I am sitting in the waiting room at the Diagnostic Center at MD Anderson, among probably 20 other patients. ShrinkyDink warned me that this place makes you feel sort of like a steer in a herd of cattle, being shuffled from department to department, taken in order, waiting for someone to call your name. That’s true. Completely true. And yet…it’s comfortable and modern and runs smoothly.

First of all, it’s gigantic. Building after building right in the heart of the downtown Houston Medical center. And we’re talking a high rise building!

I filled out a mountain of paperwork, had a nice nurse to take my vitals and met a lovely researcher who asked if she could use some of my spare blood when they draw it for other things to use in her cancer and heart disease research.

Eventually, we were taken back to an exam room where a nurse checked us in. Then a physician’s assistant reviewed my stuff and talked and listened for a while to everything - the whole history. A few minutes later, Dr. Wizard came in! The visit was short and we left with nothing definitive yet because he wants some more tests run in the next couple of days before he can narrow in on a treatment plan. But apparently they have some fancy schmancy CT scanning machine that will give him better images of my tumor(s?) than anywhere else in the country. Plus XRay images, bloodwork and EKG’s etc. We’re scheduled to meet with him again Friday morning to review all of the above and then some.

He was knowledgeable, confident (not arrogant), patient and a great listener. He has seen this particular type of tumor a “couple of dozen times” this year. Talk about EXPERTISE!

I ended up asking him how he would suggest I manage my pain while I wait for treatment to start. He is putting me in touch with a pain management department to see about a patch of some kind.

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After I wrote that last line, I was scurried around from blood draw to X ray to EKG. Then we had lunch and now we’re back at the hotel for a nap to recharge my batteries. Tomorrow is another more high tech CAT scan in the afternoon. Friday morning we meet again with “Dr. Wizard” and go from there. That place is like the Disneyland of medicine! And everyone is SO DAMN NICE!

P.S. Honey’s aunt sent me Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips and I opened it up before we left the house yesterday. I read it all afternoon and on the plane and I LOVE IT! It makes me smile and not feel so alone in this. Thank you, Aunt Marti!