantaneous." --Melissa Bank

I'll eventually need a new profile photo as I'll be a bald wonder.

Today is my first day I visited my oncologist, Dr. Hyo-Jong Park, M.D., at Cancer and Blood Specialist of Nevada.  It's an amazing coincidence (providence) that he was my friend's, Brenda Boswell, doctor in the past, he helped her have total remission from cancer!  The following is from his bio page on the Cancer & Blood Specialist web site:

Medical School: Seoul National University, School of Medicine
Internships: Seoul National University Hospital, Internal Medicine Department, St. Francis General Hospital
Residency: Pathology Resident, Shadyside Hospital, Pittsburg PA.
Fellowships: Oncology/Hematology University of Maryland Cancer Center
Dr. Park is board certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology, and Medical Oncology. He is a member of the American Society of Hematology, American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Nevada Oncology Society and the Clark County Medical Society. He has hospital privileges across the Las Vegas Valley. Dr. Park is licensed in Nevada and Arizona, and holds inactive licenses in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Dr. Park has practiced with Cancer and Blood Specialists since 1997.


Dr. Park will be giving me chemo once a week (three hours long) during my cancer fight.  We tentatively plan on starting chemotherapy on April 19th!!  The cancer fight begins soon.

During the visit he sat me down and asked me my history in regards to my discovering cancer and what I've done already.  I told him about my coughing blood in January, the route of discover with my new primary care doctor, Dr. Norris.  The route of examining my chest with a cat scan, the discovery of a small nodule in my right young.  The route of visiting the ears/nose/throat specialist, Dr. O'Donnel and his taking a biopsy of the lump on the back of my tongue.  The biopsy of my tongue being cancer.  The route of having a cat scan of my neck. The visit with my radiologist, Dr. Treadwell, and the projects I had to take with him (pet scan, dentist visit, eventual food tube from Digestive Associates.)

I also told him of my recent pain on my upper right chest and under my right arm.  Dr. Park then proceeded to probing my chest and underarm, which he discovered a small soft mass.  He is scheduling me an underarm biopsy of the mass at Steinberg Medical
for April 13th.  I'll need a blood test at least two days before the biopsy.  Needless to say, I hope my cancer isn't starting to spread below my neck.

The consultation ended.  I proceeded to the receptionist desk where she gave me papers for my blood test as well as scheduling the appointment for the chemotherapy on April 19th.  The only time available for my chemo is 9:45 a.m.  Unfortunately, the chemo takes three hours and will not be able to make it to work on time after the treatment.  I must try and figure something out with my employer concerning my work schedule.

I still have a dentist appointment on April 12th to fill five fillings that were questionable.

April 13th is my underam biopsy.

April 22 is my consultation with Digestive Associates in regards to a feeding tube.

I'll be checking the Checker Cab bid board this week as to see whether their are any drivers who retired, quit, or fired who had work schedules that would be more friendly with my treatments.  I currently have Saturdays and Sundays off, but my cancer treatments are Monday through Friday...ideally, I need a work schedule that has at least Tuesday off for chemo, and the rest of weekdays be scheduled later in the day for the radiation treatments.  Fortunately, my seniority number is 28, we have about 700 Checker Cab drivers, and should be able get any shift that's posted on the bid board...just one of the advantages to being a Checker Cab driver for over twenty years.

I have so much on my plate, I can't describe how difficult it is to exercise, fulfill my medical appointments and then work a 12 hour shift.