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Well, today was a really long and trying day! But in the end, we can celebrate. I’m getting the Power Port!

After waiting for my doctor’s office to call me about the authorization, I finally called them. The authorization to change facilities had gone through, but it hadn’t been sent to the hospital yet and no one had called me to let me know. She said she would fax it right away to the hospital and then they would call me with an appointment time. I waited about 30 minutes and then called the hospital myself. The scheduler wasn’t there when the doctor’s office called, so she didn’t even know that they had faxed the authorization. She got the auth and set me up for the appointment right there on the phone. If I hadn’t called, I might not have heard anything today. It is so frustrating to have to keep on top of everything, but I guess necessary to keep things moving.

I’ve heard that you need to be on top of things and be your own advocate many times, but can’t it ever be easy and right the first time??? I can imagine many people would just accept what is told to them and that makes me sad because they aren’t getting what they deserve and sometimes need!

So, my appointment is at 10:00 on Wednesday morning. I am so glad to have the appointment, but it is on the ONLY day that I had anything planned ALL summer. I was going to be heading to Angels Stadium for a mid-day baseball game. I won tickets at the Relay for Life back in June, and now I can’t go. I’m bummed! Instead I’ll be at the hospital for approximately 5 hours. I’ll get over it eventually! 😉

A friend told us that we are “Rolling with the Punches” to which Sol replied, “Yeah, but we’re getting pretty beat up.” That’s pretty much how we feel, but our God is bigger than this trial, and He will carry us through! Thank you for all your prayers. Things are moving in the right direction and I know that your prayers have played a major role!

Love,

Monica

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Well, there is no port today.  I am very disappointed.  I got up this morning, checked into the hospital, changed into my beautiful gown, and was about to get pricked for a blood draw and an IV, when they stopped everything.  They told me that they don’t do Power Ports at Presbyterian Hospital.  I was being told that if I wanted a port today, it would have to be a regular port – meaning that they will still have to find a vein when doing CT scans.  Sol and I were on the phone for the next 2 hours figuring out what our options were.  Did I need to get whatever they offered because of the urgency of the situation or could we find a hospital that could do the Power Port and change the authorization in time to begin chemo on schedule?  It was a horrible time of asking questions and weighing the options.

Finally, the doctor who was going to put the port in, came and talked to us.  He puts in Power Ports everyday at a different hospital.  He said that Power Ports really are better and called the other hospital himself and talked to someone in charge of scheduling and she said that she could probably get us in tomorrow, but by Wednesday for sure.  She took the information and called my oncologist and had them begin the process of transferring the authorization to their facility.  She is supposed to call me back today to let me know when the appointment will be.  Praise the Lord for a doctor who is looking out for patients and not just money or protocol – someone who was willing to make a simple phone call to help us out!  I will be forever grateful!

The great news that we heard today (in the middle of all of this), was that the anti-angiogenesis drug has been approved!!!  🙂  I am so happy about that.  They will not postpone chemo because of the the Power Port delay, but will begin on Thursday at 8:45 am, no matter what.  If the Power Port isn’t ready to be used due to some swelling, then they will do the chemo through an IV this week and begin using the port next week.  I am so relieved to hear that this ridiculous delay in the Port won’t delay my treatment any!

I will be writing a letter to Presbyterian Hospital and my oncologist about this whole ordeal.  Someone should have caught the mistake before I checked in to have the procedure done.

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Well, what a wonderful surprise…my sister, Karen, flew out from Washington, D.C. on Thursday night!  It was fun to have everyone together.  We are both going to be heading home tomorrow (Sunday). 

I will be having a port put in on Monday at 9:30 am.  I am really nervous about the whole procedure and don’t know really what to expect.  I am not sure when chemo will begin and haven’t heard if the anti angiogenesis drug (avastin) has been approved or not.  Sol did some research on Taxol and found that it has a history to be effective in treating angiosarcoma.  That is such great news.  I also found out that one of the side effects will be losing my hair again.  I just got it back!  🙁  But, hey, if that’s the worst of it, then I’ll take that.  I have enough hats to last a long time!  🙂 

Thanks for your prayers and support as I begin a new battle this week.  I really appreciate everything everyone has done for us! 

Love,

Monica

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Well, the doctor called me today after talking to the sarcoma specialist at Cedar’s Sinai.  I will be starting everything next week.  I spoke to him at length this evening about a lot of things, but will give you a brief description tonight as I am really tired.  (Kai was up at 5:30 this morning) 

Well, I will be having a port put in the beginning of next week as chemo will be every week this time, and my veins are already running at the thought of more needles.  I will be receiving Taxol once a week for three weeks and then have a week off and then three weeks on and one off for a few cycles.  Then they will do another scan to see if the chemo is working.  He wants to do Taxol in combination with an anti-angiogenesis (inhibits new blood vessel growth) drug.  Please pray that the HMO approves the drug as right now it is not used for this kind of cancer, and it is very expensive! 

So as soon as the port is ready, I will begin treatments.  If my body handles chemo like the last time, then I will do just fine…I just pray that it works on every single growth – those we can see and those we can’t.   My stomach begins flipping just thinking about chemo, and I can even smell the drugs from my memory! 

Since things aren’t starting until Monday at the earliest, I am going to stay here in Paradise a while longer – maybe returning on Saturday or Sunday.

On a different note, you’ll never guess (unless I’ve already told you) who played with Kai at the Burbank airport during a flight delay…Barry Bonds!  I chatted with him for about 15 minutes and took a picture with him.  I’ll post that soon – I don’t have a way to get the picture off my camera here at my parent’s house.   🙂  Fun, huh?

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Hey Everyone,

I know you are anxious to know what the doctor said today.  I’ll start with the good news.

The good news is that there is no tumor on the chest wall.  Sol read the report wrong and there isn’t anything new there.  Yay!

Now the bad news…Sol originally thought all of the suspicious growths were less than a centimeter, but there is one in my liver that is 4 cm.  For it to become that large in only three months means that it is growing really fast.  There are multiple growths on my right lung – one near the top and some scattered toward the bottom.   The doctor said that they are all operable.  He also believes that they are all most likely angiosarcoma, but without a biopsy, it’s hard to be 100% certain.  He is concerned that a biopsy might cause internal bleeding, but is going to ask the specialists about that.  He has a call into the sarcoma specialist that I was referred to back in April to ask his opinion on the next step for me and the recommended treatment path.  We should hear back by Wednesday, but chemo has been mentioned along with clinical trials.  Now my cancer is classified as stage 4 because it has spread outside of its original location to multiple other tissues.  Stage 4 sounds so terrible, I can’t hardly say it.

With that said,  I have booked a flight to see my family.  I want to go see my sister and her little baby girl before I start treatment and can’t go anywhere.  I am bringing Kai with me and will stay as long as I can.  I do not have a return flight booked, but will book it as soon as they call me and tell me it’s time to start treatment.  Sometimes you just want your mommy and daddy!  Know what I mean?

I am so scared and in a state of shock.  I am praying that when they go in to biopsy it (if they do) that there will be nothing there!  I am praying for a miracle and would ask that you join me.  May the Lord be praised in the midst of my pain and suffering.

Love,

Monica

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My younger sister, Janelle, had her baby early this morning.  Since there are fires threatening Paradise, she delivered in Chico, CA.  They were one of the few these days to wait until delivery to find out the baby’s gender.  So they kept us guessing and trying to figure it out.  They also kept the names that they had chosen a secret as well.

So here are the details:  It’s a …. girl!  Athailia Grace entered the world today at 4:39 am.  She weighed 8 lb 14 oz, was 22 inches long and has a head full of black hair!  Mom and baby are doing well.  Pray for healing and rest as they start this new chapter in their lives…the no sleep chapter!  😉

I can’t wait to go see them both, but will have to wait until I know what will be going on with my treatment/surgery options.  My appointment is today at 4, so I will know more after that.

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Thank you so much Kent and Keri for setting up the prayer time this morning.  Thank you to all of you who were there and those of you who were and are praying for us elsewhere.  It was amazing to me to see the amount of people who were there and to know that there were so many others I knew who were praying right along with us.  Thank you also to those of you who sent me your thoughts and prayers through email.  Reading those precious words touched my heart, and I believe they have been heard by our Father in heaven.

I was truly touched when hugging a dear soul, who is 80+ years young, and he said to me, with tears in his eyes, “If I could take it from you, I would.  I’ve lived a full life.”  He is currently being treated for bladder cancer and says he prays for me more than he prays for himself.   Bless him!

My appointment is at 4 pm tomorrow.  I’ll be sure to update the site tomorrow evening when we know what the doctor has said.  Until then, blessings to each and every one of you!  Keep praying!

P.S.  My younger sister has been admitted to the hospital and will be having her first child any minute!  🙂

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This was put together by a good friend…if you can, please pray with us at 10:35 tomorrow morning.

Hi friends and family of Monica and Sol Rodriguez.  Monica just had her first CT scan and got a pretty bad initial response from the radiology reading.  She will find out more detail on Monday morning when she meets with her oncologist.  The initial reading had the words malignant neoplasm, recurrence and suspicious new growths on liver/lungs.  These are not terms you want to hear after difficult months of chemo, surgery and radiation.  I am ready to fight a spiritual battle on behalf of my friend, Monica.  If you would like to be on the battle front of this fight, please join us directly after the 9:30am service in the front of the Worship Center (near the communion tables).  The Bible says, “By His stripes we are healed.”  On this communion Sunday, let’s faithfully and unceasingly pray for Monica together as a group of believers.  If you are unable to be there, please pray with your spouse/children/friends tomorrow morning at about 10:35am.  “When two or more are gathered together, there He is in the midst.”  –Keri and Kent Miller

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Sol let me in on more specifics about the report (he didn’t print it, so I haven’t seen it).  He said that there was reports of “malignant neoplasm” on the chest wall.  It also had the word recurrence.  That means that there is some recurrence of cancer near the original site.  In addition, the report said that suspicious new growths were found on the lungs and liver.  Each growth was really small, between 3-8 mm.  That’s the goal of these…catch it early if it does come back, right?   

Only the Lord knows the outcome, but please pray that when they go in for further review that they will find nothing.  Please pray for complete healing!  This is a real blow to us and we are struggling to find meaning and peace in it all.  Pray for us as we wait the weekend out.  We’ll keep you updated.

Love,

The Rodriguez Family

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We got a call back from the oncologist’s office.  His assistant told us that the oncologist has made an appointment to look at all the slides with the radiologist to figure out if the “suspicious” growths are really something to worry about.  I will not know anything until Monday morning.  This weekend is going to feel like an eternity!

Thank you for your continued prayers and your support.  I’ll let you know when I know anything.

Love,
Monica

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