Phone calls galore

Before Woody left for work (5:30am), he came in to tell me that I needed to call Dr. Sosman's office today...not about the study...but about his headaches. He was getting concerned that it wasn't just a regular headache...but that it might have something to do with his melanoma...as in perhaps it was in his brain. Wonderful thought to start out the day!!!

So shortly after 8am I put in another call to Vanderbilt (1st call). I told them that I had called yesterday and that I hadn't received a call back and that now I had another issue that I needed to discuss with someone in Dr. Sosman's office.

Within a half hour after my call one of the clinical nurses called (2nd call). I think that she was mainly calling about the clinical double blind study. So I first got that information from her and then started questioning her about Woody's headaches. I found out that the study hasn't started yet and that they are contacting patients about it and getting the study set up. She said that it would start in a week to a week and a half...anyway...after the first of June. Then on to the headaches...she said that since he wasn't having problems with his vision or wasn't confused that she didn't think that it was anything to jump to bad conclusions about. She felt that it might be sinus pressure...so we are to try Benadryl and Tyelenol and see if they help. If "things" get worse or any of those symptoms start then we are to call them back.

Around 3:30pm Dr. Sosman's nurse called (3rd call). I told her that I had talked to someone else from Dr. Sosman's office that morning, but that I wanted to run Woody's symptoms by her. She understood why Woody is thinking more serious thoughts than sinus problems. But she did say to try the Tyelenol and Benadryl for several days and see if they help...then if not to call and they would schedule a scan...one that scans more than from neck to mid-thigh as he had a week and a half ago. (Oh, and, yes, there were really 4 calls...Dr. Sosman's nurse had first tried me on my cell phone and left a message prior to calling on our regular phone.)

Woody says to explain that he really hasn't ever dealt with many health issues (to his knowledge he has never even had heart burn) and very rarely has just a "plain, old, regular-type" headache much less a sinus headache so really doesn't have anything to compare some of his aches and pains to. Also, our personal care physician sort of cringed yesterday when I mentioned that Woody was having headaches and she said that he might need a scan of his head. And, it had been in the back of Woody's mind for some time that his headaches could be a new sign of his melanoma's progression. Plus he feels like he ignored symptoms long ago that have gotten him where he is now with his melanoma.

Want to know the funny thing about this...I had all the symptoms that the nurse described to watch out for Woody: a headache, blurred vision...and...we will leave the confusion part up to you all to decide!