Hope All Over Again, Day 1 at Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Wednesday, April 30th 2014

Mom's first day at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, in Newnan, Georgia, was on her birthday, Wednesday, April 30, 2014. Walking in as a family we were beyond confused based on our previous experiences at Emory Healthcare, but this place automatically gave us a new feeling of Hope. We met with the clinic and six nurses sang Happy Birthday and even had her a balloon.

 Then we went into a meeting with her ENT Specialist where things began to get emotional.  We finally were told so many answers we had been needing for four months now.  We were told mom's cancer was at Stage 4, and also she was not a surgery candidate so we knew right then treatments were our next option.  Even though hearing those words were the hardest things to ever hear, we still had a feeling of a new beginning. The doctor was still very positive about healing our mom.  Afterwards, we met with our Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Noreen Gullett, where she actually showed us mom's scans and where the cancers were and discussed in detail exactly how she would want to use radiation to shrink the tumors. Mom's plan was to have radiation treatments Monday through Friday for seven weeks.  But was told first she would have to have all of her teeth pulled and be healed so she could have a simulation done of making a mask to fit her face for the daily radiation treatments.  The mask is supposed to act as a shield to protect the organs that do not need to get radiation and should not be damaged.

As we were walking out of the treatment center on the very first day, I purchased a bracelet by Amanda Blu and had an idea that each day I would add a charm that would represent a stepping stone that mom and our family is going through. Each charm will represent something different. What she had experienced that day or maybe even how she was feeling.

The first Charm of the Day is an Opal.  The mix of the clear and light blue hues gives the feeling of a beautiful sky opening up and giving our family a new feeling of Hope all over again.