Another Series Ending

Barbara, Beth, and Tanner

I wrote to Dr. Barlogie and explained to him about Tanner's hesitancy in moving to Arkansas away from everything and everyone he knows - and that his college classes start at the end of August.  I explained to him that we have visited with Dr. Berryman at the Sammons Cancer Center in Dallas and also that Tanner has had to two surgeries on his legs.

He replied "What a great story! I will be glad to work with Bob in the future".



We went back and saw Dr. Berryman (Bob) on Friday and told him what Dr. Barlogie said.  He asked if that meant we would be going back to Little Rock and having the tests done and him assist with the care here closer to home.  I told him that since Tanner is about to start college - and since the insurance won't cover the tests in Arkansas - we feel that he needs to go ahead and just take over and send copies to Dr. Barlogie of everything that is being done in regards to Tanner's treatment.



He said that there are many different schools of thought on how long maintenance chemo should last.  He said some doctors only prescribe the maintenance treatment 2-3 years, other's treat up to 5 years, while other physicians believe you should keep patients on maintenance chemo until it seems to no longer be working.  He said that Multiple Myeloma is predisposed for relapse (scary words to hear) and the goal is to delay that occurence for as many years as you can.



He said that with Tanner's young age we are in "uncharted territory" and that he was going to call Dr. Barlogie and get some insight into what he was thinking in regards to Tanner's long range treatment plans.

In the meantime, he wants to move Tanner's weekly chemo treatments to Texas Oncology in Fort Worth since that's the system he practices in. 



While Tanner and I understand the need to move his treatment, it is going to be so very sad to leave the care of Dr. Albritton and all the people at Cook's Oncology and Hematology Department.  They have become our friends these last two years...



So, as this series of treatments come to an end here in August and Tanner goes through his next series of restaging tests, his care is going to be phased over to Dr. Berryman in Dallas and Dr. Rashid Dean at Texas Oncology in Fort Worth.  I just hope that everything works well with Dr. Berryman and Dr. Barlogie working together for Tanner's care.



Change is ever constant...