As we enter the lobby of a new hospital, KK remarks, "Wow! It looks like a grand hotel." The doctor gives us orders for a chest x-ray, so we make our way downstairs. As we re-enter the lobby, she says, "Wow! It looks like a grand hotel." As we enter the lobby on our way out of the hospital, she says, "Wow! It looks like a grand hotel." (At least she's consistent!)KK's short-term memory loss has increased significantly since Wednesday of last week. As I look back over the last couple months, I can see how it has progressively gotten worse (hind sight is 20/20). This is most likely due to radiation necrosis (as KK said today, "Something that is supposed to cure us can have bad side-effects. It is a mixed blessing."). I knew this was a possibility, especially after the last MRI showed necrosis. As I researched treatments that might help radiation necrosis, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) seemed like the most promising option. In fact, I asked The Rothfeld Center about the HBOT that they offer at their Plymouth location just two weeks ago.
When my mom confirmed what I had been seeing on Saturday, I emailed KK's team at Dana Farber and The Rothfeld Center about the short-term memory loss and asked about HBOT. I found that Mass Eye and Ear in Boston has a HBOT center and was willing to drive there every day if insurance would pay for it. Otherwise, I would bring KK to The Rothfeld Center's Plymouth location (I figured that if I have to pay for it then at least we would be able to do HBOT and IVC in one appointment). On Monday, I told the woman at the center where KK receives her colonics about KK's dramatic short-term memory loss and how I wanted to pursue HBOT. She informed me that St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester (less than a 10 minute drive from our home) has 4 hyperbaric chambers. This morning, I received an email from KK's team at Dana Farber consenting that I could pursue HBOT. I called the Wound Care Center at St. Vincent's at 8am and they said we could meet with a physician at 11am (hence the visit to a new hospital this morning). As soon as insurance approves the treatment, we will be able to start treatment!
HBOT will consist of 90-minute treatments every weekday for a minimum of 30 treatments. The timing is a God-thing, since I will be taking my Sabbatical in January and won't have to worry about how to work around more doctors appointments.
Here is some information about Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment and radiation necrosis:
* I am neither endorsing nor recommending this movie (it is pretty crude), just admitting that it is what my life is like right now.
4 comments:
Praying for you both... As always, you're doing a great job of researching and taking the necessary steps for KK's best health.
Praying for insurance coverage, praising God for the better location for you both, and praying especially for its effectiveness. I greatly admire your perseverance, Tanya.
So happy for you for timing and that you found a closer location for treatment! God is so good! Continuing to pray for insurance coverage.
Wow, what timing! Praying for you 💜
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